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#1 dragan01 Nov 11, 2006 8:31:39

Just to live up this part of boards a bit, here is campaign I have been developing on A.net The Spread It took a lot of effort for humanity to build its first jumpgate. Forgeting nuclear programs and petty political struggles, world has finaly united in effort to build a new home for inhabitants of planet decaying under years of mistreatement and abuse for personal goals of the few. One on Earth and one on Alpha Centaury it was to be the first step towards reaching the stars. Ship with frozen crew and engines that would take it at near light speed was supposed to deliver the second gate and then move on after period of recycling, refitting with newest technology and translocation of other gates built on Earth during its travel. When Wanderer reached Alpha Centaury after decades of lonesome voyage through the void everyone was surprised to find already setup jumpgate network of alien design. While gates were fully operational and 90% compatible with human made, there were no signs of their creators. But there were more pressing matters at hand, Earth geting overpopulated and with natural resources dwindling. Hence, humans welcomed the gift with open hands. Most of the gates led to world which could support life, some with flora and fauna of their own, some with archeological remains, though never with sentinents that built jumpgate network. Ambitious and hungry for resources, humans soon spread beyond the network, settling neighbour systems with jumpgates of their own, forging a cluster with over 100 system in its domain. It appeared that humans have settled their problems. But it was not so. Ka One of the discoveries brought by jumpgate expansion were new additions to periodic table of elements. One such expansion was element simply named Ka. Rare and encountered only in three systems in relatively close vicinity to each other, also places of greates alien archeological sites, (such vicinity that jumpgates are rarely used to traverse the space between Tri-KA systems as they were named later) Ka was given little thought as it obviously had no practical uses. It is only after fourth generation of colonists emerged that Ka was found to have certain effect on human physiology. Entering biochemical system of the colonists it has made mutations to their wery concept of time and space. First signs of the mutations were noticed with third generation, first as obvious physical differences, the unusual thin frames and albino skin followed with jet black eyes revibrant voices. But that which has changed the colonists physically, has also changed them mentaly. The wyrding way-it was named-ability to do increadible feats with the will of mind. Warping time and space for short periods of time, moving at increadible speeds and even influencing physical and mental condition of others, these newly discovered powers cause outcry of fear among other systems. Who was to stop these freaks from implanting their will upon others. Psi inhibitors were developed to supress these powers but people of Tri-KA systems rebelled against them, calling them humiliation and brand marks. 6 months after first psi inhibitor was produced Tri-Ka systems declared independance and shut down their jumpgates. The Mother While first human crew of Wanderer was frozen, someone was needed to take care of the ship during its flight to Alpha Centaury. Ship was maintained by crew of automated men, first android prototypes, controlled by limited AI program. By the time that Wanderer reached the Alpha Centaury, fully fledged AI's were developed and as humanity spread among the stars, integrated into society. When Tri-KA systems declared independence a retaliatory fleet was called upon to exterminate abominations who would dare defy the human dominion. It took them months to reach the systems only to be repulsed by their defences and wyrding powers. Who was to stop this menace should they move against other systems. It was AI called mother that offered solution. A new generation of androids containing AIs in its brain cores -the Omega- was to be produced, and be used as shock troopers. They would be immune to most wyrding powers, stronger, logical, devoid of human errors and inexpensive. Also, further loss of human life would be avoided. The affairs of war were handed to the Mother and her ruthless tactics have soon crushed Tri-KA defences. Jumpgates were re-opened and Kaians were forced to accept the rule of human dominion and their condition. As time passed, Mother presented new projects to humanity, integrating itself more and more into daily life and supressing other Ais. Androids, heroes of Tri-KA Wars were officially accepted as human partners. And while life seems easy and peaceful now, the truth is that actual gouvernment is heavily dependant on the Mother, the true power behind the dominion. Still, there are rumors of another rebellion stirring in Tri-Ka systems and one month ago contact was lost with two of the fringe colonies. A new religion has arisen-Cult of the Machine that worships Mother and androids as her avatars. And what of the creators of the jumpgate network? Systems and planets of Note: Sol – Earth and Mars Tri-KA Systems – Ardyna, Emeral and Corrin Yinar System – Yinar Prime Metal – Metal Bermudan Tri Gate Races: Humans-core humans from PHB Humans don't have access to psionic powers. Wild Talent perk repersent human that has been partialy exposed to Ka during its lifetime or whose parents have been exposed to it at some point in life. Androids-as described in GammaWorld. Androids can not be wild talents. Kaians STR 4-13 DEX 4-14 CON 4-11 INT 4-14 WIL 4-15 PER 4-14 Kaians are humans whose ancestors have been exposed to a large amount of Ka. They have access to Wyrding Way skill list. There is something strange and etheric about Khaians. While at close distance they are more human like, this strangeness shows really well from long distances. Kaians seem to be insubstential and blurry as if somehow out of phase with real time and space. All ranged attacks from medium and close ranges suffer additional +1 step penalty. Furthermore, Kaians are able to see and move through different geomethries then our own, to some extent. They can move through what they reffer to shadowplane, stretching beyond their physical bodies, becoming etheric and as if they have been melted and elongated, a miasmic mess of tangled strands and body parts. When using this gift Kaians can attack targets that are up to 4 meters away physically. However, if Kaian is struck while he is like this, he recieves additional 2 points of damage Defeated in war and shunned as abominations Kaians suffer -1 step penalty when interacting with humans and androids (Kaians reserve special dislike for androids). Also, Kaians start with psi-inhibitor flaw which imparts +3 step penalty when using wyrding powers. Flaw can be bought of for 5 skill points, which means Kaian has obtained wyrding licence. To buy off the flaw during the game, hero must spend 7 skill points as well as invest in means of obtaining licence. Free Skills: Athletics, Vehicle Op, Knowledge, Awareness, Wyrding Way, Resolve, Interaction The Wyrding Way List of powers for Kaians and wild talents. These powers are all atributed to Will and use psionic points. Their cost remains the same as statet in supplements. Wyrding Way - cost 10, Free for Kaians fussilade battlemind mind reading navcognition alter speed timeslip kinetic blow suggest tire mind wipe undo mighty leap lightning speed power charge cost 2 This power allows hereo to get all benefits of charging but his opponent does not recieve benefits of -2 step attack bonus on the hero.Further, when powercharging, if the attack is succesful, opponent must make stamina-endurance check or be thrown d4 meters backwards. If he hits solid surface he is knocked prone. There are no mindwalkers in this campaign. Wild Talents are possibility. Sol System Earth Today, Earth is overcrowded polluted planet, breaming with sealed buildings connected via airtubes through which vehicles stream constantly, like bees through the hive. What is left of flora and fauna is preserved in special domes, overseered by multiple AIs so nothing of indigenious life is lost. Androids constantly work with animals and plants, their lack of smell and logical approach calming the animals. With most of its resources gone, Earth's major trade is recycling and development, its tall skyscrapers housing largest weapon and science companies. Society has been split by height. Those living on the top floor are richest, living in luxorious penthouse apartments with all comodities needed for a lifetime. On the bottom, exposed to elements and savagery are those poorest and luckless beings who struggle to survive every day, living off the junk thrown from above, shady deals and preying upon co-citizens. Mars Terraforming is long, expensive and arduous process, but while the Earth waited for Wanderer to reach Alpha Centaury it had no choice but to terraform Mars in case the mission failed. Project was success and soon, entire Earths government moved to Mars. It has become the center of human dominion and symbol of mans ascendance and dominance among stars. With many resources unexploited, city after city has been raised, stretching across the surface in vast network connected by hovertrains. This time, humans were smarter and they didn't make the same mistake they did with Earth, so Mars still contains parts of its original surface as well as controlled resource extraction. But what makes Mars so famous are two things. It is place where Mother came to conscinues and where Omega were created. Today, androids are roughly 45% of Mars population, largest android population in entire dominion. Tri-Ka systems have three major planets, each very different from others. One is desert world, one is ice world and third one is jungle planet. They have high number of military outposts due to fear of another rebellion. While Kaians and androids form major population in settlement, there are rumours of vast number of Kaians living outside of cities, in hidden settlements. Metal is kind of space mistery, a single planet orbiting blue star, only the planet is made entirely out of metal-or better said, pieces of metal binded together, to form hull to whatever is hidden inside. No enterance has been found so far. Bermudan Tri Gate is nickname for Lupis system. While planets are unremarkable by themselves, it is presence of three alien gates within the system. It was strange at first-one gate was more than enough-but occasiaonally, ships that went through gates would end up in different destination then they were supposed to-or go missing never to be heard of again. Yinar Prime is cathedral world, center of Machine Cult religion, place with highly advanced grid and run by Logic Cube - Mothers sub-AI. Planet has sort of independence from rest of the dominion, very strict laws and severe punishment system. It is also home of the Next faction-humans with high level of cybernetics instaled in their bodies-religious zealots and shock troops for the cult. the Next game notes: characters belonging to this fraction automatically start with nanocomputer, cyberoptics, and exoskeleton (O). They may take up 2 pieces of ordinary cyberware or 1 good. They also recieve Implant flaw. Implant contains electocution wire. Should the Next displease or fail in his devotions can be terminated via it. Gate is central planet of Fringe systems, place of commerce and shady buisiness. It houses numerous small settlement, each a small trade and gambling center. While the climate is that of arid desert, Gate has rich metal and mineral deposits bellow the ground as well as unexpectedly rich wildlife. Honor is newly settled system. Its inhabitants try not tu use technology except for the bare neccesities of lif and are trying to live by the old code of chivalry. Epactus is rich agricultural world, terraformed two months ago and is theme of various debates. Supposedly, it featured its own wildlife before it was terraformed. What happend to them is unknown since after terraforming no evidence of animal presence was found. Small farming communities have been formed and more people are arriving every month, however, there are rumours of strange things skulking in dark, and machines found dismantled in the field.. One of the things that has become increasingly common is human pairing. On most of the worlds (Tri Ka systems being an exception) it has become customary (and on some like Yinar-mandatory) for Mothers sub-Ais to choose couples. Basically, by the time person reaches adulthood his personal record is processed by AI and its future wife/husband is chosen. They are then introduced and married. Ragnarok Ragnarok is major military system. It encompases four planets which have been adapted to serve as military training grounds. Ragnarok Major is gas giant. Dozzen of air fortresses are stationed in its upper layer of atmosphere which has breathable oxigen, housing marines and naval officers. Ragnarok Majors moon Ictus is used as 0g training grounds for StarFist Core Marines. Ragnarok Minor is earthlike world with 65% of planet being landmass. Like earth, it has various climates and it is marines training ground. Odin and Thor are used to mass produce military equipment and fighter crafts. To access Ragnarok system, one has to have special jumpgate code in addition to coordinates which are instructed in a gate. Ragnarok also features greatest number of in-system gates-17 in total. the Extinct And what of the aliens and theirs jumpgates? So far humanity has yet to encounter other intelligent races. Ancient ruins and abandoned jumpgates are best evidence that there was other sentinent life in the universe at some point of time. What has happened to it - there are only speculations. Most popular ones are that they have annihilated itself in some kind of armaggedon war. But surely there would be evidence of whole scale destruction somewhere. Other theory says that they moved away to entirely different galaxy or that they have moved to entirely different plane of existance. Finally, there is theory that they are in hiding, observing humanity before they pass their judgement on them. Tri-Ka system has most numerous archeological sites of the Extinct. Analysys of their ruins were unable to determine exactly how old are they. There is something about alien material that defies age and probing. As far as scan results are concerned they could have been built yesterday. So far Mother has built special array of deep space sensory relays in attempt to find and communicate with the Extinct if they are somewhere in this universe. As far as public knows, there was no success yet. Recently, however, rumors have spread across the dominion that Mother hasn't been sharing everything that she has discovered with humanity. Who knows, maybe she is secretly communicating with them. So far gouvernment has made no official inquieries to the Mother, but this is not surprising, gouvernment members are voice of mother which lulls humans into story that they are still in charge.. Piloting the ship Piloting ships in Whispers of Unmaking is slightly unnerving. Pilot(s) is entombed in casket during the flight and placed into, isolated from the rest of the ship on a bridge. Piloting tomb provides protection from radiation and molecular distortion created by jumpgate at the same time allowing full control of the ship. Input claws then attach to the piloting tomb, transmiting all relevant information to the pilot. Passangers and crew are placed in suspended animation during the flight.