[Forum Game] Dark Horizons

[Morrell8]

OOC: I knew that statement was useless. I was just hoping that there would be a few NPC nations to exploit.

[Dyranum]

OOC: I knew that statement was useless. I was just hoping that there would be a few NPC nations to exploit.

NPC nations will not be placed out until after state application has been officially closed.

[Muskeato]

For example, orbital habitats in orbit over the otherwise worthless planets.

But where else would orbital habitats find themselves!!

[Dyranum]

But where else would orbital habitats find themselves!!

Hmm, how about somewhere in space? Or around some asteroid? Granted, you would probably call them something else at that point but...eh.

Also habitats on the surface of otherwise uninhabitable planets (Like Pluto (which isn't actually a planet, but that's beside the point)) work too.

[reis91]

Orbital habitats on a comet?

[Muskeato]

Orbital habitats on a comet?

OOC: But then they're not in orbit!!! :P

[reis91]

OOC: But then they're not in orbit!!! :P

OOC: Orbiting the comet

[Polar Mongoose]

Looks fun, I'll put together a faction this evening.

[Dyranum]

Announcement: I would just like to state that this game shall start on the 7th of May, 2012. That is when you shall send in orders at the earliest, the deadline for which I shall be setting on the aforementioned day. However, the sooner you send your orders, the sooner I will be able to get to work on them and push out an update (that counts for all updates, by the way).

Please do note that this does not necessarily mean that state application will close at that point, I might very well keep it open. Besides, there will also be NPC states which new players could jump in as.


EDIT: Also made an edit to the OP to add a part about trade which I kinda forgot:

EDIT: Please note that the systems included in trade agreements must be border systems. "But that gives me so little to work with!", you might say, and for huge empires that is true. However, as you can sign trade agreements between more than two people, then you can easily construct a sort of "trade route". If this is confusing, please say so and I shall clarify.

[Polar Mongoose]

So if you have systems A to E in a line, with A belonging to player 1, B C and D belong to player 2, and E belonging to player 3, can there be a trade route linking the 3 players? Assuming system C isn't a border system. Or does the whole trade route have to be along borders?

[Dyranum]

So if you have systems A to E in a line, with A belonging to player 1, B C and D belong to player 2, and E belonging to player 3, can there be a trade route linking the 3 players? Assuming system C isn't a border system. Or does the whole trade route have to be along borders?

Due to System C, those would not be linked in a trade route. If System C did not exist, and instead B and D were directly connected, then you could establish a trade route among the 3 players.
Also, yes, must be border territory, as made obvious by the above statement.

[Polar Mongoose]

The Brotherhood of the Stars

Location: I3
Home System: Nassau System
Homeworld: New Nassau
Capital: Sparta's Landing
Leader: Commandant Annaliese Rose
Colour: Some inoffensive shade of yellow maybe? Not really fussed.

The Brotherhood of the Stars originates from those living on the fringes of human space during the rise and reign of the Imperium of Manx. As the various human colonies fought and consumed one another, ships of the losing fleets would sometimes flee into the black rather than surrender and trust to the mercy of their vanquishers. There they were joined by by various outcasts and exiles from the core worlds. A ship alone in space is vulnerable, and so the outcasts formed a loose association for mutual support, both military and technical.

While outright piracy by members of the Brotherhood was not unheard of, more common by far was smuggling and unlicensed mining activity. Individual ships, or even entire fleets of ships would also at times sign up as privateers for nearby settled worlds, being often employed to interfere with enemy trade. However as the Imperium of Manx collapsed the revenue sources of the Brotherhood dried up, no one wanted the smuggled luxuries or minerals the Brotherhood supplied while trade died away leaving no merchants to be victims of privateering or piracy. With no means to pay for the supplies and services need to maintain their ships, indeed with no neutral colonies remaining to even get these services from, the leadership of the Brotherhood decided it was time for the Brotherhood to find a home of their own. Setting out at sub-light speed, the ships of the Brotherhood crossed the great divide leaving behind the ruins of the Imperium.

The Brotherhood has now been established on their new home, the moon New Nassau, orbiting a gas giant in the Nassau system. Following their long journey the bulk of the Brotherhood's ships are no longer spaceworthy, many having had their FTL drives stripped before they even set out to reduce mass. Therefore efforts are currently being focused towards developing the necessary industrial base to restore the fleet.

Brotherhood society is structured with each ship being a separate unit, with the captain of each ship representing their crew in the councils that govern the Brotherhood. A captains powers on his/her ship are extensive however there are hard limits on their powers imposed by 'The Code', a collation of the rights of a ship's crew as dictated by tradition and precedent. The councils of captains are highly democratic, decisions being made via consensus and compliance being voluntary (although failing to comply with a strongly supported consensus is unwise). How an individual ship is run varies widely depending usually on the origins of the ship. Former military ships are often run with the same strict discipline and hierarchies they operated under in their former occupations, while the mining ships in particular are highly democratic with captaincy being an elected position. Sections of the population have also abandoned shipboard life, choosing to settle permanently on New Nassau, however they have not abandoned their traditions and the villages and towns on the moon are run in the same manner as the ships of their forebears.

[Dyranum]

Hum, there is a distinct lack of aliens. I will not be bothered if you just do a Captain Ersatz or Expy on one from a known sci-fi franchise, because if I would be bothered by that then I would be a bit of a hypocrite.
Just putting that out there.

[EmperorGrimm]

A Short History of the Setans


Keteris, late morning 2552

Proximo Seta, legendary engineer of artificial intellects was a revolutionary and rebel during an era where the Imperium was increasingly decaying. Murder and corruption was leading humankind to ruin and to some prominent thinkers including Seta the problem was the human itself. Systems built by humanity to serve in its best interests guided by virtue and efficiency were inherently flaws because ultimately it relied on virtue to survive in its ideal state. People of course were not virtuous no matter how much generation after generation strived to be just it eventually failed. Understanding this undeniable reality Proximo and his followers looked to the frontier in the hope of building an institution that would remain untouched by human folly.

Manx caught in a ferver of expansion hoping to increase the wealth of the state and pacify the discontented populace allowed for colonists to set off to new worlds and establish their own laws and governments as long as they accepted the ultimate authority of the Emperor. Seta and his followers took advantage of the Empire's ambition and settled a distant world that they named Qosran after their philosophical hero the transhumanist Tarquin Qosran.

Settling on a warm coast on the largest of Qosran's oceans the city of Keteris enjoyed peace and prosperity. A council was founded and libertarian policies were enacted to bring commerce and capital to the fledgling colony. Immigrants searching for liberty and work flooded to the planet and the small hub grew into a vast metropolis covering more than half of the world. Seta and his assitants took to working on their great project to solve the decay of virtue in human society and government.

Thirty years of work saw the creation of humankind's first superintelligence that was self-aware named Mazor Three, the final product after two failed prototypes. Powered by refined trilarite crystals and consisting of vast systems of complicated code Mazor Three was a purily logical self-aware machine programmed to manage Qosran's vast infrustructure and bureaucratic systems. At last laws and bureaucrats could no longer be corrupted.

Mazor Three was a powerful intellect but it was a slave to the Setans and to Proximo this posed a threat to his vision of the future. Intending to design the final program that would give Mazor Three total power over the destiny of his people he became a recluse along with his trusted team of engineers. The final algorithm known simply as the Proximo Code was never completed as its maker died in his sleep nearly a century after he led his followers to Qosran.

Today Qosran is governed by the Assembly, a democratic institution where the masses vote together on laws and policies. Although it is common for communities to vote for representatives in some regions as long as the representative provides evidence that he indeed the true representative of the people he claims has sent him.

[reis91]

Mmm... I preferred the AI overmind version...

[EmperorGrimm]

OOC: I plan on dealing with that as the game comes along in the story

[Shock3r]

The Kalji Empire

Location: B2
Name: The Kalji Empire.
Capitol: Azrael
Leader: Kharon
Motto: I will arise from the fire!
Appearance:
The Kalji stand on an average of 4.5 meters and have great physical strength. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are coloured blue. They have two, blade-tipped tails. The tip is a long, scorpion-like barb. The Kalji are known to have varying numbers of limbs, but most commonly have 4 arms and 2 legs. Their neck is long and slender and they have elongated, cylindrical skulls
Backstory:
The Kalij are a savage and merciless race originating from the planet of Kabal. After completely subjugating Kabal, they turned their sights on other systems. Easily defeating the archaic natives, they quickly gained control of the surrounding systems. This would be the last of their victories as they eventually came into conflict with the Imperium of Manx. The Kalji, bolstered by their early victories, began raiding Manx systems. The Imperium responded furiously by throwing their entire fleet at them. The Manx fleets, being more technologically advanced and better lead, destroyed the entire Kalji Fleet in one battle. Determined not to let the Imperium gain control of an inch Kalji territory, fighting fanatically against any army Manx tried to land on their planets.
Not willing to risk so many lives for such little gain, the Manx obliterated each planet from orbit. Thinking they had wiped out the Kalji, the Imperium left the devastated systems. A few Kalji, hearing of the destruction of the surrounding Kalji systems, retreated deep within Kabal. Surviving the bombardment, the remaining Kalji remained deep underground only emerging decades later to find their planet in complete ruins. After rebuilding and repopulating their home plant the Kalji are once ready to expand and reap vengeance against the Imperium

[Dyranum]

Notification: I have edited the OP to provide some clearer information on the various types of structures and their effects.

EDIT: Added some more info on structure cost, as well as research cost.

EDIT2: Just wanted to say that the deadline for orders for 2552 will be the 11th of May, with the absolute deadline being before the 12th of May. Any earlier is appreciated, as long as you don't go and change them after that.

NPC nations will be placed out on the 7th of May.

EDIT3: Added in locations of NPC nations.

[Polar Mongoose]

Just to clarify, if you want to build a number of the same thing, is that a singular order or multiple orders?

[Dyranum]

Just to clarify, if you want to build a number of the same thing, is that a singular order or multiple orders?

A single order. Just specify the number. As an example: "Build 2 Light Ships"
That's a perfectly fine and simple order (which prevents me from getting any headaches).