Trinity RPG - Greeks In Space

[Finbar]

Hoping this sounds better than it did to my group... ::crazy

I decided to make an e-book out of some "aliens" that we used in a couple of adventures, and have some fuhn with it...I need some artists and someone who knows Latiin (or where I can find a good translator, preferably for the Palm OS...).

Basic Idea: About 75 BC, a group of zeps took a small Greek city that the Romans had just taken, and took it to another planet. The zeps studied them for a few years, then left it to its own devices.

What the zeps wanted to do was study an interesting radiation that the planet that they couldn't quite measure, but knew it was having a minor effect on the fauna. They hoped that they could detect if they found a slightly civilized people who would help them in their study. Although the transplants gained minor psi-abilities, the zeps couldn't do anything past that, so they left.

Skip ahead 2200 yrs...The Greeks and Romans, kidnapped and adandoned by their gods, have made the best of the situation. The Romans were absorbed into the culture, and Latin came into general use, but the rest of the culture is Grecian. However, the culture is split between the census (those who develop their psi-abilities very little), and the patriarchs (those who develop their abilities tremendously).

They have developed space travel, and a tech that is part hard, part bio, and even two subservient races based on what the ideals of two cities in their far past. (Spartans as warriors, Athenians as more general purpose). They've set up trades with a few alien species, and our on a fourth golden age.

About a fifty years ago, they had an encounter with a small group of novas. The Grek and novas combined forces and were find out that the Greks were from Earth, and made some interesting developments in the M-R node. Specifically, they can trigger specific eruptions, and that Taint, when develops into aberrations, will follow a specific course. There are two serious drawbacks: Sterility, and extremely limited lifespans. These morituri are created from those about to die anyway, and set about specific tasks.

They are now interested in finding the homeworld...

____________________________________________________________________'

Like I said up top, I'm looking for artists and some minor translator help. Please post here or e-mail me at jamaisj@hotmail.com....Thanks!

[Slagheap]

How far did the Zeps move them? Remeber that the Zeps can only travel at the spead of light, so it could have taken centuries for them to get where they were going.

-Slag

[Finbar]

Gee...In all honesty, I had been so busy dealing with the culture that I had forgotten little details like planets... ::unsure

However, my leading contender right now is Epsilon Eridani, which is 10.5 ly from Earth, and has a lot of interesting activity, plus (as per current info) possibly two planets. The biggest problems are 1) a lot of chromospheric activity (which would inhibit psi), 2) the light is only 28% that of the sun (roughly that of about an hour after sunset), and 3) it's an awfully young star (only 1 billion).

The second and third aren't that big of an issue, but the first makes things interesting without giving them, say, 1 dot in Quantikinesis (which would actually fit a Greek society, given that that would mean Enhancement...hmmm...)

However, it has some other interesting things about it...check out

Epsilon Eridani

Some Highlights:

Constellation: Eidani (The River)

Was one of the first systemsto be searched for radio signals

Eccentric orbit (1.4 to 5.4 AU)

FR

[Finbar]

Just to show you some of what I'm up to....

Spartans

Spartans are the Grek military clones, a race of beings that live solely to fight. For this, they are admirably suited.

Spartans are born in test tubes, then transferred to artificial wombs within a few hours. They reach the birthing stage after approximately 12 months, but afterwards mature very quickly, reaching puberty in four years, and maturity in seven. It should be noted that although they are definitely male, they are incapable of mating. The average life Although a spartan may live to thirty, most will die in battle by age twenty.

Childhood

The first four years of a spartan’s life are spent learning tactics and strategy, as well as mythology and writing. Although they learn basic academics, a spartan is treated as a specialist in warfare and not given much more instruction past that. Boys at this age are students only, albeit aging at three times the normal rate.

Also, they tend to need almost twice the food of a boy the same “age”. They tend to be a bit more serious than you would expect a boy to be, but the need to be adults, and “put aside childish things”, combined with their warlike existence tends to make them a bit morose.

Due to the combination of immaturity and combat training, they are kept in a compound; they occasionally find a way out of their compound and unleash some havoc on nearby establishments. They are given a stern lecture, and punished, but this initiative is welcome.

The boys are called “pups”; this is not to be endearing, but to drive home that they are not adults and still have a lot to learn. At puberty, they are given a tattoo on the right shoulder (based on a group consensus), and called “lupines”. Also, they are given a bioapp that acts as a radio, GPS beacon, and an A/V feed; this is the lupine’s “headgear”. Essentially, they are watched and they know it. However, they may now move outside the base. They are expected to join local gangs, but they are still expected to make practices. Given their psi resistance and physical prowess, they are usually welcomed to whatever gang they choose to join.

The next three years are intensive physical training. Although even the youngest spartan is given some physical training, puberty allows more pronounced difference; specifically, muscles may be made hard as stone and reflexes may now be trained. Also, they take on some mentoring duties; a lupine is given a “litter” of pups (one to six, depending the leadership/teaching ability of the lupine) and expected to make sure that they keep up in their lessons. The pups expect to be treated as dirt, and can’t wait to become lupines themselves so they can inflict the same treatment.

At seven, the lupine is given a maturity ritual: The Howling. The lupine is stripped, his headgear is turned off, a “paindot” is attached to the inner ear, and he is released into the nearby woods. After a year, the paindot begins sending pain into the lupine and he must return to his home compound to turn it off. Until this return, the lupine may be killed without penalty by any who see him, and he must make his way through stealing and bargaining.

Upon returning, the lupine is cleaned up, and tested both mentally and physically. Combined with how well they did during The Howling, as judged by physical health, material possessions, and distance traveled, the lupine is given a second tattoo denoting rank. This tattoo is placed on the lupine’s forehead and the lupine is allowed to join the spartans as an adult.

An adult spartan is allowed the same freedoms as an adult grek, but with none of the same responsibilities. Instead, their defending the local area is their sole concern. Also, they are looked down on, but only because they are living reminders that war is an unfortunate part of life. They are usually given a good stipend, great benefits, and even allowed free tuition at the local academy. However, they are still expected to be on time for missions, and must attend regularly scheduled practices.

Sidebar: Spartan Females

The male gender was selected due to its strength and instinctive need for hierarchy. Females, although rare, they do exist. However, they are not soldiers; they are assassins.

Essentially more social than their brethren, their goal is to get as close to their victim as possible, then kill him quickly and silently, disappearing into the night.

Sidebar: Lost Pups

Okay, it does happen, but what happens to the lupine? After all, that paindot must be easy to get out, right? And what about malfunctions?

Well, usually one of three things: The first is the rogue lupine. This is a boy who has decided not to return home, for whatever reason (usually he has fallen in love, or likes being leader of the pack). At the end of the year, the headgear is turned backed to facilitate the return of the lupines. Obviously, the kid has to find a way to disable the headgear or be returned. Also, the lupine will be stuck in The Howling until dead (no real responsibilities, but ever-looming death penalty).

The second are slavers. And a lupine (or the rare pup) is a great thing: trained to fight, and will quickly become loyal to whoever has him. If you can get rid of the headgear, then you have a great potential bodyguard. It happens, and there’s no real way to find such a lost pup. But the penalties for being caught are tremendous (life of slavery, loss of legal advantages) enough to make most people think twice about doing it.

The third are malfunctioning headgear. Usually a problem, and lupines are warned about it, and most have it corrected immediately, but occasionally some kid gets paranoid. Luckily, it’s just a matter of time before they are found; unluckily, they may need to be euthanized…

Sibebar: The Howling

Okay, you’re stark naked, no support from home, and you’ve got a death penalty on your head. Think you can last a year?

Well, yeah.

One bit of good news: No one may organize a hunt for you. Period. You can break laws left and right, and (unless you’ve really been heinous) no one can get a posse on you. This is known as The Prohibition, and it has been well-established. One of the arguable advantages of being a Spartan is that year of total recklessness; afterwards, you are expected to at some point lay down your life for your world.

But it requires planning. Most lupines just join a local gang, treat The Howling as an urban myth, and hope no one calls them on it. But the more ambitious have some real fun…

You can become someone’s bodyguard, someone who wouldn’t usually have access to a Spartan, and he’ll help you in ways you can only imagine. Or you could become an assassin. Or you could just flip burgers…The point is, the better you do, and the more successful you are, the more rank you get when your year’s up. (The ultimate stick and carrot…) Assassin or bodyguard are good bets (good pay, good travel), but gang members tend to last the longest…

Just remember that nasty little thing called backstabbing can be literal…

Sidebar: Romance

Just because they’re neutered war machines doesn’t mean that they don’t fall in love. After all, a Spartan is expected to experience all the emotions of a “real” grek. So what happens when the fall in love?

Well, unrequited love is common, especially among lupines. Basically, he falls in love, she doesn’t want to be around someone who is going to die young, and he is hard to deal with for a while.

Being the victim of unrequited love is another matter. After all, you can’t move away, and the “lover” may be required to be dealt with due to local politics. This is where being someone who can be ordered around is trouble. But there are ways out; generally, going full-bore into the relationship works. But if it doesn’t…

True romance is harder to deal with. The pair may have no problems, but the parents of the lover do (“You’re dating a clone? How can you tell that it’s him?”). Obviously, correspondence will be needed, or getting the lover disowned.

Who says cloning doesn’t have its own potential dramas?

Sidebar: So, You Want to be a Patron

The easy part: Be ridiculously wealthy, and either be a senator or praetor or have one as a very close friend. Keep in mind that spartans are watched, and are on of the few weapons actually licensed.

Spartan Characters

Use Legion allegiances. Any merit is acceptable, generally combat and authority (Police Powers, for example), but always non-noetic. Flaws are limited to non-noetic, with no physical or mental flaw that would affect combat readiness. Also, addictions are actually encouraged; they give the spartan a reason to fight, if nothing else. They are treated as Legionnaires as regards point costs.

Attributes: Strength and Stamina are +1 (max of 6). Manipulation and Appearance are -1

(minimum of 0, max of 4). Otherwise, Physical 7 dots, Mental 5 dots, Social 3 dots.

Abilities: As per Legion, plus the following abilities start at 2: Might, Brawling,

Firearms, Gunnery, and Awareness.

Advantages: Four points of backgrounds, plus Resources 2, Influence 1, Requisition 3.

Psi 1; Willpower 5. Walk 7 m; Run 15+Dex; Run 25+3xDex. Fifteen Freebie

points.

Equipment: As per patron

Special Abilities:

Regeneration: A spartan regenerates 1 bashing level per minute, 1 lethal level per hour, and 1 aggravated level per day. Healing lethal and aggravated requires double rations during the interim; if this is not possible, regeneration will not occur. They can eventually regrow limbs.

Thick Skin: Spartans have, effectively, 4[4] armor, plus any allowed for Stamina.

Psi Resistance: Compute Psi normally, and add 3 to determine if effected by a psi ability.

Bioapps: A spartan can have up to Sta-1 points of Bioapp Tolerance. Keep in mind that one of those points is allotted for headgear.

Combat Readiness: Spartans have one dot each Mega-Strength (Lifter) and Mega-Dexterity (Enhanced Initiative). For those without the Aberrants Book, this means that a spartan adds +5 damage to hand-to-hand damage, can lift 2 ton, and can before pretty much anyone (+4 Initiative for those it can’t do this to automatically).

[Finbar]

I love having a Palm Pilot...I found the translator, and I think that Epsilon Eridanus will be the home (it has some really nice features, like practically invisible to clears due to high magnetism)....

Now all I need are artists...Heck, if anyone Aeon players are in the Sacramento area, I can use models and my Photoshop skills to create the art...Any takers?

FR

[Joseph]

Finbar! Dude! Greek out us Horsemen! We have tons of pictures (and are pretty good with PShop ourselves). Bonus that we're almost neighbors.

::tongue

-Joseph

[Nullifier]

I live in Oakland, if that's close enough for you, Finbar. Btw, anyone running a tabletop Abberant or Mage campaign 'round my area?

[madcat82]

I can give you a latin dictionary (in a list format) if you wannt to...

Makes skimmering for words easier....

[Finbar]

madcat: Thanks, but I found some freeware Latin dictionaries for my Palm...I love my Palm ::smokin ....

Nullifier: For the art or the modelling?

FR

[Nullifier]

Erm. I'm incompotent at best at art, so the modeling. I actually look somewhat Greek.

[Finbar]

(Like I'm not going to find a way to keep this topic bumped.... ::devil

Here's another idea from my decidedly warped brain:

Morituri

Imagine This: The other kids run, jump, and play, and you are stuck in a wheelchair because of some illness that should have been eliminated years ago. You will not live to see your eighteenth birthday. Then a recruiter shows up at your doorstep, saying that he needs people like you to help save the world! You’ll still die, but what a blaze of glory you’ll go down in!!

History

The Morituri are a new part of Grek society; they have only been part of it for just under a century. Terra had a program in which novas explored the stars (Project Daedalus), and a lot of stars were explored. Although a few alien races were discovered, it was decided to either not tell the mainstream population.

At that time, aberrants were beginning to feel the affects of the political maneuvering against them, and some in the project felt that knowing about other races while still debating about the rights of a subrace (the aberrants themselves) would create more friction than it was worth (especially if it looked like the aberrants had gone to get extrasolar assistance). Another reason to forego letting the world know about the alien races was that some had inborn abilities that rivaled the aberrants, or had the potential to do so. In the Greks case, most people had psionic abilities, or had the potential to become aberrants. In fact, roughly one in ten thousand were potential aberrants.

The Greks were one of the first races found. Once it was discovered that they were transplanted humans, both sides decided to share basic information. Eventually, some of the mega-intelligent aberrants migrated there and settled in. After a the Aberrant War, the remnants either moved on, or went to Eden; they felt that they endangered the planet just by being there.

However, in the time that they had been there, they had unlocked some of the secrets behind the M-R node, and were able to initiate an eruption with minimal taint. Also, the taint could be defined prior to manifesting. It was decided to try with some of the children who manifested taint diseases.

To this point, the aberrants had been extremely careful, and over a decade of being there, none had developed Taint. However, the kids, in their over-zealousness to test their powers, quickly started gaining Taint. Across the board, the new aberrants gained a degenerative cancer that affected their entire bodies. As a cure was sought, a group of elders approached the aberrants and made, to humans, what would be an appalling demand: To not only not cure the cancer, but to also create a path of definitive taints for the kids as they became more powerful.

After some very tense conversations, they decided that the elders made some persuasive arguments relative to the culture. The children would have died anyway, and now they would for sure. However, neogenesis allowed them to gain some personal glory, which was very important to the culture, and the limitations would allow the program to continue. After a series of long conversations with the elders and teen-agers, it was decided to create the morituri, a group of that would sacrifice itself so that the rest may live. They have been doing so since.

Recruitment

The morituri are recruited from the kids that somehow manage to acquire a debilitating illness that will lead to permanent handicap or death, whether birth defect, illness, or injury. Only the patriarch who owns the area may attempt the first recruiting. However, deals regarding potential morituri have been made, and kidnapping potential morituri has been known to happen.

The teen-ager is invited to spend one week at the home of a local patriarch, during which he is spoiled and allowed to do almost anything. Usually, nothing is refused this person, including, but definitely not limited to, food, drink, sex and information. There are two conditions: One, that nothing about why the teen-ager is there may be asked (of course, most already know and have been waiting for it), and that anything involving the patriarch is up to the patriarch as to what conditions apply. The teen-ager is then given The Choice; he is told that he may return home, or be a slave of the patriarch for the remainder of his short, glorious life.

The Choice is given with preamble, and the only response allowed is a yes or no; any other response, and the teen-ager is deemed too immature to handle the power of the gods, and is sent home, and will never be given The Choice again by any patriarch. Those who say “no”, however, may be given other opportunities. Of course, once the first “no” has been recorded, the potential morituri is given the freedom to accept another patriarch’s offer.

Those that say, “yes,” however, undergo neogenesis. By undergoing a process that involves gene-therapy, mind-questing, and intense physical training. Sometime during this process, the character will erupt.

In the service of their patriarch, the teen-ager is fanatically loyal (sometimes due to Taint), and will do whatever the patriarch desires. At best, a mentor-student relationship is formed; at worst, mean master-whipped dog. However, given their power, it’s usually student or at least favored servant. After all, do you want to tick off a tactical nuke?

The morituri, however, is well aware that he is on a short leash in at least one fashion; he could die at any time. Think it about it this way: You’re a teen-ager with power, and that power will kill you. The general range is either moroseness (“Well, let’s see what I can do today…”), glory-seeking (“I’m going to die, but it’s going to be with a bang!”), or martyr (“My life will be worth the sacrifice!”). The other common, but not preferred, is the bravo: “I have power, and I can do what I want!” Most, however, will do what they can to make their master’s wishes come true.

Sidebar: There’s a process for becoming a nova?

Not really. Only specific children are given the opportunity, and the opportunity is restricted to teen-agers who test positive for a potential M-R node. “Neogenesis” (“new beginning”) offers a way to unlock the adolescent’s node and “erupt” him. The adolescent has only a few months to erupt; if he has not erupted, then there is a good chance neogenesis will kill the person it was attempting to heal. But, then again, they were going to die anyway…

Sidebar: Healing a Genetic Disease

Okay. We have novas that can heal, vitakinesis, and even the basic medicine is nothing short of miraculous. And yet there are still birth defects that can kill?

Yes, but the scientists do have a good reason. The solar system itself is saturated in quantum forces, remember? The birth defects are signs of a dormant M-R node, which by allowing the subject the ability to tap into quantum, also allows quantum energy to tap into the character easier; it’s a two-way street.

When neogenesis does erupt the node, the new person sometimes gains an enhanced healing ability. Unfortunately, while it will stave off death, the node creates a cancer that eventually kills the subject. The only way for a morituri to not die from his mode to escape from the system and, well, not come back. However, once a point of Taint is accrued while in the system, then the death of the morituri is assured.

Sidebar: Hot Teenage Sex

Keeping in mind that we are talking a rather liberal race as regards sexual freedoms, but with a dependence on physical well-being, how does this affect the morituri, who are teen-agers? Generally, in one of three ways:

In the most general case, the patriarch keeps the morituri to himself or someone he trusts. The loyalty aspect of a morituri allows intimacy only with the patriarch that sponsored them, or someone he trusts. It’s not that the morituri is only capable of loving anyone else than his master or mistress or that old relationships are forgotten; the knowledge that they are going to die isolates them from most society, and only the patriarch is usually willing to spend any time with them. Thus, the romantic feelings of young adulthood are usually transferred to the patriarch. This is definitely a time to remember that some patriarchs are matriarchs…

In some cases, the loyalty affect of neogenesis may create a morituri who is willing to do anything for his patriarch. In this case, it extends to allowing the patriarch to define any sexual encounters, even as favors. The exploitation of the morituri has reached near-prostitution in some cases. However, it should be noted that, while frowned upon by certain citizens, most see it as just a part being a morituri.

In the cases where Taint has created a number of physical aberrations, the teen-ager may feel that he is undeserving of any form of any form of physical intimacy and may seek to isolate himself from humanity as much as possible. Some, however, have sought out chaste romantic relationships, wherein the morituri is a lonely knight on a crusade for his lady’s love. This circumstance is one of the few in which a chaste relationship is actually seen as healthy, mostly due to the morituri’s physical nature.

Sidebar: Can the Novas come to visit?

Sure. However, due to the enhanced quantum in the area, they will eventually perish. As soon as one point of Taint is accrued, while in system, then the nova gains Hecate’s Kiss as his aberration. However, they don’t gain the other morituri aberrations (generally speaking).

This helps to ensure that aberrants themselves stay out of the system. At least there’s some good about being one of the few sources of nova-resistant cancer, yes?

Character Generation

Morituri are created as any other nova (Quantum 1, Taint is Quantum-3, 30 Nova Points), but with the following: Mentor 3 (their patriarch), Dormancy 4, and Resources 3. Also, they have the following:

Taint Path: They must choose their Taint-based aberrations in the following order: Hecate’s Kiss, Obsession: Loyalty (to their patriarch), and an appearance-based aberration (something like Unearthly Beauty, Big Head, or Earth Skin), one other, but must be emotion based. Once those four have been chosen, the morituri will not pick up any other aberrations. This does not apply to any morituri that flee the system prior to gaining the first dot of Taint; they gain Taint as any other nova. Should they gain Taint in-system, however, they start down the standard morituri path (this does not apply to any other novas, however).

Hecate’s Kiss: As the patron of the Dark Arts, some believe that she grants curses and boons to the Morituri. Somewhere along the line, someone mentioned this, and the name stuck.

The Kiss manifests itself in any nova or aberrant that gains Taint while in the Erandi system. Once a character gains this, for each month the character lives, he must roll Sta vs Difficulty +5. One die may added for Regeneration and per each dot in the Healing power. Each time the character fails, he loses abilities as follows: Healing (one dot per failure), Regeneration, Mega-Stamina (one dot per failure), Stamina (one dot per failure). A botch doubles the loss. Once a dot has been lost, the ability is stuck at that level (until another dot is lost) and may never be increased again, all benefits are lost, and the character feels weaker for a brief moment. A character may not add the ability after a higher ability has been lost (you could not add Healing after losing 2 dots of Mega-Stamina., for example).

Once Stamina is gone, the character is dead.

Hecate’s Kiss will manifest if a point of Taint is gained while in system, or the next time a character gains a point of Taint after more than (Sta+Mega-Sta) months are spent in system. Time spent Dorm’ed down does not count towards this limit. Thus, most Eridani-born characters have it, and a percentage of visitors. Once gained, however, being Dorm’ed down does not effect the frequency at which the test is made (it will always be once per month).

Dormancy: Dormancy has a special meaning for morituri. With Dormancy 4 and 5 (which allow a new form), the character’s form is the same as his pre-process form, with physical stats converted to the state that they were in prior to neogenesis. Scientists are unsure why, but it is thought that some form of self-inflicted mental punishment. Should a character whose current Sta is one thanks to being dorm’ed down go to Sta 0, the character is dead.

Volcanic Max: The ultimate shot for glory! If a character chooses to go down in one final blaze of glory, then he concentrates for Sta turns, then rolls Sta against a Difficulty +5. Successful or otherwise, the character will be dead after after (Quantum Pool/3, round down) turns.

If successful, then every power the character uses is considered Max’ed out, with a “successes pool” equal to (Sta+Mega-Sta)x(Successes rolled-5). Successes may be spent, with the qualifier that if none are spent, then at least one success still applies to the Max’ed out (this does not come from the pool).

This ability does have a potential drawback when it comes to drugs that cause power-burnouts. If the morituri is hit by Eclipsodol, or an equivalent (any drug designed to burn out a character’s power), roll Sta against Difficulty +3; if successful, the drug is safely handled by the morituri; otherwise, the character automatically starts the volcanic max, ignoring the concentration period.

[Finbar]

Weird Question:

Robot is derived from a German play around the turn of the century. All of our concepts of "bots" are derived from that word. Now, without access to that word, how would you (preferably in Latin, but not required) refer to an electronic thinking device...

(And yeah, "computer" is okay, but I get curious about this sort of things.... ::sly )

FR

[Ayre el KaBeer]

I think electric brain works. ::ninja

You did say thinking device...

[Arcanum_V]

Finbar wrote:

Robot is derived from a German play around the turn of the century. All of our concepts of \"bots\" are derived from that word. Now, without access to that word, how would you (preferably in Latin, but not required) refer to an electronic thinking device...

Karel Capek, the original play R.U.R., and the word robot are Czech. The word robot appears in the Czech robota ("drudgery") and robotnik ("peasant" or "serf"). More about the play and its history can be found here.

Medieval alchemists like Roger Bacon and Albertus Magnus occasionally played around with the idea of intelligent contraptions or machines that could appear intelligent (like a "talking" bronze head), and the word usually associated with them is automaton from the Greek automatos ("self-moving"). If you wanted to stress the thinking over the moving, you might combine auto with logos (speech, word, thought) for something like autologist or autologon.

[Finbar]

Oops...My near-eidetic memory usually translates as near-miss memory....

There's also The Golem of 15th century Prague, and Galatea of Ancient Greece. Even Franksenstein predates the concept...

"Electric brain" I didn't like because I figured a Greek society would have something like bio-tech (for aesthetics) but that was as non-intrusive as hardtech. Thus the wires and circuits of today's computers didn't feel right, but the old "bacterial computer" (see Machine & Mann (TV series) for the best fictional version) felt right on the mark.

An "autologon"----It may be the stirrings of an old UNIX memory, but that sounds sorta cool, actually...

I've been using "athenian" in my notes (to cotrast the spartans;-) ), just to give you an idea of where I was going with it...

FR

[Finbar]

Two sidebars...I'm about two-thirds done BTW....Thanks for the catch, Arcanum V....

Sidebar: What are some other names…?

Well, computers are out, robots are right out (the use of “robots” was popularized by a 1920’s Czech play). So, what have they come up with?

There are autologs for almost every use and purpose. The most used models are:

Autologon: The basic term

Athenian: The other basic term.

Bi-Alphan: Autolog used for athletic training (AA=Athletos Autologon)

Erotalph:

Gammalphans: Business models; usually in the form of marble statues (from Gamma Autologs, gamma from Ganymede, Zeus’ cupbearer)

Matrautologon: A nanny autologon, generally used for babysitting and teaching children. Girls tend to keep theirs, possibly changing the outside shell to something “cuter”, but boys tend to want sublupines.

Mechaspartan: The fighting model

Micrologon: Mobile assistant (small thinker)

Sublupine: A boy’s second autologon, generally named, and essentially a mix between companion and bodyguard. Named due to its beta-status. One of the few human-form autologons.

Technologon: Autologon used for mechanical computation

Telelogon: Computing device (far thinker)

Sidebar: Appearance

Okay, so what does an autologon look like, anyway? Well, anything its owner wants it to.

Most are, putting it nicely, barely humanoid. Basically, two legs or a track for locomotion, jets, propellers, or wings for flight, and two arms, in marble, steel or ceramic are the usual options. The basic idea is to make them look like pieces of art rather than top-of-the-line computers. A number of great ideas have died simply because of the appearance of the autologon, rather than its computing power (the Odysseus Gamma looked like a pile of molten metal, but it always came back). On the other hand, some models have earned a certain notoriety because they look incredible, yet do nothing (the Chimera Mechaspartan looked incredibly destructive, but it ended up tripping over its own heads; it made quite a few private collections, but it never did see much use in combat after that…).

A few, however, look very human-like. This is either because their use precludes a non-human appearance (a nanny or companion) or the personal taste of the owner. These “humaniform” autologons are uncommon, being 1 in 5 of the total population.

And then there are the truly mechanical autologons, but these are truly rare (roughly 1 in 10,000).

FR

[Finbar]

I know I want to do a history section, but...

1) Do I need to include even the basics of Greek history, or can I get away with a timeline? Basically, would anyone feel slighted if I decided not to include any history prior to the transplanting, or would it be missed?

2) Thank goodness for a small habitable area and no war! The main history is going to be so compact... ::smokin

Ramblings from a warped mind...

FR

[Guest]

If you still need some help with Latin (and, as complex as Latin is, you probably do if you're trying to just go with a dictionary/translator program), feel free to contact me.

I've been studying Latin for about 5 years now, and should soon be graduating college with a Latin minor. I don't know much of anything about the Greek language, but I do know a good bit about ancient Greek culture.

Anyway, this sounds like an interesting idea, and I'd love to help. ::smile

-- Tinker

[Finbar]

Cool, and thanks. Now, if I could get some artwork and some tech (think: biotech, but with aesthetic touches)...Especially the tech....

With that said, here is this week's section...

Psionics in Everyday Life

The everyday use of Psi has had some interesting effects on everyday life. Music and art are the obvious subjects, as the artist is actually able to imprint his emotions on the piece of art, and there’s a lot that can be said for an actor who can change his features.

Science is another hard hit area. A lot of our tech is geared toward separating and mixing; a scientist with some advanced telekinesis can separate with the best of them. An electrokinetic can determine field force and see it even without the aid of a television monitor. A biokinetic and vitakinetic can apply their relative strengths to medicine. A clairsentient can look for deposits without using a machine. And the depths of the mental research thanks to telepathy are pretty staggering.

In business, telepathy and teleportation truly come into their own. After all, telepathy is the best aptitude for communication, and teleportation can get anything, anywhere. One of the best ways is the “instant showroom”, where a telepath in synch with a teleporter can send the location and object he needs, and the teleporter can ‘port it there in a heartbeat. Biokinetics are also great, as they can spread a pheromone on the object to make it more valuable (or less) to the buyer.

In everyday practicalities, vitakinesis and psychokinesis are the best abilities to have. Vitakinesis can take care of any small ailment, making it ideal for dealing with everyday aches and pains, and small cuts; a mother with those abilities is usually very popular with the neighborhood children, especially if she can bake well. Combining the ability to move small objects (a mechanic can stay under the car and lift the tools he needs, as well as starting the car, both without assistance), control flame (welding is so much more precise), and control cold (cooling things down or making sno-cones), the psychokinesis aptitude is the choice for the common man.

In athletics, however, psionic abilities are forbidden. Although there are games where greks compete to see who can do what when aided by their psionic abilities, cheating at pure athletics is not just forbidden by law, but by culture. The average would no more think of actually cheating at the diskus toss than he would to stop breathing. It could be argued that the continued use of nudity in athletics is that the grek wishes to show what he is capable of without having to rely on technology or psionics, that by stripping away everything that makes a man better than the animals he is not necessarily limited.

All greks are required to go to school anyway; the “practicals” are a mandatory part of that experience. As not everyone has psionic abilities (due to a Taint-based birth defects), some greks are excused from the practicals, and are socially ostracized. For the rest, the practicals are where they learn to use their abilities safely. Once they’ve learned them, they may get rid of their birth ring; most people keep it, but as a souvenir in a chest, not on them (for obvious reasons).

FR

[DoctorDee]

Greetings.

This is my first post here. ::blush

Now, "Robot" comes from Czek, IIRC--the word was coined by Carel Kapeck (sp?) for his novel "R.U.R." (Rossum's Universal Robots).

In Latin, the word "automa" (plural "automata") can be used to describe a robot-like contraption.

Just an idea.

[harlequin]

heya DoctorDee, welcome aboard and thanks for the help! hope to see you around more. ::biggrin

[DoctorDee]

heya DoctorDee, welcome aboard and thanks for the help! hope to see you around more. 

It's a pleasure being part of this selected group of individuals.

And it's a great site you're running here, gentlemen (and ladies).

I'll certainly start spreading over the boards now I've found my way back.

As for helping, aren't we all doing our part? ::wink

See you around! ::smiley5

[Ayre el KaBeer]

It's a pleasure being part of this selected group of individuals.

And it's a great site you're running here, gentlemen (and ladies).

Hehe even if we selected ourselves! ::laugh Anyway welcome to our No Homer's club, remember we can have one! ::smiley5 ::smiley1 ::smiley5

[Finbar]

Here's what (I hope) is an interesting question:

I'm putting the date of the taking as of 150 BC. Judaism was a cult, Islam and Christianity had yet to even be more than a glimmer in God's eye, and most of the Asian philosophies had yet to really break free from their native countries. Also, the Greek gods themselves were becoming more allegorical than real.

The Greeks at the time were becoming obsessed with mental, martial, and physical prowess, developing their minds, bodies and souls. Psi would have allowed them to take that to a more manifest level.

Basically, what would Greek philosophy look liked after 2000 years, with that as the preface?

FR

[DoctorDee]

Basically, what would Greek philosophy look liked after 2000 years, with that as the preface?

Greek philosophy would probably allow the birth of drasticaly different sects or schools, often turning belligerant.

The dominant (=welcome with those in power) line of thought would be one supporting a would be a classist society--to the point of developing caste-like classes with little mixing.

[remember--the Acheans and the Aryans of India were closely related culturally]

The idea that beautiful = good would be strong.

The ideal of an elite of fit, good looking, intelligent and artistically-inclined individuals taking decisions would probably have led to a sort of "calliracy" (a term I just invented as far as I know), or rule by the strong and powerful.

A cortollary of course could be a "pornocracy"-- or rule of the lovers and concubines of the powerful ones.

Note that Greek "democracy" meant the rule by the people--only they had a pretty stiff exam for you to pass in order to be classified as people.

There would also be a strong belief in the power of the mind when it comes with dealing with abstract problems.

"Impossible" means you're not good enough to figure it out.

Geometry is for wimps that have to actually handle numbers in order to find the truth.

[true, the Greek did develop a lot of our math, but it was inconjunction with the Egyptian schools of geometry--so maybe the practical side of the thing could have been lost in the relocation, reducing a fair part of math to clever tricks]

Slavery would be considered normal and slaves considered close to objects.

Select breeding of strength, beauty or a good singing voice would be probable.

Homosexuality would be considered normal, and probably a much cherished part of the master-pupil relationship.

The gods are a metaphore.

Forget about the idea of sin attached to physical acts.

It's the attitude and motivation that taint your soul.

Anyone else is a barbarian.

This for starters.

I'm beginning to envision a world of elitist, pumped-up edonistic health and sports freaks with a penchant for sodomy, the morals of rabid ferrets and a solid belief in competition as a means for settling everything that can't be voted on.

Scary people ::crazy

[Finbar]

Not what I wanted to hear! ::crazy (especially at 9 in the morning! ::crazy ::crazy )

The problem is, is that I basically agree with you. However, I think that if there were a definite focus for the race, some sort of meritocracy may develop, with at least some of the trappings of democracy (basically, specialists would have more pull than generalists, who would in turn have more pull than laymen).

Another consideration is that the slave class has been taken over by robots and genetically-bred soldiers, thus freeing those jobs.

Basically, what would it take for a society as such to develop into a star-faring race?

FR

[DoctorDee]

Basically, what would it take for a society as such to develop into a star-faring race?

They might develop lift-off capability in about 1000 years, possibly less, if undisturbed.

Curiosity and the lure of the unknown should be perfectly legit motivations--we are talking about the people that gave us Ulysses.

I agree with the idea of slaves replacing slaves--especially if the original nucleus of their society was small, they would have been forced to make allowances.

Meritocracy is the respectable name of Callicracy--after all, it all depends on what's the parameter you use to determine merit. ::sly

But keep in mind Greeks were a pragmatic breed--Dyonisus the Tyrant of Siracuse thrived for years while all his subjects admitted that he was a downright bastard, but a brilliant one. ::hehe

So, you could use some simple rationales to limit the most sinister sides of Greek excess to a small mnority of hoi polloi

[phoenix]

You should just have human slaves or not as it suits your purposes: if you don't want slavery then the robots can do everything, but if you do want it then the robots could be too expensive to build for use for everyday labor.

Hee hee.. pornocracy.. I like that. See how many shocked gasps you can get before you explain what it is.. ::blink ::blush

I don't know what I think of the fact that your society seems to be based on what ancient Greece would have been like had they had psi users and technology. After all, 2000 years is a long time for a civilization, especially one which is growing to fit an entire planet. Basically, it seems to me that you would have much, much more cultural diversity on the planet, and much more deviation from the original Greek culture than you do even now (and you are doing an awesome job, by the way - God only knows how many people would have, in your place, tried to use the Greek pantheon as characters ::crazy ::crazy ::crazy ).

I dunno... Maybe you should come up with some reason for them to have only experienced, say, 400 years of time between their disappearance and their contact with Earth in the 21st century, and then say that the Doyen gave them their technology for some reason.

Just my two cents.. Not a huge deal or anything (in fact this is the biggest problem I could find with all of your ideas, which says quite a bit for you!)

[Finbar]

Thanks! Praise indeed! ::biggrin

So far, slaves are limited to criminals and robots; a lot of menial tasks are taken care of by apprentices and teen-agers (some cultures have a "community service" duty required by young people; it just felt right here). Basically, the grand tradition that is slavery simply doesn't exist per se.

Also, I put the culture on "equatorial time"; basically, it doesn't matter much unless it matters. Thus, time trials and labs are where you'll see the most number of watches. Basically, this is part of the "slow down"; the need to be perfect and to take whatever time it takes to get there. Our modern-day rat race just didn't feel right... ::wacko

Keep in mind also that, with my "ideal" starting population of 20,000, there would be a lot less of them in 2200 years than (probably just under 1,000,000). With a smaller population, they wouldn't have the "idea" pool we have, which would also slow them down. Lastly, they would have the occasional civil war (or equivalent), which would really slow them down. This last may be counter-intuitive, but, for example, if you have vitakinesis you really don't need to develop new medicines due to war; if anything, because you are only practicing a somewhat minor version of your powers to the exclusion of the more advanced version, it would slow down your learning of vitakinesis.

(Okay, so I'm starting to have some serious fun with it; shoot me! ::laugh ...)

FR

[Finbar]

Oh yeah: Try this:

Psionics and Law

First, the obvious: Crime in Apoiki is generally limited to gang violence that got out of hand. The more serious crimes (theft, rape, murder) are rare. Basically, on a planet of psions, you do something, anyone who wants to know knows. Although various things have been tried, including atrium tools and psionically wiping the place, criminals have still been able to find their man. Also,

There are four levels of punishment. For minor crimes (vandalism, grafitti, public annoyance), the miscreant must either pay for repairs or perform public service. For those performing the basic two year service, this is tacked on to that service. Suffice to say, some young adults doubt that they will ever be allowed to serve an apprenticeship due to this punishment.

For misdemeanors (theft, copyright infringement), the punishment is either enforced servitude up to five years (with the convict being sold on the auction block), or ostracizing the offender for up to six months. An ostracized person may not be seen in the gymnasium or market, and may be assaulted by children if actually seen. Also, any voting priviledges are revoked while ostracized. However, they may otherwise act as citizens.

For non-fatal felonies (rape, robbery, attempted murder), the punishment is usually ten years of forced servitude. However, for particularly heinous crimes, the felon may be forced into permanent servitude. Also, alternate punishments may be judged to be more appropriate.

For felonies that result in the death of the victim, death in the stadium is the usual punishment. The felon is made to become a gladiator, and, if he dies, the killer is not to considered to have killed anyone. Alternate punishments may be judged to be more appropriate, and if there is a mitigating reason, the conviction may be thrown out completely.

The greks believe that not only does some prophecy come true, but that it is important to meet that destiny rather than run from it. Thus, they are allowed to, with proper authorization, to do part of the punishment before hand. Generally, the potential criminal accepts a punishment appropriate to the potential crime, and then suffers through half of the punishment. The pseudo-criminal has the option to quit at any time, but any time accrued will not count towards future crimes the person may commit; you either do it all or it doesn’t count. Suffice to say, some people do the time just for the rep, others do it then decide not to do it, and others don’t even last the first few months and never commit a crime again. The standard example is of a guy who really wants to kill his friend, does three years as a gladiator (it has been determined that six years should be enough to kill almost anyone) and then decides to not go through with it. A certain amount of respect is given those that do this, and a wide berth is given them…

--------------------------------------------------------------

I thnk I read too much sf.... ::blush

FR

[DoctorDee]

I thnk I read too much sf....

You can't read too much sf.

Given the current state of affairs on this planet, the question might be wether you read enough sf.

::biggrin

[phoenix]

Finbar: Would the criminal have a choice in situations where there are two options for punishment, or does a magistrate decide?

As for the pre-crime punishment, it's a good idea (for the game, not necessarily for the real world - I'm not prepared to put that much thought into deciding whether it would be good in the real world, especially since it will never happen). If someone did this and then killed somebody, would the time served be considered evidence that the attack was premeditated? Also, you said that they perform a maximum of half of the time they would serve under the crime. Would they perform the other half later?

What if they did preemptive time for murder and then raped someone?

I assume from the last comment that they can kill anyone they want after doing the time, so they don't have to know prematurely exactly who they're going to kill.

Also, you said that the penalty for murder was death in the pits and also that six years should be enough to kill almost anybody. Isn't this contradictory?

You can't read too much sf. Given the current state of affairs on this planet, the question might be wether you read enough sf.

The FSA? The Bush II Pre-emptive Strikes Doctrine? Coincidence? I think not.

[Finbar]

I hate good questions....

Would the criminal have a choice in situations where there are two options for punishment, or does a magistrate decide?

The magistrate would probably decide.

,,

If someone did this and then killed somebody, would the time served be considered evidence that the attack was premeditated? Also, you said that they perform a maximum of half of the time they would serve under the crime. Would they perform the other half later?

The attack would be premeditated, barring evidence otherwise. And, yes, they would serve the other half later.

,,

What if they did preemptive time for murder and then raped someone?

Sheesh...I hate missing what should have been obvious...I'd guess that 3 years of combat would be equal to the ten years of labor, so no time served. Not trying to say that rape is a better crime, but at least the victim is still alive. However, the person who did the rape is going to have people gunning for him...

,,

Now, if I can avoid the topic of parking tickets.... ::bigsmile (Rassn-frassn, need a conversion chart...)

I assume from the last comment that they can kill anyone they want after doing the time, so they don't have to know prematurely exactly who they're going to kill.

Nope...Basically, I was looking at three situations: Revenge, rep and recognizing your own limitations. The first is more a statement than anything else; the last is hoping to find a way to conquer yourself by facing it dead-on. The second one is the guy I'm worried about, but that's me ::crazy ....

,,

Also, you said that the penalty for murder was death in the pits and also that six years should be enough to kill almost anybody. Isn't this contradictory?

Not really; if the idea is that murder is the most likely reason for pre-emptive punishment, and that you're only going to get half the punishment, then some sort of time had to be established. Of course, I was also figuring that some sort of cummuting of the punishment would occur at that time (otherwise, the guy you're trying to kill is going to be virtually unkillable). A guy this bad-ass probably trains spartans for fun ::crazy ...But it's highly unlikely; after all, after six years of every kid wanting to prove himself, every professional killer having a shot at you, and all of the "monster" fights, only the most skilled and most luck fighter is going to survive, and I'd want him on my side instead of against me...

Note: The idea was taken from a "2001 Year's Best" story...I'll see if I can remember the title...Great twist at the end ::bigsmile ....

FR

[Finbar]

Okay, I want a re-vote on the fiction contest! ::dozingoff That gripe aside, I decided to add the following to the "Laws" section:

(For conversion purposes, a death penalty (6 yrs) equals 20 years (non-fatal felony) equals 60 years of forced labor or 5 years of ostracism (misdemeanors) equals 150 years of minor crime. So, yes, three years in the arena will get you out of parking tickets for life.)

All I have left is tech (submit now! (please? ::bigsmile ) and the history sections....

And here is a new section on politics:

Government has six tiers. At the bottom are the basic bureaucrats that all governing bodies have. Their sole job is to make sure that the rest of Apoikia runs smoothly. As it is stable work, they tend to engage their hobbies first, paperwork second. However, dereliction of duty is punishable by public humiliation, so the paperwork tends to get done as quickly as possible.

At the same level are the krypteia. Originally a secret police, they have evolved to the point that they are very open about themselves. They have a small guardhouse on almost every corner. However, due to the lack of real crime, they are generally tracking lost dogs and children. Suffice to say, most are clears or telepaths. Krypteia are given basic combat training, and a number served in the military. Also, they tend to keep in fighting shape.

Above both are the thesmosthetae. The thesmosthetae are essentially the supervisors of both groups, and are responsible for making sure that they do their jobs both efficiently and by the book. Also, they are the judges; however, due to a combination of lack of crime and that the criminals generally plead guilty, the judging aspect is rarely more than a few hours a week. Unfortunately, listening to complaints takes up the rest of the time. Thesmosthetae are voted into office; they have a tenure of six years, with a third being voted on every two years. They have effectively unlimited terms of service.

The polemarchs are the main leaders. There are twelve of them, one for each of the following areas: Agriculture, Art, Entertainment, Government, Health, Knowledge, Military, Psionics, Religion, Technology, Trade, Transportation. Each one acts as the arbiter of his department, with the right to veto and alter any decision made by those in their department. On matters of great importance, and definitely in times where an endeavor would cross or engage multiple areas, the polemarchs consult with each other. They are chosen each fiver years, with a limit of four terms. In cases of ties, the regent may step in.

Above all of these is the regent. The sole heredtitary title, he is the final arbiter of any decision. He can pardon, veto and change any rule. However, every three years, he is required to do The Walk, where he walks with no defenses down the center of Apoikiapolis. This is considered the test of his right to rule. Any attack on him is not considered a crime during this, and he is allowed to defend himself. During this walk, people who feel that they have been wronged may stop and either talk or try to kill him. If he makes it, he is considered to have passed the test of leadership. If not, the polemarchs meet and decide who should succeed him, with only one criteria: The person picked must be a direct descendant of the original regent. Suffice to say, they usually have at least a dozen candidates for each ceremony.

The census as a whole, is, of course, the sixth tier. A vote may be requested (involving a signature drive lasting two weeks, during which signatures of 10% of all voters must be collected) on any law. To change the law, at least one-third of all voters must vote, with a simple majority deciding if the law may remain on the books or not. Whether or not there are ex post effects (basically, is the law completely wiped or will those who were judged due to a former law abide by the former law….) is covered in the vote.

Enjoy! ::blush

[Finbar]

Okay, all I've got left is a general history section, and tech...Any ideas would be much appreciated....Keep in mind that this would include Adventure gadgets and Aberrant tech.... ::bigsmile

Praecordium

Praecordium (“heart metal”) is from the core of the planet. The terraforming process the Zeps used created a massive number of volcanic eruptions, forcing up some of the deeper magma. This carried with a large amount of iron that rendered its wearer unable to use psionic abilities. Essentially, the metal soaks up ambient psi-use and “deconcentrates” it, creating a momentary subquantum splash.

Original used solely on criminals, it was quickly used on fetuses. A grain of praecordium implanted near an infant disrupted any psi-use by the developing infant. The grain was made into ring upon the infant’s birth, and worn until seven. At which point the ring was put away and traded as an engagement ring.

In game terms, any psionic effect used on the praecordium itself goes up against a Willpower 8 (representing the immutability of the metal itself, not sentience). If it has been formatted (placed in contact with the wearer for twelve hours), the wearer must roll against a Willpower of (1/2xWearer’s Psi+8+1 per gram) or not be able to use the effect attempted and he loses the Psi used. Praecordium is two dots per gram.

FR

::blush

[Finbar]

Are there any comments on anything I've posted so far? I mean, I've noticed the high number of views, but there aren't a commensurate number of posts...Does that mean you like what you see and feel that the few other posters (like phoenix) are saying what you'd like to? Or that you're unsure of where I'm going with all this?

Any questions, feel free to post or e-mail me...

FR

[Finbar]

Stuck on history...It's only 4000 years...It should be easy right? ::sneaky2

At any rate, hope you enjoy this:

Religion

When it came to religion, the original greks had some interesting problems. As gods became aligned with abstract beliefs, belief in “gods” per se was beginning to die. Although atheists, they could now see the aura of living beings. Suffice to say, atheism died real quick.

Unfortunately, this meant something had to take its place. What did was The Thread. Basically, each one of the original Olympian deities was included, with Heracles and Daedalus being added to the mix in 2292 and 3873, respectively. Each of these deities represented a specific path down The Thread, a being’s way to personal growth and power. Each such Thread was further separated into three sub-paths, each representing Past, Present, Future. When all three sub-paths of each Thread have been followed, the grek hopes to transcend. Unfortunately, each of The Threads is said to take a lifetime to master, and this in turn has bred the belief of reincarnation. In essence, each Thread has a purpose, and once that purpose has been attained, the person moves on to the next in the next life.

The time aspects of each thread are usually divided into Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master, with each one representing a Future, Present, and Past, respectively. The Apprentice sets forth on the Thread, and defines how it will unravel. The Journeyman travels on the thread for most of his life. The Master then records what has happened in the past, hoping others will not make his same mistakes.

The Fourteen Threads, and what they represent, are:

Aphrodite: Love and Impulse. Essentially, someone in love with life, who tries to make the most out of things.

Apollo: The Sun and Healing. Sometimes, it really is best to just relax in the sun, no matter how dim.

Ares: Hand to Hand Combat. Someone who is always looking for a definitive challenge.

Athena: Wisdom and Strategy. This person is always seeking ways to help others through apt persistence.

Daedalus: Thought and Tragedy. Essentially, that not all lives need be lived as successes.

Demeter: Motherhood and Earth: Sort of. Loving your mother is easy when she is all around.

Diane: The Hunt and The Moon. We all do things that we’d rather forget about; they are always best hidden. But the secrets of others…

Dionyssius: Wine. Don’t forget to celebrate even the smallest things, and heaven help those who go too far while drunk…A hangover may be the least of your problems…

Hephaestus: Craft. Others may think or celebrate; how do you think they get done?

Hera: Power and Love. The matron of grek theology.

Heracles: Raw Strength. Living life in the gymnasium. Learning then coaching.

Hermes: The Messenger and Pranks. You never kill the messenger, but a little bit of torture is okay.

Vestia: The Hearth. Someone needs to stay home; this is not necessarily a bad thing…

Zeus: Leadership and authority. This is not necessarily a prelate, but they won’t disagree.

FR

[Finbar]

I'm definitely at the "NEED ART!" Stage...Anyone? History is mostly done, and I've started putting notes together re: tech...Should be weird enough for anyone...

______________________________________________________________________

Greks, An Introduction…

History by Clothos Agrippus

Annotations by Lt. Finbar Reilly

A group of Greek colonists founded the town of Kreius. It attracted a number of merchants, as well as Phoenicians and Romans. Within twenty years, the colony had managed to grow to a population of 20,000. Then the entire city fell asleep.

Strangely enough, the corroboration comes from the number “sleeping princess” stories common to Europe. Also, the most likely site would be near Pompeii; as the outrages of that city got worse, some Greeks fled it looking for moral ground. Unfortunately, proof of the “city-napping” would have been destroyed with the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii.

When they awoke they found themselves on the edges of a great sea, with no seabirds flying overhead, no kelp floating in the water, and no fish swimming in the sea. A blanket of grass covered the surrounding areas, but brownness took over after a few miles. A few herds of cattle were nearby, and the fields were ready to b harvested, yet even to the most urbane Greek it was obviously a poor land to be farming in.

As the planet would have required extensive terraforming prior to anyone being able to colonize it, it is believed that this “sleep” would have lasted almost thirty years, explaining some of the chronological gaps our records have when compared to the grek records. Non-native plants and animals would have needed a few years longer to have effectively colonized the planet, or even part of it.

Worse yet, none could move; they were forced to lie still as huge sphere-shaped animals sped across the landscape, darting to and fro with an agility belying the huge size of the animals; some were almost the size of houses! Then one stopped above the mass of people, and spoke. Not well, admittedly, as it was just an animal so there was no rhythm or grace to its speech, just a monotone with a slight buzzing, but speak it did.

“You are here to seek out and discover what this world has to offer. The soil is rich, the seas bountiful, and weather pleasant. And we will help you.”

The people were then allowed to move. They sought out their homes, and found them as they had left them. A few slashed their wrists, hoping to prove that this was Infernus by not dying, or escaping there if they did. The giants would not let them however, and for that first decade none died save from old age. The giants showed the people new tools and how to use them. People started showing new abilities, but were told that these new abilities were given to them by the gods, powers allowing them to communicate without words, to throw lightning bolts, to heal, and to walk from one point to another without crossing the space between. And the giants showed the people how to use their gifts, for not all had the same skill or same gifts.

Based on art of the “giants” and artifacts found on Far Nyumba, the “giants” appear to be zeps. Ignoring the obvious humanocentrisms, it appears that zeps wanted to see what a race with a morphical genetic evolution such as humans would have fared in the charged space of Eridanis Epsilon. Evidently, widespread psionics use was the upshot.

There was also found a metal, red as blood that spewed straight from the heart. “praecordium”, or heart-metal, could disrupt an individual’s power ability to use his powers, and allow a child to be born without expressing its abilities. One could be used as punishment, the other allowed mothers to have children without fear of being incinerated or electrocuted by the child, or having her innards suddenly appear where she was not.

Praecordium is extremely scary stuff. Essentially an iron isotope that was spewed from the planet’s mantle and has been infused with a quantum field as it rusted, this metal actively interferes with psions. We may actually wish to see if we can design weapons using it to take down rogue psions and Chromatics.

The world was not barren; it was but an infant. It also ran instead of crawled; days were longer, yet the year was shorter. Its pace was half-again normal, and it completed the course in but a third the time. Its Fathersun also did not want to look at it; even the noonsun was only bright as a smith’s room. But there was a small mother that lovingly looked down upon us, keeping the nights bright.

A day is roughly 36 hours long, and a year is 124 days. Also, illumination is 23% Earth normal in the day, but night is slightly brighter than an a terran night (roughly 105%). Thus days are dusk to us, and nights are almost as dark.

Twenty years, long on suffering yet short thanks to passion, passed. Seabirds now flew overhead, kelp floated in the water, and fish swam in the sea. And both people and giants were pleased.

“Apoikia” roughly translates as “favored colony”, essentially a place that is very pleasant to set up shop at. Although possibly used sarcastically originally, it was used as written after the colonists set up shop.

And then the giants spoke again. “We must now leave you. Prosper.” And they left to the heavens. Upon their leaving, a great vote was held. That was Pace 0, Annus 0. There were a few riots, but they settled quickly. And thus began the Reign of the Sorcerers.

The zeps have not been seen on Apoikia since then, but have found a number of rumors regarding their location. The greks are very interested in the artifacts on Far Nyumba, but we have kept that location a secret.

Also, a quick note on the calendar: The 124 days are divided into four months (Principalis, Secundus, Tertianus, and Quartus) of thirty days each. New Years is the first day, Summer Break is a two day holiday between Secundus and Tertianus, and Harvested is right after Tertianus; all four days are not affiliated with any of the months. Also, due to a small inexactness in the calendar, two other days are added (like February 29); Consecrationis (“The Emperor’s Day”, usually a feast day, every third year, right after Principalus), and Andaetas Puerilis (“Age of Boys”, used to mark every generation, every nineteenth year, a definite feasting time, between Last Day and First Day).

[Finbar]

Something I just realized...

Apoikia is a brand new planet when the greks moved in, right? That is, it was terraformed for them when they got there. There were no previous life-forms...

Which means no coal or oil deposiits, since that requires geological time, and a lot of geotherms wouldn't exist (it's a reasonably stable sf planet ::sly )...

Also, they would have gotten there near the end of the Bronze Age, which means that iron and steel were just beginning to show up. So they could build just about anything.

So...What kind of power source would they have? Pyrokinesis almost fits, but can you see a group of pyros taking orders to "heat my ovens" for too long? And how long could a forest that's just starting last when it's needed for fire and making charcoal?

Rassenfrassen...

FR

[Finbar]

Okay, I've got the history done! ::smokin

However, since I seriously need artistic help, and it would be sorta nice to have this done by EONCON, I decided to post my notes so anyone who was interested could look at it...It's currently in two-colum, half-sheet format...Thanks for any help possible!

FR

Greks PDF