To The Great Beyond - Space Empires!

Cool, that should leave me with an additional 1 EP then. I'll edit my post accordingly.

Apologies Iggy, and everyone, I've been fiddling around with these rules for so long, perhaps I forget how much is not immediately obvious.

Tyo said:

I believe he clarified that above. Income is what you make, Banked is what you have left after upkeep is applied. Treasury is what you have total, which included some sort of starting bonus.

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Indeed, this is the case. Its a report so you know exactly what happened to your EP that turn. The bottom line is your treasury. At the start of the turn, you can't spend money you haven't received yet (although maybe there should be a line of credit for certain players, I'll keep that in mind ).

I guess a comprehensive re-write of the first page is in order... [edit: slow morning at work, made use of it ]

In the meantime, about 12 hours remain for orders. Only missing, I believe, Shadowbound and Belgarion95's orders.

Qeng Xo walked into the truly magnificent ‘Chamber of Five Hundred’, which was located high in the Xiang Mountains. The floor, roof and walls of the chamber were all decorated with gold and precious gems which shined and dazzled anyone looking at them. The Chamber was made up of the 500 Chiefs of the Jaar’ar Tribes. The Federation was based on two principles: the equality of the 500 Chiefs, the majority of whom were hereditary monarchs, and the acceptance of the decisions of the majority and that all Chiefs would have to respect the Chamber’s decisions.

Qeng Xo was the Chief of Zha’Ji Tribe, a relative minor tribe when compared to most other tribes. Nevertheless, he never feared talking about his positions and making proposals to the Chamber. This time, he was going to ask the Chamber to commission a ‘Space Exploration’ Program which would allow the Jaar’ar Federation to expand into Space.

“Fellow Chiefs, I believe that it is most important to expand into Space. As you know, I am not a good orator, so I will speak directly about what the benefits of such expansion would be. Firstly, the takeover and use of new resources which would allow us to build up even more this planet and create new facilities. The resources, both living and minerals, would boost our industry and increase our industrial output. Secondly, we shall secure buffer zones which would form a defensive line for our Planet. If someone wishes to invade Zhang, our Planet, they would have to first conquer the outer planets under our control. So, militarily speaking, it would help us defend against foreign invasions. Thirdly, the wealth from our new conquests would boost our economy and the living standards of our citizens. Last but not least, we will get to know more about the outer world and thus we shall be more prepared for any unexpected visits.”

“But the cost would be too much!” one of the Chiefs, Ji Er, shouted. “The construction of the Spaceships needed would be far too expansive and shall impact our economy.”

“But it is worth it”, Qeng Xo replied. “We should not only store money but use them to increase our wealth. Just storing money will not bring any new wealth to us.”

“Indeed!” another Chief, Hong Di, said. “I believe that Qeng Xo is right. We should expand into Space despite the economic cost.”

Soon more and more Chiefs expressed their approval and finally the Chamber voted 380 to 120 to approve Qeng Xo’s idea. Qeng Xo was also given the Commission “Minister of Space Expansion” and was asked to oversee the construction of Spaceships which would be used for the expansion and exploration of Space.

christos200 said:

Qeng Xo

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Haaa.

Forever bleeds the eye that bears the burden of sight,
Not sight, but perception, which does not wisdom bestow
And wisdom, which only comfort gives
Once sight is a breath of memory.

Decamper said:

Haaa.

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To be honest, I thought that this name reminded me of something but until now I could not remember where I had seen it.

I will send my orders sometime after work (around 7 PM PST) sorry ><

Nice poetry shadow.

Kul'hari Collection: Belgarion95
Eccentric Collectors
Habitat Tags: Hi-Grav, Thick-Atmos, Terrestrial, Mineral-Rich
100% Kul'hari population
Culture is considered Interesting
Morale is High
Society is Somewhat Stable

Tech Projects: 2 project slots empty

Economy:
1 Tech World
1 Food eaten, +1 wanted
2 Minerals used, +2 wanted
1 Luxuries enjoyed, +1 wanted
0 Oddities explored, +3 wanted
0 goods traded (*1 Tech Goods surplus)
=5 EP income

Costs:
2 Explorers (x1)
= 2EP upkeep

= 3 EP banked, treasury is now 6EP

Principiter: Large, rugged terrestrial world with unique mineralised lifeforms
Env (4EP): Hi-Grav, Thick-Atmos, Terrestrial, Mineral-Rich
Resources (3EP): 2x Minerals, 1x Food, 1x Luxuries
Hazards: tectonic upheavals (!!)

Orders

I'll be sending my two exploration ships to Mep-5 and Mep-22
4 EP - auto-colonization, with preference given first to oddities, then to colonizing Mep-5
1 EP/turn - Begin the development of a large research project into the uses bio-minerals, with specific focus on the recycling possibilities of shedded/discarded bio-minerals, as well as related possibilities of repurposing and modifying existing exoskeleton, with particular regard to their use in preserving the longevity and recovery of both ship and crew during space exploration.
1 EP Banked

Edited my orders after hearing about spending.

Carvania Orders



Spending

I apologize in advance for killing all future updates.

Varyn 1:
The Era Sermon

&#8220;KELYNI VARAL VARYN! SERON VARAL VARYN! VARAL VARYN! VARAL VARYN!&#8221;

The chanting muted all other noises. Each coated figure in the crowd raised its hand against the towering building. A mild dust storm was brewing, like always, and no one paid it any attention. The wind only fuzzied the figure on the balcony slightly, the darkness doing most of the work. The massive sound of voices even drowned the dry rasping of these winds against the rocks and steel, but eventually, a bellowing horn put an end to the voices. Silence finally came to the scene, and only the whistles of the wind remained over the plaza. Then, a droning voice was heard from the balcony&#8230; it sounded in the same strange language as the crowd. Had it been in our tongue, we would probably be disturbed by the musings:

&#8220;The Beast flows through you, It sees all your will and want, It gives us the vision to see all your bodies and minds, Great Beast calling unto us Its revelations, Its beautiful thought casting us in the strongest of metals, Its divine transcendancy to end all that is wrong with Matter, silent your voices under Its dusty reign, let us revel in Its caged carcass and the secrets within It, within us all, within Creation, within Matter&#8230;&#8221;

The droning creature was much unlike the crowd, its hulking limbs protuding from a coated, cribbled body. Its mouth must have been terrible, but it was shielded with a gilded mask. Around it, servants carried torches to cast light upon the crowd, dusty incense coating the masses in perfumelike notes. Each and its next was charmed by the chanter, and in time, it finished its speech:

&#8220;&#8230; so when you seek truth from It, It shall grant you the truth of our future, the Age of Beauty arriving in much haste, for I see the Age of Beauty tomorrow, the Beast has spoken words to me, I feel its dreamlike radiation coarsing my childlike veins, and with It, we will rise to see the dry sea born anew, the rain of death casting us in joyous wonder!&#8221;

With these words, the crowd went absolutely amok. The musings of the figure was a repetition of their most sacred science, something that was only to be said when the dawn of the Age of Beauty had arrived with the people. The masses praised the coming age, screaming to the skies. Then the second horn bellowed, and they fell silent. A woman with a beautiful, pale face, yet blue boils on her arms, stepped onto the balcony, speaking softly as silk, laudible enough for the most distant to hear:

&#8220;We thank the Speaker Creature for the Era Sermon. Thank you, Man of the Beast.&#8221;

The crowd mumbled thank you in confirmation.

&#8220;It has been long since we rose from the ashes of the world, long since we crawled onto the desert and claimed the Sea of the Beast. But now, secrets have been unearthed, secrets never before seen. We are sure you have heard about these secrets. The prophecy, the End of Stars, are finally here for us to grasp. This is a new time, the Beast's Age, the Era of Beauty &#8211; look to your left, and see it for yourself. This is our Tower, our Pillar of Wrath.&#8221;

The crowd shuffled ever so slightly in the storm, looking to the gargantuan machine next to them. Structured like the veins of the Beast, this Pillar of Wrath boasted strange wirings, glowing crystals, giant spiralling wings, its shape slowly emanating a bluer and bluer hue. As the woman spoke, the monstrous machine, the so-called Pillar of Wrath, blasted fire like suns into the soil, smoke flowing along the earth. The Pillar slowly rose. And the crowd raged once again: &#8220;KELYNI VARAL VARYN! SERON VARAL VARYN! VARAL VARYN! VARAL VARYN!&#8221;

&#8230; Or, in our words: &#8220;Death unto us creatures! Ash unto us creatures! Unto us creatures! Unto us creatures!&#8221;

And with that, the spaceship's blast resounded in a crushing echo, deafening everything else.

Guys, I want to say a big thank you, for a full set of orders as well as inspiring stories. I hope you don't mind if I take a day or two with the update.

Spoiler: some of you have found each other!

Thorvald of Lym said:

I apologize in advance for killing all future updates.

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@Thorvald I'd played around with this a few years back, looks like its been enhanced since then however. Very interesting, but I shall wait until the update's done before having a look

Musical Accompaniment

Slashing blade and crushing hammer, kin.

Your lives are those of the Hlur-Guayeem!

Our stalwart kind are unfazeable.

Our mighty aegis is unbreakable!

We shall rip out our destiny from the stars.

The seat of the universe will be ours!

DROWNING BLOOD, DEAFENING THUNDER!

DROWN IN BLOOD, GO DEAF IN THUNDER!

Split the shell and slash their entrails!

Scream straight into their minds!

DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!

DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!

I'M GOING TO S*** DOWN YOUR THROOOOOOAAAAAAT!

That ending was unexpected!

Iggy's faction likes death metal.

Well, one part of my faction. The Hlur-Baiheen are a diverse bunch, and there has been a great deal of horrific conflict between them in the past. The Stabilizing Directorate, which emerged from the rubble of the Worst War, has created a harsh and authoritarian government which is considered to be the necessary and inevitable stable end-state of Hlur civilization. The Directorate is based off the 'Five Principles of Governance':


1. Hlur desire freedom of association, the right to reproduce, and the right to sing (a very broad term in Hlur culture, broadly defined as the ability to communicate and create cultural output).

2. Unlimited growth in finite space leads to inevitable resource conflict.

3. Resource conflict leads to a loss of all of the good things from Principle 1.

4. To preserve the ideals enshrined in Principle 1, growth must be halted and resources distributed evenly to allow for the continuation of existence.

5. Because Principle 4 curtails the right to reproduce, a population pressure valve is necessary. Additionally, the authoritarian nature of the Directorate infringes on the right to freely associate, so an alternative must be offered. Those who cannot exist within the system must be free to depart the Directorate, to take their own paths.


Ultimately, it is believed that the worlds that they settle will ultimately come to accept the same precepts as those held by the Directorate, and will enter the End-State Civilization.

The groups leaving the Directorate are very much a mixed bag. Some of them are idealistic liberty-seekers, others are political exiles, and many are simply unfit or unwilling to exist within 'lawful space'. These misfits range from hyperviolent, racially-motivated expansionists, to dissident artists, to fertility cultists and more. All of this diverse crowd is leaving their homeworld of Seeoo, and will be the first part of the Hlur-Baiheen to run into alien races. I anticipate that we may be in for a somewhat chaotic time.

Link to video.

GT1: Ripples in a Pond

In total darkness, the crumpled bodies and splayed limbs of several Yuma drones gently impact the sea floor of planet Sass-17 C, releasing a dull thud into the surrounding water. A trickle of debris from their broken landing craft continues to pitter-patter onto the surrounding mud for a few moments, then all is quiet and still once again. The primitive, worm-like natives continue to go about their business, oblivious to the momentous occasion that has just taken place - the very first time, in this part of the universe, that a creature from one world has ventured to another (aside, perhaps, for some plucky and very patient microbes).

It was a less than auspicious start. But the United Confederacy of the Yuma had plenty more drones and landing craft to replace its initial losses. Soon, and at considerable expense, they had rigged together a floating hive-colony and had begun to harvest some of the considerable biomass of this alien ocean for the Grand Hive - breeding a new batch of drones to survive on a world where the nearest land mass is ten miles underwater.

As synchronicity would have it, similar stories were beginning to unfold all around our galaxy.

Near the galactic antipode from Sass-17 lies a system called Teqel, as it is known to the Kowlint of Torrhenn. Kowlint telescopes had singled out one of its satellites as a prime candidate for colonisation - painting a picture of a verdant forest world, tinged green, its atmosphere full of biological markers - surely a vision of Torrhenn itself before the catastrophes that its sequential sentient inhabitants had unleashed upon it. Imagine, then, the shock and disappointment onboard the exploration ship Perrel as, after its first lengthy journey across interstellar space, it arrives to find a near-featureless green soup of a planet - a world with a massively thick atmosphere and a baking hot, barren oven of a surface.

But the Torrhennians were not to be deterred. After a specially-refitted landing pod endured an agonising descent into the metal-creaking, high-pressue depths, Kowlint hooves did indeed tread upon this alien world, just as the Presidential Council had promised. Their perseverance was rewarded - the upper atmosphere of this planet was found to be thriving with strange airborne life, and much harvest-able biomass - including sightings of strange, giant air creatures. The Kowlint may feel that if they can tame this strange world - surely as hostile and alien as can be, compared to the rolling hills of Torrhenn - then perhaps the whole galaxy is theirs for the taking! Thus emboldened, Kowlint engineers have already expanded their plans for a massive artificial ring system around their home planet, to serve an ever growing fleet of starships - although their plans may prove to be a little too ambitious for the time being.

Still unknown to the Kowlint, however, were just how many other sentient beings were in a position to compete with them, even within their own patch of the galaxy...

Galactic West

From their near-pristine mountainous garden of a homeworld, guarded by legions of troops and massive weapon emplacements, the humanoid race known as the Jaar'ar now also begin to look to the stars. A collectivist spirit and a keen grasp of economics allows the &#8216;Chamber of Five Hundred' to harness considerable resources from planet Zhang, despite the lack of giant cities or industries; with their rule having been seemingly secured against any internal or external threat, these resources are poured into a new shipbuilding program and the completion of an experimental warp drive - a whole fleet of new ships is now being readied for the command to leave the home system.

Meanwhile the semi-crystalline, centaur-esque beings known as Kul'hari are already expanding into space close to Torrhenn; the first Kul'hari expeditions are both blessed to encounter fertile worlds thriving with native life, though each is very different in biology to their own. Initially, a major science station is established in the wet grasslands of planet Mep-22; Kul'hari society is gripped by a flood of information about the diverse life-forms of this world - some of these creatures are very large, and some of them ferocious and intelligent pack-hunters, as several dangerous close-encounters testify.

Kul'hari Exploration Ships are now but a short hop from Torrhenn, close enough to make sense of some of the radio noise coming from the system; these are exciting times indeed for the Collection.

The Qui'Kho Empire is not quite as fortunate. A sense of pride and optimism grips Schreikne Quil as the ruling castes watch the streams of data being returned from their first interstellar expeditions; but with a new batch of ships already under construction, they have allocated less funds for colonisation efforts, and the rather barren, empty worlds that are found so far do not allow for easy settlement - though they hold much promise for the future. For now the Qui are content to have made their first, exo-suited, hexapedal footprints on pristine ground.

Elsewhere a formation of small, manoeuvrable Dscheri craft makes a test run into deep space, venturing half-way from their home system to the nearest star. Somewhat uniquely, each craft is individually piloted and has an independent faster-than-light drive - it is a natural extension of Dscheri themselves; graceful, winged beings naturally capable of flight in the thick atmosphere and low gravity of their homeworld. The formation pauses for a while in deep space, taking astrological measurements, noting the different alignment of the stars and the difference of the 'Great Nebula' as seen from this point of space... And then turns for home.

Realising the difficulties of exploring deep space this way, the Dscheri are already busy creating a larger, multi-crewed exploration craft, on par with those of other races. And yet the Dscheri have another obsession at this time: 'The Statue of Schadeuschklikiaschu', a monument to their founding Matriarch. Given the resources poured into this by the Peaceful Union, the Statue soon reaches epic proportions; topping out at 3km tall (a task made easier by the low gravity), made of the finest materials, it is a multi-purpose government building, the form of which is roughly in the image of the great Matriarch herself, incidentally offering spectacular views of sunsets and sunrises. The completion of this epic monument, combined with the readying of the first Exploration Ship, sends an unmatched wave of enthusiasm and unity resonating around Dschera - which is, as yet, isolated and alone in the galaxy.

On the other side of the Great Nebula, Psilocybe explorers float through the atmosphere of planet Yrt-1; their exo-suits are fitted with thrust nozzles to compensate for the higher gravity and thinner atmosphere of this world, which takes some getting used to - the overall effect, though rather humorous to the Psilocybe, only adds to the terror of the native inhabitants - sentient, although unsophisticated quadrupeds, hairy and somewhat rabbit-like in appearance, with powerfully built rear limbs and long colourful 'ears' adapted for social display; the natives usually bound away in panic whenever the Psilocybe approach with their drooping appendages and scientific instruments. The colonists set up a research station to investigate the natives and their abundance of raised monoliths and stone carvings; the sheer scale of some of the stone monuments is staggering.

Using their latest sensors, the Psilocybe are simultaneously aware of the approach of something in the nearby Yrt-2 system, emitting signatures of what can only be high technology - that something is the Tarnakkian Empire - and in contrast to the Psilocybe, the Tarnakki style of exploration is one of employing warships and troops. Yet these humanoid felines find no fitting opponents to duel with on planet Yrt-2; on this primitive world, the highest form of life seems to be something akin to a sophisticated slime mould - though the Tarnakki nonetheless find a use for it, discovering medicinal and psycho-active properties of the native slime and shipping it off to Tarnakk in exchange for further funding; Tarnakki aristocrats are always keen to sample new tastes and sensory experiences.

But with the departure of some of the Emperor's finest troops, there is something of a power vacuum on Tarnakk; the traditionalist, low-technology clans take the opportunity to assert themselves and their interests, making sure that the remaining forests of Tarnakk are not stripped away to allow further mining operations, though they stop short of trying to confront the aristocratic powerbase of Emperor Honnan.

First Contacts

In the Oro-2 system, several gas giants swing close to their home star. One of them has a particularly large moon, large enough for a thin atmosphere and some surface water, though evolution on this world seemed to have peaked at microbial stage. Though inconspicuous, this barren, inert, mesa-strewn landscape becomes the setting for the first meeting between sentient races in our galaxy.

For one of the parties, this landscape is almost like a second home - the Drokmohx, towering bipeds with a brutish exoskeletal frame, well-adapted to the hot arid environment of their homeworld, only have to wear breathing tubes and some protective spray to survive on this world. By contrast, their counterparts the Flavians of Carvania, avian-like bipeds, have to wear baggy temperature-controlled environment suits, which constrict their otherwise graceful movements.

Both sides are transfixed, horrified and amazed by each other in varying amounts. Also, both sides have a pressing mandate from their governments to colonise this system. The Drokmohx being a warrior race, and the Flavians being duelists always eager for a challenge, the potential for violence would seem to be rather high, at first glance...

But to the Drok, these Flavians are ridiculous, twitchy midgets - hollow-boned, clearly build for speed and agility, they seem to pose little threat. And the Carvanian leadership realises this moon will not be worth the effort of settlement at this time, especially not with these fiendish giants sharing it with them. Thus, the Carvanians quickly abandon any plans to set up their own colony - favouring instead to speed up deforestation of their homeworld, Niao (prompting planet-wide protests and riots from environmentalists). But the Carvanians have brought a Freighter with them to Oro-2, incidentally loaded with hi-tech goods from the finest tech institutions of Niao; and, after the initial language barrier is overcome, both sides take the opportunity to make a token trade in the spirit of friendship - the philosophical nature of the Drok, and the Technology-enthusiast nature of the Flavians coming to the fore, an exchange of miscellaneous Niao electronics for a batch of 'Golden Sand' from Tazo is arranged (and if you don't know what Golden Sand is, you better not ask). Whether or not this trade will become permanent remains to be seen...

Forever bleeds the eye that bears the burden of sight

A mere galactic stone's-throw from Oro-2, the second meeting between sentient races takes place. This time the fateful encounter takes place in orbit, between ships of the vupline humanoids known as the Rozu, of the polity known as SCEDA, and the binary race of hexaped Sehoum-Baloum symbionts of the similarly-abbreviated OSEC, and has the potential to get much uglier.

NRA-44 is a complex yellow-orange binary system with two main planets of interest - one being a huge ocean world that both sides soon realise is unsuitable for their needs. Attentions quickly focus on the third planet in the system. The Sehoum in particular have marked this as a target of interest based on its oxygen signature, while the Rozu have been attracted by radio signals which most likely came from Sehoum probes. It isn't long before the two expeditions lock on to each other and move to intercept. Indecipherable messages are sent back and forth as the ships converge on each other's orbits, only adding to the tension.

In contrast to OSEC's expedition, the SCEDA have dispatched a converted warship to NRA-44 - the Murdizh is a veteran of their war to with their planetary neighbours in their home system, the Gelians, who now live under eternal blockade. For the captain of the Murdizh, there only seems to be one sensible option - to ensure the safety of her ground teams and engineers scattered throughout the system, she has to act fast to remove this new threat... She has to open fire.

And yet, hesitation kicks in. Captain Saire Kallet knows that the Rozu can ill afford another enemy, not while the Gelians remain a threat in her home system. The moment passes, her gunports stay closed, and communication efforts continue. Eventually a Sehoum landing craft is allowed to dock with the Murdizh. The meeting is rather more charged that that of the Drokmohx and Flavians - to the Rozu, being lightly-built vulpine humanoids, the six-legged Baloum are something from another universe, even without knowledge of the nature of the Sehoum-Baloum symbiosis. For now there seems little scope for further attempts at discussion. Neither side lays claim to the planet below, nor has anything substantial to trade. Being rather better adapted to the mountainous terrain below, the OSEC are first to move in with a science colony.

Galactic Centre

The fluffy, aerial race of beings known as the Tac arrive at the Zen-9 system; here they find a world not too dissimilar from their homeworld - aside from the purple-hue, thinner atmosphere, they find this world to be rather habitable, and establish a bio-engineering settlement. Though, to the disappointment of the Tac contact expedition, none of the native life-forms appears sentient and able to converse with them.

But the hardy, hexapedal sentients known as the Hurrunnunn are not far away - finding a primitive terrestrial world they dub Surrammai, with no native multicellular life, they rapidly establish a mining settlement in an uncharismatic display of enthusiasm and haste. The long-term impact of this settlement on the native biota is however much debated back on Hmmaia; even if it would take another billion years for complex life to develop on this world, the Hurrunn Council is divided on the ethicacy of interrupting its natural progression...

And opposite from the Hurrunn, the Skitarii Conglomerate also approaches Tac space. Finding an inhospitable system at Daz-1, they are content to commence space mining operations to aid construction of a new flotilla in orbit of Typhomorphin, their radiated, polluted homeworld. In the current age, these cybernetic, genetically-engineered humanoids have never known a truly habitable world; it remains to be seen what difference it would make to them.

Mollusc-like beings known as the Syru, of the polity Iqathu Andu, are also on the move; arriving at the system they call Mylos, they find only a cold, wet, watery world that is quite inhospitable to them, and little interest is shown in settling there; considerable resources are meanwhile being stockpiled on Andos for future endeavours.

From Mylos, detecting the increased radio noise from Seeoo, the Syru explorers realise they are close to a likely source of intelligent life; this is of course the Stabilising Directorate of the Hlur-Baiheen. Said arboreal crustaceano-forms, in their first interstellar voyage, encounter a rather anticlimactic, grey, drab world at Dak-1, which would be suitable for settlement if not for the rather tight budget assigned to the expedition (much having been signed over to atmospheric Seeoo-forming research); this is similarly disappointing. if not downright frustrating, for the many would-be-and-increasingly-angry colonists waiting to leave their overcrowded homeworld. Thus the search for a second Seeoo goes on - or at least, the search for some kind of semi-habitable pressure valve for the ever-growing population - the Fifth Principle.

The amphibious bipeds known as the Flallore also arrive within range of Seeoo; the first Flallorean voyage is to the triple star system Kat-33, where an astronomical station is established on a freeze-dried world to study this complex trinary red-dwarf system, much to the joy of scientists back on Desmong. The Fallorean scientists are well-protected by an armed escort - it is rumoured that the central government knows more about the local neighbourhood than they are admitting.

Galactic South-East

Perhaps, more than any other sentients in this part of the universe, it is the Hlur-Baiheen who live in a world of vibration and energy, rather than sight. Much of the radio noise entering the Seeoo system must seem particularly harsh and strange. Even in their machine communications and data transfers, the Hlur-Baiheen seem to have engineered a certain melody and order.

Most disturbing, then, is the new signal which is detected eminating from the Pos-3 system, a short distance in the galactic south direction from Seeoo. A nightmarish anti-melody, broadcast sporadically at high strength. The signal is equally detectable from Andos and Dry Sea. What could it possibly mean?

At the south-eastern edge of the galaxy, the Beast's Crusade are one of the more isolated civilizations, though they would not yet be aware of it. Their first expedition - heavily armed - from Dry Sea arrives at the Olc-2 system. Here the Varyn seem to find a world to match their dark visions. It is a living world, but one that is gloomy, barely-growing, almost-dead, full of slowly-metabolisng plants, eeking a living out of whatever energy percolates through the atmosphere from the local red dwarf star. Despite growing very slowly, some of the forests reach frighteningly high into the sky of this low-gravity world. It is perhaps an ideal training ground for the soldiers of the crusade. And from here, it is not too far to the distinct, enigmatic radio source that is the Grand Hive of the Yuma...

Which conveniently brings our story full circle, for now.


RANDOM:

A large earthquake has struck Zhang, homeworld of the Jaar'ar - the people are shaken but fortunately, the damage to the region was not economically significant.

Kowlint technicians discover and salvage a huge armaments cache & armoured vehicle stockpile that had been found burred since the nuclear war on Torrhenn, gaining +1EP.

A large earthquake has struck Principtier, homeworld of the Kul'hari, causing 1EP's worth of disruption.

Flallorean engineers in their home system intercepted an especially metal-rich asteroid worth 1EP

Severe storms have struck the new Hurrunn colony of Surrammai, causing 1EP's worth of disruption.


DIPLO:

From: Tarnakki Traditionalists (1 independent Troop)
To: Tarnakkian Empire
We pledge our allegiance to House Tahan. We merely ask to be left in peace within our humble domains, that we may watch over the forests as our ancestors did before us.

From: Grey Wing Pilots (1 independent, non-FTL fighter wing)
To: SCEDA
Allow us to operate under our own jurisdiction and resources, and we will help to monitor the Gelians and protect the home system.


MAP:

With ship/support ranges:


Naked map:



STATS:

Stats can be found here


NOTES:

OK this was a *way* bigger update narrative than is sustainable, but I had the time to do it today, so I thought why not. Please consider this a rare 'extra narrative' update.

You'll note that there is a separate list of planets in the stats now. Until I figure out a better way of doing it (feel free to suggest one), it is presented as one big thing in roughly-alphabetical order.

I've decided that a few, rare systems can have more than one planet of interest. My rules system can handle it. So far this is 'Preosa' (SCEDA home system) and nearby system NRA-44, as it happens. It will be randomly determined.

I know that the start positions and situations are not really fair and balanced. That's because they are mostly randomised. But there are so many variables in play here, I'm not inclined to retcon anything at this point. I'm hoping to run this game for the really long term, so if you're patient, who knows how things could turn out. Rise and fall of empires and all that

!!!Please give me cool names for your planets, nebulas and misc. regions of space!!!

Wales lost to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup ((( sadfaces

@Everblack, what is the Golden Sand?

@Immaculate, the natives of Yrt-1 need a cool name.

Exhera said:

The formal title is the Peaceful Union of Democratic Dscheran Isonomic Nations.

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Understood, although the formal title is a little too long to put on the map

Q&A's:

I havn't finished reading but its so beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous. If you can and are willing, go on IOT chat and i can ask you a few questions in RT.

Thanks Immac I've tidied up the update a bit. Really sorry but its ridiculous AM here, I really have to crash. Talk to you soon.