Lore

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Introduction: The Shift

The shift that you partake in.

You, the player, start your shift at exactly 12:00 PM station time aboard the NSS Cyberiad. It's either your very first shift, the tenth one, or the one where you lost count because you been working aboard it for so long. Whichever your case may be, the shift that is represented in the game is the shift where something goes wrong aboard the high-tech research station. The shift, for all intents and purposes, is the latest event in the universe and you will always repeat the same 12:00 PM shift but always end it with a different result.

In regards to roleplay, the above statement is not to say you may not develop your character while playing the game. During certain shifts, given the station isn't completely nuked or destroyed, you may take back sparse pieces of information such as relationships with other characters, certain non-destructive events that occurred, and other mundane occurrences. It's commonly accepted that each scenario should be looked at a case by case basis to determine if you wish for your character to have persistent knowledge of this scenario. The station being nuked is something your character would not have persistent knowledge of but you successfully winning a game of poker with so&so's character can be persistent knowledge if the other player so chooses to accept this. If the other play asks you in some form of OOC to not remember a particular event about their character from another shift, you need to honor their request and have your character forget about it.

Your knowledge aboard the station is of your own choosing and up to you of how much you want to roleplay out knowing as you're not restricted to purposely act ignorant of something. Though, it's administratively enforced that crew members don't know about elite NT death squads nor elite Syndicate Strike Teams. However, agents of the syndicate may know about the existence of Syndicate Strike Teams. In regards to antagonist knowledge, it's alright for crew to know every inch of an antag because it can be assumed NanoTrasen gives crew briefings about the many different types of aberrations the crew may experience in deep space and allow them to effectively operate and survive in the craziness of space. Or you can simply choose an alternative method to explain this, such as you heard fairy tales describing these exact creatures.

Your character backstory can range from a very mundane life to that of a more adventurous. However, you should keep in mind that having a very /edgy/ or /extreme/ backstory will leave you having more emptied RP experiences when you're roleplaying with other characters as they may not connect with such an extreme backstory and take you more of a joke. You should also note some backstories are completely incompatible, and wouldn't be even plausible for them to work. Keep in mind that your character through someway was able to land a job, or at the very least a visit, aboard a high-tech research station.

History

A brief timeline of major events that greatly shaped current-day space affairs.

21st Century:

Nothing of importance happens during this time period, the Earth is more or less stable with its countries staying in put and only a few being destroyed by proxy wars. As time reached closer to the twenty-second century, radicalism, isolationism, and the divide between the West and East dissolved as everyone turned to a collective goal of colonizing the solar system.

22nd Century:

Human colonization of other planets begin to take place after great advancement in technology. NanoTrasen is incorporated and invests heavily into the colonization of Mars, hoping to claim a large stake in any potential resources the planet holds. Bluespace and plasma are discovered in the later turn of the century, leading to rapid advancement in FTL technologies.

23rd Century:

Humanity’s technological advancements and exploratory efforts lead to first contact with the Skrell, confirming the existence of extraterrestrial life. This leads to the subsequent establishment of formal diplomatic and military ties. NanoTrasen continued to solidify its holdings on Mars during this period, securing a monopoly on the plasma and tin markets - an action which would lead to further monopolization on outlying plasma deposits.

24th Century:

Humanity continued to make investments in space travel, systematically expanding their sphere of influence through the establishment of numerous colonies. Mid-century, a NanoTrasen exploration vessel discovered the existence of the Tajara. This discovery subsequently sparked a civil war on the Tajaran homeworld, leading to the eventual fracturing of the Tajaran government. NanoTrasen invested heavily in industrialization efforts in the aftermath of the war, securing a monopoly on Ahdomai.

25th Century:

A human exploration vessel is captured in uncharted space by a Kidan military frigate. The crew is slaughtered and the ship is scuttled, leaking sensitive information about human colonies to the Kidan resulting in systematic raids. This prompted a military response from the Human-Skrellian Alliance, which quickly routed and destroyed the Kidan fleet before bombing their homeworld. The raids by the Kidan incidentally caused a potato and vodka shortage on rimworld colonies. Russian colonists, fearing for their heritage, rioted and broke away from the Trans-Solar Federation, leading to the formation of Space Russia.

26th Century (Current):

NanoTrasen utilizes its position as the sole retainer of many of the plasma-bearing deposits throughout space to apply a stranglehold on the FTL markets. The stocks of rival companies plummet as their overhead costs skyrocket, leading to the formation of the corporate/pirate conglomerate known simply with the pseudonym handle The Syndicate. By this century, all major sapient species have been discovered and brought into the folds of the galactic workforce. This is also the century in which NanoTrasen relocated their headquarters and many of their research facilities to deep space.

Factions

Important factions, governments, groups, corporations, and other organized entities that inhabit the universe.

Corporate

• NanoTrasen
• The Syndicate

Governments

• SolGov

An authoritarian yet republican government that manages the areas in and around the Sol system. It is very militaristic, full citizenship only being gained after military and/or governmental service. However, it is not expansionist and is not at war with any of its neighbors.

• The Shoal

Vox mainframe computers and ark ships archiving the Vox species history over the course of their existence. Enforces and follow the Vox inviolate.

• The Alchemist's Council

Might not exist? A provisional government was set up after the Tajaran Overseers were destroyed. The Alchemist’s Council worked for them.

• The Asseembly

Created as a method of escaping an extinction-level event that would wipe out the Vulpkanin. It now serves as a body that manages the resources of the world of Vazzend as well as acts as a trade partner with NanoTrasen.

• Synthetic Union

Although this is more of a defensive coalition than a formalized government, which focuses on protecting synthetic rights from organic beings. However, it maintains a cordial relationship with organic governing bodies.

• The Technocracy

A form of Meritocracy that governs Muana-b, the Greys’ homeworld. It selects a small group of leaders--who rule with absolute power--based on their mental abilities. This may seem impractical, but is made possible by the Greys’ mental faculties such as psionics.

Other

• Spider Clan
• Changeling Hivemind

Species

The major sentient species whom are commonly found within the ranks of NanoTrasen employees.

Species	Description	Species	Description
Humans	Humans are a species of soft-skinned humanoids originating from the planet called Earth. Humans are almost universally united under the banner of the Trans-Solar Federation, with the exception of Space Russia. Humans have healthy relations with many of the species throughout the galaxy and are at the seat of the largest military alliance in the galaxy - the Human-Skrellian Alliance.	Grey	A species which originates from beyond the Milky Way Galaxy, Grey have no known home world. Their government operates as a technocracy, a panel of the best and brightest scientists appointed to serve at the seat of their bureaucracy. Grey have no known religious or spiritual systems, and instead devote their attention to technology and the study of other species. They often serve as mediators in galactic affairs.
Tajaran	The Tajaran are a species of furred, feline beings who hail from Ahdomai, the smaller arctic world of two twin planets. Initially discovered by NanoTrasen in the mid-24th century, Tajaran classically organize themselves by clan. They are notable for their religious practices which pay homage to the teachings of S'randarr and incorporate the use of sun motifs and iconography. Tajaran often speak in third person.	Diona	The Diona are a race of plant-like beings with gestalt consciousness, composed of many smaller Nymphs. While their world of origin is unknown, the constituent nymphs they are made of are a staple of the Kidan diet. Dionae lack any form of centralized government or home world, preferring to drift through the vastness of space in an endless cycle of proliferation and expansion.
Unathi	Unathi are a scaled species of reptilian beings from the desert world of Moghes. Organizing themselves in highly competitive feudal kingdoms, Unathi lack of any form centralized government. Unathi are the only known species to have had a war with the Vox, a war which, though unsuccessful, is a great source of Unathi pride. Despite being a large player in galactic affairs, Unathi mostly compete among themselves.	Machine People	IPCs are a form of machine intelligence that were originally manufactured as intelligent research assistants. Frustrated with their status as slave labourers, IPC's held a massive worker's strike in 2525, with many IPC's fleeing to the world of New Canaan in secret. After consolidating a power on the planet, IPC's struck up diplomatic treaties and are now considered a minor player in galactic affairs.
Skrell	Skrell are a species of aquatic, soft-fleshed beings from the tropical world of Jargon 4. Skrell are one of the first species, along with Vox and Greys, to achieve FTL capabilities. Skrell religious systems universally believe in the concept of a soul, as well as reincarnation. Though they classically prefer diplomacy, Skrell, together with humans, form the single largest military power in the known galaxy.	Kidan	The Kidan are ant-like creatures who posses an exoskeleton. They originate from the planet Aurum, a harsh world with a poor atmosphere. They are notable for being the only species to suffer a war with the Human-Skrellian Alliance, having lost decisively in 2416. They are relatively minor players in galactic affairs, having been under heavy sanctions ever since their defeat.
Slime People	Slime People are a race of gelatinous and translucent beings from the vast oceans of the tropical world Xarxis 5. They are recent entrants to the galactic scene, having been discovered by an NT exploratory probe in the year 2521. Slime People traditionally operate in a primitive society that organizes itself in bands and tribes.	Plasmamen	Plasmamen are the remnants of a species that was either exiled to, or crashed on, the plasma-rich world of Boron. Believed to have initially served as indentured labourers, Plasmamen are the result of chronic exposure to plasma over the course of several hundred generations. Plasmamen utilize a peculiar system in which their leaders must self-immolate, only holding office for as long as they remain on fire.
Vox	Vox are a space-faring bird-like species that hail from large stations known as arkships. Vox are unique in their physiologically based caste system and their adherence to a set of central tenants known as "The Inviolate". Vox are known to form raiding parties and appropriate resources when needed, which lead to a notable war with the Unathi in 2203. Due to their insular nature, Vox have no large role in galactic affairs.	Vulpkanin	Vulpkanin are a species of bipedal canid-like beings from the Vazzend binary system. While Vulpkanin are chiefly lead by planetary governments, they also serve under a loose federation known as The Assembly. Vulpkanin religious systems traditionally pay tribute to a pantheon lead by an entity known as 'Racht'. A minor player in galactic affairs, Vulpkanin are largely concerned with the restoration of their home world.
Drask	Drask are a humanoid race of cold-bodied beings from the ice-world of Hoorlm. Operating in enclaves run by contiguous groups of elders, Drask are biologically immortal and place great societal value in the virtues of patience and long-term strategy. While Drask traditionally pay homage to their planet as their birth deity, many modern Drask have come to view space travel in and of itself as their patron saint.

Locations

Important locations within the universe.

Planets & Planetoids

• Earth

Earth is the birthplace of the human species and NanoTrasen itself. A temperate world with four seasons, Earth is the seat of the Trans-Solar Federation.

• Mars

The first planet truly colonized by humans, Mars is presently run by a board of directors appointed by NanoTrasen and is the traditional seat of NT's power.

• Luna

Established as a colony prior to Mars, Luna is run by Port Royal Co.. While it has healthy relations with Earth, Luna is run by its own autonomous government.

• Jargon 4

Jargon 4 is the home world of the aquatic beings known as Skrell. It is the birthplace of the Human-Skrellian Alliance - the military alliance between humans and skrell.

• New Canaan

New Canaan was an abandoned mining world that has been adopted as the headquarters of the Synthetic Union. Largely populated by IPC's, New Canaan is considered to be the home world of synthetics.

• Ahdomai

Ahdomai is the traditional home world of the Tajaran race. Jointly lead by a provisional government run by NanoTrasen and the Alchemist's Council, it is presently suffering from global temperature rises and other effects of over-industrialization.

• Hoorlm

Hoorlm is the arctic home world of the Drask. Covered in sprawling ice sheets and perpetual night, Hoorlm is an inhospitable world to other species. The average temperature of Hoorlm is well below -80c.

• Xarxis 5

The home world of Slime People, Xarxis 5 is an ocean world dotted with island chains. Due to a highly elliptical orbit, the planet has hot and cold seasons that have resulted in large migratory patterns.

• Aurum

Aurum is a rocky world demarcated by sprawling mud flats and a lack of mineral content. Despite its inhospitable nature, made worse by strip mining, Aurum is still seen as the home world of the Kidan.

• Moghes

Moghes is the desert home world of the lizard-like Unathi people. Having little water of its own and regularly suffering from drought, Moghes currently makes up over 3% of galactic water imports.

• Altam

A once verdant and temperate world, Altam is the Vulpkanin home world. Altam was rendered uninhabitable and barren after solar wind and cosmic radiation scoured its surface in 2189. The Vulpkanin now make their home on other planets in their home system, primarily Kelune and Dalstadt.

Space Structures

• NSS Cyberiad

The main research station in which your shift and day revolves around.

• NAS Trurl

Commonly refereed to as a Central Command by station crew members, it's the administrative station of the Cyberiad.

• Vox Arkships

Gigantic, ancient, mysterious patchwork space stations the size of small moons that house the upper echelons of the Vox species. All Vox are born on these.

Anomalous Space Entities

The anomalies of space that forever changed the mundane world. For antagonists see: Identifying Antagonists

Realspace

Space that the whole physical and mundane world inhabits; often violated by Bluespace and Redspace entities.

Bluespace

Space that deals in the manipulation of matter and is present in many high-tech devices, and Redspace entities.

Redspace

Space consistent of ominous energies that are alive and sentient, inherently more dangerous than it's latter counterpart.

Space Sleep Disorder(SSD)

A disease of unkown origin known to affect a variety of biological lifeforms. Affected individuals typically collapse and fall asleep for undetermined periods of time, ranging from several seconds to several hours.

Space Carp

Experiments from unknown origin that have lead to fish that adapted to literally swim in space; quite vicious like a Piranha.

Artificial Gravity

Originally developed upon the boom of the FTL market, most modern facilities will have their own type of gravity generator which utilizes bluespace as the main means of generating gravity.