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Novo Aether - Space Opera with FATE - Character slots closed and filled - IC today!
Talonrazor
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Novo Aether
Legacy
If you need more information, look at this huge wiki made by my former players and I!
Novo Aether is a futuristic space opera game with cybernetics, digital immersion worlds, big corporations, alien entities, political intrigue and more. We've ran two iterations here at CF, first one was Genesis and second game was Exodus. I would now like to start a third game; Legacy.
Mankind has expanded into the Galaxy more then 200 years into the future with the help of a massive alliance of near-humans called the Prime Collective. The Prime Collective is filled with species that evolved from humans dispatched by ancient civilizations on Earth. In addition, a massive galactic internet called the Uninet (or Omninet) exists, linked to all other worlds via the almighty ansibles. A cyber-world (dubbed the Hyper-Immersion Virtual Environment or Hive) also thrives, structured after both Second Life and a graphical, immersing internet. Adventures take place on and off this network. Cyborgs, Androids, wetware, aliens, spaceships, and AIs, oh my!
We ran into problems before with this setting as it was enormous and none of the systems could handle all the things we needed. Both games collapsed due to these problems, d20 Future was just a terrible system. I have finally found a system I actually enjoy and one that is flexible for all my needs. It focuses on storytelling, not the numbers, which is fantastic. This system is Fate. It's the same system Spirit of the Century is based off of.
Note that my focus for this campaign is strictly story and characters. I enjoy high-caliber writing and well-crafted characters. If you are interested, be sure that you are willing to write. I'll be keeping tabs of those interested and will send out offers when we flesh out when and where and how.
PbP begins in about a week or more, with IRC sessions starting in mid-May on Friday or Saturday in the evening, EST! Post characters by this weekend to be included in the game! Any slots left open from Active Players will be opened to general public after this weekend!
You are a crewmember aboard the vessel Prodigal Son. It is a deep-space independent freighter involved in fringerunning, the practice of picking up shipping (and other more illicit) contracts between the far-flung sparse worlds of the Frontier. Fringerunning is long, tedious work that involves flying lengthy jumpgates for extended periods. Often deep-space crews have to put up with being in a wormhole for over a month or even longer, in addition to weeks of flight time between the systems. This monotonous work is punctuated with periodic danger, as the Frontier is often fraught with danger and lawlessness. The pay is good though and it's non-corporate work. The Prodigal Son is owned and operated by Jules Arshad of the Republic of the East Indies. It has a large crew, including such positions as engineers, mechanics, helmsmen, navigator, chief medical officer, chief science officer, systems operator, security specialists, EVA specialists, Master-at-Arms, flight systems technician, general hands, quartermaster and even some passengers.
You fill one of these positions. Your reasons are your own, it could be a first step to owning your own ship some day, you could be escaping something, looking for something different or an adventure or just took the job because it's good pay for a season or two. All of you are somewhat new to the Prodigal Son, no one has been here for more then a year. There will be multiple NPCs and it is perfectly fine if you want to add one or two to your background, i.e. traveling with family or friends with one of the mechanics that got you a job. There will be background NPCs that fill whatever roles aren't taken by PCs and a few pivotal NPCs. The PbP posting will begin with the travel of the Prodigal Son to a small Frontier planet under mixed control by the Colonials and the People's Republic. The world is Theta 911310-Alpha. The official Colonial territory name is "Tillamook" while the Republic calls it "Chi Mi". PbP will establish interactions between the crew and the PCs and NPCs while the IRC session will begin the actual adventure and the events that transpire on the Prodigal Son to launch the campaign.
Key to Making Great Characters
Legacy
What is Novo Aether? It's the greatest adventure ever. It's places like this.
And this.
And people like this friendly fellow.
And this.
And people like this friendly fellow.
If you need more information, look at this huge wiki made by my former players and I!
Novo Aether is a futuristic space opera game with cybernetics, digital immersion worlds, big corporations, alien entities, political intrigue and more. We've ran two iterations here at CF, first one was Genesis and second game was Exodus. I would now like to start a third game; Legacy.
Mankind has expanded into the Galaxy more then 200 years into the future with the help of a massive alliance of near-humans called the Prime Collective. The Prime Collective is filled with species that evolved from humans dispatched by ancient civilizations on Earth. In addition, a massive galactic internet called the Uninet (or Omninet) exists, linked to all other worlds via the almighty ansibles. A cyber-world (dubbed the Hyper-Immersion Virtual Environment or Hive) also thrives, structured after both Second Life and a graphical, immersing internet. Adventures take place on and off this network. Cyborgs, Androids, wetware, aliens, spaceships, and AIs, oh my!
We ran into problems before with this setting as it was enormous and none of the systems could handle all the things we needed. Both games collapsed due to these problems, d20 Future was just a terrible system. I have finally found a system I actually enjoy and one that is flexible for all my needs. It focuses on storytelling, not the numbers, which is fantastic. This system is Fate. It's the same system Spirit of the Century is based off of.
Note that my focus for this campaign is strictly story and characters. I enjoy high-caliber writing and well-crafted characters. If you are interested, be sure that you are willing to write. I'll be keeping tabs of those interested and will send out offers when we flesh out when and where and how.
PbP begins in about a week or more, with IRC sessions starting in mid-May on Friday or Saturday in the evening, EST! Post characters by this weekend to be included in the game! Any slots left open from Active Players will be opened to general public after this weekend!
You are a crewmember aboard the vessel Prodigal Son. It is a deep-space independent freighter involved in fringerunning, the practice of picking up shipping (and other more illicit) contracts between the far-flung sparse worlds of the Frontier. Fringerunning is long, tedious work that involves flying lengthy jumpgates for extended periods. Often deep-space crews have to put up with being in a wormhole for over a month or even longer, in addition to weeks of flight time between the systems. This monotonous work is punctuated with periodic danger, as the Frontier is often fraught with danger and lawlessness. The pay is good though and it's non-corporate work. The Prodigal Son is owned and operated by Jules Arshad of the Republic of the East Indies. It has a large crew, including such positions as engineers, mechanics, helmsmen, navigator, chief medical officer, chief science officer, systems operator, security specialists, EVA specialists, Master-at-Arms, flight systems technician, general hands, quartermaster and even some passengers.
You fill one of these positions. Your reasons are your own, it could be a first step to owning your own ship some day, you could be escaping something, looking for something different or an adventure or just took the job because it's good pay for a season or two. All of you are somewhat new to the Prodigal Son, no one has been here for more then a year. There will be multiple NPCs and it is perfectly fine if you want to add one or two to your background, i.e. traveling with family or friends with one of the mechanics that got you a job. There will be background NPCs that fill whatever roles aren't taken by PCs and a few pivotal NPCs. The PbP posting will begin with the travel of the Prodigal Son to a small Frontier planet under mixed control by the Colonials and the People's Republic. The world is Theta 911310-Alpha. The official Colonial territory name is "Tillamook" while the Republic calls it "Chi Mi". PbP will establish interactions between the crew and the PCs and NPCs while the IRC session will begin the actual adventure and the events that transpire on the Prodigal Son to launch the campaign.
Key to Making Great Characters
Step 1: Come up with a good concept! Create some background to your character, decide what he or she has been through and what they want to do. Run the concept past me! The group will be a crew of a small ship that operates in the Frontier. They have a chance to take part in things that are a lot bigger than just themselves. You are a crew that will be building a legacy!
Step 2: Pick a species. If you are playing a human, choose your heritage. Humans have extremely diverse cultures and are radically different. Agnatus, on the other hand, tend to stick to their species culture due to the insular nature of the Collective.
Step 3: Phase your character. We are doing 5 phases. It is a good idea to build your phases as different parts of the character’s life. For example, the first phase could be some attribute about the character (Dashing Good Lucks) or about where he grew up.
Let’s say you are a playing a human who lives on an Independent Frontier world, growing up in a small town. He has the Frontiersman Heritage. You were raised as a rancher by your father so you take the Rancher aspect and pick four skills associated with it. That’s one phase.
Next, he joins up with a Drifter Colony that arrived at the planet. There, he develops a repertoire for being a quick-witted, charming talker. So you pick the Silver Tongue aspect and spend your skill ranks accordingly. And so on.
Building a background like this and then taking your aspects (vs. trying to cram various aspects to a character not built) is the best way to go.
Some things to think about: Spending time with one faction may open more options or aspects later on (kind of like the Pursuit Structure works). If you have two ranks in the aspect Colonial Marine, you might find a war buddy somewhere. If you have three ranks in Professional Navigators Guild, you might be able to take the aspect Secret Shipping Lanes.
Remember, these guys can either be people with a storied (but not legendary or epic) history or a young kid fresh off the ranch. Instead of aspects that focus on the places he has been and things he has done, they might focus more on the talents and traits he has developed or stem from certain scenarios he had as a kid (shot a raging bull in the eye at six hundred yards when it charged his father, setting him up for the Eagle Eye aspect).
Step 4: Take your cybernetics. Each character has the intrinsic extra Pearl, Optronics and i-hardline.
Step 5: Post it for final approval and to ensure that it will mesh somewhat well (after all, personal conflicts are interesting) with the rest of the crew.
Our skill list is the following:
Acting, Acrobatics, Area Knowledge, Area History, Awareness, Bluff, Brawling, Charm, Computers (Systems Operations), Computers (Electronic Warfare), Computers (Slicing), Climbing, Craft, Culture (Human), Culture (Collective), Cybernetics, Dance, Drive, Diplomacy, Endurance, Engineering, Fence, Forgery, First Aid, Gossip, Heavy Weapon, Hide, Hunting, Intimidate, Investigate, Jumping, Leadership, Lie, Listen, Linguistics (Collective), Linguistics (Human), Literacy (Collective), Literacy (Human), Lockpicking, Mathematics, Medicine, Navigate, One-Handed Melee, One-Handed Ranged Ballistic, One-Handed Ranged Energy, Painting, Pickpocket, Pilot Planetary Science, Play Instruments, Repair, Ride Animal, Robotics, Seduce, Space Science, Sculpture, Singing, Running, Swimming, Sneak, Streetwise, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Surgery (General), Surgery (Cybernetic), Survival, Scrounge Two-Handed Melee, Thrown Weapon, Two-Handed Ranged Ballistic, Two-Handed Ranged Energy, Tracking, Unarmed Combat
Active Players:
Premier Kakos
INeedNoSalt
Inquisitor
visiblehowl
Cynic Jester
DVG
Scooter
AgentFlit
Ardent
Reserve Players:
SuperSUGA
Darklyre
JacquesCousteau
Talonrazor on
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Posts
Crovax.436 Steam: Crovaxan
I was wondering though if you might be able to post small blurbs regarding the species that don't have any info on the wiki. This would be the Casshern, Kizeran, Gha'uun, Nivalian, and Bacilla.
I'm already imagining a couple of ideas around for possible characters. Should I post the ideas I'm thinking of, PM them to you, or hold off until we get a little closer to when the game would start?
I enjoyed the pretty roguish crew we ran with in the first game, although it might not be a bad idea to be slightly more heroic this time around.
PBP works at the moment, but by the end of May, I'll probably be able to do an IRC game, too.
Register me as another vote for PbP. The permanence is very nice.
While I personally prefer IRC over PbP, I'd be willing to do PbP as long as it doesn't turn into one-sentence posting every other week like I've seen PbPs do so much. I'd also be willing to do a hybrid style game like we did for Pearl City; IRC the main stuff like combat and important scenes while PbP takes care of stuff like traveling between the GAPTRAN gates and character-building dialog. The advantage of PbP is that we can begin much sooner but the disadvantage is that we'd move a lot slower. So think over that.
As for species, I'm thinking the way to handle them is by giving each species a good aspect and a bad aspect. That will represent their "stats". Humans will get this too but it will be decided by their "heritage", something we had last game. Heritage determines where the human came from, be it a rich upper-class from Earth, a Martian human, a frontiersman, someone from the Drifter Colonies, etc. I currently have over a dozen pieces of artwork that will represent a bunch of new species and I'm working on writing up little blurbs. I'll be uploading them to the wiki over the next several days.
This game is also part-worldbuilding. While a lot of stuff I already have mapped out (I have over 100 pages of notes on this setting, places, people, timelines); there are tons of room for people to add stuff. A good example is Salt's earliest character, an AI construct. It really helped define what exactly the AIs were and what they were capable of. It also helped define the Matrix-like world, the Hive. Feel free to come up with a cool species and their planet, or some religion and insert it as well!
Creative characters are a must. I really don't like "space dude that is basically Han Solo". Characters have to have a conviencing backstory, interesting personality and just really pop. You could be someone from the Order of Talos or from the Drifter Colonies. Or come up with your own idea. Go ahead and start brainstorming characters. I'm going to go with the limit of five players and I'll be leaning more towards people I know or have played with before.
It sounds like PbP is the most preferred. Does everyone agree on this?
Yea, if we did do IRC it'd be 2nd week of May when it started. I prefer IRC over PbP as well.
Here's the link, once again, to Fate. Just download the Fate 2.0 PDF, I think we'll go ahead and use that instead of the Spirit of the Century SRD. I can't really find any difference.
What's nice is that we can easily do cybnertics in this game using the Extras feature (which is just like Skills). Cybernetics will (for the most part) be treated as Intrinsic Extras. Everyone will have the optronics, s-link, Pearl and i-hardline extras. Still reading through the rules (I'll be learning this as the same time as you guys, this will be my first Fate game) but I think that's how it will work.
I'll be keeping an eye on how this turns out.
SoogaGames Blog
Purity: Talos Dark Brotherhood Android
The Blight can infect anyone, anywhere. Thus did the Talos monks begin the construction of the Chaste; a new android design created specifically to withstand the Blight. They spent many years planning, testing, and refining the Chaste. Most of the development time went into the Chaste programming in an attempt to fortify them from the temptations of the Blight. The Chaste all have two separate personalities programmed in. The first is their cover; generally a member of the Order of Disciples who wanders the galaxy spreading the good word of the Talos. As it goes about its business, the first personality constantly evaluates the creatures it meets on how much the Blight has corrupted them. When it has determined a particular person or group has become irrevocably tainted by the Blight (generally slavers, murderers, and the like) it switches to the second personality; the Dark Brother. In this mode the Chaste is programmed to neutralize the Blight in the most expedient manner possible; generally by killing the person(s) in question.
Edit: Also, on the question of PbP, IRC, or hybrid; I'd prefer PbP. The only times I know I have several uninterrupted hours to do whatever is when my real life gaming group gets together. So if IRC is chosen I'd sadly have to bow out. Probably have to bow out if it's a hybrid as well.
A Hacker, member of the Cult of Annie.
Callsign? Aspect of Annie.
/giggle.
Probably too silly, anyway.
I'm afraid of wikis, but I suppose I'll go ahead and look at this one.
This is why I write up character backgrounds that involve things like long-lost brothers.
These are the Human Heritages that you can choose from, it's like a racial package. These two aspects are "free" and do not count towards your 5 phasing. You can add more ranks to these aspects if you wish as you phase your character. There are more coming.
Child of Eden
These are people who have grown up on the, almost mythical, planet of Earth; birthplace of human and agnatus civilization. Due to Earth's vast reputation and ancestral claim, these people tend to be viewed with a little more awe then most other humans. Characters from Earth tend to be well-off, as real estate on the coveted planet is astronomical.
“Terra's Reputation” - It is rare to find a direct descendant of Terra. These people are just a little more prestigious then others.
“Used to Soft Living” - Terrans are use to their very comfortable planet. They are not prepared for the harshness of space and the colonies.
Sol Homeworlder
The Sol System is the most heavily terraformed and colonized. Mercury, Venus and Mars have been turned into fully liveable planets while Ganymede, Europa and Io are completely settled. Mercury, Venus and Mars have been called the Homeworlds of Sol. Those who live on these so-called "Homeworlds" live on planets that have every benefit of Earth, lacking nothing. These characters have access to much wealth.
“Sol's Wealth” - Those who live in the Sol System have access to incredible amounts of resources.
“Acclimation” - Sol Homeworlders tend to be disconnected to the happenings of the Galaxy at large.
Martian Descendant
Mars was a massive international effort to colonize a planet that grew into the first off-Earth government. Terraformed for over a hundred years, Mars has its own culture, language and economy. It is often called the "little brother" of Earth. The Confederation of Mars has settled numerous colonies, all with ties to Mars. Martians tend to be extremely technology-savvy, dabbling in everything from cloning to genetic engineering.
“Martian Tech” - Mars is constantly on the cutting edge of technology and Martians tend to be very hip with their tech.
“Superiority Complex” - Martians tend to not care about other cultures, they are often somewhat snobby and indifferent.
United Colonial Colonist
The United Colonies have spread far and wide, getting a head start in the solar colony race. The United Colonies have claimed most of the Solar System, from Venus to Jupiter, and have many colonies outside the solar system. The extrasolar colonists of the United Colonies are resilient, independent and patriotic. They are hardy explorers and have gone further in the galaxy than any other human faction.
“Steely Resolve” - Colonials settling new worlds are grim and determined.
“Robophobia” - Due to the Senbu rebellions, Colonials harbor distrust for robots and genetic engineering.
Intersolar Union Colonist
The Intersolar Union is the newest stellarpower and the smallest. Their colonists are eager to stake a claim in the galaxy and are backed by some of Earth's richest history. Loyal and progressive, IU Colonists are creating colonial lives all over the galaxy.
“Progressive” - IU Colonists are quick to absorb the cultures of the galaxy and make their way.
“Beginners” - Intersolars are new to the galaxy and as such, haven't had the time to learn all the ins-and-outs. Most IU Colonists are brand-new and have just finished the Colonization courses.
Frontiersman
The Frontier is the outer-most limits of human expansion. It makes a large, slowly expanding arc in the galaxy that marks where mankind has settled. Frontier worlds are in their infancy of terraforming, thus they are harsh and unforgiving worlds. Frontier worlds are either a govermental territory, settled by homestead acts, resettlement projects or colony initivates, usually ran by a military governor and having only slight resemblance of govermental control; private homestead worlds that are settled by private citizens and not owned by any govermental entity, instead having their own basic goverment; or corporate worlds, settled by the immense wealth of the megacorps for economical reasons. Only the corporate worlds may have decent amenties or ansibles, usually other Frontier worlds offer only basic resources, usually technological stagnant. Those who live in the Frontier are hardy and self-reliant. They get by with very little and develop their own culture.
“Hardy” - Frontiersmen are incredibly hardy, existing everyday in a tough enviroment. They learn skills that have been long out-dated and considered 'non-essential'.
“Living Remote” - Most Frontier worlds are out of the ansible grid, lacking the all-important Uninet and Hive. Their culture tends to develop without the sweeping memes and changes that the galactic society absorbs. They lack the technological skills and development most worlds have.
Hive Mind
Some people are absorbed by the Hive. They wish to live only in this new world where dreams and fantasies come alive. The Hive is a fantastic place that requires different skills and application of knowledge then real-life dictates. People who spend the majority of their living time in the Hive have come to be known as Hive Minds. They will lie for months in sustaining cocoons, living and working in the Hive. These terms can also mean certain AI or other powerful software that is almost indistinguishable from human avatars.
“The Trickery of the Hive” - Hive minds have a pretty good idea of the way the Hive works. They know secret ins and outs, backdoors and passages to locations throughout the Hive.
“Bothers of Real Life” - Hive Minds do not enjoy entering real life.
Drifter
The Drifter Colonies are huge, floating structures made from the refuse of space that hold thousands and thousands of beings. These vast ‘space stations’ are created from damaged hulls of spaceships, discarded scrap and scavenged wrecks found floating in the deep. They are barely airtight and are propelled on slow, ancient ion engines. Drifter Colonies are only just rated for GAPTRAN travel, their slow pondering ugly, twisted bulk can be seen sometime emerging from the gates. Drifter Colonies are usually vast in size, easily the size of several colony ships. They usually feature only basic starship functions and behave more like mobile orbital colonies then anything else.
Drifter Colonies are full of beings who call themselves ‘drifters’, hence the name. Thousands upon thousands of beings can be crammed on the ships, forming a vibrant community. These beings join the Colony for whatever reason. Some simply seek escape from wherever they are, some seek free passage to a new home, some are homeless and poor, and others simply desire adventure. A Drifter Colony is a cross-section of species and races.
“Jack of All Trades” – Drifters have a variety of trades and skills they’ve learned.
“Space Riff-raff” - Drifters are, by nature, very poor and tend to be viewed as lower class.
Vatican Statesman
The Vatican States are a strange creation; the growth of the Catholic Church into its own interstellar nation. Citizens of the Vatican are proud of their religion and Church. The Church oversees everything in the States; led by the Pope in spiritual matters and the Holy See in state matters. Catholics who serve the Vatican are extremely loyal to their Pope.
The Vatican States see themselves as a moral compass for the Galaxy. Not only are they the leaders for all Catholics throughout the galaxy they are also a sovereign Christian nation. Most citizens of the States are aware that they are ambassadors not just for their nation but also of an ideology that a nation ran by religion is holy. They are charismatic and incessantly defensive and loyal of their nation and Pope.
“Taught by the Doctrine” – Statesmen are secure in their beliefs and have rigid up-bringing
“Holier than Thou” - Sometimes, Vatican Statesmen will be a tad bit snobby and arrogant.
When you say that these Aspects are "free and do count towards Phasing" that almost seems like a typo so I just want to clarify:
Do you mean don't when you say do?
Talon of Razor (8:02:10 PM): And I think it'll just be one aspect now that I think about it
Talon of Razor (8:02:18 PM): Or maybe two
Talon of Razor (8:02:21 PM): no, two
Aluminium 2518 (8:03:03 PM): So total everyone will have 7 aspects?
Talon of Razor (8:03:11 PM): yes
So I'm pretty sure you've got it right, Rainfall.
I'll understand if I get passed over for someone who you've played with before though.
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
*slides three fate points forward* "Come on, you know you want to tap that."
Anyways for character concept I'm thinking a martian transhumanist who is pretty much hoping to replace her entire body with nanotechnology.
Although that's sort of dull so I'm thinking of how to make it more interesting and real.