Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

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Ebon Ilnaren
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Ebon Ilnaren »

My own headcanon has Stars End S/SW of Rhydin, and Cadentia is SE. But that's just me.

I fully support a #stars-end channel if we don't want to use Yggdrasil. The channel/setting description could depict the port in general, from the cleaner upscale districts where the money lives down to the wretched hives of scum and villainy, as well as the spaceport proper and (perhaps) the RASG HQ?
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Kira Adia »

Given everyone's input, I typed up a proposal for a setting description I'd like to submit for everyone to discuss and refine. A few quick notes: I've been using Fool's Luck Bay as something of a place-holder name for the region around the spaceport, but I'm not sure if that is a DM term, or if it's from the AOL days or otherwise. In any case, if Fool's Luck isn't viable, it's easily changed. On that note, I propose the channel to be named #fools-luck-bay or whatever the final region name ends up being, though I can see an argument for using #stars-end (maybe #stars-end-bay to keep with the existing naming convention?)

With that out of the way, here's my proposal:
Travel south from the City along the coast, and you’ll come across Fool’s Luck Bay. Settled on the coast lies Star’s End, a bustling spaceport. World-famous restaurants and nightclubs line the major thoroughfares through the port town, with a bustling seaport providing a safe harbor for generations of sailing vessels. As space travel became more and more viable, docks and landing facilities grew to support the new industry. Corporations and embassies moved in to take advantage of the boom, and soon, all types of craft capable of reaching land, whether by sea or by the stars, were docked side by side.

Looking out over the bay from the spaceport, past the bobbing sails of trading junks, fishing boats, and supertankers, at the edge of the bay where it meets the sea, stands a space elevator known as Yggdrasil. At its base, the floating city of Mimisportr anchors the complex. At the top, Aquila Station orbits the planet, providing access to the stars across multiple universes. Since the completion of the elevator, much of the corporate attention and affluent housing moved to this new community on the waves. Despite this, Star’s End continues to function, servicing smaller spacecraft and the bulk of oceangoing shipping.

Docks and marinas line the circumference of the floating platform. The city specializes in shipping and service industries, catering to the needs of traders and travelers on their way to and from the stars. Idun’s Apple Casino offers games and entertainment of all types, holding a strange feeling that time barely moves while on the gambling floor. The Greater Nexus Hotel offers accommodations rivaling any that could be offered on-world. And the Valhalla Arena offers an alternative dueling venue, featuring an oversized dueling floor designed to house unique Mecha Duels in addition to the traditional sports.
Thoughts? Suggestions? As always, I defer to the Staff and the community for whatever the final form looks like.

edits: Last minute typo and grammar corrections.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Canaan »

Love this, Kira! Especially the inclusion of the old but the emphasis on the new, since I feel like we should be moving forward with the times and making this space our own. You have so many wonderful ideas and I’d love to see them implemented.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by BardGallant »

That's a wonderful description for a general setting, Kira! I love how all-inclusive it is! I personally much prefer the channel name #stars-end, though. Not only is it a nice nod to the historical setting, which you've incorporated wonderfully here, but it's also extremely open-ended, so if people wanted to play space battles or other ship-to-ship interactions in that channel and not be land-locked or space-station-locked, they could. :)
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Kira Adia »

I wrote the description proposal last night and slept on it before posting. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of setting the land based portion of the setting as “Star’s End Bay.” It ties things together really well and follows the existing trend of place names matching city names i.e. Cadentia the city in Cadentia the region, RhyDin the city in RhyDin the continent/planet, etc.

Something about there being a cultural motif of repeating names and naming regions after their most prominent feature (or the settlement named after the region; chicken and egg) is appealing to me.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by PC »

Nice.

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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Ebon Ilnaren »

I think the port city of Stars End would still be a busy spaceport purely for the sake of accessibility. Megacorps and syndicates would likely want to handle some transactions away from the hustle and bustle of Aquila Station, and for private operators it'd be easier to find jobs if you can get down where the work is. There would likely be shuttles to and from Aquila for those who can't or don't want to take the more lengthy journey on the space elevator, and smaller cargo might also travel to and from orbit by ship, leaving the cargo holds of the elevator cars for bulk freight. I actually picture a fairly steady traffic in waterborne or hover craft carrying cargo from across Rhydin to Stars End, and then from Stars End to Mimisportr where it is then loaded for shipment up to waiting bulk freighters at Aquila Station.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Kira Adia »

Ebon Ilnaren wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 7:36 pm I think the port city of Stars End would still be a busy spaceport purely for the sake of accessibility. Megacorps and syndicates would likely want to handle some transactions away from the hustle and bustle of Aquila Station, and for private operators it'd be easier to find jobs if you can get down where the work is. There would likely be shuttles to and from Aquila for those who can't or don't want to take the more lengthy journey on the space elevator, and smaller cargo might also travel to and from orbit by ship, leaving the cargo holds of the elevator cars for bulk freight. I actually picture a fairly steady traffic in waterborne or hover craft carrying cargo from across Rhydin to Stars End, and then from Stars End to Mimisportr where it is then loaded for shipment up to waiting bulk freighters at Aquila Station.
That makes sense. Another thought is that most individuals would teleport or take the shuttle to get to orbit, while larger cargo will climb the elevator. The lifts were written like small hotels, so people who take the elevator could be doing so specifically for the experience of climbing the elevator, or who want to ride up with their cargo as opposed to waiting for its arrival in orbit (or ground side on the reverse direction).

Star’s end would also need to serve at the local airport. There would be no space for air travel on Mimisportr aside from helicopters or other VTOL craft. (Eccentric billionaire who travels everywhere by balloon, anyone?) that, and any heavy industry would need to be in Star’s End with needed goods shipped to Mimisportr.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Marissa »

Just to toss my two cents in here again, does anyone remember Gateway Station from the old AOL days and does it still exist, as far as the setting goes? I'm only asking because this character and her siblings originated at Star's End and own a shipping company that makes use of both the port and the space station. I'm good with whatever gets decided, whether Gateway Station gets replaced with something else or remains. Just curious.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Kira Adia »

If there's a single setting for the whole sci-fi set up, I don't see any reason why it can't exist. I'd personally imagine it as a freely orbiting station separate from Aquila (Aquila has a definite purpose, as an access to orbit and to other universes as part of Yggdrasil). I'm not familiar with Gateway Station personally and I haven't seen it mentioned. But more sci-fi is a net positive in my book.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by PrlUnicorn »

Marissa wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:46 pm Just to toss my two cents in here again, does anyone remember Gateway Station from the old AOL days and does it still exist, as far as the setting goes? I'm only asking because this character and her siblings originated at Star's End and own a shipping company that makes use of both the port and the space station. I'm good with whatever gets decided, whether Gateway Station gets replaced with something else or remains. Just curious.
Far as I know, it was not destroyed. From time to time, it gets mentioned in my own stories.
Kira Adia wrote: Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:53 am
With that out of the way, here's my proposal:
Travel south from the City along the coast, and you’ll come across Fool’s Luck Bay. Settled on the coast lies Star’s End, a bustling spaceport. World-famous restaurants and nightclubs line the major thoroughfares through the port town, with a bustling seaport providing a safe harbor for generations of sailing vessels. As space travel became more and more viable, docks and landing facilities grew to support the new industry. Corporations and embassies moved in to take advantage of the boom, and soon, all types of craft capable of reaching land, whether by sea or by the stars, were docked side by side.

Looking out over the bay from the spaceport, past the bobbing sails of trading junks, fishing boats, and supertankers, at the edge of the bay where it meets the sea, stands a space elevator known as Yggdrasil. At its base, the floating city of Mimisportr anchors the complex. At the top, Aquila Station orbits the planet, providing access to the stars across multiple universes. Since the completion of the elevator, much of the corporate attention and affluent housing moved to this new community on the waves. Despite this, Star’s End continues to function, servicing smaller spacecraft and the bulk of oceangoing shipping.

Docks and marinas line the circumference of the floating platform. The city specializes in shipping and service industries, catering to the needs of traders and travelers on their way to and from the stars. Idun’s Apple Casino offers games and entertainment of all types, holding a strange feeling that time barely moves while on the gambling floor. The Greater Nexus Hotel offers accommodations rivaling any that could be offered on-world. And the Valhalla Arena offers an alternative dueling venue, featuring an oversized dueling floor designed to house unique Mecha Duels in addition to the traditional sports.
I like it, a lot.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by BardGallant »

Marissa wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:46 pm Just to toss my two cents in here again, does anyone remember Gateway Station from the old AOL days and does it still exist, as far as the setting goes? I'm only asking because this character and her siblings originated at Star's End and own a shipping company that makes use of both the port and the space station. I'm good with whatever gets decided, whether Gateway Station gets replaced with something else or remains. Just curious.
If you remember it and are writing about it, it still exists! :-D
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Mallory »

Thank you so much, everyone, for participating in the thread for our new sci-fi setting! We really appreciate all of your ideas and feedback. We're excited to be incorporating both old and new elements into the new setting! We've taken everyone's input into account, and we will be reaching out to participants to get feedback on a draft description before publication.
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Re: Sci-Fi Setting Discussion

Post by Ebon Ilnaren »

Marissa wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:46 pm Just to toss my two cents in here again, does anyone remember Gateway Station from the old AOL days and does it still exist, as far as the setting goes? I'm only asking because this character and her siblings originated at Star's End and own a shipping company that makes use of both the port and the space station. I'm good with whatever gets decided, whether Gateway Station gets replaced with something else or remains. Just curious.
Gateway Station is included in the setting description for Fools Luck Bay. :) I believe it is the primary orbital habitat, and Aquila Landing is where the large ships dock (or "roost").
FLB setting description wrote:The elevator stands close to the path of Gateway Station, a vast orbital habitat with shuttlecraft ferrying passengers to and from Yggdrasil's intermediate platforms. Near the top of the tether is the docking platform Aquila, providing access to the stars across the Multiverse.
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