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driftfleet_ooc2015-12-10 11:33 pm
spaceshipit) wrote in driftfleet_ooc2015-12-10 11:33 pm
Entry tags:
December Star System
Since December is a little crazy for some players (and mods), and because we're still on the tail of a dramatic plot, this month's event is more of an "open setting" type. There are lots of things to do, and characters have lots of room to do their own things. From Dec 10th to about Jan 11th, in addition to the boring-but-reliable waystations that dot their cosmic path, the Marsiva will bring all ships in range of a brand-new, chilly-looking planet...
THE PLANET.
Arslae (as the navigation systems helpfully inform the fleet) is another one of those rustic stopping points along several common flight paths, though many of its visitors are not here out of necessity. The planet has a challenging climate and landscape, but its scenery is absolutely stunning, and its prime natural resource makes it something of a novelty out here. As such, this little planet is both an important point of trade, and a bustling recreation destination.
Geography and Climate: The planet is roughly earth-sized, but looks much icier even from orbit. The terrain ranges between chilly plains filled with hardy grasses and well-adapted furry mammals, vast tundras and salt flats... to massive, jagged glacial sheets that stretch on as far as the eye can see. The settlements rest between the extremes for the most part, so natives can both hunt for food and harvest around the ice without traveling far. These settlements see regular snowfall through most times of the year. Passengers will get to see fresh-falling snow every few days, if they stay in the city. This snow makes for excellent snowmen, snowball fights, sledding, etc.! It snows less in the the warmer areas, though the lakes are still mostly frozen over and the sky stays fairly overcast. In the icy tundra, it snows rather relentlessly. On Arslae, proper clothing is a must.
Settlements: Depending on where you are, the buildings are either made of wood, stone, and metal--or they are constructed mostly out of ice. If you hike or land your ships in the mountains, much of these settlements are built right into the sides of the icy cliffs themselves. These people take a great deal of pride in their ability to shape the harsh world around them, so many details of the icy buildings are exquisitely carved. The settlements range in size and population, though most have enough hustle and bustle to be likened to a small city.
People: It is common knowledge here that the current majority population is a blend of two original races. Though the natives call themselves the Surrit, they are hybrids of a much older species (the original "Surrit" from whom they got their name) and the human settlers that established themselves on the planet later on. The current incarnations of the Surrit are a widely-varying in how they look--appearing anywhere between mostly-human with a few odd details, to people with dense, downy grey fur and rubbery, batlike faces. Thanks to their ancestors, these new Surrit are naturally resistant to cold and dehydration. This aids them in harvesting and processing huge amounts of salt (this planet's main resource) without detriments to their health. There are several other migrant populations on Arslae as well, though they tend to stick to communities of their own, and aren't quite as sociable with tourists. Longer-stayed passengers from the Drift Fleet may be interested in the few sizable Nunnilis communities, which have been on the planet for several centuries. While passengers are used to seeing the Nunnilis colored red or orange, the locals here are bright blue. So, it's very easy to distinguish the resident Nunnalis from those who are only visiting.
Temples: Naturally, the many awe-inspiring vistas and plentiful resources on this planet have led to the construction of quite a few temples and religious points of interest. They fall into two main categories--temples that hark back to the roots of this planet's now-diffused native culture, or places of worship brought in from outside, either by tourists or smaller populations that have taken permanent root on the planet. Some of the more veteran passengers may notice what are being called the Temples of Abeo, Accendo, and Adsum among them. The practices and religious imagery in them may also be familiar to anyone who had visited those three moons, even though they've been filtered through a long "telephone game" of time and space. In the interest of saving space in this post, if any passengers--new or old--are spending time in any of these temples and would like more information, ask in response to the QUESTIONS comment below and the mods will provide some details.
Technology: This world sees quite a few visitors from far-off planets and technology-savvy stations, so the settlements which cater to them have picked up quite a bit of convenient tech. Touchpads on doors, network terminals, interior heating (thank goodness), even medical and food technologies not entirely unlike what passengers are used to seeing on their own ships. Workers and tradesmen tend to use simple, dependable tools for harvesting, hunting, and crafting, as fancy machinery winds up way too expensive to upkeep against the cold. High-paying salt-related ventures, like mining from the earth and harvesting directly from the open sea, remain the exception to this rule.
Shopping: Passengers can find all sorts of things for sale on this planet! However, almost all of it is somehow related to the planet's famous resource: salt! There are very few things for sale here that aren't themed around or somehow made out of the stuff (see the related section below for details and examples). If they can live with that, passengers will find plenty of themed boutiques, food carts, gift stores, specialty shops, and grocery markets to look through. The exact quality and price both depend on who they're buying from--but in general, "you get what you pay for" very much applies.
Small and Furry: One of the only non-saline points of interest, but just as popular with the tourist, is the fact that this planet has a booming population of what appear to be small, domesticated, arctic foxes. Passengers from Earth will probably recognize that these must be descendants of their own wild species, almost certainly introduced when humans first settled on this planet... and those passengers who have been with the Fleet since the beginning, may remember that there had been a similar phenomenon on the last icy planet they had visited. These animals are beloved little mascots of Arslae, and their price reflects this... though, there might be a stray or two to scoop up if a passenger wants a fox of their very own, but doesn't want to pay the premium price. Though, be warned: the locals here will tell you that these animals are a little demanding in their care, and require lots of exercise and mental stimulation or they can become destructive. They will eat your crewmates' shoes if they get bored.
Lodging: Hotel rooms are both available and numerous in the most popular settlements, with lodging growing a little more scarce in the remote areas. Most establishments offer room service and a complimentary breakfast--but, just like with shopping, passengers will have to decide whether they want to rent a cheap, cramped (and potentially communal) room, or shell out for a ritzy suite.
Attractions: There aren't many work opportunities available on this planet, but for anyone still eager to stretch their legs and expend some energy, there are plenty of recreational ones! Passengers can go hiking, mountain-climbing, sledding, skiing, or just about any other snowy, outdoorsy sport. The natives set up frequent bonfires, musical gatherings, cultural demonstrations, and classes on local crafts and art--all mostly for the tourists, but some may find them fun and interesting nonetheless! There are also plenty of tours and lectures about salt! As well as a few astonishingly tourist-friendly salt mines (see below).
Or, if you want a challenge: For anyone looking for something with a little danger, there is also a rich and balanced hunting culture here. Some of the hunting parties for local wildlife are fairly tame, as they stick to the warmer plains. Some of them are much more exciting, and spend their time hunting several large, formidable species of creature that prowl the mountains and tundras of Arslae. Their populations are plentiful and dangerous to locals living within their territories, so hunting for sport and profit is both encouraged and regulated. Visitors who are interested in that sort of thing can go out and hunt--or just straight-up fight--these non-sentient snow monsters without worrying about damaging their populations... And they can potentially earn a little profit (or trophies for the wall) in the process.
THE SALT HARVEST.
If you haven't caught on by now, this planet is quite the popular tourist and trading attraction. Whatever property gives this planet its hypersalinity, the inhabitants are definitely not complaining--having salt as a resource has shaped their ability to survive, develop, and make a name for themselves. Between the saline oceans and the extensive deposits of rock salt in the earth, the resource seems unlimited, cementing them as the primary producer in this stretch of space.
To harvest salt, inhabitants use both traditional methods such as dehydration pools, and specialized technology to gather hypersalinated water from freshly-formed brinicles under the ocean ice. Each settlement also boasts at least one immense underground salt mine, each of which bears a themed name for the area--sort of like sports teams. These mines are highly competitive with each other, both in terms of production statistics and tourist attention. It is a good idea for passengers to learn the name of the mines in the area so that they don't accidentally insult the locals.
The culture of this planet revolves heavily around this booming salt industry. Not only is salt prominent in their earliest historical writings and traditions, but it comprises and inspires most of the merchandise offered to both tourists and local enthusiasts. If you can imagine a product that somehow involves salt, it is probably available here, as is the effusive advice from every possible angle about all of the amazing things that salt can be used for. Even artwork, furnishings, and architectural elements have been created with salt, here.
Some other uses for salt: here and here
CATCH A COLD.
According to local lore, the climate of this planet used to be very different. Before "the freeze" of ages past, they say the world was covered in lush plants and a large variety of animals. The ancestors of the Surrit were once the only sentient creatures around, followed only thereafter by human settlers from another star system. Over time, the Surrit survived and adapted to their steadily-cooling planet, mingling with the human population enough over thousands of years to have created the hybrid species seen today--but there are still many things from the old world hidden under the ice, frozen in time by sub-zero conditions.
In fact, it's not unusual for the natives to dig something weird out of the glaciers. Workers bring back parts of old ships and dead technology all the time. Less often, they find fossils and other bits of this planet's ancient history. Unfortunately, some of this history includes mysterious pathogens that have been lying dormant for years.
The natives are practically immune to the ancient, surfacing pathogens by now, having been doing this for centuries. The planet's tourists--and the Drift Fleet's passengers--are not so lucky.
After spending some time on this chilly planet, passengers may start to feel like they're coming down with something. They may experience a sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headache, itchy eyes, stuffy sinuses, an upset stomach, or even a mild fever. Despite all logic to the contrary, even magical creatures, immortals, and mechanical constructs can potentially find themselves suffering from the symptoms of what seems a lot like a winter cold.
Luckily, the natives are used to their visitors not having the kind of immune responses needed to treat this mysterious organism, and they've had a lot of time to understand its strange, almost supernatural properties. There are several different forms of antidote readily available (ranging from pills and powders to more magical or ritualistic treatments), offered to anyone in need for a modest fee. As long as passengers get some kind of treatment, their cold should clear up in a week--or maybe a little longer, for particularly stubborn cases.
If passengers are too sick or too stubborn to seek treatment for themselves... That's what the trusty medical officers are for, right? Those with laboratory support augments (or anyone who wants to help out, really) can absolutely go around handing out treatments to their fellow passengers.
Catching a cold is completely optional, and can happen anytime during the fleet's stay in this Star System. The pathogen affects different people in different ways, so players can give their characters whatever cold symptoms they think would be fun! Characters can also not get sick at all--which leaves them free to take care of their snotty friends, or enjoy their time on the snowy planet unhindered.
---
This month's star system is very open-ended, so players are welcome to dig into whatever parts of the setting they'll have the most fun with. :) If you'd like details or further clarification about anything mentioned in this post, please feel free to ask in the QUESTIONS thread down below!
THE PLANET.
Arslae (as the navigation systems helpfully inform the fleet) is another one of those rustic stopping points along several common flight paths, though many of its visitors are not here out of necessity. The planet has a challenging climate and landscape, but its scenery is absolutely stunning, and its prime natural resource makes it something of a novelty out here. As such, this little planet is both an important point of trade, and a bustling recreation destination.
Geography and Climate: The planet is roughly earth-sized, but looks much icier even from orbit. The terrain ranges between chilly plains filled with hardy grasses and well-adapted furry mammals, vast tundras and salt flats... to massive, jagged glacial sheets that stretch on as far as the eye can see. The settlements rest between the extremes for the most part, so natives can both hunt for food and harvest around the ice without traveling far. These settlements see regular snowfall through most times of the year. Passengers will get to see fresh-falling snow every few days, if they stay in the city. This snow makes for excellent snowmen, snowball fights, sledding, etc.! It snows less in the the warmer areas, though the lakes are still mostly frozen over and the sky stays fairly overcast. In the icy tundra, it snows rather relentlessly. On Arslae, proper clothing is a must.
Settlements: Depending on where you are, the buildings are either made of wood, stone, and metal--or they are constructed mostly out of ice. If you hike or land your ships in the mountains, much of these settlements are built right into the sides of the icy cliffs themselves. These people take a great deal of pride in their ability to shape the harsh world around them, so many details of the icy buildings are exquisitely carved. The settlements range in size and population, though most have enough hustle and bustle to be likened to a small city.
People: It is common knowledge here that the current majority population is a blend of two original races. Though the natives call themselves the Surrit, they are hybrids of a much older species (the original "Surrit" from whom they got their name) and the human settlers that established themselves on the planet later on. The current incarnations of the Surrit are a widely-varying in how they look--appearing anywhere between mostly-human with a few odd details, to people with dense, downy grey fur and rubbery, batlike faces. Thanks to their ancestors, these new Surrit are naturally resistant to cold and dehydration. This aids them in harvesting and processing huge amounts of salt (this planet's main resource) without detriments to their health. There are several other migrant populations on Arslae as well, though they tend to stick to communities of their own, and aren't quite as sociable with tourists. Longer-stayed passengers from the Drift Fleet may be interested in the few sizable Nunnilis communities, which have been on the planet for several centuries. While passengers are used to seeing the Nunnilis colored red or orange, the locals here are bright blue. So, it's very easy to distinguish the resident Nunnalis from those who are only visiting.
Temples: Naturally, the many awe-inspiring vistas and plentiful resources on this planet have led to the construction of quite a few temples and religious points of interest. They fall into two main categories--temples that hark back to the roots of this planet's now-diffused native culture, or places of worship brought in from outside, either by tourists or smaller populations that have taken permanent root on the planet. Some of the more veteran passengers may notice what are being called the Temples of Abeo, Accendo, and Adsum among them. The practices and religious imagery in them may also be familiar to anyone who had visited those three moons, even though they've been filtered through a long "telephone game" of time and space. In the interest of saving space in this post, if any passengers--new or old--are spending time in any of these temples and would like more information, ask in response to the QUESTIONS comment below and the mods will provide some details.
Technology: This world sees quite a few visitors from far-off planets and technology-savvy stations, so the settlements which cater to them have picked up quite a bit of convenient tech. Touchpads on doors, network terminals, interior heating (thank goodness), even medical and food technologies not entirely unlike what passengers are used to seeing on their own ships. Workers and tradesmen tend to use simple, dependable tools for harvesting, hunting, and crafting, as fancy machinery winds up way too expensive to upkeep against the cold. High-paying salt-related ventures, like mining from the earth and harvesting directly from the open sea, remain the exception to this rule.
Shopping: Passengers can find all sorts of things for sale on this planet! However, almost all of it is somehow related to the planet's famous resource: salt! There are very few things for sale here that aren't themed around or somehow made out of the stuff (see the related section below for details and examples). If they can live with that, passengers will find plenty of themed boutiques, food carts, gift stores, specialty shops, and grocery markets to look through. The exact quality and price both depend on who they're buying from--but in general, "you get what you pay for" very much applies.
Small and Furry: One of the only non-saline points of interest, but just as popular with the tourist, is the fact that this planet has a booming population of what appear to be small, domesticated, arctic foxes. Passengers from Earth will probably recognize that these must be descendants of their own wild species, almost certainly introduced when humans first settled on this planet... and those passengers who have been with the Fleet since the beginning, may remember that there had been a similar phenomenon on the last icy planet they had visited. These animals are beloved little mascots of Arslae, and their price reflects this... though, there might be a stray or two to scoop up if a passenger wants a fox of their very own, but doesn't want to pay the premium price. Though, be warned: the locals here will tell you that these animals are a little demanding in their care, and require lots of exercise and mental stimulation or they can become destructive. They will eat your crewmates' shoes if they get bored.
Lodging: Hotel rooms are both available and numerous in the most popular settlements, with lodging growing a little more scarce in the remote areas. Most establishments offer room service and a complimentary breakfast--but, just like with shopping, passengers will have to decide whether they want to rent a cheap, cramped (and potentially communal) room, or shell out for a ritzy suite.
Attractions: There aren't many work opportunities available on this planet, but for anyone still eager to stretch their legs and expend some energy, there are plenty of recreational ones! Passengers can go hiking, mountain-climbing, sledding, skiing, or just about any other snowy, outdoorsy sport. The natives set up frequent bonfires, musical gatherings, cultural demonstrations, and classes on local crafts and art--all mostly for the tourists, but some may find them fun and interesting nonetheless! There are also plenty of tours and lectures about salt! As well as a few astonishingly tourist-friendly salt mines (see below).
Or, if you want a challenge: For anyone looking for something with a little danger, there is also a rich and balanced hunting culture here. Some of the hunting parties for local wildlife are fairly tame, as they stick to the warmer plains. Some of them are much more exciting, and spend their time hunting several large, formidable species of creature that prowl the mountains and tundras of Arslae. Their populations are plentiful and dangerous to locals living within their territories, so hunting for sport and profit is both encouraged and regulated. Visitors who are interested in that sort of thing can go out and hunt--or just straight-up fight--these non-sentient snow monsters without worrying about damaging their populations... And they can potentially earn a little profit (or trophies for the wall) in the process.
THE SALT HARVEST.
If you haven't caught on by now, this planet is quite the popular tourist and trading attraction. Whatever property gives this planet its hypersalinity, the inhabitants are definitely not complaining--having salt as a resource has shaped their ability to survive, develop, and make a name for themselves. Between the saline oceans and the extensive deposits of rock salt in the earth, the resource seems unlimited, cementing them as the primary producer in this stretch of space.
To harvest salt, inhabitants use both traditional methods such as dehydration pools, and specialized technology to gather hypersalinated water from freshly-formed brinicles under the ocean ice. Each settlement also boasts at least one immense underground salt mine, each of which bears a themed name for the area--sort of like sports teams. These mines are highly competitive with each other, both in terms of production statistics and tourist attention. It is a good idea for passengers to learn the name of the mines in the area so that they don't accidentally insult the locals.
The culture of this planet revolves heavily around this booming salt industry. Not only is salt prominent in their earliest historical writings and traditions, but it comprises and inspires most of the merchandise offered to both tourists and local enthusiasts. If you can imagine a product that somehow involves salt, it is probably available here, as is the effusive advice from every possible angle about all of the amazing things that salt can be used for. Even artwork, furnishings, and architectural elements have been created with salt, here.
Some other uses for salt: here and here
CATCH A COLD.
According to local lore, the climate of this planet used to be very different. Before "the freeze" of ages past, they say the world was covered in lush plants and a large variety of animals. The ancestors of the Surrit were once the only sentient creatures around, followed only thereafter by human settlers from another star system. Over time, the Surrit survived and adapted to their steadily-cooling planet, mingling with the human population enough over thousands of years to have created the hybrid species seen today--but there are still many things from the old world hidden under the ice, frozen in time by sub-zero conditions.
In fact, it's not unusual for the natives to dig something weird out of the glaciers. Workers bring back parts of old ships and dead technology all the time. Less often, they find fossils and other bits of this planet's ancient history. Unfortunately, some of this history includes mysterious pathogens that have been lying dormant for years.
The natives are practically immune to the ancient, surfacing pathogens by now, having been doing this for centuries. The planet's tourists--and the Drift Fleet's passengers--are not so lucky.
After spending some time on this chilly planet, passengers may start to feel like they're coming down with something. They may experience a sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headache, itchy eyes, stuffy sinuses, an upset stomach, or even a mild fever. Despite all logic to the contrary, even magical creatures, immortals, and mechanical constructs can potentially find themselves suffering from the symptoms of what seems a lot like a winter cold.
Luckily, the natives are used to their visitors not having the kind of immune responses needed to treat this mysterious organism, and they've had a lot of time to understand its strange, almost supernatural properties. There are several different forms of antidote readily available (ranging from pills and powders to more magical or ritualistic treatments), offered to anyone in need for a modest fee. As long as passengers get some kind of treatment, their cold should clear up in a week--or maybe a little longer, for particularly stubborn cases.
If passengers are too sick or too stubborn to seek treatment for themselves... That's what the trusty medical officers are for, right? Those with laboratory support augments (or anyone who wants to help out, really) can absolutely go around handing out treatments to their fellow passengers.
Catching a cold is completely optional, and can happen anytime during the fleet's stay in this Star System. The pathogen affects different people in different ways, so players can give their characters whatever cold symptoms they think would be fun! Characters can also not get sick at all--which leaves them free to take care of their snotty friends, or enjoy their time on the snowy planet unhindered.
---
This month's star system is very open-ended, so players are welcome to dig into whatever parts of the setting they'll have the most fun with. :) If you'd like details or further clarification about anything mentioned in this post, please feel free to ask in the QUESTIONS thread down below!
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