A Tale of Two Planets

Or more accurately, a planet and it's oversized moon.

The planet is Occua and in terms of size, atmosphere and geography it's pretty similar to Earth and it's inhabitants identical to humans.

Technologically and culturally its rather similar to Earth in the late 40s, early fifties but with a healthy dose of Weird Science, Diesel Punk with elements of Raygun Gothic.

Politically any nations of significant power belong to one of two factions, the United Democratic Nations (UDN), which is my idealized concept of how the United Nations, should have been organized and the Global Peoples Republic (GPR), basically a Stupid Jetpack Stalin version of the Soviet Union and Communist China (who maintain an uneasy, Enemy Mine style alliance) and their respective sattelites.

Now, for the oversized moon. Note that while I'll take suggestions and constructive criticism that I intend to use a lot of Artistic License – Physics in the make up of Kaia's makeup and it's relationship with Occua. One thing I will ask is whether they would be tidally locked to each other.

Kaia, as the Occuans call it is about 2/3 the size of Occua. What is known, from telescopic observation is that it has an atmosphere, water and life. In fact it seems to have intelligent inhabitants because of the observation of what seem to be cities. However, because of the clearness of it's skies it's speculated that it is in a pre-industrial state. Otherwise it is a mystery.

A mystery you have been recuited to solve. As in our Sixties there is a Space Race between the UDN and GPR. You are a member of the crew of the Shining Star (will accept suggestions for a better name), hoping to reach Kaia before the GPR's Peoples Might. What will you find there?

Yes, once you reach Kaia, you, the player, not the character, will be given more information on it and allowed to create native characters.

edited 17th Aug '13 7:04:47 AM by tricksterson

Interested...

The moon should be tidally connected to Occua, gives another reason for the space race.

A note on Kaia's bodies of water. It has nothing that could be called an ocean or even, with one possible exception, a sea, but it has a lot of lakes. If Minnesota is the Land of a Thousand Lakes then Kaia is the Planet of a Billion Lakes, ranging from glorified ponds to one body of water about half the size of the Mediterranean.

So what waves are there for the moon to affect?

Kaia is the moon. Occua is the main planet and is pretty much Earthlike. Has two main landmasses and two lesser ones, allthough most of the action will be taking place on the moon, Kaia so I didn't come up with that much detail for the planet. But yes, it does have much bigger tides than earth because it's moon is about four times the size of ours. Maybe I should put it further away?

Will come up with a list of crew positions tomorrow.

edited 17th Aug '13 6:54:34 PM by tricksterson

Okay, here's the crew makeup of the UDN Shining Star. This ain't no Apollo program, this is a ship more in the tradition of Flash Gordon or Star Trek, so big. Any position is open to P Cs except the Captains

Bridge Crew

• Captain
• First Officer
• Science Officer
  • 3 Assistants, one each specializing in Botany, Zoology and Geology but crosstrained. The Chief Science Officer would be an Omnidisciplinary Scientist
• Communications Officers (3)
• Pilots (3)

Sick Bay

• Chief Medical Officer
• Assistant Medical Officers (2)
• Nurses (3)

Engineering

• Chief Engineer
• Assistant Engineers (4)

Marines

• Lieutenant (1)
• Sergeant
• 2 Corporals
• 20 Marines

Regular Crew

• 20 regular sailors
• Chief Cook
  • Galley Crew (4)

Feel free to make suggestions

Question, it's kind of implied, but will we be allowed more than one character?

That said, I'm interested. Especially in playing a communications officer. A Cunning Linguist anthropologist, a la Daniel Jackson.

One at first, maybe more later, especially when you reach your destination and the natives become an option.. Unfortunately this probably won't happen because you and Strato seem to be the only ones who are interested.

Well, can you explain more about the Weird Sciense, Diesel Punk, and Raygun Gothic stuff regarding the RP? Additionally, once we're on the moon will we be stuck there or can we go back & forth?

You're not stuck permanently and can leave in an emergency but the mission is to stay and explore or a month. You do have radio contact with the homeworld. The tropes come in that for a beginning your ship is much bigger than anything we ever even thought about sending to the Moon. Guns are normal guns. You do have a non-sentient robot to help you explore and, yes the away crews will have a jetpack or two. What your competitors are bringing along is mostly unknown but assumed to be much the same.

For that matter you are invited to sugggest anything you think might apply to Weird Science, Diesel Punk or Raygun Gothic that might make this a more interesting story. If you were wondering what those tropes are or mean, well I just provided some convenient potholes for you to fall in

PS: If you know anyone who might be interested feel free to invite them on board. I figure if I can get at least a half-dozen players I'll still be wlling to run this.

edited 7th Sep '13 2:11:58 PM by tricksterson

This looks interesting.

I'm thinking that while any crew position would be available, you might want to focus on characteristics that would make for a good "away team" member. A translator would be a very good idea. Any way I've had enough interests posted to at least put up a character sheet, which I will do in a oouple of days.

edited 12th Sep '13 2:15:49 PM by tricksterson

I'm interested.

Okay, been seriously busy a work but will post a character sheet soon, I promise!