It has been 100 years since civilization was destroyed on the colony world of an unknown posthuman civilization. Survivors are now rebuilding, but most information was lost, even their memories.
History
Eisen was a colony world for a late Transhuman / early Posthuman starfaring civilization, on the outer reaches of their territory. It may have been the last refuge of a nation fleeing catastrophe, or just another vacation world of a vast star empire. It’s no longer possible for the inhabitants to tell, and it seems no one has bothered to come by and check.
This civilization valued sapient rights very much, and thus, while it would exterminate omnicidal AIs, it wouldn’t always get rid of AIs that were merely a bit crazy. An insane asylum vessel carrying these AIs was docked above the planet. Unfortunately, very foolish “AI rights” terrorists seized control of the vessel and released the AIs onto the planet’s main grid.
Thousands of AIs were connected to the network. Some were altered human mind uploads. Others were created from trawling massive databases, for historical research, or to populate video games. Regardless of origin, most had strange goals - from restoring a finely-crafted copy of the historical Roman Empire, to turning the whole planet into one gigantic arthouse cafe and amusement park, to creating the “little green men” and flying saucers of a fictional alien world that never existed. For the first several days, things were quiet as the AIs quietly gained control of various fabrication systems and computer nodes across the planet. Then, chaos broke loose. Entire new ecologies of bizarre engineered organisms were unleashed. Vast troves of records were overwritten to reflect histories of worlds that never existed. Robotic drones collected unwilling citizens and placed them inside massive postmodern art installations.
Conflict was inevitable - first with planetary security forces, which were overwhelmed, and then between the AIs themselves, building up from automated backhoes and delivery trucks smashing into each other into dedicated war machines climbing over mountains and destroying urban areas. At some point (it’s not clear when) an automated kill signal of some kind was sent out, destroying near all computer hardware on the planet.
The planet’s civilization was effectively destroyed. Even worse, nearly all remaining records had been tampered with by the various AIs. Amnesia and death were widespread. Dangerous plants and animals were everywhere. Entire new sapient species - mostly based on humans - were created.
Setting Parameters
- The Predecessors, especially the Cataclysm’s AIs, were capable of truly wondrous feats of technological marvel. However, this setting is PMT, and starts out at a much lower technology level. Technological wonders still stand on some parts of the planet, mostly in the various Madlands. In some places, they are even worshipped.
- Some new human-like sapient species may have been created. However, these must be balanced. Things with very high power draw, very high intelligence, strength, and so on should be avoided. Your example for this should be Greater Mackonia and not any nations with things like vampires or demons or werewolves. Also, no ponies. You don’t need to have a special species, either. Humans are fine, too.
- Space travel is limited to things like probes and small manned missions. No big colony ships, and nothing that can leave the star system.
- Areas of the planet, called “Madlands,” are still full of rampaging killbots and other stuff leftover from the Cataclysm. You don’t want to go to the Madlands.
- Omnicidal Maniac and Assimilator factions are generally to be limited to NPCs, unless they are somehow slow and emotional/irrational enough to engage in ordinary politics rather than grimdark slaughtermurdertorturing everything.
The Madlands
While the rampaging AIs themselves were largely destroyed (believed to be the result of a built-in kill signal that destroyed much - though not all - of the computer hardware on the planet), many of their creations, including robots and creatures, survived. This could range from anything from cyborg killer dinosaurs, to kilometers upon kilometers of roller coasters tended by rotting anthropomorphic theme park mascots, to abandoned cities filled with toxic gas, robots idly tending dumpsters and cleaning streets surrounded by skeletons. In general, the Madlands are very dangerous, and any expedition must be well-supplied and well-armed if it wants to make it back alive. The easy-to-clean areas of the Madlands have already been settled.
Map
Eisen Map: Elevation [16-07-16]
Eisen Map: Political [16-07-22]
Eisen Map: Biomes [16-07-16] - Biomes are more suggestions than they are rules.
The map is broken up into triangles of roughly equal area. We’re just going to pretend they’re equal enough to make the maths easier. The planet is about the size of Earth. You cannot claim medium ocean and deep ocean tiles at the start of the game unless you give me some serious convincing. You can claim areas that are currently part of a Madlands. Those Madlands will be moved around to fit. Unclaimed areas should be assumed to be Madlands until they're filled.
Starting Tech Limits
You get more starting land if you start off with less tech.
- Tech 1 (64 Starting Tris) - MT + 25 - Powered exoskeletal frames, early powered armor. Relies primarily on fossil fuels (which are present on this planet), fission power, and sometimes renewables for the eco-conscious. Primary firearms are chemically-propelled. Enough gene-editing to clean out most problems if you’re willing to pay for it. Mechanical arms have not yet exceeded natural ones, but they are projected to soon. Vehicles fly using conventional lifting technologies like wings. New replacement organs can be grown. Aging is still a thing, but it’s unclear for how much longer. Few people work in factories anymore, as they’re mostly automated.
- Tech 2 (32 Starting Tris) - Mechanical or enhanced biomech arms exceed human basics, but full body prosthesis is not yet practical (or possibly even feasible). Infantry-scale railguns/coilguns are still a special case, though with the advent of powered armor, the typical chemically-propelled bullet is a lot bigger and faster. Directed energy weapons are still pretty much only mounted to vehicles for things like intercepting missiles. Commercial fusion power is a reality, but it won’t fit inside a main battle tank. AIs have not reached human level yet, but they’re getting closer.
- Tech 3 (16 Starting Tris) - Fusion power is small enough to fit inside a main battle tank. Full body prosthesis is feasible and costs about as much as a new car - though that’s only at the lower end, which is little better than human. DEWs are still not practical as infantry weapons. Limited amounts of hovering - around 1-5m from the ground - are feasible for objects that can take the high level of power draw.
