The Darkness Before the Dawn (OOC) (FT)

[Kendari]

They say it's always darkest before dawn. But sometime there's an orange glow along the horizon because the world is on fire.
IC thread is here.

A number of years back when I was intermittently active instead of completely unknown, one of my little-used characters was an illegally developed experimental robot that got loose, killed the researchers, destroyed the facility, and took off. I've always been a little tempted to have Xhertahk take over a less-advanced planet, so I could answer issues from his perspective and he'd have an official base of support. Since my latest revival, I've been seeing some issues with nice FT dystopian options that increase that temptation considerably, so I decided to dig up an old puppet I'm not using for anything at the moment and convert it. I could just assume his takeover goes smoothly without attracting attention, start answering issues accordingly, and have it available for RP if a fitting situation arises - but I thought maybe some other players would like to add a little spice. Xhertahk will end up in charge of Chanveer - but whether there's an organized resistance with enough equipment to be a real problem, whether anyone off-world knows what happened, whether he picks up any new technology, and comes out of it with established enemies, or possibly even allies... that's all up in the air.

Xhertahk doesn't have much of a fleet, and can't afford to lose much of what he has, so there probably won't be a lot of space combat. I was thinking in terms of small groups coming to investigate the strange reports coming from the planet, or humanitarian relief efforts responding to Chanveer's long history of warfare and recent mysterious disasters. But there could also be nations seeking to take control of the place themselves, as long as the players are fine with balancing each other out and ending up getting little or nothing. Or any other reason people might be coming in; maybe you've got treasure hunters, looking for plunder in Chanveer's ruins and finding something they weren't counting on.

Notes:
The people of Chanveer will have magical potential, because (see my national motto). But it will be largely latent, because I just decided to use them last night and haven't worked out all the details of the nation's new backstory yet.
If you'd like to have some weird bio-enhancing nanotech on the loose in your nation, but your tech base isn't suited to making it or your researchers are too careful to let it get away, this is a good opportunity for you! You could also get interesting samples if you want an excuse to move your tech base in that direction without infecting your general population.
Any technology left in Xhertahk's hands for an extended period will be reverse engineered, and possibly improved and put into mass production.

So! Any questions? Any interest?

Updated Player Status List

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Active
Kendari/Chanveer
Xhertahk’s forces, local inhabitants

Olimpiada
BSI mercenaries and arms dealers
-Seeking profit
-In contact with the Starlight Federation

Ellen2 6
Clone troopers, commanded by Rosie
-Active near Burast, skirmishing with ghouls

Pillowlandia
Ogma
-In contact with the Oakleaf Coalition

Sub Sector Protractis
Inquisitor Armus and company
-Investigate for possible enemy activity
-Evaluate Chanveer’s potential for annexation
-In contact with the Starlight Federation

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Accepted
Equalsun Empire
-Investigate distress call

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Pending
Parrona
5th Inquisitorial Fleet
-No recent response

The Interstellar Federation
Frigate, 100 troops
-No recent response

The Grand Diamond Authority
-Awaiting more detailed application

Eodar
Aspiring invaders
-Awaiting revised application

Schrapnell
Research team, diplomacy
-Seeking AI research assistance
-Waiting for leaks about the nature of the ghouls

---

Inactive
Union of Soviet Stellar Republics
NKS Chelomei, Commissar Nikolai
-Investigating possible eldritch activity
-Made contact with the Starlight Federation

Hobbeebia
HSV Infinite Sanctuary

Spindle
Exploratory team
-Exploration, first contact, humanitarian relief
-Made contact with the Oakleaf Coalition

Olschewonia
Pirate battlecruiser
-Seeking repairs

[New Estaris]

Sign me up!

[Olimpiada]

This could be an interesting opportunity to expand on some of my lore. I'm in.

[Hobbeebia]

Wow... this is a name I haven't seen in forever!

I like the idea... I'll sign up if your serious about this

[The Selkie]

Good evening,
the idea sounds fun, I'd be up for it. And I have a pirate group, which might be interested in loot, plunder, mercenary work and working for it. Would there be a possible spot for them?

[Chanveer]

A quick overview of Chanveer
Chanveer is a world deeply scarred by centuries of warfare. It reached the beginning of the space age in the midst of a lengthy cold war between two factions that dominated the planet. Then they started arming their spacecraft, the cold war went very hot very fast, and they bombed each other halfway back to the stone age. That was centuries ago, and Chanveer is barely starting to recover. There are a few sanctuaries that retain some space age technology, but it’s all they can do to maintain what they have, and they spend most of their effort concealing their presence, in case the enemy still has a few missile silos operational. Most of the planet is reduced to WWI-era technology, or worse. Many areas have dangerously high radiation levels, which would have been even worse if the population’s latent magical potential hadn’t given rise to some protection. Fighting continues at the borders, with machine guns or muskets or sometimes spears and axes, but most people live far from the front lines.
This situation has been roughly stable, and slowly improving, since a few decades after the missiles stopped flying. But recently a new factor has turned up. Finally the leader of one of the few technological strongholds is driven to send out a desperate call for help on an experimental FTL transmitter. He speaks of vampires stalking the night and ghouls assembling armies.
“I always thought such creatures were myths, but with my own eyes I’ve seen them rising from the grave! Nothing can put them down for good except fire – or, if you’re lucky, a stake through the heart. And now there’s something else. The villagers speak of demons in the mountains; it sounds absurd, but I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
He is confident that his town can hold against the gathering ghouls, but they cannot protect their neighbors, and few villages can fend off a large band. As he continues his plea, he is interrupted by yells and gunshots. The sounds of fighting rise rapidly. He takes up his own weapon, only to be killed by an energy bolt that is obviously outside the local tech base. Then the transmission is cut off.

So unless you want your people to have already heard something about Chanveer, that transmission will be the thing that draws attention. To the people expressing interest, welcome aboard! What are you looking at sending? I'm not necessarily looking for specific numbers (although you're welcome to post those if you want), but rather what type of group it will be, and what they're hoping to accomplish. Hobbeebia: hey, someone who remembers the name Kendari! I am indeed serious about this. The Selkie: sure, pirates could pick up the transmission and come looking for mercenary work, or just have heard rumors about a planet that's half-covered in ruins after blowing itself up in a war, and might have all manner of loot lying around for the taking.

[The Selkie]

[...]
The Selkie: sure, pirates could pick up the transmission and come looking for mercenary work, or just have heard rumors about a planet that's half-covered in ruins after blowing itself up in a war, and might have all manner of loot lying around for the taking.

That's the thought I had.
I will not necessarily bring in the whole Rover-Group, as that would also mean an aged heavy cruiser amongst others, but the people sent in will be fun nonetheless.

[Olimpiada]

I've really got no reason to get my nation involved here, so I'll likely use some sort of corporate PMC for this.

[Kendari]

Having mentioned vampires and ghouls, I probably ought to explain what they're doing in a FT RP, so here's a writeup on Xhertahk's late-stage experiments with bioenhancement nanites. Sorry for the delay; I kinda got distracted by the election news, and then this took longer than planned to finish writing out.

General Information
Like most nanite technology of Kendaryn origin, Xhertahk’s bioenhancement nanites require a much larger control chip to function properly. This is implanted in the host, and is small enough to cause no discomfort or outward indication of its presence if properly located. Xhertahk uses semi-sentient AIs to control nanite swarms, with a level of self-awareness similar to a mouse, or at most a cat. All are adaptive, modifying their procedures and even nanite designs to better accomplish their purpose. If the control chip is within range of one of Xhertahk’s data centers when initialized, it registers with the center, allowing Xhertahk to communicate with the AI. Regardless of initialization status, the AIs can communicate with each other within a range of about 15 meters.

The Nymph Strain
The Mk. 1 Nymph Strain was Xhertahk’s first wide-scale field test of bioenhancing nanotechnology. It was designed to test techniques for making the nainte infection inheritable, and verify its ability to manipulate the host’s physiology. The AI’s primary goal is the protection of its host, accomplished by carrying out subtle enhancements to the durability of the host’s body (the default reinforces the long bones, ribs, skull, and backbone; later iterations may develop additional improvements), fighting poisons and diseases, and rapidly healing injuries. Its second goal is to implant control chips and nanite swarms for the strain in any children the host bears. Its third goal is to meddle with the host’s physiology in order to maximize attractiveness, as determined by the AI’s statistical analysis of reactions within the host’s culture.

Because the infection can be passed on easily over the course of pregnancy, the Mk. 1 strain is only designed to infect females, and make sure that all its host’s children are female. Xhertahk will eventually produce a Mk. 2 strain that lacks this limitation, using infected males as an information source, and supplements its healing with the ability to gradually build artificial replacements for lost limbs and other such severe injuries. An iteration of the Mk 1 strain could potentially develop either or both of these traits independently.

The easiest way to get this strain loose in your nation would be to pick up some refugees at a random village that happens to be infected. Your people might rescue them for humanitarian reasons, or seem them as potential servants who will work hard for low pay – or even capture them as slaves, if your lot are nasty enough, but keep in mind that the protection protocols could make them trouble if mistreated too badly.

The Vampire Strain
Vampire Mk. 1 was the second major field test, designed to study techniques for interfacing the AI with the host’s mind and control their body. It carries physical enhancement to a greater extreme (improved strength and speed, heightened senses, repairs to serious injuries), but also assesses the host’s emotional reactions to determine their feelings toward the people around them. The uninfected individual who inspires the strongest emotions becomes the AI’s target. Once the host falls asleep at night, the AI keeps their brain in a sleep state while sneaking out to stalk the target. If the host has positive feelings toward the target, the AI will inject them with nanites several nights in a row, finally causing the assembly of a new control chip to complete the vampire infection. Drugs prevent the target from remembering anything experienced during this process. Disliked targets, on the other hand, are simply murdered.

If the host dies or suffers severe brain damage, and the AI determines that it will receive no further input, than it goes feral instead of shutting down. It remains dormant while carrying out any repairs needed to make the body functional, then sneaks off and continues hunting targets from hiding. Feral vampire AIs will target the first uninfected person they encounter a day or more after finishing with the last target. If their host had known feelings about this individual, the AI treats them accordingly; otherwise, it kills or infects at random. The AI will continue to enhance its host body and replace damaged portions with mechanical constructs, becoming more formidable and visibly less human over time. It will keep operating as long as the control chip is intact and it has enough nanites to enact repairs. The nanite swarms are vulnerable to extreme heat, so burning the body can kill the vampire for good. The chip is usually located in the sternum or between the ribs, and may be disabled by severe damage to the chest.

Again, the easiest way to get this strain loose in your nation would be to pick up refugees from a village that happens to be infected. You could also camp out in the open for several nights in an area that has feral vampires prowling the night.

The Ghoul Strain
While Xhertahk developed earlier strains for the sake of experimentation and testing, the Mk. 1 Ghoul is a pure weapon. Its prime motive is simple: make more ghouls. It burns out the host’s mind, preserving just enough of the brain to keep the body functioning, and applies every physical enhancement Xhertahk has been able to develop. Whenever possible, they capture live victims and haul them away to a secure lair before infecting them with multiple doses of nanites and surgically implanting a control chip. With several ghouls working together, the infection can be complete in under an hour. If they cannot find or subdue a living prisoner, they will carry away the freshest corpse available instead. Reanimating a corpse is slower and less reliable than infecting a living target, but can still allow the ghouls to build up their numbers. They are extremely durable, oblivious to pain and fear, and just as hard to put down permanently as Xhertahk’s vampires. As long as they are properly registered, Xhertahk can also give them orders; thus, he can easily protect any settlement that accepts his rule from the ghouls, and direct them to target his most dangerous or stubborn enemies.

It would be pretty much impossible to take in ghouls without realizing it. If you want samples, you’ll need to capture some. If you want them on the loose, they’ll have to escape. Anyone who gets converted out of range of Xhertahk’s strongholds will not be subject to his commands.


EDIT: Oh, and there may be additional less common strains if something happens to strike my fancy. If there's anything that you'd like to encounter/get a sample of, feel free to suggest it. Vampires and ghouls are designed to play on the Chanvic superstitions, but that doesn't have to be the case for all of Xhertahk's experiments.

[New Roman Empire]

hmm i think ill throw my hat into this.

[Spindle]

Hmm...I might drop an Expeditionary Corps Flight down here.

[Union of Soviet Stellar Republics]

The USSR would definitely have an interest in reports of supernatural creatures and magical goings-on. Their main goal would be to determine whether or not this is the influence of certain entities beyond the current standard reality and whether or not they need to be exterminated. Otherwise bringing the good news about socialism and asking the locals if theyr'e ready to accept Lenin as their personal savior. Because that always goes over well.

Either way, space soviets in big clanky R-7 shaped ships. What say you?

[Kendari]

To the people expressing interest, welcome aboard! What are you looking at sending? I'm not necessarily looking for specific numbers (although you're welcome to post those if you want), but rather what type of group it will be, and what they're hoping to accomplish.

Specifically:

hmm i think ill throw my hat into this.

I like hats. What manner of hat do you have in mind?

Hmm...I might drop an Expeditionary Corps Flight down here.

Sounds fun. General size range? What are their objectives?

The USSR would definitely have an interest in reports of supernatural creatures and magical goings-on. Their main goal would be to determine whether or not this is the influence of certain entities beyond the current standard reality and whether or not they need to be exterminated. Otherwise bringing the good news about socialism and asking the locals if theyr'e ready to accept Lenin as their personal savior. Because that always goes over well.

Either way, space soviets in big clanky R-7 shaped ships. What say you?

As long as you aren't tossing around a giant doom fleet that'll overshadow everyone else and make it implausible for Xhertahk to end up in possession of his new planet, big clanky ships dropping in demon hunters and socialist missionaries sound lovely. Who knows, Xhertahk might even decide that socialism would be a fine way to set things up... as long as he's in absolute control of it!


Also, this is starting to be in danger of getting crowded, so from this point on anyone else wanting in will need a solid reason to be involved. At least, unless it seems manageable to include more once the IC posting settles in.

[Union of Soviet Stellar Republics]

Probably just one capital ship. They're not especially averse to any particular government that isn't trying to bring tentacled horrors from realms beyond our comprehension into this reality. Live and let live, as long as you aren't trying to break spacetime.

[Spindle]

To the people expressing interest, welcome aboard! What are you looking at sending? I'm not necessarily looking for specific numbers (although you're welcome to post those if you want), but rather what type of group it will be, and what they're hoping to accomplish.

Specifically:

Hmm...I might drop an Expeditionary Corps Flight down here.

Sounds fun. General size range? What are their objectives?

Probably just a pair of Explorator ships and a Light Cruiser for escort, with perhaps a dozen soldiers, a hundred or so mechanics and a couple of medics, plus First Contact teams. General objectives would be general exploration and first contact, with the transmission being the thing which brings them to Chanveer in particular. I imagine that they'll be trying to figure out who's screwing stuff up down there, act as mediators and generally help the natives without getting Spindle legally involved.

[Kendari]

Sounds like a nice addition. Those poor people could certainly use a group that's actually prioritizing their well being! Come on in whenever you're ready.

[New Roman Empire]

To the people expressing interest, welcome aboard! What are you looking at sending? I'm not necessarily looking for specific numbers (although you're welcome to post those if you want), but rather what type of group it will be, and what they're hoping to accomplish.

Specifically:

hmm i think ill throw my hat into this.

I like hats. What manner of hat do you have in mind?

Hmm...I might drop an Expeditionary Corps Flight down here.

Sounds fun. General size range? What are their objectives?

The USSR would definitely have an interest in reports of supernatural creatures and magical goings-on. Their main goal would be to determine whether or not this is the influence of certain entities beyond the current standard reality and whether or not they need to be exterminated. Otherwise bringing the good news about socialism and asking the locals if theyr'e ready to accept Lenin as their personal savior. Because that always goes over well.

Either way, space soviets in big clanky R-7 shaped ships. What say you?

As long as you aren't tossing around a giant doom fleet that'll overshadow everyone else and make it implausible for Xhertahk to end up in possession of his new planet, big clanky ships dropping in demon hunters and socialist missionaries sound lovely. Who knows, Xhertahk might even decide that socialism would be a fine way to set things up... as long as he's in absolute control of it!


Also, this is starting to be in danger of getting crowded, so from this point on anyone else wanting in will need a solid reason to be involved. At least, unless it seems manageable to include more once the IC posting settles in.

probably a small expeditionary force.

[The Selkie]

Good evening,
I'll have to drop out of this one, I am afraid, sorry. I wish you all much fun!

[Callistos]

Interesting. Is an expeditionary force of a few thousand men ok, or is that to many men?

[Union of Soviet Stellar Republics]

Currently writing up a post. It may take a while since I'm having to reference things. Made some changes to my last attempt to implement this nation

[Kendari]

Good evening,
I'll have to drop out of this one, I am afraid, sorry. I wish you all much fun!

Ah well, perhaps some other time. Good luck to you.

Interesting. Is an expeditionary force of a few thousand men ok, or is that to many men?

Are we talking more along the lines of a few thousand redshirts, most of whom will be in the background and are likely to get eaten by ghouls, or a few thousand elite soldiers who can mop the floor with twice their number in ordinary troops? I don't want anyone bringing in a tough enough force that everyone else is left on the sidelines. Also, what are they trying to accomplish?

Currently writing up a post. It may take a while since I'm having to reference things. Made some changes to my last attempt to implement this nation

Heh, I know that feeling.

[New Estaris]

Nevermind, I will be busy

[Spindle]

Quick question: are the Chanveerians Human or alien?

[Chanveer]

Quick question: are the Chanveerians Human or alien?

Human, although not necessarily matching any of the more common Terran phenotypes. I wanted to keep things simple for anyone who might want to take in some refugees or some such. They tend to have a high, but latent, potential for magic.


New Estaris: Ah well, perhaps some other time. Good luck to you.

[Spindle]

Quick question: are the Chanveerians Human or alien?

Human, although not necessarily matching any of the more common Terran phenotypes. I wanted to keep things simple for anyone who might want to take in some refugees or some such. They tend to have a high, but latent, potential for magic.


New Estaris: Ah well, perhaps some other time. Good luck to you.

Many thanks!