Into the Void

[Daoine Sidhe]

New Updates

Posted: July 19, 2013 (NEW!)

Starbase

Not Of Us Tags:Science Fiction, Space Opera, Distant Future, Light Exotic (this is open for preference - no NC, no extreme)

Character Slots: 4/4 requested, requests closed.

Earth, 3144.  For the past thousand years, humans have searched the skies for answers to many questions.  Is there intelligent life beyond Earth?  Is there any life at all out there?  While unable to find any living creatures, even microscopic ones, on any of the planets in the Sol solar system, humans have made a number of technological advances.  They have commercialized space flight, developed terraforming technology, colonized every solid rock in the Sol system, and developed a prototype perpetual energy matrix.

With the advent of hyper-speed engines, it is possible to travel from Pluto to Mercury in just under three days - using controlled quantum singularities.  With these singularities, called "Q-Tubes" by the common folk, deep space exploration is no longer a theory.  Explorers and colonists seeking new life beyond the known edges of the Sol system can leap off to never-before-seen planetary systems.  While a single freighter fitted with a standard Q-Tube costs upwards of five million Universal Credits (UC), there is a massive second-hand market.

In the past ten years, more and more humans, disillusioned with life under the control of the Coalition of Planets, have taken to the stars.  There are dozens of unincorporated colonies out there, independent and self-controlled.  While the Coalition maintains a healthy distance, they do control the shipping lanes to and from these colonies.  Yet, despite all of mankind's advances, they have yet to explore even 1% of 1% of the entire galaxy.

In a section of the galaxy far away from Earth, well beyond the range of even the most advanced Q-Tube, lives the highly advanced race called "Ska'an."  The Ska'an inhabit more than 700 individual colonies, and are protect by a military larger than the total population of humans.  The Ska'an and the humans have never met - but that is about to change.

When researchers on the farthest human colony from Earth develop the most power Q-Tube to date, they open a gateway into the heart of Ska'an territory.  In fact, the gateway opens a quantum singularity dead in the center of a Ska'an research facility.  The damage is catastrophic - without the energy conduits used to control the singularity, it acts like a black hole and tears the station apart.  While most of the Ska'an aboard the station escape, one is swept up in the gravitational pull.  This young Ska'an woman is transported back to the human colony - shortly before the singularity destabilizes and collapses.

This woman is the first alien species humankind has ever faced.  And, in spite of the fact that the entire incident was an accident, the humans have set into motion what could be their own extinction.  The Ska'an are not a forgiving race.

Most characters will be human.  Looking for: a researcher involved in the test that discovered Ivaliin, a human soldier/officer who is a part of the team assigned to protect the "discovery" as well as protect others from it, a rogue pilot/smuggler who happens to be on the colony at the time, and a Ska'an Kav member (see Ska'an details below) who is dispatched to find Ivaliin and punish those responsible.

I'm willing to accept variations of these characters.  Essentially, the story boils down to this:

Following the incident and Ivaliin's disappearance, the Ska'an government investigates the matter and dispatches Kav commando to find her.  In the meanwhile, the Ska'an prepare for combat with the "invaders" by setting their sights on human territory.  Back on the colony, the research team is consumed with surprise, fear, and scientific curiosity at their discovery.  They call in the local military to help secure the "creature," who cannot speak their language or understand a word they say.  The head of local military contacts the Coalition to report the finding and request additional aid.

Upon realizing that the Coalition military intends to perform inhumane tests, and possibly interrogate the Ska'an about her home, one of the researchers (with help from one of the local militants) smuggles Ivaliin from the facility - where they meet up with the rogue pilot.  For a price, he agrees to give them passage.

What happens after that... well, that's for the players to decide.    I do recommend looking over the information provided below.  It's lengthy, but... it helps.
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Ivaliin 22 years old.  Iva is a Ska'an, an advanced, isolated humanoid species in the Milky Way galaxy.  She was born on one of the hundreds of Ska'an colonies, far from prying human eyes.  With some of the most advanced defense technology in existence, her home was safe from invaders and spies.  She was raised with a fierce loyalty to her people, as all Ska'an are.  She believes in the Order of Fealty: the Ska'an first, her home colony second, her family third, her religious sect fourth, and herself last. She believes in the plethora of the Ska'an deities (there are over 5,000), and has joined the same religious sect as her parents: the Path of Tumrik (the God of Scientific Enlightenment).  She has not, however, taken the sacred vow that binds her to her religion, as that is performed only once she has performed the duties necessary. Iva is highly knowledgeable in quantum mechanics, advanced engineering, and Ska'an electronic equipment.  Adapting her knowledge to human technology requires time, but poses little challenge to her.

Ska'an The Ska'an are an advanced humanoid species, living in a section of the Milky Way galaxy called "Sector 544" by human explorers.  It is heavily fortified against intrusion of any type, and the Ska'an are fiercely independent people.  They do not like being contacted, and like visitors even less.  They are not violent toward outsiders, simply resistant to them. Ska'an hail from the home world of Skaal, but they have colonized more than two hundred planets, and nearly five hundred moons.  They produce large numbers of military ships, and have access to rich mineral ores - many of which they can easily synthesize.  They utilize sub-space warp drives that allow them to pass through the fabric of space and actually travel via sub-space.  This is not the same as standard human Q-Tube drives.  The Ska'an ships shift out of the strictly physical plane of standard space.  This makes them impossible to detect or attack while their warp drives are operational. Ska'an also employ powerful particle beams and high-yield energy torpedoes in combat.  In addition to their massive, excessively-armed flagships (or "Akari"), they use swift and agile fighter craft and light frigates to evade enemy fire and strike from all directions at once.  Few have survived an encounter with a Ska'an military force, and none have ever survived an attack against an Akari. Physically, the Ska'an are nearly imperceptible from humans.  They are bipedal, and bi-ocular, etc.  However, they have an additional finger on each hand that acts as a second thumb - located beside their pinkies.  They also sport a sixth toe on their feet.  Ska'an are generally taller than humans, with males typically being 6-and-a-half feet tall, and women typically 6-foot-even.  They have a wide range of hair colors and styles, much like humans, but also have natural violet and dark blue hair colors.  Their eyes are supremely unique in that they have multiple irises - four, to be exact.  They have a central pupil and a central iris - much like humans, but also have three additional "secondary" irises that are located in a triangular pattern around their central iris.  All fours irises are fully operational, allowing the Ska'an to see both in brighter and darker settings than humans. Ska'an are also a telepathic and telekinetic race, capable of communicating at close range with each other (generally no farther than the standard distance between two ships in space), and of lifting and carrying their own body weight telekinetically.  They employ this feature in personal combat, often throwing enemies aside or mentally controlling multiple weapons.  Trained Ska'an elite soldiers - the "Kav" - have mastered their minds, and can alter others' perceptions of them.  Using this technique, the Kav can seem to vanish into thin air, and can temporarily confuse enemies to either escape or subdue.  The Kav are fitted with customized battle suits that respond to their telepathic and telekinetic commands, performing a variety of defensive and offensive programs.  While a Kav is given a sidearm, it is rare that they will use it.  The Kav are living weapons, and are deployed as such.  A single Kav commando is more than capable of killing a full ship's complement and sabotaging all of the critical systems. The Kav is the only Ska'an religious sect that is exclusive to specific individuals.  Their religious views, called the Path of Tiire (the Goddess of Unyielding, Divine Justice), is considered to be the harshest and most vigorous in all of Ska'an tradition.  The Kav are revered and respected for their dedication. All Ska'an religious sects are governed by a high priest, or "Shiiri."  Most Shiiri also command their own personal starships, and often a fleet of warships.  Many Ska'an religious sects are militarized.  The Ska'an as a people are governed by a republic of representatives from each religious sect, and from every province in every colony.  The senate is overseen by the minister, "Gh'ar," whose authority reaches only to the walls of the senate chamber.  Upon agreement of a law, and the ratification of the appropriate legislation, the administration and enforcement of the law is delegated to the federal and local police forces, the "Illian" and "Alvian," respectively.

Modern Earth/Colonies (Image)

[ebpohmr]

I'm really interested in both of these games, but have certain connectivity issues at the moment that will make participation difficult. I've sent you a PM about it Daoine!

Good luck getting these up and running!

[Xanthaine]

Might I perhaps display interest in being a Quarian Engineer in the first idea? :)

[Anna Katrine]

I would also like to show my interest in the first idea. 

[Daoine Sidhe]

On second thought, I'll keep this topic strictly as a request thread and post a mirror topic for the actual game stuff.

[Domino]

I have an interest in the Star Wars concept, specifically playing the villain. I've particularly been trying to develop an Iktotchi character like Darth Cognus to play - a shadowy, horned, and deadly killer that enjoys taunting her prey sounds like such a fun character. Alternatively, playing a roguish, rugged, heated Chiss that enjoys taking his time with his victims is something else I'd enjoy (I don't know if Chiss are Force sensitive though...).

Whether the villain is hunting hidden artifacts on an old, mostly abandoned world, or sowing seeds of anarchy and strategic chaos on thickly populated city-planets, or a mixture of both, I could certainly go for a good Star Wars plot.

[Daoine Sidhe]

I have an interest in the Star Wars concept, specifically playing the villain. I've particularly been trying to develop an Iktotchi character like Darth Cognus to play - a shadowy, horned, and deadly killer that enjoys taunting her prey sounds like such a fun character. Alternatively, playing a roguish, rugged, heated Chiss that enjoys taking his time with his victims is something else I'd enjoy (I don't know if Chiss are Force sensitive though...).

Whether the villain is hunting hidden artifacts on an old, mostly abandoned world, or sowing seeds of anarchy and strategic chaos on thickly populated city-planets, or a mixture of both, I could certainly go for a good Star Wars plot.

Sounds good to me.    I'm hoping that someone else elects to join, since the game is designed around having three players.

[Batman4560]

Consider me joined, I have both a villain and Hero I can use for this.

[Daoine Sidhe]

Alright.    Well, I'll put together an OOC with a character sheet for us.  Then we can get going. 

And Domino, I think I like the Iktotchi better.

[Batman4560]

Awesome! Im excited.

[Daoine Sidhe]

New game idea added: Not of Us.
Old games closed and removed from topic (for clarity).
Additional games possible (two ideas in mind).

[Chreestafer]

I'd like to post interest as the soldier who protects her as well as othera from her.  What does her species look like?

[Pipaluk]

She looks like a human from what I understand, but with six fingers and toes. They are slightly taller than the average human, average height for women: 6'. They are also able to see better in light and dark settings.

You have to click the little blue "Ska'an Button" to read more about the race.

I may be interested in playing the smuggler.

[Chreestafer]

Ahhh ty pipaluk I dI'd not see that :)

[selfexiled]

Got a soldier, got a smuggler, guess I'll aim for the professor.

[Countdown0]

I'm definitely interested in playing the Ska'an Kav member. I think it'll be fun to go human hunting, and it seems like the role is sort of like an anti-hero acting as an unwilling villain, until he finds out who was really behind the kidnapping in the first place.

Anyway, if the role is available, I'd like to have it

[Daoine Sidhe]

Alright.  Excellent!    Perfect timing, too.  I just posted the OOC. 

OOC Topic.

[Chreestafer]

You should open a character profile thread for referance just in case.  Also to let other players to work off one another :)