Legacy of Sol
- This is a science fiction role playing setting.
Name : Legacy of Sol
Creator : Renegade Vile
Contributors : Shewolf
Genre : Science Fiction
Sub-Genre : Near Future, Mecha, Colonization, Exploration
Themes : War, Politics, Expansion, Intergalactic Life, Prejudice, Discrimination, Human Rights
Time Frame : 2100s - 2200s
Present Day : 2256
"Legacy of Sol" is a science fiction setting focused on a hypothetical early expansion of mankind into outer space. It draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources and is intended to primarily feature the exceptional men and women that pilot the omnipresent military machines of war in the future: Mechanized Armors, or MAs. Enormous, bipedal tanks, or mechs, mechanized armors are versatile tools of war used in all branches of the military and beyond, and have taken center stage across the Solar System.
With the system divided between three main factions, and many more interspersed between them, tensions can reach a fever pitch at any moment. Warfare is a constant possibility, and how this affects human lives is another focus the setting is intended to explore.
Humanity has spread as far as Neptune, with colonies and space stations being built ever closer to the Kuiper Belt. New technologies are being developed constantly, and despite several interplanetary wars causing a great loss of life, the hopes and dreams of people that take to the stars sustains a population boom and economic nirvana that is able to fund expeditions so massive.
However, despite this growth, the seedy underbelly of society remains. Piracy and criminality persist on all fronts. Unethical behavior, immorality and sociological issues can be found among all walks of life, from the streets of Washington D.C. to the high-rising towers on Triton. Racism has taken on a new face, as ethnicity starts to blur and a dividing factor between cultures becomes more a matter of what colony you belong to, and how far removed you are from the embrace of Earth, than the tone of your skin or sexual preference. The same ugly beast, a different hide.
Before long, humanity will find itself on the threshold of the sun's reach, looking out towards stars and clusters beyond our own, determined to be Sol's legacy.
Setting
The Third World War left the globe in a state of shock. Governments had fallen, regimes had changed, and entire nations lay in ruins. Despite the high casualties and persistent animosity between the participants of the conflict, an organization rose up that offered hope to every man, woman and child struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The only goal that could unite humanity was outer space; a boundless repository of resources and possibilities. No one country had the funds or technology for massive undertakings such as self-propelled, deep-space stations and self-sufficient colonies on Mars and moons such as Ganymede or Titan. But together, Earth could stand stronger.
That was the initial goal that the Union of Democratic Nations, or UDN, set out to achieve. Born from the coalescing of many Western European countries, the newly re-established Republic of China, and other powerful countries that saw the benefits of joint projects. Years turned to decades, and the UDN had slowly incorporated most free nations on Earth into its economic Union, the successes of Luna Colony 1 and the Genesis and Samsara colonies serving as shining examples of what the organization had already accomplished. If that was not enough, than economic and peer pressure was used to force the hands of the rulers instead, with the UDN starting to employ its own peacekeeping force.
By the end of the 2000s, the UDN represented the face of humanity and defended its interests, both on Earth, and in the colonies. The power and influence of individual countries no longer mattered, as the delegates seated on the UDN council had more political clout at their fingertips than their own rulers.
However, the race was not to remain as relatively peaceful as it had up to that point.
By 2150, humanity had reached as far as Jupiter, proceeding to colonize several of its moons, such as Ganymede, Io and Callisto, and expanding interplanetary space lanes to form an intricate, efficient and protected network around the gas giant. However, society failed to keep up with the changes in cultural identity that mass exodi to the colonies brought with them. Elitism on Earth grew, with people from Terra or Mars viewing themselves as the true humans, while those that left humanity's cradle were the advance guard, sent out to draw the system's attention to the blue planet. Instead of looking outward into the void, like many colonists and entrepreneurs did, the Terrans looked inward, viewing Earth as the center of galactic activity.
Especially the colonies orbiting Jupiter found themselves heavily restricted under UDN legislation and countless figureheads rose up to attempt to barter for more individualism and self-regulation for the wealthy and growing economies. In 2200, these tensions reached a fever pitch after the assassination of Sir Jason Brewer, an immensely popular activist and proponent for peaceful cooperation with Earth, but more acceptance for the diversity of the colonies. Riots broke out across the UDN's territory. Even on Mars, where the sociological issues were less pressing. After harsh retaliations against terrorist attacks, colonial governments saw no other choice but to turn to war.
The conflict known as the First Independence War would last for three years and culminate in the humbling of the UDN, and the creation of the Conglomerate of Independent Colonies, or CIC. Granted full autonomy as an interplanetary state on the grounds that they retain trade with the UDN, humanity stood divided once again, for the first time in over a century.
Colonial tensions, while heavily decreased, would never fully dissipate, even as the UDN continued to expand its reach and construct colonies and space stations as far as Triton, a moon of Neptune. By the 2220s, those same tensions reached another fever pitch with a bold move from a decorated officer of the UDN itself. Admiral Corvinus Lars, veteran of IW1, proclaimed Triton and its territories independent from the UDN, citing that the corrupt Terran organization, nor the neutral CIC, should have any sway in colonial matters. Forming the Triton Empire, all delegates from the UDN are ignored and fleets are stationed near the borders of the space of both powers.
On July 6th, 2222, the UDN broke the fragile truce that existed between it and the as-of-yet unrecognized Triton Empire, and launched an all-out attack against its territories, obliterating several Triton-controlled space stations. This multi-front act of aggression is the official start of the Second Independence War, which was a brutal conflict that lasted for 6 long years. The UDN had not expected the ferocity and technological power that Triton brought to bear, and casualties mounted high on all sides. Even the CIC, who had been mediating for peace during the first three years, was drawn into the fight when they were forced by the UDN through economical sanctions, strong-arming and direct attacks by the Triton Empire.
When the smoke cleared, Triton was independent, but no one was unscathed. The Treaty of Titan is signed and the Sol System returned to its former, peaceful nature.
The year is 2256. Economies have stabilized, the damage has been repaired. Populations are booming and new technology is developed at a rapid rate. However, relations between the three interplanetary states have never been worse, despite the threat of war remaining distant, due to the massive costs of sustained, interplanetary combat. All it would take is one, small push, and the system would once again be in flames.
Independent interplanetary states
With the expansion of mankind into outer space came the need for the ability to classify a state that expanded beyond the borders of a single world, celestial body or even artificial platform for life (colony or space station). Commonly known as interplanetary states, the UDN was the first of these to appear, even as Earth was still fragmented for several decades after its inception. Since then, two more have been formally declared, with other colonies or groupings sometimes entertaining possibilities of independence as their own interplanetary state. A notable example of this is the UDN world of Ceres, but the Union has consistently suppressed further uprisings.
Following is a brief overview of the active states in 2256, intended as a quick introduction.
Union of Democratic Nations
- Main article: Union of Democratic Nations
Founded on June 13th, 2030, the Union of Democratic Nations, commonly abbreviated to UDN, was originally created to serve as a beacon of hope for the demoralized people of Earth after the shattering events of the Third World War. Initially an organization that only offered economic ties between its member states, it quickly began gathering more influence when success stories of its efforts to push mankind into outer space reached the ears of citizens across the globe. Western nations were quick to sign up with the Union, with eastern states such as the Republic of China and the Russian Federation joining several years later with the promise of being able to join in the lucrative prospects of the colonization of the Solar System. As years passed on, the UDN grew in power to the point of encompassing most states across the globe. With the growing importance of the colonies on the global economic market and through close ties with powerful multinational corporations, the Union became the de facto face of humanity outside the confines of Earth itself. By 2080, Earth stood as one, as the UDN's leaders now held sway over most facets of life across the borders of its member states.
The UDN is governed by the Council of Delegates from all member states that make up the Union, with elections held every five years. While local government is still in place, the power of rulers such as presidents, kings and prime ministers has greatly diminished, to the point of being merely front men for the orders passed down to them from the council. While there are no real open borders, nor free reign on trade between members, the laws on both issues have been standardized by the council and remain relatively lax, which have resulted in a lot of interaction between nations that were previously on less than friendly terms. While the UDN usually takes on a peaceful and diplomatic approach to a given issue, they will not hesitate to resort to force if a situation cannot be resolved without violence.
The UDN has always been the source of a great many dualities. Without its unifying dreams and hopes mankind would most likely still be confined to Earth, with space exploration a distant dream. Though this initial intent had gained them a united Earth, it would not stop them from eventually oppressing and exploiting the very people that had shared that dream and ventured out, working on the remote space stations and colonies. Despite corruption always having been a constant problem among delegates and high-ranking officials within the Union, colonists do owe a great deal of the comforts in their lives to Union funding and decisions. But they have also been the target of a lot of prejudice and hatred as the cultural divide between Terrans and colonists grows with every passing year. Diplomacy is usually the first step taken by Union officials, but at the same time, conflicts such as the First Independence War have shown their tendency to act very harshly in the face of losing control over their monopoly. This tendency has diminished in recent years, but tensions between the three states are still high because of the iron tight grip the UDN attempted to maintain on an interplanetary society that had slowly started to drift apart.
Today, the UDN has a very unstable relationship with the Triton Empire and relations with the CIC have soured as well. People are still uneasy from all the recent conflicts; realizing that the Second Independence War was never truly resolved and hostilities are lingering along the borders between the states. With the invention of the Isamov Drive and a renewed interest in deeper space exploration, the UDN has begun to return to its expansionist ways. Colonization budgets have been increased threefold, with cuts into the military providing the necessary funds. The UDN clearly wants to outgrow both the CIC and the Triton Empire and leave that dark chapter behind; retaining its visage as the hope of humanity.
Conglomerate of Independent Colonies
- Main article: Conglomerate of Independent Colonies
The Conglomerate of Independent Colonies, or CIC, was founded at the end of the First Independence War in 2203, a mere three days after the signing of the Treaty of Ganymede. The dissident uprising caused by the consistently harsh actions taken by the UDN to suppress the slowly increasing sense of individualism and colonial identity, had been successful in their gamble. Warding off the UDN long enough, they managed to secure their independence. The CIC marked the birth of the second interplanetary state to exist within the Solar System, and covers most of Jupiter's orbital region.
These hardships have ingrained a very deep respect for individual freedom and a tendency to delegate as much as possible to local government. The conglomerate is essentially a Union of colonies that are granted as much independence as is feasible, while still unifying efforts and matters that affect CIC space as a whole. Only, these issues are handled by a single parliament whose members are most often referred to as the conglomerate's rulers. To further ensure that every member colony is able to retain their identity, policies voted on by the members of parliament are still subject to extensive scrutiny from its members.
The CIC usually operates from the shielding principles of neutrality and pacifism. Even more than the UDN, the conglomerate attempts to solve any and all issues through conversations and also sports the least punishing system of justice across the Solar System. Despite this non-militant attitude, they still retain a small, but elite military and navy that is used to patrol CIC space and guard the conglomerate's cooperative holdings and interests. If war were to come to Jupiter, however, every colony is able to commit their own private armed forces to bolster the CIC's military power, increasing its potency tremendously.
Today, the CIC has changed its position from being un-intrusive to complete isolationism and neutrality; taking on an aggressive stance only in economical, interplanetary matters. Wealthy colonies and ample reserves has allowed it to recover miraculously fast from the terrible damage that had been inflicted upon its infrastructure during the Second Independence War. An immigration boom and the reputation of being somewhat of a tax haven for corporations, have drawn a great deal of money and talent towards its colonies, slowly transforming it into the greatest economical power in the Solar System.
With those funds at its disposal, the CIC has wasted no time in attempting to broker deals to begin the construction of Isamov Drive-powered vessels that will take them to the stars beyond.
Triton Empire
- Main article: Triton Empire
The youngest of the three states in the Solar System, the Triton Empire was founded by admiral Corvinus Lars on July 3rd, 2220, but was only officially recognized on July 8th, 2228, after the brutal Second Independence War. Governed by the singular figure of imperator, it is known for its strict and dictatorial government. While the empire is the target of constant criticism from people who disagree with the limitations on freedom, there is no denying that, as long as their rulers remain competent, that the Triton Empire will continue to thrive. Despite the ravages of IW2, the country features a very stable, albeit slowly growing, economy and their space are the most secure in the Solar System, almost free of piracy and corruption as a whole.
The Triton Empire was founded to follow the ideologies of Corvinus Lars as he found the corruption within the UDN, and the inefficient form of government of the CIC, to be the incorrect path for humanity to take. He envisioned a society with the discipline of a strict military vessel to be the only way to stave off constant conflict and continue steadily towards pushing humanity beyond the confines of Sol. The tensions that persisted well beyond the First Independence War had also reached Neptune and other distant colonies that had not been directly involved, creating a deep sense of uncertainty among the citizens which extended even into the military presence around the powerful Triton. Seeing no one else rise up with the abilities to make true to the changes he deemed necessary, he took the matter into his own hands and his charisma saw him hailed as a hero.
The Triton Empire is a very militant state that focuses on military might and cautious growth in order to keep unity among its citizens. Freedoms are greatly restricted, but there is little to no exploitation of the working classes. Possessing the most well-trained and well-equipped military in human history, the empire's mere presence is enough to make any of its neighbors nervous and when a military commander of the empire speaks with their highly defined voice of authority, people listen. The political world on Triton is as dangerous a conflict as any military, however, as a near-caste system has evolved that places aristocracy on a higher pedestal than it has been in recent memory. Vying for titles, influence and a say in government, even the imperator is weary of the machinations of his "premier" subjects.
Today, Triton's relationship with the UDN and CIC is naturally tense, not only due to the unresolved issues from the Second Independence War, but also due to the vast differences in ideologies between the states. Extremely conservative and focused on strengthening their borders, they have become rather secluded and ever more distrusting towards anyone not flying their colors. The state has slowly recovered from the drain of IW2, and have begun undertaking efforts to reach the Kuiper Belt and expand away from the negative influences of the CIC and UDN.
Society
Society has evolved down a very unpredictable path ever since the end of the Third World War and the rise of the UDN heralded humanity's departure from Earth. Countless countries poured their resources into a hopeful dash for the stars, all in the hopes of mending the heavy hearts of people who were forced to stare at the smoking ruins of their homes after the incredibly brutal war. Nationalities only came to mean anything on Earth itself, where such borders persisted. With the colonies being funded through the UDN, the then only economical union saw no benefit in limiting its options to singular countries, and instead sent out feelers for interest from any corner of Terra. Whether it was America, Europe or Africa that heeded the call, colonists and staff were recruited or drafted from every walk of life and every place on the blue planet. As a result, the colonies that were born from these disparate people could not identify with a single nation on Earth. The first few projects were primarily funded and supported by European nations, followed closely by the USA, Russia and China, but when the path to Mars and beyond opened up, and the UDN's foothold on Earth increased to its full potency, those limitations vanished entirely.
Generally, a few nations tended to dominate a specific project, with any specific colony having a dominant ethnicity or form of society simply through the weight of numbers. But not a single place in the Solar System was dominated entirely by one race or nationality. The mixing of people from all of these backgrounds also gave way to a whole slew of mixed ways of thinking and living. While the early colonial days saw people identifying themselves as being a member of their ancestor's home on Earth, every generation that followed began to see themselves as colonists first. While the home planet continues to hold a place of endearment with many people, it lost a great deal of its luster the moment the men and women in outer space began to call themselves Jupiter's, or Neptune's citizens. Racial backgrounds still held connotations, but it wasn't always a matter of skin color anymore. With multi-cultural societies taken to extremes, borders blurred and colonists lost their loyalty to their former homes, instead growing to care and love for that metal box orbiting a gas giant.
However, with the elimination of many older forms of prejudice came the rise new forms. An air of supremacy formed in Earth as a means to counteract the growing colonial pride. Earth still held a prodigious, almost sacred position in the minds of many of its inhabitants. They respected the people that left to find fortune and happiness out among the stars, but not everyone shared those ambitions. Many saw the colonists as the workers that left the home planet behind, only to bring resources and wealth back to humanity's cradle. With most, this was a natural progression in their mindset and they did not actively pursue elitism towards their fellow man. But not everyone is as moderate in their interpretations. Many different sociological theories began to appear that dealt with the growing conflicts between Terra and its colonists. Some advocated equality and acceptance, while others preached the dominance of Earth over its subjects. Many remained mere papers for scientists and students to debate over, but others gained clout and influence in the form of political movements that took the teachings to heart. Both on Earth and in the colonies, pro- and anti-Earth sentiments rose and inevitably led to brutal conflicts. While war has been the outcome of some of these problems, not a single day goes by without someone, somewhere being assaulted simply for being different. At its heart, human nature, and thus society, has not truly changed.
Today, society has grown into an even more diverse entity than it ever had. Earth itself had seen many changes after the end of the Third World War, with political regimes alone falling by the dozens and being replaced under the weight of people's determination to see change. Colonies, on the other hand, have been developing down different paths that, in some cases, encompass a multitude of different Terran forms of society. It was only natural that this melting pot of cultural diversities would also give rise to new ones. Like-minded individuals still flock together, however, as seen with the plethora of similarities binding UDN, CIC and Triton holdings together under a common banner.
Technology
- Main article: Technology
Technology in the 23rd century has advanced by leaps and bounds, with both Independence Wars having forced certain fields to progress far further, and far faster, than anticipated. Technological aids and devices are now ubiquitous in the daily lives of almost every human being. From the wealthiest of tycoon to the poorest of colonist, everyone is either able to breathe filtered air on a space station, or make the trip from Ganymede to Io in several days through the use of these incredible advances. Despite the progress, technology in its outward appearance and presentation has not changed too drastically. With everything becoming increasingly more complex, simple user interfaces that can be used by everyone, shielding them from the complexities underlying the facade, have become even more important. To that end, services have evolved to be accessible to all, young and old, to make sure anyone can benefit from a specific piece of soft- or hardware, be it a datapad or an InterPlaNet site for ordering tickets to travel to a different colony. Perhaps what has pushed the boundaries the furthest, is technology that had once seemed superfluous and unnecessary. New ways of scrubbing and re-using air, making spoiled water drinkable, recycling many forms of waste into new products and more. All of these technologies have proven absolutely vital in making sure mankind can thrive in the cold depths of space. With colonies and facilities powered and made habitable by such marvels, they are mere extensions of what space vessels have allowed humanity to achieve. Without the safety of the carefully constructed ships, they would have never been able to reach as far as Neptune.
The continual duality between life and death has also spawned a wide variety of developments that exceed the potency of what existed in the 21st century. Medicine has evolved to allow for the cloning of organs, the curing of diseases that were once considered some of the most dangerous ailments on Earth, and the replacement of lost limbs with either intricate and life-like prosthetics or fully regrown limbs through gene therapy and manipulation. However, many of these tremendous leaps were made solely to fuel engines of war, as the conflicts of the last two centuries made their development an absolute necessity. Beyond medicine, arms and armor have advanced, with the advent of advanced solid slug and energy weapons, as well as hybrids that push the envelope on the field of battle.
With the discovery of the unique mineral called Xenian, it seems that humanity is on the brink of another leap forward. While the mineral was merely an immense curiosity, scientist have begun to decipher its mysterious properties and are harnessing them to create new marvels. While mankind has come far, it has far from mastered all around it and to deem the journey at an end, would be arrogance of the highest nature.
Culture
Much like society, culture in the 23rd century has become an amalgam of all manner of traditions, folklore and beliefs from all corners of the Earth. While the blue planet has retained most of its cultural layout, though further multiculturalism has blurred the differences somewhat, colonies have come into their own. With a mix of colonists moving to outer space and coming from all manner of backgrounds and walks of life, it was only natural for them to mix in the closed environments of colonial communities. Coupled with a resurgence of interest in cultural aspects that had been lost for many years, colonies have developed their own unique traditions and festivities. Whether through the passage of time requiring the marking of new, important events, or simply because of the coalescing of various people, colonial cultures have become very unrecognizable to the people of Earth and the colonies closest to it. Differences become very noticeable the further one travels from mankind's comfortable cradle and are in no small part responsible for the schism between the two, as Terrans feel shunned for having their heritage thrown to the wayside.
At the end of the day, however, people still seek to enjoy themselves and find joy in the past, present and future. While many traditions have taken on a new face, the end result remains the same. Entertainment in its many forms persists, with sports, interactive media, movies and more still as pervasive as they have been for centuries. Folklore continues to inspire art in its many forms, while various new disciplines have appeared over the years, with the coming of new technology - most notably holographic projects of realistic quality - and older ones persist due to the vintage and genuine experience they offer.
Warfare
Warfare in the 23rd century has primarily seen massive changes in the tools being employed, not so much the strategies and tactics used by the architects of a battle. With the advent of space travel, war was given a new dimension on top of fighting on land, in the air and on the sea. By the end of the First Independence War, mankind had established many of the core principles that dominate interplanetary warfare and realized that supremacy in space usually determined whether or not one would come out of the battle victoriously. A single colony could not sustain itself for long without supplies flooding in from off-world, which could only be done if the vacuum surrounding it was kept clear of enemies. Surface-based defense systems were developed with the specific purpose of being able to take down ships that blockade a colony as an invasion is underway, while new and ingenious methods to try and get as many troops onto a colony or moon's surface, as quickly as possible, became pervasive.
Combat on the ground has seen the most significant changes, especially with the rise of the Mechanized Armor. Massive, bipedal engines of destruction, MAs sport an adaptability, maneuverability and versatility that far exceeds any threaded or tracked vehicle could ever hope to reach. While incredibly expensive to manufacture, they are also resilient and tend to survive past their own pilot's lives, making salvage and recovery an extremely important part of any post-war activity. However, more traditional ground forces have not been removed from military forces yet. Certain factions, most notably quite a few of the CIC's member colonies, retain a sizable force of mechanized infantry platoons that deploy tanks and other armored craft. While not as cutting edge as an MA, they are still leaps and bounds ahead of anything seen in the 21st century and some are outfitted with weaponry specifically intended to immobilize or outright destroy MAs. Whatever the preferences of a given military, the fact remains that most types have become mere support for the heavy lifters of any war effort: the MA. Any armed force worth its salt will include at least a few within its ranks and make sure to keep them safe on the front lines as they tear through anything barring their path through minor alterations to their load-out.
Combat in the air has also largely become the domain of either fighter craft capable of combat both in outer space and inside the atmosphere of a celestial body, or MAs fitted and customized specifically to be able to handle high speed, aerial combat. Both machines are marvels of technology and dog fights involving both have become the stuff of legend among those interested in tales of battle.
Combat on large bodies of water have become increasingly rare, primarily since most colonies and common locations for war do not have water in sufficient quantities. The ability to descend from outer space also largely removes the need for being able to traverse water to move troops into position. However, there are still many examples where transports such as hovercrafts or seaworthy ships have turned the tide by allowing sneak attacks and other tactics to be executed swiftly. While greatly diminished in presence, it is difficult to count it out when one considers all MAs have been designed to withstand being submerged under water, up to a certain depth, as well as possessing specialized boosters that keep them raised above the clear liquid.
Finally, warfare in space is characterized by its surprisingly short, but brutal clashes. When two fleets meet head-to-head, battles tend to become incredibly chaotic. While commanding officers are able to concentrate on the big picture, the men and women out in the fight itself are subjected to the confusing circumstances of countless fighters and MAs engaging in dogfights, while support craft of sizes ranging from mere escort vessels to massive assault cruisers, unleashed their full firepower upon one another. It is rare for a fleet to be outright destroyed over the course of a battle. More often than not, when losses begin to pile beyond parameters for a victory to be called an acceptable one, the loser will retreat to regroup and lick their wounds. As such, maneuvering, keeping supply lines intact and being able to predict an enemy is all the more important in the vastness of space, and both Independence Wars were decided almost entirely by the good and bad choices of the admirals leading the fleets.
Many cogs are a part of the overall machine, but there is no denying that the Mechanized Armor has begun to dominate most arenas and will continue to do so as the technology, and the use thereof, matures.
Timeline
- Main article: Timeline
Most important events in the setting since the late 2010s are categorized according to several periods of varying length. The sections are displayed below.
- Third World War (2019 - 2025)
- Unification of Earth (2026 - 2046)
- Inner Solar System Colonization Rush (2047 - 2099)
- Outer Solar System Colonization Rush (2100 - 2195)
- First Independence War (2196 - 2205)
- Interbellum (2206 - 2221)
- Second Independence War (2222 - 2228)
- Consolidation of the Solar System (2229 - ...)
There are also timelines filtered to contain events of specific topics only.
See also
- Mechanized Armor for general information on MAs
- Space Vessels for general information on space vessels
- Conventional Armed Forces for general information on traditional infantry and vehicles
- Organizations for other active organizations
- Corporations for general information and a list of known and important corporations in the Solar System
- Beliefs and Political Movements for active belief systems and political movements
