Haru Rivers
Full-time DM
Alright folks, bear with me, it's a long intro to read. If you have any questions feel free to ask, I'll do my best to answer as this is a rough draft of an intro to the world as well as some extra lore and fluff.
Simple TL; DR being not earth, live underground on hostile planet, underground is only slightly less hostile, inhabited by enormous creatures known as leviathans, humanity lives on small piece of land, mainland has valuable crystals that are useful and necessary for human survival, people have to brave the mainlands for said crystals in hopes of not being poor anymore.
I'm generally looking for people looking to write around a paragraph or more per post and be generally literate. Some of this is subject to change as this is a rough draft that I haven't necessarily finalized yet.
Thanks for reading!
Simple TL; DR being not earth, live underground on hostile planet, underground is only slightly less hostile, inhabited by enormous creatures known as leviathans, humanity lives on small piece of land, mainland has valuable crystals that are useful and necessary for human survival, people have to brave the mainlands for said crystals in hopes of not being poor anymore.
I'm generally looking for people looking to write around a paragraph or more per post and be generally literate. Some of this is subject to change as this is a rough draft that I haven't necessarily finalized yet.
Thanks for reading!
In the golden age of space exploration, humans set out to settle the stars. A coordinated effort was made to preserve the human race and sow our seeds across the galaxy. The people who boarded the colony ships knew they would be leaving everything behind forever. Communication between worlds would be near impossible. Even if it was easy, messages would be relayed over centuries and millennia, there would be no help if things went wrong on these fringe worlds.
One particular fringe world looked great on paper. Not every world settled would end up being bountiful gaia worlds, but most were selected with atmosphere scans. This world in particular was like most others, water, oxygen, and nitrogen found in acceptable levels firmly within the habitable zone around a yellow star. Habitable land should be an easy assumption, but even if it was an ocean world, the colony could land the colony ship and live off the ship floating in the water. There was always a risk of the observations not telling the whole story though, and that something unaccounted for could happen. It was a risk of death no matter what.
Our story takes place on one such unaccounted for planet. Named Aphaea, for a minor goddess of fertility and agriculture in the Greek Pantheon, the original colonials found only disappointment upon arrival at their garden of eden. Aphaea was an ocean planet, with only a few signs of land anywhere to be found, remnants of long dormant volcanoes. More importantly, Aphaea was tidally locked with its star. The sun side of the planet was too hot to inhabit, nearly boiling the seas. The dark side of the planet was an icy wasteland, and while advanced building methods may have allowed for human life to survive there, the extreme storms that wracked the planet would not allow for their construction.
The only habitable area was the band of twilight around the planet where hot and cold mixed into a temperate climate. It was here a small island was located, devoid of life, but a solid surface to work with. Even with the benefits of land, there were other problems. The oceans were devoid of life, even in this temperate zone, no food could be gathered from them. The island itself was mostly made of rock, and the little soil that existed was poorly suited towards growing crops. The colony ship was equipped with hydroponics and other growing methods, but they would not sustain a growing population for long without the necessary tools to gather the nutrients the plants needed to grow.
But not all was lost. The island, like all the others, was an ancient volcano. The center of the island held a large hole in the ground that led to an underground tunnel system. Explorations into it revealed that the tunnel systems were vast and led deep into the crust of the planet. Eventually a dedicated team made it deep enough to reveal something truly great. An underground cavern was found, spanning long into the distance, thousands of miles long. The ceiling of the cavern was covered with blue glowing crystals that lit the vast cavern to a low light, similar to the hour of early evening. The tunnel led out onto a peninsula into a vast underground sea, but there were a few notable differences between the Upper and Lower seas. This peninsula was covered in plant and wildlife native to this ecosystem. In addition to this, the Lower Sea may have been mostly water, but there was plenty of land in the distance that could represent a stable life here on Aphaea.
Still, life on Aphaea could never be easy. The wildlife was hostile in most cases, and many plants were poisonous to human life. That was the least of it however, this underground cavern held things far worse than previously noticed. The first signs were noticed in the first few expeditions into the cavern. The sound and concussions of what could only be described as wings from a vast creature could occasionally be heard. The first sight of one was caught in the seas offshore, the dorsal fin of a large creature was spotted. Spanning over 35 feet into the air, the creature it belonged to must have been more massive than any creature ever found in the oceans on earth. This was the first Leviathan to be witnessed. Overtime, more would be discovered and there may be more out there yet. It didn’t take long for this land to become known as The Abyss.
500 years after the initial settling of Aphaea and things have changed for the inhabitants of Aphaea. Eden has grown from a few thousand people to only a moderately larger size of 35,000. Many of the advanced technologies that came from the colony ship have broken down and unable to repair, and so local sources of tech developed.
The blue crystals that light the cavern were not the only crystals of use within The Abyss. Green crystals known as source were found to have absorbed energy from the planet, growing and being capable of being used like a battery for clean energy for all sorts of things. White crystals were found mostly in the caves at the edges of the cavern, and were suitable to be carved into blades and other simple constructions. Purple crystals revealed one of the only drugs sought after in The Abyss. It improved mental capabilities temporarily and in large quantities over long periods induced permanent telekinetic powers. In the most recent decade a Red crystal was found, giving vast amounts of energy in small doses, and terrifying rage and physical growth in anything other than micro-doses.
Society changed as well, with a wealthy elite growing to consolidate most of the power once the colony was settled. The remaining colonization era technology that hasn’t been lost belongs to them. The rest of society has your typical jobs paying enough to afford food and get by, but there is one job that relies on luck, skill, and being brave or stupid enough to do it. Voyages to the Abyssal Lands and the Abyssal caverns is dangerous, but necessary and extremely profitable. Voyagers can find valuable crystals and technology left over from failed voyages, some dating back to when small flying bikes were used and produced. Voyager Companies, or Companies, as they tend to be called, are numerous and only a few last for more than a few years before the inevitable death of the party happens. The few that stay successful often find themselves a part of the wealthy elite, one of the few ways to move up in this society. As such, being part of a company is a popular job for those brave enough to do it.
One particular fringe world looked great on paper. Not every world settled would end up being bountiful gaia worlds, but most were selected with atmosphere scans. This world in particular was like most others, water, oxygen, and nitrogen found in acceptable levels firmly within the habitable zone around a yellow star. Habitable land should be an easy assumption, but even if it was an ocean world, the colony could land the colony ship and live off the ship floating in the water. There was always a risk of the observations not telling the whole story though, and that something unaccounted for could happen. It was a risk of death no matter what.
Our story takes place on one such unaccounted for planet. Named Aphaea, for a minor goddess of fertility and agriculture in the Greek Pantheon, the original colonials found only disappointment upon arrival at their garden of eden. Aphaea was an ocean planet, with only a few signs of land anywhere to be found, remnants of long dormant volcanoes. More importantly, Aphaea was tidally locked with its star. The sun side of the planet was too hot to inhabit, nearly boiling the seas. The dark side of the planet was an icy wasteland, and while advanced building methods may have allowed for human life to survive there, the extreme storms that wracked the planet would not allow for their construction.
The only habitable area was the band of twilight around the planet where hot and cold mixed into a temperate climate. It was here a small island was located, devoid of life, but a solid surface to work with. Even with the benefits of land, there were other problems. The oceans were devoid of life, even in this temperate zone, no food could be gathered from them. The island itself was mostly made of rock, and the little soil that existed was poorly suited towards growing crops. The colony ship was equipped with hydroponics and other growing methods, but they would not sustain a growing population for long without the necessary tools to gather the nutrients the plants needed to grow.
But not all was lost. The island, like all the others, was an ancient volcano. The center of the island held a large hole in the ground that led to an underground tunnel system. Explorations into it revealed that the tunnel systems were vast and led deep into the crust of the planet. Eventually a dedicated team made it deep enough to reveal something truly great. An underground cavern was found, spanning long into the distance, thousands of miles long. The ceiling of the cavern was covered with blue glowing crystals that lit the vast cavern to a low light, similar to the hour of early evening. The tunnel led out onto a peninsula into a vast underground sea, but there were a few notable differences between the Upper and Lower seas. This peninsula was covered in plant and wildlife native to this ecosystem. In addition to this, the Lower Sea may have been mostly water, but there was plenty of land in the distance that could represent a stable life here on Aphaea.
Still, life on Aphaea could never be easy. The wildlife was hostile in most cases, and many plants were poisonous to human life. That was the least of it however, this underground cavern held things far worse than previously noticed. The first signs were noticed in the first few expeditions into the cavern. The sound and concussions of what could only be described as wings from a vast creature could occasionally be heard. The first sight of one was caught in the seas offshore, the dorsal fin of a large creature was spotted. Spanning over 35 feet into the air, the creature it belonged to must have been more massive than any creature ever found in the oceans on earth. This was the first Leviathan to be witnessed. Overtime, more would be discovered and there may be more out there yet. It didn’t take long for this land to become known as The Abyss.
500 years after the initial settling of Aphaea and things have changed for the inhabitants of Aphaea. Eden has grown from a few thousand people to only a moderately larger size of 35,000. Many of the advanced technologies that came from the colony ship have broken down and unable to repair, and so local sources of tech developed.
The blue crystals that light the cavern were not the only crystals of use within The Abyss. Green crystals known as source were found to have absorbed energy from the planet, growing and being capable of being used like a battery for clean energy for all sorts of things. White crystals were found mostly in the caves at the edges of the cavern, and were suitable to be carved into blades and other simple constructions. Purple crystals revealed one of the only drugs sought after in The Abyss. It improved mental capabilities temporarily and in large quantities over long periods induced permanent telekinetic powers. In the most recent decade a Red crystal was found, giving vast amounts of energy in small doses, and terrifying rage and physical growth in anything other than micro-doses.
Society changed as well, with a wealthy elite growing to consolidate most of the power once the colony was settled. The remaining colonization era technology that hasn’t been lost belongs to them. The rest of society has your typical jobs paying enough to afford food and get by, but there is one job that relies on luck, skill, and being brave or stupid enough to do it. Voyages to the Abyssal Lands and the Abyssal caverns is dangerous, but necessary and extremely profitable. Voyagers can find valuable crystals and technology left over from failed voyages, some dating back to when small flying bikes were used and produced. Voyager Companies, or Companies, as they tend to be called, are numerous and only a few last for more than a few years before the inevitable death of the party happens. The few that stay successful often find themselves a part of the wealthy elite, one of the few ways to move up in this society. As such, being part of a company is a popular job for those brave enough to do it.
All the crystals are of an unknown source and construction. Upon being viewed with any scientific equipment it almost seems as if it doesn’t exist. Can’t be replicated or cultivated and must be found “growing” naturally from the ground. Veins can be mined, but large scale mining operations prove rather difficult and run the risk of attracting the worm leviathan.
Green: Source (Common)
A battery like energy source. When hooked up to the proper machinery it will produce emission free energy. Used for many things in Lower Sea, it’s most prominent use outside of general electricity would be powering the silent skivs that prowl the lower sea.
Blue: Torch (Common)
Covering most of the ceiling of the gigantic cavern the lower sea exists in, Torch casts a bright blue light over a wide area. When left connected to its original source it will glow indefinitely. When removed from its growing place it will glow strongly for around ten hours. After ten hours the glow subsides over another two hours until the crystal becomes inert.
White: Diamond (Uncommon)
Named after the white mineral found on earth, Diamond is the hardest crystal substance found yet, holding similar properties to metal. Since metal deposits are difficult to come by in the Abyss and even harder to mine without drawing attention, Diamond is one of the primary construction sources for small things. It is not a metal though, it can’t be forged into the necessary shapes and instead must be carefully carved. Larger pieces are worth exponentially more considering the efforts required to bring such a piece back from the Abyssal Lands.
Purple: Psych (Rare)
A powerful psychic gem that improves mental capabilities and with enough exposure can induce ESP or psychic abilities. Each person has a limit to what they can gain from this and pushing that limit needlessly can result in brain death. One of the rarest of the crystals, it can only be found in the Upper Abyssal Caverns. It is known that this is the source of the leviathans intelligence.
Red: Fury (Extra Rare)
Found deeper within the Abyssal Caverns, only one sample of this crystal has ever been brought back. Consumed in small amounts it acts a bit like a long lasting adrenaline shot, allowing you to perform far beyond your physical limits for a few hours. For the one who consumed more than just a trace amount, they were enlarged physically, but was lost in a mindless rage, seeking out more of the crystal. It is theorized that this crystal is the source of the leviathans size.
It is theorized that there must be other crystals hidden deeper within the Abyssal Caverns, but as of yet no party has returned with evidence of any other crystals.
Green: Source (Common)
A battery like energy source. When hooked up to the proper machinery it will produce emission free energy. Used for many things in Lower Sea, it’s most prominent use outside of general electricity would be powering the silent skivs that prowl the lower sea.
Blue: Torch (Common)
Covering most of the ceiling of the gigantic cavern the lower sea exists in, Torch casts a bright blue light over a wide area. When left connected to its original source it will glow indefinitely. When removed from its growing place it will glow strongly for around ten hours. After ten hours the glow subsides over another two hours until the crystal becomes inert.
White: Diamond (Uncommon)
Named after the white mineral found on earth, Diamond is the hardest crystal substance found yet, holding similar properties to metal. Since metal deposits are difficult to come by in the Abyss and even harder to mine without drawing attention, Diamond is one of the primary construction sources for small things. It is not a metal though, it can’t be forged into the necessary shapes and instead must be carefully carved. Larger pieces are worth exponentially more considering the efforts required to bring such a piece back from the Abyssal Lands.
Purple: Psych (Rare)
A powerful psychic gem that improves mental capabilities and with enough exposure can induce ESP or psychic abilities. Each person has a limit to what they can gain from this and pushing that limit needlessly can result in brain death. One of the rarest of the crystals, it can only be found in the Upper Abyssal Caverns. It is known that this is the source of the leviathans intelligence.
Red: Fury (Extra Rare)
Found deeper within the Abyssal Caverns, only one sample of this crystal has ever been brought back. Consumed in small amounts it acts a bit like a long lasting adrenaline shot, allowing you to perform far beyond your physical limits for a few hours. For the one who consumed more than just a trace amount, they were enlarged physically, but was lost in a mindless rage, seeking out more of the crystal. It is theorized that this crystal is the source of the leviathans size.
It is theorized that there must be other crystals hidden deeper within the Abyssal Caverns, but as of yet no party has returned with evidence of any other crystals.
The Leviathans are massive beings of great intelligence. There are reports of leviathans being capable of human speech, though a confirmed report has never existed. Confrontations with the leviathans almost always end in death and they should be avoided at all costs. They have been named as such because their forms are similar to what would be found on earth. If they have true names at all, they are not known to us. This is assumed to be a non-exhaustive list.
- Snail - The Snail Leviathan is a mindless beast of hunger as far as we can tell. He resides on the Abyssal lands, his shell housing plant life of the surrounding area and can often blend into the terrain in the right spots when dormant. He lives in cycles lasting years. Feeding on swaths of plant life for a year and then remaining dormant for a seemingly random amount of time. He has slept for as long as ten years.
- Butterfly - The only Leviathan that doesn’t represent death, the Butterfly has been known to carry a struggling Company to the safety of the shores of the Abyssal Lands, though it generally takes any crystals the Company has as some form of payment. Sightings of it are rare, and as far as we know, it can’t communicate. It’s intentions are unknown.
- Worm - The reason anything larger than small mining operations can’t exist. It seems to be attracted to vibrations in the crust. It eats anything it finds, machinery and people alike.
- Snake - The most extreme danger of the Upper Abyssal Caves, the place it calls home. It doesn’t seem to bother Companies that stay out of it’s caves, but kills those that trespass inside mercilessly. Most rumors of leviathans that speak are about the snake.
- Bat - Never sighted, but known of. You can hear and sometimes see its shadow on the ceiling.
- Squid - The reason deep waters aren’t traveled unless absolutely necessary. It seems to guard the deeper waters of the Lower Sea that could lead to other lands. This creature is the primary reason exploration further into the distance is not attempted by sea.
- Shark - Witnessed only in the occasions it’s dorsal fin breaches the surface of the Lower Seas. If it catches a party unawares, there is no surviving.
- Blood Oak - The only plant leviathan known of. It inhabits one of the Umbral Isles and is very much living. It’s roots are used as tentacles to pull in unsuspecting victims that it consumes. The Island of the Blood Oak is avoided for this reason.
- Characters would be a part of a new Company that the story will revolve around. You can be a vet to the Voyager life, or a newbie.
- Weapons are generally made of Diamond, the white crystal. Cheap things are blades, spears, and the like for fending off the many hostile creatures found on the Abyssal Lands. Richer or luckier folks may have laser based weaponry that has been retrofitted to use Source crystals.
- Your character will not have had enough Psych to induce any powers. This may develop during the RP, but at this point in time the number of people rich enough to afford such a thing or lucky enough to find it number significantly less than one thousand.
- The world is shitty and you are gonna be poor because if you aren’t rich, I can assure you, you’re poor in one way or another. People become voyagers to seek riches, not because they are rich.
- Travel to and from the Abyssal Lands is done by jet ski like vehicles that run off of Source crystals.
- A map will likely be provided at some point. For now think of this as a giant cave that we have explored only a small part of. The mainland (Abyssal Lands) slope upwards towards the wall of the giant cave. Smaller caves (Abyssal Caverns/Caves) can be found at the walls, similar to the one humanity entered from. Within these caves is where most of the rarer crystals are found and most of the bolder Companies are lost.
