Futuristic The Adventures of the Ulster and her Crew, both Legal and Otherwise - Lore

[ToteMaus]

Lore for The Adventures of the Ulster and her Crew, both Legal and Otherwise


I'll soon have this filled out with sketches, little blurbs, and other goodies!


See Main Thread: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/the-adventures-of-the-ulster-and-her-crew-both-legal-and-otherwise.139120/

 

[ToteMaus]

Here you go! I only just finished my 3D model of the SS Earl of Ulster, excuse the crudity, painting and texturing a 3D model is harder than most realise!

Spoiler

 
And a diagram showing the various parts of the ship. Remember when we're RPing, the ring rotates to simulate gravity, so people walk along the outside.

Spoiler

 

[ToteMaus]

Time for a history lesson!


In 2032, there was nearly a nuclear war between the United States and China sparked by the accidental sinking of a passenger ship in Chinese waters by the Chinese air force. This close call prompted an international outcry for world wide nuclear disarmament. As the nations came together and cooperated to dismantle their nuclear weapons, some used the closer bonds between nations to consolidate power. Eventually, the meganations of The United Americas (comprising the US and some of South and Central America), The European Commonwealth (Which includes most of Western Europe as well as a few of former British commonwealth countries), The Eurasian Federation (Comprising much Eastern Europe, much of the Middle East, and Russia), and The Panasian People's Republic (Comprising most of Asia and some of Oceana). There were some countries, however, that chose to remain independent.


As the trend of urbanisation continued, the metropolises of these meganations formed into massive cities, spanning whole provinces.The relatively stable and cooperative state of world politics led to an economic and industrial boom. This rapid industrial growth, more than anything, contributed to the near total depletion of fossil fuels, and the increasing reliance on nuclear energy. As Earth's resources began to rapidly dwindle under the heavy demands of the industrialised meganations, governments the world over turned their eyes to space.


The second space race began in 2065, and resulted in the colonisation of Mars. Soon after, the UCSA was formed so that the efforts of the planet could be pooled and greater things accomplished. The huge private corporations that had risen to power during the economic boom made their presence known on the young colony, and soon were in near total control. The rich and the corporations made their homes in the glittering and beautiful biodomes on the surface, while the poor lived in the subterranean cities along with the factories and industrial machinery. It was a few years later that Venus was settled, with a massive aerostat habitat being assembled above Ishtar Terra. Through ice mining projects on Mars, oxygen was brought to Venus en masse, and soon the dramatic tower cities were built, supporting the colony in the breathable layer. Venus was populated very quickly, with wave after wave of colonists flocking away from the polluted and overcrowded Earth, and seeking a better life among the clouds.


By 2127, Venus and Mars were established as huge and industrialised populations centres, and the UCSA began branching out beyond the asteroid belt. Colonies were formed on Titan and other moons to mine the ice and precious metals within the small planetoids. However, piracy soon became a serious problem, with so many long shipping routes and so many colonies, stations, and outposts, the UCSA found itself stretched to its limit, and unable to enforce total control of the system.


 
Also, feel free to ask questions here, if there is something about the setting you'd like to know or have further expanded on.

 

[ToteMaus]

Now a bit more lore!


Some of the most prevalent corporations are the arms manufacturer Mars Security Industries, or MSI. They were one of the first corporations to settle on Mars, intending to take advantage of the rich metal deposits to make cheap, mass produced small arms. Another is Olympus Mons Mining and Refining, colloquially called Ommer. They settled on Mars early on in the colonisation process, focusing their mining efforts on the area near the Olympus Mons volcano. They have since branched out into mining asteroid belt bodies, planetoids, and moons in the rest of the system. Bard Ventures is a mining company that originated on earth and has since expanded to mining operations on the colony worlds. Keller Mining and Salvage is a company that mainly focuses on mining operations in the outer colony worlds and asteroid belts. They also do salvage operations, scavenging whatever they can from the wreckage of transport ships lost to pirates or accidents. There are, however, some rumours floating about the spaceports that Keller has a hand in causing some of those accidents. Krupp is a company that manufactures heavy machinery for mining, salvage, warfare, and starships. Arcadia Industries focuses entirely on ship building, their biggest contract is the UCSA navy, which constantly requires repairs and, on occasion, a new vessel for protecting trade convoys. The megacorporations aren't the only companies operating in the universe, however. Weber Computer Systems is one of the few companies still headquartered on earth, they primarily manufacture computers for starships and space stations. The Ulster was manufactured by the, now defunct, Iphigenia Shipyards, the model is almost thirty years old and quite out of date.


Now, for a bit of lore on the colony worlds.


Mars:


The first permanent settlement on Mars consisted of a series of buildings put down in Gale Crater. This was followed by the first mining colony at Meridiani Planum. The city of Meridiani Planum grew quickly, its goal was to begin mining of haematite deposits and set up manufacturing plants. A web of subterranean tunnels and rooms spread out from the settlement at Meridiani Planum as further biodome colonies were constructed at its factories and used to settled other areas. Another mining colony was established near Olympus Mons after the founding of OMMR. Eventually, Mars became a prosperous population centre. The many underground factories turn out many goods that are sold locally or exported back to earth or to other colonies. In the present day, Mars is known as the manufacturing and mining capitol of the Sol system, unmatched by the other colonies or the depleted earth in the sheer volume of exported finished goods.


Venus:


The dense atmosphere of Venus proved ideal for the earliest colonies. Because of the high density of the carbon dioxide atmosphere, breathable air acts as a lifting gas. The first permanent habitat on Venus was a floating aerostat colony assembled above Ishtar Terra. These first colonies were, essentially, giant airships, held aloft by the air that its inhabitants breathed. As time went on, more aerostat cities were constructed. Eventually, ice mining on Mars and Titan allowed for oxygen to be imported in large quantities for Venus. Released into the atmosphere, this air eventually created a thin, breathable layer of atmosphere about fifty one kilometres above the Venusian Surface. As the population of Venus grew, giant tower cities were built, anchoring the floating colonies to the ground and allowing for mining and other surface operations. Today, there are five tower cities and twenty six aerostat habitats on Venus. Large, propeller driven rigid airships are used to move goods and people from city to city. The primary sources of income for the governments of the Venusian cities are tourism and mining. The brilliant clouds, floating cities, warm temperatures, clean air (in the breathable layer), and similar gravity to earth, have all made Venus the prime tourist destination in the Sol system.


Luna:


While the gravity on Earth's moon is too low for permanent colonisation, it has become the home of many research bases, including a massive radio telescope observatory. Crews spend a few months at a time at the bases and are swapped out regularly.


Ceres:


Ceres was the first attempt to establish a colony outside of the inner planets. The UCSA had a spaceport constructed in orbit of the dwarf planet as a launching pad for the colonisation of the other planets. However, the remote location and lack of regulation caused it to rapidly degrade into a pirate and smuggler haven. The criminals eventually drove out the last remnant of UCSA governance almost half a century ago.


Ganymede:


Ganymede was the first celestial body beyond the asteroid belt to be settled. Ice and silicate mining were the colony's main sources of income early on. More recently, however, the UCSA has built a massive array of solar powered space stations that have been slowly raising the temperature of the moon by using the sun's energy and directing it towards the surface. The massive amount of liquid water formed from this warming has more than quadrupled oxygen production on Ganymede, allowing for the colonists to enjoy a thin atmosphere beyond the biodomes. The world still remains somewhat inhospitable, with cold temperatures, low gravity, and a very thin, but breathable atmosphere. However, the terraforming efforts have allowed for the farming of genetically modified algae and seaweed in the large oceans of liquid water. Most colonists live in specially constructed island cities encased in biodomes that allow for a higher temperature and more substantial atmosphere within.


Europa:


Europa is mainly a mining world, miners live for a few months at a time in underground habitats built near the subterranean sea. Most live in orbiting space stations and the mining shifts on the surface are regularly rotated. The orbiting space stations also handle the refining of ore and the export of refined minerals.


Callisto:


Callisto was first settled after the success of terraforming efforts on Ganymede. However, the UCSA lacks the resources or funding to attempt similar efforts on Callisto. The settlements on Callisto are sprawling subterranean cities carved out of the ice. The ice has been used to create breathable air in large quantities within the tunnel network, and there has even been some farming of genetically modified algae in the underground settlements. However, Callisto's colonists still depend on shipments from Ganymede and the inner worlds.


Titan:


Titan is a relatively young colony. Its thick nitrogen atmosphere has proven impossible to make breathable, and its freezing surface requires the colonists to live in biodomes. The colonists are mostly miners, collecting ice, metals, and sometimes liquid hydrocarbons. There are also a few research outposts. Because Titan is the most inhospitable world settled so far, the colonists still depend on shipments from the inner worlds to survive.


Oberon:


The outermost human outpost in the Sol system. It has only a small research base on its surface and a small space station in orbit. It has three scientific research vessels and its main purpose is research in and around the Kuiper Belt.

 

[ToteMaus]

Since we'll be going to Mars next, I thought I'd give you a little more information about it!


The capital city of Mars is Hellas City, located in the immense flat plane called Hellas Planitia. Often jokingly referred to as "Hell City" by the locals, it follows the standard pattern of most Martian cities, there is a series of connected biodomes on the surface, with luxurious homes, office buildings, and flourishing gardens, and then there are unseen slums in the vast subterranean spaces below. The few sections not occupied by factories or production lines are almost entirely dedicated to vice. Prostitution, drugs, and gambling are the most common pass times amongst those who work in the mines and factories. Most other Martian cities follow this pattern, and they are connected by a criss-crossing network of train tracks, which help the cities transport goods.


Over the years, repeated and partially successful terraforming efforts have given Mars a thin, but breathable atmosphere. The addition of a much thicker atmosphere has cause temperatures to rise across the planet. Over the past fifty years, brave settlers, who had had enough of the polluted, over crowded, and noisy Martian slums, set out to settle on the surface. Small farming communities sprang up, huge irrigation canals were dug from the icecaps, and the iron rich soil proved more than hospitable for potatoes, carrots, garden cress, and tomatoes. (Actually found a study that proved those could grow in simulated Martian soil!) Eventually, some livestock was even brought in, which had been adapted to the lower gravity and slightly thinner atmosphere. Now, many places on the Martian surface bear a striking resemblance to the pioneer settlements of old Earth. With hastily constructed buildings, some even made from the trees the settlers had managed to grow, dusty dirt roads, and fields tilled by hand or animal driven plows. Most of this is necessitated by the poverty of these settlers, being too poor to afford expensive building materials or automated farming equipment from the corrupt corporate leadership of the biodome cities. Ask any one of these settlers, and you're almost guaranteed the answer that it is a "hard but good life."


However, where there is good, bad will inevitably follow. For some, life in the slums was too bad, while life on the farms was too hard. These people became what are known as Migrants. They roam the Martian deserts, living off of what they can steal from the farming towns. Camping in the desert at night, and going out on horseback in search of victims by day. Corporate security forces couldn't possibly care less, so these small towns have appointed sheriffs to defend themselves by force. Freedom from corporate influence is a double edged sword, the towns make and enforce their own laws, but the Martian desert remains largely untamed and lawless.