Campaign Info - Issues, Faces, and Places

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Aug 21, 2024 1:04 am
I'd like to use this space to collaboratively create our campaigns setting (akin to game creation starting around pg 18 of the Fate Core rulebook).

Now I've already sketched out what will probably be the main setting points in the game blurb copied below here that everyone signed up for, and I'll add in some details on facets that weren't covered in the blurb, but I would like to give the opportunity for people to add some flavor to Farley where it's missing by calling out people or institutions that we'd like to include in the background.

Also, this is a good place to define concepts that might arise from character's Aspects. For example, because of the scope of the campaign a Trouble Aspect of 'The Mob is Out to Get Me' might not have a lot of ways to apply it--well, I could probably think of some but you know, they'd be harder to work in than, say, 'Lieutenant Ewing Hates My Guts' --and here is where we could flesh out Lieutenant Ewing and perhaps add them to the mission, etc.

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https://i.imgur.com/xNu3sYc.png

Setting: Farley's World is the definition of off-the-grid; located way out in JADES=GS z13-0, in a galaxy which might actually be one of the oldest things in the universe. Farley himself, who was some kind of tech guru and apparently one of those ultra-rich but ultra-introverted types, bought the thing a few generations ago on the cheap so he could feel truly alone. Super cheap, actually, because its big (for a litte K-class, anyways) orange sun probably only has a few billion years left in it and the cost of opening a wormhole gate to it from the galactic core and through fields of deadly radioactive quasars is astronomical.

Farley died over a century ago but the colony kind of stuck around, maybe because most folks born there can't nearly afford to leave. It's got a few hundred thousand inhabitants, mainly kept alive by the fact that the farming is good, there's a few minerals you can mine that are only theoretical back on Earth, and there's always some scientific conglomerate funding research to stare out into the void and see what stares back.

Except, it seems like something may have been for a while, and we never saw it ourselves.

The Immediate Issue: Approximately two weeks ago, scientists began detecting strange bursts of frequencies on various radio antennas across the planet, but they assumed the source to be something from Farley behaving erratically, either a malfunctioning satelitte or merely an echo caused by some type of atmospheric phenomenon, as multiple teams confirmed the signals were originating from planetary orbit.

No instrument they pointed in that direction seemed to find anything there in any spectrum except, eventually our old reliable, visible light. Telescopes and cameras caught a few small, fuzzy shapes that they seemed to have trouble rendering, backlit by small bursts of exhaust. As the Orbital Guard scrambled to get more craft into the air, the scientists pointed more telescopes in that direction and someone (with the aid of bad aim) spotted something in the background.

Much farther out in the distance, in space that other instruments said was empty, loomed another silent shadow, without other readings it was hard to gage its distance, but it was growing larger by the day.

At the same time, someone managed to isolate a burst of garbled radio from the orbital transmissions that seemed to be repeating more or less consistently. Sounded like lots of clicks and hisses, something like: "Heh-pah... Sisti... heh-pah." If it was an attempt at a human language it seemed distorted or mostly unintelligible, though it gave a bunch of internet experts on linguists and shortwave enthusiasts plenty of fuel to argue about its meaning.

Farley's Prime Minister acted swiftly to appoint a special panel of military and scientific experts to advise on the next steps, and a response team was rapidly assembled. Based on your expertise, your number came up.

First contact with the first sentient alien lifeforms ever encountered? It's going to be yours, whether you like it or not.

The universe as we know it: While this story is set a couple hundred years in our future after mankind has spread throughout galaxies, I'd like to try and run it (despite my relative ignorance) as a bit harder sci-fi. Meaning not so much that I'll get the science right (I'm sure I won't remotely, but since it'll be a collaborative Fate game, interested parties can correct me as we go), but that human technology will lean more toward modern day limitations and less toward 'magic'. For the most part physics operates as we know it now (and things in space are astoundingly far apart, etc.) with the notable exception of humanity being able to open temporary interstellar gates to get around the light speed issue.

The key limiting factor being that these gates require immense amounts of energy and a corresponding investment of time and resources/capital and are therefore vastly expensive. This means that effectively, there are no 'warp drive' ships hopping between the stars. Gate technology is limited to the highest ranks of government/military/elite, and even among them travel between systems is generally something that happens a few times a year rather than 'once per episode', etc.

As a result, the sphere of humanity has expanded beyond Earth to hundreds of different planets and space habitats, but slowly due to the cost of exploration and other technological limitations. Generally, new colonies form only as factors such as overpopulation/destruction of an existing world or unresolvable conflict made it necessary. Due to the cost and limited access to the required technology, the government of new worlds usually arises from the will of the shareholders who organized them; be they corporate, patriotic, or religious groups; or merely the idle rich. Thus, the sphere of humanity has no universal governance. Still, most rely on some supplies from Earth and the Galactic core and the difficulty of transporting large forces generally keeps the peace (as it is generally easier to form a new colony than conquer an existing one unless the latter is visibly failing (though conspiracy theorists claim some have been at times infiltrated and overthrown from within).

(Images courtesy of my awkward modification of https://mapoftheuniverse.net/ and NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb), L. Hustak (STScI). Science: B. Robertson (UCSC), S. Tacchella (Cambridge), E. Curtis-Lake (Hertfordshire), S. Carniani (Scuola Normale Superiore), and the JADES Collaboration - https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.04480, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=126503040)
Aug 21, 2024 1:42 am
Place: Farley's World

First planet orbiting the star J034139.97+382717.8 (a.k.a. 'Galileo') in the JADES=GS z13-0 galaxy, over 13 billion light years from earth. Supported by local agriculture, mining, and scientific research.

Aspect: At the (literal) far end of the universe.

Current Issue: Unitelligible UFOs -- beaming strange energy transmissions and garbled radio down at the planet they've caught the public's eye and forced the Prime Minister to react.

Impending Issue: Something Looms in the Sky -- while searching for signs of the UFOs, sky-watchers became aware of something larger looming beyond them in the night sky. How large is unclear, given no instruments are able to accurately discern its distance from Farley's World, but whatever it is, it's growing closer each day.
Aug 21, 2024 1:59 am
I suppose we have the:
Organization: Wormhole Gate Complex

This small, exclusive group of engineers and their managers have an outsized influence over all aspects of Farley's World. They maintain the Wormhole Gate that connects the planet back to the galactic core, which is the only source of travel off-world as well as supplies and colonists. The gates, which don't actually utilize wormholes in any fashion but the name stuck, require delicate caretaking to remain functional and must be charged for the better part of a year before they can be reactivated. Construction of a gate at the location of a proposed settlement is the first requirement for founding a new colony, as the worlds of the inner core need focus their own gates on exploring new galaxies rather than maintaining a connection. Controlling when exactly the next gate opens and who has first access to travel through it or greet what comes through has been well utilized by the organization's leaders for their own gain.

Aspect: If this thing ever breaks down we're all alone.
Aug 21, 2024 5:14 pm
I'd like to propose

Character: General Ashley Clarke (she/her), Commander of the Planetary Security Forces

General Clarke runs the planetary constabulary and the security teams that take care of all the research missions that come through Farley (which is why it's got a military despite being only a few hundred thousand people). She's highly capable, has strong alliances with other military outfits closer to the core worlds, and is security minded to the point of xenophobia.

Aspect: Will stop at literally nothing to protect humanity
Aug 22, 2024 1:36 pm
Hi nat--I like it. (Conceptually in my head, let me know where you all disagree) Farley's Word is small/young enough that it is all run by a single government. The government is technically democratic, but historically the Prime Minister has been either one of Farley's descendants due to their wealth and influence (as is the case currently) or someone who had been a close associate of him or his family. While the President is a more flexible position but more public facing and with less actual power.

The Planetary Security Forces role that Clarke holds would be akin to Secretary/Minister of Defense in a modern government. This role gives her general ownership/authority over the different branches of Farley's military, which would include:
Army
Navy
Air Force
Orbital Guard

Due to the small population and general lack of war to this point in the world's history, those first 3 branches are very small and mainly volunteer. However, a large percentage of volunteer members of the Army make up the civilian police forces and many volunteer Navy and Air Force members are part of commercial fleets, so her position has more influence than is readily apparent from the small standing military forces.

The Orbital Guard, due to the high portion of the planet's livelihood related to space research is more actively staffed and constantly dealing with satellite launch/maintence, etc. and active missions.
Aug 23, 2024 2:11 am
Perfect, that jives with how Iā€™d imagine it (200k people being a medium to small sized city, so not in need of a huge army!).

I was imagining it would mostly be logistics and compliance for research missions and the odd bit of putting down organized crime more than active warfare per se.
Aug 23, 2024 2:11 am
Perfect, that jives with how Iā€™d imagine it (200k people being a medium to small sized city, so not in need of a huge army!).

I was imagining it would mostly be logistics and compliance for research missions and the odd bit of putting down organized crime more than active warfare per se.
Aug 24, 2024 4:38 am
Character: Prime Minister Owen Farley (he/him)

Owen is the great-grandson of Nolan Farley, the inventory/designer/architect the planet's namesake who founded the colony out of his own fortune. Rumor is that Owen was something of a compromise candidate for the Prime Ministry. He's had more direct managerial experience for the family company than his sister and cousins despite being younger than some. He's considered to be more anti-strip mining and pro-worker's rights conscious than his uncle George Marchess who remains CEO of the local office of Farley Mechanical. However, he is also seen as less inclined towards strict environmental regulations than his older brother, Thomas. Owen is known for being a calm and steady caretaker of the colony, and he's good at identifying key problems and focusing on finding solutions.

Aspect: This World is My Business

https://i.imgur.com/rAq3ogD.jpeg



Aug 25, 2024 3:30 am
In terms of Farely's military, even if its a few percent of the population that's still only a few thousand soldiers. Does it make sense to have them split into service branches, or would they just centralize under the Plantary Defence Force which would have a small air and space force, a few navy ships, a small mechanized infantry, a small intelligence branch, and a whole bunch of logistics and engineering capability that supports research missions?

If we wanted to have bureaucratic infighting we could have a Senior Defence Council that's everyone above a certain rank (a few navy and airforce Captains, a few army and intelligence Colonels, all reporting up to the General)? That faction could be set against a group of researchers who are trying to understand the phenomena from beyond the known universe and the civilian government who's trying to keep the general population from panicking.
Aug 25, 2024 11:25 pm
natknight says:
In terms of Farely's military, even if its a few percent of the population that's still only a few thousand soldiers. Does it make sense to have them split into service branches, or would they just centralize under the Plantary Defence Force which would have a small air and space force, a few navy ships, a small mechanized infantry, a small intelligence branch, and a whole bunch of logistics and engineering capability that supports research missions?
I was thinking (though I'm whole flexible to the group's preference) more the latter--the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Orbital Guard are really more small 'divisions' of the PDF-so why they'd have separate officers heading each and trying to get more authority and funding, etc. they'd all report directly to Clarke without a lot of layers of brass in between. There would be approximate 3-5K standing troops (with the majority being in the Orbital Guard). With reservists that number might climb as high as around 30K if everyone was called in.

But generally, I envision that the colony is still young enough to be acting as one 'country' with different factions within the government, so there isn't an enemy force to drive higher enlistment numbers--the armed forces somewhat exist as a deterrent against some powerful group ignoring the rule of law issued by the government or against rogue actors like the you helped eliminate or the threat of some sort of potential takeover by a rogue colony using a wormhole gate. And the reservist enlistment is partially high due to things like being a route to scholarships or looking good as life experience on your resume, etc. while looking like an easy paycheck for those with any military experience.
Aug 26, 2024 4:19 pm
Proposal:

Organization: Orbital Communications Service (ORBCOMM)

The Orbital Communications Service is the group of technicians and engineers who maintain the orbital communications array in place above Farley's World. The array is necessary not only for on-planet communications, but it is the lifeline for research vessels communicating both with ground crews planetside and their governing organizations. Due to the number of research stations that use Farley's World as a stepping stone for peering off into the void, the communications array is surprisingly well-maintained.

Members of ORBCOMM sometimes get into trouble with planetary authorities, as ORBCOMM members tend to have something of a hacker philosophy to them. They do get along very well with the Orbital Guard however, as the Guard has the equipment and personnel to take ORBCOMM members and communications equipment into space, assist with spacewalks, and contain damaged satellites for spacewalk repair.

Aspect: The Message Must Get Through
Aug 29, 2024 3:09 am
That makes sense to me--the Orbital Guard would have been originally tasked with getting a military network up and running and maintaining it, but the amount of funding pouring into scientific, etc. endeavors would have brought in a large number of more specialized experts who would have over time formed ORBCOMM realizing one organization could better handle the work between all of the projects than everyone bringing in their own talent and getting in each other's way. They naturally would be called on when the Orbital Guard needed help, and the Orbital Guard would grow to respect them though there would be a natural friction with the government agencies overall as occasionally some bureaucrat on the ground would call them out on non-regulation wiring found during inspections, etc.
Aug 29, 2024 2:54 pm
MinMin says:
That makes sense to me--the Orbital Guard would have been originally tasked with getting a military network up and running and maintaining it, but the amount of funding pouring into scientific, etc. endeavors would have brought in a large number of more specialized experts who would have over time formed ORBCOMM realizing one organization could better handle the work between all of the projects than everyone bringing in their own talent and getting in each other's way. They naturally would be called on when the Orbital Guard needed help, and the Orbital Guard would grow to respect them though there would be a natural friction with the government agencies overall as occasionally some bureaucrat on the ground would call them out on non-regulation wiring found during inspections, etc.
Awesome, that sounds great. Grumpy satellite inspectors grumbling at seeing wires patched with gum and spit.
Aug 31, 2024 12:23 am
Organization: Stateless Syndicate

Farley's World may have been fortunate enough to remain under a single government rather than splintering into factions, but there are always those that live outside the law.

The Syndicate formed out of those career criminals with bounties so high they decided the best course was to go to ground at the edge of the universe. Whoever won the power struggle to lead them is fearless and brutal, but so secretive they're known only as The Invisible Man.:

Organized and dangerous, they have the resources spanning across the planet and into space.

Aspect: The Power in the Shadows
Sep 3, 2024 1:37 am
Character: Lt. Erik Monroe (he/him)

Monroe has a reputation within both the Oribital Guard and ORBCOMM for having pulled off some amazing maneuvers during satellite recovery and debris clearance missions that would have resulted in collisions for other pilots. Unfortunately, the most daring of these have been without approval from his superiors, who seem to lack the same unflinching belief in his abilities. While several on the Selection Committee voted against him, preferring a more predicable option, the overall group recognized that despite his overconfidence he's undeniably the best at what he does.

Aspect: Daredevil Shuttle Pilot
Sep 4, 2024 2:09 am
Character: Olivia Rojas

Olivia Rojas (they/them) is the child of Colonel Edgar Rojas of the Planetary Defense Force, a connection which you'd expect would have made Olivia's career path a smooth one. Only, Edgar never wanted his daughter anywhere near the military life and has consistently used his influence to block their advancement and try to manipulate them into quitting. He's not been gentle, going so far as to ensure that their commanding officers and squadmates have unspoken orders to treat them harshly and give them all of the worst jobs. No worries, they've simply used the practice to grow quite adept at taking on people above their weight class.

Aspect: Postergirl for Frontal Assault
Sep 4, 2024 4:42 pm
Does it make sense for Olivia to be in Woods's squad? They seem like they'd get along šŸ˜„
Sep 7, 2024 7:51 pm
natknight says:
Does it make sense for Olivia to be in Woods's squad? They seem like they'd get along šŸ˜„
Sure, I see no reason why the Selection Committee wouldn't have picked two troops with a history of working well together.

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