Post by mercuryman on Apr 22, 2010 4:41:15 GMT -5
The first of many documents that I will post here providing background on this second incarnation of the SOO project.
Ideas, criticism, stylistic suggestions encouraged.
Note: As per title, this is a synopsis, not the story itself. Each section, or even each events from each section, can be expanded into a full story in its own right as background for the relevant area.
----------------------------------
The founding of Avantasia.
A giant colonization space ship arrives in the star system of what is now known as the planet Avantasia.
The ship is severely damaged, having barely escaped the orbital battlefield which engulfed its home system.
The exact nature of the conflict and its participants is something that is known only to a small, elite group among the passengers. All, however, are aware that their home planet is now an unrecognisable ball of slag, unlikely to be habitable again for millenia.
The ships commanders identify the most habitable planet of the new system.
The commanders and the rest of the ships passengers then convene and discuss their situation. They determine that they must choose either to expend their remaining energy on travelling to and landing upon the new planet - or attempt to repair the failing life-support systems on the ship and await rescue. Due to the damage and vanishing energy reserves these choices are mutually exclusive.
The first option is chosen, but tensions remain high as the decision is arrived at only by the barest margin of a majority vote. During the descent to the planet, propulsion systems fail entirely, the ship careens out of control and crashes into thick jungle (which provides some little cushioning of impact.)
The bulk of passengers are killed on impact and the ship is ruined beyond any hope of repair. Survivors move out into the world, salvaging what technology and supplies they can and prepare for a new life.
The planet is christened Avantasia, the name deriving from and in memory of, the colony ship "The Avant."
Centuries pass, there is no further contact from the outside universe, however the society flourishes, resources are abundant, food supplies rich and much technological knowledge is retained through salvaged devices and systems, as well as that passed down from the original survivors. Population growth is explosive.
Although as a whole the civilization blooms, there are civil disputes and wars between factions along the way. During these conflicts, much of what was retained, is lost. Weaponry and devices of power salvaged long ago from the colony ship are put to use and send society into a panic. The original devices are few, but crude replicas are constructed, which while unreliable and dangerous to their users, contribute most to the general and widespread destruction.
Most damaged of all, is history. Few knew all the details of what came before and fewer were willing to talk about it. Of these people and their descendants, many are killed during the violence. In time and as a social whole, the origins of humans are effectively forgotten.
Eventually, one faction emerges as the dominant power...
--------
Rise of the Akzerian Syndicate
"Akzerian" was the name of a powerful family from the original civilization, of which, some notable figures escaped both the destruction of their home planet and the crash of the colony ship.
The family and their descendants managed to hold onto some of the more powerful technology, weapons and knowledge that remained after the crashlanding. They became the cornerstone of an eponymous faction, which over the centuries endured many wars and attempts at eradication, eventually becoming the stabilizing force of the entire population.
Upon realizing the goal of singular government, the Akzerians put into effect measures intended to prevent once and for all the recurrence of such destructive civil strife. The official classification of the group was also changed from "Syndicate" to "Federation," - though people critical of the organisation continue to use the former as a reminder that at its core it remained a collaboration of powerful private interests and corporate entities.
Thus was born a legislative commandment; The Decree of Planetary Protection. Chief among the multitude of proposals inherent in the DPP was the Anti-M.A.D. Act (The AMA), the details of which subject to more controversy and argument than any other.
The purpose behind the AMA was to remove the potential for widespread damage as a consequence of technology falling into the wrong hands. While technology provides people with great power to do good, it is not in itself 'good' and may be misused to cause disproportionately large scale damage from an isolated source.
As a result, the AMA proposed a ban upon all portable, self-renewable and high-energy devices capable of being converted into explosive weaponry. Furthermore, all high-powered ranged weaponry, which could be used to massacre large numbers, were banned from production or distrubtion as well. Severe punishments were introduced for violations of these rules and a high-tech prison constructed ("The Panoptikon MK.35") to hold and rehabilitate (i.e. brain-alter/wipe) rebels and offenders.
Once passed and grudgingly accepted, the Decree became the foundation of the governments social power, its private army of law enforcers of course being excluded from the DPP stipulations. (though all precautions were taken to ensure their impartiality)
The rule of the Akzerians was an ironfisted one, its totalitarian ideologies despised by many. Nevertheless, it was effective - and they presided over the first century of relative peace since Avantasia's inception.
-----------
SpaceDestiny
In its origins, spacedestiny was little more than a small group of surviving scientists and engineers, who did as do all people in crisis, and stuck together. As a straggling populace grew and formed its own 'economy' these academics were one of the prime sources of technological products, knowhow and industrial assistance, becoming thence very wealthy as a result.
It was only natural then that they ally themselves with the group most likely to preserve them from a social downfall; the Akzerians.
When the Akzerians became a government, SpaceDestiny became official and was recipient of generous subsidies.
A century later, with mines of Lunadia had been constructed and were producing volumes of precious resources. Factories were up and running and a city's infrastructure began to take shape. Simultaneously, the descendants of those original scientists and engineers put their minds to the task of resurrecting the otherwise near-forgotten art of space-travel. Initial efforts proved troublesome (and near-disastrous on more than a couple of occasions) however an entrepreneurial spirit and determination to vindicate the dedication of their forefathers in passing down the necessary knowledge , they finally succeeded in putting humanity, once more, into orbit.
From there, with the extraordinary abundance of resource available, industry doubled and redoubled in size and scale. Eventually, spacecraft of a wide range were available and commerically viable. For the first time, probes were sent to explore the Avantasian star system. More planets were discovered, a few appeared capable of sustaining human life. Work began on the interplanetary cruiser and within another century, The Avant II was constructed and men once again began taking small steps toward colonizing other worlds..
----------
The Network
While the Akzerian Federation was of undeniable benefit to human civilization, there were nonetheless indomitable groups of dissenters, people to whom a regulated life, however productive, was no substitute for freedom. Some decided to go their own way and left in exploratory bands, setting off for the desert and vanishing, never to be heard from again. Others remained, but cherished their resentment and in surreptitious, non-violent ways, began to propogate their resistence.
This is how The Network was born. A rivulet of inside knowledge among the populace, in opposition to official channels. The intentions, at least at the beginning, were peaceful. Despite the expanding technological world about them, the restrictions upon personal and portable energy supplies endured and indirectly stifled individual contribution to technology.
People are infintely resourceful, however.. In the absence of external energy supplies separate from the government owned and run power grids, ingenious inventors searched and discovered new sources of power to fuel their gadget-revolution... one such vital source, was humanity itself.
It was with this innovation that the field of cybernetics was born and eventually, the first cyborgs created. The initial designs were benign and utilitarian.. communication devices, simple tools, bodily enhancements.. all powered by users themselves. The sight of flesh and gadgetry inseparably intertwined became commonplace - even, eventually, fashionable.
Inevitably, though, there came a point where other, less laudable uses for this technology became apparent. It began with rumours of an underground, of people who could vanish like ghosts and with their hands alone, hurl fire.
Unlike their more prosaic counterparts, the devices behind these displays of inexplicable power required significantly greater energy and near-prohibitive cost. On top of which, extended use would drain a persons strength to the point where only an unusually long and uninterrupted sleep would permit them to continue functioning.
In addition, authorities began to examine the populace for suspicious implants and this fuelled a new arms race, whereby the cybernetic weaponry became more advanced and was increasingly cleverly concealed, carefully integrated into people; even spliced painstakingly into the very fibre of their fleshy being. Thus did their deadly function become near undetectable and unexpected.. like magic.
Finally the resistence, The Network, had found a way to circumvent the DPP and acquire new and potent weaponry of their own.
The long peace - or as The Network termed it, the long oppression, would soon come to a violent end; a new revolution of planetary evolution would shortly commence.
Ideas, criticism, stylistic suggestions encouraged.
Note: As per title, this is a synopsis, not the story itself. Each section, or even each events from each section, can be expanded into a full story in its own right as background for the relevant area.
----------------------------------
The founding of Avantasia.
A giant colonization space ship arrives in the star system of what is now known as the planet Avantasia.
The ship is severely damaged, having barely escaped the orbital battlefield which engulfed its home system.
The exact nature of the conflict and its participants is something that is known only to a small, elite group among the passengers. All, however, are aware that their home planet is now an unrecognisable ball of slag, unlikely to be habitable again for millenia.
The ships commanders identify the most habitable planet of the new system.
The commanders and the rest of the ships passengers then convene and discuss their situation. They determine that they must choose either to expend their remaining energy on travelling to and landing upon the new planet - or attempt to repair the failing life-support systems on the ship and await rescue. Due to the damage and vanishing energy reserves these choices are mutually exclusive.
The first option is chosen, but tensions remain high as the decision is arrived at only by the barest margin of a majority vote. During the descent to the planet, propulsion systems fail entirely, the ship careens out of control and crashes into thick jungle (which provides some little cushioning of impact.)
The bulk of passengers are killed on impact and the ship is ruined beyond any hope of repair. Survivors move out into the world, salvaging what technology and supplies they can and prepare for a new life.
The planet is christened Avantasia, the name deriving from and in memory of, the colony ship "The Avant."
Centuries pass, there is no further contact from the outside universe, however the society flourishes, resources are abundant, food supplies rich and much technological knowledge is retained through salvaged devices and systems, as well as that passed down from the original survivors. Population growth is explosive.
Although as a whole the civilization blooms, there are civil disputes and wars between factions along the way. During these conflicts, much of what was retained, is lost. Weaponry and devices of power salvaged long ago from the colony ship are put to use and send society into a panic. The original devices are few, but crude replicas are constructed, which while unreliable and dangerous to their users, contribute most to the general and widespread destruction.
Most damaged of all, is history. Few knew all the details of what came before and fewer were willing to talk about it. Of these people and their descendants, many are killed during the violence. In time and as a social whole, the origins of humans are effectively forgotten.
Eventually, one faction emerges as the dominant power...
--------
Rise of the Akzerian Syndicate
"Akzerian" was the name of a powerful family from the original civilization, of which, some notable figures escaped both the destruction of their home planet and the crash of the colony ship.
The family and their descendants managed to hold onto some of the more powerful technology, weapons and knowledge that remained after the crashlanding. They became the cornerstone of an eponymous faction, which over the centuries endured many wars and attempts at eradication, eventually becoming the stabilizing force of the entire population.
Upon realizing the goal of singular government, the Akzerians put into effect measures intended to prevent once and for all the recurrence of such destructive civil strife. The official classification of the group was also changed from "Syndicate" to "Federation," - though people critical of the organisation continue to use the former as a reminder that at its core it remained a collaboration of powerful private interests and corporate entities.
Thus was born a legislative commandment; The Decree of Planetary Protection. Chief among the multitude of proposals inherent in the DPP was the Anti-M.A.D. Act (The AMA), the details of which subject to more controversy and argument than any other.
The purpose behind the AMA was to remove the potential for widespread damage as a consequence of technology falling into the wrong hands. While technology provides people with great power to do good, it is not in itself 'good' and may be misused to cause disproportionately large scale damage from an isolated source.
As a result, the AMA proposed a ban upon all portable, self-renewable and high-energy devices capable of being converted into explosive weaponry. Furthermore, all high-powered ranged weaponry, which could be used to massacre large numbers, were banned from production or distrubtion as well. Severe punishments were introduced for violations of these rules and a high-tech prison constructed ("The Panoptikon MK.35") to hold and rehabilitate (i.e. brain-alter/wipe) rebels and offenders.
Once passed and grudgingly accepted, the Decree became the foundation of the governments social power, its private army of law enforcers of course being excluded from the DPP stipulations. (though all precautions were taken to ensure their impartiality)
The rule of the Akzerians was an ironfisted one, its totalitarian ideologies despised by many. Nevertheless, it was effective - and they presided over the first century of relative peace since Avantasia's inception.
-----------
SpaceDestiny
In its origins, spacedestiny was little more than a small group of surviving scientists and engineers, who did as do all people in crisis, and stuck together. As a straggling populace grew and formed its own 'economy' these academics were one of the prime sources of technological products, knowhow and industrial assistance, becoming thence very wealthy as a result.
It was only natural then that they ally themselves with the group most likely to preserve them from a social downfall; the Akzerians.
When the Akzerians became a government, SpaceDestiny became official and was recipient of generous subsidies.
A century later, with mines of Lunadia had been constructed and were producing volumes of precious resources. Factories were up and running and a city's infrastructure began to take shape. Simultaneously, the descendants of those original scientists and engineers put their minds to the task of resurrecting the otherwise near-forgotten art of space-travel. Initial efforts proved troublesome (and near-disastrous on more than a couple of occasions) however an entrepreneurial spirit and determination to vindicate the dedication of their forefathers in passing down the necessary knowledge , they finally succeeded in putting humanity, once more, into orbit.
From there, with the extraordinary abundance of resource available, industry doubled and redoubled in size and scale. Eventually, spacecraft of a wide range were available and commerically viable. For the first time, probes were sent to explore the Avantasian star system. More planets were discovered, a few appeared capable of sustaining human life. Work began on the interplanetary cruiser and within another century, The Avant II was constructed and men once again began taking small steps toward colonizing other worlds..
----------
The Network
While the Akzerian Federation was of undeniable benefit to human civilization, there were nonetheless indomitable groups of dissenters, people to whom a regulated life, however productive, was no substitute for freedom. Some decided to go their own way and left in exploratory bands, setting off for the desert and vanishing, never to be heard from again. Others remained, but cherished their resentment and in surreptitious, non-violent ways, began to propogate their resistence.
This is how The Network was born. A rivulet of inside knowledge among the populace, in opposition to official channels. The intentions, at least at the beginning, were peaceful. Despite the expanding technological world about them, the restrictions upon personal and portable energy supplies endured and indirectly stifled individual contribution to technology.
People are infintely resourceful, however.. In the absence of external energy supplies separate from the government owned and run power grids, ingenious inventors searched and discovered new sources of power to fuel their gadget-revolution... one such vital source, was humanity itself.
It was with this innovation that the field of cybernetics was born and eventually, the first cyborgs created. The initial designs were benign and utilitarian.. communication devices, simple tools, bodily enhancements.. all powered by users themselves. The sight of flesh and gadgetry inseparably intertwined became commonplace - even, eventually, fashionable.
Inevitably, though, there came a point where other, less laudable uses for this technology became apparent. It began with rumours of an underground, of people who could vanish like ghosts and with their hands alone, hurl fire.
Unlike their more prosaic counterparts, the devices behind these displays of inexplicable power required significantly greater energy and near-prohibitive cost. On top of which, extended use would drain a persons strength to the point where only an unusually long and uninterrupted sleep would permit them to continue functioning.
In addition, authorities began to examine the populace for suspicious implants and this fuelled a new arms race, whereby the cybernetic weaponry became more advanced and was increasingly cleverly concealed, carefully integrated into people; even spliced painstakingly into the very fibre of their fleshy being. Thus did their deadly function become near undetectable and unexpected.. like magic.
Finally the resistence, The Network, had found a way to circumvent the DPP and acquire new and potent weaponry of their own.
The long peace - or as The Network termed it, the long oppression, would soon come to a violent end; a new revolution of planetary evolution would shortly commence.