Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

[tkdguy]

Just for a change in pace from my hard scifi campaign, I thought of a different type of campaign. This time, I'll make liberal use of rubber science and disregard most of the laws of physics.

 

This one draws on early SF stories written by Ray Cummings, HG Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne and Robert Heinlein.

 

Unlike my hard science fiction campaign, I just created this on the fly. So it's incomplete, and ideas are welcome.

 

The premise is, the Aether is real. It's like an intangible sea in between the celestial objects. It has little (if any) measurable friction. Sound travel through the aether, and there is enough gravity so that "down" inside a space ship is the same direction as "down" on Earth.

 

The people of Earth have learned how to build space ships they call "aether fliers" and travel to the other planets of the solar system. The aether fliers use an element that can repel gravity (think Cavorite). They use electromagnetic engines to propel themselves across the aether. I'll figure out what kind of fuel the rockets use. They otherwise function like ocean liners or modern-day airplanes. They would appear like the old Pulp rocket ships, except the military vessels would have World War 2 era cannons and torpedoes.

 

The solar system is inhabited by humans (or humanoids) for the most part, and the nations of Earth are attempting to form alliances with the nations of the different planets.

 

The planets have their own civilizations. Mercury has winged humans who live in feudal societies. Venus has dinosaur-infested swamps and green-skinned humans. The inhabitants of the Moon are similar to the Eloi and Morlocks. Mars has a society similar to that of Barsoom, along with the Red Martians and perhaps the Tharks. I'm still thinking of how to populate the outer planets.

 

So please help me out on this project. It's mainly for fun, so any and all suggestions are welcome, as always.

[Dholcrist]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Once again, very cool idea. Love everything about it, especially the different races on each of the planets.

 

Are you going to use automotons of any kind? Perhaps robots like Robbie in Forbidden Planet? Or maybe like the robots in Metropolis (original)? Very interested in hearing more about this project.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I can add those. I was thinking of making Jupiter's denizens live in a very technocratic society. Maybe they are also automatons, or they use them extensively.

 

At which era should I have Earth society? I was thinking it would be interesting to have a Steampunk Victorian society (so the spacers can get the cool uniforms), but that's not finalized. Should I have it set between the 1920s to 1950s? Or should I set in in the modern day?

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

FYI, the winged people were a nod to Ray Cummings' book Tama, Princess of Mercury (although only the females had wings in his book. Robert Heinlein should be credited with the swamps on Venus.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

A few more ideas:

 

Jupiter: Most societes are very rigid. High technology is the norm, and only a lack of interest in their neighbors has kept the Jovians from visiting or conquering the other planets. They will jealously keep their technology secret from Earth men.

 

Saturn: Saturn's denizens have mental powers to some extent, although it is usually a form of telepathy or precognition. The most powerful psychics end up in positions of leadership.

 

Uranus: A global catastrophe (they won't tell outsiders exactly what happened) has left the planet in chaos. Anarchy reigns.

 

Neptune: Neptune is a water world. The humans can survive underwater without gear, although they are still primarily land dwellers.

[Jachra]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

The premise is, the Aether is real. It's like an intangible sea in between the celestial objects. It has little (if any) measurable friction. Sound travel through the aether, and there is enough gravity so that "down" inside a space ship is the same direction as "down" on Earth.

 

Err... so basically you're saying gravity originates in the center of the earth?

 

How's this work on other planets? Do you 'fall' towards the earth if you're on the wrong side of the planet?

 

I suggest dropping this idea as is and A) making it so that gravity 'extends' into space and is cancelled out by other bodies. Doing it normally and permitting them to have a 'gravitoelectric generator.'

 

Finally, Victorian is best, Pulp Era is almost as good. Modern is a definite no.

[Dholcrist]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Err... so basically you're saying gravity originates in the center of the earth?

 

How's this work on other planets? Do you 'fall' towards the earth if you're on the wrong side of the planet?

 

I suggest dropping this idea as is and A) making it so that gravity 'extends' into space and is cancelled out by other bodies. Doing it normally and permitting them to have a 'gravitoelectric generator.'

 

Finally, Victorian is best, Pulp Era is almost as good. Modern is a definite no.

 

I agree with this mostly, though I think the general idea of the Aether is pretty cool, but definitely does need a bit more explaining. Would you be able to survive in it without protection, a la Flash Gordon? Hell, I think basing a lot of it off of Flash would be pretty cool (though I've only really seen the 80s movie and a few of the original shorts), having asteroids containing their own species living on "islands" in the aether, each a different kingdom or somesuch.

 

I also agree with the Victorian era being the most appropriate choice.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Great ideas, guys. Thanks for the help. Rep for you both.

[Gadodel]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I'm not sure why and I don't even know if it will be helpful, but I started to think of a soundtrack that would work for this. New Age/Industrial, in the vein of Gary Numan suddenly lept to mind. 'Cars' and 'Aether Fliers' seem to fit somehow. Maybe I should start another thread to see if anyone else finds themselves thinking about a soundtrack when they read about a campaign setting...

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Saturn would be perfect for a Mongo style empire, what with 9 planet sized moons all dancing around in fairly close orbits.

 

Nyrath talks about the system on his site here

 

Perhaps the ring was once another, rebellious moon, now object lesson and hideout for outlaws of all stripes....

 

Oh, and I chime in with another voice for Victorian Steampunk. I've always thought the whole Space 1889/ Sky Galleons of Mars idea was golden

 

And I'm in love with the 6 pound Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon, I confess.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I'm not sure why and I don't even know if it will be helpful' date=' but I started to think of a soundtrack that would work for this. New Age/Industrial, in the vein of Gary Numan suddenly lept to mind. 'Cars' and 'Aether Fliers' seem to fit somehow. Maybe I should start another thread to see if anyone else finds themselves thinking about a soundtrack when they read about a campaign setting...[/quote']

Feel free to post it here too. Good soundtracks always enhance the game.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Saturn would be perfect for a Mongo style empire, what with 9 planet sized moons all dancing around in fairly close orbits.

 

Nyrath talks about the system on his site here

 

Perhaps the ring was once another, rebellious moon, now object lesson and hideout for outlaws of all stripes....

 

Oh, and I chime in with another voice for Victorian Steampunk. I've always thought the whole Space 1889/ Sky Galleons of Mars idea was golden

 

And I'm in love with the 6 pound Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon, I confess.

Awesome! Thanks! I owe you some rep too.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Awesome! Thanks! I owe you some rep too.

 

The section at the bottom ("Saturn Mysteries") immediately made me think of a manipulated system.

 

Heh...

Howzabout "The Jewel of the Emperor" a War-palace/Battlestation at the heart of Saturn's gaseous core, harnessing the immense forces into it's atomic furnaces. It hangs, shining like a Jewel over the subject moons of the Empire

Planet buster Death-ray optional, but probable

 

I'd do Pluto as a Yuggoth homage of some sort. Phosphorescent fungusy goodness. Always good to have some enigmatic bad-guys.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I had thought of some sort of Cthulu creature in Pluto. Maybe a few horrors in the asteroid belt as well.

 

And yes, I was leaning toward the Victorian era for the setting, although the rockets would look more like Pulp-era rockets. Maybe the crew will be honored by Queen Victoria (or President Grant, depending on what nationality the characters are) upon their return.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I had thought of some sort of Cthulu creature in Pluto. Maybe a few horrors in the asteroid belt as well.

 

And yes, I was leaning toward the Victorian era for the setting, although the rockets would look more like Pulp-era rockets. Maybe the crew will be honored by Queen Victoria (or President Grant, depending on what nationality the characters are) upon their return.

 

I've always dug the "Deep Ether" vessels as sort of Ironclad Submariners of the sky style. Lots of designs reminiscent of the Nautilus kinda thing.

Sounds like a winner so far

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Jupiter will have a society similar to the the one depicted in the 1927 film Metropolis.

[Dholcrist]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Jupiter will have a society similar to the the one depicted in the 1927 film Metropolis.

 

Awesome, awesome idea. I thought about using automotons like in that, but using the society? Great thinking.

 

My interest in this project has just risen quite a bit.

 

Also, I may have skimmed over this bit of information, but did you say how the Jovians live? Like, are they beings that fly around in the gas giant, or do they live in floating cities (and if so, where did they originally come from?), or by "Jovians" do you mean beings inhabiting the moons around Jupiter?

 

Sorry if I just missed that skimming back over your info.

[Jachra]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I'd go with aether that isn't particularly harmful. In fact, breathable like air. Gives you the excuse to have great big ole Treasure Planet ships and starry vistas.

 

In fact, damn it, run this online so I can play. ;D

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I can go with aether being breathable. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

As for Jupiter, I was thinking of having it and the other gas giants have a solid surface under their thick clouds. There is a Polyhedron mini-game called "The Iron Lords" that has this setting. I will use some of those elements.

 

The moons of the gas giants would likely be inhabited as well, as would the Martian moons.

[Dholcrist]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

I can go with aether being breathable. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

As for Jupiter, I was thinking of having it and the other gas giants have a solid surface under their thick clouds. There is a Polyhedron mini-game called "The Iron Lords" that has this setting. I will use some of those elements.

 

The moons of the gas giants would likely be inhabited as well, as would the Martian moons.

 

Cool, sounds good to me. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

But as an aside, since they're a technologically advanced society anyways, I think them having floating cities and/or floating palaces with "rocketcycles" and the like would be awesome.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Cool, sounds good to me. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

But as an aside, since they're a technologically advanced society anyways, I think them having floating cities and/or floating palaces with "rocketcycles" and the like would be awesome.

 

Hehe...

I suddenly got images of Skycrystal mines around giant snowflake looking accretions of the Lighter-than-Jovian-Soup mineral, mines to feed the hunger for Skycrystal in the creation of new Skypalaces for the Mighty of the Jovian collective that mechanically thrives deep in the gaseous core.

 

Or uh, something like that, yeah...

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

Why not? That would be a good place to keep the underclass in Jupiter.

[Nyrath]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

There was an old novel called STAR WINDS by Barrington J. Bayley. In it, the people of the future discover that our science is incorrect, a much better model is alchemy.

 

They have interplanetary ships that look like galleons, using "aether cloth" for propulsion.

[Spence]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

tkdguy

 

I am actually well into creating a c1935 Pulp Space game.

I have been behind because I realized I was building them more steampunkesh than 30sPulp and so have shifted from using rocket ships that are basically sea going ships converted to rocketships in space in space, to the later tail sitting rockets that resemble Heinlein’s.

 

The long and short of it is they may fit with you campaign plus altering a horizontal deckplan from 20-30’s pulp to Victoria/Steampunk in Cosmographer isn’t really hard at all. I can shoot you a copy of the ones I have if you want.

[tkdguy]

Re: Pulp/Steampunk SF Ideas

 

That would be great. Thanks, Spence!