The 6th Millenium

[Steve]

This is an idea that started banging around in my head last week, a setting that combines the Planetary Romance and Post-Apocalypse genres.

 

That setting is Earth at the dawn of the 6th Millenium, following the collapse of civilization. While I would call it part of the planetary romance genre, I would like to give it a harder sci-if feel. Towards that end, one of the staples of rubber science is not present.

 

No FTL travel: the best speed achievable by manned space flight topped out at 99.5% of light speed. Travel to the stars was usually done by vehicles such as Bussard Ramjets, the crew using cold sleep to reduce the need for consumables and staying awake in shifts to monitor the systems.

 

Mars and Venus were both terraformed to great success using a mixture of genetically modified lifeforms and slinging ice comets at the worlds. Humans were modified to live on them, creating variant species of humanity adapted to the rigors of the environments. Humans capable of living in the oceans on Earth were also created.

 

Genetic engineering, in addition to creating these new variants of humanity, also created servant races by mixing animal and human DNA. These Animen (my working title for such beings) were one of many new marvels, conditioned at their creation to be loyal to their human masters.

 

Artificial intelligence was achieved, and a form of singularity occurred as a result. The AIs that were created at the start of the Third Millenium were actually the source of many of the advances that mankind made, from star flight to terraforming. Over the next centuries, man spread through the solar system then began reaching for the stars. They took with them the knowledge of terraforming perfected on Mars and Venus.

 

What caused the Collapse is uncertain, but it left Earth cut off from the rest of mankind, and it fell to a more barbaric state with small pockets of higher technology remaining.

 

Any suggestions on fleshing out this barebones setting idea will be appreciated.

[Steve]

I neglected to mention another form of human variant that was created, but I am not sure how to name them. Because star travel took so long at the best sublight speeds available, there arose a breed of mankind that had its lifespan extended to 800 years. The modifications were expensive, but what was originally used for interstellar astronauts eventually became a prize bought by the wealthy. Such long-lived humans still exist, and they usually occupy positions of authority in post-Collapse Earth, taking a longer view.

[L. Marcus]

No magic, I take it? Or psi powers? And what power level did you have in mind? With ultra-tech around, you'd have genegineered super soldiers, cyborgs, robots of all kinds of shapes -- including androids and clouds of nanites -- X-ray laser pulse weapons, antimatter missiles ... I'd go for at least Low-powered Supers.

[GhostDancer]

Possible names for breed of mankind that had its lifespan extended to 800 years -

 

*Fu Manchus

*Methuselahs

*Old Ones

*Fey or Fey Folk

*Vamps

*____________________(your suggestion)

 

Of course, these Elders could have more than one nickname, but one should be primary, and no more than several would make the cut as strange aeons elapsed.

 

[dmjalund]

how about

 

 

"The Persist"

 

[Steve]

No magic, I take it? Or psi powers? And what power level did you have in mind? With ultra-tech around, you'd have genegineered super soldiers, cyborgs, robots of all kinds of shapes -- including androids and clouds of nanites -- X-ray laser pulse weapons, antimatter missiles ... I'd go for at least Low-powered Supers.

No magic exists, but psionic powers exist. I may change my mind on the power level, but I am thinking to keep them low.. I might also stay away from telekinesis and stay with telepathic-based powers. Mutations and gene manipulation are the sources of such powers.

 

Yes, robots and cyborgs exist, and also super-soldiers.

 

I have in mind a sort of swords & blasters feel, kind of like crossing the Valdorian Age and a high-tech setting that experienced an apocalypse. Ultratech items are this world's version of a magic item. Blasters are the common name for a variety of handheld energy weapons.

 

"Monsters" would be things like mutant supersoldier types, cyborgs and mutated or man-made critters prowling the wilderness.

 

The heroes could be high-end Heroic/low-end Superhumans.

[Steve]

Possible names for breed of mankind that had its lifespan extended to 800 years -

 

*Fu Manchus

*Methuselahs

*Old Ones

*Fey or Fey Folk

*Vamps

*____________________(your suggestion)

 

Of course, these Elders could have more than one nickname, but one should be primary, and no more than several would make the cut as strange aeons elapsed.

I like Methuselahs or Old Ones. I might go with Ancients as an alternative name. If I have the Collapse take place a few centuries prior to the campaign start date, there would be some of them that remember the old times.

 

Those with genetic alterations are able to breed with unmodified humans, and the modifications are considered to be dominant traits. This would mainly be the various supersoldier breeds and Old Ones.

[Steve]

how about

 

 

"The Persist"

Not bad. I might use that as an alternate nickname for them.

[Lord Liaden]

Some of the Animen should have slipped the subservient role imposed by civilization and established their own societies. In keeping with the Planetary Romance feel, races with genetic suitability to a particular environment may have come to dominate appropriate regions of the world. For example, the plains may be home to Animen based on swift herd animals, in conflict with packs of canine or prides of feline Animen. Felines could also inhabit forests or jungles, also home to arboreal ape-descended. Part-goat Animen might roam the high mountains. And so on.

[Steve]

Some of the Animen should have slipped the subservient role imposed by civilization and established their own societies. In keeping with the Planetary Romance feel, races with genetic suitability to a particular environment may have come to dominate appropriate regions of the world. For example, the plains may be home to Animen based on swift herd animals, in conflict with packs of canine or prides of feline Animen. Felines could also inhabit forests or jungles, also home to arboreal ape-descended. Part-goat Animen might roam the high mountains. And so on.

One thing I have to think about is how human-like I make the various Animen species. It is possible that some are more human in appearance than others. Pig-based types, for example, may have an Orcish appearance while cat-based types may be more human except for ears and tail additions.

[Lord Liaden]

Some of the Animen should have slipped the subservient role imposed by civilization and established their own societies. In keeping with the Planetary Romance feel, races with genetic suitability to a particular environment may have come to dominate appropriate regions of the world. For example, the plains may be home to Animen based on swift herd animals, in conflict with packs of canine or prides of feline Animen. Felines could also inhabit forests or jungles, also home to arboreal ape-descended. Part-goat Animen might roam the high mountains. And so on.

The genetic mix of human and animal could have drifted over centuries without medical supervision, resulting in a degree of variation, i.e. some Animen who are very similar to humans in both appearance and mentality, while others are more bestial in body and/or mind

[GhostDancer]

Feline animen gotta have cat eyes!

[Sundog]

how about

 

 

"The Persist"

Might also use "Astras" - though it's quite possible no one remembers that was short hand for "Homo Sapiens Astra".

[Ranxerox]

I neglected to mention another form of human variant that was created, but I am not sure how to name them. Because star travel took so long at the best sublight speeds available, there arose a breed of mankind that had its lifespan extended to 800 years. The modifications were expensive, but what was originally used for interstellar astronauts eventually became a prize bought by the wealthy. Such long-lived humans still exist, and they usually occupy positions of authority in post-Collapse Earth, taking a longer view.

At 99.5% of the speed of light a 100 light year journey would take a little over seven years from the point of view the people making the trip. That is still a long trip but for someone who could expect to live even a couple of centuries not too bad.

[The Weapon]

If they could make animen then they could easily have made people intelligence with 5 or 6 standard deviations above normal. This means the AVERAGE "smarty" is IQ 175-190, and about 5% of them are 205-220. Some of these could be socially talented as well. Now the technology to make them might have disappeared, but they haven't. They can breed (even breeding with normal humans gets people in the top 1% of IQ) and they can clone themselves. Some of them would have the long-lived modifications too. So do they therefore run everything since they're so smart?

 

Are they discriminated against or presecuted by jealous people? Do they conceal their nature to avoid that? A smart, socially adept, long lived group would be the ultimate conspirators.

 

If the intelligence enhancement and longevity treatments are incompatible (maybe made that way deliberately) then anyone who can discover secret of overcoming that will be owed big by some very smart (and therefore probably very rich) people.