[Sci-Fi] Somnium Aeternum

Jag

Jag

Active Member
Nexus GM
SOMNIUM AETERNUM
/ˈsom.ni.um/ (n) /ae̯ˈter.num/ (a) Latin -- “eternal dream”​

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The advent and meteoric rise of virtual and augmented reality saw its rise in the 2070s when technological breakthroughs in the fields of energy creation wrestled free from the grip of poisonous and limited fossil fuels, major innovations in the collection and utilization of solar and tidal energies allow for never-before-seen advances in technology.

Old habits die hard, however, as new sources of power and the coveted technologies remain controlled by a select few corporations, conglomerates, and consortiums with power untold backed by almighty currency. Although the language may have changed, money never stopped talking.

The emptying-out of the “heartland” to make room for the massive solar panel fields and wind turbine farms to fuel an ever-growing demand for energy led to a drastic rise in population within major cities, urban environments swelling as the new energy sources required central distribution nodes. Small towns, being bypassed by the new distribution system and unable to exist on the old model, dried up over a period of decades, just more land for more energy to go to more major cities.

Cities like New Acadia. A new city built on the Eastern Seaboard as a site of several powerful distribution grids surrounded by urban sprawl, New Acadia was designed to be the paradigm of civilization in this, the “new age.” Major corporations control virtually everything and one doesn’t go far without feeling their influence. They are the manufacturers, the buyers, the processors, and the lifeblood of the city. Hundreds of thousands of employees live in a world dictated to them by their employers. They live in corporate-provided and controlled housing, corporations often controlling miles of territory at a time within the city.

As a result of the expansion of this private control of the economy and society itself, law enforcement and government control is a precarious situation. The New Acadia Police Department is stretched to its limits in attempts to keep the peace and enforce the basic laws in place on all of society, now known as “GenLaw.” This is held in stark contrast to the property rights, regulations, and stricter items imposed by the corporations on themselves and their resident-employees, known as “CorpLaw.” GenLaw, as handled by the NAPD, is the traditional route of the justice system, although the concept of a trial by jury has been long since abolished in favor of a more predictable three-judge panel for all legal matters.

The rise of AI, Artificial Intelligence, has radically affected the everyday lives of citizens within New Acadia. Private cars and public transportation alike are handled via advance computers. While AI has not developed to the level of androids or human-like personas, few homes of those of any economic comfort are without an voice-interfaced AI Assistance System.

Humanity is improving. While full-scale augmentation is only in the early experimental phases, advances in prosthetics have led to a revolution in the medical field while those able to afford it, often on the black market, have turned to prosthetic enhancements for recreational or...less than legitimate purposes. The loss of an eye or an arm, previously, would have been a severe, life-altering issue for a human. Now, the replacements are an improvement on the original hardware one was born with. If you can afford it.

With the power of corporations to influence the system and their outstripping of the NAPD in terms of funds and resources, GenLaw is difficult to enforce as the corporations handle a great deal of their issues, both internal and against one another, outside the boundaries of GenLaw. Corporate Security is more than just a badge and a flashlight in New Acadia.

For some, New Acadia is the realization, the culmination, of technology finally reaching the pinnacle at which it meets humanity's dreaming grasp. For others, it is simply a new reality delving into nightmares as so many things never truly change. The city itself is like the changing landscape of a dream, shaped by those strong enough to imagine their future.
 
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GENERAL OVERVIEW​
Somnium Aeternum is designed to be a large-scale science-fiction setting in which storylines can operate independent or intertwine with easy, allowing for a large number of players to operate with relative independence without the need for a central over-arcing story and plot to which all characters and writers must adhere. Smaller episodic storylines are encouraged with the hopes that over time they can develop and flesh out more of the setting, eventually culminating in a “living” New Acadia that can continue to flourish.


Rules/Parameters​
  • While weapons technology, crime, and conflict are design elements of the RP, this is not a combat-centered or arms-race RP. These items are backdrop story elements to inspire and fuel character interaction and drama.

  • There is no central character or main plot in Somnium, but rather a large and expansive setting in which any number of characters and plots can run concurrent, either completely independent of one another or culminating in major story arcs of an episodic nature. It is meant to be a sci-fi tinted canvass on which everyone can bring their own ideas.

  • As a result, writers are welcome to create individual “episodes” in which a character may participate that may run concurrent to the same character being involved in posting in another “episode” at the same time. There is no need to lock oneself down if there are multiple ideas and stories to be written!

  • The technology level and atmosphere of this game is more akin to Bladerunner than Star Trek, but even less than the former. Flying cars and sky cities aren’t quite around yet and Replicants are beyond current AI technology.

  • The RP will delve into serious and mature territory at times. Handle it accordingly.

  • Collaboration is encouraged.

  • Multiple characters and supporting NPCs are encouraged.

  • Having fun and creating memorable encounters is the central focus.

  • As GM, I reserve the right to step in, make changes, both in character and through the invisible hand of power, to assist things in the right direction if it become necessary.
 
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Character Sheet​

Name:

Age:

Occupation:

Physical Description (images welcome):

Biographical Information:

Additional Information:
 
Yes, please! I like the setting, but your writing has very strong kung-fu! Very well thought out and concise. I'll have a character profile tonight or tomorrow
 
<_< It's been a long time since I've done this >_> (join an RP that's not the Omniverse), but.... toss down a tally mark for me :)
 
Any and all are welcome. We've had a few submissions and absolutely need more! If anyone needs to send me a message to get more information and I can help in any way, feel free.
 
I'm just waiting for my next day off to get something done up :)
 
I really like the idea of this! I would love to join too. I am a bit new to character creation so sorry if i'm a bit slow to submit my character to you.
 
I was in an rp like this once though the tech was reverae engineered from alien tech anyways

Could i have a cyborg detective type character?
 
Depends on how far you're looking to go with the cyborg angle. We have a character with a number of augmentations that has been submitted but not approved yet. Here's why -- as I stated in the opening, the technology isn't quite to the point of full-scale augmentation. We don't have Star Trek androids, Bladerunner replicants, or Deus Ex augs quite yet.

You'll have to have a good in-story reason for why a character has such extensive technology, but keep in mind the following things -- it probably wasn't obtained legally and will draw a great deal of attention/suspicion that might be unwanted. Further, it isn't something that can be easily replaced/repaired if at all, so that's an in-story roadblock that your character may run into.

As far as the detective part, someone with those shorts of augs, given where he would have to have obtained them, probably isn't going to be part of the NAPD. If you're talking about a Corporate security-type character or a private detective, that's more plausible. Depends on what you want the character to be doing.
 
Is this RP still open and is it okay if my character is on the younger side?
 
@Yoda: Absolutely! If you have any questions or need to discuss anything, feel free to drop me a line.

Just a heads up -- I may not be too responsive over the next 2 days. Rest assured I will catch up as soon as possible.
 
I was thinking a character similar to this.
Here the character would have just the cybernetic prosthetics., not the genetic augmentation as well as this rp universe does not allow it.
 
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