Current Location

[thefleet_mods]

✦ CURRENT LOCATION ✦
Here. Here. They are coming.	... We have trained them to think of the Future as a promised land which favored heroes attain ...
✦ Current Location This page details the fleet's current location in the Mentara Galaxy Cluster. While the game primarily takes place aboard the Owmi's fleet of ships, the fleet changes location frequently. As they are a nomadic society on a quest to find the missing remenants of their lost people, moving around the galaxies is what they do. This page will stay up to date with the fleet's present location and the details about that location. When the fleet moves to a new location, the information here will be archived and still accessable, but in a different place on the mod journal. ✦ Vades Leth Vigans - The Frozen Giant ✦ ✦ Cefth-Ty Galaxies Two galaxies currently in the process of colliding. ✦ Sector Cef M-0-nI67 This sector primarily consists of the giant black hole named Vades Leth Vigans which roughly translates as The Frozen Giant. It is named thus, because the black hole has mysteriously stopped functioning as a normal black hole: it is there, existing in space, with a cloud of debris around it, but it is no longer consuming matter. Prior to the unknown event that caused this black hole's present circumstances, this black hole was considered unremarkable as far as singularities went. At the time it was frozen, it was in the process of consuming a solar system. Records are unclear, however, as to exactly when the black hole simply stopped. It has been this way at least as long as the Chotubgane have had control of the sector. And the current regime of the Chotubgane have outlawed any scientific inquiry into the reason for this impossible anomaly. ✦ System lOk-90 There is very little left of the solar system, which is now all locked in a haphazard cloud that floats around the frozen black hole. There is enough force keeping this cloud of debris stuck around the black hole, but what that force is, exactly, is not entirely known. There is one gas giant remaining whole - it is a swirl of purples, blues, and greens. There is one rocky planet left, but it has been striped of its atmosphere and is cold and dusty gray. There are a few dwarf-sized rocky planets scattered around the cloud, and they are also cold and dusty. The system once contained an asteroid belt, which has expanded to contained the remains of former planets and other solar system debris and taken the form of a cloud around the black hole. It fills in the major gaps between the remaining larger solar system objects. Swirling around all of these larger objects are the wisping nebulous remains of the solar system's former star and gas planets. This system is inhabited and the primary industry is mining and exports. Because the system is inhabited, the Owmi Fleet must remain at an agreed upon distance, especially the military armada. And only shuttles with minimal escort (military escorts are only allowed with prior approval) are allowed access to the settlements of the system. ✦ Inhabitants and Settlements The Ruling Elite: The Chotubgane This Sector and System are under control of the alien species known as the Chotubgane, whose home planet is Nukeon 3. They are generally known as a race of humanoid aliens who have three nostrils and thin folds of skin along their arms, which they use to detect sound and vibration. Their home-world is rich in mineral wealth, making it a target for prospectors from many different species. And because of such, they have developed strong militaristic counter measures to protect themselves and ensure their prosperity. In that regard, these Chotubgane are not much different from their counterparts on their home-world, but here they are highly selective with whom they do trade and business. Almost no one is granted a face to face audience with an actual Chotubgane, but instead most business and trade deals are completed via some form of electronic communication facilitated by an alien from a species the Chotubgane considers lesser but qualified enough to conduct such affairs on their behalf. If a business partnership reaches a certain level of trust, one might finally be allowed to meet one of the Chotubgane face to face. There is also one settlement-wide holiday during the year where it is theoretically possible for someone of the 'commoner' stock to be invited into the presence of the Chotubgane. This happens during the holiday’s culmination gala event when a selection of citizens are chosen to attend the Chotubgane’s elite soiree. This special privilege that the Chotubgane claim is open to all, is meant to signify unity within the settlement; however, by coincidence or design, the recipients of this honor always seem to hail from the middle class settlements. The Chotubgane all live in the Upper Class settlements which are entirely off limits to all but the select few intermediaries that they've chosen to be their mouth-pieces. The lower classes dream about what these Upper Class settlements must look like, but their gossip is rarely verified. There are times when Chotubgane transport vehicles pass through the settlements of the lower classes and though the view ports are tinted dark beyond any viewer’s abilities to see inside, it’s common for someone to claim they caught a glimpse of one of the Chotubgane. Many romance fiction of the lower classes revolve around star-cross lovers, one of course being a Chotubgane. Despite this severe separation, the Chotubgane are the ruling elite and they control all the means of wealth and power in the settlements, the majority of mining operations, the primary means of commerce, and the trade regulations. The Middle Classes The middle classes are primarily comprised of merchants, tradesmen, law enforcement, and government employees. Whatever parts of the colony that need to be run, but aren’t mine-work, this is the middle class. There are dozens of species of aliens in the settlements, and due to some class mobility between the lower and middle classes, most aliens are seen across both classes. However, there are two alien species that are predominantly middle class because they are known for filling most highly coveted intermediary positions for the the Chotubgane. They are the Uekelians and the Pukewish. The Uekelians originally hail from the planet of Banton VIII. They are a race of felids with large tusks. Their tails continue growing throughout their entire lives, and the length of an individual's tail can be a good indicator of age. Uekelian temperament tends towards authoritarian structures, and because of such, the Chotubgane long ago instilled them as the primary law enforcers of their mining colony, from beat-cops up through the judicial system to top judicial positions. The Pukewish originally come from the planet K’Bheshania. They are a race of humanoid aliens with large horns on their heads and sharp claws. They are generally skilled diplomats and believe everything in the universe is literally alive. The Chotubgane have long exploited their diplomatic skills by using them as their predominant merchant intermediaries. The markets of the Middle Class settlements are well lit, well maintained, and generally pleasant. They tend to give the impression of open-air shopping malls. Stalls and shops are sturdy, permanent affairs with brightly colored advertisements and displays, designed to draw the eyes of potential customers. There are a broad assortment of wares on offer, though each shop or stall tends to have a specialty. Many sell mid-range crystals used in jewelry or for energy storage (by law, all top quality crystals - be they for energy or jewelry - are traded exclusively by the Chotubgane). But there are also legitimate and reputable shops that sell clothing, toys, home goods, grocery items, new and used vehicle parts, goods mined locally, etc. There are also a number of restaurants that offer prepared food for a wide variety of species. Regular security patrols keep crime to a minimum. When legitimate traders of middling means come to the markets of the Chotubgane mining colony, these are the markets they come to for trading. Individuals who live in the middle class settlements tend to have ready access to wears and goods from outside the system due to the business these traders bring in. The Lower Classes The lower classes predominately work in one of the three mining areas in this sector: gas, minerals, and crystals. They work in harsh, dangerous conditions, under the Chotubgane-peddled false idea that if they work hard enough, they, too, can improve their station in life. They live in the poorest settlements that often lack sufficient access to healthy food and clean water, air, or shelter, with poor waste management. Not to mention the lack of any real access to adequate health care. Many of the workers living in these settlements are severely indebted to the point of servitude either to the Chotubgane or the intermediaries who have risen high enough to hold positions of power in this sector. In essence, many of the workers from this class are ‘unfree’ workers who could not leave if they wanted to. Despite a large police presence, crime is high among these settlements; however, the inhabitants don’t trust the law enforcement officers. Rarely are they called to handle any disputes less than actual murder. Which creates a power vacuum for gangs and more crime. The Chotubgane view this section of the colony as wholly expendable so long as they have workers for their mining operation, and care little about the vitality and wellbeing of the lower class settlements. While these settlements are comprised of dozens of different alien species, there are two alien species that are considered by most in the colony to be uncivilized or sub-sentient, and thus lacking full personhood - basically, everyone shits on them. The Afiri and the G’Folians. The Afiri originally hail from the home-world of Sikka VI and are a race of colorful alien birds who express their emotions through the excretion of various scented bodily fluids. They have a peculiar and elaborate religion, for which they will wear specific ceremonial headdresses, all with various meanings. The G’Folians originally come from Vordania and are a race of photosynthetic marsupials with x-ray vision. The Chotubgane quickly found a way to exploit their special vision for uses in mining. With no natural solar star in the system, things are very difficult for the G’Folians. Kept at a distance away from the middle class markets, the markets of the Lower Class settlements are a stark contrast against their middle class counterparts. Stalls here tend to be rickety, impermanent affairs set up by their owners wherever there is space. The streets and walkways are narrower and darker and neglected. In the absence of funding for brightly colored ads and flashy displays, vendors will often call out to passers by, extolling the virtues of their wares. Unlike the more well regulated middle class market, most prices aren’t fixed and haggling is considered commonplace; some vendors will accept goods or services in trade if a customer is short on cash. There’s generally less of a selection, and far fewer obviously imported goods. There are some vendors that sell prepared foods, but they tend to cater to the needs and tastes of the species who regularly frequent the market instead of a broader spectrum of species - most food establishments are street cart vendors rather than permanent restaurants. Despite heavy patrols by security, trade in illicit goods flourishes right alongside the legitimate business-beings. If one knows where to look, one can purchase stolen goods, illegal weapons, recreational drugs, or other even less savory things. No one living in the lower class settlements is granted a permit to buy or sell the crystals mined in the asteroids, even the lowest quality of crystals, so any crystals traded in these markets are done so illegally. Other Notable Aliens There are a great deal of other alien species living in the mining colony settlements, there might be over a hundred different species if they were all counted. Not all species are represented in groups, but some are. These species can be found in both the middle class and lower class settlements. Here are just a few of the more represented groups of aliens in the settlements. Tazanlians originally hail from the world of Lomi VIII. They are a race of reptiles. The entire species is addicted to a plant pollen that is common on their world. The microscopic pollen is carried on the wind and reaches every island and continent. Because of this, when they leave their home-world, they bring a supply of the plants in contained terrarium with them. They believe in an all-knowing creator god called Fleebeer and are obsessed with spreading the word of their religion to members of other alien races. They can be over-zealous in their proselytizing which has led to the creation of a few laws against public proselytizing outside of certain zones in the settlements (and most settlers avoid the proselytizing zones.) Axalians originally come from Ufenia IX. They are a bipedal race similar in appearance to giant anteaters. They are extremely prudish. Many of their technological advancements are in the field of negative energy manipulation. Drazanans originally come from Ergeer. They are a race of vegetarian humanoid aliens who have sharp teeth. For some strange reason, they find death to be outrageously funny. Several of their most famous comedians have died on stage. They have formed a political union with several neighbouring species. They tend to make the other settlers uncomfortable with their odd sense of humor. Waaons hail from the planet Levia. They are a race of flying insectivores who distrust outsiders. The species is divided into two distinct races; those with spots and those with stripes (the group that has settled in the colony bear stripes). They drink a wine fermented from their own droppings, that they call Eniwgnud. The drink is a powerful intoxicant. While originally used for ceremonial purposes, it has since become a popular recreational drug in the lower class settlements. Tarkans come from Vixia V. They are a race of self-obsessed humanoid aliens who have short tails and whiskers. When their home-world was rendered uninhabitable due to an environmental catastrophe, they terraformed a nearby planet in their star system, making it their new home. They evolved on the same world as a race of semi-intelligent mammals which they use as slaves. ✦ The Mining Operations The Chotubgane mining colony mines three primary resources: gas, minerals, and crystals; each being profitable in their own way. All ‘independent’ mining operations must apply for a permit from the Chotubgane through the proper legal avenues and pay the hefty permit fees. Permits, of course, are binding contracts that automatically grant the Chotubgane at least 30% of an independent miner’s revenue from their findings, if the negotiator is skilled (the Chotubgane have been known to wheedle an independent miner out of 70% of their revenue). Gas The deconstructed remnants of the system’s star and gas giants are resource rich deposits of gas, most particularly where that gas has collected in pockets around the cloud of frozen-black-hole debris. And if it will turn a profit, the Chotubgane are willing to risk the lives of others to make that profit. In some regards, this can be the most dangerous of the three mining operations. Direct exposure to the radiation emitted from these pockets of gas has lasting harmful effect, and the Chotubgane are not the type to cut profits for the benefit of providing workers adequate safety gear. Minerals The asteroids, dwarf planets, and the lone remaining rocky planet all have heavy metal elements that in some instances have been readily exposed by the black hole when it was active. And now those heavy metal elements are ripe for easy mining with the right equipment and a severe disregard of sentient life. And the Chotubgane are here to take those minerals and disregard sentient life. This, too, is an unsafe endeavor, at least the way the Chotubgane force their workers to endure it. It could be made safer if the Chotubgane devoted enough resources to protect their workers, but that would cut into profits. Crystals Crystal deposits can be found within a certain quadrant of the asteroid cloud. This quadrant happens to be rather close to the settlements. The Chotubgane have been mining these asteroids for crystal deposits since they founded the colony. This operation is their most profitable due to the many ways they have found to market the crystals. Some can be used for energy storage, some can be sold for their beauty, expensive butt plugs (nothing says privilege like taking something expensive and rare and shoving it up one's rectum), etc. Rumor says that these crystals grow where they want to, and some miners claim that crystals have been found growing in the settlements themselves. But for the most part, the Chotubgane keep out any competition trying to make their own way in the crystal mining business in this system. ✦ Competitive Entertainments There are a number of competitive entertainments that the workers and settlers use to distract themselves from the harshness of their reality. While there are many, the most popular are the asteroid races, freestyle match fighting, and gambling. An interesting theme about these most popular forms of competitive entertainments is that they all started within the lower classes before gaining their position of popularity within the settlements as a whole. Asteroid Races At some point, a group of workers decided that it might be fun to take discarded mining vessels, fix them up to the point that they worked just enough to sling-shot a pilot around predetermined asteroids, just to see who could do it the fastest (while still living). And from there, a sport was born; a sport in which many competitors die trying to win something that only garners them the barest bit of fame. However, considering the dangers of their mining jobs, dying with the grace of a small bit of fame is a step up. But it’s an established sport now. The vessels are still refurbished discarded mining vessels savaged from the junk heap (it’s really the only way most competitors can afford one), but the routes are now organized and maintained as much as possible. There are regulated divisions - and there are even have kiddie races (that are much safer!). Victors are celebrities, and can even move from the lower classes up to the middle classes because of their abilities to win. The big races are broadcast throughout the all the settlements. But there are also spectator stands where people gather to watch the races if they can afford the tickets and the time off. Freestyle Match Fighting It might have started as a way for the mining workers to vent their crippling frustration about life, the universe, and everything, but at some point fighting each other became a regular, regulated event with rules, spectators, and trained combatants. There is no rule about the style of fighting. But there are rules against weapons and artificial body augmentations - but natural forming defensive features are permitted. There are categories for one-on-one matches or teams-versus-teams. There are categories for weight and size, or open class categories. Fighters can gain celebrity status due to their wins and popularity, and as with the races, aliens from the lower class can move up to the middle class due to their celebrity status. These fights, as one can imagine, are extremely dangerous, especially at the lowest levels where the fights are little more than bar room brawls. Many a combatant has perished in their fight for fame and glory. Major fights are broadcast throughout the settlement, but there are spectator venues for this sport as well. Gambling Where there are sports of chance, there are people willing to place bets. And where there are people willing to gather to place bets - on races, or fighting matches - there are people willing to toss more money on other gambles. Card and dice games are quite popular in these gambling houses. Gambling houses can only be found in the lower class settlements, so they are as shady as their surroundings. But they bring in the big crowds when a big fight or race is being broadcast, even some settlers from the middle class come down in person to place their bets because some gambling houses will take no bets unless they are made in person, backed up with actual, tangible money. ✦ Settlement Specific Laws The mods state up front that all the rules regarding crime found on the Crime and Punishment Page still apply, so players should keep that in mind. However, the Chotubgane mining colony has a few strange laws that are unique to this particular setting. The Designated Proselytizing Zones Act This law reads: “Any person while within the borders of the Chotubgane mining colony shall proselytize only within the boundaries of areas designated for such activities and only during the timeframes outlined as determined on the signage of previously stated designated area. Any person found to be proselytizing outside of either the posted timeframes or physical boundary of the proselytizing zone shall be fined 100 credits.” The Preservation of Public Decency Act This law reads: “Any person while within the borders of the Chotubgane shall refrain from grooming themselves in public, and shall keep all such activities within restrooms or the confines of a private residence or structure. • An instance of hair or fur or scale scratching lasting longer than five seconds will be considered to have crossed over from scratching to grooming. Any person found in violation of this law shall be fined 100 credits. • Infants and especially young children and caretakers of children administering to the wellbeing of children and infants are not subject to this law.” Anti-Consumption Consumer-Protection Act This law is only in effect in the Middle Class Market places. It reads: “Any person within the boundary of a Middle Class Market shall not eat while they shop in the open air sections of the market. Any person found in violation of this law shall be fined 50 credits.” Goslings Protection Act This law reads: “No person within the boundaries of the Chotubgane mining colony shall juggle goslings. Not one, nor any number thereof. No breeds or species are excepted. Any person or persons in violation of this law shall be fined 1000 credit, forced to pay restitution for damages, and may face up to 30 days in jail.” Anti-Tail Treading Act This law reads: “No person within the boundaries of the Chotubgane mining colony shall purposefully and knowingly tread upon the tail of a person in possession of a tail. Any person in violation of this law shall be fined 2000 credit, forced to pay restitution for damages, and may face up to 60 days in jail. • Penalties shall double if the victim is a law enforcement officer or a government official.” ✦ Questions and Answers How do credit exchanges work? Do characters have to exchange Owmi money to local currency in order to shop in the market places? Yes, but it is all easily done electronically via the character’s comm devices. Through their communication device, the characters have access to any money they have earned via their employment aboard the Owmi fleet. And that’s how they will handle transactions in the market places so there is no extra step that your character needs to take in order to shop in the markets. The credit exchange rate is 1:1 - easy and simple Can my character participate in the competitive entertainments? As a spectator - absolutely! As a competitor in the races or fights - not yet (but they can certainly gamble if they want to - what a fun but dicey way to try to earn money). HOWEVER, there is a holiday with a month long festival quickly approaching where the races and fights will be open to anyone interested in competing. There will be both an OOC and IC announcement about this, so keep your eyes open for that. Can my character sneak into the Upper-class Chotubgane settlements either by trickery or simple stealth? No. In fact, the upper-class settlements are located on an entirely different space rock, protected by spaceships and force fields and lasers. All ships entering the upper class settlements must have the proper permits to pass through the shields. They’re shields are really strong. For reasons. Does the Chotubgane have a military presence in this system? Yes. They are quite formidable. And unforgiving. Can I, as a player, use my imagination to come up with an alien species that my character encounters in the middle/lower class settlements/markets? Yes, definitely! Feel free to use your imagination (or this handy alien generator) to populated the place with NPC aliens. However, please keep four things in mind: 1) Keep things within the boundaries of common sense and good taste (no aliens with god-like powers or naughty tentacles, etc.); 2) Your character will not run into a Chotubgane; 3) There are no Ibere NPCs here (hmmm, how mysterious!); 4) There are no aliens here from the characters’ universes or from our universe (so none who’ve been to ‘Earth’). What if I want my character to get caught breaking one of those silly laws? Come talk to the mods and we’ll work out your character’s punishment. Are there any interactive NPCs in this setting? YES! There are two: Cor Lin from the middle class and Xilef Xam from the lower class. If you would like to have an interaction with either (it’s a great way for your character to learn things about this setting), come talk to the mods. What if my character requests an audience with the Chotubgane? If you wish to handwave the interaction, your character will receive a curt denial from one of the Pukewish intermediaries. If they continue to ask, the responses they receive will become increasingly rude and vile until ultimately they receive no more answers. If you would like to play out the conversation, please contact the mods and you can have a thread with the Pukewish Cor Lin. What can my character find in the markets? Outerspace variants of anything you could normally buy in a mall. With a few additions: ✦ They will not find anything specific from the characters’ universes. (We have a point system for characters to get things ‘from home’.) ✦ In the middle class markets, characters can find some lovely crystals (that bear a striking resemblance to the ones the characters found growing in the caves on Baj E’oku Prime and are now also growing on the walls of the Sacred Keep.) These crystals are still quite expensive, so be prepared to part with a lot of your hard earned cash if you want one. These ones however, do all have a distinct commonality, though it’s hard to place at first glance. Perhaps your character might want to talk to one of the NPCs to gain more information about these crystals. ✦ Characters can get their hands on illegal things like weapons or drugs if they can find the appropriate sellers in the lower class markets, but those items would likely be very expensive and would risk the character getting into serious legal trouble. However, keep in mind a few things: illegal drugs are highly regulated in the Owmi fleet, and because of that, any drugs the Owmi consider illegal WILL be confiscated on the shuttle ride back to the station, no exceptions (so, smoke/pop/snort ‘em while in the settlements - if you want to know if your character’s drug purchase will be confiscated, come ask the mods). As for the weapons, anything overly large will be confiscated by the Owmi on the shuttle ride back to the station, but if it’s a hand-held weapon, it will be ‘overlooked’ for now. (But really folks, use common sense.) What are the costs of things? Aside from what we talked about above, we’re not going to get that detailed, just be reasonable about the cost of general things. How often do the shuttles run to and from the settlements? Shuttles go/return hourly. Can my character try to figure out why the black hole is frozen? They can try, but for right now, they will be thwarted by law enforcement on Chotubgane orders - those bastards! But hey, maybe your character should start working with their fellow characters to try to find out more about this place. Things just don’t seem right about this place, do they? If you want ideas, come talk to the mods! Can my character gain access to the mines? That depends - maybe they should ask the intermediary NPC for a tour? What light source does this colony have? It is all artificial. Those poor photosynthetic G’Folians. Will the characters' garas cause a stir in the population of the settlements? This is a very good question! Maybe you should have your character interact with one of the NPCs to find out. *wink wink nudge nudge* (But generically, the population will mistake the garas as implanted jewelry and thus consider the Owmi and characters to be rather rich.) What can be seen of the system from the Habitat Station? Can the characters even see the blackhole from where the fleet is ordered to remain? In the literal sense, no one can 'see' a blackhole. Because the fleet does have to remain a far distance away from the colony, the 'blackhole' and its debris cloud are difficult to see in the spacescape when viewed without magnification from the average view port on the Habitat Station. HOWEVER, many public view ports have magnification features, so if your character wants to get a look at the whole blackhole and debris cloud while still on the station, they can do so. What’s this festival/celebration/holiday about? You’ll have to wait to find out. Ya, we know we’re mean. What if I have more questions? Ask them below!	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