[Player Hints, Suggestions, and Reminders Below this Synopsis]
April 15, 2099 – It’s time to create an additional Home for humans.
Starship Morna, with her 95 crew members, is ready to leave Earth-orbit.
Earth’s remaining inhabitants pause–in their exertions to finalize the restoration of civilization–to send their farewell messages to Morna‘s crew via the InterMeshWeb.
Future messages to and from Morna will be few and far between because of the incredible distance she’ll travel…
Morna might return to Earth, if the first leg of the mission succeeds—a voyage to Earth’s nearest neighboring system, Alpha/Beta Centauri.
The crew will attempt to establish a colony on the planet Centauri A, which is orbiting the Centauri double-star-system in a “figure-eight”.
A ColonySeed Hub has already been successfully landed on Centauri A and is located in an area with lush vegetation and water.
All crew members have been trained in all conceivable necessary functions.
Estimated duration of first leg of mission: eight years.
Preliminary time estimate to establish Colony: one year.
Second leg of mission—Earth-return of up to half the crew: Optional.
The settlers will defer any considerations of implementing a particular form of government until Consultations can be completed with a convocation of all National representatives on Earth in communication with the Centauri A Colony.
Naturally, due to the lengthy signal-time between the Colony and Earth, it is to be expected that the Colonists will experiment with various Administrative Procedures.
~~~~~~~~~
For All Players:
If you’re applying to join the game/story, please indicate what made you interested and why you want to help write the story ~~ my email is in my profile :-)
The game will begin when I’ve accepted one more Female Player-Character…(I’m male and the players already aboard are one woman and two men–I need the game/story to have 3 and 3 :-)
For those who may feel I’ve written too much in these introductory notes, just imagine what a person training for a real mission to another star-system would have to go through :-)
Under your Profile, notice the “Manage Email Preferences”. The default is “Real Time” and I recommend you keep it there to stay up with what’s happening in the game/story…
And, if you want to, add your email address to the Bio in your Profile (for Behind The Scenes communication–player-to-player & player-to-narrator)…
>>> Take Note: Place Cards only indicate the place where a Scene begins… Player-Characters are free to roam :-) >> Check out the list of beginning Places below…
>>> All Player-Characters (and character images) Must be Human Beings >> WikiCommons has plenty of images to use if you don’t want to use your own real life picture >> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Personal_images <<
And, I’m sure you could find thousands of other appropriate public domain images :-)
Note – some cards have a little curvy arrow in the lower right corner >> do, please, click it for more info…
*>>> When you write your story text, please remain guided by the cards you’ve just played or you’ll be asked to revise your text.*
If your story text demands that another character respond to you in some way, don’t make another move until that player has responded.
>>> If a Challenge card says to select or recruit other crew members, these may be other Players who decide to take on the Challenge or any of the other (available) 90 crew members, the “Non-Player Characters”. And, Player-Characters can decide to include other NPC crew whenever they want (if they’re available in that Scene on a Character Card) This is a chance to make some of those other crew members “come alive“ in the story…
In other words, Player-Characters can write story-text that “evokes” a new Non-Player-Character (if there’s a Crew-Member-Challenge-card available in the Scene) but, as mentioned elsewhere in these guidelines, the Narrator writes that NPC’s words and actions…
And, naturally, once an NPC is “made active”, you can certainly interact with them again. In fact, you might have to :-)
Also, since the rules state, “Each [individual Player’s] move can address only a single challenge“, if there’s a Crew Member card and an Obstacle card, one Player could play to the Crew Member card (and name them if that NPC crew member doesn’t yet have their own card…); while another Player could play to the Obstacle card–then, the Crew Member is available to help resolve the Obstacle :-)
You’re never forced to be in a scene; though, through game-play, another character may make your appearance strongly desired :-)
Note Well >>>>> You all have had to choose an image for your characters. However, I’ve decided to not have images for the cards in this story. Not having them lets each person’s subjective perceptions become available. I’ll be setting some of the visual details with my narration; but, each player has the ability to add to the collective-visual-impression of the story.
Once a visual detail has been accepted into the story, please don’t change it in your story-text unless you can actually change it with your card-actions ( there might be a few instances of a need for me to call for a revision so collective-visual-reality remains stable :-)
>>>> Anyone can consult with the ship’s A.I. (artificial intelligence) computer–it’s an omnipresent non-player-character (It doesn’t need to have a card played to be present – it’s just always “there” :-) >> However, if you’re not aboard Morna, you need an LRSFC [personal communicator]. >>>> Here’s a brief description of the Computer:
Capable A.I. unit with a wide variety of sensor input/output modes. It tends to take on a slightly different nature depending on who’s accessing it.
It’s capable of being shunted through a shuttle’s sensors; and, through crew communicators, for planet-side evaluations.
>>>The A.I. Computer and all of the 90 Non-Player-Character Crew Members will communicate through me–if you interact with them and create a situation where a response is needed, write no more story-text until you get that response from my story-text.
Also, remember, All crew members are trained in All conceivable necessary functions (though each varies in specific performance); however, establishing a colony on a distant planet could certainly necessitate learning new functions and abilities…
And, remember, trading Asset cards has to make sense in the story – i.e., you couldn’t give another Character a physical object if they’re too far away…
None of the characters have supernatural abilities.
Since everyone is trained equally, none of the characters should try to “take charge“. If this story were really happening, you all would try, very hard, to pitch-in and help each other.
Certainly, people can, and probably will, get on each other’s nerves; but, we’re all on this strange and exciting and challenging mission together, right?
Naturally, one or more of you may break under stress and do some crazy things, but be realistic–who, on a distant planet, with unknown challenges, wants to break down and go crazy…?
One last note:
If you ever want out of the story/game, you can “retire”; but, do send me an email > amzolt@gmail.com < so we can figure out some way to work it into the story :-)
~~~~~
To help you Locate yourself in the story’s World, here are the Places I’ve created
(more will be created, as needed, as the story/game progresses…)
>>> Again, Remember, Place Cards only indicate the place where a Scene begins…
~ Earth Orbital Station (EOS)
A vast network of interconnected modules–living, dining, manufacturing, repair, docking, medical, and Communication.
The colonists LINK with Earth–Morna’s place of departure and, possibly, return…
~ Earth: Global Space Headquarters (GSH)
If Morna returns to Earth, this is where the story ends for all returning crew members–once they clear debriefing here, their lives are once again Private… Unless, of course, you want to start a new story-game and take your character further :-)
~ Morna: Bridge
The navigational command center of the starship, cramped but highly functional.
~ Morna: Commons
A shared dining/relaxation space for the crew of Morna.
~ Morna: Communication Module
The room for text and audio-visual logs to be transmitted to and received from Earth Orbital Station (EOS).
~ Morna: Drive Room
Control space for the workings of the stardrive and the gravity generator.
The SL19-Watson StarDrive permits up to 0.5 Light-Speed.
~ Morna: Equipment and Repair Bay
Storage facility for spare parts for Morna (and, possibly Centauri A), as well as spacesuits for EVA (extra-vehicular activity), and other machines and tools for the Colony.
Also available are repair stations for all removable equipment, on Morna and brought up from the planet.
~ Morna: Main Docking Bay
Major module on Morna where shuttles leave and enter the ship.
~ Morna: Medical Bay
While all crew are trained in advanced first aid, this space is for emergency operations, mediated by the ship’s A. I. Computer.
~ Morna: Private Space
Each crew member has a small space for sleeping and other private activities.
Mini-bathroom included.
~ Morna: ScanModule
Fully equipped control room for the 50 various scanners mounted across the belly of Morna.
Full-range Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Analysis available for Planet scans.
~ Centauri A: ColonySeed
A pre-fab Settlement Hub delivered to Centauri A previous to Morna‘s mission.
(The Settlement Hub unfolds itself and covers four square kilometers. Basic areas for sleeping, working, dining, health care, and entertainment are automatically constructed with necessary equipment and tools installed. It’s also highly customizable to meet unforeseen circumstances)
~ Centauri A: Away from The Colony
A location being explored that’s some significant distance from the Colony proper…
some of these will be named by crew members and receive their own cards…
~ Shuttle
One of five vehicles (A through E), generally stored on Morna, capable of landing on and returning from Centauri A [or, Earth] while Morna is in orbit. Also valuable for long-range travel planet-side. Each can hold six people and 900 pounds (408 kilograms) of cargo.
Hosted and narrated by:
Alexander M Zoltai (amzolt)
Started 04/28/14.
Scenes played: 13
License: Community License
