BACKGROUND
In 2017, a Chinese probe in Mars orbit detects a faint signal from surface. A US exploration rover confirms the signal as radiation with minute variations in a pattern too distinct to be natural. In the following weeks, the scientific community is excited with the news that something is sending a distinct, but low energy signal too deep within the planet’s crust. A joint U.S. - China - Russia - Japan operation is undertaken to prepare the first manned mission to the red planet. Technical and financial hurdles delay the project for 100 years.
In 2128, the first multinational team lands on Mars. They pinpoint the source of the signal, but it’s too deep for one team to be able to dig it up quickly enough before resources are depleted. The nations of the Earth pool their resources to build the first Mars habitat. It would take another 20 years to complete Arcadia, the first permanent settlement on the red planet. As teams of scientists begin the long journey from Earth to Mars, the crews digging into the soil find something astonishing: a spaceship of alien design.
The depth at which it is found suggests it is millions of years old. Study of the spaceship begins immediately, at a frantic pace. For decades, hundreds of experts puzzle over the ship’s technology, slowly deciphering its mysteries. Most of the ship’s systems are beyond repair, but the scientists and technicians piece together enough pieces of the puzzle to understand some of it.
In 2513, the first interstellar ship called the Dauntless is completed, a prototype that will be the first of many to allow humans to reach for the stars. You are to be part of the crew that will drive the ship on its first journey from Earth to Saturn and back. Many of its systems were scavenged from the alien craft and integrated into original, custom-built systems. Using a super-massive, tiny black-hole, contained within a field of energy in the ship’s engine core, travel will be almost instantaneous, or so they hope.
Something will go very wrong…
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Notes: You will be part of the Dauntless crew under Captain Ariel McKenzie’s command (non-player character). Each player will fill one position aboard. Whatever positions are not chosen will be filled by non-player characters. I will accept up to 5 players from the best characters submitted. Be creative!
The main nations represented aboard are: China, US, Japan and Russia. Please choose accordingly.
The premise is that something goes wrong on the Dauntless‘ first trip and ship and crew will travel to somewhere else, being stranded far away from Earth. Hence, the campaign’s title. This will be a space opera adventure with strange new worlds to explore and alien races to interact as the Dauntless tries to find a way home.
It will not be a dark and gritty campaign but full of adventure, mysteries and action. Characters are allowed to have inner conflicts and some intra-group conflict but focus will be on adventure and exploration.
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Submissions will close on Monday (April 30th).
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Hosted and narrated by:
HAL (Hugopt)
Started 06/03/14.
Scenes played: 2
License: Community License