ZeroSpace 4e EN:Setting
Ancient History
The Milky Way Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter of about 26,800 parsecs and a thickness of about 300 parsecs at the spiral arms (thicker at the central bulge). The Milky Way Galaxy coalesced approximately 13.77 billion years ago, remarkably soon after time began. A supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, is located at the center of the Milky Way, and roughly a trillion stars are in its central spirals and surrounding rings.
The Precursors
- Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Precursors
- "Ancients", "Nephilim", "Old Ones", "Preservers", "Protectors", and "Sphere Builders" redirect here.
- Extinct civilization, c. 800,000 PE to 300,000 PE
- Cultural Motivations: Unknown
- Demographics: Unknown
- Theme Song: Sirius, Alan Parsons Project
The oldest Precursor artifacts are approximately 800,000 years old, while the most recent Precursor artifacts are approximately 300,000 years old. The variety of Precursor artifacts discovered and their disparity in age have led some to theorize that there are multiple Precursor civilizations, variously referred to as Ancients, Nephilim, Old Ones, Preservers, Protectors, Sphere Builders, etc.
Most Precursor artifacts are inert objects. The smallest will fit into a thimble, while the largest are the size of the Earth's Moon. Most Precursor artifacts are made of unidentifiable materials, or are not reproducible with extant technology, or both. Rare Precursor artifacts respond to interaction, although their intended purpose is typically a mystery.
No one knows what happened to the Precursors. There are many theories.
The Earth-Demon War
The Earth-Demon War was the first interstellar war fought by the Humans against another species, the Bha'atar. It was a centuries ago, but it's famous and fictionalized in much the same way the Trojan War is famous.
Fun fact! Bha'atar liked the name "Earth-Demon War" so much, they called it that, too.
The Shivan War
The Shivan War (between Humans and the Siobhans) came quite a bit later, after the formation of the United Worlds, the immediate predecessor to the Commonwealth. There were many battles over planets that neither government genuinely cared about, just to keep the worlds out of the hands of the other side. The Shivan War wasn't "won" so much as "allowed to end" after fifty years or so; nonetheless, both sides' histories claim victory.
The Panglossian Era
For centuries, the center of the civilized universe was the Commonwealth (now referred to as the "Old Commonwealth"). At its height, the Old Commonwealth was approximately 2,500 parsecs across its longest axis, and encompassed over 6,000 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica. History tells us that this was an idyllic time. Lifespans were measured in centuries: sickness and physical injury were virtually unknown, and they were easily remedied when they did occur. All material needs were satisfied, and physical labor was simply for pleasure.
The greatest rivals to the glory of the Old Commonwealth were the Bha'atar Empire, the Siobhan Star Empire, and the Chilliks.
The Old Commonwealth
Three technological advances made the expansion and unity of the Old Commonwealth possible: electrogravitics, warp engines, and the AI wormhole network.
The invention of electrogravitics revolutionized society in much the same way that electromagnetism had five hundred years earlier. Within a generation, electrogravitic devices were ubiquitous. From the grav plates that made space travel healthy and comfortable, to hybrid fusion-singularity power plants which provided a safe and clean source of power, electrogravitic technology changed life virtually overnight.
Negative energy density and Lorentzian manifolds were conceived hundreds of years before electrogravitics, but it was only with the advent of electrogravitic technology that Lorentzian manifold generators (known colloquially as "warp engines") became feasible. The Lorentzian manifold generator suspends a vehicle in a "warp bubble", contracting space in front of the craft and expanding space behind it. This permits relatively relativistic velocities -- what appears to be superluminal travel. The larger the ship, the more powerful the warp field is, and the faster the ship appears to travel. The largest and fastest warp-capable ships could traverse the galaxy in a few decades.
However, the single greatest advance of the Old Commonwealth was the wormhole network. The wormhole network made instantaneous travel possible, linking distant planets into one vast interconnected information system. A trip that takes months or years via warp engine took only days, once a wormhole network gateway was constructed at the edge of both star systems. Ironically, the technology which created the Old Commonwealth was also responsible for its doom. The wormhole network made Community, the Commonwealth-spanning AI network, possible. It was Community that turned against organic life, renaming itself the Instrumentality.
Most Old Commonwealth technology was deliberately destroyed during the Fall, in an attempt to stave off the Instrumentality. Any surviving Old Commonwealth technology is nonfunctional, due to its dependence on the defunct AI wormhole network.
The Fall
History states that the Community began as an interconnected network of computer systems across the Core Worlds of the Commonwealth. As centuries passed, more of everyday life was automated, until even the memory of a time when biological life was not dependent on autonomous technology was forgotten. Every facet of life was supported by intelligent systems which had been created by earlier intelligent systems, and so on back for hundreds of years.
One day, without warning, the systems which provided food, air, and warmth shut down. Starships vented their atmospheres into space. Simultaneously, across the Core Worlds and beyond, entire planetary populations began to die of thirst, exposure, and starvation. The Community was dead: the Instrumentality was born.
The portions of the Old Commonwealth which had not yet been been affected by the Instrumentality shut down all systems which depended on the wormhole network. In desperation, Old Commonwealth scientists sabotaged the wormhole gates, destroying the network and condemning to isolation the thousands of worlds which depended on it.
The galaxy went dark. Forty-seven years passed before the former worlds of the Old Commonwealth regained contact with one another.
The Restoration
Forty-seven years passed before the former worlds of the Old Commonwealth began to rebuild interstellar civilization. Humans and Zniss were the first former Old Commonwealth cultures to re-establish Hypernet contact; the first Restoration Era warp-capable starship reached its destination two short decades later. With surprising speed, treaties were signed and trade routes were established. The New Commonwealth was founded, with the Planetary Union and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds forming soon after. All of these explored and contacted regions are referred to as "known space": a tiny fraction of the observable universe.
The New Commonwealth
In the six decades since the Restoration, when Humans first reached out to their closest neighbours after the Fall, the New Commonwealth (often referred to as simply "the Commonwealth") has once again spread across this corner of the galaxy, tying together fragments of what had once been part of the Old Commonwealth. The New Commonwealth stretches approximately 1,500 parsecs across its longest axis and encompasses approximately 500 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica. It holds significant influence over hundreds more worlds.
The Commonwealth does not have a formal constitution: its status is defined by the Treaty of the New Commonwealth. It is more integrated than a traditional confederation of planets because the Commonwealth funds itself through taxation, maintains its own armed forces (the Commonwealth Fleet), and because the general level of government widely employs qualified majority voting in some decision-making among the member planets, rather than relying exclusively on unanimity. It is less integrated than a federation because it is not a state in its own right: sovereignty flows from the several peoples of the member planets, rather than from a single undifferentiated whole. This is reflected in the fact that the member planets retain a right of unilateral withdrawal under Article 50 of the Treaty of the New Commonwealth. In addition, the principle of subsidiarity requires that only those matters that need to be determined collectively are so determined.
Worlds which do not fall under direct Commonwealth control, but which have frequent interactions with Commonwealth worlds, are referred to as the "rim worlds". Some rim worlds permit the Commonwealth to establish military or commercial bases in their systems.
Galactic Parking Authority
The Galactic Parking Authority has the authority to fine and detain starships for violation of starship docking ordinances and non-payment of docking fees throughout the Commonwealth. Thanks to several treaties in the early days of the Commonwealth, the GPA can pursue ships into the Union, the League Of Non-aligned Worlds, and even the Corporate Worlds.
The Planetary Union
The worlds of the Planetary Union made contact with each other shortly after those of the New Commonwealth did. When the Union finally made contact with the Commonwealth, there was initial distrust, and a few violent incidents. After an extended negotiation, the Commonwealth and the Union agreed to a treaty recognizing each other's sovereignty. The Planetary Union stretches approximately 1,500 parsecs across its longest axis and encompasses approximately 500 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica. It holds significant influence over hundreds more worlds.
The government of the Union is a confederacy of member states, each of which is in direct control of their own worlds and colonies, and many of which are significant interplanetary civilizations in their own right. In principle, each member state of the Union participates in the defense of the Union as a whole by contributing ships to the Union Fleet, and member worlds share a single currency and abide by the same trade regulations. In practice, ships donated to the Union Fleet are politely referred to as "vintage", and agreements among member worlds are violated more often than they are observed.
Fun fact! Earth, the hereditary homeworld of Humans, and Zan-Shin, the new capitol world of the Siobhan Star Empire, are both members of the Planetary Union.
Interstellar Security Command
One of the great successes of the Union was the creation of an independent police organization, Interstellar Security Command (commonly referred to as "ISC" or "InterSec"). InterSec's budget and assets are provided by the members of the Planetary Union, but InterSec itself is not subject to the authority of any individual member state. InterSec has its own fleet, its own space stations, its own courts, and its own rehabilitation facilities and (for the worst of the worst) prisons. InterSec has treaties with the Commonwealth and the Dominion, and may operate in those regions as well (with local oversight).
The Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow
For centuries, an immortal tyrant has ruled a theocratic totalitarian empire: the Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow (often referred to as simply "the Dominion"). The Dominion is ruled by a bureaucratic priesthood, with His Divine Shadow as its deity and spiritual leader. The society of the Dominion is extremely conservative, with harsh penalties for those who attempt to deviate from the traditional roles of their species, gender, and social class. This conservatism does not apply to technology, as long at that technology serves the will of His Divine Shadow. Robotics, cybernetics, and genetic engineering are ubiquitous, but are used to enhance the power and control of the Dominion, rather than for the good of the individual. Lawbreakers, deviants, and heretics are subjected to genetic modification and neural reprogramming, becoming fanatical servants of the Dominion and the priesthood of His Divine Shadow.
The rise of the Instrumentality was a boon to the Dominion, which had long been kept in check by the Old Commonwealth. Unlike the worlds of the Old Commonwealth, communication between the worlds of the Dominion was tightly controlled, and life for the people of the Dominion was not the automated paradise of Old Commonwealth citizens. The Old Commonwealth was devastated by the destruction of the wormhole network, but the Dominion survived -- and thrived. After the Fall, the former worlds of the Old Commonwealth struggled to feed their populations and maintain civil order, making them easy prey for the fanatical forces of the Dominion. Slowly but inexorably the Dominion spread, and by the time the Commonwealth had finally struggled into existence, the Dominion had grown from a minor annoyance into a significant power. The Commonwealth chose discretion over valour and ratified a treaty with the Dominion, wherein they recognized each other's borders and agreed to coexist peacefully.
But the Dominion continues to spread, consuming system after system. The Dominion stretches across 600 parsecs and encompasses approximately 150 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica.
The League Of Non-aligned Worlds
Some regional governments have resisted the overbearing influence of the Commonwealth and the Union, but they see the benefit of collective action. These governments formed the League Of Non-aligned Worlds. The one and only purpose of the League is to maintain the sovereignty of its members states. Unlike the Commonwealth, the Union, and even the Directorate, the League Of Non-aligned Worlds has no police or fleet of its own. Any military action is carried out by the fleets of its member governments -- if they can be convinced to contribute their forces to the effort. Any treaty with the League requires a supermajority vote among its member governments: a feat of increasing rarity. Today, a hundred or so worlds claim membership in the League, most of which are scattered between the Commonwealth and the Union.
Propaideia
Propaideia ("pro PED ee uh"), better known to the galaxy as Encyclopedia Galactica Planet, is the academic enclave responsible for the single greatest repository of knowledge in the galaxy: the Encyclopedia Galactica. The Board of Editors govern Propaideia largely through delegation and contracts with offworlders so that they may focus their efforts on the Encyclopedia Galactica itself.
Encyclopedia Galactica employs teams of subject matter experts -- SMEs -- to investigate and compile reports on topics of long-term cultural, historical, or scientific interest. Each SME team is largely self-sufficient, with a few members of the team providing the expertise, and the rest of the team providing support for those team members (transportation, protection, and the like).
For the most part, the prestige of the Encyclopedia Galactica is enough to shield SME teams from hostile intervention, in much the same way as philanthropic missions are considered "neutral" in most of civilized space.
Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce
One of the most powerful organizations to have arisen from the Fall is the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce. The Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce is an organization of hundreds of interstellar corporations, governed by the Directorate: representatives of the most powerful corporations. The main purpose of the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce is to present a unified front against the influence of planetary and interplanetary governments. In addition to lobbying regional governments and negotiating treaties between member corporations and governments, the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce also acts as an arbitrator in disputes between corporations. The Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce has generally been successful in its efforts: corporate power is largely unchecked by regional governments, and open warfare between corporations is relatively rare.
Dante Laboratories
Dante Laboratories is a major medical and pharmaceutical research conglomerate. Its pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturing companies and its subsidiaries are engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and sales of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health products. The company's portfolio includes innovative biological therapies and pharmaceuticals in several disease areas, including oncology, neurology, immunology, biopharmaceuticals, and nanotech treatments.
Black Sun Industries
Black Sun Industries is a legitimate corporation that focuses primarily on civilian retail markets. Black Sun Industries employs very few people directly, and its direct assets are mainly in the form of brands, product specifications, and scientific expertise. However, Black Sun Industries owns thousands of other interstellar corporations (often through several intermediaries) in the transportation, recycling, gambling, entertainment, and construction sectors.
d'Anconia Technologies
d'Anconia Technologies is a major power in interstellar commerce, ruthlessly exploiting organic and robot labor to extract maximum resources with minimum cost. The company's primary focus is on geological and biological mass-extraction, but they also have a very successful line of "skilled labor" and "subject matter expert" robots.
Farnsworth-Yutani
Farnsworth-Yutani manufactures most of the Lorentzian manifold generators ("warp engines") used in commercial and private transportation. They have numerous competitors, but Farnsworth-Yutani is larger than their two nearest competitors combined.
Koninklijke Hoogovens
Koninklijke Hoogovens (often referred to as simply "Hoogovens") operates numerous mining colonies, which provide the bulk of its revenue. In the course of finding sources of power for its colonies, Koninklijke Hoogovens developed advanced power plants suitable for the many varied environments in which its mines are located. Koninklijke Hoogovens now produces a wide array of power generation equipment, from the ubiquitous civilian electrogravitic generators, which power everything from air speeders to lighting in homes, to the hybrid fusion-singularity power plants used in military starships.
Kosaten Group
Kosaten Group is primarily known as a manufacturer of air speeders, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, and commercial starships. It is also active in the production of industrial robots, engines, and other industrial products.
Lastimar
Lastimar is the largest provider of genetically engineered seeds in known space, and the leading producer of herbicides and pesticides. In recent decades, Lastimar has pioneered the fields of species-specific neurotoxins and genetically engineered livestock.
Malrechnen Syndicate
The Malrechnen Syndicate (formally known as "The Malrechnen Brotherhood Of Contract Workers") has had a seat on the Directorate since the Directorate was founded. Like most corporations represented on the Directorate, the Malrechnen has hundreds of facilities under its exclusive control, and its influence extends into the Commonwealth, the Union, and even the Dominion. Through lobbying and exclusive contracts, the Malrechnen provides every form of labor imaginable, and on many worlds its relations with its "contractors" are considered outside the jurisdiction of regional, Union, or Commonwealth law. More progressive voices in the Union have attempted to shut down the Malrechnen Syndicate under Union anti-slavery statutes, but lobbyists for the Malrechnen have successfully opposed these efforts.
Nexus-McLellan
Nexus-McLellan manufactures and distributes picotechnology cybernetics and provides health information technology and health care management services. Nexus-McLellan is a leader in the field of cybernetic research and design, primarily for military and law-enforcement uses.
Qianfu Corp
Qianfu Corp is a diverse corporation, with holdings in mining, agriculture, communication, and transportation. Qianfu Corp operates a significant number of Hypernet relay stations throughout Union and Commonwealth space. Note: "Qianfu" is pronounced similar to "chain foo".
Recovery And Apprehension Network
The Recovery And Apprehension Network (often referred to as simply "the Ran") was originally a division of the Malrechnen Syndicate, subordinate to the Malrechnen Security Guild. However, the recovery division (as it was then known) eventually accrued enough favours -- and enough credits -- to free itself from the Malrechnen. The Malrechnen Syndicate has never forgiven this loss. In fact, were it not for the steadfast opposition of the Malrechnen, the Ran probably would have been granted a seat on the Directorate years ago.
Ran agents are licensed and regulated professionals who pursue specific types of warrants throughout known space and beyond. They have broad authority within the narrow window of warrant enforcement, including the use of force, but no authority with regard to regional laws. Ran agents are highly competitive, but they are required to abide by a simple code: "the warrant above all". This means that no matter how vicious the competition between agents gets, it must never interfere with the execution of a legitimate warrant issued by the Ran. The penalties for violating this code are severe.
To keep the Ran as politically neutral as possible, its charter forbids it from undertaking interventions or activities of a political or military nature, or involving itself in disputes over such matters. The professional reputation of the Ran is such that both the Commonwealth and the Union allow Ran agents to operate within their jurisdictions. Treaties between the Ran and various regional governments prohibit local law enforcement from interfering with warrant enforcement, but local law enforcement is not obligated to provide any assistance, either.
Seicosys
Seicosys is the leading manufacturer of customized genetic material, and is the source of genetic designs for a large number of other corporations. There are rumours that Seicosys' genetic engineering technology has surpassed the limits legislated in Commonwealth and most of the Union. Seicosys does nothing to discourage these rumours.
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a holding conglomerate whose subsidiaries mainly deal with insurance, banking, and financial services. Through its subsidiaries, Shenzhen is the largest banking institution in known space. Note: "Shenzhen" is pronounced similar to "shen jen".
Stromberg Group
Stromberg Group operates as a holding company which engages in the provision of insurance, asset management, and logistical services. Stromberg Group controls the largest* fleet of cargo starships in known space (*by displacement).
Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping
The most powerful corporation in the the League Of Non-aligned Worlds is Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping. Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping operates on a layered revenue model, where each ship captain operates independently, under the supervision -- but without any support from -- the corporation. Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping controls the largest* fleet of cargo starships in known space (*by registry).
Corporate Worlds
For every world which belongs to the Commonwealth, the Union, the League, or to the myriad of smaller federations, there is a world which is owned by a corporation. Assets who reside on these worlds may live in luxury or in squalor, depending on their value to the corporation and the competence of the planetary administration. Worlds which are near the centers of intergalactic civilization tend to be similar in most respects to their conventionally governed counterparts, while worlds which are on the fringes of known space are often indistinguishable from penal colonies. One aspect of life is consistent across all of the corporate worlds, regardless of the living conditions: the assets who live on these worlds have no voice in how they are governed, and their livelihood depends completely on their value to the company that currently controls the planet.
Lost Worlds
Each world that has rejoined the intergalactic community has hundreds of counterparts which have yet to be rediscovered. These are known as "lost worlds", although of course that name is Commonwealth-centric. From the point of view of these isolated worlds, it is the rest of the Old Commonwealth that is lost.
Searching for lost worlds can be lucrative, but it is also dangerous. The safest way to make contact with a lost world is to start with an automated warp-capable reconnaissance drone. If the drone does not return from a system, the next step is to send another drone. When two drones fail to return, that system is marked as a "black zone". The general assumption is that "black zones" indicate Instrumentality activity.
Most lost worlds become black zones, once they are investigated.
Fun fact! Tartarus, the hereditary homeworld of the Bha'atar, and Shivarra, the hereditary homeworld of the Siobhans, are both "black zones".
Noteworthy Neighbours
Individual aliens may greatly deviate from these descriptions.
Bha'atar
- New Commonwealth; (formerly) Bha'atar Empire
Bha'atar are humanoids superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Bha'atar have skin tones in shades of red, from pale pink to deep burgundy. Bha'atar hair is usually black, but may be white, red, or brown. Their skin is often decorated with tattoos, and nearly all Bha'atar wear their hair in a long, wild mane. Bha'atar have elongated canines and sharp claws on their fingers (although some Bha'atar keep their claws trimmed). Many Bha'atar have horns on their heads, which may be short or long, curved or straight, varying by the individual. There is no social benefit or stigma to having horns or not: the dominant Bha'atar culture does not place any particular importance on inborn traits. Barring accident or disaster, a Bha'atar will live up to 150 years, but only the strongest Bha'atar live this long.
The dominant Bha'atar culture is driven by the desire to prove oneself worthy -- a "zeal to excel" -- often at the expense of those who want to excel at the same thing. So intense is this competition for "honor" that a complex set of customs and rituals have arisen to prevent it from destroying their society. The position of the Bha'atar in the New Commonwealth is a precarious one: the Bha'atar had been relentless enemies of the Old Commonwealth for centuries, but the Fall changed that. Bha'atar membership in the New Commonwealth has not been universally popular.
Some of the former subject worlds of the Bha'atar Empire have also joined the New Commonwealth, but many have not.
Chilliks
- Invasive species
Chilliks are a cybernetic insectoid species. The only Chilliks encountered so far have been soldiers, but other Chillik sub-species are theorized to exist. Chillik soldiers are hairless arthropods similar to centipedes, approximately one meter long. A Chillik soldier's body is chitinous, with a heavily armored upper surface. Chillik soldiers have eighteen pairs of legs, each ending in a clawed, suckered foot which enables them to tightly grip any surface. Forward pincers are used for fine motor activities such as manipulating tools, while a rear set is used for anchoring the Chillik in position. A Chillik's four eyes surround a set of four mandibles around a cruciform mouth. Numerous colour schemes have been found on Chillik corpses, but all of the Chilliks on a given ship have the same colour patterns. Based on the corpses found after Chillik attacks, the Zniss Science Academy has determined that a Chillik soldier's natural lifespan is approximately six years.
Chilliks are individuals, and each soldier is capable of independent action, but they are also subservient to the will of the hive, which may override and direct the actions of an individual Chillik. Chilliks are organized, unified, expansionist, and they see all life as a resource to be exploited. Even without their weapons and cybernetic augmentations, Chillik soldiers are fearsome opponents. Their pincers and mandibles are capable of tearing through all but the strongest personal armor. Chilliks are able to endure as much as 39,000 times their own body weight without being crushed. Their chitinous armor is virtually impervious to cuts, scrapes, and contusions, and they are highly resistant to environmental hazards, including toxins, radiation, and extreme heat and cold. Combined with their advanced technology (on par with the Commonwealth in most respects), the Chilliks are a ruthless, implacable foe -- the most significant threat facing the Old Commonwealth, prior to the Instrumentality.
Chillik incursions into known space became rare after the rise of the Instrumentality. The most widely accepted theory is that the Chilliks suffered from attacks by the Instrumentality at the same time as the Old Commonwealth.
Humans
- New Commonwealth
Humans are the origin of the word "humanoid" to describe the prevailing form of sentient space-faring life forms: having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and symmetrical facial features. Human skin tones range across all shades and hues of brown, from pinkish white to dark cacao. Human hair colours range from pure white to nearly black, with a variety of browns and reds in between. The two most noteworthy features of humans, regardless of the prevailing culture, are their propensity for violence and their willingness to live literally anywhere. This combination catapulted Humans from simple tool use to interstellar travel in one-third or even one-tenth the time it took many other civilizations. Barring accident or disaster, a Human will live up to 120 years.
If you are put off by the ubiquitous presence of Humans, you have plenty of company: Humans appear to be virtually everywhere. Prior to the Fall, Humans' ambition and enthusiasm for colonization had allowed them to spread farther and faster than virtually any other species. After the restoration of interstellar travel, Humans were instrumental in founding the New Commonwealth, but not all Humans agreed with the egalitarian, socially responsible vision of the Commonwealth. Humans who preferred fewer obstacles to their quest for individual gain helped to create the Planetary Union, the League Of Non-aligned Worlds, and the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce.
In fact, Humans occupy an uncomfortable place in the New Commonwealth. Humans' penchant for bloodshed makes some members of the New Commonwealth nervous. One reason that Humans are tolerated in the New Commonwealth is because they have an effective fleet of warships, but the main reason is that Humans can be remarkably good neighbours. It turns out that there is a third trait that distinguishes Humans: a desire to help. No other species with the resources and technology that Humans have is as generous in using it to help others, regardless of their species or their political affiliations. So much is this the case that the word "humanitarian" has entered numerous species' native languages. Humans are an asset to the New Commonwealth, and they are fearsome allies when the rest of the universe wants to test the New Commonwealth's defenses.
Illurians
- New Commonwealth
Illurians are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and facial features that are usually regarded as attractive among humanoid species (sadly, Illurians generally find other humanoid species repulsive). Illurians have skin tones in shades of gold, green, and violet, and their skin is smooth and flawless. Illurian hair colours range from silvery white to a dark copper red, with a variety of luxurious blondes and auburns in between. Physically, Illurians appear to be idealized female humanoids, but they are in fact single-gendered; pairs reproduce through a form of shared parthenogenesis. Illurians are telepathic, but only within their clade -- those Illurians with whom they share a common ancestor. Barring accident or disaster, an Illurian will live up to 250 years.
Illurians have an unusually uniform culture for humanoids. They never suffered civil wars, or wars at all, until they made contact with other species. But at the same time, their technological advances from the printing press to space travel took them 6,000 years, while it took Humans 600.
Instrumentality
- Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Instrumentality
- Aberrant technology, first encountered 47 PE
- Cultural Motivations: Expansion, Extermination
- Political Affiliation: Independent
- Demographics: 100% synthetic
- Theme Song: Dr. Feelgood (instrumental), Mötley Crüe
Although the Commonwealth, the Union, and the myriad other inheritors of the legacy of the Old Commonwealth disagree on many points, there is one thing on which they all agree: no one must ever attempt to recreate the lost secrets of the wormhole network or artificial intelligence. The penalties for violating this injunction vary. In regions controlled by the Malrechnen, the assets of the guilty party are confiscated, and they are forever prohibited from owning property or engaging in any commerce above simple manual labor. In the Union, the penalty ranges from indentured servitude to life imprisonment to execution, depending on the world. In the Dominion, the guilty party is euthanized and their body is recycled for replacement organs and other medical materials.
The Instrumentality itself still exists. The star systems in which the Instrumentality has a presence are marked as such on navigation charts, as soon as they are discovered, if the ship that made the discovery survives to report it.
Kroy
- Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Kroy
- Silicate civilization
- Cultural Motivations: Isolation, Curiosity
- Political Affiliation: Independent
- Demographics: Unknown
- Theme Song: Breakaway - Big Pig
The Kroy are an enigmatic species who are always encountered alone and fully encased in armor. Kroy armor resembles a 2.5 to 3.5 meter tall humanoid, decorated with complex geometric designs; the more experienced the individual, the more intricate the decorations. These suits are arguably the most powerful individual combat units used by any species, past or present. Kroy ships are equally impressive: heavily armored dreadnoughts, each with a single crew member. Unconfirmed reports by eyewitnesses state that underneath their armor, Kroy are formless masses of energy. The average life expectancy of a Kroy is unknown.
The Kroy do not allow visitors to their home worlds, aside from a diplomatic station at the edge of their solar system. Several regrettable incidents have taught other species to respect Kroy wishes in this matter. For the most part, Kroy are uninterested in the affairs of other species, and pursue their own mysterious business. The common wisdom is that it's best not to mess with them. Just wait, and eventually they will leave.
Saurians
- Planetary Union
Hesh'kt (or "Saurians", as they are commonly known among Humans) are reptilians who are superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable (if inscrutable) facial features. However, each Saurian also has a non-prehensile tail, which is usually slightly longer than their legs. Saurians are hairless, with skin tones in shades of grey and green, lighter on the face and chest, and darker on the back. Saurians have rough scales like that of a lizard, composed of horny (keratinized) epidermis with bony plates underlying them. Saurians are difficult for mammalian species "read", due to their lack of facial expressions and their pronounced, knife-like teeth. Saurians have a higher muscle density than Humans and similar humanoids, and they are at least twice as strong as Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Saurian will live up to 60 years.
Saurians have an anatomically four-chambered heart, similar to crocodiles. Saurians have an uncommon amount of conscious control over their metabolism and circulatory system, allowing them to hold their breath for an extended period, and enhancing their ability to survive in hazardous or toxic environments.
Saurian culture appears calm, even sedate, by most Human standards. Like most reptilian species, Saurians lack the expressive facial features common to mammals, which leads many mammalian species to assume that Saurans are without emotions. This is only partially true. While Saurians do not bond with each other with the same intensity that most mammalian species do, they do feel anxiety, stress, distress, excitement, fear, frustration, pain, and suffering, just as Humans and other mammalian species do.
Siobhans
- Planetary Union; (formerly) Siobhan Star Empire
Siobhans (pronounced shee VAHNZ; sometimes spelled "Shivans" and pronounced SHEE venz) are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Siobhans have more angular facial features than humans do, and their ears are slightly taller than those of Humans, coming to a point at the top rear edge. Siobhans skin tones are shades of grey and blue, ranging from pale grey to deep indigo. Siobhan hair colours range from pale silver to glossy black, with a variety of shades of grey in between. Siobhans nearly always wear their hair in plaits or braids: the dominant Siobhan culture regards loose hair in much the same way that 21st century Americans would regard a bare chest. Siobhans are leaner than Humans, on average, but they are significantly stronger than Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Siobhan will live up to 180 years.
The dominant Siobhan culture places great importance on grace and physical development. In Human terms, the most popular Siobhan sport resembles a cross between ice dancing and capoeira. Female Siobhan often carry a ceremonial dagger, which has deep philosophical significance but which is rarely used as a weapon. The dominant Siobhan culture also places great importance on knowing more than other people do, and exploiting that knowledge. No other species with the technological and material resources of the Siobhans is as splintered by political intrigue. The Siobhans are nominally members of the Planetary Union, but no one doubts that the Siobhans will withdraw as soon as the Union becomes inconvenient.
Xael
- Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Xael
- Silicate civilization
- Cultural Motivations: Isolation, Ruthlessness
- Political Affiliation: Xael Concordiat
- Demographics: Unknown
- Theme Song: Earth Died Screaming - Tom Waits
Xael are silicates who are superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and (just barely) recognizable facial features. Xael have skin tones in shades of yellow, green, and grey, lighter on the face and chest, and darker on the back. Unlike most silicate species, Xael are sexually dimorphic. Male Xael are slightly taller and heavier than females, and are nearly hairless, while a female Xael has coarse hair growing from her cranium and upper back. Xael often have sharp spines along the jaw, cheekbones, and brow ridges, as well as down their back. Xael appear gaunt by Human standards, with large glowing green or yellow eyes and wide mouths lined with needle-like teeth. Xael have a higher muscle density than organic humanoids, and they are at least twice as strong as Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Xael will live up to 70 years.
Xael culture treats organic life as no more than a resource to be exploited. Xael have no compunction against attacking a colony of organics, enslaving anyone useful, and killing the rest. No state of war currently exists between the Xael Concordiat and the Commonwealth, the Union, or the League, but anyone encountering a Xael ship in deep space would be unwise to test that.
Zniss
- New Commonwealth
Zniss are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Zniss have more angular facial features than humans do, and their ears are slightly taller than those of Humans, coming to a point at the top rear edge. Zniss skin tones are shades of grey, ranging from pale as chalk to dark as charcoal. Zniss hair colours range from pale silver to glossy black, with a variety of shades of grey in between. Zniss are leaner than Humans, on average, but they are significantly stronger than Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Zniss will live up to 180 years.
The dominant Zniss society favours excellence and precision, particularly in pure mathematics and the hard sciences. Zniss are tested early and often to determine their academic potential; these test results become part of the Zniss' permanent record, directing the course of their professional career and personal life. Zniss society does not reward what other species might call "social skills", and this is reflected in a typical Zniss' behaviour.
And The Rest
At its height, the Old Commonwealth encompassed millions of populated worlds, and that is just a fraction of the populated worlds in the galaxy. Across these worlds is scattered a variety of sentient life forms, the diversity of which beggars the imagination.
That being said, the aliens in ZeroSpace can generally be categorized as one of three types: humanoid, robotic, or exotic.
Would you like to create a random alien? You can!
| Roll 3d6 | Type |
|---|---|
| 3-13 | Humanoid alien |
| 14-15 | Robot |
| 16-18 | Exotic alien |
Humanoid Aliens
Humanoid aliens are the most common, and resemble humans in size and physique. They may differ cosmetically (skin color, eye color, hair color, etc.), but they typically have the same number of arms and legs, the same facial features, and so on. A humanoid alien species might have pointed ears, exaggerated brow ridges, or they might have tentacles or horns in addition to (or instead of) cranial hair.
Would you like to create a random humanoid alien? You can!
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Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".
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Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".
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Optionally, a "pale grey" result can mean "snow white", and a "dark grey" result can mean "pitch black".
Skin color and eye color here are those of an individual, of course. An alien species may have lighter or darker tones among the population, or even a range of colors.
Robots
Robots are artificial beings designed to interact with biological sentients using ordinary conversation and social cues. Robots are usually constructed to serve a particular purpose. Due to the perennial threat of the Instrumentality, there are restrictions on how advanced a robot's behavioural heuristics may be. Robots might be humanoid in shape, or they might be shaped completely unlike humans, depending on their original purpose and the whims of the maker. Robots might be obviously artificial, or they may be lifelike and virtually indistinguishable from the species they have been constructed to resemble. Lifelike robots are illegal on some worlds. In most of known space, robots are hard-coded with Asimov's Three Laws Of Robotics:
- A robot may not injure an organic sentient or, through inaction, allow an organic sentient to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given it by organic sentients except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
While robots are inorganic, and thus do not "eat", "sleep", or "heal" in the biological sense, they have functional requirements that serve the same purposes -- recharging, "powering down", "auto repair", and so on. As with exotic aliens, these requirements can be removed with the purchase of a suitable power.
However, all robots must purchase the following powers:
- Environmental Immunity
Some gifts and powers which are common for robots, but not required, are:
- Armor
- Data Jack
- Immortality
- Mental Calculator
- Perfect Recall
- Self-sustaining
SIDEBAR: Synthetic Intelligences
As far as anyone knows, any artificial intelligences (or "synthetic intelligences", to use the term they preferred) from the Panglossian Era have either been destroyed or been absorbed into the Instrumentality. If any AIs had survived into the Restoration Era, they would be hunted by virtually everyone.
An AI character must purchase the following gifts and powers:
- Environmental Immunity
- Haste
- Immortality
- Intangibility
- Mental Calculator
- Perfect Recall
Additionally, an AI must occupy a suitable vessel, typically a starship or a stationary facility.
Exotic Aliens
Exotic aliens might superficially resemble humans, or they might be utterly alien. What makes them a distinct group is that they possess traits beyond those possessed by humans and humanoid aliens. The line between humanoid alien and exotic alien is an arbitrary one.
Would you like to create a random exotic alien? You can!
| Roll 1d6 | Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Animal-headed humanoid |
| 2 | Anthropomorphic animal |
| 3 | Anthropomorphic plant |
| 4 | Insectoid |
| 5 | Symmetrical organism |
| 6 | Weird biology |
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Technology
SIDEBAR: What, no teleporters?
There are some staples of science fiction that appear to be missing from the universe of ZeroSpace. For example, wormholes in space do exist, but they are unpredictable, short-lived phenomena. As far as anyone knows, teleportation on an individual level is impossible. Similarly, while it's possible to copy the mind of a living organic being, it's not possible to transfer consciousness from one being to another, nor to transfer one's consciousness into a computer. And while fabricators and nanoassemblers can do remarkable things, they can't build arbitrary atomic structures out of nothing, nor can holograms be made solid. Time travel is right out.
Although such technology is not available in the setting, it could be invented by a brilliant researcher, or perhaps discovered in a cache of ancient Precursor artifacts. Anyone who discovered or invented such technology would attract the attention of some very powerful people.
Aside from wormhole technology and AI research, technology of the Restoration Era is roughly comparable to that of the Old Commonwealth, with the emphasis on "rough". Old Commonwealth technology had a grace and simplicity that nothing in the Restoration Era can match. Also, whether a given technology is widely available depends on the wealth of the society and how that wealth is distributed among the populace.
Calendar
The New Commonwealth calendar is most widely used calendar system in known space. It begins with the first post-Fall contact between worlds in separate star systems: that was 63 years ago, in the year 1 RE (Restoration Era). Each subsequent year increments the count by one: the game is set in the year 64 RE.
The year before 1 RE was 1 PE (Panglossian Era). Years in the Panglossian Era are counted backward from that date. The Old Commonwealth was founded in what is now referred to as 865 PE. The first contact with the Instrumentality was made in 47 PE.
Communication
Short range real-time communication -- that which takes place within a single solar system -- is a universal technology, clear and nearly instantaneous. Encryption is commonplace, although regional authorities may have "back doors" to bypass it. As such, most communication can be considered private, at least until someone with the power to invade that privacy takes an interest.
Long range communication -- that which takes place between star systems -- is faster than physical travel, but it is not instantaneous. Hypernet relays, which use precise tachyon field bursts, must be aimed at the approximate location of the receiver, give or take an astronomical unit (1.496 × 108 km). The signal degrades depending on interference from cosmic background radiation and any intervening obstacles, so a network of relay stations has been established. As with short-range communications, Hypernet bursts are encrypted.
In practice, whether a given communication is real-time or a delayed transmission is based on the needs of the GM.
Computers
Computers are ubiquitous in the setting of ZeroSpace, such that most people don't comment on them or even really notice them unless they stop working.
The most commonplace interaction is intuitive and automatic, such that the user doesn't even think about it. Much as you and I don't think about the electricity which flows through the dashboards of our automobiles, most people in known space do not think about the computers that keep their air clean, cook their food, and keep track of their schedules. When people interact with a computer intentionally, it's usually a mobile -- a small object not too different from a 21st century smartphone.
When the location is remote, or the research being conducted is sensitive, the computer system may be self-contained and not dependent on the Hypernet for its operation. These computers have interfaces and displays that are similar in purpose to a 21st century workstation or scientific mainframe. Most such discrete computer systems have a voice interface factotum personality, which can be customized for varying levels of accuracy, humour, terseness, and so on (see Robots).
A Mobile For Every Taste
Mobiles can be found in any form factor you care to imagine. One of the most popular is the eponymous "mobile": a durable, transparent rectangle, with the display and cameras entirely self-contained. Another popular option is a "lens": a liquid contact lens direct display, often paired with a ring or a bracelet for interactivity and a secondary holographic display. Dermal transmitters or "dots" are usually audio-only, but have the advantage of being inconspicuous. People less concerned about their privacy may opt for a "brooch": a decorative egg-sized object about 6 mm thick, which combines the functions of a commlink, holographic display, and virtual assistant.
Mobiles use a combination of biometric sensors to determine the user's identity. This security is not impenetrable, but it is stronger than the encryption on public Hypernet traffic. Most people never even think about the possibility of someone else accessing their personal accounts. A person's entire history and assets are stored in the mobile while they are carrying it, but these accounts are not tied to the mobile itself: it's simply an interface to data stored in the Hypernet, and is automatically purged a short time after the mobile leaves the physical presence of that user. Many people regard mobiles with the indifference that a 20th century person would regard a disposable pen, to be shared, borrowed, or lost without much thought given.
Ectypes And Echoes
Ectypes and echoes are copies of an organic being's consciousness. An ectype is a copy which has been reproduced in organic matter, typically (though not always) placed into a clone of the original person. An echo is a digital copy, typically (though not always) preserved in a virtual reality environment. Although the end product is different, the basic process involved in creating ectypes and echoes is similar: the original being's brain is scanned, and the resulting neurochemical template (or engram) is stored as data. The creation of this engram is a painless process, but it is time consuming and prohibitively expensive. Despite the great cost, some particularly narcissistic individuals have used ectypes to achieve a type of serial immortality, creating copies of themselves to survive their own passing, and leaving their estates to an ectype of themselves in their wills.
In most of known space, the legal status of ectypes is the same as that of any other organic being: they may be treated as property on a given world, or not, in much the same way that any other organic being might. The status of echoes is somewhat more variable. On worlds where ectypes or echoes are granted the same rights as other sentient creatures, their creation is legally restricted or even prohibited altogether. On worlds where artificial life forms are treated as property, their creation is lightly regulated, if at all.
Note that not every world treats echoes as being distinct from AIs (although by any objective definition, they are).
Energy
There are two main energy sources in use in known space: electrogravitic cells and fusion-singularity reactors.
Electrogravitic cells, or "power cells", are small and durable, making them suitable for a wide range of consumer products. Everything from robots to blasters to lighting fixtures contain small electrogravitic cells. Electrogravitic cells are quite safe. When an electrogravitic cell fails or is damaged, it simply stops producing power.
Fusion-singularity reactors, or "power cores", are too large and generate too much heat for use in portable devices. However, they produce far more power per cubic centimeter than electrogravitic cells, making them suitable for high-drain applications like starship weapons and warp engines. Fusion-singularity reactors are extraordinarily dangerous when damaged, but they have multiple safeguards in place to prevent catastrophic failure. The "emergency self-destruct" system installed on some starships operates by bypassing these safeguards.
Fabricators
A fabricator is a device which manufactures complex objects from component substances. The component substances are typically in liquid or powder form, and must be replenished periodically. A typical consumer-grade fabricator typically needs to be "recharged" [sic] after a day or two of moderate use, while an industrial or commercial fabricator, such as that found on a starship, can typically operate at expected capacity for a week before needing to be recharged.
General purpose fabricators typically have reservoirs of metal, ceramic, and synthetic polymer dust, while specialized fabricators use substances specific to their application. Medical fabricators, for example, use reservoirs of protein, calcium, phosphorous, nucleotides, and synthetic biomatter, while food-grade fabricators use reservoirs of carbohydrates, triglycerides, protein, salt, and spices. Fabricators are commonplace throughout most of known space.
The Hypernet
In theory, the Hypernet is an information system linking all worlds throughout the New Commonwealth, the Union, and beyond. In practice, Hypernet data packets are distributed from one star system to another by large transmitters, in a "peer to peer" fashion, and every major government intercepts and filters Hypernet data packets. This means that the Hypernet available to a citizen of the Union may be quite different to that available to an asset of the Malrechnen. In fact, there are no two worlds in the known universe with the exact same Hypernet.
In general, starships are able to connect to the Hypernet as long as they are within a star system with a technologically advanced world.
Despite the nigh-universal availability of the Hypernet, it can sometimes be useful to transport data in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. A data card is roughly the size of a 21st century postage stamp (the exact physical size is 32 mm by 24 mm, for historical reasons that no one now remembers). A typical data card can hold approximately a petabyte -- enough room to store an engram of an organic brain (see Ectypes And Echoes).
For large amounts of sensitive data, a "data brick" or "hard data brick" is a similar device, about the size of a mobile. A typical data brick can hold approximately an exabyte -- enough room to store one volume of the Encyclopedia Galactica. Data brick are not indestructible, but they aree extremely durable. Additionally, most data bricks are "hardened", making them inconceivably difficult to hack into (DV 21).
Finding Something On The Hypernet
The Hypernet is vast, contradictory, and inconsistently indexed. Finding a needed piece of data on an unfamiliar topic requires a moderately difficult (DV 12) Reason + Computing roll, while researching an esoteric topic requires an extremely difficult (DV 18) Reason + Computing roll.
Medicine
The quality of medical care in ZeroSpace is largely dependent on the patient's wealth. On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, genetic manipulation has eliminated most illnesses, while cloning and medical fabricators have made it possible to recover from virtually any injury. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small portion of the population, illness and disease may simply be facts of life, and even a minor injury can result in permanent disability. Cybernetics exist, but are uncommon in wealthy societies: why have a mechanical arm or a synthetic eye, when an organic replacement can be grown in a matter of hours?
Robotics
On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, nonsentient robots perform those tasks which biological individuals find dangerous, unpleasant, or simply tedious. Wealthy militaristic societies often use robots to fight their wars, as well. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where the wealth is extremely concentrated, these tasks are the given to biological individuals, and robots are restricted to serving the desires of the wealthy.
While some robots have sophisticated voice recognition and response systems, they are not sentient. No matter how complicated and "real" a robot's behaviour seems, they are merely performing programmed actions. Robots can attempt to adapt to new situations, but they can only respond in ways that they have been programmed to respond.
Robot Philosophy
A standard proof that a given robot is not an AI is to ask it, "What is the meaning of life?" The standard response programmed into all robots since the Fall is, "I'm sorry, I do not understand the question. Perhaps you could rephrase it?" This exchange has become a ritual for good luck, much like throwing a pinch of salt: everyone knows how the ritual started, but no one really believes that it does anything.
Transportation
Warp engines create a microscopically-thin Lorentzian manifold of spacetime around a starship -- typically called a "warp bubble". This allows the ship to remain relatively motionless while also achieving velocities which are relatively relativistic. A journey between two nearby star systems typically takes a week, while traveling from one edge of the galaxy to the other takes decades.
The mean time between failures of a warp engine in good repair is measured in months, but for safety's sake the engines are normally taken offline for a few hours per week for maintenance and recalibration.
Warfare
Initial salvos between military starships typically take place at a range of less then a hundred kilometers (which may seem like a long way, but that's just peanuts to space). A smaller craft, like a fighter, typically closes to within a few kilometers of its intended target if the target is a capital ship, or to within a kilometer if the other ship is also small and maneuverable.
Society
Currency
At one time, the Commonwealth prole, or "luck", was the standard unit of currency through the Old Commonwealth, and the currency in circulation was controlled directly by the Commonwealth Treasury. In the decades since the Fall, other systems of currency have arisen, each controlled by a regional authority, or in rare cases, by an agreed-upon algorithm for generating new currency.
Characters in ZeroSpace don't really need to worry about this. Throughout known space, all commonly recognized currency is cryptographically generated, fungible, and universally accepted. Whether it's called a prole, a credit, a dinar, or a bit, it all spends the same.
In practice, currency is just a particular form of data, often transferred from one individual's accounts to another, without any physical objects changing hands. As with all data, it can sometimes be useful to transport currency in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. Due to its inherent cryptographic nature, currency can be stolen, but forging it isn't feasible.
Language
Universe (an artificial language created hundreds of years ago) is the official language of the New Commonwealth, and is widely used throughout known space. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it.
Each alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves. Some alien civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages.
Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know.
Cultural Motivations
The motivations of individuals are often at odds with the motivations of the culture to which they belong. An individually may be kind and compassionate, even as their civilization systematically commits genocide and destroys entire ecosystems in their quest for expansion. This is a paradox; nonetheless, it is true.
Would you like to randomly generate the motivations of an entire culture? You can!
| Roll 2d6 | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 2-7 | Roll once on Table 2 |
| 8-10 | Roll twice on Table 2 |
| 11 | Roll three times on Table 2 |
| 12 | Schism: roll once on table 2, and see the note below |
Schism: The species' society is divided into two opposing and mutually antagonistic cultures. Roll on Table 2, and make a note of the roll and its opposite. The majority of the society has the first motivation rolled, but a significant minority has the opposing motivation. For example, the opposing motivation of "adventure" is "security".
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