Concept hook ideas:

[pennshome723]

Hello everyone,

I would like to set up a new adventure for my players in the future. I would like them to explore a new solar system yet unexplored at all. All that will be know about it is the Sun type and how many orbits and some basic stats on what is in each orbit.

Now my focus is that Unknown to the players about 500 years ago a Human Ark landed on one of the planets and the 1,200 colonists started a civilization. As to stats, I would state that they started off with TL 12 stuff, but because of the backslide they might be TL9 or TL10 now. They could even be farther back on the TL too if it can add to the adventure and plot line.

What I am looking for is some idea help in trying to figure out where these Colonists would be at in there civilization. I am looking for ideas and I view this is a work in progress. I am hoping to gain some interesting ideas to flush out this new culture. Now how big would these guys have grown from 1,200 colonists after 500 years on a garden type world like earth. One note there in more land mass than water, and there is no moon. The population was from Earth and the stock was from the US/Canada genetic stock. Also they brought some animal types from earth with them too like: Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, Chickens, Horses, Dogs and Cats. They also brought some plants and trees types with them as well. The were part of the New Earth Project, forgotten and lost in space.

So what are folks thoughts?

 

[BytePro]

Now how big would these guys have grown from 1,200 colonists after 500 years on a garden type world like earth.

That depends on growth rate (birth vs death), which would vary over time. Unlike earth, those 1,200 start out with TL12 and decline to still above current earth TLs - so mortality rates could be very low. If they are intending to populate, that could easily be billions in 500 years! Doubling every 20 years (3.5%), over 35 billion - doubling every 30 years (2.3%) just over 100 million.

Assuming they have retained a family structure and decent life expectancy without some traumatic historical events, I'd go with somewhere around 150 to 500 million presuming they initially pursued a period of rapid expansion and then moderated as social mores changed and complacency started to set in with the resulting TL declines.

But if this is supposed to be an adventure - and 500 years hasn't resulted in the system being 'known' (emissions) - there needs to be some social or physical reasons?

 

[pennshome723]

Wow...I really never considered 'millions' of people in 500 years time.

Maybe I should take the TL back to TL10 to begin with and state that the Colonists had planned to slide back to say TL 5 to 7 ranges. Now also these people could all be "Tree Huggers' and that means they would build and design Eco friendly culture and life especially in regards to technology. I am guessing their climb in tech would be slowed but they would explore a broader tech base in the way of doing things. Their cities would be designed on a human scale and pay attention to detail. Think more of a "Elven" point of view. They would be trying to form a "perfect society" at one with nature and the world around them. So I would think they would not over-populate.

What about this, how would that set the stage better.

 

[CosmicGamer]

I'm just thinking, we earthlings went from Christopher Columbus tech of the mid 1400's to space tech of the mid 1900's in just 500 years. Without having any higher level tech at all and also any advanced knowledge of such tech. Unless all the knowledge is somehow lost or for some reason the resources are not available (very bad planning or bad luck?) I'm personally not on board for a long term, large degree of tech loss over a 500 year span without some specific desire by the group to forgo such.

With the larger population you would need to consider government and control of the tech. Why wouldn't some revolt or set up their own country elsewhere and so on.

 

[pennshome723]

Well when the colonist get there they have to set up life and most likely need to break down most things to build a livable sustainable existence at a lower tech level to start with. Also since they are Tree-Huggers, they want all development to be Eco-Friendly and that would slow techs down and make them move slower. Remember too a lot of our advancement came because of Wars and etc. These people would be a peaceful society that makes slow progress to remain Eco-Friendly at all times. Now what tech leave they would be at when the player discover them, maybe they would be at TL 10 again, but they are not interested in exploring space but more interested in build a richer culture.

Now there could be other issues too, but I have not dug into that direction yet either. I am just brain storming here and welcome all ideas to explore here for the game.

 

[BytePro]

So, baseline reading: Tree huggers. Stable, non-violent culture. Non-expansionist; introverted (seeks no inclusion in a wider galaxy). Low pop (esp for a garden world with more land area than Earth). Quite a bit higher than modern times TL, unless your TL levels don't correspond with CT style TLs.

Screams bio-tech centric.

To maintain low population on a garden world means a combination of low birthrate and/or reduced lifespan. This can be from environment and/or culture.

Screams some hidden cultural abnormality.

Cloning with a self-limited lifespan (maybe even built into the genes) to be harmonious with nature. Idealic planet with notions to remain separate from humanity at large. Virus scale hive symbiont or nebulous system intelligence permeating the world/system.

There is plenty of sci-fi to draw from - the real question is what do you envision the Players doing? Sandbox?

 

[pennshome723]

Hmmm I like your thinking very much...

Well I was thinking that the people might have altered their Genetic makeup and in the process makes them live longer but have fewer births. I also like the clone idea, but with no imprinted memories, Also I was thinking that their culture might be extremely organized almost controlling to a outsider<g>!!!!

Maybe the genetic alteration to their DNA was to make them very much apart of their new world.

I am also thinking of using the plot line that a Computer AI actually runs the world and is self aware, but was originally designed to not allow humans to heart one another or allow them to be harmed. Thus the Computer AI, called Ultra Mind presents the illusion that the humans are in charge and control, but it is really just leading them along and helping them see what it feels they should do which is best for them. Thus Big Brother is watching and listening and he knows BEST!!! ...LMAO

Now the players could discover the non star travelling planet bound culture, and make first contact. How will they react to the many social fun things they will find down there...LOL!

BTW there is trouble in Paradise...deep dark secrets...lol!!!!

I love plots within plots within plots and I could really pull their chains with this whole plot<VBG>!

 

[rancke]

A lot depends on the composition of the expedition. If it's a representative picture of the parent society, with babies, infants, and old people, you get an ordinary sort of popuation growth. If it's 600 males and 600 females all aged 20, you get quite a different (much higher) population expansion the first couple of generations. If it's 1200 females and a sperm bank, you get yet another pattern.

Another question is infrastructure growth. With adequate population control technology, population growth can be voluntarily restricted to whatever the colony can support in comfort, which in turn depends on the growth of the food sector.


Hans

 

[pennshome723]

I would say that the Colonists consisted of the following:

300 25-29yr old Males
300 30-35yr old Males

300 25-29yr old Females
300 30-35yr old Females

No mated pairs and all in peak physical and mental health plus another 100 assorted Males/Females leaders 36-40yrs old. Everyone was educated and trained in lower level survival skills for the planet.

They brought with them many resources that would allow them to get up and started but they would need to locate and process resources from their new world. The Super Computer AI came with them and was put in place when they landed, it was Self-Aware when they arrived and was actually running things at that point. The society is set up as a Republic, with a Senate and Chairman of the Senate. Ultra Mind advises them all, all the time. He is their Friend<g>!!!

 

[rancke]

I just ran your world through my historical event generator. Permission granted to use any or all of the following for any legitimate Traveller purpose, up to and including work for money.

Year         Population
  0             1,200
 50            30,000 (25 times original in the first 50 years).
 80            63,000 (2.5% p.a. growth)
110           151,000 (3% p.a.)
140           363,000 (3% p.a.)
170           417,000 (0.5% p.a.)
200           750,000 (2% p.a.)
300         2,030,000 (1% p.a.)
400         9,000,000 (1.5% p.a.)
500        24,400,000 (1% p.a.)

Major world events (1 per century):

1st Century: Major historical figure (statesman)
2nd Century: New colonists arrive from offworld (small ship with 12 people[*])
3rd Century: Msjor historical figure (conqueror)
4th Century: Global disaster [**]
5th Century: No major event.

[*] Note: A group does not get more than a footnote in the history books (if that) merely for arriving and melding tracelessly into the population. If a new set of colonists is noteworthy, then it's because they eventually grow into a big, distinctive group of people, infect the locals with Hepatitis Q causing a worldwide collapse of civilization, teach the secret of fire, cause a major religious upset, or something else of major significance.

[**] An event that kills a large percentage of the population. If the population is small the disaster need not literally be global in nature; as long as the population is concentrated in one area, a forest fire or an earthquake can be enough. Such a catastrophic loss of lives will invalidate the preliminary population growth table above. Either rework the table or reduce the effect of this event. A regional-scale disaster that hits the capital may be remembered just as much as a global disaster.​

Important world events (3 per century):

1st 3rd of 1st Century: No important events
2nd 3rd of 1st Century: Natural disaster
3rd 3rd of 1st Century: War
1st/2nd: Plague
2nd/2nd: Important historical figure (Conqueror)
3rd/2nd: No important events
1st/3rd: Founding of an empire
2nd/3rd: War
3rd/3rd: Breakup of an empire
1st/4th: Founding of an empire
2nd/4th: No important events
3rd/4th: No important events
1st/5th: No important events
2nd/5th: Founding of an empire
3rd/5th: No important events


I have a table for notable world events too, but as that would involve 50 throws (once per decade), I won't bother unless you express an interest.


Hans

 

[pennshome723]

Very nice Hans and thank you!

I would love to get a copy of the historical event generator!!!

Ok lets look at the details here...

Code:
Year Population
0 1,200
50 30,000 (25 times original in the first 50 years).
80 63,000 (2.5% p.a. growth)
110 151,000 (3% p.a.)
140 363,000 (3% p.a.)
170 417,000 (0.5% p.a.)
200 750,000 (2% p.a.)
300 2,030,000 (1% p.a.)
400 9,000,000 (1.5% p.a.)
500 24,400,000 (1% p.a.)Major world events (1 per century):

I would say that the pop would be mixed 2/3 human, 1/3 Dryone.

1st Century: Major event: Ultra Mind comes fully online and begins to run everything from Central City
2nd Century: Alien colonists arrive from off-world (small ship with 120 Dryone in Cyro-Tubes/ Sleepers, they are awakened and allowed to settle on the planet and thrive)
3rd Century: Maor historical event: Both Human and Dryone cultures thrive and work together, and then the Dryone merge into the Human culture as full citizens. Much Genetics work is being done on both humans and Dryone alike. The humans alter their DNA to better themselves for life on their world and greatly increase their life span, with a small side effect of fewer children. Dryone Cast system is broken and then their DNA is spliced to make them more like humans in that they no longer cast but instead have freedom to choose their development future.
4th Century: Historical event: Cloning is perfected and both humans and Dryone are able to grow clones that are clean slates and mature to adulthood in a number of years and then can learn to be anything. Cloning is accepted and used to create more population.
5th Century: Major event: First Contact with a human Scouting Team

Game start...

 

[HiverLord]

[*] Note: A group does not get more than a footnote in the history books (if that) merely for arriving and melding tracelessly into the population. If a new set of colonists is noteworthy, then it's because they eventually grow into a big, distinctive group of people, infect the locals with Hepatitis Q causing a worldwide collapse of civilization, teach the secret of fire, cause a major religious upset, or something else of major significance.
Hans​

Major event/impact = Psionics?

I'm not sure if this would fit in with your ideas (perhaps psionics are not yet available when this second group sets out), but it would definately provide a spark for change!​

 

[pennshome723]

I have always tried to saty away from using Psionics, because as a GM I have a hard time using it within a game.For me it is alot like Magic or The Force frm StAR WARS AND THAT ISN'T THE WAY IT SHPULD BE. It is my failing as a GM to run that, and I just have not put into thought enough time how to really use it within a game. So over the years I have just said no to it. I would howerver love to see a book on it and hope that a large section woul be on how to use it in game play and properly GM it most effectively to make it feel and look real.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I have always tried to saty away from using Psionics, because as a GM I have a hard time using it within a game.For me it is alot like Magic or The Force frm StAR WARS AND THAT ISN'T THE WAY IT SHPULD BE. It is my failing as a GM to run that, and I just have not put into thought enough time how to really use it within a game. So over the years I have just said no to it. I would howerver love to see a book on it and hope that a large section woul be on how to use it in game play and properly GM it most effectively to make it feel and look real.

I really depends on how common you want psionics to be. You could figure it approximately like this:

Extremely Rare = 1 in a trillion people have powers
Very Rare = 1 in a billion
Rare = 1 in a million
Uncommon = 1 in a 1000
Common = 1 in 100
Everyday = 1 in 10

There are books on it for Traveller: MgT Psion and T4 Psionic Institutes.

Of course, there are books for other systems, too, that have similar and different powers. Fading Suns, Alternity's Star Drive setting's MindWalker supplement, Trinity. Might be something to check out if your are really interested. The rpg Trinity is completely based around artificially induced psionics.

 

[pennshome723]

OK I will look at the other references you have told me about.

Thank you!

 

[rancke]

Major event/impact = Psionics?

I'm not sure if this would fit in with your ideas (perhaps psionics are not yet available when this second group sets out), but it would definately provide a spark for change!

The historical events are supposed to provide shorthand entries that give inspiration for the worldbuilder's imagination. If no ideas that work crop up for an entry, just ignore it. Or if you get an idea that would work for a different time period, move the entry.


Hans