looming alien threat...

[mctesla]

IMTU, the looming alien threat is something like the Wolves/Inhibitors from Alastair Reynolds' books--- and the reason why Grandfather is hiding. He knows that they are coming, and is planning on waiting out the storm while the Imperium and everyone else is wiped out. Unless those plucky humans can save the day, of course!

 

[Antony]

Didn't GT put a parasitic worm-like race (where have I seen that idea before? (GT Aliens book 4 I think)) rimward of the Solomani to explain why the Confederation too has stopped expanding rimward.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Oh come on. You really believe all that glowing eyes stuff can impress me? Seen that before, killed the guy.

Sorry but "wormlike parasitic aliens" sounds like "Traveller meets StarGate". Granted, I like StarGate but still.

 

[kafka47]

What if the worm would grow into a symbiot that would feed off the human host whilst simultaneosly secreting hormones, RNA fragments, viri that would change human DNA until it grew a new vector transmission, using any sort of firearms would cause the viri & RNA to become airborne. As most medicine in the Far Future is genetic based take over medical research facilities would be its first objective and use the immunization programs to travel to the Stars.

The Gou'ld, Dreamcatcher, Alien Lovecraftian creature on Smack...Humaniti invaded its home, pillaged its sacred groves, now it is payback time!

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

"If non-classic (ie, TGN & Voyager) star trek had the borg, DS9 had the dominion and Babylon 5 had the shadows..then who could be the traveller imperium's looming alien threat? the zho? the k'kree?, solomani? Aslan?...or something more ominous just lurking at the edge?" -- Grymlocke.

What are the common features of a "Looming Alien Threat"? Some or all of these seem to fit.

1) It's enigmatic. We don't know exactly what it is, where it came from, or what its goals are.
2) It's destructive. Life and Liberty as we know them are threatened. Society fragments.
3) It's quietly insidious. You never know where or when it will strike next.
4) It's subtle. One day everything is fine; the next day everything is somehow different.
5) It's capricious. The rate of events fluctuate wildly. Months could go by without any visible signs, then suddenly all lost time is made up in very short order.
6) It's inescapable. No quarantine or known technology can stop it, and running away from it only delays the inevitable. The longer and farther you run, the more difficult is is to get away.
7) It's virulent. No matter how slowly it propagates, it could eventually spread everywhere.


"The Blight" -- One day, people just start falling over, dead. No detectable pathogen, poison, or trauma can be found. There is no common cause. The person is just dead.

"Baby no More" -- Anything that can reproduce loses that ability. Microbes, plants, and animals all die out after living out their normal life spans. Even virii become dormant.

"It Came From Within" -- Random people begin to morph into something twisted and hideous. Maybe they go insane. Maybe they don't. Maybe they just die... painfully.

"Night of the Living Dread" -- Random people begin to zombify; lack of initiative, shuffling gate, reduced mental capacity, and no sense of pain. A small percentage turns into berzerk cannibalistic murderers (e.g., the Reavers from Firefly).

"Where Is Everybody?" -- People go away and never return. They've disappeared without a trace. Those left behind don't seem to care, and soon forget that the 'disappeareds' ever existed.


In each of the above scenarios, there remain a few individuals that are unaffected. These people have two main concerns:

1) What the *&^%$#@ just happened?
2) What do we do now?

If a search is made for The Cause, then clues could be everywhere, but not be obvious until a large number of them are brought together.

And just when the characters think they've finally found The Truth, something happens to show that they are wrong, again. They may never actually find out what the real threat is, but maybe they find out some way to keep it at bay... or not.

Don't forget the red herrings!

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

I handle it as a seeping threat. And its the Hivers. There are many OTU sources stating about humans under hiver rule. In my game they are doing it to alter human history and psychology. Trouble is, no one knows what the end result is to be.

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

Wasn't there supposed to be a human minor race from Rimward that would threaten Known Space in the future? I think it was mentioned in GURPS: Traveller, but I can't remember.

Come to think of it, weren't there baddies from the Rim hinted at in Scout Cruiser?

 

[kafka47]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
I handle it as a seeping threat. And its the Hivers. There are many OTU sources stating about humans under hiver rule. In my game they are doing it to alter human history and psychology. Trouble is, no one knows what the end result is to be.

The second problem given the nature of the Hiver mindset, neither do the Hivers. If it is a success, they will claim all the credit for the biggest manipulation in history, and if it is a failure, well, that was just the work of another manipulation.

BSG, what role to the Shadow Nests play in your conspiracy? Also, looking over D. Nilsen's thread, the Hivers tried to manipulate Humans before and the result was cleaning the slate and declaring the experiment void...hopefully, this is not what your Hivers are going to attempt again.

 

[parmasson]

How about the secret cabal of “greys” mentioned before that are really running the Megacorps?
Or…
I have come to believe that player characters have more to undermine the Imperium than any “alien” threat.

 

[epicenter00]

Originally posted by Kurega Gikur:
How about the secret cabal of “greys” mentioned before that are really running the Megacorps?
Or…
I have come to believe that player characters have more to undermine the Imperium than any “alien” threat.

There's greatest threat your OTU has never experienced. A creeping, insidious doom neither Imperial Marines or Navy have a hope of ever winning against.

The downfall of civilization as we know of it shall be triggered by these simple words:

"Cool, okay, now that Tom's here and got his character sheet, we set our course back towards the Imperium."

This race of doom would be known by many names, but are commonly simply known as The Player Characters.

 

[stofsk]

I have a looming alien threat in one of my budding campaigns.

The important thing to remember about looming alien threats is that they can't be too powerful that the players can't hope to stand against them. They have to have an Achilles Heel of some sort. But it's important to know what it is before you introduce them, because if you take it on at the end it comes off as contrived.

So the Shadows have their vulnerability to Telepaths. The Sith are their worst enemy. The Jem'hadar are addicted to drugs. The Borg are stupid.

Proper foreshadowing is necessary I think.

 

[grymlocke]

There's greatest threat your OTU has never experienced. A creeping, insidious doom neither Imperial Marines or Navy have a hope of ever winning against.

The downfall of civilization as we know of it shall be triggered by these simple words:

"Cool, okay, now that Tom's here and got his character sheet, we set our course back towards the Imperium."

This race of doom would be known by many names, but are commonly simply known as The Player Characters.

I had a feeling PC-ness would be the death of us all, and i'n not far off the mark either

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Other Looming Alien Threats, known only by their effects on the characters.

1) A person is in the midst of a heated battle, intense negotiations, or an solving intricate problem. He can seem to do no wrong. In fact, everything he sets out to do seems to go his way. Suddenly, without warning, the character becomes catatonic. He can be made to go through a limited series of actions, but there is no initiative. His mind is gone.

2) A group is in the midst of a heated battle, intense negotiations, or solving an intricate problem. Suddenly, without warning, all sounds become muffled. Weapons are silenced, voices are whispers, and the research center takes on the acoustics of a well-carpeted library.

3) A once-thriving star system has been destroyed. Everthing looks as if it had been chewed up and spit out. Entire worlds (even gas giants) are missing. If a multiple star system, then at least one of the stars is missing too. What remains is covered with a noxious slime.

4) Everything stops. One day people are aware of themselves and the universe around them, and the next day it's as if they never existed. Some time later, they pick up at the exact point that they left off, none the wiser for their experience.

Ready? Here are the 'Looming Alien Threats'...

1) "Crap! That was my old lady on the phone! I gotta go! Same time next week?"

2) "HEY! I'm trying to sleep! You and your friends either keep it quiet or go find somewhere else to play your little games, understand?"

3) "Uhh... sorry guys. It looks like the dog chewed up my notes..."

4) "Ah-HAH! So THAT's where mom hid everything! Hey guys! I found my Traveller stuff! Whaddaya say we..."

Now, what could be a more looming alien threat than something from outside the Traveller universe?

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

I took the idea of the Hiver view of other races as Children, but to the extreme of Children that you can genetically tailor like a new suit. It would also be a Major manipulation on a grand scale, As Kafka sez. Perhaps even a vast competition.

I always try to remember that Hivers do NOT have human emotions or morality. Curiosity can be "cute" but it can also be "I wonder what the result would be if we make a human colony run totally by an AI." or "I wonder if we can breed a new batch of humans that are (insert project)"

I do not consider them "evil" in the game, and there are "kind" ones, but they have the tech and resources to alter things on a whim, which they seem to have many. That in itself cold be quite sinister to the outsider.

 

[mctesla]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan about the insidious Hiver threat:
I do not consider them "evil" in the game, and there are "kind" ones, but they have the tech and resources to alter things on a whim, which they seem to have many. That in itself cold be quite sinister to the outsider.

Based on this, I am gathering that the Hivers IYTU are several tech levels ahead of the Imperium?

 

[Valarian]

Originally posted by loyal_citizen:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan about the insidious Hiver threat:
I do not consider them "evil" in the game, and there are "kind" ones, but they have the tech and resources to alter things on a whim, which they seem to have many. That in itself cold be quite sinister to the outsider.

Based on this, I am gathering that the Hivers IYTU are several tech levels ahead of the Imperium? </font>[/QUOTE]They sound like the Vorlons of B5 - and if you want to know how much they can really mess things up, I can recommend "A Dark Distorted Mirror" (http://www.b5-dark-mirror.demon.co.uk/)

 

[Gruffty]

Originally posted by Michael Brinkhues:
As for the "real evil":
I'd say the Hiver. They are "sneaky liars/deceivers" in my view.

<snip>

But Hivers, them are dangerous. Maybe if we tie up their tentacles?

Now now! We Hivers are a benign and benevolent race, simply exploring the universe and helping children races to develop. Surely you don't believe we would ever try to manipulate anyone?

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

I set thier tech at a Base of 15, with isolated "H" and "I" level worlds. I got htese from sector data for Extolian/other Hiver Sectors.

Phlemislar 2420 A658866-G L Hp Cp Mr 203 Hv
Icspanaloock 2815 A6638S5-G Ri Hp 301 Hv
Esk Qoo 3017 A5758S6-G E Hn Cx 503 Hv
Wraornautwrec 3116 B4709T4-G F9 Hi In De 304 Hv

Phoga 0221 A67AAU5-I E Hi In Wa 903 Hv

 

[Gnusam Netor]

I like idea of the Hivers as the looming Alien threat - control through manipulation - dominance through manipulation.

Personally i think having the Hivers using the Confederation as pawns against the Imperium would be cool from several aspects. It would also serve as boosting the Confederation and making them a credible threat on a more conventional level.

But first of all i like the cosmic irony of having human supremacists being master-minded by non-humans.

 

[Ran Targas]

IMTU, the Hivers are a 2nd generation species while the other most other OTU species being 3rd generation. The Hivers IMTU have been manipulating Solomanis for over 300 millenia and were tentacle deep in the uplift process.

When they eventually retreated to what is now Hiver space, the Hivers took a great deal of human breeding stock with them. Now, every Hiver mission includes specially bred human thralls and avatars, particularly if dealing with other humanoids. These thralls are not treated badly; they live an almost pampered existence and want for nothing. As such, they are ultimately loyal to their Hiver masters and will sacrifice themselves if required.

Does this necessarily make Hivers evil? In their eyes man is an extremely useful and flexible tool to be used and manipulated. And when it comes to human life, one is only as valuable to a Hiver as the cost of replacing it.

But I do like the idea of a popular perception of Hivers as a threat to human civilization; it's a rumor their enemies would be sure to have cultivated.