SF Space Monopoly

[signoftheserpent]

>Let me push this whole "real point" thing back a step further (which we should've done for you earlier, frankly, but darn it, we love our science fictional economics!):

The question wasn't intended to explain the entirety of the setting.

>In your game, what do the characters do? And what do you want the players to feel about it?

the characters are members of various factions in a distant far future setting where nobility rules a galactic empire without an emperor.

The Imperium was created from the ruins of an earlier (now ancient) empire known as the republic of the gods, so named because it was dominated by very powerful beings who are now seen - worshipped and revered - as just that. These figures are myth to the common man - as most dieities are, however they were real in their time and just as powerful. Though they long passed into myth they exist yet moving behind the scenes and using agents to further their goals; just like every other faction in the game.

The power vacuum exists after the Imperial throne was overtaken by a being chosen - created even - by the gods. This being was designed to take over what its creators felt was a corrupt empire and to place humanity back on track. His followers present another faction, but the leader is conspicuous by his absnence (thus such pc's have to find their own motives and beliefs).

Playing a noble is another factional choice whereupon the pcs can fight to take the throne or re eastablish the old, trusted order, or whatever.

That is the central idea: there is a power vacuum and the struggles of various factions create various possibilities for character choice. The noble houses are one while the League/Guild/whatever is another. There are others still.

The reason for wanting something more than just 'lets get in our ship and fly off somewhere' is not just one of realism (ie that sort of thing is too simplistic), but to add some depth to the setting. A force that controls a monopoly (or a majority interest) in space travel adds all sorts of opportunities.

It's not solely about space travel in the way Firefly might be; being a member of the league or a pilot for a House is just one of many choices.

So there are great similarities to the kind of SF that Dune creates - empire, nobility 'guilds' and human gods. The power vacuum is purposefully an empty stage waiting for new heroes to stride upon and the feel should be epic. Thus it is somewhere between Dune, Star Wars (more the Clone Wars I think - outright conflict offers much drama, something Dune as an rpg lacks), Greek myth (the Iliad and whatnot) and Exalted (thse pc's who serve the gods - lets call them heralds - are powerful representatives of ancient forces bound by their master's dictates).

So 'anything' isn't far from the truth, but a more structured anything.

The system, btw, will be d6. I like D6 and I brought d6 space and star wars.

[Michael Brazier]

About the "League Astrolabe" idea:

As you've constructed this, the interstellar military (which the Imperium would absolutely require) relies on the League's Astrolabe data just as much as any other interstellar traveler.  That means the League and the Imperium can't plausibly be at odds for long; the League has the power to immobilize any ship of the Imperium at will, but the Imperium's military has no equally swift response.  Logically the Imperium has to have started as the League's defense force against piracy, and the Astrolabe would be the most important of the Imperium's crown jewels.  Moreover, any database similar to the Astrolabe, but not networked with it, would be a challenge to Imperial authority, and a seed of a rival interstellar polity.

I think the logical way to get the stories you want, given this technical base, is to have the Astrolabe destroyed in the course of the usurper's takeover.  That forces the regional authorities (your "nobles") into building private astrogation databases, just to keep interstellar trade afloat -- which would normally be a League privilege, of course, and the local League representatives are likely to resent the encroachment.

[signoftheserpent]

>As you've constructed this, the interstellar military (which the Imperium would absolutely require) relies on the League's Astrolabe data just as much as any other interstellar traveler.  

The actual astrolabe and the navigational codex was inspired by reading about the Hanseatic League and the sailors who used something called the Book of the Sea to essentially navigate by.

Also part of what interested me about the monopoly concept was these sorts of situations. By monopolising space travel, the League can set up odd situations such as controlling how parties go to war! The League can determine when and thus how parties fight - interesting (perhaps implausible I don't know). They could transmit each side the co ordinates for a battlefield. This could well be some world outside of the Imperium they want subdued which they can use themselves! All sorts of possible machiavellian shennanigans arise which - most importantly - lead to good story opportunities.

>I think the logical way to get the stories you want, given this technical base, is to have the Astrolabe destroyed in the course of the usurper's takeover.  That forces the regional authorities (your "nobles") into building private astrogation databases, just to keep interstellar trade afloat -- which would normally be a League privilege, of course, and the local League representatives are likely to resent the encroachment.

So we have a League that formed in ancient times that represent the origins of this setting. The League itself was a mercantile empire that explored and organised trade networks, rebuilding the society that fractured during the end of the old regime (the republic of the gods).

Later, a military force is created to protect League interests. This militia falls under the purview of one or more of the noble houses within the League. Those in charge of the League are also nobles, but more pwoerful merchant princes and the like.

Soon the military and their merchant masters fall out and many other nobles are forced to take sides - either with the league itself against a coup by the military; or with the noble militia against an oppressive and profiteering regime.

And now i'm stuck.

[TonyLB]

Okay, players running factions to try to take advantage of a power vacuum.  Gotcha.

Then I think these are the questions you need to ask about absolutely every group in the game:[list=1][*]What can they do for the players?[*]What do they want the players to do for them?[/list:o]Yet another argument for the League not being an absolute monopoly, by the way, since it means that they can be swayed by players who will help them suppress their rivals.

[signoftheserpent]

Okay, players running factions to try to take advantage of a power vacuum.  Gotcha.

Then I think these are the questions you need to ask about absolutely every group in the game:[list=1][*]What can they do for the players?[*]What do they want the players to do for them?[/list:o]Yet another argument for the League not being an absolute monopoly, by the way, since it means that they can be swayed by players who will help them suppress their rivals.

Indeed, an absolute monopoly would pretty much rule out all potential interstellar adventuring. I don't want that, but I like the idea of a pwoer over space travel. What is interesting about the world of Dune isn't only that it's intelligent (maybe a little too intellgient compared to something like star wars, which everyone loves) is that it's different. Now obviously no one likes stuff that's different for its own sake (Mechanical Dream for instance), but something that is interesting and addps depth and possibility. A society that doesn't rely on technology the way most SF societies do and managed to retain a mystical - fantasy - element is very interesting. Dune suicceds in that in a way games like Fading Suns don't.