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Twilight of the Imperium


Dantius

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Based on the recent successes of the idea of an AIM based Dungeons and Dragons style roleplay under Ephesos, ET, and Nioca (with one by Sarachim in the works!), I decided that there was nothing stopping me from running one. So, at sometime about two months ago, I made up my mind to run one. I’ve been polishing, redesigning, and working out the kinks in my system for the past eight week, and now at last it’s time to reveal my Frankenstein Monster to the world, Here’s the background:

 

 

Click to reveal.. (Universe background)

 

The Galactic Empire has reigned supreme over all of humanity for the past twelve thousand years. Now, it is dying. Bit by bit, the Periphery began to secede from the Empire one kingdom at a time. At first it was peaceful-treaties were signed, diplomats shook hands and posed for the tridimensional ‘corders, and embassies were set up. Then, it became hostile. Wars broke out, and the Empire realized that it would need to recoup its losses the way it always had: with force. And so, of the hundred thousand trillion humans in the galaxy, almost ten percent were in the military, higher than any pervious point in history. There were constant skirmishes and hedge wars between the Empire in the core, and the fractious and numerous kingdoms of the Periphery. Under the leadership of various generals, admirals, and emperors, the Empire has manged to produce a stalemate of sorts, with the territorial size remaining roughly the same, and the glory of the Spaceship-and-sun still ascendant (for now).

 

So, as some of you may have guesses from the backstory, this will be a scifi campaign set in Isaac Asimov’s foundation universe, chronologically right after Bel Riose's recall and execution (midway through Foundation and Empire). The system is all prepared, and I’m uploading it snippet by snippet from memory to my website (seeing as my old computer with all my notes AND SPIDERWEB GAMES had the courtesy to die on me two weeks ago). It’s a slow process, so consider this just your warning thread and signup thread for now. I’m a busy guy, and probably won’t have time to DM a campaign until Eph and Nioca finish up, which should be in a month or so, give or take a few weeks. By June, it should definitely be going. So, consider this your fair warning; Although it is by no means necessary (you could easily get by with the info on Wikipedia), it would be very good if you would read Foundation and Foundation and Empire in the time between now and then.

 

It will be a campaign based on all the strong suits of Asimov:

EPIC ADVENTURE!

FANTASTIC CHARACTERS!

FEARSOME TECHNOLOGY!

INTRICATE PLANS!

THE READILY AVAILABLE SUPPLY OF LARGE HAM!!!!

That's where you come in:

 

 

Click to reveal.. (Your backstory)

 

As one of the five quadrillion humans going into military service for the Imperium, you six/five/seven/four were assigned on a unit together, and posted to the ISS Agis VI. The mission of the sip was simple: you were to head off the the Siwenna and reinforce the Imperial garrison fighting against rogue elements of Riose's command. However, no one is a worse gossip than a soldier stuck aboard a ship for months, and the rumors you've hears are too persistent to be denied. Some aboard your ship say that you were sent on some kind of "secret mission" under command of a member of the Imperial Special Services. It's interesting, but the trip passed largely without even, until you exited hyperspace in orbit over Indus II. You didn't even see the ship coming until you had already been boarded...

 

If you'd like to participate, just sign up in the thread. I'll link the site in a couple of hours when I finish cleaning it up.

 

 

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica*

Hyperspace travel has been the crowning jewels in the Imperial technological collection. It has of course been around since the species has been colonizing the stars, but the true military potential of it was only recognized with the development of the Galactic Empire. It remained one of the principal reasons for the Trantorian military juggernaut, along with the development of the Enclosure strategy. The first effective military use of hyperspace technology by the Trantorian Confederacy was in the Third Battle of Isk, where...

*All quotations from the Encyclopedia Galactica here reproduced are taken from the 116th Edition, publish 1020 F.E. by the Encyclopedia Galactic Publishing Co., Terminus, with permission of the publishers.

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Originally Posted By: Lord Safey
I'm interested but I haven't read the book can I still play?

Absolutely. You should be able to get along just fine.

Remember, I probably won't start until June, so if you do decide to read it, you'll have plenty of time.

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Emperor Franken I of the Kamble dynasty was the first ruler of the Galactic Empire. His reign saw the codification of all Imperial laws and the reorganization of the Imperial bureaucracy into the style it resembled for the next five thousand years. It was also under his reign that the construction of the ecuminopolis on Trantor was finally completed, and it became the city-planet covered in steel that it remained for the next twelve thousand years...
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And now, I give you... the site!

 

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Emperor Cleon II of the Divart dynasty is widely regarded as the last of the strong Emperor of the First Empire. Under his reign, culture and the arts flourished, and he managed to expand the empire a good deal back into the Periphery for a short time period until he died. He is most famous to the Foundation for his recall and execution of General Bel Riose due to his suspicious of treason. During his later years he suffered from a painful and undiagnosed ailment, widely regarded by doctors as...
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To echo Cthulhu, I am greatly tempted to join in, but am not sure about timing, as I've had to miss spectating a lot of the sessions of other games due to being at work.

 

I'm definitely rather curious to see the handling of an Asimov based setting, particularly since Asimov's own stories in that setting had (or at least depicted directly) relatively small amounts of the sort of mayhem that roleplaying game characters seem to generate and thrive on. (Such mayhem would fit right in in a Doc Smith setting, it occurs to me. I don't think I'd want to try any game implementation of zero-g space-axe combat, though.)

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Originally Posted By: Niemand
I don't think I'd want to try any game implementation of zero-g space-axe combat, though.


I do not understand this sentence. How could that possibly not be awesome? If it were possible for me to easily represent 3-dimensional spaces in AIMhack, I would so be running things like this. (Scroll down for pics, generic warning about how Penny-Arcade contains some language at times.)
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Originally Posted By: Cthulhu
Dantius, my local library has tons of Asimov novels, and I'd like your recommendation on a starter novel for his universe, mind assisting me?


The original Foundation novel is the best and the first and requires the least amount of context to understand.

Originally Posted By: Niemand
I'm definitely rather curious to see the handling of an Asimov based setting, particularly since Asimov's own stories in that setting had (or at least depicted directly) relatively small amounts of the sort of mayhem that roleplaying game characters seem to generate and thrive on.


I'm setting it in an area of the universe that contains tons of mayhem, even in the novels, and at a time where mayhem would be the order of the day in the galaxy- I would think that the Siwenna sector during the fall of the Empire would see plenty of mayhem.

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
The Imperial Grand Fleet (ca. 9045 IE)was the largest and most powerful spacegoing military ever assembled. Initially commissioned as an expeditionary fleet to the Andromeda galaxy, the political and technological impossibility of such a venture lead the fleet to be used simply as a police force within the Imperium itself. The quality and power of the ships was so great that their influence lasted well into the Foundation era, rendered obsolete only by the invention of gravatics..
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Originally Posted By: Ephesos
Originally Posted By: Niemand
I don't think I'd want to try any game implementation of zero-g space-axe combat, though.


I do not understand this sentence. How could that possibly not be awesome? If it were possible for me to easily represent 3-dimensional spaces in AIMhack, I would so be running things like this. (Scroll down for pics, generic warning about how Penny-Arcade contains some language at times.)


You could have the usual grid, and then several bars showing the elevation of each character. . .
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Originally Posted By: Ephesos
Originally Posted By: Niemand
I don't think I'd want to try any game implementation of zero-g space-axe combat, though.


I do not understand this sentence. How could that possibly not be awesome? If it were possible for me to easily represent 3-dimensional spaces in AIMhack, I would so be running things like this. (Scroll down for pics, generic warning about how Penny-Arcade contains some language at times.)


That reminds me of my traumatic experience with 3D chess. I was beaten by one of my neighbors kids, who was 12 at the time. It was embarrassing because I had just broken a FIDE rating of 2100 at the time, and was basically playing the best chess of my life. I've never touched any sort of 3D board game since.
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Sweet! We seem to have much more (and much more varied) interest in this than I original expected (I honest thought this would be a campaign of Eph, Triumph, Nikki, Diki, Nio; the usual suspects.) Anyways, here is a list of what seems to be the players so far. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Lord Safey

Cthulu

Niemand

Nioca

INNI (possibly, time dependent)

Monroe

Enraged Slith(possibly, book dependent)

Doom

Nalyd

 

Wow. That's a lot of people, and I'm NOT going to commit suicide by running two sessions. So I guess this means I'll be having a lottery, unless quite a lot of people suddenly have to drop out for scheduling reasons. If anyone else wants to join, thy'd better hurry up.

 

Looking at what people say, it appears that the major inhibitor of the players right now is the timing/time zones. To get this issue out of the way, I'll say that the sessions are forced to be in the time window of 6 PM CDT to 12 PM CDT, although I'd really only like to stay up until midnight if the sessions are on Friday or Saturday(I have a job frown.) So with the time of day out of the way, it would be nice to nail down a consistent date, if possible. Since this RP will probably head from late May to July, I would think that most students on the boards will be out of school and have a much easier time making sessions (Again, I could be wrong.)

 

So if this eliminates you right away, please just say so and save me the trouble of biting my nails until the last possible second wondering how I'm going to run a campaign with 12 people in it.

 

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
The Siwenna sector has experienced an unusually large amount of strife for a sector, beginning after the Fall. Initially, an Imperial fleet was sent to dislodge a corrupt viceroy, but after the populace rebelled against said viceroy, the admiral of the fleet simply had most of the population executed and declared himself the new Viceroy, contrary to his orders from the Emperor. Later, it was the principle staging grounds for General Bel Riose's invasion of the Foundation. Foundation control of the planet began with...
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Quote:
I'll say that the sessions are forced to be in the time window of 6 PM CDT to 12 PM CDT

That timing is (perhaps unfortunately) just right for me. If there are still too many people around when it comes time to begin, I wouldn't mind bowing out overly much, given that I have no experience in these things anyway.

Until the time does come to begin, we can engage in a cloak-and-dagger struggle to force enough others out to ensure that we get in. To get the ball rolling, I suggest attempting to get Nayld grounded again, and visiting the public libraries near Enraged Slith and pilfering all of their Asimov texts.
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Originally Posted By: Niemand
Until the time does come to begin, we can engage in a cloak-and-dagger struggle to force enough others out to ensure that we get in. To get the ball rolling, I suggest attempting to get Nayld grounded again, and visiting the public libraries near Enraged Slith and pilfering all of their Asimov texts.


Way ahead of you. I've already IP tracked Cthulhu and called in a favor with his boss to get him transferred to the London office. Then, I got *i to disable image posting so Monroe will be forced to abandon the boards.

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Kyrt is one of the rarest and most sought-after materials in the galaxy. It is extracted from the fibers of a particular plant that only grows in the wavelength spectra of a star in the pre-nova stage. It is widley renown for its industrial an military applications, having a tensile strength greater than steel and mny times lighter than silk. It was first produced on the third moon...
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Originally Posted By: Dantius
Originally Posted By: Niemand
Until the time does come to begin, we can engage in a cloak-and-dagger struggle to force enough others out to ensure that we get in. To get the ball rolling, I suggest attempting to get Nayld grounded again, and visiting the public libraries near Enraged Slith and pilfering all of their Asimov texts.


Way ahead of you. I've already IP tracked Cthulhu and called in a favor with his boss to get him transferred to the London office. Then, I got *i to disable image posting so Monroe will be forced to abandon the boards.

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Kyrt is one of the rarest and most sought-after materials in the galaxy. It is extracted from the fibers of a particular plant that only grows in the wavelength spectra of a star in the pre-nova stage. It is widley renown for its industrial an military applications, having a tensile strength greater than steel and mny times lighter than silk. It was first produced on the third moon...

I expected a preemptive strike, and I took appropriate measures. Niemand will get a nice little surprise in the morning tomorrow, as will Nalyd.
Great justice shall ensue!

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Monroe will be keeping his longer arm held up to optimize his circulation. It's an interesting strategy, to say the least.

 

The most effective way to mess up my schedule would be to ensure that I get the job I'm applying for. I'll be quite impressed if Cthulhu has the connections to pull that off, outside of business hours, no less.

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Originally Posted By: Niemand
Monroe will be keeping his longer arm held up to optimize his circulation. It's an interesting strategy, to say the least.

The most effective way to mess up my schedule would be to ensure that I get the job I'm applying for. I'll be quite impressed if Cthulhu has the connections to pull that off, outside of business hours, no less.


Drat, Wisconsin, my weakness. It's the only state in which my friends don't operate.
Although, you'd think an infinitely potent,cosmic entity would have his henchcreatures everywhere...
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  • 2 weeks later...

Alright! Let's get down to business!

 

I have finished a practice run of the system with Nioca, and it seems that, with a few minor tweaks, the system is good-to-go. The log will be posted shortly [and by "shortly", I mean it is available HERE], and in the next week or so, I'll work on wrapping up any other loose ends that remain untied. Please note that the events, places, and people int he log will NOT be appearing later in the campaign. Hunting worms in the desert is easy for me to mindlessly come up with in a practice session, not an actual run of the RP. I might also want to run a space combat test run with multiple people. PM me if you are interested. You may or may not be piloting Z-wings to rescue Princess Be-ia from the Dark Star battlestation.

 

Second, sometime in the next few weeks, I'll hold a lottery to figure out who gets in and who... does not get in. I'd image that those people will be crushed, or something. This is the LAST CHANCE to get a entry if you haven't signed up already! To reiterate, the people who have signed up are:

 

Lord Safey

Cthulu

Niemand

Nioca

Monroe

Doom

Nalyd

 

Not all of them will get slots.

 

Finally, a preview of one of the planets that you may be visiting:

 

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Dakkor was one of the largest and most prosperous systems in the Periphery. A world of heavy industry, its shipyards and foundries were responsible for a good deal of the might of the Empire. In addition, the massive industrial plants and sweeping megapolis meant that this was the only other planet in the galaxy aside from Trantor that could lay claim to the coveted status of "ecuminopolis". Alas, the massive population began to experience severe social friction towards the Fall, and after the planet was lost, a horrific civil war broke out which reduced the planet to little more than a charred ruin, a shadow of its former glory...
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  • 3 weeks later...

I was going to post this tommorrow, but why not now?

 

The Calender! (Sessions will, as previously mentioned, take place somewhere between 6 to 12 CDT.)

 

Also, last chance for new players/players who were on deck to confirm that they'll play.

 

Originally Posted By: Encyclopedia Galactica
Personal shielding is the epitome of Foundation minimization of technology. While the Empire could easily create shields large and strong enough to cover cities, ships, and even planets, they were never able to successfully minimize the technology enough to cover an area of less than 100,000 cubic meters due to their ignorance of the specifics of energy field manipulation. The Foundation stumbled upon this secret in approximatly 87 FE, when...
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The first of the characters arrives!

Click to reveal.. (Numerinus Domitus Publicolus (Nalyd))
Level 1 Combat Engineer

 

 

STATISTICS:

 

Strength - 1

Dexterity - 4

Coordination - 4

Intelligence - 4

Endurance - 2

 

SKILLS:

 

Weapon (Atom Blaster) - 3

Engineering - 4

Computers - 4

Artifice - 2

Medic - 1

 

ATTRIBUTES:

 

Health - 12

Speed - 4

Stamina - 5

Energy - 2

Dodge - 14%

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Question regarding weapons. It seems you have to specify a type of weapon for weapon class (Handheld, Turret, Pilot). Does that mean you still have some proficiency in other weapons in that class (e.g. someone with skill in a Needlegun could also handle a Stunner, though maybe not as well), or are they ONLY proficient in that specific weapon?

 

I just bring it up because it could make Artifact-level weapons a little awkward since no one will be able to use them in the latter case.

 

Also, is "Hand-to-Hand" a viable hand-held weapon class?

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Originally Posted By: Nioca
Question regarding weapons. It seems you have to specify a type of weapon for weapon class (Handheld, Turret, Pilot). Does that mean you still have some proficiency in other weapons in that class (e.g. someone with skill in a Needlegun could also handle a Stunner, though maybe not as well), or are they ONLY proficient in that specific weapon?

I just bring it up because it could make Artifact-level weapons a little awkward since no one will be able to use them in the latter case.

Also, is "Hand-to-Hand" a viable hand-held weapon class?


1. Yes. If you attempt to use a weapon in it's class you are not proficient with, just take half of your highest weapon skill and use that instead. The exception is melee weapons, those are pretty much a separate category.

2. Yes, it is. But it wouldn't do as much damage as a melee weapon.
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Another character emerges, and this one won the Mentalist Lotto! Meet Dana Templeton, Monroe's fighter/Second Foundation agent.

 

Click to reveal.. (Dana Templeton (Monroe))
Level 1 Second Foundation Agent

 

 

STATISTICS

 

Strength - 4

Dexterity - 2

Coordination - 3

Intelligence - 4

Endurance - 2

 

SKILLS:

 

Weapon (Nuclear Blade) - 4

Weapon (Needlegun) - 3

Mental - 3

Bluff - 3

Stealth - 1

Armor - 1

 

ATTRIBUTES:

 

Health - 12

Speed - 4

Stamina - 11

Energy - 2

Dodge - 8%

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