Thundercloud Galaxy - snippets and sneak peaks

[Braden Campbell]

Just wanted to share this with you guys to prove that I am actually writing another book.
__________________________________________________________

A History of the Thundercloud Galaxy

In the year 9998 of Third Era, the Consortium of Civilized Worlds elected a new Prime Minister. For the first time in decades, this new leader was from a species other than Human. Voirr Jhawn, a former Wulfen Quatoria, was elected to office with forty-seven percent of the popular vote. Her conservative platform was what many in the Congress were looking for. It included such initiatives as tougher sentences for criminals, forcing the T’Zee to adhere to the Civilization Compact immediately, and eventual re-unification of the Wulfen Republic under the CCW. She stood for common sense and an end to political corruption.

Six months into her first term, Prime Minister Jhawn ordered an investigation into the activities of the both Naruni Enterprises and the Thundercloud Development Company. The head of this investigative committee was TVIA Inspector Addison Sholl. Although only fifty-six years old (not even middle-aged for a Human) Sholl had a reputation for being a shrewd and honest observer. He was fastidious, driven by detail and minutiae. His ex-wife described him as cold and incorruptible.

A year later, after touring the Consortium holdings in the Gaelra Arm, Inspector Sholl returned to Terra Prime. He sequestered himself away in his office to write up his report. After three months, it was complete; one thousand pages detailing everything that he had seen and experienced. Then, before anyone else could read it, he threw the report into a garbage pail and burned it. The next day, instead of submitting his findings to the Prime Minister, Sholl quit his job and moved to Center.

Questions ran rampant. Had the Company bribed Inspector Sholl to keep quiet? What had this man seen that caused him to throw away his career? No one was sure, and still no one in the Prime Minister’s office was exactly sure what was going on in the Thundercloud. Voirr Jhawn ordered a second round of investigations. Hundreds of TVIA Inspectors began the long journey to Eden, dispersing from there to finally find some answers. Some would never return, vanishing forever in the foreboding Crèche Clouds. Some would succumb to illness or disease and either live out their lives hooked to life support machines, or die in the jungles of some unnamed planet. Some would travel throughout that galaxy, and witness the myriad of conflicts and atrocities, both large and small, that are happening there. Some would fight it. Some would not.

Regardless of their ultimate fate however, none of those men or women would emerge from their experience unscathed. For they were journeying into the midst of the largest land grab in recorded history: the Scramble for the Thundercloud.
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And guys...
please try to keep this thread about a possible Thundercloud Galaxy supplement book... what you'd like to see or not like to see.

[DhAkael]

o.0?

[Esckey]

I would not like to see brand new companies that rivil NE in power and equpiment stats

[Braden Campbell]

I would not like to see brand new companies that rivil NE in power and equpiment stats

You won't.

The Thundercloud Development Co. is a chartered company under the Consortium Authority..... really more of a governmental department that can also use private funds from corporations.

There will be a section on the Oni, but those looking for lots of new toys are going to be disappointed by both the lack thereof and my use of big words.

[Braden Campbell]

The Scramble for the Thundercloud: a few numbers to mull over...
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> The Thundercloud Galaxy contains approximately 18 billion stars.

> It is estimated, although no one is certain, that of those those stars only 1% will form a naturally habitable planet; ie. one suitable for carbon-based life. This means there are approx 18 million possible planets on which to start a colony.

> In 9314 TE (about 700 years ago), there were about three dozen planets in the Thundercloud that had been settled by outsiders; that is, by races not indigenous to the Thundercloud. This included Wulfen, Kreeghor, and Humans.

> The total percentage of the Thundercloud that had been mapped or settled was equal to 2 one-thousandths of a percent.

> The Scramble began 450 years ago, in the aftermath of the Great War.

> Currently, the CCW claims 20% of the Thundercloud (1.8 million worlds) and the TGE claims dominion over 33% of the Thundercloud (2.9 million worlds)

> Since 53% of the Thundercloud has been claimed in the span of 450 years, the average rate of planetary colonization by the super powers is 20,000 planets a year!

> At the current rate, the entire Thundercloud will have been claimed by external power blocs by 10,450 TE (450 years from now).
_____________________________________________________

You bet its a land grab!

[glitterboy2098]

what i'd want to see:
1.) groups that don't use CG drive. where is the Fusion, the light sail, the NERVA, the plasma drive, ect? the thundercloud isn't claimed by most powers, which to me means all that "3G's standardized tech" hasn't arrived yet. which means there should be more variety in drives and weapons and such. alternate FTL methods from CG drive, Phase drive and fold drives should also be in use. (perhaps Tachyon drive? hyperspace? 'stargates'?)

2.) more weapons. not just lasers, particle beams, plasma, railguns, and missiles. where are the kinetic penetrators? the phasers? the disruptors? EMP weapons? gravity weapons? (if you have CG drives, you can build a gravity based gun...) the same points from above. the area is new, and thus 'standardized 3G's tech" isn't around. so more variety exists.

3.) Cosmozoans. space lifeforms. give us more than uglies and space worms. if nothing else, add in the Void whales and asteropods from AUGG. how about star-seeds? black clouds? show an ecosystem, not scavengers waiting for the odd ship to come by. where are the space plants, for example?

4.) non-humanoid races. i'm tired of the "humans with make up or animal heads" method of palladium races. can we see some more variety? and not the stereotypical stuff either. three galaxies got us on a nice start with this, lets keep it going.

[Greyaxe]

I think its time to go to Center and visit a certain man>

[Braden Campbell]

Gadrin; under the Tanet Agreement, powers may only claim a volume of space if they actually have people living in that space. You can't just point to a map and say, "We own that cluster" if you haven't put people there.

The CCW would, at 20% of the galaxy have something like 1.4 trillion citizens living there. The average population of a Consortium Thundercloud planet would then be 770,000.

The TGE would, at 33% of the galaxy have roughly 2.3 trillion citizens living there. the average population of an Imperial planet would then be 793,000.

So, according to the Planet Generation charts in Anvil Galaxy, these planets would all be between Colony and Settled status. But things are not going to be so homogenous... so expect a lot of planets with 100 - 1000 settlers living on it (and maybe millions of natives).


glitterboy2098; one of the problems with introducing alien aliens (and not bumpy forehead aliens) is that we would have so little in common with giant blobs or hive minds that we would either never interact with them at all (which is boring), or would war with them (although, since we would share almost nothing in common, what would we be fighting over?)

[Braden Campbell]

so expect a lot of planets with 100 - 1000 settlers living on it (and maybe millions of natives).

you're talking about a conscious attempt to scatter people all over the place. so your Fleets book will reflect this as most planets won't have CAF ships, but rather local and independent ones to service these ports/colonies, etc.

Exactly right.

This will be explained in more detail, but the Scramble for the Thundercloud is partly about showing up the opposing superpower... the one with the most planets, wins. It's another aspect of Cold War for the Kreeghor, and a misguided kind of "well-intentioned Imperialism" on behalf of the Consortium.

For certain interests, it's also about making tons of money with no regard to native peoples or ecologies.

[Braden Campbell]

The book will begin with a timeline of events as they relate to the Thundercloud. I find it an easy way to keep track of things...

Fleets will also have a fairly comprehensive timeline of events, with events from all acorss the Three Galaxies.

[taalismn]

Agh...it's like seeing the Buffet sign, and smelling the food, but having to wait for the line to open....

[Esckey]

Just a question; will your Thundercloud book and/or Fleets have more specific OCCs(fighter pilot, starship commander) or will things be a bit more sensible with a OCC template and then you just pick a "career" choice with the appropriate skills for a planetoid miner or starship mechanic

[Braden Campbell]

Just a question; will your Thundercloud book and/or Fleets have more specific OCCs(fighter pilot, starship commander) or will things be a bit more sensible with a OCC template and then you just pick a "career" choice with the appropriate skills for a planetoid miner or starship mechanic

The only OCC I was planning to include was a Combat Engineer suitable for nearly any army...

... but it might show up in Triax 2 first. Not really sure.

[Aramanthus]

It looks really very nice Braden! How is the manuscript coming? I hope it coming along quite far in it's development.

[Braden Campbell]

You won't be seeing it for quite a while, I'm afraid, but I appreciate everyone's input.

[Aramanthus]

Just take you time and do it right! And please share a snippet once in awhile if you can!

[glitterboy2098]

glitterboy2098; one of the problems with introducing alien aliens (and not bumpy forehead aliens) is that we would have so little in common with giant blobs or hive minds that we would either never interact with them at all (which is boring), or would war with them (although, since we would share almost nothing in common, what would we be fighting over?)

i know, but i'd like to see more anyway. they don't have to have a lot on them, just stats and a little fluff.

its up to the GM's to figure out stuff like motivations and the like.

[Aramanthus]

Not in my 3 Gs

[Braden Campbell]

I get what your saying. It's like how Tolkein had the First, Second and Third ages in his book.

Mr Tolkein was an avid student of history and mythology, and stole quite a bit from both camps. The notion of the world (or in our case, the Three Galaxies) passing from one Age to another, with each sucessive Age getting weaker and weaker, goes all the way back to the Greeks. Thus, I have little compulsion in borrowing the same idea...

In the First Galactic Era there was only the First Race and the Forge. That all ended when the One wiped everything out, and the Forge hid itself away.

In the Second Galactic Era, billions of years later, the Elder Races had evolved into a state of near godhood, and ruled the 3G's... until the War against the Dominators ended all that.

Then there was the Interim, which lasted about 40,000 years. During this time the 3G's became populated by monsters and supernatural intelligences since the Elder Races were no longer around to keep them out.

The Third Galactic Era begins about 10,000 years ago. Humans arrive, the Kreeghor are being bred, and all the foundations are being laid for the current game setting.

As for the Thundercloud, the current crop of species have only been interested in settling it for the past 1000 years.. which in itself is a freakin' long time. the book will begin with about 9 pages of background history, explaining what all took place before the Scramble even begins (450 years ago).

I like making up history, and find that the easiest part to write...

[glitterboy2098]

i like the set up, but i disagree with the times. things this grand need to be measured in hundreds of thousands of years or more.

the 'third era' works as is, but the first era i'd push back to a billion years or so, with the second era about 5 million before the current.

the first were literally the first, and while they didn't create the 3G's, they did spread life throughout it.

when they fell, it took millions of years forthe galaxies to recover, and produce new life. then began the second era.

the interm is the second period of galactic rebirth, and takes a few million, and the third era is the known history of the current 3Gs.


since the first and second era's can be condensed into one or two paragraph sections generalizing the events, and a detailed timeline is only needed for the third era, it works, and gives plenty of space for Gm's to work with.

[Braden Campbell]

I was wondering are you going to add anything like space station creation rules? ... how to write up Plantery settlements.

Yeah, I think a set of Colony Creation Rules are in order. Prob just a Phase World reworking of the Rifts City Creation tables found in the Adventure guide... Why re-invent the wheel after all?

They are low on my priority list, howver. If someething has to get the chop during the editing process, that will be the first to go.

[Braden Campbell]

Anyway, glitterboy 2098, I don't think Braden has stated how long ago the first and second ages lasted.

No one knows how long they lasted, just that the Second Era ended 50,000 years ago with the end of the Dominator War. All other dates are arbitrarily set by modern historians who fight about it quite a lot.

If the Three Galaxies are 15-20 billion years old, who knows what all happened before we came along?

[Greyaxe]

Bear in mind if the 3g are that old thwere will be alot of black holes and quazars as the stars die, I think it should be closer to 6 or 7 billion years old. Long enough for a civilization to evolve be arround for a billion years die and new civilizations to start up.

[Braden Campbell]

Bear in mind if the 3g are that old thwere will be alot of black holes and quazars as the stars die, I think it should be closer to 6 or 7 billion years old. Long enough for a civilization to evolve be arround for a billion years die and new civilizations to start up.

Our universe is about 13 billion years old (and change). the Earth has only been around for 4 billion years.

The cosmological timescale is looooooong and sloooooow...











like me

[Braden Campbell]

Frickin' double posts...

[Braden Campbell]

I normally hate new OCCs, especially if there is an existing OCC in the game that could do the same job with a few skill alterations.

But my wife got me thinking about this tonight: big game hunters.

Thundercloud Galaxy is colonial Africa in space. And we have 47% of an entire galaxy, quite possiby filled with new animals and monsters. Is there an OCC in Phase World (or Rifts) that would be the equivilent of a professional big game hunter?

If not, I'm including one....

[Braden Campbell]

Kind of.

these would be people who would go hunt big, dangerous, or new animals... either for display as trophies, or to capture for zoos. The animals could be normal or supernatural, and could be from any kind of climate.

but yeah... like safari hunters

[Kryzbyn]

LOL
Naruni Safari 'bots.
Only difference between them and the repo 'bots is the addition of a pith helmet...

[Braden Campbell]

They wouldn't necessarily. But people from the utopias, and Paradise Federations would, as well as other wealthy sportsmen from across the 3 G's.

THRAXUS: "Man, I could really go for a couple of saphire cobra egg omlettes...You! Go get me some!"

And as for Safrai Inc. (Three Galaxies), its founder's OCC is T-man. But he has to have a staff who must be some kind of OCC...

[glitterboy2098]

Kind of.

these would be people who would go hunt big, dangerous, or new animals... either for display as trophies, or to capture for zoos. The animals could be normal or supernatural, and could be from any kind of climate.

but yeah... like safari hunters

use the Dinosaur hunter OCC from WB26. the only thing connecting it to dinosaurs specifically is the name.

[Spinachcat]

Braden, I would like to see the Thundercloud book offer a big and dangerous surprise for the competing powers. Maybe the land that hasn't been grabbed yet is either (a) already occupied by creatures that can hold their own turf (b) problematic for reasons that add a new layer of challenge for our heroes and the powers that hasn't been seen before in the universe. Either way, anything that can make Thundercloud feel different than Anvil or Corkscrew is a good thing. It should be a different gaming experience than the other areas.

The Safari Hunter OCC sounds good. Is there a Bureaucrat OCC? You would think that galaxy spanning empires would need gun toting bureaucrats to quality control!!

[Braden Campbell]

Maybe the land that hasn't been grabbed yet is ... problematic for reasons that add a new layer of challenge for our heroes !!

The interor is highly radioactive and filled with deadly deseases. How's that?

[Spinachcat]

The interor is highly radioactive and filled with deadly deseases. How's that?

Is it just regular radiation or does Thundercloud have its own radiation energy issues that could upset plans for colonization? Is it radiation as we know it or something magical, psionic or other energy wave?

As for disease, is it biological, magical or psionic?

[Braden Campbell]

Radiation: normal, just an average of 50-100 rems on planets with life on them.

Diseases: normal bacteria and viruses, a few spread by insect bite. Unfortunately, the sources have all been highly mutated and toughened by their natural environments, and are currently untreatable.

[Braden Campbell]

Are we talking about 1 planet or the whole interior?

Whole interior.

Whether it is due to the close proximity of so many young stars, or a side effect of the blast wave that tore through the galaxy 50,000 years ago, the Crèche Clouds have an unusually high level of background radiation. These levels are measured in units called rems. In general, one must suffer exposure from a prolonged high level source before succumbing to radiation poisoning.

Most planets in the Crèche Clouds with some form of indigenous life on them will have an average of 20 – 100 rems on their surface. The native plant and animal species will all be immune to the ambient radiation, but most outsiders will not be. At the low end of this scale, people without adequate protection will see their red blood cell numbers drop, leading to anemia and iron deficiency. At the high end of this scale, mild sickness and headache will result, with an increased risk of infection due to a lack of immunity cells: characters are -1 to save versus disease.

[Kryzbyn]

I'd like to see a present galactic power that is content to not expand, but hold a large amount of unknown power. Like they have a "been there, done that" attitude in regards to conquering and expansion.
Physically close to humans, but not intimidating in appearance.
Saomething along the lines of they have conquered thier own arm of the galaxy and are content to leave it at that. No longer has a standing navy or space power, but have an entire fleet hidden in a hollowed out world or something in case of an emergency. An old, space faring civilization that is ok with where they are, but could take the whole of the three galaxies if provoked.
This could make for an interesting situation when the TGE shows up and trys to incorporate a planet, and really screws the pooch on a first contact mission, and get their butts handed to 'em.
Or, they sit and wait for an opportune moment to expel the invaders, knowing full well they can at anytime, but prefer to "humor" this young aggresive race. They simply have "outgrown" the need to "flex" their might at anyone because they have forgotten more about warfare than these young races have learned in 300 years.
A line from one of them to a TGE rep:
"We've destroyed more worlds than you inhabit, then rebuilt them because we could. And you believe you're a threat to us how, exactly?"
Maybe this race could be the defacto guardian of the forge or remnants of a race that created it. maybe these guys use the invaders like the splugorth use the kittani, or have recently (like in the last 100 years) released them from their servitude, so without anything to do they have begun to harrass the CCW and TGE.

Just some thought fodder for ya.

[Kryzbyn]

oooooh what if the Dweller and the lord of the Deep on earth were the same race?

There should be a book just about True Atlanteans by now, that has all known clans, practices, who doesn't like who, etc. then lock it down canon wise. That way we get all the info we ever need, and the race won't be abused any further.

Thanks, Pook. Let's write a book about it! Oh, wait...

[Aramanthus]

Braden the problem of having radiation and bacteria is the fact that radiation is a great sterilzer. Meaning if you have a high rad count you aren't likely to have much in the way of bacteria. It's given there might be a very rare species that could exist in those circumstances, but that would be very rare.

[Braden Campbell]

hmmmm.... you make a good point. See, this is why I post little things here.

The idea is to make the interior of the Thundercloud, the Creche Clouds, a very scary place to go into. Also, the environment is the result of the the blast wave created when the Black Hole Projector created the Vortex (part gamma ray burst, part ley line storm).

So maybe make it some kind of "magical radiation" as is found in Rifts: Australia, pg. 30?

Still plausible enough to give rise to all kinds of freaky life forms not found anywhere else in the 3 G's, and I'm sure the major powers can come up with some kind of drug to keep the effects at bay (so one is safe until the supply runs out... then the psycosis sets in). Actually, I'm liking this idea even better... very Philip K D ick.


Ben Lucas... I'm borrowing your idea!

[Aramanthus]

I want to help your book reach the printer. I thought I should point that out. I'm more than happy to help out whenever I can!

[Aramanthus]

It's not really a theory. If an organism can survive in an environment and breed it becomes successful! But it is truly a rare organism to survive in that environment that he was suggesting. I just want to help him along and not hinder him!

[Aramanthus]

That is my goal!

[Greyaxe]

Which is why these rare and unusual viruses and bacteria exist only in the Thundercloud and have no known cure.

[Braden Campbell]

More like the cold virus... constantly changing so its hard to come up with a vaccine or antibiotic.


Some of these diseases are just brutal (and based on real-world afflictions)... especially Hemoragic Creche Pox, which affects only children. Races native to the Thundercloud such as the Catyr and the Oni are immune.

[Braden Campbell]

Also, I figure that with the super-science of the CCW and the TGE, most of the piddly new diseases will be countered by broad spectrum drugs... like ultracillan or something.

As long as you have a standard drug supply and inoculations, you won't catch Thundercloud cold, or whathaveyou.

Therefore, since the little stuff is a non-issue, you only have to really worry about the awful ones.

[Aramanthus]

That makes sense. And there would be a rush by certain companies to get a hold of those rare diseases for a cure......and other uses. (Biowarfare units in the governments Military research facilities.)

[Greyaxe]

Also, I figure that with the super-science of the CCW and the TGE, most of the piddly new diseases will be countered by broad spectrum drugs... like ultracillan or something.

As long as you have a standard drug supply and inoculations, you won't catch Thundercloud cold, or whathaveyou.

Therefore, since the little stuff is a non-issue, you only have to really worry about the awful ones.

Perfect opportunity for piracy and black market drugs

[Aramanthus]

Nope, as long as there is opportunity those sort of people will be there also. But that means pirate hunting will continue too!

[Braden Campbell]

.. those looking for lots of new toys are going to be disappointed by both the lack thereof and my use of big words.

I lied.

There will now be a short section detailing a few weapons, suits of armour, war machines and starships common to the Thundercloud.

Once I began the section on the Wulfen of Motherhome-in-exile, I realised that they had to have a few things that were uniquely theirs. Sorry everyone.

[Aramanthus]

Sounds good to me too!