(Role-play) Brainstorming...

[Jishdefish]

Okay, I know this is out of the specified Role-playing area, but I believe that I could use some outside help for this.

Basically I have some random thoughts on what I'd like in a role-play, kind of a fantasy/scifi blend. The general setting for such a role-play:

*Takes place on a foreign planet, but with a race almost exactly human and the planet very Earth-like, but not the Earth we know.
*The inhabitants of said planet have been living peacefully until the collapse of a nearby star into a black hole(this is near the center of the Milky Way, so stars are much closer together and at least in this instance have unexplained effects on other solar systems).
*Ever since the birth of the star at a certain time each year some(the number increasing each year and the duration increasing as well) of the inhabitants have been gifted with certain powers, dubbed 'astral magic' by the local government.

Okay, well thats the gist of what I have so far, I need some help filling out the details, mostly the plot, which is why I have left the powers undefined really...

[Blue Tiger]

It sound like a really good idea!
I was thinking, maybe the powers that the people get could be things like Psychic, elemental, stuff like that. Maybe like the X-men thing, lol, but not too much like it . But you'll have to decide if these people are going to be accepted in the society or seen as "freaks" .
Also, if the effects of this star is going to become deadly and it starts destroying worlds, then the plot will need stuff about how the people will deal with it...

[vampirehunter42]

Sounds good.

A couple of questions to ask yourself. (I have a D&D world somewhat built so some of these are ones I asked myself.) Keep in mind none of these need a full answer, or will ever have a full answer. They are for shapeing things.

But what level of technology level will the world be set at?

How will the powers interact with technology?

Do you have different races or all the same race?

How do the different races get along?

How many different civilizations are there?

How do they get along?

How will the 'gifted' be treated in......(small towns, large towns, cities.....)?

What type of 'gods' do they have?

How do they connect the gods to these powers?

I need to check out where my list is. But check out this site. It is some of the rules for D&D stuff. You may work out some ideas on what can be used for it.

[Veksyn]

Unfortunately Vampirehunter beat me to the punch, I was going to ask similar questions. My background is writing not D&D though.

Here's a few I've though up to help.

Would the dead star be strong enough to effect tides (If the planet has them)

Would it cause much interference with the technologies?

Would it change major aspects of the sky (such as constellations. . .if it has a say golden age of sail like tech this could lead to some interesting nautical plot points.)

Great start though. Looks like it would be fun.

[JishFish]

Well, I was thinking for simplicity's sake I would keep the race thing down to one with a few different factions. As for technology level, early 19th century seems a good fit, right when the world was still rather large, but shrinking rapidly due to technological advances. But of course, the collapse of the star widened the scope considerably when it so directly influenced society from so far away. Still drawing a blank on the abilities thing, I just don't want to do something used too much.

[Corva]

It doesn't need to be close to the core for the stars to be close together. How about a Binary pair, where one of the stars collapses? This would allow you to have tides affecting the planet much more strongly, with the possiblity of tearing it from its orbit.

Perhaps one of the Factions could be a cult worshiping the Black Hole?

[vampirehunter42]

I would like to note that the gravity would not change with the changing to a black hole. And there would not be a change in tides or things like that. But the "mystic" things are fair game. And I know, science and role playing don't mix. But I must have some pet peeves.

As a note I took this from a site I like to go to. http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/bl ... e_sun.html

The gravity of an object depends on two things: the mass of the object, and the distance you are from that object. Isaac Newton showed (using calculus) that as long as you are outside a spherical object, gravitationally you can treat that object as a point mass. In other words, as you stand on the surface of the Earth, the gravity of the Earth pulls you as if all the mass of the Earth were concentrated at a point in its center. As long as you are outside the surface of the Earth this will be true. If you keep the Earth's mass the same and shrink it to the size of a golf ball, you will feel the same gravity as long as you stay more than the Earth's old radius away (about 6400 km).
The same applies if the Sun were to collapse into a black hole. Its mass is still the same, and the distance to the Sun would not change. Therefore, the gravity of the Sun felt at the Earth would remain the same. The gravity, in fact, would feel the same to you as you approach the erstwhile Sun all the way to where its surface used to be (about 700000 km from the center).

The situation changes when you get closer than where the surface used to be. Imagine you dig a hole in the Earth 100 km deep. Using some calculus, it can be shown that the mass of the Earth outside your radius (that is, the radius of the Earth minus 100 km) no longer has any net force on you. You will feel lighter. This will continue as you dig deeper, until you are at the center of the Earth. Then all the mass is outside of you, and has no net force on you. You'll be weightless! (Actually, the situation is a bit more complicated: the Earth's crust is somewhat less dense than the parts beneath it, so as you dig down, at first you actually will get heavier as you approach the more dense regions, but as you go down deeper you will start to get lighter).

So it is with the black hole Sun. As you approach, the gravity will feel just like the old Sun's, until you get closer than about 700000 km. Before, you would start to get lighter as you pierced the surface, but now the surface is still below you! The gravity gets stronger. And stronger, and stronger, and STRONGER, until you are just above the surface. At this point the gravity is so strong the tides from the black hole will rip you apart. Heavy, dude.

One more note: the Sun, by itself, cannot turn into a black hole. The above is an imaginary exercise. Stars that turn into black holes are typically either much more massive than the Sun (at least 8 times as much) or must be part of a binary system, which the Sun is not. We don't need to worry about this happening to us, but it does make a fun thought experiment!

[Veksyn]

Yet in a fantasy role play, the rules are a bit looser. Fantasy is just that, fantasy, not real, fiction. In essence one could throw all the rules of science out the window. Although that would make it confusing for many people.


If you wanted realism, read an encyclopedia instead of complaining about inaccuracies in a game.

[vampirehunter42]

I know someone posted something like that. Oh, I remember.....

I would like to note that the gravity would not change with the changing to a black hole. And there would not be a change in tides or things like that. But the "mystic" things are fair game. And I know, science and role playing don't mix. But I must have some pet peeves.

[Jishdefish]

Now, now, lets not get on each other's nerves....

That worshiping the black hole thing though... I like it.

At school I managed to define the race at least, they call themselves Enhans, live much like humans in a roughly hierarchical structure, at least in respect to most of the inhabitants.

Roughly three or four countries dominate the planet. A peacekeeping military power thrives on the highlands to the east, protecting the roads and serving as a shelter to those who need it, and teaches them to fend for themselves and eventually join their ranks. These people accept those gifted with what they call "Astral magic," and even give them a special class equal to those who are allowed to carry heavy weaponry. Often this country keeps its technologies at a high level to stay the commanding power.

Okay, this country I borrowed from a book I recently read, Fall of Angels by L.E. Modesltt Jr. but hey, I'm not that good at military powers, as I mostly disprove of them. Now I need some rival forces to make this kind of force necessary... Great.

[Ersska]

Rivals, huh? How about the country to the west? A civilization that exist in the swamplands. They are not highly advanced in technology, but have developed ways to mutate their own people to become faster, stronger, etc. They are deadly assassins who are bent on destroying all who gain "Astral magic". They have created their own magic, a hoodoo/voodoo-like mix. They are able to use their surroundings to their advantage: camoflage, weapons, etc. They have the wit and cunning to rival the heavy artillery.

What do you think about that?

[Corva]

Ah, but such a black hole could migrate coloser in, and so have a bigger tidal effect.

[Blue Tiger]

Hey, I like that idea Errska !!!
Anyway, about the black hole thing, If it gets too close it will suck up the planet. And it can suck up stars and moons, if the planet has any, all this depending on how close the black hole is. Also, ive always found the supposed fact that black holes can even suck in light very amazing, perhaps it could start to absorb light that the planet needs for warmth and then it starts to get abnormal winters?

[Corva]

Only if it was in front of the planet.

[vampirehunter42]

*must.... not.... keep.... science.... discussion..... going......*

I like the idea of a technology equal enemy. With gossip about them having something extremely powerful, that may be stronger than anything the one side had. Weather or not they have it or not does not matter. This will just help add fear to either power. Like the nukes and the Cold War. They were a weapon nobody wanted to use, but kept acting like they were.

You can make them a ruthless totalitarian government. While life is not that bad for the common man, they have little freedoms and punishment is quick and, at times, "over kill". Just take a look through this site to find things not to do, or to do as you see fit.

[Veksyn]

*must.... not.... keep.... science.... discussion..... going......*

Thank you for not mixing reality with fantasy.

Cold War like scenarios are hella lota fun to play, lots of deep thinking politics. Only did one once then the board it was on went boom. . .V.V

[Jishdefish]

Yes, good idea Errska. Balance is what this needs. The military country is becoming more powerful, so why not balance it out. Let's say these swamplanders always get the short end of the stick in whatever they do, mostly because their country is so bad off, with nothing to raise, little to hunt, poverty, ect. making thievery the only way to make any kind of life. So, the other countries see them as scum but from their point of view not having much means that they don't have much to lose. But now that many of them are leaving, found gifted with that strange power that no one really understands. Now they can't even share their empathy with one another afraid that season after season their numbers shrink as the 'astrals' seek out their destiny. This is the last straw. Now they converge, looking for some way to strike back at this world that keeps taking everything--and now everyone--away from them. They delve deep into themselves and find a common power and goal. A power on the opposite spectrum of those they view as evil from the dark of space: the power of light and energy to burn and make the world anew. I don't know what to call them, but their beliefs stem from the sun, something familiar and primal... I hope I made some sort of sense. I tend to ramble.

So through their enemies I think I know what power the Astrals get. The power of motion, of gravity, air, and of the unseen... Change is their element, but subtle change. Some can make explosives from similar components by just thinking about it, but none of them can form a spark to set them off without tools. What do you think?

[Corva]

Change! Your putting Mr. Obama in charge?

[Jishdefish]

Nah, if I wanted real change I'd put Mr. Gore in charge. I'd still prefer Obama to McCain though. More of the same isn't a solution, so any alternative is better, even a watered down one.

But, that isn't what this thread is about DragonRider, so don't change the subject please.

[Dragon444]

As to the Black Hole deal, having it close enough to the sun that the sun starts stretching, yet far enough away that the sun is still safe, would be a cool idea, imagine looking up and seeing a sun that looks like an ice cream cone.

[Jishdefish]

I don't plan to throw physics completely out the window here. I just want to exploit the unknown into a story. So, give poor physics a hand before he falls please.

[alondor]

*starts clapping*