Phoenix Protectorate

From Sphere
Jump to navigation Jump to search

This is a collaborative story set in a modified version of the Starbound universe, with elements playing out in game.

Characters

Danilo Escorda
(OmegaPaladin)
Human
Danilo grew up in the skyscraper-filled metropolis of Manila, and showed a growing talent for engineering and devices. While working in his fathers's hovercar repair shop, he started a side project - a fusion power core. After a successful demonstration that amazed his family and neighbor (while leaving the local authorities left than amazed), his mother used her connections as a police detective to get him a place in the Protector Academy, where he excelled. With the fall of the Protectorate, he lost everything but his mission. No matter what, he will get it done.


Dave
(WS60)
Human
Son of USCM senior enlisted on a remote bunker, Dave is a natural survivalist and soldier. (Ironically, that makes this nightmare just what he was born for...) While exploring the world the bunker was on, the base went on emergency lockdown and he had to survive in the wild for a few weeks. This kind of performance, along with a solid record in the USCM, got him a place in the Protector Academy, where he met Danilo. The two became fast friends
Fluorallyl
(OmegaPaladin)
Human
While most Novakids don't join the Protectors, most of them are not as persistent as Fluorallyl. She is remarkably focused for a Novakid, which means she is still fairly childish and impulsive by the standards of other species. She stowed away on a series of Penguin pirate ships before serving with them as a mercenary. The cheerful glowing plasma-girl made a good negotiator and mechanic, which came in handy when their ship crashed on a moon. Eventually, a Protector heard their distress call and rescued them. This experience changed her life - now she knew she wanted to be a Protector. At the Academy, she made many friends, chief of which was the kitsune Kumiko. Fortunately, she managed to become a Protector before Earth was wrecked, and escape to the stars.
Kumiko
(Oseng)
Human
Zero
(Zero)
Avali
Leader of the Avali clan that is aiding the Phoenix Protectorate.

Outposts / Base

  • Phoenix Base - Beid Basin
The current operational HQ for the leaders of the Phoenix Protectorate is a space station located in stable orbit around a frigid star.

Lore

As the last surviving Protectors and their allies survey the galaxy, so much seems to have changed.

Tale of the Foxes

Not long after humanity made first contact with aliens (Hylotl, to be precise), there was a surprising revelation on Earth. The Kitsune turned out to be rather less mythical than had been assumed for centuries. It seems their greatest trick was making all humanity forget they existed. They rapidly became close friends with the Hylotl, almost as close as their ancient bond with humanity. This is believed to be why the Hylotl have taken so strongly after Japanese culture, and you can find the clever foxes across known space in former Hylotl dwellings.

One of the greatest benefits of the re-emergence of the Kitsune was that they had not forgotten the ancient arts of energy manipulation. Kitsune could create wands and staves that actually summoned elemental power. Kitsune magitech rivals Avian crystal technology in its ability to wow casual onlookers, but the systems require careful practice and design. You need to have a device to invoke this power, and it's not possible for even Kitsune to summon fire from their hands... at least that anyone is aware of.


Unexpected Allies

The Protectorate recently made friendly contact with a highly-advanced nomadic civilization - the Avali. The friendly apex predators shared some of their advanced nanotechnology in exchange for the dimension twisting power of the matter manipulator. In the wake of the destruction of Earth, several Avali clans have pledged their assistance. Avali cuisine is somewhat of an acquired taste, but Floran love the spicy meat delicacies. The main clan aiding the Phoenix Protectorate is operating out of a more permanent base on

One of the most prosaic Avali technologies turned out to be vital to Protectors on the run. The Resource Extractor could process the tons of raw stone and material collected by a matter manipulator and process it into useful materials. This technology has massively increased the efficiency of mining, and helps explain the ability of Avali to sustain a nomadic high tech civilization. Avalon itself must be post-scarcity.

= Humanity

Earth, shining beacon of the Terrene Protectorate, is gone. In only a few minutes, almost all of humanity was extinguished by a monster born of dark myth. Less than 20 million humans remain, with the Ruin on the hunt. The United Systems Corporate Military was defunct, having fallen victim to their own arrogance and greed. Only a handful of rookie Protectors remain to save the galaxy.

At least, that's what you thought at first.

It started with the Erchius Mining Facility. This facility alone had a larger human population than the census records would indicate. Then, you found a penal colony. Far more prisoners were there than any record would indicate. More and more humans faced you in combat, and then you ran into a USCM Cruiser, which opened fire. One boarding action later, you had fought your way through a ship full of marines out for Protector blood, and you had even more questions

Protectors are selected to think on their feet, to be the one-person solution to any problem, and you did some digging. One thing kept on coming up - Project Redemption. It seems the USCM had decided to carve out its own future in the stars, with numerous pre-fab settlements, outposts, and warships. While their High Command is willing to work with you, it seems a lot of them are seizing the moment to ensure humanity's destiny lies with them. As if the Ruin was not a big enough problem...