Specialized knots of Viscain Tree fiber, or "organs", that are analogous to complex nerve clusters and which can be made to produce a variety of effects, ranging from simple power generation to automatically plotting the interstellar course to the Root Palace's next destination.
Vine ganglia are essentially unrefined Artifacts and have been incorporated--at least most successfully--by Military Hardware Division Director Gilf Scanlan in a variety of conventional technologies, most notably the jump decks, and, most impressively, the latest incarnations of the Generals' war machines, the Grans.
writing and other stuff
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Stitch Drive
A reproducible and dynamically positioned "organ" of the Viscain Tree devoted to providing faster-than-light, interstellar locomotion through a combination of explosive growth and permanent, interval space folds.
During interstellar travel, the Stitch Drive is located just above the occupied Root Palace which, in a sense, is like a needle, drawing the seemingly interminable thread of the Vine behind it through punctuated bunches of folded space.
During interstellar travel, the Stitch Drive is located just above the occupied Root Palace which, in a sense, is like a needle, drawing the seemingly interminable thread of the Vine behind it through punctuated bunches of folded space.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Shade
An elite, governing military leader of the Viscain Empire, made super-human by one of the Emperor's Artifacts.
There are at least 6 active Shades at any given time split into two groups: usually 3 Generals and 3 Specialists making up a signature squad.
Generals are provided with armies, most often of mass-produced gene soldiers, and a Gran. They are the main force unleashed upon a civilization after planetfall.
Specialist Squads aid in stabilizing newly acquired planets, but have a more versatile role, often laying groundwork for invasions prior to planetfall.
Upon completing a full term of service (usually 500 years) a Shade enters retirement and is eligible to receive a planet, complete with custom modifications and any necessary resources, as his or her pension. Even after retirement, many Shades remain active, never losing their elite status, acting as martial arts instructors or Locsard Academy professors. In times of crisis, retired Shades are sometimes called back into limited service.
There are at least 6 active Shades at any given time split into two groups: usually 3 Generals and 3 Specialists making up a signature squad.
Generals are provided with armies, most often of mass-produced gene soldiers, and a Gran. They are the main force unleashed upon a civilization after planetfall.
Specialist Squads aid in stabilizing newly acquired planets, but have a more versatile role, often laying groundwork for invasions prior to planetfall.
Upon completing a full term of service (usually 500 years) a Shade enters retirement and is eligible to receive a planet, complete with custom modifications and any necessary resources, as his or her pension. Even after retirement, many Shades remain active, never losing their elite status, acting as martial arts instructors or Locsard Academy professors. In times of crisis, retired Shades are sometimes called back into limited service.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Root Palace
The nerve center and ever-moving frontier of the Viscain Empire.
The tip of the Vine is thickest--nearly 11 kilometers around--where it makes contact with a planet's surface. This bulbous termination, for a length of about 50 kilometers up, houses all the military might and governmental divisions of the Empire. Unseen below the planet's surface, is a network of roots that laces throughout the world to drain it of its resources. Once those resources have been drained and the Empire is ready to move on, a new shoot will emerge. This new, unfinished Root Palace will then "stitch" its way through space to make contact with the next step in the Empire's expansion.
When the Vine makes planetfall, there is of course a tremendous seismic shock which tends to devastate the surrounding area for several thousand kilometers. In addition, various alien toxins and bacteria are introduced into the planet's atmosphere which help supplement and expedite the Shades' work of subduing the native population.
The tip of the Vine is thickest--nearly 11 kilometers around--where it makes contact with a planet's surface. This bulbous termination, for a length of about 50 kilometers up, houses all the military might and governmental divisions of the Empire. Unseen below the planet's surface, is a network of roots that laces throughout the world to drain it of its resources. Once those resources have been drained and the Empire is ready to move on, a new shoot will emerge. This new, unfinished Root Palace will then "stitch" its way through space to make contact with the next step in the Empire's expansion.
When the Vine makes planetfall, there is of course a tremendous seismic shock which tends to devastate the surrounding area for several thousand kilometers. In addition, various alien toxins and bacteria are introduced into the planet's atmosphere which help supplement and expedite the Shades' work of subduing the native population.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
RPP
Raw Physical Power.
This is a figure arrived at by multiplying one's weight at one standard gravity by his or her gravity rank.
Dark RPP is the above figure multiplied further by the Artifact rank.
Comparing RPPs alone is not the definitive method for determining who would be successful in a contest. Technique will alter the numbers--sometimes significantly--and other factors such as speed, skill, experience, and environmental conditions will definitely play a part, but the RPP does provide a baseline from which real comparisons become possible.
This is a figure arrived at by multiplying one's weight at one standard gravity by his or her gravity rank.
Dark RPP is the above figure multiplied further by the Artifact rank.
Comparing RPPs alone is not the definitive method for determining who would be successful in a contest. Technique will alter the numbers--sometimes significantly--and other factors such as speed, skill, experience, and environmental conditions will definitely play a part, but the RPP does provide a baseline from which real comparisons become possible.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
RMP
Raw Mental Power.
A psychic's rating on a scale developed by Velt Locsard.
100: the baseline; a living, breathing, functioning human being
200-400: usually a single, involuntary benefit (good health, longevity, exceptional skill with numbers, etc.)
500-3,000: the minimum for one or more discrete, voluntary abilities
3,000-5,000: the usual range for Shades
over 5,000: there are very few psychics with recorded RMPs of over 5,000 and only one with an RMP over 6,000.
The highest recorded RMP is a staggering 10,000 and is attributed to Geiss Sinzer, who rebelled against the Empire in the year 9367.
Dark RMP is simply a Shade's RMP multiplied by his or her Artifact rank.
A psychic's rating on a scale developed by Velt Locsard.
100: the baseline; a living, breathing, functioning human being
200-400: usually a single, involuntary benefit (good health, longevity, exceptional skill with numbers, etc.)
500-3,000: the minimum for one or more discrete, voluntary abilities
3,000-5,000: the usual range for Shades
over 5,000: there are very few psychics with recorded RMPs of over 5,000 and only one with an RMP over 6,000.
The highest recorded RMP is a staggering 10,000 and is attributed to Geiss Sinzer, who rebelled against the Empire in the year 9367.
Dark RMP is simply a Shade's RMP multiplied by his or her Artifact rank.
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