Post by Mizagium on Mar 30, 2011 12:27:55 GMT -5
Siren Song is set in the distant future, where humanity has spread beyond Earth - indeed, beyond the Solar System, thanks to the development of taster-than-light (FTL) warp engines. But we remain as fractured as ever; space travel did nothing to unify humans or inspire enlightened thinking.
In a much more recent sense, mankind is coming out of an age of isolation from each other, which was preceded by the greatest conflict ever experienced, which dwarfed all the conflicts of pre-spaceflight Earth and sent two generations of young men and women to their deaths.
The major divide between humans is that of the Old Worlds and the Separatist Worlds. Between them (metaphorically and physically) is the Exodus Gulf, a region of uninhabited space the marks the boundary of Old World expansion and, on the far end, the beginning of Separatist settlement.
The Old Worlds are further divided among the Terran Federation, the Venusian Republic, the Martian Empire, the Frontier League, and the Stellar Alliance. The Separatist worlds are mostly under the charter of the Planetary Union, a supranational governing entity that ensure a repeat of the Great Interstellar War never occurs.
And yes, as many in the twenty-first century predicted and hoped for, humanity has made contact with other space-faring extraterrestrial intelligences. Chief among them are the K'orm Technocracy, a race of theocratic psychics who possess the unique skill to communicate with, and control, most electronic devices. In addition are the Ske'ar, an avian warrior race who value honor above all else, but keep much of their life a secret from others.
Bridging this patchwork of lives together is the long-held mystery of the Sirens, a phenomenon experienced by each of the species. Many settled planets are home to mysterious ruins, obviously built by somebody as they are not naturally made. At some of these ruins, visitors reported hearing or seeing and sometimes feeling a presence that attempted to lure them away. All who have encountered the so-named Sirens, have not returned to tell about it.
Our story begins on a relatively harmless Union planet called Amolsha, situated in a curious location - close to the Exodus Gulf, but also near the extent of K'orm space. Humans stumbled upon this planet early in the Exodus, only to find a settlement of Ske'ar already living there. Lost and out of fuel, the humans had to fight for their right to live on the planet. In the end, the Ske'ar found the humans to be fierce warriors and allowed to stay. Now humans and Ske'ar live in relative peace. Because of its proximity to the Old Worlds and the K'orm, Amolsha receives its fair share of travelers, particularly in Ordarthe, the capital and largest spaceport on the planet. Humans of all walks of life, Ske'ar, and K'orm are common sights in Ordarthe and indeed all over the planet.
But one day, a K'orm fleet materializes in orbit above the planet. Without warning, they invade and the planet is overrun. They refuse to explain themselves and ignore all orders to desist from the Union.
Our mission: reach Ordarthe spaceport from Telvei, a small town located about 300 miles from the capital. Whoever was visiting the town (in particular the Comet's Tail Pub) at the time of the invasion must now work together to make it off the planet alive.
In a much more recent sense, mankind is coming out of an age of isolation from each other, which was preceded by the greatest conflict ever experienced, which dwarfed all the conflicts of pre-spaceflight Earth and sent two generations of young men and women to their deaths.
The major divide between humans is that of the Old Worlds and the Separatist Worlds. Between them (metaphorically and physically) is the Exodus Gulf, a region of uninhabited space the marks the boundary of Old World expansion and, on the far end, the beginning of Separatist settlement.
The Old Worlds are further divided among the Terran Federation, the Venusian Republic, the Martian Empire, the Frontier League, and the Stellar Alliance. The Separatist worlds are mostly under the charter of the Planetary Union, a supranational governing entity that ensure a repeat of the Great Interstellar War never occurs.
And yes, as many in the twenty-first century predicted and hoped for, humanity has made contact with other space-faring extraterrestrial intelligences. Chief among them are the K'orm Technocracy, a race of theocratic psychics who possess the unique skill to communicate with, and control, most electronic devices. In addition are the Ske'ar, an avian warrior race who value honor above all else, but keep much of their life a secret from others.
Bridging this patchwork of lives together is the long-held mystery of the Sirens, a phenomenon experienced by each of the species. Many settled planets are home to mysterious ruins, obviously built by somebody as they are not naturally made. At some of these ruins, visitors reported hearing or seeing and sometimes feeling a presence that attempted to lure them away. All who have encountered the so-named Sirens, have not returned to tell about it.
Our story begins on a relatively harmless Union planet called Amolsha, situated in a curious location - close to the Exodus Gulf, but also near the extent of K'orm space. Humans stumbled upon this planet early in the Exodus, only to find a settlement of Ske'ar already living there. Lost and out of fuel, the humans had to fight for their right to live on the planet. In the end, the Ske'ar found the humans to be fierce warriors and allowed to stay. Now humans and Ske'ar live in relative peace. Because of its proximity to the Old Worlds and the K'orm, Amolsha receives its fair share of travelers, particularly in Ordarthe, the capital and largest spaceport on the planet. Humans of all walks of life, Ske'ar, and K'orm are common sights in Ordarthe and indeed all over the planet.
But one day, a K'orm fleet materializes in orbit above the planet. Without warning, they invade and the planet is overrun. They refuse to explain themselves and ignore all orders to desist from the Union.
Our mission: reach Ordarthe spaceport from Telvei, a small town located about 300 miles from the capital. Whoever was visiting the town (in particular the Comet's Tail Pub) at the time of the invasion must now work together to make it off the planet alive.