(Science Fiction) Organizations

[rust]

Still working on that Varun setting ...

In my view a plausible modern or science fiction setting should have a number of

interesting governmental and non-governmental organizations, both to support

the characters occasionally and to make their life a little more miserable at times.

Since many games are combat oriented, it is easy to find ideas for military units,

mercenaries, bounty hunters and all that. Unfortunately there seems to be much

less material for purely civilian organizations.

What I have so far are the Colonial Authority (supervises new colonies), the Free

Trader's League, a media organization and some science foundations, but there

could and should doubtless be many more organizations in that universe.

So, if you have an idea what else could be there and could be interesting for a

campaign (= no roleplaying clubs or rabbit breeder circles ...:cool:), please let me

know.

Thank you.

P.S.: These smilies are truly hideous.

[sdavies2720]

I would think that there should be a wealth of philosophical and religious groups. Everything from the radical "redturn to Eden" society that thinks man should not be off earth, to sects that believe certain segments of the galaxy are sacred (or defiled).

Scientific communities that believe that whatever is powering spaceflight/jump drives/whatever is destabilitizing the universe (and if you want to make it a perfect parallel for global warming, make the effect slow, difficult to measure, and counter to what is convenient)

Depending on the speed and ubiquity of communication/knowledge transfer, there should be a shadow world in the E-space. Every type of organization that you fiind in the RW would probably reasonably evolve in the virtual space, albeit perhaps with a different agenda.

I'd also look for a parallel point in world history and see what organizations existed then.

Aid societies would exist in every time and place (from Hospitallers throgh to travellers aid and relief)

Those are my top-of-mind thoughts

Steve

[seneschal]

How about the equivalent of the Environmental Protection Agency, either as an arm of the Colonial Authority or as a separate entity? Its nosy representatives pop up at the most inconvenient times to make sure that the PCs aren't endangering the local wildlife (even though it has been endangering the PCs), aren't polluting, are constructing habitats, farms and other structures according to strict and arcane regulations that were not written with Varun in mind. The adventurers are about to complete some great, lengthy project that will ensure their survival when a fussy bureaucrat bustles in insisting, "Well, according to Regulation XJ14000-B you just can't do that!"

Naturally, the PCs will be tempted to shove Mister (or Ms.) Regulations into the nearest airlock and flush ... but there's a catch. The Agency has the ability to hold up delivery of vital equipment and supplies unless its guidelines are met. So the adventurers must seem to be cooperating with the inspector and following Agency policy whether actually doing so is in their best interests or not.

Edited January 21, 2010 by seneschal

[rust]

Thank you very much, Sdavies2720 and Seneschal.

The scientific community that considers hyperdrive a danger for the galaxy, the virtual space

organizations and "Mr/Ms Environmental Regulations" are great ideas.

[Rob Thomas]

How about;

The humanitarian group that is always helping those in need and may or may not have a secret agenda.

The collectors out to get examples of all the flora, fauna and artifacts of every planet encountered - think of an intergalactic group of orchid collectors or birdwatchers.

The adventurer's club - like above but adventures usually involve trying to kill the most dangerous game on every planet with often archaic weapons.

The destabilizers - industrial backed organizations trying to prevent organized rule in the hopes of increased profit

The protesters - Always looking for the next cause, any cause, to work for and protest supposed exploitation.

The orbitals who believe we should be living in the heavens and not down in the dirt.

The NGO that duplicates government services, sometimes helping and some times interfering.

The freeholders who believe when you stake a claim to a rock you should be independent and free to do things as you choose.

And on and on and on... So many different ways to employ, help or hinder characters.

[rust]

Thank you very much, many good ideas.

I like especially the Destabilizers and the Orbitals, these are groups I myself would

not have thought of, and therefore their existence in the setting will surprise the

players, who know my usual "style" and expect "more of the usual".

[sdavies2720]

I love this kind of thread.

Pleasure-seekers. Whether it's the thrill of the safari hunt, or new experiences, or "human contact".

A whole country or planet that is looking for a new place to root.

Prospectors, fur trappers, anyone opening up the "West"...er the "Rim".

Isolationists who just want to be alone.

Racial Purists.

Wigged-out alientists who believe god is out there in one of the aien races.

Technologists who are looking for patentable materials for their home company.

Tourism developers: People scouting for new locations, Tourism board members, individual tour bookers who want to see for themselves.

Tax evaders (Google was going to put servers on barges in part I beleive to avoid tax jurisdiction. You could have a cloud of corporate and private citizens camped outside the limits of authority.

Seekers of the promized planet.

Frankly. I could see the Better Business Bureau surviving

Greenpeace? Putting their ship in between the PCs and the space whale that they're tying to kill (before it kills them...)

Rock bands

There should be an interstellar version of the Burning Man festival (or Rainbow Gathering).

As new territory is opened up, every major religion should be sending missionaries to save souls.

X-Games players -- every new world will presnt some new challenges that sports enthusiasts will want to tackle.

[rust]

I love this kind of thread.

So do I - and thank you for the many nice ideas, my Varun colonists will have

more and far more exotic visitors than they dreamed of in their wildest night-

mares.

[seneschal]

Yeah, this thread reminds me of the old TV show Lost In Space. The Jupiter II crashed on a desert planet and the intrepid Robinson family was forced to settle there. But it turned out to be the most well-traveled out-of-the-way planet in this or any galaxy, with strange visitors dropping in weekly to help, threaten or annoy.

[rpgstarwizard]

How abut shipboard culture, vs everyone else. Maybe there is no warp, so relativistic ships move from planet to planet keeping contact between worlds. But since it takes time, the shipborn/starcrews, have to keep to themselves, as it is decades if not longer for a ship to arrive, while crews age slower.

[rust]

Thank you very much, I put it on the list.

[rust]

By the way, I have been looking through Wikipedia's lists of international

real world organizations, and this here is my favourite one, the Concate-

nated Order of Hoo-Hoo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concatenated_Order_of_Hoo-Hoo

[Rob Thomas]

How about a group that is out to turn all planets into a representation of their home world, earth or otherwise, by introducing flora and fauna, or screwing with the weather. Nothing like having the players hired to run a quarantine and smuggle 10,000 head of cattle onto a planet or hunt down someone who is covertly dispersing genetically engineered wheat seeds and ruining all the native crops.

[rust]

Thank you very much, a very interesting idea.

My players had terraforming engineer characters in a previous setting, so it would

be very nice to have "The Terraformers" as a kind of eco terrorist group in this

one. >:->

[seneschal]

Where are they going to put those 10,000 head or all that wheat on Varun? :confused:

[rust]

Where are they going to put those 10,000 head or all that wheat on Varun? :confused:

Cows and wheat would surely cause no serious ecological problem on Varun, but those "Terra-

formers" could instead introduce something like the algae that are currently ruining much of

the Mediterranean, together with the crabs from Asia that have conquered the Barents Sea

- easier to transport than wheat and cows, but just as dangerous to an ecosystem.

[sdavies2720]

Cows and wheat would surely cause no serious ecological problem on Varun, but those "Terra-

formers" could instead introduce something like the algae that are currently ruining much of

the Mediterranean, together with the crabs from Asia that have conquered the Barents Sea

- easier to transport than wheat and cows, but just as dangerous to an ecosystem.

Ecological disaster in a box. Just add water!

[samloyal23]

Generation ships, slower than light vessels that take centuries to travel from one star system to another, would develop their own cultures.

Trade unions may have their own fleets of ships and other resources.

Criminal syndicates can exist on a single world or span a galaxy, just look at the Orion Pirates in Star Trek and the Hutts in Star Wars.

Theatrical troupes and USO tours could liven things up, providing entertainment, spreading gossip, getting into scandals...

[rust]

Thank you very much, I will add it to the list.