Monday, March 25, 2013

The Pleasure Domes of Erato

During the time of the Archaic Oikumene, the most famous of the so-called “pleasure worlds” was Erato. Called the “New Venus” (the original Venus having been a much less hospitable planet around Old Sol), it was home to a collection of resorts and parks catering to every imaginable sensual pleasure. The domes were themed by passion or interest and provided a variety of different environments from lush gardens to freefall. The bioroid staff, in a myriad of forms, catered to every taste.

Then came the Great Collapse. For a few generations, the last visitors to Erato and the humanoid administrators lived an end-of-the-world party in high decadence: then the bioroids took over. They developed a society of their own, closed off their world to the rest of space.

Sometime near the end of the Radiant Polity era, Erato was re-contacted, and reemerged as a purveyor of pleasure. As before, it offer a variety of experiences in a discrete setting--but this this time under the control of the bioroids themselves. They’re an eclectic bunch: androids, gynoids, and a number of combinations thereof, with a myriad of modifications to primary and secondary sexual characteristics, sexual performance, and biochemistry. The facilities are less expansive than in days past (as many are given over to expanded living areas, storage, and manufacturing for the bioroids), but current visitors don’t seem disappointed.

Ever seeking to expand their market share, the Eratoans have began to generate members of their race with new uses. Bioroids with idiopathic poison biochemistry or weaponized genitalia command a high price on the black market as assassins.

7 comments:

Chris C. said...

At first I thought "Wow, forget Risa, I'm taking my next interstellar vacation here!"

Then I read the bit about "weaponized genitalia." I was so scared I wet my pants. :)

Jack Guignol said...

I want to go to there.

Gothridge Manor said...

Apparently I won't be going there with Bard.

garrisonjames said...

So what happens on Erato doesn't necessarily stay on Erato? Is there a 'Half-Shell Hotel' included among the many resorts there? That 'End of the World' party must have been worthy of Caligula...and then some!

Anonymous said...

The 'End of the World Party' re-creation in the End of History dome is very popular but very expensive especially as it mandate a minimum three-day stay for those wishing to indulge. For those on a budget, the 'Last Days of Imperial Glome' (also hosted by the End of History dome) is well regarded if not as exotic and only requires a single night minimum.

Trey said...

@Garrisonjames: Well, discretion is still important, but it would be bad for business if nothing got out. ;)

@seaofstarsrpg - Nice!

Justin S. Davis said...

I get a total Futureworld vibe from the place.

Arrive for the pleasure...leave as a replicant.

But for what end...?