I sketched some of the bones last week, and it would conform to some of the particulars I outlined in this alternate Spelljammer idea, here. The basic idea is that humanity, fleeing some cataclysm on Earth, wind up either in a distant star system or either an alternate universe (I don't know if the players will know which or if it will matter) where the solar system is uncannily like a pulp version of our own. The laws of physics will obviously be somewhat different here, but I don't expect that to be a focus of play.
Technology will conform to pulp sci-fi standards, with rockets with some sort of atomic powered aether drive playing their way through the system. Swords of some sort will be present side-by-side with rayguns, but I haven't decided whether they will be or everyone or particular characters, or whether they will be normal swords or something special. Psychic powers will take the place of magic.
Maybe have the swords (and other big melee weapons - Legend of Galactic Heroes demands axes) be made of some Unobtainium alloy that sucks in energy in a small area around them? If you have one in hand you get a big bonus to defending against ray gun shots (which are sucked into the blade) but you can't use guns yourself and you foul up the operation of personal equipment near you, including energy shields on both you and your target.
ReplyDeleteMight mess with psychic powers too if you want to keep swords limited in who would want to use them.
Blades might come in varying strengths that affect the defense bonus, with the really strong ones maybe able to affect even powerful equipment like spaceships engines or bridge controls if you can get close enough. Maybe have a fighting technique where a sword wielder can use their bonus to "cover" a nearby target against shooting instead of himself.
Call it a "siphon blade" or something like that?
Nice idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks, rather like it myself. If nothing else it explains why people are bringing swords to a ray gun fight. :)
ReplyDeleteGives the players something to think about tactically too. Do you try to shoot it out or do you draw blades and charge, hoping to weather their fire with your defensive bonuses long enough to carve up your enemies? Or if you need to retreat from a fight, will taking more shots slow the enemy down more than pulling out your sword and threatening pursuers, maybe encouraging them to draw as well and stop sniping at you?
This reminds me of Vernor Vinge's "Zones of Thought" from A Fire Upon the Deep.
ReplyDeleteAncestral Earth is clearly in "the Slow Zone," where physics as we know it prevails, and the new system is probably part of "the Beyond," where FTL, AI, and near-magical science are all common.