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The Unification War, A living Background.


Dea Tacita

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Before I start. I'll say this

 

“But Dea, This is the wrong place for this!”

 

Nay! Tis not the wrong place, because of this fair quote.

 

Things you can NOT apply for here:

- Changes to established lore (e.g. reworking structure of NT)

- anything which directly conflicts with established lore

 

Because of that fair sentence, I cannot post this on the Lore-applications. And so, I embark upon the quest of detailing this fine suggestion!


What I want: Essentially, I want to turn our background into something that intrigues the players. (More than the few who care about the Lore), I want it to turn into something alive. In fewer words. I want to start a war.


The Plan: This is how we start this war, the Sol Alliance (Under Prime Minister Salvatore Abbiati and his irredentist Oath party), having unprecedented public support and a recently won super-majority in the Senate. Vote for a "Measure to Restore Order to the Colonies" or M.R.O.C. In fewer words, they embark on a quest to bring their wayward colonies to heel, in even fewer. They go all "Manifest destiny" on the colonies. The Sol Alliance would initially start out with an redonkulous advantage, which would slowly wither away as their supply lines get longer and the colonials get more prepared. (This is a multi-month atleast project)


How it gets us better RP: This happening creates an event basically everyone's gonna have to care about, because it's a MAJOR shift in the background, it'll create RP from the Pro-SA patriots waving flags and cheering the Navy along, and the fiercely independent colonials will get to decry the Alliance's Warmongering. NT as a whole also gets caught up in this due to their support of the Alliance.


As the days go on, Newscasters would be updated with War Data, Casualty figures, worlds that'd been taken and lost by both sides, ships that'd be lost due to enemy action, and players can even request or Submit (After staff approval) stories about the fates of their home-worlds.


It'd also involve Aurora ICly beyond simple Newscasters, with staff hosting events ranging from Off-duty Sol Alliance troops resting on-board for a bit, Central Command commanding Mining to provide a certain amount of materials for the War effort, rationing of some materials, Colonial raids into S.A. lines, Political figures from the Alliance passing through, and other things I've yet to think of!


In Short, It's simply meant to create a story in the background, so that the rest of the universe just doesn't sit around and wait for us to finish as our crew fucks/kills/and has coffee with each other.


Examples of Newscaster stuff!:



Breaking News!: Today, the Caesar class Carrier SAMV Marvus Agrippa suffered damage during an orbital assault on Tylia in the Kepler-438 System, the damage being caused due to resistance by the planet’s colonial defense forces. Thirty eight servicemen were killed during the attack, including Cpt. Antonio Love, Cpl. Serah Tulia, and Mcpo. Samuel Benítez


Breaking News!:As the war grinds into its fifth month, The Sol Alliance Senate has voted to increase funding to the armed forces, in-order to supply new volunteers with equipment, in addition to financing the construction of a pair of new Caesar class assault carriers currently being constructed in Mars orbit. The Carriers are being named the SAMV Lucius Cincinnatus and SAMV Gnaeus Geta respectively! Sol Alliance News network, signing off.

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I like this idea very much. I also think that more requisition orders, especially for military purposes would be interesting, and give departments that pretty much don't have anything to do, a goal. The war could also be a pretty good RP topic, and create some good tension between those against and for the war.

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This also ties in the current Syndicate infrastructure. Though, we're attempting to shift it from "Terrorist organization" to "Massively connected criminal underground." Given the Syndicate itself thrives on funding from several benefactors, incorporated companies and factions, especially the ones at war with the S.A. Would lead to some interesting developments on top of that.


Assuming the war is underway, it would allow for some interesting traitor rounds...

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There would also be the prospect of some well-liked characters being shipped off to the war effort. Not to mention our alien population may get uneasy with the Sol Alliance starting to take such power. Whose to say their homeworlds aren't next?


I think giving the server one big goal to work towards is a good idea. Many little goals surrounding a storyline is a great one.

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185px-DS3_Terra_Nova_Sigil.png

 

But really, sounds ok I guess. Dunno about troops being on the Aurora though. Or political figures visiting it. It's not really that important; besides, Navy ships would have their own crew decks and recreation areas, why would soldiers even bother docking with the Aurora? Why would they go through all the trouble to shuttle these marines from the ship to the Aurora?

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Love this idea reminds me of firefly ;) despite hating the current unified sol I am loving the idea of having my colonial character who's a very verbal and fiery man get to voice his disgust with the war efforts, and his moaning about the days when in his youth the Sol Union left his system alone to do their own shit

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This would have my support if the Aurora itself was refluffed as well.


Personally, I'd rather abandon the SS13, archive of, 'This is a private sector research station,' and go ahead and flesh it out as a government research facility.

That's really the only way a lot of the current going ons make sense.


The Sol Alliance just brought us a new xeno lifeform to study? Why? Don't they have their own science installations?


Security isn't allowed to kill pirates boarding their station. Why? We have laser rifles and AN ARMORY.

Hell, we have an armed response militia on call. Is this government owned or sponsored? Hell no, because governments don't endorse this kind of thing.


I've spoken to quite a few members of the community about this, and it's netted some pretty wild approval ratings.

Combined with this idea of the crew's employers being waged in full scale colonial war, it would paint a really interesting scene for roleplay, and justify NT'S MO concerning genetic research, lethal force, and it ending up in a lot of the situations that it does (space ninjas launching an attack on Wal-Mart Inc? Come on.)Hell, a lot more antag shenanigans would make sense as well.

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This would have my support if the Aurora itself was refluffed as well.


Personally, I'd rather abandon the SS13, archive of, 'This is a private sector research station,' and go ahead and flesh it out as a government research facility.

That's really the only way a lot of the current going ons make sense.


The Sol Alliance just brought us a new xeno lifeform to study? Why? Don't they have their own science installations?


Security isn't allowed to kill pirates boarding their station. Why? We have laser rifles and AN ARMORY.

Hell, we have an armed response militia on call. Is this government owned or sponsored? Hell no, because governments don't endorse this kind of thing.


I've spoken to quite a few members of the community about this, and it's netted some pretty wild approval ratings.

Combined with this idea of the crew's employers being waged in full scale colonial war, it would paint a really interesting scene for roleplay, and justify NT'S MO concerning genetic research, lethal force, and it ending up in a lot of the situations that it does (space ninjas launching an attack on Wal-Mart Inc? Come on.)Hell, a lot more antag shenanigans would make sense as well.

 

I would suggest giving this it's own thread but yes, I agree. It would make sense for more peoples chars and domes custom items. I.e. My CE's military uniform.

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Guest Marlon Phoenix

I have some questions and concerns.


How will this backstory have Aurora be a centerpiece? Outside the VIP visits and rebranding of dumping a lot of materials in a shuttle to CC, how will this actively involve Aurora players?


Do you feel this could lead to a bunch of snowflake combat vets running around?


Do you feel the pre-WWI levels of nationalism demanded by this war fits with the 25th century liberalism we have in both the lore and IC society? (sorry Vittorio)


What is the end game for this story? What sort of changes will it bring to Aurora station?


Out of all the possibilities to bring the lore to the foreground, why a war?

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How will this backstory have Aurora be a centerpiece? Outside the VIP visits and rebranding of dumping a lot of materials in a shuttle to CC, how will this actively involve Aurora players?

 

We're in a core system of the Sol Alliance, albeit one managed by joined local-NT governance. It would be highly involved with the war-effort whether by production, recruitment or just being in the middle of everything. Aurora doesn't need to be the centerpiece however, and I think always branding it as such is a flawed approach to Lore as a whole.


It'll certaintly have an impact on Aurora regardless. This can be simply from player interactions (As generally everyone can be expected to have a Pro-Sol, Pro-Colonial, or anti-War attitude about the war), A wide variety of events including Sol Alliance representatives visiting, Colonial raids, material requisitions, propaganda campaigns and a massive amount of Newscaster article that myself (And probably Sam) would be happy to provide.

 

Do you feel this could lead to a bunch of snowflake combat vets running around?

 

It could, but then again It wouldn't make any more sense for them to exist than it would now. The war would've JUST started, so having swarms of recently drummed-out soldiers wouldn't make any sense.


In addition to that, beyond the first couple months. Anyone who'd been discharged would be either mentally or physically unfit for duty, meaning it's pretty certain they wouldn't be employed on the Aurora in any higher position. If anyone would want to play a possibly wounded veteran and does it well however, it wouldn't be particularly snow-flake.

 

Do you feel the pre-WWI levels of nationalism demanded by this war fits with the 25th century liberalism we have in both the lore and IC society?

 

This isn't nationalism, In-fact I'm fairly sure that it wouldn't even be correct to call the Sol Alliance or any of the colonial states Nation-States as they fail to meet the requirements to be described as one (Ethnic or cultural ties). This wouldn't be a "Lol-Empire" war.


Take a look at the few described colonies mentioned in our lore (Other than the Sol Alliance). They're generally lower-tech, Lower-life expectancy and generally not that great of places to be. They have no legitimacy (Other than Lol war), no cultural, ethnic or any other kind of bonds. They're akin to the current state of Africa, arbitrary borders set-down for political reasons, and generally don't look that stable.


This would be a war of liberation, if it even would be called a war (Current 21st century states clearly aren't adverse to violence, they just don't like calling it wars.) There's no reason for the Populace of the Sol Alliance to be opposed to it, they have overwhelming military and technological supremacy, and at-least to them they have a real justification (That being that they're uplifting the colonists, giving them a better life.) And in the end, the Oath party's name originates from the fact that they swore an Oath to their brothers in the colonies to hold Humanity together, which isn't a foreign concept in Sci-Fi.

 

What is the end game for this story? What sort of changes will it bring to Aurora station?

 

Ultimately, I believe it'd end with a stalemate. With the Sol Alliance's borders being extended several dozen light-years deeper into the colonies. And being forced into a cease-fire as they overextend themselves. It could result in nationalization of the Aurora as the Sol Alliance needs to establish a firmer hold on her industrial base, or many, many other things. I generally thought It'd be a better idea for the Community to have some input on the result as it wages on.

 

Out of all the possibilities to bring the lore to the foreground, why a war?

 

Because they're easy, everyone in the nations involved in them generally has an opinion, even if it isn't an informed one. And it's something that doesn't have to revolve around the Aurora. Aurora isn't the center of the universe, and this'll give the rest of the universe something to do. Most of all, it allows interesting things to happen, from relatives being injured. Depressing characters, as their friends try to comfort them, to certain characters trying to whip-up support for the war. And as a side note, because the main species in this universe is Humans, and Humans, no matter what year it is. Always war upon each other.


And more than anything else, Because every, single person I've shown thus far has liked it. Including people who generally don't agree with my ideas.

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That sounds fun. It will make every gamemode more fun. Imagine a bunch of Nuclear Operatives being a ragtag group of rebels supported by the syndicate, attacking a supplier for the Sol Alliance (Aurora). Or, revolution, it gives justification for NanoTrasen being a bunch of butt heads, they need to focus on pumping out more goods. It has so much potential, it will make the game feel more alive, more active. Characters will begin to change organically as the war changes, colonists might begin to have a fierce hatred of NT and the SA for the actions they did to X place.

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I'm bad at expressing myself. So I'll just say that I like dis because of dis:

 

How it gets us better RP: This happening creates an event basically everyone's gonna have to care about, because it's a MAJOR shift in the background, it'll create RP from the Pro-SA patriots waving flags and cheering the Navy along, and the fiercely independent colonials will get to decry the Alliance's Warmongering. NT as a whole also gets caught up in this due to their support of the Alliance.


As the days go on, Newscasters would be updated with War Data, Casualty figures, worlds that'd been taken and lost by both sides, ships that'd be lost due to enemy action, and players can even request or Submit (After staff approval) stories about the fates of their home-worlds.


It'd also involve Aurora ICly beyond simple Newscasters, with staff hosting events ranging from Off-duty Sol Alliance troops resting on-board for a bit, Central Command commanding Mining to provide a certain amount of materials for the War effort, rationing of some materials, Colonial raids into S.A. lines, Political figures from the Alliance passing through, and other things I've yet to think of!


In Short, It's simply meant to create a story in the background, so that the rest of the universe just doesn't sit around and wait for us to finish as our crew fucks/kills/and has coffee with each other.

 

Just attempting to show my support I guess.

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Guest Marlon Phoenix

Why do you feel we need to turn our second biggest faction into an antagonist? This has the feeling of the SA being an imperialist power, like the Imperium, with its "manifest destiny" claiming dominion over all of humanity. We already have major antagonists that we can have conflict with, directly and indirectly.


And with what you've said as examples of what players can do... Eh. It still doesn't seem to actively involve the station outside another flavour of VIP visits and news casters posts, and dumping materials into CC shuttles for the war effort. I don't think we need this huge shake-up of the lore just to justify another topic of conversation during chair RP's, general radio shouting matches, and an extra excuse to play a depressed character.

 

This would be a war of liberation, if it even would be called a war (Current 21st century states clearly aren't adverse to violence, they just don't like calling it wars.) There's no reason for the Populace of the Sol Alliance to be opposed to it, they have overwhelming military and technological supremacy, and at-least to them they have a real justification (That being that they're uplifting the colonists, giving them a better life.) And in the end, the Oath party's name originates from the fact that they swore an Oath to their brothers in the colonies to hold Humanity together, which isn't a foreign concept in Sci-Fi.

 

This is what bothers me. How do you know they wouldn't be opposed? Our IC culture is a pretty liberal one. Just because you have a technological advantage to your enemy, it doesn't mean your population will go "Lol, who cares?" I mean, I could just point to the US and NATO interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those are pretty much on the ball of the type of war you're saying this will be, and they've sorta... Not been a joy ride??

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Thing is, the Sol Alliance aren't the antagonists by default.

That's part of what makes it such a great idea, we have so much diversity in our characters that they hail from all corners of the galaxy. What about the veterans of the Sol Alliance, who do they root for? You can see natural conflict coming from this, as people pick their sides as to who they sympathize with.

I'll give an example.

If say, two veterans are friends, long-time buddies who have been through it all.

This war breaks out, and Billy-Bob A supports the Sol Alliance, and thinks it's about time the SA took back its territories and began to move towards showing the presence it once held in the galaxy.

Billy-Bob B sympathizes with the colonists, because he has seen what frontier life is and holds true to the idea that they should be able to hold onto their own independence.

Now there's a barrier between the two, which will lead to conflict (doesn't have to be a physical engagement) which leads to roleplay for both parties.

Not only the aforementioned scenario is something we could see, but also another thing that I think would be extremely beneficial to the entire community.

The breaking up of the cliques that have formed. If, as we are supposed to, we hold true to our character's convictions, then the aforementioned scenario could solve that issue on its own.

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Why do you feel we need to turn our second biggest faction into an antagonist?

 

Where did I say they were antagonists?


The way I look at it, it's morally ambiguous in the nature of the conflict. The Sol Alliances swoops in, allows local governance and builds up infrastructure, and shares their advanced technology. On the flipside, the inherent death, destruction and general not-niceness of war tends to oppose that.

 

I don't think we need this huge shake-up of the lore just to justify another topic of conversation during chair RP's

 

And that's your personal opinion, feel free to have it. But based on the opinions of the 11 or so other people in this post, who all like the idea. They Think otherwise. In addition to the other dozen or so people I've shown who haven't commented.

 

I could just point to the US and NATO interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those are pretty much on the ball of the type of war you're saying this will be, and they've sorta... Not been a joy ride??

 

Exactly, I don't think anyone's ever said "War is pleasant". It's not an enjoyable experience, but it creates a living universe outside of our little station. It's meant to be ambiguous on its morality and justness, it mainly depends on whether you prefer Order and prosperity, or freedom and independence.

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Like IJ said all that needs to be said. Yes we have antagonists.. But if say the Vox started a war(not saying they would) how would that create any rp other than "haha get rekt burdz". Whereas this is so much different we don't have Vox characters but we do have SA characters and we do have colonist characters, the tension this will create is immense.


Also just a note; I'm totally up for the government idea

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Like IJ said all that needs to be said. Yes we have antagonists.. But if say the Vox started a war(not saying they would) how would that create any rp other than "haha get rekt burdz". Whereas this is so much different we don't have Vox characters but we do have SA characters and we do have colonist characters, the tension this will create is immense.


Also just a note; I'm totally up for the government idea

 

I actually do feel that Vox (Some clans, not all of them) would be a perfect race to be on constant war with, considering that they're all raiders.

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I think this is a totally awesome idea which can even allow for some xeno involvement too. What is the Skrell stance on the war? The Tajarans? Would the Tajarans get caught in a proxy war between colonists and Sol?


The idea of reestablishing a centralized authority over humanity seems great, and this should actually give me a reason to care about the lore.

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I'm not sure how this fits the discussion (nor necessarily which direction the discussion is taking at the moment), but I feel it could be pretty damn great to have the SA characters from Aurora receive a draft notice.

To make things fall apart even more.


Not just because I want my Sol chars go all Yossarian about this.

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