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[Salsacookies]

It is *1764 in a time where the Library of Alexandria was never lost to the savage actions of the Romans. Humanity is an orphaned race, having long since been separated when, a couple-hundred or so years ago, the warp gate that connected Humanity's Milky Way Galaxy to the Meritocrats' Penzance Galaxy was destroyed in a ball of plasma, and communication to Earth and its daughter colonies was completely lost. This fact has refused to keep you down, however. As a Pirate of Penzance, you relish the freedom you hold, sailing the dark seas of space, and acting upon your whim, and yours alone. What you choose to do, however, is up to you.
*Our Equivalent in Time: 2342

Greetings, and welcome to my Sci-Fi Piracy Sandbox game. as you see, the game technically takes place in the past, but under the assumption that technology would have progressed much further, if The Library of Alexandria never was burnt down by the Romans. Culturally, however, it is still considered Early Modern/Pirate Age. You can play as whoever you want, but I assume that a pirate would be the most enjoyable and easy to write for, so I wrote the introduction in that state of mind. I will write more lore into this game if it has enough interest, but it is a Sandbox game, so I will ultimately leave to you what you wish to happen, and give you the freedom to generate whatever lore you desire, provided it is not based in the Milky Way Galaxy. I have a special plan for that place, that will change the world, and the game dramatically. anyways, if you've read all of this, I hope you enjoy!

Standard D6. 1's and 6's will be followed by another roll, where 4 or more will transform it into something that is mostly beneficial to you. Only natural 1's and 6's count. The second roll can also get modifiers.

Spoiler: sheet (click to show/hide)

Name: Yep, that's what you're called by.
Species: Being a Sci-Fi game, there's bound to be thousands of species and subspecies. Fortunately, I'm too lazy to try and list them all, so make up whatever you want, though we would need to discuss non-humanoid creatures. Plasma or inter-dimensional beings not allowed, but go crazy, otherwise.
(Non-)Meritocratic Species: A simple yes or no. If yes, describe how your species provides for the Meritocracy, since it only allows species within its government if they perform some sort of essential or exotic role as a whole for the meritocracy.
Description: Finally, back to your character. A description is very important, as it will tell me how to stat your character, and what special bonuses he would have. Whether it is special equipment, a skill you're rather skilled in, or otherwise, put it here.

[Salsacookies]

Reserved

[Salsacookies]

I was thinking that our first adventure would be on the arid planet of Centralia, home to Centralian Coal, the fuel that powers the most state of the art ships of Penzance. There, we could find some extremely lucrative ships, and we could also recruit some of the workers there, and show them the freedoms of the Dark Sea, broken from the shackles that once held them.

[Pancaek]

I was thinking that our first adventure would be on the arid planet of Centralia, home to Centralian Coal, the fuel that powers the most state of the art ships of Penzance. There, we could find some extremely lucrative ships, and we could also recruit some of the workers their, and show them the freedoms of the Dark Sea, broken from the shackles that once held them.

Sounds cool, I'll make a character when you post the sheet.

[_DivideByZero_]

Yes!

Question, what is the level of genetic engineering/cybernetic enhancement/whatever in the setting?

Spoiler: Rough draft (click to show/hide)

Name: Emily Loughead
Species: Human/Slate hybrid

The Slate were a species that invaded Emily's planet (called Aecheron) in the years 1748-56. They have a rather unusual physiology, in that they reproduce in a dormant state that looks more or less like a jumble of red hairs about the length of a quarter dollar.
Slate have the ability to affect their cells' growth and can shapeshift to a certain degree, although slowly. They were seeded into the atmosphere and into lakes and ponds where they developed naturally and took on water to develop brains. Each invididual dropped this way carried one entangled photon which could be used to transmit information to and from the invasion mothership.

As the first slates on Aercheron grew brains, they downloaded new memories and genetic information from the original mothership, causing them to grow into humanoid soldiers. Through a form of wireless energy transmission, the soldiers could survive without food for extended periods of time, although once the mothership was destroyed they lost their energy source and receded back into their dormant states, the rest of them turning into dust.
Without a mothership, the Slate are dependent on generic material absorbed from their environment. It is theorized that the original Slate were a virus-like organism on their home world and were not in fact the original dominant species, but acted like viruses and parasites, taking on the original species' DNA and gaining sapience of their own.

The Slate's home planet has yet to be discovered by humans.
(Non-)Meritocratic Species: Yes
Description: As the daughter of a resistance leader, Emily suffered a major accident during a helicopter crash, losing her right arm and everything below her waist in the explosion. However, a slate on the flight--a sleeper agent, in fact--, was also injured and decided to merge with her crippled body, shapeshifting into a normal human lower half and saving Emily's life--while also ensuring its own survival. His name is Mark.
She never told anyone about what happened after she was dug out of the wreckage. She was the only survivor and her father became overly protective of her, going so far as to give her a prosthetic beam-cannon arm that she could use instead of a regular prosthetic (prior to this, he wouldn't even let her alone with her mentor, leaving her without an education). Since she was 11 at the time her father loaded a targeting program which could only fire at non-human entities (based on appearance).

During the present day she mostly uses a regular prosthetic arm, although she has kept the beam-cannon since it reminds her of her father, who died shortly after giving it to her. After the war, her brother grew some slates in the shape of goldfish in a bowl, taking a rather unhealthy interest in the aliens. Emily herself was appalled at her brother's attitude toward the beings that killed millions, and indeed, at the general scientific attitude at the time. Some former resistance scientists were even considering growing humanoid slates for military purposes! Her brother made a point that the aliens no longer had a harmful directive now that the mothership was gone, and pointed to the fact that the goldfish slates behaved like regular goldfish aside from their apetite (they would eat meat at times).
Emily still left the planet to escape a possible second outbreak, but having medical bills to pay and a prosthetic arm to maintain, she eventually fell into debt and faced either imprisonment or becoming an outlaw, of which she chose the latter.

Emily has gold-colored hair, hazel eyes, and due to her injuries her growth was stunted so she is hardly taller than she was at age 11, even though it was ten years ago.
Affiliation With Pirates: Currently a pirate

[Comrade P.]

Reserved

Sheet incoming...

WARNING - shameless ripoff of a certain franchise below. To allow it is up to GM.

Spoiler: Morion (click to show/hide)

Name:
Morion, cluster 15A3L cut 1B4 (Morion "Isaelba") - just Morion, when not in presence of others of his subspecies
Species:
Gemkind. A specimen of this species is essentially a sturdy gem core surrounded by more fragile humanoid embodiment made up of inorganic substance. If embodiment of the gem is subjected to substantial physical impact, it collapses, leaving gem core helpless. In time, the humanoid embodiment is restored completely by gem core, the more time there is to restore it, the better it turns out. If the restoration process is rushed, functionality of the embodiment might be impaired. If gem core is damaged rather than the embodiment, thinking capabilities, and thus control over humanoid embodiment is severely impaired until the gem core is restored - all the resources of the gem are redirected to regenerate it. In all the embodiments the gem core is partially exposed to surroundings, from which it consumes energy of light or heat. Minimal exposure to either is required for normal functionality of the organism.
Types of gems typically determine professional activity and can be considered subspecies. Quarts gems are soldier forms, standing about two meters tall and capable of impressive feats of strength and dexterity. They are usually assigned for protection of gems performing in other roles.
Meritocratic Species
Yes. While the ideology of Gemkind was kin to that of Meritocracy, the ruling caste had to be removed during the assimilation process. In Meritocracy, Gemkind is prospecting for natural resources in harsh environments.
Description:
The whole cluster of smoky quarts gems number 15A3L has gone rouge - due to a scheduling mistake, cluster was "overcooked" and resulting soldier gems displayed far more intelligence than standards would dictate. That was still well below average by Gem standards, but head prospector decided to crush the whole batch. Morion and 17 other gems from this batch have made a daring escape, hijacking the transport ship from the mining colony's spaceport. And thus we come to...
Affiliation With Pirates:
The batch of Smoky Quarts combat gems renamed themselves into Morions, swapped the ship at the nearest seedy backyard planet and spreaded thin across the available parts of galaxy. Most are now living the free life of the pirates. They are rather new to the business, but natural abilities to combat serve them well.
Morion is currently looking for another job, she expects an assasination request or a cut in some raid on trader ship.

[Salsacookies]

Yes!

Question, what is the level of genetic engineering/cybernetic enhancement/whatever in the setting?

Spoiler: WIP... (click to show/hide)

I never thought of this, so I'm going with the cheap answer of "Depends on the Species!" Just make sure it feels like something from early modern times, though Centralia may have a Western feel, which is a little bit further in the future than pirates, but technologically its futuristic, so it shouldn't hurt anything.

[Pancaek]

Spoiler:  "smiles" (click to show/hide)

Name: "Smiles" Evans
Species: Human
(Non-)Meritocratic Species: I'm not sure, I'm guessing yes?
Description: Evans used to be part of a team of mercenaries. They called themselves the A-team, specializing in low-key infiltrations and off the books jobs for the discerning customers. There were six of them in his unit, each with their own specializations. Evans' role was that of infiltrator and vehicle expert. His job was to get in, gather intelligence, and commandeer enemy resources. Usually he tried to either sneak his way in undetected, or bluff his way in with his extensive knowledge of alien languages. In a pinch though, he had his trusty pistol, his weapon of choice. Getting out was often trickier, but he was quite at home in whatever vehicle or aircraft he could get his hands on, beggars can't be choosers after all.

After doing a mission for some high up functionary of the meritocracy, his team was set up. The higher up had flagged them as pirates, and the forces of the meritocracy opened fire ont heir ship. Only himself and one grunt from another unit managed to escape the slaughter, but not without a price. The two of them fled to a station where they still had some contacts. In the attack he had lost his right eye and his left arm from above the elbow. The two of them emptied a few of their stashes to pay for their plans.

The grunt used the money to dissapear off the grid. Evans used his money for state of the art prostethics, a robotic arm and an array of sensors and microprocessors for his now empty eyesocker. The arm was painted bright red, and the sensors were fashioned so they would look like an old-timey eyepatch from the outside. They allow him multiple vision modes and help when targeting or using a vehicle. Then he grabbed his trusty sidearm, a tricked out pistol he got off of the corpse of some rebel captain. Then he used the rest of the money for a one way trip to the dark seas of space. He assumed the name of one of his dead unit member, "Smiles Evans" their tech expert, hoping that using the name of someone the Meritocracy had confirmed dead would let him go off grid.

So he set out to find the pirates and make a name for themselves. The Meritocracy had tried to kill him as a pirate once. Now it's time he took from them what he deserved.

For appearance, he looks like ye average human male, fairly tall and well built. His right arm is a bright red robotic prostethic. His left eye is seemingly a black eyepatch, but underneath is an array of sensors, cameras and microprocessors. Since his going into hiding, he is wearing civilian clothing. He has also let his hair grow out, resulting in neck length black hair and a large, unkempt black beard. His face has some burn marks from the explosions. Unlike the name of his former unit member, he rarely if ever actually smiles.

Affiliation With Pirates: Trying to become one.

How's that?

[Salsacookies]

Looks good. Humans are a meritocratic species, with their main role being explorers of far away places and their innate insanity making them much more dangerous and self-sufficient than at first glance (look at the Interstellar Docking scene to get what I'm saying.) formerly, they were also trade partners with the Meritocracy, before the Warp Gate blew up.)

[NJW2000]

Character sheet:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: John Dee

Species: heavily augmented true human. Less obviously cyborg than most, though, as was the fashion in Cyberenaissance. Augmentations for smaller technological tinkering, science and art.

Meritocratic: yes.

Description: Born in 1527, he was an occult advisor, arcane technician, astrologer, scholar and alchemist of Queen Elizabeth I. He was given an outstanding yet relatively uninteresting education, then quickly obtained royal sponsorship, allowing him to fill his hours with the pursuit of becoming that most diversely learned of creatures: the Renaissance Cyborg. Nearly two hundred and forty years old, his lifespan artificially enhanced not by cryogenics but by somewhat dubious nanotechnology, he is extremely well-read, interested in most aspects of computing and robotics, as well as philosophy, mathematics and all things occult. He wanders the cosmos, always looking for new knowledge, discoveries and the technologies that invariably follow, tinkering with this and observing that. He knows many secrets, but scorns power as soon as he accquires it.
  Travelling light, if his immense repository of squirreled away knowledge and expertise is discounted, he survives on his intellect, with the help of his mechanical beetle, Pax, and the money garned from the odd bit of industrial espionage or"strictly educational" darkly occult computing. His beetle, controlled from a chip in his brain, via undetectable quantum communication, has an electronic interface, minature basic tools like welders or picks, as well as basic cameras, mikes, etc. He is equipped with a greater range of cybernetic tool implants, including the odd saw, lockpick,  advanced camera, monofilament wire, rope and scanner.
  He prefers to avoid combat, seeing it as beneath one as old and learned as he, preferring to talk or tinker his way out of situations, occassionally explosively.

Afilliation with Pirates: was curious about their life, wondered how they could be useful. Wanted to study them, and felt they might take him somewhere interesting. Currently a passenger on one of their ships, helping out here and there.

I'm not sure how much I can do for the cyberenaissance, but as far as I can tell, it's just a technologically advanced renaissance focussing on robots and cyborgs and machinery.

This guy is modelled on the real John Dee, though only vaguely.

[Comrade P.]

Done did it. GM, check it out in my previous post please.

[Salsacookies]

F*ck yeah steampunk. Amirite? Am I?

Character sheet:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: John Dee
Species: heavily augmented true human. Less obviously cyborg than most, though, as was the fashion in Cyberenaissance. Augmentations for smaller technological tinkering, science and art.
Meritocratic: yes.
Description: Born in 1527

Can the cyberenaissance be a thing? I'll change it if not. Also, can I be a cyborg? TO finish after dinner.

Go ahead with the cyberrenaissance, I'll let you flesh out how it was. Cyborgs are good to go, too.

It's not steampunk, no steam-powered technology, unless it's a tea kettle. Just the Pirate Age, but with futuristic advancements.

[Salsacookies]

Reserved

Sheet incoming...

WARNING - shameless ripoff of a certain franchise below. To allow it is up to GM.

Spoiler: Morion (click to show/hide)

Name:
Morion, cluster 15A3L cut 1B4 (Morion "Isaelba") - just Morion, when not in presence of others of his subspecies
Species:
Gemkind. A specimen of this species is essentially a sturdy gem core surrounded by more fragile humanoid embodiment made up of inorganic substance. If embodiment of the gem is subjected to substantial physical impact, it collapses, leaving gem core helpless. In time, the humanoid embodiment is restored completely by gem core, the more time there is to restore it, the better it turns out. If the restoration process is rushed, functionality of the embodiment might be impaired. If gem core is damaged rather than the embodiment, thinking capabilities, and thus control over humanoid embodiment is severely impaired until the gem core is restored - all the resources of the gem are redirected to regenerate it. In all the embodiments the gem core is partially exposed to surroundings, from which it consumes energy of light or heat. Minimal exposure to either is required for normal functionality of the organism.
Types of gems typically determine professional activity and can be considered subspecies. Quarts gems are soldier forms, standing about two meters tall and capable of impressive feats of strength and dexterity. They are usually assigned for protection of gems performing in other roles.
Meritocratic Species
Yes. While the ideology of Gemkind was kin to that of Meritocracy, the ruling caste had to be removed during the assimilation process. In Meritocracy, Gemkind is prospecting for natural resources in harsh environments.
Description:
The whole cluster of smoky quarts gems number 15A3L has gone rouge - due to a scheduling mistake, cluster was "overcooked" and resulting soldier gems displayed far more intelligence than standards would dictate. That was still well below average by Gem standards, but head prospector decided to crush the whole batch. But Morion and 17 other gems from this batch have made a daring excape, hijacking the transport ship from the mining colony's spaceport. And thus we come to...
Affiliation With Pirates:
The batch of Smoky Quarts combat gems renamed themselves into Morions, swapped the ship at the nearest seedy backyard planet, spreaded thin across the available parts of galaxy are now living the free life of the pirates. They are rather new to the business, but natural abilities to combat serve them well.
Morion is currently looking for another job, he expects an assasination request or a cut in some raid on trader ship.

I'll allow it, looks good. Made me chuckle seeing that we're having a gem race in the game, though.

[_DivideByZero_]

Eh, sheet posted. It might be a little wordy though so I may get back to it eventually.

The actual abilities of the symbiont creature are up to you to decide, if you even allow it that is.

[Comrade P.]

I'll allow it, looks good. Made me chuckle seeing that we're having a gem race in the game, though.

Quick question - you already have another gem race in the game and you chuckle at how I came up with something similar or did you see right through me and chuckled at the insertion of that franchise in your game?
I mean, revising what I wrote, I can see I missed one rather important aspect in description of gemkind, that being fusion.