Phase 1 ~ Our Great Leader / Discovery, Ho!
Date: November, 2598
Among Lustrum's similarities to Earth include an identical relationship with a sun similar to Sol, officially referred to as
Star X-52CM, and thus the planet has a similar seasonal pattern and the Gregorian calendar is as applicable here as it was back home.
Regalia pushes her solar-powered million-plus-songs mighty jukebox out from the entertainment room to the outside of the ship where it can play music for everyone to hear. Marking this occasion, Regalia searches the comprehensive selection of songs from her device to find one that is happy, upbeat and pleasant. [7]
What better choice is there than the Electric Light Orchestra's toe-tapping smile-making hit "Mr. Blue Sky?" Not only does the song match the mood for what Regalia wants, its lyrical content is relevant to the situation. During the month, Joseph appoints her to the unofficial position of Marshall of Entertainment.
Joseph Lenox steps out of the ship and after briefly conferring with self-proclaimed Comrade Mao, prepares to give an oration as the unofficial leader of the colony. He climbs one of the large supply crates being unloaded from the ship, standing upon it and using it as a platform to deliver a speech. [10+2(Leadership)] Joseph combines both a realistic perspective of future challenges in the near and far future with hopeful, idealistic optimism. When he finishes, he is given an ovation that lasts for several minutes, cries and cheers punctuating the buzz of applause from a crowd of hundreds. If there is anyone who dissents, or is even uninterested in Joseph's position and the plans that come with it, they do not come forward or raise any protest. With this positive reception, Joseph immediately begins to enact the first part of his plan.
For his first order, he has every able-bodied adult cut down the trees in the immediate area. To accomplish this, the laborers fetch as many laser-saws as they can find in the ship's storage. [2] While there a variety of professions and skills among the colonists, construction workers, handymen, and similar types of tool-oriented people are hard to come by. In the attempt to cut down the trees, there are several injuries, most of them minor, but some wounds are bad enough that they take a handful of colonists out of the "able-bodied" category and force them to stay in the medical bay on ship. This minor catastrophe forces a setback in Joseph's plans, as the ground can not be leveled and pumps can not be put in place until the trees are cleared out.
Simultaneously during this period, ten of what Joseph can find to be the most skilled colonists in fields relevant to construction are put to work making a distillery. To accomplish this, they use materials from storage that were designed to be the foundation for homes and other buildings on Lustrum. [3+2(Construction)] This time progress is adequate, not progressing quickly or being deterred in any sense. By the end of the first month, the basic external structure of the distillery building is complete and it is time to finish the internal sections and to install the distillery machines themselves. By Joseph's estimates, he would say they are halfway finished with the project. [8+2] Joseph takes particular notice of a welder working on the distillery named, Jakub Kucharz, who is a vital member of the team and piratically handling all the welding-relating tasks himself, which are all turning out highly successful.
Children are not put to work and are ordered to stay on the ship. A handful of parents ask Joseph if this means that their children are to be confined to the ship at all times, or if they can come outside under parental supervision.
Joseph is altered by a couple colonists to what looked like a medium-sized animal scurrying into the trees to the South of the ship.
Joseph is also alerted to the activities of a boy named Lenny who refuses to stay inside the ship.
A few individual pitch Joseph perhaps the most important question of all, as the unofficial leader, what will the Colony's unofficial name be, and what is the title of his unofficial leadership position?
As per Joseph's orders, the Elder colonialists attend to Mao for their work. Mao circumvents Joseph's orders however, and instead of having the Elders be guinea pigs to test out whether local berries and fruit are poisonous or not, he instead appoints them all as the Cooking Corps. [6+1(Easy Labor)] A few of the Elders protest as they declare that the positions they held before retirement as doctors, lawyers, professors and local government officials were prestigious and becoming simple cooks is a humiliating downgrade. The majority of Elders retort by pointing out that someone needs to do the cooking for the Colony and at their age they would rather be cooking than chopping down forests or planting crops. The "dignified" elders reluctantly agree to fulfill this new duty. [4+2(Cooking)] Under Mao's guidance, the Cooking Corps fumbles for the first few days but eventually adjusts to becoming a solid workforce churning out the daily meals for the Colony. Overall, the consensus on the food is that it is decent, but it seems like every meal is Chinese or similar Oriental Cuisine.
Jakub spends a great deal of his time in the first month working on the Distillery project and getting to know his fellow workers. [2] While not overtly hostile, these workers are totally focused on finishing the distillery and pleasant conversation is completely absent, the only talking that occurs is when someone asks about where something is to be placed or where they can find a specific tool. Jakub turns to recalling the crew members he worked with while on the ship, [3] and can vaguely recall the faces of the mechanics and engineers he aided on ships, but blanks out on their names, realizing that even at that time his colleagues were "less-talk-more-work" types of people. Jakub is left to wonder whether everyone on the colony is a workaholic besides him, or maybe he is just searching among the wrong crowd. After all, there were people who talked to him, they just had different duties and occupations.
Ilyena searches among the colonists to scout for those with skill and/or interest in hunting. [2] She finds a grand total of two other colonists with a similar drive towards hunting as herself, as the majority would rather not set up camp on the fringes of civilization. These two are Mahyang Alibeet, a Malaysian anthropologist and Bonifo Engabayo, an archivist from Togo. Both are not professional or life-long hunters, their backgrounds are similar; both are middle-class employees that hunted for sport and hobby, not as a lifestyle. Bonifo says he has heard of a man named Koran who is supposedly a renown hunter.
The trio head out on the northern edge of the colony where deforestation is meant to take place and use it as a camping site, the farther point yet away from the safety of the ship. They are loaded with supplies that is spartan but effective like plain sleeping bags, fire-starting equipment, laser-machetes and of course rifles that can be loaded with live ammunition or tranquilizers. While they set up camp, they are joined by Koran and introductions take place. A Louisiana native scouter and swamp enthusiast named Gaspard also stops by the camp and requests for two hunters to join him. Ilyena, taking up the de facto leader of the hunters sends Mahyang and Bonifo to join Gaspard's short-term expedition while she and Koran stay around the camp area. [8] While at the camp site, no large, juicy prey can be found by either Ilyena and Koran as they stay on watch, but they do become acquainted with some of the smaller fauna of the area, and are even able to capture both live and dead members of two species.
Koran Discovers a Species of Flying Insect! (Mosquito-sized)
Ilyena Discovers a Species of Tree Dwelling Insect! (Caterpillar-sized)Gaspard meanwhile takes Mahyang and Bonifo on a journey far beyond where anyone had gone previously, piercing straight for the heart of the swamp while the colony faded from sight. Mahyang and Bonifo both are dismayed at journeying so far away but Gaspard insists that with his skills and knowledge, the three of them will be completely safe. [2+2(Navigation)] While they run into little trouble or danger, they find that the surrounding area, at least in the direction that they traveled, is identical to the area around the colony. Towards the end of their expedition Gaspard refuses to come back to the colony empty handed on their scouting venture and jars a batch of small clustered plants that look similar to mushrooms, and claims them as their "reward" for a perilous expedition.
Gaspard discovers a Small Mushroom-like Plant cluster!Coca stumbles her way out of the storage unit that she had been living in for the entire duration of the flight and escapes from the ship before she can be discovered by any of the colonists, carrying only her trusty stowaway pipe and the raggedy, dirty clothes on her back. [5+2(Stealth)] Once off of the ship via a rear window, she sprints for the forest and just before she gets out of sight she is spotted by a couple of colonists who do not give chase to her, and perhaps mistook her for a wild animal or something similar due to the distance between them. Coca stays among the trees and bushes, hidden, observing the Colonists as a loud man gets up on a crate to speak to them, followed by wild applause. For the next few hours the colonists mill about and talk with one another and Coca becomes bored. She heads further into the swamp lands in search of ruins and adventure. [1] During the month, Coca finds no ruins, and nothing that's even remotely cool or interesting. By the end of October she is hungry, lonely, bored and feels sick as well.
Adam doesn't step foot off of the ship and inadvertently ends up conforming to Joseph's orders for children. He devotes his time to programming a video game inspired by his surroundings, a survival horror where the player has to survive a mysterious and deadly swamp. [5+2] The game is solid by Adam's own criteria and while it lacks the polish and depth that a game made by a professional video game team, it is more than acceptable for a flash-style game made by a bored teenager in a month. A number of other children become aware of Adam and his programming habits and begin to ask him if they can play his game.
It turns out that Joseph's charisma may not have swoon everyone after all, as people quickly become aware of a young "rebel" named Lenny who instead of staying inside as children are supposed to do per the unofficial leader's orders, occupies himself by wandering around the ship with a little robot, the two of them collecting twigs and berries. [4+2] The duo gathers up a small reservoir of twigs during the month, and they also come across a bushel of blue berries behind a patch of trees which no one had bothered to look behind. The boy and his robot strip the bush bare of its fruit.
Lenny Discovers a Species of Blue Berry!Mao approaches Cynthia, a young but leading biologist who is among the colonists and assigns her the duty of searching their surroundings for edible food. She looks for someone that she can rely on for protection, not knowing what this strange new world holds, and Mao himself volunteers to join her. [1+2(Biology)] Never trekking far from the colony for safety reasons, among the various plant life Cynthia does not find anything that would have even the possibility of being edible. She does use her time to study in-depth the plentiful but non-edible plant life around the colony that may come in handy in the future. When Cynthia and Mao return to camp, she learns that a youth named Lenny has found a species of wild berry that may be edible.
Cynthia Discovers a Species of Common Tree!
Cynthia Discovers a Species of Common Shrub!1 Month's Supply of Food & Water has been consumed.
2598
November:
Koran Smith - Species of Flying Insects.
Ilyena - Species of Tree Dwelling Insects.
Gaspard - Small Mushroom-like Plant Cluster.
Lenny Morgan - Species of Blue Berry.
Cynthia Redguard - Species of Common Tree & Species of Common Shrub.
2598
October - The S.S. Primus lands on Lustrum.
November - Joseph Lenox becomes the unofficial leader of the colony.
Population: 300 (231 Adults, 40 Children, 29 Elders)
Incapacitated: 4
Sick: 0
Deceased: 0
Joseph Lenox's Unofficial Colonial Society:
Leader: Joseph Lenox
Marshal of Entertainment: Regalia Hawthorne
Projects:
Land Reclaiming Process [0%]
Distillery [50%]
Collective Inventory:
S.S. Primus Ship
- Food & Water Supplies [11 Months Remaining]
- Oxygen Recycler
- Housing
- Medical Facilities
- Excersise Facilities
- Entertaiment Facilities
Name: Joseph Lenox (Coolrune206)
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Skills: Leadership [Level 4] Construction [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Revolver [Family Heirloom] [Well Maintained] [No Ammunition]
Name: Regalia Hawthorne (AbstractTraitorHero)
Race: Cyborg
Gender: Female
Age: 19
Skills: Fencing [Level 4] Entertainment [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Solar-powered Jukebox [Morale Bonus] [Tons of Songs!]
Name: Mao Zedong Liu (Nakéen)
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Skills: Asian Cuisine Cooking [Level 4] Cook-Fu [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Ancient Wok [Family Heirloom] [Well Maintained] [Unusually Strong]
Name: Cynthia Redguard (DigitalDemon)
Gender: Female
Age: Young Adult - 28
Skills: Biology [Level 4], Archaeology [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Prototype Area Scanner Model 9X271 [Family Heirloom] [Advanced Scanner] [Prototype Quirks]
Name: Jakub 'Cook' Kucharz (Wozzy)
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Skills: Welding [Level 4] Mechanical Engineering [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: KSH20 Electron Beam Welder [Contains Welding Mask & 20lb. Capacitor] [Self-recharging] [Must be carried on back]
Name: Alex Shatter (Urist McDwarf)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Status: Normal
Inventory: Dual Armblades [Hypodermic] [Retractable]
Name: Adam Red (Ukrainian Ranger)
Gender: Male
Age: 14
Skills: Programming [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Artificial Intelligence "Oppo" within Gaming Console [Self-Learning]
Name: Ilyena (Urist Reborn)
Gender: Female
Age: 21
Skills: Big Game Hunting [Level 4] Piezoelectrics [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Piezoelectric Bolas [Electric Weapon] [Continuous Shock]
Name: Koran Smith (Greatness942)
Gender: Male
Age: 50
Skills: Hunting [Level 4] Gathering [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Blunderbuss [Ancient Weapon] [2 Shot Capacity] [Can Improvised Ammunition]
Name: Coca Bucket (Fniff)
Gender: Female
Age: 13
Skills: Stealth [Level 4]
Status:Normal
Inventory: Stowaway Pipe [Improvisable Multi-Tool]
Name: Gaspard Doucet
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Skills: Swamp Survival [Level 4] Navigation [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Gaspard's Swamp Kit [Navigational & Survival Tool] [Comprehendable Only to Gaspard]
Name: Lenny Morgan (Vgray)
Gender: Male
Age: 16
Skills: Scavenging [Level 4]
Status: Normal
Inventory: Slightly Used Waste Allocation Load Lifter [Loyal Companion] [Cleaning/Ordering Specialization], Pile of Twigs, Pile of Blue Berries
So far, several discoveries have already been made. When your character Discovers something, I will usually give it some general parameters to be described within, ex., Blue Berries, Tree Dwelling Insect, etc. Outside of these general parameters, the Discovering characters are free to describe and analyze their discoveries how they see fit. If I find no issue with their description of the Discovery, it becomes permanent canon in the game. For major discoveries/discoveries by a large number of players, the description will be decided via consensus.
Discoveries should be provided with some sort of name.
Example Discovery (The Description can be in whatever format you want, this is just how I might do it as a player):
TCM's Character Discovers Frog-sized Animal Species!
Name: Limos aranearum (Goo Spider)
Description: These creatures are bright in color, either yellow, red, or orange. They are nocturnal. Their skin is hard and bumpy. They have six legs beneath a central torso, and a head above it. They can scale trees. They spit a green goo at insects and other small creatures that immobilizes them, allowing them to capture their prey; the goo does not seem to have an effect on humans or larger animals besides being sticky and uncomfortable at worst. They are solitary and skittish, if confronted by a larger creature they will spit goo at it and then flee. They are edible and non-toxic but they taste plain and lack in nutritional value.
In addition to new discoveries, characters can find additional information on previous Discoveries and make Addendum Discoveries with further details. For example, after I discovered the Goo Spider, a few turns later, a characters makes an Addendum Discovery on them when they find out that yellow and orange members of the species are all male while the red ones are all female.
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Topic: Pioneers - Phase 3 ~ Cooking Up a Storm (Read 25231 times)