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A. Awesome

1 (6.3%)

A. Adorable

2 (12.5%)

B. Both A. and A.

13 (81.3%)

Total Members Voted: 16

[Tidal]

53 miles above the surface of Tolla, a tiny ship bound for the nearby mineral-rich asteroids stalls in midflight, caught by the planet’s gravity well.

This small spacecraft is only about the length of a pencil, and barely twice as thick, but in its belly it carries the seeds of civilization, the seeds of life. Too bad the planet below already has both, but you don't always get what you want in life, and sometimes you hardly get what you need.

There are 5 still living species of sentients in this spacecraft, enough to start a small colony each. In fact, that is what they are meant to do, each given a small pod for their eggs to go into. As the ship enters the atmosphere, the ship’s computers wake up, painfully slowly. So slowly, in fact, the ship is almost into the ocean before it manages to launch the pods.

Each pod is the size of one button on a normal television remote. Although the pods deploy retrorockets, they still have the speed and power to make it all the way to the sea floor. The pods carefully re-pressurize themselves to match the new pressures exerted on them from the surrounding waters as they descend, being prepared and ready to deploy by the time they reach the Sea Floor.

It should be mentioned that the area is rather empty at this time, most sea life being away for a time or asleep. Smalls grow quickly, but the things should still be back in time to notice the smalls before they do anything, if they are not inside something! As the leader of your tribe of Smalls, you have the responsibility of finding shelter, and rediscovering enough technology to spread your race up into the higher layer of ocean and across the planet!

Go forth, and multiply!

Spoiler: Rules/Synopsis (click to show/hide)

As you gain tech, you will be able to get higher up, eventually breaching the surface and finding that there is more to the world than you previously thought.
He who controls the high places underwater has much more power than those who do not, but he who controls the land, controls the world!
 
The tech tree goes as follows:

Tribal Era -> Can create new colonies. You start at this age.
Classical Era -> Can self-sufficiently sustain floating colonies just above the sea floor.
Medieval Era -> Can harvest and use metal effectively.
Renaissance Era -> Can use steam power and harness waterspouts.
Industrial Era -> Can create hard-to-attack, self-sustaining, mid-sea colonies. Can also create colonies in only one turn!
Early Atomic Era -> Atomic weapons draw the notice of the merpeople, as well as make one hex temporarily unlivable. Fallout damages all who pass through the hexes surrounding it! Be careful!
Late Atomic Era -> Can colonize the entire sea. Upper ocean colonies are almost impossible to attack from the sea floor.
Early Silicon Era -> Can send scouts onto land and make basic camps.
Late Silicon Era -> May create colonies on land.
Stellar Era -> May produce the winning spacecraft and advance to the heavens!

Tech levels, while not having definite boundaries, are expected to be adhered to. Anyone caught violating this rule will be given a warning. Violation a second time will cause a disaster local to that civilization. A third violation will cause you to be booted from the game and all record of your civilization to be lost to Davy Jones' Locker!
 
Setting up a colony takes 2 turns and requires about twenty Smalls.
 
To play, fill out the Race Creation Sheet with as much detail as possible, then pick a thing on the Sea Floor to begin in. (see FAQ if confused about that) Only 5 players are allowed right now, so be quick before your spot is taken! I may add the opportunity for more players in my next game. This is more of a trial to see how many I can effectively manage.

Don't post OOC here after I start it, use the OOC thread instead. (Not that anyone here really uses the OOC anyway >.>)

You are not allowed to begin higher than the Sea Floor, because if you do your entire tribe goes BOOM because they aren't adapted to the lessened water pressure. Or something like that!

Spoiler: Player List (click to show/hide)

1: micelus, Lofani, Chasm
2: Alternatecash, Yaffi, Sulfur Vent
3: Ehndras, Ul'mare, Deep Cave
4: NPC - Open (FuzzyZergling), Snaug, Mud Pits
5: stabbymcstabstab (rutsber), Flannigans, Kelp Field
6: PyroDesu, Pyroids, Volcanic Rift
7: Ibid Straydrink, Goabu, Cobblestone Path

Spoiler: Player Races (click to show/hide)

Player: micelus
Species: Lofan/Lofani
Color: Brown
Starting Spot: Chasm on the Sea Floor
Description: A large shelled race. Their shell covers the entirety of their body except for one opening. This opening also has a beak and tentacles within it. The tentacles can extend a quarter of a body away. The lofani move slowly, allowing the currents to be their fins. However, they can stay in place by using their tentacles and move rapidly by using blowing out water from its opening. They have a simple form of sonar. They inhabit the seas of the world but usually stay in the canyons of the sea, as their favored prey inhabit these areas.

Player: Alternatecash
Species: Yaffi
Color: Violet
Starting Spot: Sulfur Vents
Description: Yaffi consist of colonial bundles of threadlike tendrils, resembling jellyfish. They lack most sensory organs, but detect vibration and chemical changes quite well. They swim quickly by threshing their tendrils behind them. Yaffi prefer the sulfur-rich waters near volcanic vents, but are incredibly expansionist.

Player: Ehndras
Species: Ul'mare the Seaborn
Color: Red
Starting Spot: Deep-Sea Caverns
Description: A tiny humanoid race reminiscent of faeries, these energetic sea-folk glide through the sea using wing-like limbs to spiral in and out of the small caves in which they reside. As a race bound by honor and truth, the Ul'mare are united in their communities and extremely dedicated to the survival and expansion of their people. Though they seem like childish pranksters, there is much power and wisdom behind their cheerful antics.
Physical: Due to their well-adapted wing-fins, they are highly agile and tend to flee rather than fight. If forced to fight, they will employ a natural venom injected through patches of spiny flesh throughout their body, from the two tiny horns upon their heads, and secreted below their tongues, which causes temporary paralysis and pain. Though physically frail, their natural defenses more than make up for their small size.
Cultural: The Ul'mare are, above all, a peaceful race of benevolent protectors. They are dedicated to the study of living organisms and strive to protect the denizens of the deep as if Ul'mare themselves. They will always resort to violence last, and rely on their speed, agility and natural weapons to survive. The Ul'mare have a deep-seated obsession with symmetry and intricate designs; one can identify their lands via the complex markings left on plants, shells, and stone - don't expect to understand what they mean, though.

Player: Open/NPC FuzzyZergling
Species: Snaug
Color: Yellow
Starting Spot: Mud Pits
Description: The Snaug are ambush predators, waiting in the mud for prey to wander near before ensnaring them with their ten tentacles. They resemble disks, with a mouth on their "top" connected to four tentacles, and six tentacles ringing the "sides". On their underbelly are several holes connected to water bladders, allowing short bursts of fast movement.

Player: stabbymcstabstab rutsber
Species: Flannigans
Color: Orange
Starting Spot: Kelp Field
Description: Small humanoids with a pipe like tail that they are able to shunt water out of as a propellant. Flannigans prefer the kelp fields for the abundance of food and fertile ground for both farming and hunting.

Player: PyroDesu
Species: Pyroid/Pyroids
Color: Green
Starting Spot: Tectonic Rift
Description: Appearance: Sentient crystalline species, faintly warm and luminescent from radioactivity, communicates and senses with electromagnetic pulses (Think sonar), and "moves" by mono-molecular particles of itself forced through tubes by a stronger, yet non-interfering magnetic field, with particles reattaching at the other end, able to change coloration and "grow" into almost anything. Growth via mineral synthesis into more of the crystal.

Player: Ibid Straydrink
Species: Goab/Goabu
Color: Ochre Yellow
Starting Spot: Sunken cobblestone path
Description: Large and brutish in appearance, the Goab are a muscular race with a humanoid head and large nostrils, six limbs (four of those being well-toned arms) and a wide, shrimp-like tail. In truth, the Goab are predominately of the calm temperament and taken to crafting, artistry, and meditation. When necessary, however, they are able to temper both body and will to whatever challenges they face.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Map Key (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Other Diagrams (click to show/hide)

The Pod


The Ul'mare Floatstone Cavern

Spoiler: FAQ (click to show/hide)

1. "This is like Akylon and Karne's games!"
Yes. It is. I'm new to this, and this looked like a simpler one to start me off. Don't worry, I got permission.

2. "Hey! Is there any special stuff since this is, you know, underwater?"
Yes. Be able to swim in some way! (However you think they could, as long as it isn't overly ridiculous) This may include craft in later eras, but all Smalls must start as some kind of natural swimmer. If you really wanted a challenge, you could try not having any way of locomotion aside from walking/crawling/slithering, but it may be (read: will be) very difficult.

4."Map?"
Since this is underwater, it’s kinda hard to determine where exactly the landing site looks like generically. So, pick a natural object that's normally on the sea floor when you make your Smalls (everyone in a different thing, and it MUST be on the sea floor or on top of something that is), and I'll make a map from there. EDIT: Map can be viewed under the "Map" Spoiler. There is also a key. Key probably isn't up to date because of hidden tiles.

5."How often can you update?"
Bleh, turns are 10 pages long in Word... And school... so not that often, but at least once a week.

6. "Just how big ARE we?!"
An awesome guy called Draignean came up with a system of measurement in Smalls games. This isn't exactly Oceania, but it has the same system of measurement.

OMUs (Oceania Mass Units)

A generic Small = 1 OMU

A little fish = 100 OMUs

A two foot eel = 40,000 OMUs

A merman = 1,000,000+ OMUs (If my scale is right.)

Spoiler: Race Creation Sheet (click to show/hide)

Player: (DM)
Leader: (Unknown [Optional])
Species: (Mermaids/Merpeople)
Color: (n/a yet)
Starting Spot: (Above the Sea Floor)
Description: (A massive finned race. They grow slowly, and advance slowly, yet their strength and cunning have allowed them to ascend to the top of their habitat. Currently all merpeople are out enjoying TELION'S FEAST, but they are expected to return soon. These particular specimens have light brown skin and speak a language they call "English". They spend the majority of their time Above or In Caves. It is unknown whether or not contact with these beings is desirable, but for now, it is termed OFF LIMITS and dangerous. They eat in the DINING CAVE.)

Example Race: Because I felt like it. You don't need to include this ridiculous number of details .
Player: Edio
Leader: Merratrik
Name: Sepiida
Starting Spot: A mound of live rock encrusted with coralline algae and other marine life.
Description: A cuttlefish-like mollusc. Their heads have eight small arms and two slightly longer tentacles that end in four tiny tendrils. The arms (but not the tentacles) have a single line of suckers going down them; however, all of the appendages originate from around the mouth. A webbing connects all of the appendages almost to the end. Two large eyes rest on the sides of their head and can swivel independently of the other. They have long bodies with skin that can change color, texture, and luminescence to match their environment or their moods. A Sepiida eats by stretching its arms out and engulfing its prey in the "net" formed by the webbing. The underside of the arms secretes a glue-like net (mimicking the web formed from the skin flaps between its tentacles) that entangles its prey. It normally propels itself through the water using long lateral fins, but it can go much faster by tucking in its arms and shooting backwards using a jet of water from the siphon it uses to breathe. It can also release luminescent ink when in distress, but it can only do so once before it has to rest.
Background: These Smalls are highly intelligent. Unfortunately, this works against them occasionally due to them all thinking that they know better than the others- this leads to infighting. They communicate with each other through lightning quick flashes of iridescence over their skin. Sepiida generally live communally in caverns that they construct in hidden crevices to evade predators. Society tends to advance rapidly due to heavy competition between them.

Spoiler: Waiting List (click to show/hide)

Nobody. Feel free to ask.

WIKI
(In progress- not nearly done yet.)

If you have any questions, ask them in the OOC thread or PM me.

[micelus]

They were created by those above...Born to survive these waters...This world was theirs to conquor...For they were the first and thus the greatest. They were the Lofani, the Ancients.

The chasms of the sea were theirs for them. Their prey was here to be herded and devoured. By calm and storm the world was Lofani.

Kyridgem was chosen as leader to lead the Shelled-Ones. The chasms would hide them from those who would feast on them. The local prey was numerous here.

[Tidal]

I'm going to wait to launch this until we have all five people, so no one gets left behind.

EDIT: Here's the [tentative] map I made (thanks go to Akylon for pointing me to this awesome program). As people join, I'll add in their locations. If you want, you can specify a color to be used for your race's buildings on the map.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

EDIT EDIT: There IS other stuff there, but you need to discover it.

[Ehndras]

((OOC: Not sure how this works, so... Here goes.))

Name: Ul'mare the Seaborn (Singular & Plural)
Starting Spot: Deep-Sea Caverns
Description: A tiny humanoid race reminiscent of faeries, these energetic sea-folk glide through the sea using wing-like limbs to spiral in and out of the small caves in which they reside. As a race bound by honor and truth, the Ul'mare are united in their communities and extremely dedicated to the survival and expansion of their people. Though they seem like childish pranksters, there is much power and wisdom behind their cheerful antics.

Physical: Due to their well-adapted wing-fins, they are highly agile and tend to flee rather than fight. If forced to fight, they will employ a natural venom injected through patches of spiny flesh throughout their body, from the two tiny horns upon their heads, and secreted below their tongues, which causes temporary paralysis and pain. Though physically frail, their natural defenses more than make up for their small size.

Cultural: The Ul'mare are, above all, a peaceful race of benevolent protectors. They are dedicated to the study of living organisms and strive to protect the denizens of the deep as if Ul'mare themselves. They will always resort to violence last, and rely on their speed, agility and natural weapons to survive. The Ul'mare have a deep-seated obsession with symmetry and intricate designs; one can identify their lands via the complex markings left on plants, shells, and stone - don't expect to understand what they mean, though.

(EDIT: Added some flavor text and a balancing mechanism via weak body/small size + defensive mechanisms to give my race a bit of an offensive crutch.)

[FuzzyZergling]

Name: Snaug
Starting Spot: Undersea Mud Pits
Description: The Snaug are ambush predators, waiting in the mud for prey to wander near before ensnaring them with their ten tentacles. They resemble disks, with a mouth on their "top" connected to four tentacles, and six tentacles ringing the "sides". On their underbelly are several holes connected to water bladders, allowing short bursts of fast movement.

[Aklyon]

(post to watch, might join later if I have an idea for a race)

[Tidal]

Alrighty. The map is all set, and we're just waiting for one more player. In the meantime, I'm adding some backstory.

[Ehndras]

Alrighty. The map is all set, and we're just waiting for one more player. In the meantime, I'm adding some backstory.

BACKSTORY, YYYYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAH!

...Anyway, sounds good.

[Tidal]

As the ship careens toward the ocean, it manages to disgorge four of the five Pods inside of it before breaking apart into two pieces. The four Pods hurtle through the air and plunge into the depths of the ocean. With all the speed of torpedoes and an incredible amount of momentum, they punch through any and all obstacles in their path until they reach the Sea Floor.

The first Pod plows through the water, continuing until it impacts a rocky ledge overhanging what looks to be a dark gash in the sea floor. The force of the blow causes the rock to fracture and fall down, down, down into the abyss below- and taking the Pod along with it...

The second Pod shoots through a cloud of sulfur gas, going so fast that it leaves a neat tunnel through the cloud. It slams into the side of a large sulfur vent, teetering between rolling down the side and remaining in its tiny crater...

The third Pod's impact is much less violent than the others. Its blow is cushioned as it pierces a layer of squishy silt. All around it, the cloud of debris from the crash lands softly in a large expanse of mud, surrounded on all sides by steep walls of hard clay...

The fourth Pod crashes through layer upon layer of huge algal fronds. It keeps going until it embeds itself in the base of an enormous kelp tree. Bits of leaf rain down like confetti around the Pod, leaving a breadcrumb-like trail that follows its path of destruction...

While all the rest of the Pods rain from the sky, the only Pod that failed to deploy remains in the rear half of the ship. With a screech of metal on metal, the mechanisms finally click and slide the Pod out of the ship. Its retrorockets deploy, slowing it much faster than the hunk of ship it's trailing. The ship hits the water first, engines still powering it into the deep. It hits the Floor first, lodging almost a foot down in the rock. Something- maybe a frayed wire, a leaking fuel line- causes a critical malfunction in the ship's engines... It explodes and creates a massive crater in the Sea Floor, exposing the porous rock below. The Pod, having no navigation, follows in the trail of the engine's bubbles, drifting into the deep caves below...

As one, the Pod's hatches click and begin to unseal, the recently awoken Smalls inside tasting the waters that would become their home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Before the Pods hit the Sea Floor, they manage to conduct a basic scan of the surrounding area. The planet appears to be inhabitable. A readout of the scan shows that there is enough resources and space to sustain life, at least for now. There is also signs that this planet is already inhabited by living organisms. By what, the scan does not say. The front half of the ship is still intact, but could not be pinpointed.

>The contents of this scan are downloaded and printed before the Pod's computers shut down.

Spoiler: >SCAN RESULTS (click to show/hide)

[Ehndras]

((OOC: Who the hell is in the Kelp? That's the only one who's landing spot wasn't determined by our back-stories. o_O

Before I start, I'm the one who crashed into the deep caves revealed by the crater ,right?)

[Tidal]

Player: rutsber
Name: Flannigans
Color: Orange
Starting Spot: Kelp Field
Description: Small humanoids with a pipe like tail that they are able to shunt water out of as a propellant. Flannigans prefer the kelp fields for the abundance of food and fertile ground for both farming and hunting.
As for a building color, Orange if possible, otherwise anything.

Rutsber's race crashed into the kelp, here's his back-story. Also, yes, you are the one who crashed into the deep caves.

[FuzzyZergling]

The Snaug exit their craft, and assess the number of survivors while dragging the pod up to the surface of the mud.

[Alternatecash]

In a flurry of motion, the Yaffi boil out of their pod, basking in the life-giving sulfur. The strongest of the multitude begin to secure the pod firmly to the base of the mighty vent. The swiftest of the multitude spread out to look for hard-shelled sea life to infest, er... Domesticate.

[micelus]

The Lofani instanly got to work. They exited the pod and began to explore and look for creatures of the chasms. Some decided to renovate the pod and turn it upwards.

[rutsber]

The flannigans exit the pod, and begin to gather fallen leaves for a shelter.