 November 17, 2013 - 11:39am | I love old Sci-Fi and it occurred to me an idea presented in the Rocky Jones Space Rangers might be fun to use in Star Frontiers. Posita and Negato Basically two moons (really dwarf planets) are discovered orbiting each other. The planetoids do not spin, so one half of each planetoid face each other permanently, while they mutually rotate together in space. The planetoids are the same size and mass and connected by an atmosphere chain or belt. With in the chain lightning storms rage, gravity and turbulence and areas of extreme weather exist such as vortexes and hail, sudden heat spikes or cold drops. Naturally the side of the planetoids that face each other is the less pleasant side with volcanic action and terrible weather. The sides of the dwarf worlds facing out to space are the more pleasant sides and during the night on each planetoid spectacular light shows in the atmospheres can occur. Note terrible storms (just not as bad as the constant activity on the other side) can happen on the pleasant side of the planetoids as well. Both planetoids have very arid environments with extreme hot and cold temperatures (but survivable extremes with the right training and technology.) Though it is possible for two objects to orbit, it should be noted that the two objects being the same size and mass and the existence of both having an atmosphere that is connected by a “belt” or “chain” is just not normal or natural. The two planetoids are called Posita and Negato both have life on them and sentient life. Both Posita and Negato are at a state of war. Technological differences exist between the two cultures though the people on both dwarf worlds are related. Posita tends toward more electro-magnetic and physical technology (bombs) and direct assualt behaviors. While Negato technology tends toward use of electro-sound waves, sonar, mind control type technology. Both populations will relate that 1000s of years ago (they are very vague on how many 1000s) their ancestors where one united people and that while working to harness a new power technology ("the secret of electricity") their Home World Electro was destroyed, split asunder. Somehow some of their ancestors survived on both sides of the planet at the polar extremes and thus Posita and Negato where formed, and mysteriously transformed into perfect little dwarf worlds. Both races can transverse the belt, but do not have space travel. Both races are at war, Negato in the past had attacked and enslaved Posita and though Posita is now free, Posita wishes to destroy or return the favor. No one can remember peace. Both cultures use the same symbol of electric bolts for thier national symbols, both have developed into military societies and are run by a sort of warlord monarchy. Now in RJSR everyone was humanoid and no good explantaion exists for the planetoids which are "gypsy moons" traveling through space... I have decided to put them in a system, the planetoids actualy form a giant power station and the ancestors of the current population had been used as slaves to create it but where not expected to live (what the power station was built for is another mystery), that a device in the middle of the atmosphere chain keeps it all working, the surviving waring cultures are Dralasite off shoots (I borrowed the Star Trek black/white bodies for them) and each race has a special genetic trait, Positans can generate an electric shock naturaly and Negatons can generate sound waves naturaly that disorient others. These Dralasites do have a sence of humor it is just sadistic, dark and very physical. I also decided both cultures are expert at Genetic Engernerring and Bio-Chemical methods of modifing life forms. The Monarchy of both societies can only be inheritied by the bud of the current ruler. Both believe they are the superior surviving gene pools of the ancestors, and do not believe in mixing and blame each other for Electro's demise. Any mis-coloured bud (solid black or white, checkered, or inverted coloured for that race) is "bonzaied" (kept small and bio-chemically nuetered) and used as slaves and servants. I figure this can be a good adventure place, mysteries to solve, war to end, weird science, and a Dralasite society gone wrong but in a strange Dral way, and much more... like what will they think about grey Drals? :)
"Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 November 17, 2013 - 12:52pm | Neat. Only observation I have is "during the night"...since they aren't rotating, night is determined by their orbital position around the star. As such, "night" can be measured in months (or years) rather than hours. |
November 17, 2013 - 4:22pm | The planetoids do not spin but they rotate around "the heart" inside the chain, while orbiting around the sun. I hope that helps... I suspect Night and Day will be longer "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 November 17, 2013 - 6:05pm | Oh yeah, a double planet. They are neat. Those planets, being so close, would also be highly geography active on the hemispheres closest to each other - in fact, the tug is likely the only thing that keeps both worlds form having a dead core! Such a chaotic maelstrom would likely make a great point of adventure, and would also make for great background detail. I can already see the travel brochure: "Those twin planets are like trillion-ton balls adrift in space, having testicular torsion on a cosmic level! We hope you off-worlders have a good large pair like them 'cuz you'll need them just to live here! If you wish to visit, you better leave your pretty pink purse at home, 'cuz we don't accommodate to tourists!"Oh and I found the fiction you,re talking about: Crash of the Moons. It looks neat. I like retro sci-fi. |
 November 18, 2013 - 12:08am | If they're identical in size the barycenter around whicg they orbit will be in the space between them but if they were unequel in mass then it could reside a few hundred kilometers within the mass of the larger. Of course what you've descibed sounds strangely like an atom so you may wish to play with it a little to disguise it source from your players. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 18, 2013 - 6:18am | I was thinking along the atom lines, I did go and research atmospher layers for flight to be viable in (Karaman's Line) and the orbital distance of objects needing to be 1/5 of radius... a bit out of my depth a lot that I read but I quickly decided an additional "unnatural" object that maybe malfunctioned slightly would be needed to keep the chain working and life preserved durring the cataclismic event. This then adds the potential of a second mysterious species being responable for the destruction of Electro, pulling a Roman inspred move of killing the slaves as part of achieving the goals of doing or making something. In the original plot Posta and Negato are exactly 2000 miles in diameter (so about Earth Moon sized) and it seemed the original story line author was probably thinking about positive and negatively charged electrons. I've got to fiddle with the numbers but it being an artificial state makes the most logical choice so far. I just figured why not have a weird science sort of place to send the PC's to after they get all used to "normal" SF scenerios. This is a work in progress and I can develop it a bit before sending them there. I figure culturally the P/Ns still like debating but subjects tend to be on best approaches to subjagation, termination, torture, war stragety and so on... not the Drals you want to meet in a dark ally... any new species might be seen as a source of new DNA for GMO exeperaments and so on. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 December 12, 2013 - 8:20pm | This is a cool direction for an adventure. I look forward to seeing more. |
 December 20, 2013 - 12:14pm | If they are close enough to share an atomosphere... wouldn't they get pulled together? ----------------------------------------------- |
December 25, 2013 - 8:49pm | Yes, that is one problem that may or may not be needed to be solved... depends on how savy the players are on their astrophysics. My friends probably will not care too much, but I will probably have to come up with some sort of alien artifact keeping it all working. I have decided the two planetoids actually create a huge amount of energy which the natives tap of course, but which was meant to power something. Hook wise I can go a variety of directions... first you have just surviving the two weird cultures and possibly stoping them fighting (the PCs will need a motivating factor to be peace makers or first chance they get they will book it), investigating the weird astrophysics could lead to wanting to know what required so much power that a planet was turned into a power station... and is that a threat to the UPF or game changing tech? "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
March 19, 2015 - 4:52am | http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/4269 Another Dralasite Race I need to find my notes on these cultures and finish a write-up: One race I decided can produce an electric charge the other is sonic. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
March 20, 2015 - 5:03am | This double planet has some potentials: 1) It is cruising through space like in Crash of the Moons: a) basically it's not an out of control wandering planet but a ship. b) it is a wandering planet not controllable 2) Is not wandering through space but has a set orbit in a system. 3) Is not in a system but has a set orbit relative to something else. Why Split a Planet? In the original story line it's an accident, but with an artificial device necessary to keep the planets connected correctly I would go with not an accident at all. This "planet" generates tons of energy several different ways... what is it powering? Or what was it suppose to power? It could be powering it's self like in the spaceship option but it could be something else... as a power station: An ancient artifact now out of alignment with it... a weapon? a new FTL tech? a non-lethal defense? a matter transmitter on a huge scale? a communications array? a giant computer? Who really built it? Where the dralasites placed on it after it's creation (which makes more sense to me)? Are they actually power station employee descendants who forgot that their less than pleasant planet was planned not an accident? Where they a slave race that revolted and killed their masters? Or are they the descendants of master builders? "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
