A new RP Thread concept, by Icymonkey with assistance from myself.
History
Neoterra was a worldship designed to relieve the overgrowing population of Earth, and to colonize a far away star. 750 million people were aboard, mostly from Asia and Africa. It was created by almost every government in the world who could afford to pitch in more than pocket change, in orbit over Mars.
It would take over a thousand years to reach their destination. To make the trip more comforatable, the ship had simulated gravity, simulated day and night, and a climate varied as earth's, complete with soil, forests, mountains and all the flora and fauna of the earth.
Unfortunately the cooperation among the countries back home waned, and war appeared imminent. In Neoterra, nationalistic feelings turned the worldship into an armed camp, where each side labored to make nuclear weapons with which to destroy the other sides if war ever happened.
It did. All contact with Earth was lost, and it was assumed Earth was destroyed for the most part- the nuclear war scattered the population across the worldship, where the survivors struggled to live day-to-day. Over several hundred years, all knowledge of technology had long ago been passed on only as legendary "magic." "Mages" scoured the ancient ruins for "magical" weapons. People who stayed too long in the ruins became sick and sometimes even died- Some claimed it was the anger of the Gods, for violating a holy (or unholy, depending on who you asked) site.
Mutants, deformed and twisted to something not-quite-human (perhaps due to the radiation prevailent in the early years, perhaps due to pre-cataclysmic genetic experimentation) ran amok throughout the worldship, dominating it except when there were many "magical" weapons to drive them back.
A group of mages discovered the only intact computer on the whole worldship, which was in turn linked to the Central Control Computer located deep within the bowels of the ship. This computer held all technological knowledge humanity had, and with it these mages soon dominated human culture with their ability to construct "magical" items by following the computers exact instructions (though they didn't understand what they were doing). The mages who had made the discovery proclaimed themselves priests, claiming that they were avatars of God. They developed a ridgid caste structure, making the "magical" weapons and distributing them to their loyal followers, but not the common man.
A year before the colony ship was to land on the nearest habitable world to earth, an android was activated. This was Plato. He was put on board the ship at its launch, intended to help the humans in their colonization as well as serve as a resource for Earth history, in case the memory of Earth had faded among the ship dwellers. Emerging from its centuries-long sleep, it found humanity in a very sorry state.
The religion was split as to the nature of the android. Many of the mages and some of the more philosophical warrior-kings, as well as a vast majority of the lower classes, thought of him as a messiah figure, and flocked to his banner. The high Priest, scared that this Plato might be a threat to his power, sent out his most loyal warrior-kings to destroy ther Platonists.
Classes
There are 6 basic classes, plus the mutants. Note that in normal society, ANY act against a class below your own (except for Bourgeois, as they are not an "officially recognized" caste) is perfectly legal. Even the lowest ranking warrior could murder, lie, steal or rape any Untouchable he or she desired. It is also impossible to move up in caste. Intermarriage between castes is what the Priests say spawned the first mutants, and any child made from such a union is immediately killed.
The Untouchables, the lowest class that basically lives in the squalor of a typical medieval peasant, and are given no higher technology at all. They live in a constant state of wonder, worshipping and fearing the priests. Until Plato showed up and taught many of them they could be free, nobody had thought that another system could be possible. The Untouchables are the only class that are not socially retarded- they are often friendly, and have an extensive list of friends to turn to for help and advice.
The Bourgeois are the rich and powerful Untouchables. They believe they are a different class, above the Untouchables, and the only reason they feel a close kinship to them is because the Priests do not distinguish between the Bourgeois and the Untouchables. Often specialists, merchants, and other skilled craftsmen, the Bourgeois are somewhat less socially prevailent than the Untouchables, but still have quite a few contacts compared to the higher classes. They are sometimes equipped with primitive "magic."
Warriors act as death squads, gaurds and armies for the Priests. There is a strict military rank system, culminating in a General, and the quality of their arms and armor raises along with rank. Their society is very close-knit, but due to their warrior-focused life, they are quite naive about the outside world, almost childlike in their lack of knowledge. Even the lowest ranking Warrior is a master of medieval strategy, the various codes of honor to be used on the battlefield, and many examples of such battles, holy sayings, and such. But rarely do they know any but the most primitive of history (outside of religious) or philosophy. As such, outside their own small social circles, they are very uncomforatable around other humans.
Warrior-Kings are much like the warriors, but they have a wider education- many take up a bit of philosophy, and study even more tactics than the average warrior. Aloft and distant, they have the most powerful weapons and armor available, along with weak personal sheilds to protect them.
Mages are a sort of combination of priests or monks with fantasy-style mages, but instead of using magic, they use technology. They possess quite powerful weaponry and shielding - their abilities would seem magical even to someone from the 21st century. Unlike the priests, they are humble and compassionate, and possess a profound faith in their God. They are also the most educated non-priestly class, studying a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, music, and the native mythology.
Priests are similar to mages, only far more powerful and corrupt. They are in charge of the Temple - the building which houses the last computer terminal in Neoterra. Numbering only about one or two dozen, they take technological enhancement to the extreme - going so far as cybernetically augmenting their own bodies. Even the lowest ranking priest has strength and power that would put the greatest of mages to shame. They were considered living, walking gods by the people of Neoterra until the coming of the android, and many still revere them as divine. At the head of the priestly hierarchy is the High Priest, a monster who is more machine than man. He has presided over the priesthood for 200 years, and given his current unbelieveable physical condition, it is likely that he will survive for 200 more.
Mutants reside in the Northern Mountains and look something like pale, hairless dwarves on steroids. They are short, stocky, and incredibly muscular. They have greater strength and better senses than human beings, and would have long ago conquered humanity if it were not for the discovery of "magic". As such, all mutants possess an inherent fear and loathing of anything remotely "magical". The mutant mind seems to work slightly differently than the mind of a human, and because of this most mutants do not develop individual personalities (although they are as intelligent as humans otherwise). As such, mutant society resembles an ant colony, and mutants care not for their own interests, gladly sacrificing their lives for the good of the colony.
Rogue Mutants are mutants that have somehow developed individual personalities. Such creatures are shunned and reviled by other mutants. Driven out of their colonies, the Rogue mutants have congregated with each other and formed a city at the foot of the mountains. Since the priests defeated the mutant hordes, rogue mutants are generally the only mutants humans ever encounter, since they are much more sociable and friendly to humans than their collectivist cousins.
The Politics
This RPG will be very character-interaction-oriented. The players take the roles of normal people, either Untouchables, Bourgeois, Warriors, Warrior-Kings, Mages or Rogue Mutants. They will be VERY mortal. Fight scenes are not gonna be a large priority- do not sign up if you're expecting nonstop action.
There will be a list of important NPCs, their relevant traits and personality, and which side they are on. The players make not become the NPCs as their personal character, but they may write for the NPC if their player wishes to interact with them in some way- be under the command of an NPC Warrior-King, or a skilled Warrior, or a sly Untouchable.
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