PLUTO might have a buried ocean.
https://www.space.com/pluto-buried-ocean-may-be-common.html
I've never run a buried ocean adventure in a science fiction or space fantasy game. The closest I've run is Traveller horror via Aliens were I had two teams of PCs - the besieged crew of underwater research station and the space marines racing to their rescue.
And hell yeah I had Alien Shark hybrids!
So let's talk about OCEANS buried in "dead" planets and how we could work adventures around them. Or just more underwater action in science fiction and space fantasy? We have several movies to call upon for ideas - Abyss, Leviathan, Deep Star Six, Phantom Menace jump to mind, but also Aquaman might offer ideas for a space fantasy ocean within a world. Any other recent movies?
Any anime that deals with undersea sci-fi?
Any sci-fi novels jump to mind?
Among RPGs, Blue Planet is the spot-on with this. I set up to run a game of this once, but because of scheduling conflicts we never played it. I thought it was very well done. I have only the first edition. I understand that the second edition completely replaced the rules system, but I'm not sure if it was an improvement.
Within media and novels, I can't recall novels that I've read other than Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. But I hear that David Brin's _Startide Rising_ (second in the Uplift series) is pretty good. In TV, I don't know about anime, but SeaQuest DSV would be the most relevant television series - which I saw a bit of but it seemed mediocre.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1088738PLUTO might have a buried ocean.
https://www.space.com/pluto-buried-ocean-may-be-common.html
I've never run a buried ocean adventure in a science fiction or space fantasy game. The closest I've run is Traveller horror via Aliens were I had two teams of PCs - the besieged crew of underwater research station and the space marines racing to their rescue.
And hell yeah I had Alien Shark hybrids!
So let's talk about OCEANS buried in "dead" planets and how we could work adventures around them. Or just more underwater action in science fiction and space fantasy? We have several movies to call upon for ideas - Abyss, Leviathan, Deep Star Six, Phantom Menace jump to mind, but also Aquaman might offer ideas for a space fantasy ocean within a world. Any other recent movies?
Any anime that deals with undersea sci-fi?
Any sci-fi novels jump to mind?
The starfish like GW'oth & Jotoki from the Ringworld universe?
The Ringworld itself is a beautiful endless dungeon with two oceans where several world maps fit with space to spare. And to the best of my knowledge only a very small part of Rignworld was ever described in the novels. It has several sentient humanoids and at least one non sentient humanoid (the vampires) that filled every ecological niche in the absence of the Protectors. And again only a handful of these were ever presented, a humanoid evolved to occupy the serpent's niche? How about Rinos and Elephants? Or any water predator?
Quote from: Spinachcat;1088738Any sci-fi novels jump to mind?
Ninjad on Startide Rising by David Brin. It had an earth ship with humans, uplifted chimps, and uplifted dolphins. The humans and dolphins explored the ocean of a planet they discovered.
Recently I ran Adventure of the Golden Sun, an old WEG D6 Star Wars adventure. It takes place on a water world and almost all of the action occurs underwater. It was fun. There were a few Clone Wars TV episodes that occur underwater on the Mon Calamari homeworld. And one session in the Clone Wars animated movie that takes place on some water world with a Nausicaan Jedi.
Horror is replete with examples, often Cthulhu-esque. Slapping on a sci-fi veneer is common, too. :)
Mountains of Madness adventure for CoC is probably the sine qua non for this: it takes so much gear to get to and stay in Antarctica for long-term expedition, that it is practically sci-fi already. Then there's "cyclopian tomb cities" and whatnot, and finally the optional Underground Sea evolutionary dead-end tidbit. Whole thing is an old idea, but tragically rarely played.
Other major modern Fortean ideas are time travel (or wormhole gates) due to wave harmonics in liquids -- or wave harmonics in liquids with geo-magnetic harmonics between quartz-heavy narrow valleys, like Loch Ness, Lake Baikal, Lake Champlain, Flathead Lake, etc. So throw in several Underwater Wormholes or Time Portals and have players pop onto Europa, Titan, or Pluto. Cthulhu spells and critters are optional. ;)
Have a look at Blue Planet RPG and the french undersea SF RPG whos name eludes me at the moment. Proteus? I'd have to dig out old magazines.
As for inspirations...
In anime there is Blue Submarine 6. Another about a terraformed Mars which now is covered in a huge ocean. Mars Daybreak. Probably a few others am forgetting. Also the live action and the anime Atragon. And an old favourite. Latitude Zero.
For live action there is Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, City Beneath the Sea, Seaquest and Man From Atlantis... Also movies like Endless Descent, The Abyss, Deep Star 6 and others.
And way back was shown the concept for a Gamma World adventure called Rapture of the Deep. Many a year later some fans made their own module based only on the name.
Oooh and there is a module for Cyberpunk 2020/Nights Edge techno Horror setting that is set in an undersea location. Sub Attica.
The finale adventure for Cyberpunk 2020, Firestorm: Stormfront, starts with an oceanic/undersea scenario.
For rules, the French game Polaris got an English version on KS a few years ago. I think there's a link for the free quickstart in the campaign or on dtrpg.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackbook/polaris-rpg
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/178184/POLARIS-RPG--Quickstart-Guide--Adventure
For inspiration, how about Frank Herbert's 'Dragon in the Sea'?
Polaris was the one was thinking of. Thanks.
Another RPG is Rifts: Undersea. Pretty good book too.
Anyone have actual play experience with Blue Planet?
I remember flipping through it when it came out, but nobody I knew ran it at home or demo'd it at cons.
The Eric Flint/Ryk E. Spoor "Boundary" series has some decent sci-fi/undersea stuff - a fossilized new species is discovered on Earth, which leads them first to Mars, then the frozen seas of Europa (moon of Jupiter).
The series is 5 books, presently. For the most part, I enjoyed the series, but the later two novels (Castaway Planet and Castaway Odyssey) got kinda twee/wanky, which I'm going to assume is when Flint turned over more of the reins to Spoor, who's a rather leftist wank himself. Fortunately, I can't say that I noticed any political horseshit in the text (they are published by Baen, so that probably serves to reel in the nonsense).
There's a time-jump between book 3 and book 4 that effectively starts a new series, so you could ignore book 4/5 and still have a pretty good story.
Book 1: Boundary (Eric Flint/Ryk Spoor)
Book 2: Threshold
Book 3: Portal
Book 4: Castaway Planet
Book 5: Castaway Odyssey
There's a 6th book, Castaway Resolution, that's apparently finished, but according to Eric Flint's blog post from January, isn't currently scheduled for publication.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1088738PLUTO might have a buried ocean.
https://www.space.com/pluto-buried-ocean-may-be-common.html
I've never run a buried ocean adventure in a science fiction or space fantasy game. The closest I've run is Traveller horror via Aliens were I had two teams of PCs - the besieged crew of underwater research station and the space marines racing to their rescue.
And hell yeah I had Alien Shark hybrids!
So let's talk about OCEANS buried in "dead" planets and how we could work adventures around them. Or just more underwater action in science fiction and space fantasy? We have several movies to call upon for ideas - Abyss, Leviathan, Deep Star Six, Phantom Menace jump to mind, but also Aquaman might offer ideas for a space fantasy ocean within a world. Any other recent movies?
Any anime that deals with undersea sci-fi?
Any sci-fi novels jump to mind?
Greetings!
Well, in my campaign world I have an extensive, richly-detailed ocean-based environment. An ancient race of shark-humanoids rules over a vast and powerful aquatic empire. Their empire contains dozens of enormous, fortified cities crafted from basalt, Garvalium metal, and Karadine Crystal. The cities combine unusual metals, solid walls of seaweed-material, and specialized material which combines elements of crystal, coral, and seaweed. Great farms of elemental-infused seaweed beds create and circulate oxygen, and support an enclosed amphibious environment. Numerous pools, fountains, canals and channels, as well as huge pillars of water contained within delicate membranes are found throughout the cities. There are foundaries which embrace subterranean nodes of molten lava which are harnessed for heating as well as craftsmanship. Massive seaweed-like fibers gather and transport constant flow of super-heated steam throughout many buildings and areas of the cities supplying steam-powered heat and energy.
Special nutrients, soils, and mud are enchanted, cultivated, and baked, providing specialized farms which support nutrient-rich grasses and plants. Karadine domed buildings support large farms of anemones and other fibrous, spongy creatures that are harvested for food, serving the masses on a grand scale, as well as enormous fisheries and slug farms, providing a constant source of meat to the hungry masses.
The savage shark-humanoids often travel on powerful manta-ray mounts, as well as in great living, sentient ships that are made from blending Karadine crystal, coral, octopuses, and whales. The shark-humanoids also maintain populations of slave races, such as Grouper and Tuna Humanoids, toilig away for the glorious empire. Great fleets of their strange warships prowl the surface of the oceans, as well as the great deeps, always searching for resources to plunder, and enemy kingdoms to invade and conquer. The shark-humanoids always bring regiments of huge Ollaghu Giants accompanying their regiments of invading shock troops. Ollaghu Giants combine elements of sharks, octupuses, and nautiluses. The Ollaghu Giants fall upon screaming surface races to breed with them en masse, placing their victims inside their nautilus shells where they are covered in clouds of jelly-like slime which transforms them into amphibious slaves of the shark-humanoids. The shark-humanoids also use alien, symbiotic technology to spread clouds of diseased jelly and air clouds along the surface, spreading a drizzling mucus cloud that spreads vicious plagues amongst surface-dwelling races.
There are numerous specially-bred creatures and monsters that the shark-humanoids use in both aquatic environments and on surface lands to bring terror, slavery, and death to their enemies. Alien castles and towers of crystal, coral, and seaweed are built along the coastlands and islands, often supplemented with subterranean passages and chambers, special groves and pools where shark-humanoid priestesses and wizards can experiment on surface races that are brought to them, broken to the yoke of slavery. People are bred with octupuses and bizarre eels and jellyfish creatures, pumped full of translucent slime, and transformed with grotesque mutations. The stronger ones that survive are allowed to join a servant caste within society to breed with new surface humanoids, and dominate them into embracing a new life as an amphibious slave race. Terrifying forified amphibious outposts, settlements, and trade centers are established throughout great expanses, spreading the dominion of the great empire. Besides harvesting, protecting, and trading resourses and finished products, vibrant slave markets are always established, along with specialized labratories and terrifying dungeons and savage prisons, providing additional resources for terror and experimentation. In larger coastal cities, great arenas are built, supplying the growing masses with entertainment of gladiators fighting to the death. Various gladiator schools compete for gaining surface humanoids that have special or unusual mutations and other features which make them interesting and entertaining to see fight in the arenas, as the bloodthirsty crowds cheer and roar in exctasy and approval.
My players have encountered the shark-humanoids, and the terrifying monsters of the sea. The oceans and coasts are magical, bizarre, and very dangerous. Not only are their monstrous opponents and savage monsters, but also the land itself, the waters, the air, is often interlaced with magical powers and strange, elemental energies that make such environments challenging and hazardous. Meanwhile, in the great deeps, are huge, glittering cities of the shark-humanoids, waving with vast forests of seaweed, punctuated by brilliantly-coloured coral and crystal buildings, and partially enclosed with transparent domes of membrane-like crystal. The great cities spread over the ocean floor, climbing up or down in sub-aquatic mountain ranges and plunging canyons, flickering with the luminous lights from crystalline globes, and embracing the mass gibbering of vast urban populations.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Oceans on other planets/moons are exciting in the real world because they hold out that tiny sliver of hope that you might find life, even if just microbial.
In gaming, they should probably contain some kind of eldritch evil.
Quote from: Spinachcat;1088852Anyone have actual play experience with Blue Planet?
I remember flipping through it when it came out, but nobody I knew ran it at home or demo'd it at cons.
Yes indeed, but only 1st edition (which had a cumbersome system). "Deep Shit" was one of the best convention scenarios I've ever played for any game.
Jeff Barber just announced that a new 3rd edition will be KS'd this fall, and he'll be demo'ing it (and his recent game Upwind too) at GenCon this year. Details @ https://www.biohazardgamespublishing.com/news/2019/5/19/blue-planet-at-gencon-2019 if you're curious.
Allan.
I recently read "The Caves of Karst" which almost entirely occurred under water.
Gaming-wise, Traveller has some stuff:
Adventure 2 - Research Station Gamma
Adventure 9 - Nomads of the World Ocean
Gamelords The Undersea Environment
Gamelords The Drenslaar Quest
FASA - Harrensa Project
White Dwarf 29 - The Mudskipper: a multi-terrain vehicle
White Dwarf 29 - Weed War: Dinorian; a scenario
Group One - Hydronaut
I'm sure that list is incomplete...
Quote from: RPGPundit;1089855Oceans on other planets/moons are exciting in the real world because they hold out that tiny sliver of hope that you might find life, even if just microbial.
In gaming, they should probably contain some kind of eldritch evil.
Why not both? There is alot of adventure potential in undersea campaigns.
And while not undersea. One Star Frontiers module is predominantly one long river ride with lots of hazards.
There was a underwater-themed German RPG called Lodland. No idea if it was any good. From what I read, the setting detail was nice.
Quote from: grodog;1089972Yes indeed, but only 1st edition (which had a cumbersome system). "Deep Shit" was one of the best convention scenarios I've ever played for any game.
Jeff Barber just announced that a new 3rd edition will be KS'd this fall, and he'll be demo'ing it (and his recent game Upwind too) at GenCon this year. Details @ https://www.biohazardgamespublishing.com/news/2019/5/19/blue-planet-at-gencon-2019 if you're curious.
With some further description of the v3 system in the new BP forums @ http://biohazardgamesrpgs.freeforums.net/thread/9/bpv3-system
Allan.
Quote from: SHARK;1088870Well, in my campaign world I have an extensive, richly-detailed ocean-based environment. An ancient race of shark-humanoids rules over a vast and powerful aquatic empire.
You should publish your setting. The Shark Empire is scary dangerous.
Quote from: grodog;1089972Jeff Barber just announced that a new 3rd edition will be KS'd this fall, and he'll be demo'ing it (and his recent game Upwind too) at GenCon this year. Details @ https://www.biohazardgamespublishing.com/news/2019/5/19/blue-planet-at-gencon-2019 if you're curious.
Very cool! Thank you!
Quote from: ffilz;1090003Gaming-wise, Traveller has some stuff:
Adventure 2 - Research Station Gamma
Adventure 9 - Nomads of the World Ocean
I'm not familiar with Adventure 9! How is the adventure? What tech level?
Quote from: Spinachcat;1093129I'm not familiar with Adventure 9! How is the adventure? What tech level?
I haven't played or run it, but I did a super quick read through a couple years ago when I was cataloging all my Traveller adventures for resources:
Adventure 09 – Nomads of the World Ocean
World with Detail or Map: A88A986-E with map and encounter tables
Ship: No
Rules or Equipment: Hunterfoil
General Comments: Interesting world.
An interesting water world scenario. It would easily fit into the frontier at the edge of an empire, with a large imperial corporation abusing colonial powers and enraging the natives. A quick read shows some GM force events, but they could either be overlooked, or other ways of getting the players hooked up with the natives could be used. The ties to The Third Imperium setting are trivial to remove from this adventure.
Frank
I picked up the Pirates of Drinax campaign for Mongoose Traveller recently. I don't know any details, but while skimming through it the other day, I spotted one adventure with a surface vessel and another one where a submersible seemed to play an important role.
A couple of underwater SF tales:
"The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss," by David Brin in the collection Old Venus. Low-tech submarine existence by Earth colonists under a Venusian ocean.
"Surface Tension," by James Blish--though in this case the genetically-altered humans don't just live underwater, they are also very small.
Quote from: kythri;1088859The Eric Flint/Ryk E. Spoor "Boundary" series has some decent sci-fi/undersea stuff - a fossilized new species is discovered on Earth, which leads them first to Mars, then the frozen seas of Europa (moon of Jupiter).
The series is 5 books, presently. For the most part, I enjoyed the series, but the later two novels (Castaway Planet and Castaway Odyssey) got kinda twee/wanky, which I'm going to assume is when Flint turned over more of the reins to Spoor, who's a rather leftist wank himself. Fortunately, I can't say that I noticed any political horseshit in the text (they are published by Baen, so that probably serves to reel in the nonsense).
There's a time-jump between book 3 and book 4 that effectively starts a new series, so you could ignore book 4/5 and still have a pretty good story.
Book 1: Boundary (Eric Flint/Ryk Spoor)
Book 2: Threshold
Book 3: Portal
Book 4: Castaway Planet
Book 5: Castaway Odyssey
There's a 6th book, Castaway Resolution, that's apparently finished, but according to Eric Flint's blog post from January, isn't currently scheduled for publication.
Ryk E. Spoor was also known as Seawasp on Usenet back in the day, and was a regular in the roleplaying newsgroups.
You can still get copies of
The Undersea Environment (Traveller Underwater supplement)
and
The Drenslaar Quest a underwater adventure for Traveller.
https://www.diffworlds.com/gamelords_traveller.htm
Quote from: RandyB;1088806The finale adventure for Cyberpunk 2020, Firestorm: Stormfront, starts with an oceanic/undersea scenario.
Fiddly point: Firestorm: Shockwave was the last book, but Stormfront had a great bit on undersea stuff. There was also the Ianus Games (who became Dream Pod 9) adventure for CP2020 called "Sub-Attica" which took place in an undersea Arasaka prison and had a lot of good information on undersea aspects for the setting.
There's a video game series, Fallen London/Sunless Sea, about how Victorian London dropped beneath the Earth's surface into a deep chasm abutting an enormous underground ocean, full of huge and dangerous creatures. The second game, Sunless Sea, takes the form of a top-down exploration/survival game where you pilot your ship to find resources to sell while avoiding the various subterranean monsters. The first was more of an rpg and has a lot more mystical/supernatural elements to it.
Fallen London / Sunless Sea sounds like it would be an awesome RPG setting!
How does London survive?
Quote from: Spinachcat;1095694Fallen London / Sunless Sea sounds like it would be an awesome RPG setting!
How does London survive?
Not exactly sure. I've never played either game. I've just read about them. Since there are obviously life forms in the chasm, there would be at least fish and probably crops like mushrooms that could be grown. Fallen London is largely under the control of supernatural beings which manage and manipulate various industries, so there is probably something to that, too. The wiki also says that there are hints that London is not completed out of contact with the upper world. London was also not the first city to be dropped below, so there are other civilizations underground.