Star Trek: Rise of the Federation

[mactavish]

So for the first time in many years, I am attempting to get a group together for a new Series using the ICON system.

This new Series - Star Trek: Dawn of the Federation - is set in 2199, just prior to the start of the new century. The United Federation of Planets, not even four decades old, while no longer in its infancy, is still a fledgling organization. Age-old animosities still cause friction between the founding members - Andoria, Earth, Tellar Prime and Vulcan - from the direction the Federation is going and the core mission of Starfleet, to the admission of new member worlds and views on dealing with adversarial species (i.e. Klingons, Romulans, etc.). The recent scrapping of the Daedalus-class in favor of the new Einstein-class Surveyors and Magellan-class Explorers (my classes, not necessarily Star Trek standards) has opened a new push for exploration of worlds, both inhabited and vacant, as well as for the Federation Colonial Authority to locate new planets for potential terraforming and colonization.

In the midst of all the movement and frenetic expansion, two new worlds - the Delta IV and Rigel III - are poised to become the newest members of the United Federation of Planets at the close of the 22nd century; the Deltans and Chelarians are expected to make fine member races and to further expand the diversity and cosmopolitan nature of the Federation. With a total of 18 worlds (not including active colonies or protectorates [i.e. Valakia, Coridan]), the newest members will expand the UFP to a full score of planets.

Beset on all sides by aggressive and hostile species and organizations - the Tandarans, Malurians, Nausicaans and rogue Xindi-Reptilians (as well as the ever-present ships of the Klingon Empire, raiders and priates, and the occasioanl Breen or Tholian ship) - the Federation needs to expand its membership and grow Starfleet, not only for exploration but for active defense of its territory. Even the nascent Cardassian Union seems to be testing its mettle and its new Detapa-class cruisers, pushing its borders toward both Federation and Klingon space.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the Temporal Cold War - claimed to be over by the enigmatic 31st-century human known only as Daniels - is still happening, threatening to boil into full-scale conflict. Not only is the Suliban Cabal (still reeling from its failure to stop the formation of the Federation) working with its shadowy director from the 26th century, but the Na'kuhl are again actively targeting Earth's past in an effort to change their own future. While Daniels' Temporal Integrity Commission seems entirely absent from the simmering conflict, the 24th-century Department of Temporal Investigations is constantly monitoring the situation, ready to dispatch a Thucydides-class ship to deal with any out-of-time interference at a moment's notice.

The Series opens as Starbase 18 prepares to come online three weeks hence. Situated by the Romulan Neutral Zone - established by the Treaty of Cheron (2160) - the newest and most advanced starbase, along with the newest Einstein-class ship to launch from Utopia Planitia, the U.S.S. Inquiry, are tasked with exploring space to a degree never attempted before: three- to six-month survey missions, examinations of stellar phenomena, and running a cutting-edge sensor suite through its paces. Commanded by (NPC) Captain Hasina Suleiman, the Inquiry is the most advanced Starfleet vessel to date, boasting not only advanced sensors, but next-generation pulsed phase cannons, improved transporters, tractor beam emitters, and the latest Warp 7 engines (courtesy of the shipbuilders of Coridan).

Starbase 18 itself is overseen by Captain Isaac Westing (NPC), a seasoned veteran of the war with Romulus as well as numerous border skirmishes with Klingon raiders. Westing, an old-school militarist, views Starfleet as the latest iteration of age-old military tradition rather than the exploratory organization the Federation Council intends it to be. How will the PCs fit into this precarious setting? Only time will tell.

Well, what do you think? Input is solicited and welcomed.

mactavish out.

P.S. I will [hopefully] be putting together PDF handouts concerning the setting (i.e. State of the Federation, ship stats, important NPCs, etc.) for my players as well as Episode notes once play begins [again, hopefully in July]. I intend to post them here as well... the Series bible soon and the Episode notes within a few days of each session.

[mactavish]

I am planning for the introductions of Admiral Michael Northrup, Federation Councilwoman Elizabeth Eastman, and Captain Westing's rival from his Academy days, Captain Edward Sutherland of the U.S.S. Shran. (Yes, those names are all intentional.)

Guest appearances by an aged (but still striking) Captain T'Pol of the U.S.S. Surak, First Minister T'Pau of Vulcan, and Federation Envoy Soval (along with his latest protege, young Sarek of Vulcan) are all in the planning stages for the first Episode. I also plan on introducing Anishtalla zh'Dhaven, daughter of Thy'lek Shran and one of the Federation representatives from Andoria. The final recurring alien NPC is iX-brom'Lar, a Malurian expatriate and malingerer whose presence always seems to presage ill tidings.

Other NPCs slated to appear include recently-retired, 87-year-old Admiral Jonathon Archer, Captain Hoshi Sato of the U.S.S. Insight, and renowned Federation entomologist and xenozoologist Dr. Elizabeth Cutler (who will take an active role in their first ship-based mission aboard the Inquiry).

I am still mining the various Trek sources, official and apocryphal, for other NPCs. One I plan on is Flint, the immortal artist, scientist, philosopher and adventurer ("Requiem for Methuselah"). I read that, had Enterprise gone on for a fifth Season, he would have made an appearance (using the pseudonym Abramson) as a member of Zefram Cochrane's team at the Warp 5 Complex. I am therefore planning on integrating him in some fashion, whether he will be preparing for his final departure from Earth, visiting Starbase 18, or otherwise interacting with the PCs, potentially while they are on a mission aboard Inquiry.

mactavish out.

[mactavish]

So apparently some of the post-television novels were Star Trek: Rise of the Federation, so I changed it to Star Trek: Dawn of the Federation. Can't change the thread title, however. Just have to deal with it, I suppose.

Anyway, carry on.

mactavish out.