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Thread: Plotting the quasi-canon...

  1. #1

    Question Plotting the quasi-canon...

    I'm setting my game in the rimward systems of the galaxy beyond Federation borders. I've ripped The Lighthouse from the Alternity Star*Drive setting and am using it as a pseudo-Babylon5 which the PC's ship (the USS Fading Sun) is attached to. I've started detailing my version of the LoNAW, what I call the CoaRim (Coalition of the Rim). Most species are of my own design, soma are based on bab5 species and others I'd like to be canon. The DS9 book mentions that Deep Space 2 has some representitives of rimward systems (ambassadors and the like) so I imagine there would be a lot of back-and-forth between DS2 and the Lighthouse. However, could these canon races be from the rim? There isn't any evidence of where their respective empires are but I'd like to hear arguments/evidence to support or refute my inclusion of them in the CoaRim.

    1) Kzinti Empire (is it too violent? I don't know that much about it save what I remember from Ringworld. Could the Caitian/Regullan/Lyr-whatever-an's BE the Kzinti? What's the diff?

    2) Deltans? One of my PC's is a Deltan and I'd like to include them in a more defined role. Could their "end" of the Federation be near the border or is their canon evidence that places them elsewhere?

    3) Klingon renegades/Human colonists. Perhaps an ex-con facility that's grown (think Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.").

    4) Any others. Is there canon evidence that places any specific culture towards the edge of the galaxy rather than towards the core?

    Cheers in advance,
    Pope

    PS My game currently only has three players. We play online, using a delphi forum, and only run once a month (a Sunday, 10am MST, 5pm GMT). If you'd like to join in let me know! pope@MauiMail.com
    Visit http://netpope.8m.com/startrek/fs.html or http://www.delphi.com/ussfadingsun/start/

    PPS I vote for Trekrpg.net every day to keep it at the top of the RPG top 100. Vote every time you come in here and we'll stay that way for a long time to come (more traffik means more minds and more minds mean more kewl stuff for the not-so-ded ICON system!)


  2. #2
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    Kzinti (and frankly I don't think their inclusion serves either Trek or Known Space very well) are most definitely not the same as Caitians/Regulans. Caitians appeared in TAS, which is where the Kzin made their crossover.

    There's plenty of room rimward to place just about anything you want. Earth is 25,000LY from the rim of the Galaxy, and the Federation is at its greatest extent only 8,000 to 10,000LY across. The sketchy info given to us by Paramount seems to indicate the Klingon Empire is rimward of the Federation, but it's pretty certain that the Empire is smaller than the Federation. Renegade Klingons are a distinct possibility. A Human penal facility is unlikely - most of those would be well within the Federation. However, if you're of the opinion that a significant number of Maquis survived, they could be out there. Likewise, there could be Human colonies founded by Anarchist of Libertarian groups who fled the strictures of the Federation.

    There's lots and lots of space out there, enough so that there could be vast empires that the Federation has never even heard of...

  3. #3

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    What if the human penal colonies were more like lands-in-exile much like Australia was (no offence to our modern down-under friends here on the boards, ) Some cultures (humans and otherwise) blasted their unwanted off into the darkness of the rim and these societies are what became of them?

    And what's the difference between the kzinti and caitians? They are both felanoids, correct? Is is just a cultural thing? I'm somewhat familiar with the kzinti in TAS, but where did the caitians come in? What do we know of them? Which is more likely (or playable) out on the rimward side of the Federation?

    I have a number of races I've created including some proto-vulcans that were yanked into the modern world through enslavement, some faceless cetecean psionicists, and Narn-like warriors who worship technology and are never without a fancy shiny pistol (although they are relatively peaceful).

    Comments? Suggestions? Anyone still want to join the game ?

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    Originally posted by Pope:
    [B]What if the human penal colonies were more like lands-in-exile much like Australia was (no offence to our modern down-under friends here on the boards, ) Some cultures (humans and otherwise) blasted their unwanted off into the darkness of the rim and these societies are what became of them?[B]
    You mean like Khan and his other superhuman survivors of the Eugenics War. Hey that's an idea. What if the colony are Eugenics War survivor?

    [B][/Quote] And what's the difference between the kzinti and caitians? They are both felanoids, correct? Is is just a cultural thing? I'm somewhat familiar with the kzinti in TAS, but where did the caitians come in? What do we know of them? Which is more likely (or playable) out on the rimward side of the Federation? [B][/Quote]

    The difference between the Kzin and the Caitians if I remember correctly what type of feline they look like. Caitians if I remember look like lions while the Kzin look link lynxes. The Kzin were introduced into TAS in an episode written by their creator Larry Niven whereas the Caitians were a race introduced by TAS. The Kzin may be easier to use as you have the Known Space books and the Man-Kzin War books to go by but as there's very little material about Caitians, you can feel free to do what you want with them and create a culture and background for your game.

    [/Quote][B] I have a number of races I've created including some proto-vulcans that were yanked into the modern world through enslavement, some faceless cetecean psionicists, and Narn-like warriors who worship technology and are never without a fancy shiny pistol (although they are relatively peaceful).[B][/Quote]

    Cetecean psionicists, any relation to the probe from STIV?

  5. #5
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    "And what's the difference between the kzinti and caitians? They are both felanoids, correct? Is is just a cultural thing? I'm
    somewhat familiar with the kzinti in TAS, but where did the caitians come in? What do we know of them? Which is more likely (or playable) out on the rimward side of the Federation?"


    If you've seen any TAS, you've almost certainly seen Caitians - Lieutenant M'Ress was a caitian. They're much more slender than Kzin, with kitty-cat ears and tails. Lionlike? Nah, not really - M'Ress just had 1970's "big hair." The two felinoid Starfleet officers in STIV are probably Caitians.

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    In a game I'm in TNG era, we've discovered some descendants from the Eugenics Wars. They were biotech creations/lab animals that both sides used for soldiers before humans/super-humans had to do any fighting themselves. The group fled Terra after the war because of persecution from both sides.

    When we used them they just held one planet, but if they'd made it to the rim they would have had a lot of virgin territory and could have a fare sized nation by now. Due to their orgins they were pacifist, but just embraced biotech.

    Could these be of any use?

  7. #7
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    Originally posted by Owen E Oulton:
    "And what's the difference between the kzinti and caitians? They are both felanoids, correct? Is is just a cultural thing? I'm
    somewhat familiar with the kzinti in TAS, but where did the caitians come in? What do we know of them? Which is more likely (or playable) out on the rimward side of the Federation?"


    If you've seen any TAS, you've almost certainly seen Caitians - Lieutenant M'Ress was a caitian. They're much more slender than Kzin, with kitty-cat ears and tails. Lionlike? Nah, not really - M'Ress just had 1970's "big hair." The two felinoid Starfleet officers in STIV are probably Caitians.
    I don't know I haven't seen TAS in years but I remember M'Ress from her appearances in the DC Comics Star Trek series and she looked like a lion in that one. But hey comic artists have their own interpretations.

  8. #8

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    I've never actually seen the TAS, just researched it a bit.

    pesterfield - I like the Eugenics survivors idea, it's one I've played with a bit (although with different conclusions).

    My idea for the cetecean psionicists was actually bred from a desire to come up with a completley different sentient race. Some inspiration came from the thread here on the boards about dolphins on starships. I reckon they're about the size of dolphins but without fins, a rounded "head" area but without face, mouth, beak etc. They consume food through psionic osmosis (or something) and generally put Betazoids to shame. I reckon they had to survive in a dark ocean, developed psionic senses to live with and became sentient due to the brain build up necessary for their "powers." It'd even be funny to have a "war" with humanoids on their planet that began hunting them (of course those humanoids are now extinct!).

    Any further ideas on Eugenics survivors (ie where, when, how, who?) or other canon/non-canon races of the rim?

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    Slightly off topic, as far as the "lighthouse" goes, Diane Carrey in the New Frontier series mentions a "lightship" which does the same thing. She doesn't go into a lot of detail, and this is during the movie era, but I just thought you might want to know.

    --G

  10. #10

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    Sounds cool Gareth007. Do you remember which book?

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    Peter David wrote The New Frontiers series not Diane Carey. As a serious Peter David Fan I'm shcoked that anyone could forget that.


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    First off, is there such a thing as a "serious" Peter David fan. I can't take any of the drivel that he produces seriously. His credibility as as writer is pretty much shot...great bird of the galaxy, indeed. His characters are just slightly shy of two-dimensional and his action is so stiff it's wooden. I'm sorry, but I completey ignore his books as having anything to do with Trek.
    Secondly, for my campaign, we treat the Caitians as the rough equivalent of humanoid house cats. Man size or a little smaller and quick. The Kzinti are more humanoid Tigers and other big cats. Real predators that see us as a prey item. Although unseen by my players as of yet, I an working on a clan system for the Kzin where each clan is a different big cat type species. The tigers just being the most prevalent.

    Killgrave

  13. #13

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    I will politely ignore Killgrave's first comment and thank him for the second. I like the idea with the Kzin, let me know how it goes.

    Let's not start any flame wars, eh?

    Pope


    PS, does anyone know which book Gareth007 is referring to? It's been a while since I've read any Trek books (let alone New Frontier) so input would be helpful so that I can look it up. Cheers.

  14. #14
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    Sorry, a little (er..OK...alot) of personal opinion about Mr. David's (highly dubious) talent. I just can't stand those books, or most..ok all, of the characters.
    If you like, I'll try to post back when I have assembled my source material about my version of the Kzin. If nothing else, it might be good for a few laughs. Let me know.

    Howlin' Mad Max Killgrave

  15. #15
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    I think Gareth might have meant New Earth rather than New Frontier. He mentioned the movie era, which New frontier is not. I am not sure if Carey is the writer of New Earth, but I figure she is and that he meant that series.

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