Plague of Angels Setting Document

A Plague of Angels – Setting Information

The Arneion Solar System

• Parent Galactic Cluster: Vinavas Nita Zeta
• Planets (3): Bero, Nacheme, Ablah
• Deep Space Research Base (1): Rong 5 (Ordo Angelorum)
• Neighboring Systems (2): Afari (Normal), Mnk72-907 (Black Hole)

General Information

Arneion is an isolated system with three inhabited planets settled by the Old Empire in the last decades before its dissolution with the collapse of the gate system. The most technologically advanced of the settled planets, Bero, recovered rapidly from this disaster and has imposed a system-wide protectorate that grants the nation states of Nacheme and Ablah, the other inhabited planets, limited sovereignty in exchange for their fealty.

Practically speaking, this arrangement means that the governments of those nation states allow agents acting on behalf of Bero to claim the precursor alien ruins found throughout the system and exhume their artifacts in exchange for a small amount of advanced technology. Generally, this technology is reserved to the wealthy elite and most of the populations on Nacheme and Ablah make due with nineteenth-century equivalent machinery. To them, the other worlds of Arneion are only rumor and fleeting glimpses of starships in the distance.

Bero

• Orbiting Space Station (1): Sevel 4 (Ordo Angelorum)
• Orbital Ruin (1): Mistretta 4 (Bedelmen Precursors)

A TL4 civilization of genetically-altered anthromorphs with baseline humans and primitive aliens for servants. The anthromorphs, who have taken on avian features of various sorts and can typically fly on worlds with standard gravity, call their protectorate the Ordo Angelorum (OA). This has either inspired or was adopted in response to baseline humans throughout the system calling them “Angels”.

While Anthromorphs hold all positions of political power on Bero, baseline humans are common in the middle and lower classes and typically work for either individual anthromorph families/corporations (called Choirs) or the state itself.

Bedelmen

There are also primitive beetle-like aliens indigenous to Bero, the descendants of the precursor race who built the alien ruins found elsewhere in the system, called Bedelmen that also serve the anthromorphs (typically as guards and soldiers). They revere their ancestors for their greatness but have slid backwards as a civilization in part because of the stifling influence of their leaders, a conclave of religious mystics called the Keepers. Unlike baseline humans, who often serve as agents for the OA throughout the system, Bedelmen rarely leave Bero except for pilgrimages to the planet Ablah – pilgrimages tightly controlled by the OA. They are often dismissively referred to by those baseline humans as “roaches.”

Nacheme

• Orbital Refueling Station (1): Ohara 7 (Ordo Angelorum)

A TL2 civilization of baseline humans comprised of nation states with machinery equivalent to nineteenth-century Earth at the time of the Industrial Revolution. The only exceptions to that being the wealthy elite of the leading nation states and designated agents of the Ordo Angelorum. While most of the precursor ruins on Ablah have been explored, Nacheme is still a fertile hunting ground for advanced alien artifacts created by the ancestors of the much-diminished Bedelmen.

The two leading nation states of Nacheme are Ampoule and Marotavia, which share the continent of Erisia (although they are on opposite coasts with much empty wilderness in between). Ampoule is known as the City-State of Glass, a nickname based on the soaring glass towers of the OA Embassy District in the eponymous capital city on the Eritine Coast (Eastern Erisia). Marotavia is known as the Empire of the Western Sea and sits on the Anchom Coast and is famous for its canals and maritime industries. Recently, a continental railway (the Trans-Erisian line) connecting these states was completed and development of the empty land between is now quickening in pace.

Ablah

• Moons (2): Hlif, Bibikoa Lasu
• Lunar Research Base (1): Luck (on Bibikoa Lasu)
• Orbital Refueling Station (1): Balboa 7 (orbits Hlif)
• Orbital Ruin (1): Thom 9 (Bedelmen Precursors)

More thoroughly under the thumb of Bero, Ablah was the focus of the earliest efforts by the Ordo Angelorum to recover valuable precursor alien artifacts, efforts that have slowed now that most of the ruins here have been thoroughly explored (with assets shifting to Nacheme, instead). The OA still maintains a strong presence on Ablah, though, to facilitate and control the pilgrimages of the Bedelmen to their holy sites among the alien ruins. Recent rumors suggest that the elite of Ablah are growing desperate for advanced goods from Bero that have become much rarer there with the depletion of alien artifacts with which to trade.

Arneion Factions

Ordo Angelorum

The system-wide protectorate controlled by the anthromorphs of Bero. While the anthromorphs themselves are a rare sight outside of their home world, their agents work throughout the system to enforce their authority and exercise their claims on all precursor alien ruins.

Bedelmen (Modern)

A primitive species of beetle-like aliens that serves the Ordo Angelorum anthromorphs on their home world of Bero. The Bedelmen are aware of their ancestors’ interstellar empire and wondrous Pretech (TL5) inventions, but they have reverted to a superstitious and meekly docile people. Their leaders are a conclave of religious mystics called the Keepers; they define the Bedelmen’s ancestor worship practices, which include a mandatory pilgrimage to Ablah, and determine which technological innovations are permissible. The Bedelmens’ hardened exoskeletons and great strength makes them ideal bodyguards and soldiers for the OA.

Bedelmen (Ancient Precursor)

Physically akin to their descendants, the precursor civilization of the Bedelmen was an interstellar hegemony that settled planets throughout the nearby reaches of the Vinavas Nita Zeta cluster. This included all three currently occupied planets of the Arneion solar system along with two orbital ruins. The Ordo Angelorum claims the right to salvage all Bedelmen Precursor tech in its domain, although there are rumors of other factions – including the Nebula Corporation – being willing to ignore that claim when the OA cannot realistically enforce it.

Nacheme Factions

Nation State of Ampoule

Ampoule, City-State of Glass, is one of the two leading nation states on the planet Nacheme. The leaders of Ampoule believe they have a closer relationship with the Ordo Angelorum than their terrestrial rivals, the Marotavians, and therefore access to more of the OA’s advanced technology – a belief based on the presence of the awe-inspiring OA Embassy in the capital city with its towers of unnaturally strong glass. Ampoule is an oligarchy controlled by a triumvirate of leading corporations: GlaxSteel Iron, the Trans-Erisian Transport Company, and the Back of Ampoule. Former and current directors of these monopolies occupy all the positions of power in Ampoule’s government and jealously guard access to the Postech goods they receive in exchange for Bedelmen Precursor artifacts from the OA.

Nation State of Marotavia

Marotavia, far to the west of Ampoule on the continent of Erisia, is the other leading nation state on the planet Nacheme. While lacking an obvious sign of the Ordo Angelorum’s favor like the embassy in their rival’s capital, Marotavia believes that they are set to become the OA’s preferred partner since more and more Bedelmen Precursor ruins are being found in areas they control. Marotavia is a parliamentary democracy with direct elections of ministers that then vote on executive officers. Marotavians built their empire on maritime trade across the western sea and the capital, Trimeme, is a wonder of canals and other marvels of hydrologic engineering.

Seraphim Import and Export Company

A small company based in Ampoule’s capital city, but with a growing satellite office in Trimeme, the SIE is ostensibly a commercial entity concerned with international trade of natural resources like oil, coal, precious metals, etc. In reality, though, the Seraphim are a Bedelmen Precursor artifact recovery outfit managed from Bero by OA government officials. Seraphim data analysts collect seismic and other geological information, an interest covered by their official purpose, and use it to pinpoint uncharted alien ruins; infiltration teams then make their way in secret to those locations, disable any defenses, and take any valuable technology they can reach.

Marotavian Marshals

The marshals are the frontier policemen of the Marotavia, patrolling the wilderness stretching across the interior of the Erisian continent. While there are Ordo Angelorum agents embedded in this organization, it serves the interests of the Marotavian government by hunting down undesirable elements who seek to flee into the hinterlands and keeping peace in the border settlements.

Lord Carthorne’s Private Academy for the Gifted

Lord Carthorne is the retired director of the GlaxSteel Corporation, one of the triumvirate of commercial entities controlling the Ampoulian oligarchy. Carthorne has numerous charitable organizations in his name but is particularly involved in this private academy for unusually gifted children. The specific type of gifted children it caters to are nascent physics who would otherwise lack any training on a world like Nacheme. The curriculum at the school was imported from Bero and follows the best practices of similar schools throughout the remains of the old empire. Carthorne himself is always on the lookout for prodigies with skills that will advance the fortunes of GlaxSteel and its subsidiaries.

Fleming Boys

The corporations of the Ampoulian city-state require a paramilitary organization to hunt down criminals, enforce property rights, suppress workers’ unions, and advance the interests of the mega-corporations on the frontier. A group of private investigators, called the Fleming Boys, are the most successful – and feared – of these enforcers. Able to field what amounts to a small private army, this company is known for its efficiency and brutal tactics.

The Trans-Erisian Transport Company

One of the three corporations that comprise the oligarchic triumvirate ruling Ampoule, the Trans-Erisian Transport Company has been the driving force in the nation’s westward expansion. This has been quite helpful for agents of the Ordo Angelorum who require inconspicuous transportation to the sites of recently discovered alien ruins – and not coincidental at all, since many of the company’s directors are agents of Bero’s government.

Interstellar Factions

Nebula Corporation (Mnk72-907)

Given the isolation of the Arneion system, there are few organizations from elsewhere in the galactic sector active in the area. One exception to this general rule, though, is the Cat’s Eye Nebula Corporation (typically just called the Nebula Corporation), which has a stronghold on a space station orbiting the black hole in the neighboring system of Mnk72-907. The Ordo Angelorum is aware of their presence on Nacheme and Ablah, requiring their agents to report any contact with those working for the Nebula Corporation (who can be identified by tattoos of Cat’s Eyes on their wrists). There’s no clear indication yet of this faction’s intentions towards the OA or the Arneion system in general.

SWON House Rules

Session Summary Rewards

Yellow journalism is popular on all three planets of the Arneion system and adventurers can often sell tales of their exploits in alien ruins or deep space to newspapers (Nacheme and Ablah) or information network services (Bero). Of course, the expectation is that these tales will be exciting or sensational – more prosaic tales will not earn much money. Here are the tiers of reporting and the expected reward for delivering such stories to interested parties:

• Basic Reports of Adventuring: 500 credit value
• Exciting Reports of Adventuring: 1000 credit value
• Exciting Reports that Involve Celebrities or Politics: 1500 credit value (or more)

Note that the highest paying tier, which involves reports that touch upon well-known celebrities, politicians, or government agencies, could complicate the adventurers’ lives when word gets back to those important people.

Moving Right Along

To make those credits on exciting reports, it’s important to do exciting things and not stand around debating how to do those exciting things! To encourage that, here are some guidelines:

Combat

• I will ask everyone for intentions each round in dexterity order; if you don’t know immediately, I will skip you and move along
• Each participant in combat can ask a single clarifying question about the tactical situation – sometimes it’s hard to be omniscient on the battlefield!
• After everyone else declares intentions, I will return to the skipped one more time; if they still don’t know what they’re doing, they lose their actions for the round

Exploration / Movement

• After I finish describing the situation, each player will have the chance to ask a single clarifying question; they must then wait until everyone else has a chance to ask a question before asking anything else
• Either the party or individual players will declare their intentions; the default will be party decisions except in instances like the exploration of a room with several features of interest that the group may split up to investigate. For party decisions, a caller will be designated (either randomly or by unanimous agreement) each session who has the final word on group actions
• The caller will be different each session except by unanimous consent of players
• The party will have between one and five minutes to discuss options before declaring intentions depending on the complexity of the situation. For example: choosing one of two hallways needs only a minute’s discussion; choosing where to go next in town to continue a mission/investigation warrants up to five minutes discussion

These guidelines are a work in progress and may be updated on the fly depending on how the group dynamic develops during actual play.