Editing Stardust&AetherWinds:Main Page

The Empire, the Republic, and the border nations, were once one great empire. Shattered into fragments and grown into new nations on their own, the stellar nations still remember faintly what once was... and perhaps wonder at the 'truth' of recorded history.

The Empire, the Republic, and the border nations, were once one great empire. Shattered into fragments and grown into new nations on their own, the stellar nations still remember faintly what once was... and perhaps wonder at the 'truth' of recorded history.

=Magic & Technology=

=Magic & Technology=

In the Stardust setting, magic IS technology. In general terms, the setting is in the middle of its Second Restoration. A period roughly equivalent to the 1700's on earth, but writ large in stellar scope. Aether ships sail the Aether winds from planet to planet, and stellar nations trade with each other.  

In the Stardust setting, magic IS technology. In general terms, the setting is in the middle of its Second Restoration. A period roughly equivalent to the 1700's on earth, but writ large in stellar scope. Aether ships sail the Aether winds from planet to planet, and stellar nations trade with each other.  

The physics of the Stardust setting are different however. Gravity is a planar, meaning that there is a 'gravity line' which travels through the center of mass of an object. Objects above that line, fall towards the line. So an object fallen overboard of an aether ship will appear to 'bounce' from the perspective of a person standing on the deck, first down, then up, then down again. This is very disorienting, as the object in question is actually continually falling. Gravity is also constant, meaning that if gravity is felt at all, it is the same everywhere. (1 earth gravity)

The physics of the Stardust setting are different however. Gravity is a planar, meaning that there is a 'gravity line' which travels through the center of mass of an object. Objects above that line, fall towards the line. So an object fallen overboard of an aether ship will appear to 'bounce' from the perspective of a person standing on the deck, first down, then up, then down again. This is very disorienting, as the object in question is actually continually falling. Gravity is also constant, meaning that if gravity is felt at all, it is the same everywhere. (1 earth gravity)

==The Shaped==

==The Shaped==

=The Aether=

=The Aether=

Ships follow the Aether winds, and chart its gusts, eddies and currents as any good sailor would. Pirates also use this knowledge to predict the paths of ships and lay in wait along particularly favorable Aether gusts , stealing the wind from the merchant ships, swooping in and plundering, then gone again into the night, traveling on (they hope) hidden aether winds of their own to hidden asteroid bases and backwater planets.

Ships follow the Aether winds, and chart its gusts, eddies and currents as any good sailor would. Pirates also use this knowledge to predict the paths of ships and lay in wait along particularly favorable Aether gusts , stealing the wind from the merchant ships, swooping in and plundering, then gone again into the night, traveling on (they hope) hidden aether winds of their own to hidden asteroid bases and backwater planets.

=Wildlife=

=Wildlife=

When the gods abandoned their tinkering with life, they left scattered across the cosmos, seeds of various shapes and forms. None of them harbored within them the spark of thought, but many were strange to the core worlds that humans had been born to. Among this number are the Dragons. Powerful, winged, able to sail the Aether at will... and utterly mindless, these great beasts are majestic and beautiful to see in their native habitat. They make their lairs in hollowed out asteroids, hording fabulous treasures of raw ore and gems. Dragon hunting can be richly rewarding... for the dragon as well, since so few meals are quite so obliging as to drop off so much food at once.

When the gods abandoned their tinkering with life, they left scattered across the cosmos, seeds of various shapes and forms. None of them harbored within them the spark of thought, but many were strange to the core worlds that humans had been born to. Among this number are the Dragons. Powerful, winged, able to sail the Aether at will... and utterly mindless, these great beasts are majestic and beautiful to see in their native habitat. They make their lairs in hollowed out asteroids, hording fabulous treasures of raw ore and gems. Dragon hunting can be richly rewarding... for the dragon as well, since so few meals are quite so obliging as to drop off so much food at once.

=Factions=

=Factions=

The Dragon clan rules the Empires military. They also have several dark secrets. They, and they alone want to control the future of the Empire. To this end, they have constructed secret training facilities and research labs to train weather mages, and research the secrets of the Aether Hurricane. They are close to a breakthrough, and when they do, the galaxy will tremble.

The Dragon clan rules the Empires military. They also have several dark secrets. They, and they alone want to control the future of the Empire. To this end, they have constructed secret training facilities and research labs to train weather mages, and research the secrets of the Aether Hurricane. They are close to a breakthrough, and when they do, the galaxy will tremble.

The Emperor serves at the pleasure of the two ruling houses of the Empire itself. The upper house consists of 10 members from each of the 5 houses. The lower house consists of one representative from each of the planets in the Empire. The Emperor typically serves for a term of 20 years, and then a new emperor is chosen from the next house in line. The complete cycle of empire takes 100 years, and each house gets to place an emperor before the wheel turns again. The Dragon clan's emperor recently stepped down, and the current emperor is from the Griffin clan. The houses can force a turn of the cycle, and a new election for the next emperor by passing a 2/3rds vote in each house.

The Emperor serves at the pleasure of the two ruling houses of the Empire itself. The upper house consists of 10 members from each of the 5 houses. The lower house consists of one representative from each of the planets in the Empire. The Emperor typically serves for a term of 20 years, and then a new emperor is chosen from the next house in line. The complete cycle of empire takes 100 years, and each house gets to place an emperor before the wheel turns again. The Dragon clan's emperor recently stepped down, and the current emperor is from the Griffin clan. The houses can force a turn of the cycle, and a new election for the next emperor by passing a 2/3rds vote in each house.

There is a 6th 'clan' in the Empire, though it has no official standing or recognition. Officially the ninja do not exist, and are certainly not organized into anything like a clan. In truth, the Shadow Clan are highly organized, and influential in all manner of underhanded as well as overt actions. They serve no party completely, simply selling their services and using their power to make certain that no matter what may happen in the galaxy, the clan will continue.

There is a 6th 'clan' in the Empire, though it has no official standing or recognition. Officially the ninja do not exist, and are certainly not organized into anything like a clan. In truth, the Shadow Clan are highly organized, and influential in all manner of underhanded as well as overt actions. They serve no party completely, simply selling their services and using their power to make certain that no matter what may happen in the galaxy, the clan will continue.

==The Republic==

==The Republic==

===Life in the Republic===

===Life in the Republic===

The republic is governed by the senate, a body of individuals (all humans) who are 'elected' as the planetary head to the senate floor speak for their planet's goals and needs. Whether the representatives actually say what the people truly want is irrelevant... as long as the money continues to flow in the proper direction (towards power) the ruling system will remain unchanged. By and large, the position of senator is hereditary, and passes to the favored child upon the retirement or death of the previous senator. The head of the senate is known as the 'demiurge', and shifts position from year to year based on a complex system of votes, bribes, and track record. The vast majority of the republic citizens merely live in it. Slavery is common, and beastmen are most prized for their specialized strengths in workman roles. A 'citizen' by the official definition of the word in the republic, owns property in excess of a certain value. Voting takes place yearly, and costs a fee to enter your vote. (Plus any required bribes of course).

The republic is governed by the senate, a body of individuals (all humans) who are 'elected' as the planetary head to the senate floor speak for their planet's goals and needs. Whether the representatives actually say what the people truly want is irrelevant... as long as the money continues to flow in the proper direction (towards power) the ruling system will remain unchanged. By and large, the position of senator is hereditary, and passes to the favored child upon the retirement or death of the previous senator. The head of the senate is known as the 'demiurge', and shifts position from year to year based on a complex system of votes, bribes, and track record. The vast majority of the republic citizens merely live in it. Slavery is common, and beastmen are most prized for their specialized strengths in workman roles. A 'citizen' by the official definition of the word in the republic, owns property in excess of a certain value. Voting takes place yearly, and costs a fee to enter your vote. (Plus any required bribes of course).

==The Pirates (The Brotherhood of High Sail)==

==The Pirates (The Brotherhood of High Sail)==

===Life as a Pirate===

===Life as a Pirate===

==The AI==

==The AI==

Perhaps most amusingly, it is AI's who excel at Genetech, the art of flesh crafting. Though they cannot use magic themselves, they can craft the most precise and elegantly planned thamuturgic surgeries, and no decent research lab would be without the aid of at least one AI.

Perhaps most amusingly, it is AI's who excel at Genetech, the art of flesh crafting. Though they cannot use magic themselves, they can craft the most precise and elegantly planned thamuturgic surgeries, and no decent research lab would be without the aid of at least one AI.

When an AI has need or wish to embody itself, it will download it's consciousness into a shell, and travel as it wills. AI's treat their shells as temporary homes. Nice in their own right, and worth taking care of, but no AI truly fears death. Only loss of experience. Transference to and from shells takes time, and the destruction of a shell far from home is a blow to the collective. All AI's morn the loss of knowledge the “death” of such embodied explorers represents.

When an AI has need or wish to embody itself, it will download it's consciousness into a shell, and travel as it wills. AI's treat their shells as temporary homes. Nice in their own right, and worth taking care of, but no AI truly fears death. Only loss of experience. Transference to and from shells takes time, and the destruction of a shell far from home is a blow to the collective. All AI's morn the loss of knowledge the “death” of such embodied explorers represents.

==The Beastmen==

==The Beastmen==

In the republic, the beastmen's lot is far worse. Beastmen are considered slaves, and there are no laws about proper use and maintenance of slaves in the Republic. Slaves are property, and as such anything that the owner chooses to do to or with his slaves is entirely his own business. Killing a slave is destruction of property, and children born to slaves are slaves themselves.

In the republic, the beastmen's lot is far worse. Beastmen are considered slaves, and there are no laws about proper use and maintenance of slaves in the Republic. Slaves are property, and as such anything that the owner chooses to do to or with his slaves is entirely his own business. Killing a slave is destruction of property, and children born to slaves are slaves themselves.

==The 100 Kingdoms/The Border Empires==

==The 100 Kingdoms/The Border Empires==

So far, the only overt sign of their actions is that the brotherhood has a form of controlled explosion which it fires towards any pursuing ship. The resultant spherical aether detonation between the pirate ship and the pursuers causes the aether to push the pursuers back, while giving an extra boost to the pirates.

So far, the only overt sign of their actions is that the brotherhood has a form of controlled explosion which it fires towards any pursuing ship. The resultant spherical aether detonation between the pirate ship and the pursuers causes the aether to push the pursuers back, while giving an extra boost to the pirates.