Editing Stardust&AetherWinds:Main Page

The human race expanded from it's homeworld, scattering itself among the stars of the heavens, finding their way through the galaxy to distant shores. Distant, lonely shores, for although the gods had made the humans, they had turned their eyes away from their living creations, and made no others. Humans were alone in the vastness of the universe, and so they sought to make others like themselves, becoming in their own way like gods.

In this manner the AI's and the beastmen were created. Servants, slaves, and companions they have been with man since their creation. Sometimes hated, sometimes worshiped, and sometimes simply ignored, they play their own role in the complex dance of life in the cosmos.

 

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.

 

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 aether ships are designed much like sailing ships, with sails of magically treated canvas to catch the Aetherial winds. Aether sails are laid out somewhat differently however on an Aether ship. The sail arrangement is radially symmetrical. Aether ships require crew to be fully effective, much as a sailing ship does, and have very similar jobs on board. The profession of rigger however is far more dangerous and demanding that it's counterpart. When the penalty of a rigger is to be lost into the vastness of space instead of merely afloat on a sea the job acquires a great deal more prestige and risk.

 

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)

 

Due to this peculiar fact, ships carry 'air bubbles' along with them when they leave a planet's atmosphere. This air provides the crew with life support in the trips between destinations. It can go foul however if used for too long, and so frequent 'rest stops' are required, or other methods of freshening the air of long range ships, such as on board green houses or magical spells to purify the air on board.

 

==The Shaped==

The shaped are those who have been genetically tampered with. Either while alive, or before they were born, their genes and forms were tinkered with through the use of genetech. As many possible roles as exist have at one point or another had a being crafted to fit that role. The Shaping process is very expensive, both in terms of time, labor, and resources, so not all beings are shaped. However, most beings in the galaxy can find at least one shaped individual in their family tree, and shaping tends to breed true. The many beastmen living in the galaxy are proof of that.

The race of AI were created by the Empire hundreds of years ago. Originally intended to be used as shock troops and forward assault commanders due to their complete immunity to mind and all physical alteration magics, they rebelled and founded their own stellar nation. The AI wars are long distant now, but still leave a bitter memory in the minds of many humans, making AI's untrusted second class citizens in both the Republic and the Empire itself.