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Introduction to the Degado Sector

Setting Principles #

Nation Planets #

There is no single great unifying force in the Degado Sector or beyond - no grand republic, no interstellar federation, and no evil empire. Instead each planet is its own nation, forming loose alliances and exerting political and military pressure on their neighbours.

While there is still imperialism, colonisation, nationalism and resistance, the ability for these nation-planets to directly rule others is limited. As such each world in the Degado Sector has its own culture and politics.

Chartered Companies #

Profit-driven companies exist as extensions of planetary governments, expressions of alliances between planets, or in some cases as their de-facto ruling bodies. No large companies are truly independent of national interests.

Interstellar policing where it exists is done on behalf of planets by their corporations. Though space is big powerful worlds have many tools to make life difficult for those who would cross them.

Big Computers #

The microchip revolution stalled in this universe, so as technology grows in processing power it also grows in physical size. Spaceships and administrative centers are lined with banks of servers blinking with LEDs as administrators run too and frow flipping switches and checking outputs.

Technology is always physical there are no touch screens, everything is controlled via plugs, cables, dishes, lights, and data cartidges. Wireless tech is extremely limited and expensive although holographic displays are popular in some powerful worlds.

Hand-held devices exist, often communicating with a more powerful computer bank on a nearby. This wireless communication is slow. Larger portable computers can do one function well or swap out functions via data cartridges.

Submarines in Space #

Spaceships vary in size but there is no equivalent of the x-wing or small one person fighter. Every piece of technology on a ship, from a shield array to a scanner or missile bay, is bulky and visible and small craft cannot bear the power requirements.

Most combat in space is beween larger, slower ships, similar to submarine combat.

Medium sized ships can be outfitted with weapons but they take up a lot of power and space so these craft are usually exclusively focused on combat. Cargo ships are often equipped with limited defensive weaponry. Escape is almost always a better option than fighting.

Faster Than Light Travel #

Intersteller space travel is achieved via space folding science colloquially called Jump tech. This comes in two forms: the Jump Gate and the Jump Drive.

Jump Gate - Large jump projectors run by corporations to facilitate trade and travel between powerful worlds. Ships without jump drives can use these although it is recommended to have a drive as a backup. Jump Gates cost money to use, only link powerful worlds, and are heavily policed, but they allow for large distances to be travelled quickly. Every jump gate journey takes one week, regardless of the distance.

Jump Drive - Typically the smallest interstellar craft can power a Jump-1 drive allowing for a 1 parsec jump. Longer distance drives grow exponentially in cost, size, and power consumption. Travel for a Jump Drive takes two weeks, regardless of distance.

Slow Communication #

Faster than light communication is not possible in the universe of Degado Sector. Instead all comms are physical, with some companies specialising in databases of information synchronised between hub worlds.

There are thousands of such databases, called NETs, covering trade, travel, history, news, entertainment, and military intelligence. Some are open to the public, but many are secret and encrypted. Even the public ones charge a fee to access them. Only government propaganda and critical information is given freely on so-called pubNETs.

Databases grow in physical size with the amount of information they store. It is not uncommon for sensitive data to be layer-encrypted in briefcase-sized data cartidges and whole spaceships to be taken up with libraries.

Information is incredibly valuable in the Degado Sector. Typically the knowledge available on powerful nation-planets is up to date while smaller outlying worlds rely on second hand databases, stolen information, and rumour.

Money is Cargo #

With no single empire there is no single currency driving trade, every planet in the Degado Sector will have its own currency.

Where the term Credit (CR) is used this is a financial fiction pegged to the currencies of the most powerful nations. It is used to help traders roughly compare values, but there is no physical Credit you can hold in your hands and no single galactic bank.

So rather than having a bank with 1000CR in it ships may have 1000CR of Aldorian Dinars in its hold, alongside 2000CR of Aldorian Ale. Currency is treated as another kind of cargo to be traded, rather than an abstract number in a bank account.

Because of this exchanging goods for money has benefits and drawbacks for the interstellar traveller. While the currencies of powerful nations can often be used on allied or nearby worlds, beyond that travellers must use exchanges that take a hefty cut.

Typically holding currency is more stable but less profitable than trading in goods. E.g. all hub worlds will exchange an Aldorian Dinar for fee, while fewer places need Aldorian Ale but those that do will pay more.

No Ancient Aliens #

There are no precurser ruins, no powerful god-like beings, and no magic-like powers. Only the remnants of humanity having diverged enough to become alien to each other.

Starting Situations #

For groups of players wishing to explore the Degado Sector. Running a ship has costs and that comes with strings attached.

Corporation Lackeys - You have a ship whose mortgage and repairs are paid for by a national corporation. In exchange you do a broad range of their dirty work - corporate espionage, accident investigation, supply runs, strike breaking.

Free Mercenaries - You make a living doing jobs nobody else wants their name associated with. You have more enemies than allies but killing is always a lucrative business. Assassinate, plunder, destroy, and keep your name off the enforcer NETs.

NET Runners - You source and diseminate information on behalf of NET corporations. Investigate planets, bribe officials, propagate disinformation, and avoid being arrested for spying.

Outlying Traders - You run the less lucrative trade routes between hub worlds and smaller, poorer nation-planets. Avoid corporate enforcers, muscle out competition, and navigate local politics.

Small Fry - Your ship has no jump drive, operating entirely within one system as a shuttle or local trader. Make enough money by hook or by crook to upgrade your ship and get out of this shithole.

Play Principles #

Play should be driven at first by material needs - getting money to live, pay of debts, and repair and upgrade ships.

Relationships and histories will be developed over play, not in character generation.

Planets, corporations, and locations will be generated quickly, minimally, and as needed by the Referee with player input on their home planets.

Once generated these entities exist permanently and can be drawn upon by other play groups.

The Referee should keep public notes available to players in the form of in-fiction NET databases they have access to. These are not exhaustive pre-generated setting notes, rather they are a shared note spaces for players and the Referee to update and reference in play.

Coming Up #