Hello. Most of my work on this setting is stored on the Wizards boards. Its already gotten far to large for me to move it here in its entirety, but I wanted to add it to here in hopes of getting some more views, reads, and perhaps comments on my setting and house rules related to the setting. As such I decided to move an introduction to the Land of Nod, coupled with a link to the complete settingThe following is a sci-fi campaign setting designed to work using a modified version of the Star Wars Saga rules set. Please note, the following campaign setting DOES NOT take place in the Star Wars universe. The Star Wars universe is great... but that is not what this campaign setting is all about. This campaign setting is built using the Star Wars Saga Edition Core Rulebook, the Star Wars Saga Starships of the Galaxy, and d20 Cyberscape rules, and as such largely requires these three books for play. For those that do not possess Cyberscape, this campaign setting is still runnable, but you may be at a loss for usable cybernetics. I hope everyone enjoys, and please, feedback would be much appreciated!INTRODUCTIONWho knows where humanity came from? Ask an Edonian, he’ll tell you Eden. Maybe they are telling the truth, but not a single non-Edonian scientist has ever been allowed to travel to Eden to verify that claim with proof. Not to mention that between the Edonian creationist theory, and the rumors that started ever since the Great Asylum, it sounds a bit more like theological propaganda. Gaians will tell you that wherever we came from, all life from Gaia originally evolved from the same root planet. They admit that planet is not Gaia mind you, but they say that the common gene matter in all their flora and fauna points to an original home plant of evolution. From what I hear, you ask a Terran, and he’ll just shrug and say that all that matters is that they managed to conquer and tame their world. I’ve never heard of anyone asking a Lilithian, but then again, I’ve never heard of a Lilithian designed to answer questions. So here I am, in the satellite worlds, asking the question that nobody seems to have the answer to… where did humanity come from, and why did it leave?
—Jacobin Trill, Archeologist and AnthropologistThe Worlds of Nod is a science fiction campaign setting with elements of space opera, military science fiction, cyberpunk, biopunk, planetary romance, and post apocalyptic genres. Its setting is largely gothic-punk in aesthetic, and pulp in adventure. It features four main worlds that act as the seats of power for four empires. These empires have historically existed in a state of war with each other. The setting takes place shortly after the four empires have forged a concord to act, if not as a peace agreement, then at least a set of laws governing war and trade. Each of these empires controls virtually countless satellite solar systems, giving a game-master plenty of room for creative expansion. The following document will describe in some detail the four empires and their seats of power, as well as a few key satellite solar systems for each empire.
The four ruling planets of the four empires are Eden, Gaia, Terra, and (it is rumored) Lilith. The four empires are known as the Edonian Empire, the Gaian Empire, the Terran Empire, and the Lilithian Empire. Each of these empires is characterized by a different flavor. The Edonian Empire is a highly religious institution ruled by a god emperor. Their priests believe in a eugenic birth program designed to breed humans “free of sin” and capable of incredible psionic feats. They are a technophobic society that views artificial intelligence, and cybernetic augmentation, as a heretical tool of the devil. All Edonian technology is powered by psionic energy, which they feel “purifies” technology of its naturally evil taint. The Edonian Empire is known for its incredible energy age equipment, and religious fervor.
The Gaian Empire is the anti-thesis of Edonian dogma. Their culture is a highly technological and corporate entity. They are ruled by a corporate republic democracy. The individual Gaian is afforded few rights, but the Gaian corporation is afforded the ultimate freedom. Each corporation chooses how it wishes to rule its own employees and land. Each individual may (theoretically) choose which corporation he or she chooses to work for. The corporations elect a corporation to preside as president over the other corporations for a term of office. Gaians are known for their advanced robotic and cybernetic advancements, and information technology. Gaians are the creators of the ARnet (augmented reality network) and HIARnet (hyper immersive augmented reality network).
The Terran Empire was born in the flames of war, and war continues to be their primary industry. The Terran Empire is ruled by a military oligarchy. A few key military bodies act as the joint rulers of the entire empire. Its population is broken up into two classes, the citizens who have served their time as soldiers of the empire, and the civilians who produce the empires everyday needs. The Terran Empire is known for its soldiers, ballistic and missile technology, advanced military vehicles, and electronic warfare. Terrans are known as the discoverers of the broadband network.
Lilithians are a people shrouded in mystery. They are not designed as a player character empire. Virtually nothing is known about their system of government. During the war, their motives remained anonymous. Likewise, their sudden sue for peace was also powered by reasons totally alien to the other empires. Indeed, the Lilithians themselves may not even be human at all. The Lilithans are masters of genetic manipulation. Their technology is entirely biological. From their vehicles to their weapons, everything is alive. Their society is genetically engineered, each member designed to perform a specific task for the greater good of the empire. While the diplomats appear entirely human, the shock troops of the Lilithan Empire seem more like monstrous creatures evolved specifically for the purpose they were created for. Their weapons of war are plasma spitting beasts with massive metal tearing talons and fangs. Ever since the creation of the concord, the Lilithian Empire is known for trading gene-templates, retroviruses, and advanced wetware to the other empires.
But even as the concord has brought the four empires together in relative peace and trade, tension continues to threaten the concords existence, and in the distant depths of unexplored space there may still lay a new threat to the survival of all humanity… among the worlds of Nod, adventure and stories await!
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