Embedded Files
Cyclopedia of the 'Verse
This is an alphabetical repository for topics that require elaboration, but don't rise to the level of a full page of their own.
Alien Life: Contrary to the official setting, in "Verse After Miranda" there is alien life; none of it is larger than colonies of single-celled organisms, analogues of algae, bacteria, and various extremophilic life. All microbes in the 'Verse appear to be related to one of three genetic "families", but come in a wide variety of forms, leading to speculation that all of them share a common origin. Londinium and Sihnon both hosted complex biospheres of single celled microbes in their oceans, creating the atmospheres that allowed humans to survive unaided. Few other planets in the 'Verse have any native life at all, nor do they appear to have ever possessed any. The lifeforms that do exist are universally incompatible with Terran-stock lifeforms, unable to compete with them in an ecological niche, and largely harmless. These life forms are of interest to biologists and a few pharmaceutical corporations, but of little relevance to most people. They do however allow for the existence of pre-terraforming oxygen atmospheres and fossil fuel deposits on a very few worlds.
Arks: The Arks were colonization ships that carried the colonists from Earth to the 'Verse. There is very little information about them, what little we see in the RPG basic book suggests they were approximately 30 million tons, which gives them an approximate dimension of 6,000 feet long by 2,000 feet wide and 1,000 feet high. We do not know anything about how the colonists were transported (awake, in cold sleep, in virtual reality suspended animation, etc) but some sources suggest the cultures of the colonists intermingled on the ships. There is no information about the technology used, since the ship systems used in the game would not support sustained flight over interstellar distances. The Arks were cannibalized to provide materials for the early colonies. A mile long ship designed for space did not have the structure to support its weight planetside, and if it did, that would be a very poor design.The Arks were fitted with a reactionless gravitic drive which, either due to size requirements or efficiency problems, is not used by modern spacecraft in the 'Verse. The Arks were built using a modular system which was designed to be broken down once the ship arrived. Some modules became space stations, others were deployed planetside as prefabricated living facilities and factories. The main engineering sections containing the drives and a bridge module were used as super tugs to move asteroids and comets for mining and terraforming purposes.The basic book also says there is an Ark on display on Bernadette, open as a museum.The museum on Bernadette looks like a scale model of an Ark on the outside, and sections of it replicate or are sections from the original Ark, but it is not a whole Ark. (BDGP)
Autonomous Polities: Most worlds of the 'Verse are unified under a single planetary government, something called an "Alliance Member Republic". This implies a certain level of stability and sophistication, as well as a willingness to accept Alliance rule and currency. A few worlds, detailed in their own article, are politically and culturally divided among several sovereign governments. These "sub-planetary states" have separate cultural identities and large enough populations to merit separate representation in the Alliance Parliament. Most of them got their start as ethnic groups who wished to ensure their cultural distinctiveness from the increasingly blended masses in the Core Worlds. These groups emigrated en masse almost as soon as the worlds in question opened up for settlement. Subplanetary States maintain their own laws, currencies, and militias, but nearly all accept subordination to Alliance authority in any instance of conflict.
Cortex: The Cortex is a sophisticated communications network spanning nearly the entire verse. It is a mix of traditional electromagnetic (EM) spectrum methods, such as laser, microwave, radio, and fiber-optic networks on the surface. The Cortex connects the major systems of the five stars of the 'Verse into a single integrated network. This allows relatively swift communication anywhere in the 'Verse. There is a delay for communication over a certain distance - light and radio waves take eight minutes to travel 1AU, and the five starts are dozens of AU distant from one another. Individual EM spectrum transmissions are relatively short ranged, so the EM subsystem relies on a dense network of signal-boosters and repeaters to function at interplanetary ranges. Small ships like the Firefly class have short range transmitters, large military vessels have the power to contact anyone in the 'Verse. Messages and calls on the Cortex are called "waves", probably a reference to radio communication. In the movie, they say "broadwave" instead of broadcast.
Cryptofauna: Most of the worlds of the 'Verse are populated with animals from Old Earth, the majority either domesticated animals of various sorts, or those necessary for a healthy ecosystem appropriate to the biomes present on the world. These animals are found in varieties and combinations not found on Old Earth, such as from various different continents. In addition to these, genetic engineering, mutations, and simple genetic drift have created varieties of animals that did not exist on Old Earth. Many of these animals are unique to one planet or another. Collectively, these animals are usually called "cryptofauna", animals whose existence is either in doubt or not officially recognized by proper scientific authorities. Those listed below are some examples of the more bizarre, and possibly non-existent animals of the 'Verse.Beylix Junkroach - Shoe-sized mutated cockroaches that are rumored to infest the scrapyards of Beylix, Junkroaches fill a niche similar to rats. They are scavengers but will eat fresh meat if available, and can be dangerous in large numbers. Junkroaches avoid bright lights, and emit a hideous chittering when they become agitated.
Dire Yote - Essentially a coyote the size of a wolf, this big dog can be found inhabiting the back country on many worlds. They essentially combine the size and speed of a wolf with the cunning and adaptability of a coyote, with no innate fear of human beings. They are generally only dangerous in numbers, but they freely inhabit populated areas and are blamed for many attacks on cattle and lone travelers.
Jackalope - Formerly a mythical creature, the Jackalope is believed to be the result of deliberate, but essentially pointless genetic engineering. It is essentially a jackrabbit with small horns and a notably foul temper. They are rare, but can be found on several rim worlds where they have been released.
Rancoon - A regular sized raccoon with an opposable thumbs. These pests are believed to be the work of Provolution, and are known to have established themselves on many worlds during a brief phase where they were popular as ship's pets. This proved to be a terrible idea, but not until the creatures had spread to many worlds around the 'Verse.
Ratstard - Rodents of unusual size, Ratstards are related to rats, but routinely reach the size of dogs (3-4' long, upwards of 60lbs). In all other respects, they act like normal rats in diet and behavior. Ratstards are believed to be a product of higher than normal background radiation and pollution from local industries affecting the rats of Beaumonde slums.
Dante: Dante is a moon of the gas giant Fury in Blue Sun and Mr. Universe's hideout. It was also the location of the naval battle against the Reavers. In any open listing, it is marked as off limits to travel, due to the unplanned formation of an incredible magnetic belt during the terraforming process. Dante is marginally habitable. Dante was originally the site of a radio/gravitic observatory, set up to listen for transmissions from Earth-That-Was. It was placed in Blue Sun because at that time the system's orbit put it on the side of the 'Verse closest to Earth. Eventually, terraforming was started on the moon, but a miscalculation led to the creation of a powerful ion cloud in the planet's magnetic field and terraforming efforts were halted. At some point, the facility was ordered closed and mothballed. It is possible that terraforming may be continued in the future, possibly after the ion storm ends.(BDGP)
Dueling: Public dueling is present in the 'Verse, the biggest example is of course the sword duel at the end of "Shindig". But what does the law say? Well, first off, on the higher population worlds, dueling seems to be limited to swords. It seems that dueling to the death is a legal recourse as long as the proper codes are followed. Pistol dueling does happen on some worlds where it is illegal. Illegal pistol dueling might be regarded as manslaughter. On Core worlds like Londinium, Sihnon and Osiris, weapon possession and all lethal dueling is illegal. Dueling there might be more like fencing, where victory is measured by points, not blood. There is another possible interpretation, and that is that the high society of the 'Verse regards laws like this as ways to keep the lower classes in their place and they really don't apply to the high and mighty themselves. In "Shindig", one of the guests tries to carry a pistol into the ball room. When he is stopped by security, it is regarded as an embarrassing social blunder, not a crime. Perhaps all dueling is illegal, but overlooked as long as it takes place among the socially important or out on the Rim where law is scarce and uneven at best. (BDGP)
Dust Devils: Terrorist or Guerrilla group, depending on your perspective. Dust Devils are holdout Independent fighters, usually former special operations teams, who now lurk around the fringes of civilization attacking Alliance facilities and personnel. Some groups have degenerated into simple banditry, or acting as skilled muscle for crime syndicates out on the Rim. The Dust Devils were first introduced in the three comic series "Serenity: Better Days".
Lazurogenics: Lazurogenics is the art of resurrecting past species, sometimes as individual specimens but more usually as entire viable populations. These are usually, but not always, extinct animals of Old Earth. Full lazurogenic reconstruction requires the genetic data (or equivalent) of at least one and preferably several representatives of the original population. Gene banks were established specifically for this purpose on Old Earth as the catastrophe became evident. The best known such effort was the Burning Library Project, which sought to establish caches of information on as many Old Earth species as could be sequenced before their extinction. This and similar initiatives are the source of nearly all the data used by lazurogenists in the millennia since, though many species went unrecorded and some caches of information went missing during the Great Migration.If genetic data are incomplete or lacking entirely, lazurogenics enthusiasts may attempt to create an imitation of the life form that has the morphology and habits of the original, to the extent that these can be reconstructed from fossils or historical data. Sometimes the genetic material of descendant or related varieties is used as a starting point, to reduce the labour involved and to increase the authenticity of the final product.
Persephonic Feudalism: The system of hereditary aristocracy established on Persephone by the original settlers in the 2300's. Persephonic Feudalism was created by people who believed that democracy and republics were a temporary aberration leading only to chaos and instability. Now known by its planet of origin, Persephonic Feudalism is roughly similar to ancient forms of feudalism, though updated to take into account modern realities. It incorporates systems of primogeniture, rigid codes of conduct and social classes, a dueling culture, and complex systems of title, rank, and land ownership. It explicitly rejects egalitarianism and democracy.
More modern innovations that it has incorporated include strict trials and tests of suitability and fitness for leadership, education and indoctrination into the idea of "Noblesse Oblige", some elements of Confucianism, and genetic therapies and medical research into longevity. The nobles of Persephone established separate colonies on Ezra (Georgia) and Harvest (Red Sun) before the foundation of the Alliance. Additionally, it is an open secret that the sons and daughters of Persephone's ruling class are highly overrepresented within the officer ranks of the Alliance Navy.
Provolution: Terrorist organization focused on radical genetic engineering, political anarchism, and the general concept of "Transhumanism". Provolutionism developed on Ariel among various medical university students, but quickly found a following among elements of society who desired the genetic and cybernetic enhancements made possible by Provolution. They are advocates of improving humanity through genetic engineering and cybernetics, as well as increasing the biodiversity of the 'Verse through lazurogenics and other deliberate mutations. Unpopular on most rim worlds, Provolution remains most popular among certain criminal segments of the Border Worlds. Provolution was first introduced in the game "2300:AD", but it fits the setting well enough after adaptation.
Psionics: Also known as "psychic powers", psionics are regarded as an unsubstantiated urban legend by most, or as dangerous supernatural powers by others. In recent years, some groups have conducted research into the field, reporting some measurable success with what they describe as "hyper-acute empathy". This research is widely dismissed as pseudoscience at best, or highly unethical at worst. In spite of this stigma, fortune tellers, mediums, and mind readers remain widely popular as entertainers and counselors.
Shan Yu: Listed as a "poet and psychotic dictator", and quoted in the Firefly episode "War Stories". May refer to a mythical ruler in Old Earth Chinese history, a warlord who was eventually defeated by a young woman and a tiny red dragon. May instead refer to a ruler of a rim world in the chaotic years predating Alliance rule over the 'Verse. Scholars of the subject disagree.
Skyplexes: A skyplex is the generic name for any space station in the 'Verse. They include industrial facilities, passenger transfer stations, space resorts and the equivalent of interplanetary truck stops along the freight routes. Skyplexes may also serve as bases for Cortex relay stations and most will have detachments or garrisons of Alliance law enforcement or military. Most core and border worlds have at least one skyplex to serve as an orbital docking station for ships too large to land on the surface. On some of the heavily populated worlds, all traffic must dock at a skyplex and passengers and cargo are offloaded to be carried to the surface by shuttles. Core worlds like Londinium have skyplexes that solely handle passengers. The skyplexes around these worlds are large, beautifully designed and well maintained. Like a modern day super airport, they house luxurious hotels, fine dining and shops. The skyplexes of the outer systems can be dirty and rundown and strictly utilitarian with limited services catering to the needs (and desires) of freighter crews in need of a break. Notable stations include:
Core Stations
Norfolk Highport- One of the main passenger stations serving Londinium.
Dahak Station- Passenger transfer skyplex above Osiris.
Border Stations
Aomen and Monte Carlo Stations- Two casino stations orbiting Santo.
Tien Lung- One of the primary commerce stations above Persephone.
Kalevala station- A freight handling skyplex above Beaumonde, known for the skill of her transfer shuttle pilots.
Deep Black Stations
Corone Station- Run by Corone Mining, it serves the White Sun-Red Sun route. It is a large station dedicated to serving the bulk freighter traffic on this route. As a result, it is more like a truck stop. This is the Skyplex seen in the Firefly episode "The Message"
Lima 14 - Serves the Kalidasa-Red Sun Route
Long Night- One of the loneliest and grittiest, Long Night Skyplex is the only rest stop on the long flight from White Sun to Blue Sun.
Stone Mountain - Serves the Blue Sun-Georgia route.
(BDGP)
Terraforming: Starting the 2200's, the 34 Tauri system was radically altered through terraforming. Though the system possessed an improbably high number of bodies in habitable orbits, most were too small or were dead worlds. Highly advanced macrotechnology was used to alter the composition of numerous moons and planets. Several gas giants were likewise "ignited" through the creation of pseudomatter mass in their cores. The resulting shifting orbits and bursts of radiation made much of the verse dangerous and unsafe to navigate, so humanity spent the first century or so either on Londinium or Sihnon. These two worlds were both habitable naturally. The dozens of altered planets were then bombarded with ice asteroids to introduce sufficient water for life, then seeded with a variety of algae and other microbes. Once the planetary surface had stabilized, one of several packages of multicelled life were introduced. The process was not fool-proof, but on most worlds, it worked.
Time and Calenders: As far as human time tracking, the Alliance uses Earth's standard 60 minute hour. A "day" would probably be the length of Londinium's day or might be Earth's standard 24 hour day. Standard time would be like Greenwich time is on Earth. A digital watch would be able to convert from standard time to local time as would any computer or electronic device. There might be a local calendar for seasons, but dates would use the standard calendar, so Unification Day is the same day on every world. If the planet's local year is three Earth years long, then sometimes Christmas is in the summer, sometimes its in the winter.
Different planets would have a local clock divided into normal hours and maybe an adjusting hour at midnight. So on a planet with a 20 hour 37 minute day, the equivalent hour from Midnight to one AM would only be 37 minutes long. On poor rim worlds, people might not care. You get up when the sun does and work the fields until dark and go to bed. They might use the local calendar all the time and only refer to official, "standard" time for things like births, etc. Maybe the one thing that everyone on the Rim has is a digital clock/calendar. Maybe really poor towns just have one that the Mayor keeps for recording events.
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