Reach the Stars, Explore the Void : A Stellaris inspired quest of research and exploration

Turn 3: The Boom​

At long last, things seem to be going the Academy's way. No imminent crisis, all factions pacified, an ivory tower from which you can rule, what more can be asked for ?
Even the political arena is calm, with everyone consolidating themselves with the new resources from the Jovian Belt, and the conservatives of the Gens being triumphant on Olympia and isolating themselves from the affairs of the wider Empire.
The only thing left to worry about is the Imperator.

Turn represents an Olympian Quarter, roughly half an Earth year.

State of the Academy







Projects


Projects are a mix of fixed actions, representing the main objectives of the Academy (such a building a functional Warp Drive) and projects drawn from a deck of potential projects, that will vary from turn to turn if the project is not started.

If you have an idea for a project, propose it in the thread and if it is coherent with the state of research in the Empire, I will add the research to the deck, and it may be drawn each turn.


You have 5 available Research Assets to use on Project, and 2 already committed.

[] Imperial Academy Research Centers (1 RP)

-[] Project

[X] Oracles Circle (1 RP)

-[X] Adaptive Auxiliary Computing Core (Computing) [2/6]
-[] Project (abandon current project and shift to another. Progress on Project will be kept, but project may be reshuffled into the Projects' deck)


[] Department of Ecological Restoration (1 RP):

-[] Project

[] Association for Historical Preservation (1 RP)

-[X] Reassemble the Past (Archaeostudies) [2/8]
-[] Project (abandon current project and shift to another. Progress on Project will be kept, but project may be reshuffled into the Projects' deck)

[] Augustina Aelius Clemens (1RP)
-[] Project



-[X] Adaptive Auxiliary Computing Core (Computing) [2/6]

Computing cores are one of the great marvels of Olympian sciences, extremely efficient and reliable computers built to be extremely resistant to computer virus. However, they are quite rigid, existing either as room-sized and costly administration and research cores, or smaller but heavily specialized military cores (for walkers and saucers). Combined with a quite inflexible programing, the cores showed themselves unable to handle all the needs of the Empire since the Conquest despised the increase in productions and numbers of models.

An alternative proposed by the Circle, with a few lesser secrets from their esoteric prediction cores, would be to create smaller, less powerful cores, able to be more easily reprogrammed, perform a wider set of tasks and with the limited self-adaptation abilities of some military computer cores. Those cores would not be used on the more critical tasks, due to their greater vulnerability to errors and viruses, but would be able to handle a great variety of tasks in an auxiliary role.

Develop a cheap, adaptable computing system. Help administration, automation, education, and research. Unlock additional computing research.


-[X] Reassemble the Past (Archaeostudies) [2/8]

Despite the technological superiority of the Olympian over the old Earth's nation, a truth hidden from the wider population is that the tech base of the Empire is quite spotty. Due to the devastation of the Time of Chaos, much knowledge was lost, and the Empire is in the tricky situation of not completely understanding some of its most used technologies.

To solve this issue, some historians in the know have proposed a wide campaign of archeological studies and reverse engineering on Olympia to try to reconstruct lost knowledge.

Solve issues in the Empire's knowledge base. Potential to rediscover lost tech.

-[] More Pieces for the Puzzle (-1 Minor Artefact) (Still available will the Project is in progress)

We could simply use some of the existent pieces of pre-Time of Chaos technology to help the research. Priceless artifacts for priceless knowledge.

Beetween 2 and 6 progress earned on Reassemble the Past. Potential additional effects.


-[] Automated Mining (Industry) [0/8]

A dream as old as man is automation. Creating the means to make labor and suffering things of the past. With the recent boom in space mining, such dreams become shared by more and more people, as the space miners are forced to work in the dangerous conditions of the void of space and must live in their cramped quarters, eating lyophilized food and breathing recycled air.
And, most importantly, food and other necessities need to be shipped to many small mining communities to keep them in function.

One of the proposition to help eliminate this horrifying logistical burden would be the development of a new, automated class of space drones, able to perform most mining task ether automatically of will being tele piloted, reducing the need for both personnel and life support, and augmenting productivity (strangely, the human body is quite unoptimized for void work).


Develop space mining systems and drones. Encourage the Jovian Rush. Help automatization.

- [] Systems of the past (-1 Minor Artefact)

This proposition is more than a little inspired by the remnants of automated mining expeditions from the Antediluvians Empire found around the Jovian Belt. Giving access to some of the artifacts found to the research would allow them to be more than inspired, and try to recreate a technology both thousands of years old and somewhat more advanced than the Imperial standard.

6 Progress added to Automated Mining. Help rediscover a technology from the Antediluvian Empires


-[] Project Elysium (New World) [???]

For the Department of Ecological Restoration, this is the grail. A series of projects to raise a barely livable planet of the Olympia-class to Earth standard of Gaia-class, and then beyond, to a perfectly tailored ecosystem, a terrestrial paradise for humanity. An Elysium-class planet.

Before reaching this goal however, years of studies are needed.

Unlock major ecological projects and research, open the way to terraforming.


[] Gaz Giant Warp Seeding (NEW)
A proposition from some of the most…adventurous scientists amongst the Academy. Use a gas giant as a source of Warped Particles by throwing some Dimension Breakers and activating in their atmospheres.

Cheap sources of Warped Particles ?


Opportunities


Opportunities are options that do not need a research asset to be taken. Use as many as you want and can afford. Just remember, do not be found misusing Imperial resources…

Scavenging

Our new organization is ready to harvest the bounty of ruins.

1 Scavenging action can be taken at this time.

[] [Scavenging] Orpheus in Pieces

Orpheus Station has been thoroughly mapped, the anomalous material present notified, and all the surviving equipment inventoried. And it is still owned by the Academy.
We simply need to send the teams and recuperate everything of interest from the twisted walls of the station.

Recuperate advanced equipment and anomalous materials. Will take 1 turn.

[] [Scavenging] Secrets of Tantalus

The Tantalus Dome is an ancient, labyrinth place, the result of years of both work and bureaucratic infighting. There are a thousand forgotten halls and laboratories hidden away because of conflict between researchers or built over after their very existence was forgotten.
Time to shakedown the labyrinth for all it is worth.

Explore Tantalus Dome hidden places and forgotten tunnels. Unknown discoveries. Will take 1 to 3 turns.

[] [Scavenging] The Forsaken Zones (-5 Influence) (NEW)

Both Earth and Olympia bear ugly scars on their surface. Places where the nukes fell despite the Empire's efforts. Places where the unification of Olympia got more than bloody. Now that we have an official reclamation, we can demand access to those zones and begin an effort of analysis, reclamation and clean up.

Begin cleanup of the Forsaken Zones. Data on WMD effects and countermeasures. Ruins reclamation. Unknown time taken.


Tantalus Dome

The Dome has been somewhat rebuilt, covered in ugly patch up works and jury riggings, but livable, with a breathable atmosphere, even if thin, and living quarters, even if they are tents pitched up in old buildings.

Above all stand the Spire. From it, you can watch the whole Dome, beeping screens around you giving real-time reports on every aspect of the Academy. You have a seat of command.

[] Finish the reconstruction (-3 RP)

There is still work to do, to restore Tantalus Dome to old glory.

Choose one sector to reconstruct

- [] Living space, Domed Garden

We could make the Dome actually livable again, with a good atmosphere, through restoring the old living space and gardens (which will also provide some fresh food for the Academy's personnel).

-[] A Thousand laboratories

Claiming and bringing back online the expansive lab space of the Dome would allow us to both recuperate old research and help the research efforts of the Academy. And find the places that should be left locked up.

Central Spire ​

[] Scholarships to power (-1 RP per turn, +2 Influence per Turn)

There is an ongoing crisis in the Empire, a lack of funds to educate all the needed elites to run two planets worth of administration. You could try to solve this problem with research. Or you could exploit the crisis for all it is worth.

By investing part of the Academy funds into various scholarships, internships programs in the Academy's laboratories and expansion of educational facilities, the Academy could easily earn acclaim for lessening the crisis's effects.

And if it produces a constant stream of educated personnel thankful to the Academy for their education, well, all the better.


Ongoing cost of -1 RP per turn in scholarship. +2 Influence per turn. Additional recruitment opportunities.


The Jovian Boom

The Jovian Rush reached a critical mass of investments and turned into the Jovian Boom. Now that most easily accessible mining spots have been reached, it is mostly a question of pouring more equipment and manpower into the mining settlements and getting back more and more precious resources. Rare earths, heavy metals, fusible materials… Always more to feed the maws of Earth and Olympia…and at each step of the chain, the Academy take its cut.
The development of the Jovian Belt and who controls this development is determined by the number of Jovian Rush Shares owned by each faction.

Shares:

- 5 For the Academy (+ 2 per turn) (2 earned last turn)
- 1 For the Belters
- 1 For the Conglomerates
- 2 (covert) for the Household (+ 1 per turn) (1 eaned last turn)
- 1 For the Gens (1 earned last turn)

Current situation: Academy dominance (50% of Shares); Phase 2 of the Rush (next Phase at 20 Shares)

Jovian Boom Options:

- [] Support our Workers (-5 Influence, -1 RP)

The belters that now work on the Jovian Belt are some of the most experienced space miners accessible in the Solar System. And they are also deeply connected to the Academy, the first institution to support them.
With the influx of new, less reliable workforce in the Belt, continued support for the original belters would allow us to reinforce workers that are actually competent in space mining, and far more likely to warn us if something untoward is planned by the miners.
+ 1 Share for the Belters, +2 Shares for the Academy, Strengthen the Belters, create overseers for the Jovian Belt.


- [] Shake the Reconstruction's hand.

The Earth's Reconstruction Conglomerate, some of the worst bastards you ever meet. They exactly respect the Imperially mandated quality standards for reconstruction work, and not one step more. They are at one percent of the mandated limit on laborers' casualties. They respect the letters of the law, and violate its spirit, destroying or devouring any opponent on their path.

Well, they are now desperate for new markets. After all, the Reconstruction of Earth has ended, and maintenance work will now feed this ravenous beast. The Academy could shake their hand, let their assets work on the Jovian Belt, associate with those bastards.
If we do this, we will either bring them to hell, or be consumed by them. No middle choice.

+1 Conglomerate Share per turn, gain the following Research Asset:

Earth's Reconstruction Conglomerate (1 RP): 1 (Industry,Material); [0/4]; Megaproject Specialist : Count as specialist for any industrial Megaproject, in addition to other specialist bonuses.
Pact with the devil, or a way to chain him.

[] Squeeze harder.
The dissidents coming to the belt are full of plans that go against the Empire, and there is a simple way to stop all those plans in their tracks: more taxes.
Squeeze them until they are too occupied with thankless work to do anything.

+ 1 Academy Share per turn, Jovian Belt Insurgency clock becomes (1/15), +1 to Jovian Belt Insurgency per turn.


Influence

[] Demand an Imperial Audience (-10 Influence)

You have the rank of Imperial Minister, and the rights of a Patrician. You do not need to wait for a summon. You can demand an audience with the Imperator and be swiftly transported to them. In one word, you can obtain the undivided attention of the absolute ruler of all human space. You are not sure that you should. Especially with the Imperator troubled by your actions.

Meet with the Imperator. Way of obtaining resources and authority. Way of getting killed.


[] A Gift for the Imperator (-1 Minor Artifact)

The Academy holds some of the most precious historical artifacts ever found by mankind, remnants of advanced civilizations thousands of years old.
And in the grand tradition of institutions holding priceless artifacts, you could simply give them to your boss in a big, fancy ceremony for political capital.

The ancestral tradition of giving things to the Imperator to keep one's head should not be forgotten, after all.

Give artifacts to the Imperator. Variable influence gain.???


[] Coordinate with the Spooks (???)

You recently learned that your organization is infested with spy, covert agents, and other spooks. According to what you know about the Household, it has a few true agents hidden into secondary roles, various sleepers, a lot of blackmailed personnel providing information out of fear and more micros and hidden cameras than you can count.
A lot of resources invested into the Academy, for no useful return for someone who is not a paranoid, control-obsessed madman. You could contact your "sponsors" amongst the Household and see if you can make something useful with this.
After all, hidden agents are more or less like covert quality inspectors, in your book.

Try to convince the watchers and infiltrators of the Household to do something useful beyond "spying on everyone". Unknown costs.


[] Open the Grand Archeological Exposition (- 1 Minor Artefact)

A proposition from the Association and…the Imperial Household?
A grand, itinerant exposition on the history of the Empire, the Time of Chaos, and the Antediluvians Empire, with some artifacts as centerpiece? Ten of millions of attendants expected per stop of the exposition? Constant publicity in every megacity and domed cities on Earth and Olympia?
Does the Household really want to bankroll this?

Open a public exposition on the Antediluvian Empires. Variable Unity gain. Empire wide increased interest in history, ???


[] Send fellers (-5 Influence) (NEW)

Now that we have reached an…understanding with all the factions of the Empire, the Academy can extend fellers for recruitment without ringing alarms amongst the powerful of the Empire. Of course, we cannot expect to obtain easily the most coveted assets, but there are always falling Gens, Conglomerates in bankruptcy and discharged Wards to recruits.

Unlock opportunities to recruit new Research Assets.


Personal actions (1 per turn)

Personal actions will be solved with a roll to determine the success of the Director's personal endeavors.

The reward of good work is more work, and less free time. You are acutely aware of this truth.


[] Lords of Mars (NEW)

As a landed Patrician of Olympia, Vladimir Kolinsky, Director of the Academy, is now invited to participate in the debates of the Forum over philosophy, ethics, and the nature of good governance. Of course, if the Director feels…unable to participate in such elevated debates, his absence will not be commented upon.

Participate in high level Gens politics. Chance to influence the Gens and trade favors.


[] An Education from the Schola

The Household do not trust easily. For now, you are an asset under strict surveillance from the servants of the Imperator. But you could be more.
Accept the Schola education. Obtain some of the most advanced training in the Empire. Obtain the trust of the Household and its resources. Accept to be conditioned.
According to the ethical guidelines of the Household, one must take on the chains willingly.

Exceptional training. The Household Trust. Limited mental conditioning.


[] Coordinate the Rush

You have a long experience in managing vast, complex, chaotic projects under insanely short deadlines. It is time to use this experience for all it is worth. Using the position of influence of the Academy, it is time to streamline the logistical path, reorganize investments and wring any suckers for all their worths!

Just like the good old days.

1-2 Jovian Rush shares for the Academy. Enhance Jovian Boom actions.​

Glossary​

Historical Terms

Antedeluvian Empires : Old advanced prehistoric nations that were destroyed by constant conflicts and the coming of an ice age. Founded colonies on Mars before there downfall.

Time of Chaos : A period of conflicts, unrest and use of WMD on Mars, ended by the foundation of the Empire and the unification of the planet under the Empire.

Reconstruction of Olympia : Period of stabilization of the Empire, were the Imperial system was truly instituted and Mars was christened Olympia.

Conquest of Earth : In reaction to Earth's nations use of nuclear weapons, the Empire send a conquest fleet to Earth, that attacked the planet just as the Cuba Missiles Crisis was turning hot. The Empire rapidly crushed organized resistances but faced years of guerillas. Many old Earth's nations were turned into client states.

Reconstruction of Earth : Period of reorganization and reconstruction of Earth, with the Olympian's system somewhat implanted on Earth, and major projects (Mega-cities and mag-lev rails, ecological restoration).

Era of Exploration : Current period



Political Terms

The Empire: The Olympian Senatorial Empire, a unitary authoritarian nation that unified both Earth and Olympia. Dedicated to preventing another Time of Chaos through control.

Imperial Calendar : Made of Olympian years (approximately two Earth years each) and build on a Era system, with the Imperator changing is faceplate to signify a new era (First year of the Era of Exploration is the starting year of this quest).

The Orderly Garden: Main political philosophy of the Empire, build upon the idea that uncontrolled interactions and conflicts between different lives create Chaos and death. By putting every lifeform into an organized system (the Garden), they can be tamed and interact in harmony without need for violence. This philosophy intrinsically encourage cooperation and prosperity to create the promised Garden, but also authoritarianism and use of force to impose the Garden to the unwilling.

The Imperator: The nameless, faceless, absolute ruler of the Empire, always in power armor. According to Imperial dogma, the Imperator is not a person, but a concept made flesh, without any other identity. For man are mortal, but the Imperator is eternal.

Senate: A advisory body for the Empire, used to develop ideas and recruits capable subalterns.

Forum: The Senate building on Olympia, characterized by highly intellectual debate and a lot of conservatism.

Arbitration: Senate building on Earth and main political body of the planet. A mix between a powerful UN and an occupation government, used to keep control of Earth and recruit capable Earthers.

Patricians: Elite class of the Empire, with, amongst others, the right to participate in the Senate and with free speech. Come in hereditary forms, were a Gens (extended family) can have a given numbers of Patricians at the same time, and in non-hereditary forms, given for exceptional service (military or not) or by-passing grueling exams and loyalties test.

Citizens: Every non-Patricians subjects of the Empire. Guaranteed human necessities (food, water, lodging, leisure…) but not freedom (of movement, speech, work…).

Olympians : 1-Any Imperial subjects
2- A person born on Olympia. Without Earther blood, characterized by a high heigh (around two meters), a somewhat delicate frame, sharp features and red skin, hair, and eyes.

Earthers : A person born on Earth. The derogatory form is Earthling. A more respectful form is Home-Worlders.



The Gens : 1- Traditional household structure on Olympia, born from the Time of Chaos. Take the forms of an extended family clan living in one house, with individual chambers and collective living spaces. Practice collective rearing of children and allow the Empire of neatly sidesteps the issues of LGBT+ individuals in a situation with a need for reproduction (The Gens need to produce children, not every individuals in it).

2- A political factions made of Patricians family of Olympian stocks with long history and consolidated assets around one economics sector. Cultivated and true believers of the Imperials ideals, but very conservatives.

Domed City : Olympia main type of settlement, city under a pressurized dome of steel-hard glass, with hydroponics gardens for food and oxygen production. Highly dense living, peerless urbanism and control by a few selects Gens are features of Domed cities.



The Household : Personal servants of the Imperator (the Imperial Household). Giving great authority and powers, but without any personal's rights: as servants of the Imperator, there are slaves, their authority delegated from the Imperator. As a faction dedicated to maintaining control and stability over the Empire.


The Schola : Main educational and propaganda institution of the Empire, divided beeteween the Outer Schola; controlling mass media and the exams that allow one to become a Patrician through studies, and the Inner Schola, which control orphanages and realize the mental conditioning needed to turn a normal human being into an ever loyal member of the Household.

Wards : Orphans or willing person conditioned to be loyal, competent and a direct extension of the Imperator's Will. Higher ranks in the Household mean stronger conditioning, and a progressive lose of personal identity, until they are functions with a body, and not persons.

Ministers : Functionary of the Empire, sometime recruited from outside the Wards and with less conditioning than most members of the Household.

Praetors : The Imperator's bodyguards and Imperial secret service. Infamous for their abilities to take on false identities for their missions, surnamed the Masks.

Oracles : Artificials neurodivergent created for data analysis and predictions, created from an old religious order integrated to the Household during the unification of Olympia.



The Conglomerates: Main factions of Earth, a loose association of corporations, nations, interest groups and Olympians transplant working with and against one another to further their interest. Lack most hard power, but with a lot of economic and political influence through a complex net of ownership and favors. Reformist, but selfish factions, focused more on their interest than the interest of the wider population or the Empire.

Megacities: Main settlements of Earth, with millions lodged into giants, ultra dense urban zones inspired by Olympians Domed City. Somewhat fine to live in, due to Olympian urbanism practices and anti-pollutions system, but very unpersonal and cold, with many inhabitants reporting extreme loneliness.

Museum-cities: Cultural sanctuaries made from the historical center of depopulated cities, serving as center for arts and hub of tourism. Major Museum-cities include Paris, Cairo, and Beijing.



Warp Terms

Warp Dimension: Another Dimension with different, unstable law of physics, able to transform the properties of matter from our dimension. Extremely dangerous (risks include sudden implosion), but allow breach of physics such as FTL travel.

Membrane: Energy field between our dimension and the Warp Dimension, stopping effects of the Warp dimensions and with stable laws of physics near-identical to the laws of our dimension.

Warp Effects: Pinpoint breach between our dimension and the Warp Dimension. Allow to transform matter around them into physics defying Warp Particles. Exist in artificial (needing specific system and a lot of power) and natural (needing to thrown matter into the Warp Dimension and getting it back) form.

Warp Particles: Any matter transformed by the effects of the Warp Dimension. Include anti-gravity matter, perfect coolant, room-temperature superconductor, and others.

Warp Bacteria: Bacteria modified by the Warp Dimension. Include mutations-causing plagues and teleporting cells.

Warp Field: Two Warp Effects created at the same time in near proximity can become interlinked, dragging part of the Membrane to create a stable energy field, with some minor differences in the laws of physics.

Dimension Breaker: By creating three interlinked Warp Effect, a violent reaction is caused where a bubble of matter is violently thrown to the other side of the Membrane.​