The Vampire Ancients

[gloriousbattle]

This is just a very rough idea I have for starting a new, non-canon Traveller campaign, since I found the Dracula in Traveller article. It is a very science fantasy idea, but I'd be interested in seeing how YOU would flesh it out.

Any suggestions appreciated.

***

Okay, see, beeeeeelyuns and beeeeeelyuns of years ago, there were these two universes existing parallel to each other (whatever that means). The one was a universe of stars and planets, but the only life existed on the stars themselves. This is not so hard to conceive, as stars are pretty flush with energy in constantly changing forms, as opposed to planets, which are kinda cold and slow by comparison. These creatures were intelligent, civilized (though in a perplaxingly non-human manner), and could travel to and colonize other stars by moving through a sort of jump gate that exists naturally at the center of every star. For a looooooooong time, this worked out pretty well, and the star creatures argued philosophy, composed music, and otherwise enjoyed themselves.

But, as the universe aged a bit, some of the stars started to die, which, for a star, meant collapsing into a black hole. These black holes actually were gates to another, far nastier universe, inhabited by terrible creatures who's name -even for themselves- translates, very roughly as "Devourers." The Devourers constantly sought new sources of energy to... well... devour. When the gates to the star creature's universe started to open, they immediately began to invade, kill stars, and create even more and very massive black holes in what has since become the centers of galaxies.

However, the Devourers had bitten off a bit more than they could chew (pardon the joke).

After a few meeeeeelyun years or so (a pretty short time where such creatures are concerned), the star creatures developed a new weapon. They learned to cause some stars to go nova and super nova, flooding the Devourers with more energy than they could tolerate, and driving them back to their own dark, cold universe. For awhile, the universe of light again knew peace.

But the Devourers were a vengeful race, and would not suffer defeat easily. They created new creatures, of the same sort as themselves, but far lesser, and sent them through the gates. These dark servants were also vulnerable to extremes of energy, but could use planets, moons and other cold bodies to hide from them more easily. When enough of the lesser ones had invaded the starry universe, they would begin, slowly, to construct shields behind which their masters could also hide. These shields would be proof against the nova weapons, and would allow their masters to feed at leisure.

When the starry ones became aware of this awful device, they were in something of a quandary. They could hardly destroy every planet and moon in the cosmos with nova weapons. After all, each star-turned-nova destroyed one of their homes. In the end, the Devourers could only win such a war of attrition. After ruminating for a few meeeeeelyun years or so, they decided upon a counter-weapon.

The starry ones created the warm-life.

At first, these were very simple life forms, similar to but far less energetic than their own. These creatures were seeded on the planets of the universe, and slowly, under the guidance of the starry ones, they developed complexity, intelligence and power. What's more, as they were natives to this universe, they found it far less hostile than the dark servants did. The warm-life could breed and multiply in numbers, whereas the dark ones could not.

By the time the Devourers discovered this strategem, it was almost too late to stop it. Warm-life had bred on beeeeeelyuns and beeeeeelyuns of worlds in many and variant forms. Soon, the Devourers knew, these creatures would evolve sufficiently to commune with their makers, and begin their war on the dark servants.

But, perhaps, the servants still had time to strike first.

And so the Devourers ordered a change in plans. The servants would cease construction of the nova shields and begin subverting the warm-life. If these creatures could be brought under the control of the Devourers, they could be taught to hate and fear, and to make war upon themselves. They could be thrown into collosal confusion, and their dangerous energies thus dissipated, allowing the servants to resume their all-important work, and perhaps even draw some of the warm-life into their service. That would give the Devourers much wicked satisfaction indeed.

And now the battle lines are drawn. Will life evolve to its true potential, or will it succumb to the dark?

***

Obviously, like any good plot, this should be unknown to the PCs (and pretty much everybody else) at the beginning of the campaign, but should develop with a few slap-my-own-forehead "NOW I get it!" moments. How to accomplish this?

Ideas:

What if the pattern of novas and super novas had some order to them, almost like battle lines?

What if legends of angels (the starry ones) and vampires (the dark servants) were almost universal?

What if the only planets where vampire legends were unknown, were also planets where the vampires had secretly assumed control?

What if "null jump" areas existed around certain dead star systems, that psionic characters might (with a lot of effort) be able to figure out were artificially contstructed?

What if it turned out that life on virtually every planet in the universe had evolved at roughly the same time (within a few meeeeeelyun years or so)?

I welcome all suggestions.

[revford]

Sounds a bit Babylon 5, which is a good thing. 

[gloriousbattle]

Sounds a bit Babylon 5, which is a good thing. 

 

Definitely was part of the inspiration, though without the galactic group hug at the end of the Shadow War.  Mostly, it's just an excuse for vampires IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!

Back on topic, an objection to a lot of this is that the patterns I'm suggesting above won't exist, as these things (black holes, novas, etc.) simply arose as a result of natural forces.  Ah, but what if it only appears that way, because we are not looking for an intelligent source?  This could have an interesting lead-in to some scientist who was spurned by the establishment, who has figured out -at least to an extent- what is really going on.

"We thought that we had grown up, that we were too old for gods.  Well, we'd better start understanding them if we hope to get any older..."

[anevilgiraffe]

sounds a bit Who to me to be honest...

the Timelords accidentally ripped a hole into another universe where the Vampires existed, releasing them into this universe... there was a massive war across the universe, the Timelords wiped them out, (except for the Great Vampire who escaped to a pocket universe) and vampire legends on all the planets are memories of the war... even the Timelords have forgotten pretty much, but there is an alert protocol on all Tardis's should any vampire be discovered...

you could go with a second war starting maybe... you've got legends on worlds and so on, but now things are coming true sort of thing...

another nice Who touch was the pre-universe that might fit in with your plans... all of the god-like beings in Who (the Eternals, the Guardians), were actually residents of the universe before this one, that had such advanced science that they were able to escape the collapse of their universe and survive the creation of ours... so you have immensely powerful beings with completely alien motives, at a time when nothing could have evolved that far and never will (the whole Arthur C Clark Science and Magic thing)...

[Blackwolf]

Brian Lumley? He bores me to tears and he murdered CoC..........

[gloriousbattle]

sounds a bit Who to me to be honest...

the Timelords accidentally ripped a hole into another universe where the Vampires existed, releasing them into this universe... there was a massive war across the universe, the Timelords wiped them out, (except for the Great Vampire who escaped to a pocket universe) and vampire legends on all the planets are memories of the war... even the Timelords have forgotten pretty much, but there is an alert protocol on all Tardis's should any vampire be discovered...

you could go with a second war starting maybe... you've got legends on worlds and so on, but now things are coming true sort of thing...

another nice Who touch was the pre-universe that might fit in with your plans... all of the god-like beings in Who (the Eternals, the Guardians), were actually residents of the universe before this one, that had such advanced science that they were able to escape the collapse of their universe and survive the creation of ours... so you have immensely powerful beings with completely alien motives, at a time when nothing could have evolved that far and never will (the whole Arthur C Clark Science and Magic thing)...

I remember that episode, and I did enjoy it, but I was hoping for something more subtle than stake-shaped spaceships plunging into the hearts of giant alien vampires. 

I think I want something more behind the scenes, where the vast majority of the universe still doesn't know the vampires exist.  Yes, there will be massive wars, and probably whole stellar empires under the vampire's control, but no one will know who is really pulling the strings except a few ostracized scientists, a fringe religious organization or two, and, of course, a group of rather unfortunate PCs... 

[warrenss2]

"The Devourers constantly sought new sources of energy to... well... devour. " - So the Devourers move to devour a star so that can have the energy to move to devour star?    There must be a deeper, unknown reason why they do this... perhaps something to be discovered in the course of many campaigns? Something that, once discovered and understood, would make these creatures not so much different from Starry Ones? After all I bet the Starry Ones destroyed some creatures in making those stars nova.

What if the Devourers were the good guys pushed to desperation (i.e. - the destruction of stars) to defeat the evil Starry Ones?

[gloriousbattle]

"The Devourers constantly sought new sources of energy to... well... devour. " - So the Devourers move to devour a star so that can have the energy to move to devour star?    There must be a deeper, unknown reason why they do this... perhaps something to be discovered in the course of many campaigns?

Interesting idea, but I'm not so sure.  After all, human beings eat, sleep and **** largely so they can continue to eat, sleep and ****.  But I could be convinced otherwise.

Something that, once discovered and understood, would make these creatures not so much different from Starry Ones? After all I bet the Starry Ones destroyed some creatures in making those stars nova.

What if the Devourers were the good guys pushed to desperation (i.e. - the destruction of stars) to defeat the evil Starry Ones?

This one I am trying to avoid, though it is a temptation.  I really didn't want the whole thing to turn into a galactic group hug.  I'd like the vampires and their masters to be evil and stay evil.  Maybe there might be a chance for a little individual redemption here and there, but in the end I'd like it to be about the struggle of good vs. evil, rather than an analysis of how good and evil really end up being the same thing.

[anevilgiraffe]

massively macro viruses... simples

[gloriousbattle]

massively macro viruses... simples

and done to death.