Society, ST tech, and male Yamatians

[Anonymous]

I checked out the new players faq and CCG, but still have some questions.

How is the society like? Free and Open? Militaristic? Somewhat oppressive? Despotic? Ideal (I.E. Star Trekish?)

How are their interaction with other nations? Peaceful? Aggresive?

Social structure. Varied with a strong middle class, or sharply divided between upper and lower?

Could I get a little more info on this soul transfer/body switching? HOw long has it been around? Why would anyone want to change their bodies in the first place? Is it common, like every couple of years as fashions change, or is it only sort of a "i'm dying, I need a new body' thing?

How common are male Yamaitains? I see they are listed as a male component, but they seem based on the female only species.

 

[Fred]

How is the society like? Free and Open? Militaristic? Somewhat oppressive? Despotic? Ideal (I.E. Star Trekish?)

Looking at the information blurb for the Yamataian Star Empire would be a good idea to get an accurate picture of that society. My nearest analog to Star Army of Yamatai is actually not Star Trek, but the 'Crest of the Stars' anime series.

Otherwise, the only good advice I can give you is to do some backreading and see how the characters acts to get the 'feeling'.

How are their interaction with other nations? Peaceful? Aggresive?

The Star Army is expansionistic and even a bit elitistic in their methods. They have no qualms about conquering other species if they prove hostile, but would much rather gain allies. I'd say that in general, Star Army personnel are well intentioned but they don't roll over to anyone.

Social structure. Varied with a strong middle class, or sharply divided between upper and lower?

It depends on the character's perception, really. For example, a Nekovalkyrja would have been created for the purpose of serving the Star Army for at least 8 years as a soldier. It's needs are provided for, but it is expected the neko will perform. Social structure for nekos is more related to a chain of command, with the 'real society' not really being in their perceptions except as some distant element.

On the other hand, if you take a Geshrin girl growing up on Yamatai, you'd have her probably be in a strong middle class - since quality of life on Yamatai ~is~ improved and rather idyllic. That girl coudl study, apply in the Star Army and become an enlisted, but her life experience and general outlook on society would be entirely different from a nekos.

Then again, I'm only talking about Yamatai. There are other places, like the strife-torn Neplesia or the subjugated Elysia.

Could I get a little more info on this soul transfer/body switching? HOw long has it been around? Why would anyone want to change their bodies in the first place? Is it common, like every couple of years as fashions change, or is it only sort of a "i'm dying, I need a new body' thing?

As it is now, soul transfer technology seems to have been around for a little more than two decades and has been perfectioned since. It's original use was, as the name hints, to changea personality from one body to another, allowing some of the older nekovalkyrja in the game to 'upgrade' their bodies. However, Soul Transfer technology, as current, offers the possibility of making a record of a character's mental state - should that character meet an untimely end, there is the possibility of using that record to 'recreate' that character, though any knowledge gained after the record is lost.

Soul transfer technology is mostly available to the military. Citizens can 'rent' ST technology usage, but the price is extremely prohibitive for just a few days, making it simply impractical to use for most of the populace.

 

[Tom]

I'm going to TRY to answer this as best I can.

We'll split it by the two major powers:

Yamatai is the big dog. They were modeled, I believe, with a government system much like feudal japan.

The society is multi-layered. Military plays a big role in their way of life, as the majority of the population of the Yamatai empire is composed of the Neko (genetically created cat-eared beings with human personality who are made to serve in the military).

Politics in the Yamatai empire are run by a senate with an emperor heading it. The emperor, however, has the power to make decrees that supercede it.

That's what I can safely answer about Yamatai. Wes (or another Yamatai GM) will have to answer your questions regarding Social structure, international relations, ST Technology and gender breakdown.

Onto Nepleslia:

The social structure of Nepleslia is basically survival of the fittest. Whoever has the most power makes the rules. Nepleslia was founded on crime, so major criminal organizations run the place. The military/government, however, is making steps toward correcting this.

Nepleslians are very racist toward Neko. (Although Nepleslians themselves are targets of racism as well)

The demographic of Nepleslia is almost entirely male, as there is some genetic quality that affects reproduction.

Nepleslia currently holds a treaty with Yamatai.

The government of Nepleslia is run by the emperor and Master Admiral Robert Davis. The criminal presence on the planet, however, has an influence on politics as well.

Let's tackle the differences in RP between the two.

If you go to Yamatai, you're going to have a structured, organized military force with a highly developed space campaign and awesome technology. If you want to fly among the stars and explore new worlds, Yamatai is your best bet. Also, the majority of players are part of Yamatai.

If you go to Nepleslia, you're going to be part of a rough and tumble, gritty environment with a focus on planetary combat and rogue activites. If you want to shoot the hell out of thugs and immerse yourself into a dark and corrupt world, Nepleslia is your best bet. We have fewer players, but are growing somewhat rapidly (almost to the point that I need another GM!)

I hope this helps you out.

 

[Kim]

Elysia before it made the peace treaty with Yamatai was divided amongst 2 social classes- the Plebians and the Patricians. (I'm not sure how much it has changed. I know the division is still there.)

The Plebians tend to be skinny, malnurished, and are the low end of the society. They are the working class and the poor, as well as servants to the Patricans. They most obey the Patricians or be severly punished. Since social standing is a matter of birth, I am uncertain if a Plebian can ever hope to become a Patrician.

The Patricians are the upper class and the ones with all the power. They are the leaders, officers, buerocrats. They usually look down upon the Plebians and treat them harshly as nothing or as objects for their amusement.

Their military was the most important facet of the society and its needs superceded that of the populace to the point that the people of Elysia (both classes) were on the verge of starvation.

Due to their bad history with Yamatai, most Elysians despise Nekos and wish them dead. But such is the result of 2 nasty wars, one of which happened on their home soil.

 

[Radien]

Related questions!

Hi there! First of all, I'm new and I'm also looking into possibly joining this good-looking game.

Secondly, my compliments on the site, content, and extremely well-organized layout. That's a major factor in what caught my attention for this RP.

Now down to business -- I had a few questions too. Some are related to this post, so I decided to reply here. Here we go:


1. I haven't seen any of Crest of the Stars. Do you have any other comparisons to give an idea of what this universe is like? I don't suppose it resembles the anime Stellvia of the Universe at all, since Stellvia has a highly military-based setting. (Yes, I know Star Army is much, much more advanced than Stellvia, and as far as I know Stellvia has no aliens)

2. Why are females extremely rare in the basic human race? Did something happen to cause this? If females are rare, was this a major influence in making artificially-created lifeforms with extremely feminine features?

3. With most females being "Nekos," and so much cloning going on, was this setting partially inspired by Saber Marionette J? (SMJ had a male-only population that had to sustain itself by cloning more males, and later created female androids to fill the social gap left by the lack of women)

4. How difficult (and/or legal) would it be for a Nepleslian to get ahold of soul-transfer technology? If illegal, yes, I'm wondering about crime bosses.

5. Last question... I've heard body-switching be referred to as both "soul transfer" and "personality switching." Now, is it essentially putting an artificial memory/personality imprint on a "blank" brain, or is it REALLY a "soul transfer?" If the truth of this is unknown, could I assume there is a bit of controversy over the matter?


Thanks in advance for your help. I hope to join in soon if all goes well.

 

[Kim]

Re: Related questions!

2. Why are females extremely rare in the basic human race? Did something happen to cause this? If females are rare, was this a major influence in making artificially-created lifeforms with extremely feminine features?

I can kinda answer this one. One of the major corporations accidentally created a virus that almost completely decimated the planet Geshrintall about 28 years ago. The original Geshrins were created to avoid such a tragedy from happening again. Why the society is top heavy? I'm not sure but it could be because the nekos were mass produced to recreate the military force.

The nekos were created using a combination of human and seraph DNA to be war machines and expendable (can be programmed and not actually trained). Since many of the inhabitants of Geshrintall are "created" for whatever purpose, the general idea I have been given for the vast majority of females is because they were created for military purposes. Nekos can reproduce asexually and therefore do not need a male counterpart. The process could very well be viewed as the Neko cloning itself to give birth to a "mini-me" with the same programming and knowledge. This gets around the whole problem of miscarriages, false pregnancies, birth defects, etc.

Geshrins probably reproduced on their own and sparingly, since many people don't want to be burdened with a child. And if all it takes to get pregnant is "Let's have a baby!" then it makes things a lot easier to get around. Plus being able to live longer and jump into a younger body kinda takes away the desire to pass onto a younger generation.

3. With most females being "Nekos," and so much cloning going on, was this setting partially inspired by Saber Marionette J? (SMJ had a male-only population that had to sustain itself by cloning more males, and later created female androids to fill the social gap left by the lack of women)

I actually do not know if this is actually a throwback to SMJ.

5. Last question... I've heard body-switching be referred to as both "soul transfer" and "personality switching." Now, is it essentially putting an artificial memory/personality imprint on a "blank" brain, or is it REALLY a "soul transfer?" If the truth of this is unknown, could I assume there is a bit of controversy over the matter?

There is controversy over what exactly ST does. It basically leaves a save point with all of a person's memories and their personality on a hard disk to be implanted into a new body. Whether or not this transfers a person's actual SOUL is up in the air. Many of the population believe it is their souls that is jumping from body to body.

 

[Zakalwe]

https://stararmy.com/setting/space/star_map.html

That'll show you the stars.

In the Nepleslians, there is something I belive which is called the Super Y Chromosone or something like that, which means that women are produced very rarely, creating an almost entierly male society. They're the closest to 'base' humans.

4. Next to impossible. ST technology is guarded very heavily. If SA got a wiff of a Nep using it, they'd probably send a force of Mindy's in to take the boss out, or declare war. They're restrictive around their technology.

5, Some people thinks it leaves you without a soul.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, both of you; those are some useful answers. Also some answers to questions I might have asked later. Can I ask a few more in response?

Why the society is top heavy? I'm not sure but it could be because the nekos were mass produced to recreate the military force.

I think the problem here is that I made a major assumption without realizing it. But then, it's not clearly stated in the docs that I've read. What I'm assuming is that parents have full control over the gender of their offspring, now? And that very few people of Yamatai have natural births anymore?

If that's the case, then I can understand having a "supply and demand"-based gender/species ratio. It's kind of like the whole gender issue in China today, except without the scary increased abortion rate.

The nekos were created using a combination of human and seraph DNA to be war machines and expendable (can be programmed and not actually trained). Since many of the inhabitants of Geshrintall are "created" for whatever purpose, the general idea I have been given for the vast majority of females is because they were created for military purposes.

(...snip...)

There is controversy over what exactly ST does. It basically leaves a save point with all of a person's memories and their personality on a hard disk to be implanted into a new body. Whether or not this transfers a person's actual SOUL is up in the air. Many of the population believe it is their souls that is jumping from body to body.

Okay, a few more questions arise about nekos and genetically created beings:

First of all, I've only heard of ST in reference to nekos and "upgrades." However, naturally some people will want to use ST to (in a way) extend their lifespan, whether or not they are in a position to do it.

Can ST be used ONLY with a neko for a destination body? Even if it's possible to do it with any body, it seems possible that only neko bodies would be in supply. Or do they even KEEP a "supply"? Are the bodies created to suit the needs (or requests) of the host?

4. Next to impossible. ST technology is guarded very heavily. If SA got a wiff of a Nep using it, they'd probably send a force of Mindy's in to take the boss out, or declare war. They're restrictive around their technology.

5, Some people thinks it leaves you without a soul.

I guess that's not surprising... do they keep ST pretty confined, then? Perhaps it is only available planetside, rather than on ships?

Anyway, there goes one character plot hook out the window. But I have other ideas.

The way people think about ST seems to make sense. Given what they know, anyway.



From what I've seen, I think I might want to play a character who is further out on the frontier (heh, blame it on Firefly). I'll look into Nepleslians and the various pirate-ridden areas to see what they're like.


By the way, I'll try to keep my questions to a minimum after this post, at least until I read more of your docs and logs.

 

[Zakalwe]

There is ST technology in almost every SA vehicle.

The destination of you 'soul' can be pretty much anything. Other than a tea pot.

 

[Tom]

Although I'd love to see you join our street war campaign in Nepleslia, I do know of the existence of a certain Pirate group that's actively recruiting.

I'm sure they'd love to have you.

 

[Yangfan]

Stop giving it away, Chris. ^_^

Now, what was it that I wanted to say? Oh yeah.

Yamatai - the stone cold truth:

Politics: The Yamatai Empire is nominally a Commonwealth, but the real "I'm putting my foot down" power is concentrated on the Emperor and the Major Corporations.

Civilian Life: Varies somewhat from planet to planet, as the central government has a hands-off approach (it's pretending to be a commonwealth, after all). After Nepleslia split off from the Empire, life is actually pretty good on most planets that are not inside war zones. Yamatai is very big on "the needs of many", so wealth distribution is very even. Just ignore that invisible security camera, citizen.

Diplomacy: Yamatai's main goal is survival, of course, so it has no qualms about increasing its territory size. Any civilization discovered that are considered easy targets are given a chance to join the "Commonwealth". "An offer you can't refuse" and all that, only more sugar-coated in diplomatic language. On the other hand, Yamatai is quite adept at diplomacy with civilizations that have militaries on par with Yamatai.

 

[Yangfan]

Re: This looks kind of interesting, but I have some question

Social structure. Varied with a strong middle class, or sharply divided between upper and lower?

There really isn't a rich or poor. More like a difference between 'I kicked God's ass. Repeatedly' and 'I'm PFC Joe Redshirt reporting for- *dead*'

Only true in the military. Wealth distribution is very even in the civilian sector.

 

[Radien]

Whoops, it looks like I forgot to log in last post. Oh well, it seems everybody figured it out anyway.

There is ST technology in almost every SA vehicle.

The destination of you 'soul' can be pretty much anything. Other than a tea pot.

I see... Let me rephrase an earlier question: through LEGAL connections, what is the likelihood that a Nepleslian official who is on speaking terms with Yamatai officers would be able to plead his case for using ST technology on a SINGLE person?

I know I'm stirring up rare situations, but I figure there's nothing wrong with trying to create an unlikely character if it's just to see the interesting situations that arise, as opposed to a means of creating a powerful character.

Although I'd love to see you join our street war campaign in Nepleslia, I do know of the existence of a certain Pirate group that's actively recruiting.

I'm sure they'd love to have you.

Right now, I'm equally interested in either of those possibilities. Thank you for being so welcoming. Perhaps I could just work out a character concept, and see which area it best fits into?...

 

[Wes]

I'm going to try and use some of these responses to create a new information page about Yamataian society.