Futuristic The Frontier: A Space Western Terms and Lore

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THE FRONTIER: A Space Western
Interest Group | Main Gameplay Thread | Character Factory | Chat Club
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS:
Airlock Door- A door specially designed to prevent loss of breathable air from buildings as soon as the door opens.
Alpha Mother- The leader of a Khodai clan, worshiped as a goddess.
Atmosphere Generator- A device that pumps air content and pressure suitable for humans into an enclosed space, such as a building or suit.
Colony- A human-run establishment on Martian soil.
Devil- A Khodai military leader.
The Gov- A slang term for the human government that "oversees" the colonies.
Human Standard Credit- The monetary unit used by Martian colonists, called just "credits" for short.
Khodai- Mars' native, insectoid alien species.
Militiaman- A soldier/police officer tasked with guarding and maintaining order in the colonies. The term is gender-neutral.
Red Dawn- A colony's militiamen's barracks, sheriff's office, and jail. Larger colonies have more than one Red Dawn.
Rover- One-man (or two-man if you don't mind the slight cramping) multiwheeled transports.
Stable- A space in a colony dedicated to repairing and recharging rovers.
Suit- A spacesuit, designed to protect humans from Mars' harsh environment. Required for going outdoors.
Technician- A mechanic tasked with upkeep of the colony's functions.
Underling- A generic Khodai on the bottom caste of society.
Vice Emissary- A male attendant of the Alpha Mother, acting as a prophet and administrator.
Yeoman- A bounty hunter, identified by the red scarf they tie to their belt. The term is gender-neutral.

 

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NEW EDEN COLONY:
New Eden Colony is a fairly newly-established colony, set just at the edge of Brandon's Foothills. Perhaps because of its relative newness, the colony runs quite efficiently. Attacks from the Khodai are nonexistent so far, and crime is low. Though all of that will most likely change very very soon.
The colony occupies a full acre of land, most of which is empty space for future expansion. It currently consists of the following establishments:
The Bulletin Board- A notice board near the center of town, used for posting requests, bounties, what have you.
"The Clinic"- The colony's only medical facility, run by the robot T-5 Waltz.
Housing- Numerous residencies for the colony's denizens, located mostly on the second level of buildings.
Jenna's Gear and Robot Repair- A shop devoted to restoring weapons and robots, run by Jenna Branton.
Keith's Government-Issue Eatery- Basically a more wholesome place to get a bite to eat.
Red Dawn- The militiamen's barracks, sheriff's office, and jail. Home to one of two bulletin boards.
The Stable- The standard stable for rover repair and recharge.
Touch of Home- A bar neighboring Jenna's Gear and Robot Repair, run by Erica Branton.
The Trading Post- A small warehouse that offers weapons and equipment to the colony's residents.
Welcome Center- An establishment that offers information about the colony.

 

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OFFICIAL BOUNTY DOSSIER #001:
BOUNTY TARGET
TONY FINCH
"THE IRON BULL"

Spoiler: APPEARANCE

WANTED FOR: DESERTION, SMUGGLING, ILLEGAL TECH USE, GROSS BODILY HARM AND MURDER.
REWARD: 20,000 HSC
CURRENT LOCATION: UNKNOWN. LAST SEEN IN NEW EDEN COLONY.

KNOWN INFORMATION
Tony Finch was once a Military Captain who served with the American Second Alliance, but was stripped of his rank and scheduled for execution due to War Crimes committed during The Boston Uprising.
However, Tony Finch escaped custody with the use of illegal combat augments that massively boost his physical strength.
Using his inside knowledge of Military and Government procedure, Tony began to smuggle illegal artifacts, materials and even people to and from the colonies.
Despite repeated official attempts, Tony Finch has always evaded capture - and Yeomen have been employed to bring him down. Currently without success.

Tony Finch is an extremely hazardous individual with incredible strength and resilience.

RUMORS

• Tony’s evasion of the law so far has been exceptional. There are theories that he has a spy within the Militia who must warn him of potential raids.
• Tony Finch has a love for gambling, especially card games and has been known to arrange private games with individuals who garner his attention.
• Tony enjoys fighting. It is believed he sometimes leaks his location to certain Bounty Hunters and Yeomen, only to crush them himself.

 

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THE KHODAI:

Spoiler: APPEARANCE

The Khodai are Mars' native alien population, resembling nothing more than bipedal spiders. Primarily scavengers by nature, their technology is highly primitive: the armor they wear to keep the cold out is cobbled together from scraps, replacement limbs are rudimentary at best, and what few firearms they use are jury-rigged and inefficient. Perhaps because of their lack of technological advancement, they resent the humans who have arrived to settle on the Red Frontier, though they could simply be upset that their territory is being taken. A few have taken some initiative to try and make contact with the humans, with limited success.

BIOLOGY:
The Khodai biology is largely comparable to that of an insect, with their chitinous shells and multiple limbs. Their circulatory system, however, is of the closed variety, in which the blood actually remains within the blood vessels entirely, as opposed to the open system of an insect. Blood is pumped by two hearts. Their respiratory and vocal system are also more developed, with human-like trachea and lungs designed to breathe the thin carbon dioxide atmosphere, and vocal cords that allow them to speak different languages.
Khodai are able to orally produce a material colloquially referred to as "silk," through special glands located in the mouth, where a human's tonsils would be. This silk is transparent and quick-hardening, i.e., it is malleable when first produced, but quickly solidifies shortly after being shaped as desired. Purposes of silk range from repair of armor, to binding of wounds for healing, to construction of family domes (the Khodai equivalent of a house). Khodai must regularly ingest material such as Martian rock or sand in order to produce silk, because the minerals within the rock and sand are key components of the silk; they give the hardened silk its sturdiness.
Production of silk is important for Khodai maturation. Upon hatching, a Khodai larva will begin to consume the rock and sand around its hatching site, forming a bowl-shaped crater. The larva then produces silk in the shape of a covering dome over the crater, forming an area of isolation that will allow the larva to metamorphose into a pubescent Khodai child undisturbed.
Khodai gender is determined primarily through head ornamentation. Males bear large horns on their heads, while females bear numerous small antennae on theirs. The larger a male's horns, or the more numerous a female's antennae, the greater the sex appeal.

SOCIETY:
Khodai society is dominated by clans. A few notable Khodai clans include: Clan Durrus, Clan Olada, Clan Uyath, Clan Susin, and Clan Ferros. Other clans can be created in the game proper. These clans are largely independent from one another; as such, clans are free to instigate blood feuds or alliances with other clans. Each clan is dominated by a caste society. At the top caste is the Alpha Mother, the most fertile Khodai female in the clan, who will be replaced with the next most fertile female after her death. She is worshiped as a goddess by the lower castes. The second caste consists of the Vice Emissaries, the Alpha Mother's always-male aides, who act as prophets and administrators of her will. The third caste consists of the Devils, mostly-male military leaders. The fourth, and lowest, caste consists of the Underlings, everyone else.
Clan society is highly matriarchal. Traditionally female roles and occupations are more highly regarded than traditionally male ones. The most respectable role a Khodai can have is that of a parent, particularly a mother. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurturing of the young. Fathers are expected to protect the mothers and children, in addition to their usual duties within the clan, for the first year of the child's maturation; should their performance be insufficient (by the Alpha Mother's standards) or nonexistent, it is socially acceptable for the mother to consume her mate.

NAMING CONVENTIONS:
Khodai names are somewhat complex. The name begins with the clan that the Khodai was born into. Following the clan name is the proper name, hyphenated with a suffix that indicates the Khodai's gender. For males, the suffix is -Har; for females, the suffix is -Dah. Names are preceded by any jobs and titles the Khodai might have. For example: Vice Emissary Durrus Giren-Har, or Blacksmith-Underling Uyath Seldis-Dah.

OTHER:

• The Khodai have an alphabet, seen here.
• Clan Durrus and Clan Uyath have been in a blood feud for ages.
• Khodai will frequently use insulting terms such as "half-limbs" or "no-horns" to refer to humans.
• Some Khodai have learned to speak Basic (i.e., English) fluently, while most others can only speak fragments.
• [REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE EARTH GOVERNMENT]

 

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BABYLON COLONY:
Babylon Colony is the first established, the largest, and the most efficient human colony, set on the Boston Plain. Jointly funded by Earth's five superpowers- United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and Japan- it is a colony in name only; it's actually more of a city, what with its sheer size, large population, and incredibly upscale furnishings. It is known both for its incredibly upper-class residents, and its rampant gambling problem. There's a saying going around that a credit earned in Babylon Colony is a thousand lost.
The colony occupies nearly 30 acres of land, and is divided into five districts: Babylon-I (the "Original Babylon"), Babylon-II, Babylon-III, Babylon-IV, and Babylon-V. It currently consists of the following notable establishments:
COMMON TO ALL DISTRICTS:
Housing- Numerous residencies for the colony's denizens.
The Port- A docking bay for privately-owned spaceships.
Red Dawn- Babylon-II's militiamen's barracks, sheriff's office, and jail.
The Stable- The standard stable for rover repair and recharge.

BABYLON-I:
The Bottom Half- The colony's original casino, somehow still in its original state.
Ludgate's- The colony's original bar; ironically, it is no longer owned by the Ludgates.
And numerous other locations that can be created in the game proper.

BABYLON-II:
The Bar at the End of the Universe- An unfortunately seedy bar.
Black Jack's- A casino owned by John "Black Jack" Nightingale.
The Haunting Grounds- A large casino, notorious for its "house always wins" policy.
And numerous other locations that can be created in the game proper.

BABYLON-III:
Fabulous Tim's Casino- A colorful casino owned by the flamboyant "Fabulous Tim" St. John.
Shotgun to the Throat- A bar notorious for its strong drinks; that's where it got its name.
And numerous other locations that can be created in the game proper.

BABYLON-IV:
Greenthumb- A casino painted entirely green, for some reason.
Roger's Fine-Quality Liquors and Tobacco- A booze and cigarette supply warehouse.
The Spires- A network of very large electricity generators; basically the colony's power plant.
Stacy's- A robot and weapons repair shop.
And numerous other locations that can be created in the game proper.

BABYLON-V:
Peter Peeper's- A, uh... a strip club.
The Slums- An area of housing for lower-income citizens; not legitimate slums by any means.
And numerous other locations that can be created in the game proper.

 

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THE ICE CAPS:
The Ice Caps are the frigid formations at the northern and southern poles of Mars. They serve as the primary source of water for the human colonies; as such, most of the colonies are established near the Ice Caps for ease of water transport, specifically the northern Ice Caps.
The northern Ice Caps also happen to be the haunting grounds for the Khodai of Clan Ferros, a clan that has adapted to the cold climates.

 

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THE IRON BAND:
The Iron Band is a (for the most part) lawful organization of mercenaries. They used to be a covert unit in the Gov's military, charged with locating, seizing, and defending resources for human colonies, but splintered off due to currently unknown reasons and established themselves on the border of the northern Ice Caps and the Martian wastes. At some point, they came into contact with, and were caputred by, the Khodai of Clan Ferros, at the time engaged in a civil war with the now-extinct Clan Inali. The Iron Band offered help in defeating Clan Inali in exchange for being released; Clan Ferros accepted, and with their numbers bolstered, succeeded in eradicating their enemy.
As a result of the cooperation, the Iron Band and Clan Ferros allied with each other, and the Iron Band began accepting Khodai within their ranks.

 

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HOUSE OF THE ARCHER:
The House of the Archer is an Iron Band-established outpost just inside the border of the northern Ice Caps. It serves multiple purposes: a rest stop for the wanderers crazy enough to want to explore the Ice Caps; an outpost for members of the Iron Band to receive new assignments or report in; and a weapons storehouse, only accessible to members of either the Iron Band or Clan Ferros. After all, somewhat experimental weaponry can't just be dumped in the hands of the general masses.
The House is named for the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer.

 

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RASPUTIN OUTPOST:
Rasputin Outpost is a colony-sized trading post, somewhere midway between Babylon Colony and New Eden Colony. Primarily funded by Russia, this trading post offers pretty much everything you'd expect a traveler of Mars to need. Extra oxygen packs, parts for atmosphere generators, or entirely new atmosphere generators? Rasputin Outpost has it. Gun repair, replacement armor fragments, or entirely new suits of armor? Rasputin Outpost has it. Drugs, sex, and the occasional disease? You bet your ass Rasputin Outpost has it.

 

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OFFICIAL BOUNTY DOSSIER #002, #003, #004:
IRON BAND WANTED TARGETS
THE COPPER ONI GANG

NATSUKAWA KOKO

Spoiler: APPEARANCE

WANTED FOR: ARSON, BLACKMAIL, MURDER, INTERCEPTION AND THEFT OF WEAPONS AND SUPPLIES FROM TWO IRON BAND CONVOYS.
REWARD: 19,000 HSC (ONLY IF DELIVERED TO THE IRON BAND)
CURRENT LOCATION: UNKNOWN. LAST SEEN TRAVELING IN THE DIRECTION OF RASPUTIN OUTPOST.

HARRISON HICKS

Spoiler: APPEARANCE

WANTED FOR: GROSS BODILY HARM, INTERCEPTION AND THEFT OF WEAPONS AND SUPPLIES FROM TWO IRON BAND CONVOYS, ILLEGAL TECH USE, SMUGGLING, AND RAPE.
REWARD: 17,500 HSC (ONLY IF DELIVERED TO THE IRON BAND)
CURRENT LOCATION: UNKNOWN. LAST SEEN TRAVELING IN THE DIRECTION OF RASPUTIN OUTPOST.

EDA-291127 "KEEN"

Spoiler: APPEARANCE

WANTED FOR: ILLEGAL TECHNOLOGICAL SELF-INTEGRATION, INTERCEPTION AND THEFT OF WEAPONS AND SUPPLIES FROM TWO IRON BAND CONVOYS, POSSESSION OF AN UNLAWFUL WEAPON, AND VANDALISM.
REWARD: 10,000 HSC (ONLY IF DELIVERED TO THE IRON BAND)
CURRENT LOCATION: UNKNOWN. LAST SEEN TRAVELING IN THE DIRECTION OF RASPUTIN OUTPOST.

 

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THE MARTIAN ENVIRONMENT:
Forget your old astronomy classes, because in this game, Mars is different.

THE LANDSCAPE:
The Martian landscape is dominated by desert. The majority of the planet is covered in red-tinted sand, only changing color at the frozen northern and southern poles. Near the equator and scattered across the hemispheres are mountains, craters, canyons, and caves that have formed due to volcanic activity.
In areas where there are large populations of Khodai, one may find large crops of strange, mushroom-like foliage. In other areas, this foliage is sparse and small at best, due to an absence of A.) fertilizer and B.) individuals to cultivate it.

THE STUFF IN THE SOIL:
Martian soil is composed of the following materials: volcanic basalt rock, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, iron, and ice. These minerals are essential for many aspects of Martian civilization. The metals contained within the soil provide the necessary strength for Khodai silk to harden; the ice, once mined and distilled, provides a source of water for the foliage, wildlife, and citizens; the volcanic basalt provides a solid foundation for structures; and the iron can be gathered and shipped to the Moon, where it can be efficiently smelted and turned into construction materials.
Mars also yields within its crust special minerals unseen and unheard-of until humans first started colonizing the planet. Scientists have begun to study what they can get heir hands on, and entire colonies have become dedicated to mining these minerals. Success has been limited, though, because the Khodai seem to have gotten their hands on what seems to be most of them.

THE WILDLIFE:
Aside from the native Khodai, Mars' other significant large wildlife is the lork (plural lorki), colloquially referred to by the humans as "space bison." These bovine creatures provide Khodai and humans with edible meat and fur. Their feces also serves as good fertilizer for the mushroom trees that the Khodai cultivate. Basically, the lorki relationship with the mushroom trees is mutual: mushroom trees provide lorki with food to eat, and lorki provide mushroom trees with fertilizer and higher concentrations of nutrients. In a pinch, lorki will feast on Martian sand. The lork population is high due to aggressive breeding by the Khodai, and most of them live within Khodai clan territories.
In the vein of insects and small creatures, Mars is home to insects about the length of a human thumb, skin parasites that plague lorki, and "crab-lizards" that feast on said insects and skin parasites. Each of these creatures is capable of living in Mars' harsh weather conditions and thin atmosphere.