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Thread: September/October 2012 Lite Challenge : Unc 201.F The Secret in the Sequel...

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    Guild Master Facebook Connected jtougas's Avatar
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    Wip September/October 2012 Lite Challenge : Unc 201.F The Secret in the Sequel...

    Carol Mayer had never stepped foot on another world. Her job description didn't require it and her employers never allowed it. Interworld Energy was not concerned with exploration or science outside of the science of resource exploitation. She had visited many worlds and spent her time in orbit gathering data which would be used in determining whether or not the planet was a suitable target for mining. UNC 201.F was proving to be VERY different. The mission had started like any other. She had been assigned to pilot her survey vessel IWSO 234 (which against regulations she had named for her home state of Nebraska) to the large world. Her task was the same as always, gather data and report her findings. Something about this world had sparked something in her however. She had seen the devastation reaped upon the last world she had surveyed and was determined to not let that happen again. She had falsified data and out right lied to her superiors. It hadn't mattered in the least. Interworld Energy had remotely commandeered her ship and continued with the survey. She had railed in impotent rage until the little craft had appeared on the Nebraska's sensors. Fast and agile it had darted around on the edge of sensor range until finally it took position between the planet and the survey ship. Interworld Energy responded by dispatching USMG fighters and bombers. Incredibly these were quickly destroyed by three more of the small craft from the surface. A tense communication from the planet followed and Carol Mayer IWSO survey captain found herself on the surface of UNC 201.F....

    Oh boy....The adventures of the reluctant alcoholic Carol Mayer continue...

    This seemed like a challenge right up my street. I like to write and secrets are the bread and butter of any good adventure. I can't promise I'll finish this but the idea struck me and here we go. The basic idea here is that Interworld Energy and by default our hero Carol Mayer will discover an life changing secret on UNC 201.F. I was doodling around and I came up with this. It's a combination of a couple of things that I mashed together to form a sort of "power generation" station. Of course it is alien so it HAS to glow. I plan on adding a village on the outskirts and some other details. We will see how it goes....

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    Guild Master Facebook Connected jtougas's Avatar
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    Wip

    Carol Mayer and the other members of the Nebraska crew stepped down off the ships landing ramp and stared in amazement. The planet was not very different from earth. The air tasted different and there were different sounds in the lush vegetation but the trees and soil were familiar enough to them. What was not familiar was the large structure directly in front of them. It seemed to be made of several circular structures connected with thick cables. What was most amazing was the fact that it gave off a bright blue glow. Mayer could feel the energy emanating from the structure. It felt like standing too close to a heat source and she could feel her skin begin to tingle. One of the scientists assigned to her crew whispered " It's an energy device of some sort. It almost looks as though it runs on Nexium" Mayer shushed the scientist as she saw a group of people approach them. People was the correct word. Other than being slightly taller and more muscular then most of her crew they WERE people. She was amazed and slightly amused that they were humanoid. She chuckled to herself over the flap THAT would cause in the scientific community back on Earth. One of the tall humanoids approached her. "You are the commander of this vessel?" His voice was deep and raspy. She nodded and then realized that he might not understand what that meant. "Yes" she said trying in vain to calm her racing heart. The humanoid looked down at her for a moment and then gestured. " We should go inside it is unsafe to be exposed to the energy source for too long" Mayer nodded again cursing herself at the gesture and asked" What kind of energy does this device create?" The tall humanoid looked at her with what Mayer assumed was confusion. "Create?" he asked. "The device as you call it does not create energy it merely contains it for our needs.Mayer took a deep breath and followed the humanoid into a circular building thinking to herself "Steady now girl you didn't bring any whiskey and god knows what they drink on this planet" She was sure that whatever she discovered here would be far beyond her wildest imagination....

    I worked some more on this tonight. I added a few buildings and some vegetation. I'm really liking the way is turning out so far. As always feedback is welcome

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    Last edited by jtougas; 09-28-2012 at 10:20 AM.
    I am the breath of Dragons...The Song of Mountains...The Stories of Rivers....The Heart of Cities.... I am A Cartographer....

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    Good to see you back in the saddle JT. Looking really good so far.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh

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    Guild Artisan lostatsea's Avatar
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    Looks interesting! Interesting story also. Need to add spaces to the latest wip heading. ### LATEST WIP ### It is case sensitive also !
    "Aye The skies be clear , the seas be calm and the winds be with us .....

    ARGH!! but the damn compass be broken!! "

    Capt. Noah Swalter Last voyage of the " Silver Crest"

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    Guild Master Facebook Connected jtougas's Avatar
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    Wip

    Carol Mayer had quickly discovered that there were no windows in the circular structure that the humanoid had led them into. They had been ushered into a room and left alone. The rest of her crew were milling about speaking to each other. Mayer for her part, was trying furiously to process all that she had seen. The aliens were humanoid. She wished she could remember who had said "The universe will always follow the most efficient and logical path" It had to have been one of her professors. She laughed to herself the universe certainly knew what it was doing. The gravity on this planet was slightly higher and the air was slightly more dense. There was no need for sentient life on this planet to evolve extra limbs or wings or gills or anything like that. Bipeds with slightly larger muscles than humans would do just fine.She had wondered about the humanoids ability to understand her language until she had spotted a device hanging from his belt. Obviously some sort of translation device. These people were more advanced than the humans in more ways then just their ship design and construction.She walked out of the doorless room and saw that she and her crew were not being guarded. She had no illusions that they weren't being watched however. She desperately wanted another look at the glowing energy container as the humanoid had called it. Night had fallen on this side of the planet and as she stepped outside the sight took her breath away. Glowing gently in the cool night air the energy container stood silent. There was no noise except for the occasional scurrying in the dense growth surrounding the clearing. Mayer found her inner scientist surface. What kind of energy was this device containing? What was it used for? Where did it come from? She hoped she would get to ask some of these questions. Her internal conversation was interrupted by the approach of the humanoid that had spoken to her. "You must return to the building. It is unsafe to be this close." Mayer had forgotten all about his earlier warning and now realized that she felt terrible. She managed to laugh weakly and then saw nothing as she tumbled into unconsciousness.....


    Quote Originally Posted by lostatsea View Post
    Looks interesting! Interesting story also. Need to add spaces to the latest wip heading. ### LATEST WIP ### It is case sensitive also !
    Thanks for that. I haven't entered a challenge in quite a while I decided to go with more "atmosphere" and make it night on UNC 201.F (what good is a glow if you can't enjoy it? ) I worked some more on the outlying buildings and added a few details and some shadowing. Next up will be a addition to the map showing the lower levels of the energy device. Capt Carol Mayer is about to learn something that will change everything she has ever known....

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    I am the breath of Dragons...The Song of Mountains...The Stories of Rivers....The Heart of Cities.... I am A Cartographer....

    Finished Maps
    Kingdom Of Shendenflar Campaign Setting (WIP)

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    Guild Master Facebook Connected jtougas's Avatar
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    Carol Mayer awoke to find herself lying in a cot surrounded by a blue glow. She felt a moment of terror until she saw the tall humanoid sitting next to her. His face was impassive as he spoke" You were warned of the dangers of the energy container" Mayer nearly laughed, if she didn't know better she would have sworn he sounded annoyed. She sat up and realized that she felt much better. She was mildly surprised to see her crew gathered in the room some were even smiling at her. She turned back to the alien. "I have so many questions for you I don't know where to start" He rose and turned away from her. "I have only one question for you Captain Mayer, Will your people attack this world again?" This time Carol KNEW she heard anger in his voice. She couldn't blame him. The arrogance of Interworld Energy and it's puppet the USMG was staggering. She could only imagine what that soulless bastard Parker Northrup was planning for this world. She looked at the alien and nodded. "Yes but please understand that we have no control over that. These people that attacked you they do not represent all of our people." He turned back to look at her. "You attack and destroy worlds for their rocks? You have no understanding of the damage you do." Carol Mayer thought she knew what he was talking about. Surely the aliens had been aware of Interworld's plundering of other worlds." Again I cannot emphasize enough the fact that we have no control over those situations." The alien looked down at her with that impassive stare. "You take no responsibility for your people's actions, you claim to abhor them but you do nothing to stop them from happening. Your people's actions threaten the universe but your arrogance prohibits you from caring..." Mayer watched as the tall humanoid clenched his fists and walked away. She stood and followed him. "Threatens the universe?" she asked " We are a tiny and insignificant species compared to the universe we are no threat." The alien turned and looked directly at her. "You asked me what this device contained, do you want to know? DO you want to see what your actions threaten? How your insignificant species can in fact destroy everything?" There was no mistaking the anger in his voice now. She merely nodded terrified of what he was about to show her.....

    Destroying the universe??... Oh my Carol has really done it now...

    This is what I'm calling the "Center" it will be an addition to the main map depicting the "secret" of this project. These structures were designed and created in Sketchup and finished in GIMP.

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    Finished Maps
    Kingdom Of Shendenflar Campaign Setting (WIP)

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    Guild Master Facebook Connected jtougas's Avatar
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    Wip

    Survey Captain Carol Mayer followed the tall muscular humanoid down a long tunnel. Her crew had been told to stay behind and for once they seemed to be in no mood to argue. Mayer wondered at the architecture. The buildings she had seen were very functional but not what could be described as ascetically pleasing. She asked the alien about this." Why was the energy device built to be so beautiful but these structures look so..." She hesitated afraid to insult the alien walking next to her. She discovered that she needed not worry about it as he answered. "Ugly? is that the word you were thinking of?" Mayer blushed. "No not ugly per se but very functional. The difference is striking." The humanoid nodded. "Yes my people did not build the energy container. Nor did my ancestors or their ancestors. In fact no one built the energy collector. It has always been here in one form or another since the beginning of time." Mayer gasped. "Since the beginning of time?" she said softly. " How could you know that? Someone HAD to have built it at some point." The alien shook his head and Mayer was struck at how human the gesture looked. "You do not understand. You have such a small grasp of the universe of how it actually functions. Your ignorance is dangerous." Mayer couldn't argue with that. The alien continued. "Everything that is comes from this place. Every star, every planet, every race. Everything from this one source of energy. MY people call it "The Center" it is quite literally the center of the universe. The one source of the entity you call space's life force. To put it simply the universe is a living being, infinitely old and wholly dependent on the center for it's survival. Without this energy everything would simply..end."Mayer could not belive what she had heard. "How is this possible? The universe is ALIVE? Something awoke in the back of her mind as if she had somehow grasped one tiny piece of the puzzle. "Nexium" she blurted. "The Nexium is the fuel for the center." The alien shook his head. "Not exactly. Come I will show you." While they had been talking they had walked through an expansive tunnel system and entered a giant cavern deep under the planet's surface. The alien and Mayer stood in front of a massive set of doors which opened silently at the aliens hand gesture. What Mayer saw inside she could not belive. A huge structure bored deep into the core of the planet. Star-shaped, it contained a glowing ball of blue energy of massive proportions. Above the glowing blue ball hung a single bright star. How the star had come to be in this chamber deep underground and how it's radiation and heat hadn't killed her and the alien instantly she could not even begin to guess. The alien looked at her. "This is the center. It is the source of all energy in the universe. It feeds the universe. The mineral that your people call Nexium is..." He appeared to be looking for a word. "A catalyst although that word is hardly adequate it will have to do. The Nexium allows the universe to feed on the center's energy. Without it the universe cannot feed and it will die. Carol Mayer could not hope to understand all of this. "But surely there is enough Nexium to last forever?" She realized she sounded like a small child pleading for more candy. The alien lowered his head. "There is not. The universe only requires a very small amount to feed. Because of this Nexium is incredibly rare. The containment device was put here to take advantage of the large amount of Nexium in the planets in this area. Your people have already depleted the supply to a dangerous level. It will take millions of years to replenish it." Carol Mayer felt as if she needed to sit down. The tiny arrogant, insignificant, violent race known as humans were on the verge of destroying the universe. Somehow she felt like laughing at the irony......

    I think I might be done with this. I realize this was probably more story and less map than it should have been but it was a fun way to get back into a challenge and a good excuse to tell another story.

    I added the "Center" views to the map. I was going for a glowing effect and I think I achieved what I was looking for. All in all I'm pleased with this and I'm glad I decided to enter this challenge (no matter how it turns out)

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    I am the breath of Dragons...The Song of Mountains...The Stories of Rivers....The Heart of Cities.... I am A Cartographer....

    Finished Maps
    Kingdom Of Shendenflar Campaign Setting (WIP)

    Everything I post is free for use and redistribution under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 licence, except where noted otherwise in the thread.

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