Ethyrium Universe

For years, I've had the idea of making a sci-fi setting involving artificially created solar systems that join myriad worlds together, often existing in a pocket dimension. This would give me the option of a myriad different settings, even a cosmic-scale scope, yet not have to have the characters span galactic distances just to get to the next planet. I always kind of liked the idea that the characters could just look up into the sky and see all the worlds they could visit, and that technology didn't necessarily have to be Faster-Than-Light levels to go from world to world.

However, not really being into hard sci-fi or straight space opera, I never really got fully into the concept; it was fun to make up some alien races and some planets, but really, I didn't really come up with anything that really stood out to me. Likewise, this was more or less just a blown-up version of what's become my own personal cliche of an ideal adventurer setting: a bunch of different cities or small countries with vast wilderness scattered between, and I didn't necessarily want to depend on space ships for the characters to get places, when you could just set them all on a large planet instead. (We'll be coming back to this sort of thing later, I'm sure.)

But then, a year or two back, I discovered a Savage Worlds RPG called Slipstream. A Flash-Gordon inspired pulp sci-fi universe with a familiar twist: a universe within a pocket dimension, where the properties of space and planets aren't quite the same as we know them. Intrigued by this setting, I was inspired to go back and refine my "pocket universe system" concept some more with a more out-of-the-box approach, and I came up with this little gem. While as usual I don't really know if anything will come of this, I rather like the basic concept.

ETHYRIUM UNIVERSE

The Ethyrium Universe is an artificially constructed pocket dimension left behind by the destruction of an old solar system. A rough sphere 150 million kilometers across (approximately one astronomical unit), the universe is host to 1000 planets, most of which are claimed as the home world of at least one intelligent species. The Ethyrium Universe is built around physical laws that simulate our own, but use a different mechanical baseline.

ETHYRIUM

Ethyrium is a “quasi-magical substance” created through the combined efforts of several scientifically advanced races. Ethyrium is, in essence, the building blocks of reality within the artificial universe. Universal laws are based around Ethyrium mechanics, rather than those of our known universe.

For example, gravity is not defined by mass, but rather by Ethyrium content. Whilst usually taking the form of an invisible, ethereal form of subtle energy, Ethyrium can take a solid form. The artificially created planets have cores of raw Ethyrium, all roughly the same size, regardless of the size of the world around them. Because of this, despite their comparatively small size, they are able to maintain an average of Earth-like gravity and atmospheric conditions.

Ethyrium also provides for temperature and energy exchange regulation. Within the artificial universe, “cold” is not the absence of energy, but rather a form of energy in and of itself. The average temperature of the universe is a constant 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). Deviations from this temperature are the result of heat and cold energy fluctuations, usually found on planets, but occasionally found as large regions in the empty space.

Electrical energy, magnetic force, and natural light are based on Ethyrium fluid mechanics, as Ethyrium tends to visibly glow and generate power when moving in concentrated streams and threads. As such, many machines are powered by Ethyrium dynamos that absorb ambient energy and funnel it through collector units to store up electricity. Because of this, most technology is Ethyrium-dependent. However, Ethyrium is never really “used up,” with all forms of energy eventually shifting back into baseline Ethyrium, meaning the universe itself is an effectively endless source of energy. As long as one has a working dynamo, one never needs fuel for it, since the fuel is ever present.

Roils of uncontrolled high-energy Ethyrium can create softly glowing “clouds” of energy that becomes lethal upon exposure, similar to hard radiation. However, such clouds form rarely within the universe, at least under natural conditions.

THE VOID

The space between worlds is not a hard vacuum. Instead, it is filled with an atmosphere that all the worlds effectively share. Whilst the atmosphere is at it’s thickest for a few miles around any given planet, approximate to Earth at sea-level, a thinner atmosphere exists beyond. Most life forms are able to survive in this “void”, but will need a source of breathable air to take with them. Certain spots in the void may be thinner and thus necessitate a low-grade pressure suit, but these are comparatively rare, and a properly equipped ship will be able to read pressure drops well in advance.

The void maintains a temperature of 10° C or 50°F, with variations occurring mainly on the planets, and certain regions of space where hot or cold zones may exist.

The void is naturally dark. Once one leaves a planet, one is faced with a seemingly endless field of dark, akin to normal space. In the distance, one can see the glow of the worlds and the occasional faintly glowing patch of illuminated void-space, appearing as vast but very faint gas clouds.

As one nears the very edge of the void, the darkness gives way to a faintly glowing smoky-grey cloudscape. The edge of the void is a wall of warped space where forward movement eventually just stops. There isn’t a solid wall in the way; although it seems as though a traveler is still moving, at some point within the clouds, one simply ceases to advance forward, no matter how fast or how long they travel. However, the moment one turns away from the wall, normal space resumes, and they quickly exit the grey clouds, entering back into the main universe. Nothing thus far has been able to penetrate the edge of the void by any means. Not there’s necessarily anything to go to even if the edge could be breached.

THE WORLDS

Each of the worlds is a small planetoid with a sufficiently Earthlike atmosphere and terrain, such that most species can survive on any given world. However, unlike Earth itself, each planet has a relatively global environment. The world may host a forest, a desert, an ocean, rocky mountains, misty swamp, grassland, etc., but each world has only one terrain type, two at most. These global terrains are ideal for the “native” species the planet was designed for, maximizing the habitability of each world for its given species. Because of this, each world is inhabited by only one or two, very rarely three, sapient species. The exceptions are hub worlds designed to act as gathering points for all species.

The artificial universe lacks a sun. Instead, most worlds have a day-night cycle based on an aurora effect caused by Ethyrium particles in the local atmosphere. A ring of light will form at one end of the world and then slowly crawl over the surface, before fading away into darkness at the opposite end, then starting anew. The origin and terminal points of the aurora define the North and South Poles of each planet. The length of the day cycle is different for every planet, with some worlds experiencing a night-day cycle of only ten hours while others can last almost fifty hours. These auroras allow the planets to be seen as glowing and dimming stars when one travels the void or looks up at the night sky, creating a very sparse, but easily identifiable starscape.

The worlds vary in slightly size, but average out to about 5,000 kilometers in diameter, a bit less than 40% the size of Earth. All planets are fixed in their locations and possess no natural satellites.

TECHNOLOGY

Although vastly powerful technology was used in the creation of the universe, much of it ceased to function within it. As such, technology had to be rebuilt from scratch to accommodate Ethyrium mechanics. When all was said and done, however, there was only so much material around to use and only so much potential that could be mined from reliance on a single power source. Likewise, some worlds and some races require different technology materials and standards. Some races opted for good old fashioned metal and plastic, while others require almost wholly organic and grown components, and still others use crystal structures and conductive fluids. Because of this, technological advancement in the universe has largely stagnated, save for only minor innovations here and there.

On average, the inhabitants of a given world have access to computer technology approximate to our own, but made considerably more reliable and efficient through years of refinement. Pocket computers that function like super smart phones are common in most worlds.

Void travel, although considerably easier to accomplish in the Ethyrium Universe, is relatively uncommon, as most worlds are self-sufficient and thus do not require trade, and none are particularly keen on direct tourism. Interplanetary communication is maintained through the Universal Information Network, a sort of interplanetary internet maintained by satellites.

Travel between worlds still occurs, however, and there are ten planets specifically designated as “melting pot” worlds, where the various species can intermingle. These worlds are the most technologically advanced, holding a planet-wide city and biodomes with environmental accommodations for any species. Here is where interplanetary trade and tourism occurs.

Voidships are designed with funneling dynamos that draw in Ethyrium from the front and propel it from back, or vice versa, or to the sides, effectively allowing the ship pump and pull its way through the void. Ethyrium-enriched plating set within the ship can be charged to allow for artificial gravity. Because of this propulsion system, a voidship need not be aerodynamically sound. Indeed, most planet-bound vehicles use similar mechanisms and only tend to resemble cars and planes for convenience. Many voidships tend to regularly resemble classic sci-fi rocket ships and flying saucers.

Weapon technology comes largely in two forms: direct-energy weapons such as laser rifles or plasma shooters, or directed projectile weapons, such as railguns, which uses magnetic force to propel bullets many times faster and harder than chemical-based projectiles.

Nonetheless, while traditional chemical-explosion bullets can be found, the pistol-style ray gun is the most common side arm. The average ray gun is specked for stunning beams only, but military and police-grade ray guns are capable of different frequencies and energy types, including tractor beams and lethal cold, electrical, or heat rays.

Melee weapons can go either way as well. Knives and combat batons are common enough for regular defense, but plasma swords and vibration-enhanced blades do exist, though are usually reserved for police and military forces.

Armor exists using special fibers woven by nanotech, allowing for flexible yet ultra-tough full body sheathes with thin plates that can dampen kinetic energy. The armor has reflexive toughening properties; even if a bullet did ignore the energy dampening effect, a bullet striking the surface of the armor would cause the armor to momentarily stiffen to resist the sudden massive pressure increase, and block the bullet. Similar technology is used for pressure suits for those engaging in void travel. The standard military armor is a slightly thicker, but still easily moveable armor suit combined with a pressure suit.

Medical technology is further advanced then our own, with nanotech-enhanced serums designed to rapidly mend injuries and purge diseases. Decades of genetic manipulation and eugenic selection has eradicated all but the rarest occurrence of genetic disease, and led to the creation of healthy and hearty sapient species. The average person lives to be 120 years, and only starts suffering the debilitating effects of aging around year 80.

Most species have developed the ability to naturally create protein-based nanobots that normally lie dormant, but automatically act as an enhanced repair system aiding the bodies natural healing processes. However, truly severe injury or illness requires the serums to fully mend.

ETHYR FORCE

Magic, of course, does not really exist, when one considers the Ethyrium is a product of science. Weird, quantum, inexplicable science, but science nonetheless. Regardless, to the inhabitants of the universe, it may as well be a form of magic when certain select individuals can suddenly bend facets of reality to their will, directing the power of Ethyrium through thought alone!

Unbeknownst to most inhabitants, nearly all species exposed to Ethyrium has absorbed particles of the substance into them to such a degree that Ethyrium cells have become part of their physiology. These now naturally-developing cells are capable of tapping into and manipulating Ethyrium in its natural, ethereal form. Drawing upon the invisible, intangible essence of the universe, a sapient person can then manipulate those forces for radical effects. This is commonly referred as manipulating the Ethyr Force.

Sometimes, the Ethyr Force may act independently to protect a person; a sufficiently intense trauma, such as a near-death experience, may trigger a subconscious reaction that, under the right conditions, awaken super powers in the individual. This may grant them a limited set of “innate” abilities such as flight, fire breath, or radically enhanced strength.

However, there are those who, through intense study and training, can learn to direct the Ethyr Force in a more dynamic manner, for a variety of effects. This essentially makes them the equivalent of wizards or sorcerers. Theoretically, all inhabitants of the Ethyrium Universe have the potential to use “magic.” However, doing so takes training and effort that many can’t be bothered with when technology already provides. Learning magic is much like learning a martial art. Almost anyone could do it, comparatively few are willing.

THE INHABITANTS

I’ve never really settled on what sort of beings I want to inhabit this setting. Obviously, there would be humans or their descendants, but whether the universe would be all humanoids or whether there would be a myriad of radically different species I haven’t really decided. I do like the idea of evolution and transhumanism creating myriad sub-species all descended from just two or three baseline races, or even the idea of humans adapting themselves to the various environments.

Likewise, I haven’t yet settled on any specific worlds. I suppose at this juncture, I wouldn’t bother until I was actually working on a project. The real “meat” of this concept so far is the Ethyrium mechanics. A figure there are at least a thousand small planets in the setting, possibly even some artificial scrap-pile planetoids, so you could do almost anything really.