Worldbuilding: OC bullshit edition

>Why are people here?
Almost 70 years ago "The Company" (a thin wayland clone) received a transmission from several deep space probes launched in a random attempt to discover something of value. The probes had crashed om KX-48 and where broadcasting a general distress message alongside preliminary and incomplete geological scans. A team of recovery experts and scientific types where sent on the 5-year voyage to recover the damaged probes and explore their discovery further.

This team documented their arrival and search for the probes Shortly after locating the first, and confirming that KX-48 was worth mining the team went dark. They where never heard from again, throughout their time planetside journal entries and recorded messages became increasingly erratic. Manic and hysterical.

Undeterred with the prospect of a gold rush presented to them the company set a colonisation effort into motion. Miners, scientists- everything necessary to generate a self-sufficient and lucrative colony. This first generation, upon landing discovered what had driven the recovery team insane. KX-48 was both much, much larger then expected, and had no discernible day-night cycle. No light from the dying sun reached the surface, instead the atmosphere was choked by a cataclysmic layer of dust or cloud that kept the planet locked in a perpetual state of night.

In addition the surface was largely featureless wasteland. Flat plains tens of thousands of square kilometres across dominated the world. Finally, while KX-48 did have a human-tolerant atmosphere it suffered a near total lack of water and less then a dozen species. The planet was barren in almost every sense of the word.

Assured by the company that their supply's would last until additional rations could be delivered the first generation set about building. Prefab housing and the mining equipment. They lasted three years, the relief shipment arrived to discover a dead colony. Further recordings filled in the rest of the story.

>>51814369
>jovian sized terrestrial
Um. Wouldn't that be a little...risky to land on? You'd weigh almost 250% more on that thing than you would here.

Still interested.

>What went wrong.
KX-48's size and lack of a day-night cycle have a negative impact on the mind. The process is similar in theory to motion sickness. When what the brain knows and the senses say don't match up. On a basic level the colinists and miners where aware that time was passing. But with virtually no evidence to support that, agitation and insanity began to set in. The miners suffered the fastest, the nearest deposits where located almost a thousand k's from the landing site. And after a few trips they lost all sense of time and lapsed into catatonia or mania

The colonists lasted a little longer. They to experienced the devaluing of time, with only clocks to go on their bodies natural rhythm decayed. Insomnia and chronic exhaustion set in as, no longer able to gauge the severity of hunger or thirst the colony exhausted its supply's in less then half their expected lifespan.

Subsequent generations of colonists continue to suffer these effects. Miners cycling off work shifts, transport crews and the like are at risk when in transit. Burnout is still slower for colonists, who are spared the weeks of nightmarish limbo that is traveling to and from the mines

>>51814535
I've had a few of these questions asked before. The truth is I don't know, I'm hiding a lot behind the soft sci-fi lable.

I also should have pretyped all this

>>51814559
>I don't know
>soft-fi
Alright, so long as it's consistent there's no issue.

>I also should have pretyped all this
Possibly, but we never learn. I'll keep glancing back here for a while, so take your time. Best not to rush and make a mistake.

>Current state
Currently KX-48 is on it's 5th generation. Births are just high enough to sustain a population, assuming children are taught to work the mines instead of traditionally educated, and begin work early. Miner deaths have been reduced by 11% after moving their habitats underground where an artificial day-night cycle can be simulated more easily.

Food and water is still delivered every few years. To cut down on the travel expense the same ship is used to transport the mined metals off-world, shortages remain fairly common as over or underrating remains a problem. To compensate the population has begun to hunt the only life-form they've been able to find with any success. Large worm-like creatures drawn to the mines are killed and butchered, their flesh is edible with proper preparation and water can be harvested from a native cactus analog. Cactus water must be boiled before drinking safely. Raw it provides a mild hallucinogenic effect that can be compounded by concentrating the water

Transit remains the most lethal activity. The closest mine to the main colony is still almost a thousand k's out and newer settlements can take years to reach, because mining transport is still the only reason to drive, all vheicals remain a combination of lengthy flatbed trucks and similar models. Those riding opt to pitch tents to live in and attempt to combat the “night madness” as best they can. Only the drivers, deemed to valuable by the company are afforded the luxury of normalcy. Their sealed cabins simulate the same day-night cycle seen in the mines , allowing them to make the journey without succumbing

>>51814369
Interesting setting, OP. Some tangential materials for you to take or ignore, though:
>Gilgamesh's challenge: In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the titular hero is promised immortality if he could stay awake for 7 nights and 6 days.
Now, I'm sure some people have stayed up for longer and stayed mortal. Let's just say, though, that only those with the resolution could become immortal by doing Gilgamesh's challenge. Now, coupled with the perpetual nighttime in KX-48, there could be legends of a miner who has always been down there, mining. He'll say he's from the earlier generation, but it could be that the lack of sleep has caused him to forget. He'll be there in the deepest, most unsafe sections of the mines, toiling away, as if he knows there's something in the depths of the planet. He knows, because the voice of the mines told him so.

>>51815431
>Cacti water: they have to come from somewhere, right? Earth cacti have very deep roots that tap into the aquifer deep beneath the earth.
But what if it's different in KX-48? A group of scientists from the 2nd generation has looked for the answer. They managed to acquire and modify a mining drill to be attached to a drone, for them to dig alongside a cacti's roots and find the aquifer they thought exist deep beneath KX-48. After a month of straight digging, they found a layer of very dense earth, one that their current drill cannot penetrate. After acquiring a better one, they dug again, only to find a kind of metal layer after another month of stressful digging. The company even discreetly sent them the best laser drill at that time to cut through the metal - but the drone lost contact after the first successful incision. Soon after, the cacti above seemed to wilt - but for a day. The next day, the cacti has grown twice as big than the last; which is baffling since the cacti grow very slowly.
Strangely, that was the scientists' last report. They never sent any more report after that, and a 'rescue' team sent to find out what happened only found a deserted science outpost, the scientists' shoes lying neatly next to the borehole, and a gargantuan cacti.

Can you look at my magical realm races?

http://pastebin.com/KHTPPh95

File: 1481982289330.jpg (231KB, 1600x900px) Image search: [Google]

231KB, 1600x900px

Im trying to establish to 'solar status quo' for my colonized solar system. Would it make sense for some nations of earth to be big empire types with bases and colonies owned by them throughout the system , i.e the Russian stellar territories. rather than just the whole earth being united in a federation type cliche.

And what type of factions would be cool/realistic/ would you expect to arise in a world where we've expanded out in to the solar system?

Does this sound like a compelling quest-giver?

A lich who, by major miscalculation during his phylactery's construction, kept all of his human sensations. Because of this, he lives out the rest of his existence drinking tea and sitting by a fire place, contemplating existence in comfort. Whenever his peace would be threatened, he calls upon adventurers to settle the matter, in exchange for minor magical items that he can create easily.

>>51816556
I'll answer yours if you answer mine>>51816340

Yes. Sounds like a nice take on the wizened old man type quest-giver, What kind of lich is he though? Skeletal, rotting corpse etc, that would effect how the locals view him, or not. Depending on his degree of isolation.

>>51816592
Skeletal, though he uses a lot of illusion magic to disguise that fact. Plus, it's strange and awful to watch a skeleton drink tea.

To answer your question, since going into space would be incredibly expensive the only nations that go into it - say China, Russia, USA, etc - would likely have formed alliances with nations on earth who didn't, and shared similar goals. In that way a sort of unified nation would begin to form in space.

Though besides that, depending on tech level there would certainly be some splinter factions that grew to prominence due to their own nation's lack of direct influence. Piracy would not be uncommon due to racism towards the other space nations, and warring over planets with resources like helium or hydrogen would be fairly common.

>>51818507
One of the themes of the world im constructing is the whole 'behind the veil' type thing of magic. What would be a cool way to resurrect old warrior cultures like samurai or vikings?
Perhaps norwegian pirates, I already have something in mind for knights.

>>51823894
Well that's easy, just have some guy who went to space think that it was a cool idea to ape the designs of his lineage - some guy who was originally from iceland decided that he wanted his band of space pirates to look like vikings, or some japanese guy thought Samurai looked cool.

Given a few hundred years, they might forget the original reason why they look like samurai/vikings, and go with the tradition of whatever style they're aping