article: "The Milky Way is probably full of dead civilizations" [SPOILERS]

[Al Bester]

The article is here.

It gives an eerie tune, I think. From the galaxy itself to space exploration perspectives. Although sci-fi has already been there, done that, time and again as some RPGs as well -, it's interesting seeing science giving a nod, at least for now, to the concept.

To our goals, maybe this can suggest a sense of proportion on how bad was

the influence of the Doyens

all this time. Or maybe it's a 'critical mass' event like in

Eclipse Phase RPG

that triggers the end of whole species. Perhaps a "Galactic Federation/Empire" states that intelligent species must move out to leave planets alone to renew themselves from time to time, a bit like David Brin's Uplift universe - it just happens Earth's time is due.

Ideas? Comments?

[Penelope]

I love it!!!

[Astromancer]

Find Eldritch Skies. It takes the sci fi elements of Lovecraft and runs with them. It already meshes well with Aeon, and it would be a rich source of ideas.

[Al Bester]

Find Eldritch Skies. It takes the sci-fi elements of Lovecraft and runs with them. It already meshes well with Aeon, and it would be a rich source of ideas.

Very interesting material, yes! Thank you.

There is a Call of Cthulhu scenario - I think it's called HMS Selene - where

the British get to Moon in the Victorian setting due a portal. There, a cave/maze is found, ridden with ruins and artifacts and some Ythians as well.

It all starts with weird murders and gets conducted in an X-Files style with conspiracies and cover-ups, that was one good scenario. I had the feeling it could go for a full-fledged space game, weird, dark and retro.

[NewK]

Also don't forget that both Quantum and Noetic societies, absent interference, appear to, if they survive, transcend and level the universe. so it's not so much dead as "a lot of them took off for other realms."

I'm not certain, since Talented societies are called out as not transcending in the same way, why we don't see them, but they may have some other form of transformation.

So in Trinity, even societies separated by only a few hundred thousand years may never see each other, because the earlier one has left.

[BogMod]

There is a piece in the Aeon book about this. Pages 362-363 if that helps at all.

[Penelope]

Ohhhh

Alfred Bester. The Green Lantern guy. I get it lol.

Anyway, I love this idea. Good luck turning it into a chronicle.

[Isator Levi]

How is this research?

[Al Bester]

How is this research?

Mathematical modeling of our anxieties, I guess.

I mean, we barely stood up and went to the Moon just to sit, fat and flat, back on the couch and suddenly we can mathematically predict the ins and outs of the universe's life forms? Not to mention, the intelligent ones, having so far just ONE planet to base all this?

Come on.

[MoroseMorgan]

If you haven't already read it, Distant Worlds has a lot of neat stuff like this. Mysteriously vanishing civilzations with new hostile civilizations growing in their shadows, civilizations wiped out for unknown reasons, civilizations wiped out from known reasons and how trying to evade those reasons while studying them. Neat hooks, and some cool new tech to go along with it. Not to mention rules for playing a Qin, which I recently used and heartily enjoyed.

[Bunyip]

Under Alien Suns will have even more!

[Al Bester]

Under Alien Suns will have even more!

Already in love with the title. Any idea when it'll be released?

[IanWatson]

Already in love with the title. Any idea when it'll be released?

Onyx Path doesn't do release dates, however you can follow the production process of all our ongoing projects on the weekly Monday Meeting Notes blog.