Kadandra Date: Wed, 19 Jan 1994 21:29:29 -0600 To: TORG@cool.khis.com From: fiacha@prism.nmt.edu (Michaael Cantrell) Subject: Re: Kadandra and Trilogy Characters? I think most torgers have come up with their own world laws for Kadandra, but I'll give you mine. I envision Kadandra a high-tech, highly socialized world. Kadandrans depend heavily on their technology, but their world laws support this and explain how they were able to develop cosm-spanning technology. As a quick summation for Kadandran culture, picture Star Trek NG, but with lower spiritual and magic axioms. Kadandra Social: 25 Highly developed social structure. World government, most social conflict has been eleiminated. Education and medical treatment are available for all. Currency is no longer in use, replaced by work- credits, which allow access computer time/resources. Things are purchased by placing an order with the global database, and the users credit balance is debited for the amount of resources that are consumed. Users can also use entertainment facilities in a similar manner, but costs are based on CPU time consumed. This social axiom has allowed for the immense growth of a Net culture, and in fact, most Kadandrans probably never leave their homes and/or arcoplii (plural of arcopolis, the equivalent of a self- contained community about the size of a really, really big mall). Most Kadandrans interact with each other through the Net, which is an elaborate virtual reality. In addition, few Kadandrans probably even know what even their best friends even look like, as virtual personalities dominate. Business has become completely decentralized, and work is done out of the home or from a local terminal exchange, and is done virtually. Although corruption and crime do still exists, mosts crimes are of the "white collar" variety: electronic theft, etc., rather than murder or assault. Kadandrans recogniz that mental illness is generally the result of a physiological cause and their high tech has allowed thier medical science to cure almost all forms of mental and physical disease. Genetic engineering and eugenics have eliminated nearly all congenital diseases and birth defects, but this may acttually have had a detrimental impact on Kadandran evolution: ie, they may be stagnated. Cyberware has been completely assimilated by Kadandran culture, and although they ware tends to be aethetically pleasing, the low spiritual axiom has had its influence, and metal is as accepted as flesh in Kadandrans. Kadandra even permits true AI, artificial intelligence, and many of the computers that control Kadandra are AIs that have been assimilated into Kadandran culture. Kadandrans do not however, encourage the development of true androids. Most Kadandrans are now conceived in vitro and are developed in technological womb. Kadandrans are raised in community creches by specially trained preceptors who see to the individualized development of each Kadandran. Interaction with "smart" programs and educational programs are encouraged over play/socialization. Kadandrans are indepentdent, and many are eccentric. Not all are considered equal, and status is determined by contribution to Kadandran science and development. Although kadandrans have a strong sense of oblifgation to the continuance of their people, this is an intellectual urge rathe than a moral one. Kadandrans would probably be considered cold or rude by outsiders, but this is due to a kadandrans focus on what is going on inside their heads. Magic: 2 Magic is almost totally nonexistent on kadandra. The magic axiom is so low that Kadandrans do not even have the equivalent of "fairy tales." This low magic axiom, coupled with the low spiritual, has encouraged Kadandrans disavowal of all things absurd. Kadandrans do not even believe in coincidence (other than as an aspect of probability) or things like luck. Spiritual: 5 (sometimes it's 6, depending on my mood) Kadandrans are highly organized and socialized, but they have a weak sense of community due to their low spiritual axiom. Kadandrans do not have deities, although there may once have been some when the axiom was higher. However, Kadandrans dependence on technology has sapped their spiritual nature. Only distant myths remain, which are regarded as the products of primitive minds and impaired social development. Kadandran philosophy emphasizes the role of the individual in mastering one's life and situation. Concepts such as destiny are somewhat alien to Kadandrans. Life derives from a quantum universe, and is indeterministic. TEchnology is the usual tool for mastering the self, not wild dreams and fantasies. These are usually regarded as calling for a medical evaluation. Tech: 26 KAdandrans are one of the most advanced races in the cosmverse, technologically speaking. Their social, political, and philosophical structures emphasis a close and dependent relationship with/on technology. Kadandrans have refined their technology to extremes. Using synthcyclers similar in nature to those found on Tharkold (but cetainly much less aggressive), Kadandrans make efficient use of every last microgram of resources avalable. All Kadandran industry is heavily roboticized, and is controlled be remote through the Net, both by organic Kadandran and electronic Kadandrans. Technology has permeated every aspect and every level of Kadandran life, it is ubiquitous. The Net covers the entire world, and is accessible to every Kadandran citizen. Cities are efficiantly built and make use of quick, efficient methods of transportation. Although Kadandra does not have true mass transportaioin, this is not needed as most kadandrans ever need to leave their homes. Kadandran medicine is highly adavanced, and accidental deaths are very rare. Unless there is massive organic trauma, Kadandrans are rarely killed by thinghs that regularly kill Core Earthers. In addition, cyberware has reduced the risk to individuals even more. Kadandrans possess limited space travel, and have begun to mine the other planets ij the Kadandran system for additional resources. However, few Kadandrans actually engage in space travel, and these activities are usually carried out by massive robotic comlexes which mine the asteroid fields of the Kadandran system (Kadandra's solar system sports two extensive asteroid fields). Kadandrans do not engage in space travel simply because they have no desire to. They can experience space travel simply by accessing such a program in the virtual reality of the Net. If the Kadandrans set their minds to it, they could develope interstellar travel, but as yet they have not found the need, and recently, research into cosm travel and reality-based technology has taken the fore of Kadandran research. The invasion by the Tharkoldu, spurred greater developments in reality based technology, until rcently headed by Dr. Hachi Mara-2. Kadandrns have developed the ability to scan other cosms and observe events therin. They have also developed the technology to transport people ans objects into other cosms, but have not perfected the ability to make this transport a two-way process. Although not necesary until recently, Kadandrans have considerable weapons technoilogy left over from their more barbaric eras, they have lately honed this technology and augmnented it with knowledge stolen from the Tharkoldu. Perhaps the single most advanced technology in Kadandra is that of computer science, and its related field of cybertechnology. The two are distinct, but intractive. Nearly every kadandran can program a deck. It is like a second language to most. A;; Kadandrans are at least fdamiliar with the Net, if not completely at home in it. Further, every Kadandran citizen is fitted with a nervejack at birth. Most Kadandrans continue to enhance themselves throughout their life, adding more and more cyberware as they grow older. Many Kadandrans have mastered the cyberpsyche skill through the interaction of one of their world laws, so many Kadandrans possess more cyberware than a normal person could be expected to hold without going insane. Cyberware is commom and accessible. It is very easy for Kadandrans to order cyberware, and to have it installed at a local clinic (equivalent). World LAws LAw of Technological Dominance Or the Law of Tech. "Through technology, all doors open," is a Kadandran proverb. This world law is what has allowed kadandrans to develope things such as reality-based technology. The Law of Tech allows Kadandrans to build items which might normally require Tech axioms of 30. The law of tech also allows Kadandrans to build devices which would normally only be built with high magic or spiritual axioms. Kadandran scientists have begun researching cybertechnology of a new generation, cybertechnology which directly modifies the brain and theoretically permit tecnology-based psionics. This world law is not the same as either weird science or occultech (or technomagic), and will not support devices which dep[end on these skils/world laws/axioms independently. This world law does support science: reality, scholar (cosm theory), and cyberpsyche. In Kadandra, anyone may learn cyberpsyche, not just cyborgs. The Law of Denial Kadandrans are firmly convinced of the truth of their worldview. This world law supports a Kadandran's reality when faced with the absurd or the patently impossible. The Law of denial permits a Kadandran a +3 to all rols made by the kadandran when attempting to resolve a situation to make it more in keeping with the "proper order of things." This includes reality storms invoked *against* kadandrans, but not to reality storms invoked *by* Kadandrans. The Law of denial also weakens the effects of miracles and magic spells on kadandra. All miracle and spells have their difficulties increased by three (+3), spells have backlash inreased by the (+3), and all spells and miracles have their effects value reduced by three (-3). All kadandrans add +3 to the difficulty of all miraccles invoked against them. This world law had major impact on the Tharkoldu invasion, weakening some of the technodemons' most powerful tools, while strengtheening the Kadandrans' reality. Note: the benefits of this world law are forfitted by any character possessing the skills of either science: reality, or scholar (cosm theory). Taking either of these skills teaches kadandranns a more open and flexible way of thinking, and opens their mind to other possibilities. Law of Prodigy The Law of progdigy works the same for Kadandrans as it does for Core Earthers. Possibility-rated characters can exchange three starting possibilites for three additional adds in their tag skill. Ords may take the three additional adds by limiting a stat to seven (I think this is right, check the Delphi Council Worldbook to be sure) or by taking a physical handicap. Thee you go, enjoy! --Mike