Sucker's Luck Soliloquies Tatterdemalion here with something a little different. If you aren't aware, I'm writing an ongoing serial called Substellar Vagary. If you haven't read that, none of this will make much sense. Check that out first! Or don't. Up to you, really. Anyways, here I'll be posting some content that fits into the world of Substellar Vagary, but isn't pertinent or doesn't fit into the main narrative. I'm going to assume that anyone reading this thread is up-to-date with the actual serial, so there will probably be at least minor spoilers ahead. Material that I'll post on this thread includes: Short stories about the main characters Little world-building and lore tidbits In-universe news stories, advertisements, and other media Short spin-offs about one-off characters Audio logs, journals, and the like written from a first-person perspective. Behind-the-scenes material and author's notes Contests or suggestions for content and characters Et cetera If you've got something you'd like for me to write, or a suggestion for a short story, character, or the series in general, let me know! Oh, and as with everything I write, this is all an eternal rough draft that can and will be edited as I see fit. On to the actual content, and welcome to Sucker's Luck Soliloquies! Substellar Vagary Episode 3 Poll Information As I can only write so much in the poll options, I'll expand upon each plot idea here. "A police interrogation, where each chapter is told from a different crewmember's perspective." This episode will be written differently than anything else before it. Each chapter is the first person narrative of one of the crewmembers as they explain what truly happened to the police. Of course, unreliable narration is abundant, so each story is completely unlike the others. "Sanshoo loses the Sucker's Luck to a swindling Novakid con man." This episode is pretty self-explanatory. The crew attempts to get the Sucker's Luck back from a con man by a variety of means after Sanshoo loses it. The Novakid con man, in many ways, provides a parallel to Nym and Bon's characters, as they behave very similarly on two different sides of the coin. "The Sucker's Luck has a new AI installed, but it seems to behave... strangely." Anybody remember Tlilzin, the ugly Avian criminal from the beginning of Episode 2? This story deals with his return, as well as introduces a new AI character to the crew. "What seems like a routine cargo haul is complicated when the Sucker's Luck has a bounty put on it." The crew of the Sucker's Luck have acted as bounty hunters before, but what happens when the roles are reversed? It's a race against a newly-introduced antagonist as they attempt to capture the Sucker's Luck before the mysterious cargo can be delivered. I'd like to eventually write each of these, but you can decide which sounds the most interesting to you! I think I'll keep the poll open until we get a clear-cut winner. If there's a very close tie, we'll determine the winner by... other methods. /browsing search history:user kathjones76 yesterday - tuesday, october 14, 2525 GST 24:20 GST :: “humans” 24:24 GST :: “hi-lottles” 24:25 GST :: “hylotl” 24:25 GST :: “novakid” 24:28 GST :: “apex” 24:291 GST :: “floran” 24:41 GST :: “list of sentient species” 24:45 GST :: “list of space-faring species” 24:54 GST :: “history 2325-2525” today - wednesday, october 15, 2525 GST 1:02 GST :: “human history 2325-2525” 1:11 GST :: “galactic history 2325-2525” 1:20 GST :: “earth” 1:25 GST :: “earth destroyed” 1:29 GST :: “starbound initiative” 1:41 GST :: “starbound initiative disaster” 1:45 GST :: “starbound initiative disaster survivors” 2:01 GST :: “coping with grief” < page 4 of 4 > /end Never Invite a Novakid to Tea My dear Itsuki, I write this letter to you from the remains of my camp. It appears that missionary work is more difficult than I anticipated. Despite the training we received, I was woefully underprepared for creatures such as these. The morning began as peacefully as one could expect on an uncivilized planet like this. Nonetheless, it was chosen so that I may spread Hylotl peace to the less fortunate, so I was determined to “rough it.” I placed my tea atop a gentle flame and eased myself into my morning meditation as usual. However, I could hardly achieve a state of enlightenment for the cacophony that soon assaulted my ears from beyond a hill! After a calming breath, I set out to investigate. A brief hike to the top of the hill revealed two alien lifeforms, shining like beacons, each with a marking atop their face! A search through my xenobiological handbook revealed these to be Novakid, a primitive gaseous species. The two, glowing blue and yellow respectively, whooped and hollered as one strummed a guitar, creating some semblance of music. “What better specimens to enlighten than these creatures?” thought I! I strode down the hill. They seemed wary of me, but I assured them that I meant no harm. I introduced myself in customary fashion, and they returned with their names, the blue one “Bonnibel,” the yellow “Nym.” They possessed a most ridiculous accent. Nym extended his hand, and I, assuming it was a customary greeting, reached out in response. The savage shook my hand with a vigor that nearly toppled me, the whole exchange quite uncouth. Determined to civilize these ruffians, I invited them to tea, as tradition dictates. They seemed very excited at the prospect, eagerly following me back to camp. My tea boiled, and as I prepared the proper settings the Novakid perused my camp. There was not a single ornament they were not curious about. Their filthy hands touched all my perfectly-aligned furnishings. They shattered my favorite coral sculpture! Nevertheless, I knew I could enlighten them. Over tea, I spoke about opening their third eye to the world. They seemed to barely pay attention. The tea I served was my finest blend, but after a single sip they dropped my cups, shattering them on the floor! I struggled to remain calm as Bonnibel removed a jug of some liquid and passed it between herself and Nym. “Perhaps I could earn their trust by partaking in this cultural tradition,” I thought. After a hesitation they allowed me the jug. “Maybe they’re warming up to my teachings after all.” Those thoughts faded away after I lifted the jug to my mouth. The drink burned down my throat, and after one sip I fell unconscious. When I awoke, Bonnibel and Nym were gone, leaving me in my battered camp nursing a terrible headache. I end this note with a warning for your missionary travels, Itsuki. Never invite a Novakid to tea. Tlilzin couldn’t be happier- he paced the cold, concrete floor of his cell with a spring in his step, feathered arms idly brushing the durasteel bars separating him from the freedom of the outside world. For now. The single guard posted in this block, a fat, dimwitted Apex, didn’t even acknowledge the Avian’s change of mood, let alone investigate. The fool had no idea what plans he had in place. Four years Tlilzin had been stuck in this Kluex-forsaken prison complex on this Kluex-forsaken jungle planet. Four years of smuggling letters, favours, hacking extranet connections and making plans. The system militia caught him in his cheap motel room, eyes still fixed to his custom-made datasurfer. They’d accused him of hacking the digital credit stores of the Grand Omega Banking Network and removing seventeen billion credits. Tlilzin still couldn’t fathom how they had found him so quickly. He had set up the heist for months- special servers, specially-constructed viruses, nine proxy accounts to hide behind- it was the perfect crime. A smile twitched on the corner of Tlilzin’s beak as he recalled the silver lining. They’d found him, but the missing credits were never recovered. He knew they still sat waiting, buried deep in a digital vault of his own design. And, thought Tlilzin as a rumble shook the entire prison block, soon enough I’ll be there to make a transaction. A second tremor cracked the back wall of his cell. One final blast shattered the barrier and light came streaming through the rubble. As the dust cleared, Tlilzin climbed through, ignoring the threats streaming from the guard as he fumbled to open Tlilzin’s cell and apprehend him. The escaped Avian let out a cackle of victory as he strode into the stuffy jungle air, a dropship waiting for him. Four years of favours paying off all at once. Seventeen billion bits spread a few ways is a more than acceptable trade for freedom. Tlilzin was finally free to enjoy the fruits of his illegitimate trade, and nothing and nobody would get in his way. urgent requesteth f'r assistance- 60,000 credit reward! my most humble greetings, esteem'd crew of the suck'r’s luck. thou hath cometh to mine attention in mine searcheth f'r gentle men-at-arms across the lande. thy reputation as capable and reliable adventur'rs precedes thou! i beseech thee, to endue lighte to our vilest days. i write at a dark time- shadows filleth the lande, and none may escape what evile lurks in the kingdom without outside helpeth. in returneth f'r gentle s'rvices granted, a treasure of sixty thousands credits shall be reward'd. i hast taken the privilege of enwheeling directions to mine kingdom of residence f'r useth with thy flying machine. shouldst thou accepteth this requeste, i will be found in a othergates known as the blinke and barley by the west'rnmost gates at noon. doeth not dally! all due regards, a concern'd citizen 01010100 01010010 01010101 01010011 01010100 00100000 01001110 01001111 00100000 01001111 01001110 01000101 Disaster in the Southern Disk! SilverTech Corporation Bankrupt, Leaving Millions Floundering! August 4, 2525- Millions of galactic citizens have suddenly found themselves unemployed, trapped in unfamiliar sectors, or worse as megaconglomerate SilverTech Co. finds itself bankrupt and disbanded. Previously firmly situated in the top 100 megacongs in the galaxy, a dwindling frontier and space-faring population are speculated to have led to the downfall of this once-powerful company, which was thought to have at one point controlled nearly 4% of the entire galaxy. Founded by humans, SilverTech was a leading benefactor of the Expansion Era, and was known for its advancements in portable 3D-printing, as well as its popular soft drink subsidiary, Glorp Cola. Its fall is only one of many companies’ during and after the Great Regression. Economists predict a marked continued decline for… More on page 3051 “Kathleen, take off your translator for a picosecond.” Firth walked into the cargo bay just as Kathleen phased down a holotarget with her training pistol. “Huh? Why? I can’t understand any of you without my translator. I can’t even talk, actually.” Kathleen shot Firth a confused look as the Apex mechanic ducked under the doorway. “It’s a surprise. I’ve been meaning to try something.” “All right?” Kathleen unhooked her translator from around her ear and disconnected the diodes that allowed her to speak electronically. She gave a nod towards Firth, who was giving a toothy grin of anticipation. “Saluton! Ich sprechen di shprakh mmin al'ard inkurūdo people! Watashi ga jissen shite imasu practice days tres!” Kathleen wasn’t used to hearing Firth’s gravelly non-translated voice, but she picked out a few words from the garble. She re-applied her own translator. “What do you think? I’ve been trying to teach myself the human language!” “It’s, er, I heard a few words in there I recognized…” At the sight of Firth’s crestfallen, leathery face, Kathleen added, “But it’s really getting there! You know, there’s not really a ‘human language.’ There were countless languages all across the world back on Earth…” “More than one language? But why? That seems so… inefficient!” After a moment of puzzling, Firth spoke again. “Oh! I believe that I understand. Humans have developed secondary languages for espionage and data storage, no? That is clever.” “It’s actually a cultural thing. I’m speaking a language called English, because that’s the language developed where I lived… Do the Apex only have one language across the entire species?” Kathleen asked. “It is most efficient to be understood by all of your kind, and translators are rarely allowed to Apex citizens. They don’t wish you to speak with outsiders. The Miniknog says Unispeak has always been our language, but personally…” Firth instinctively looked around and leaned over towards Kathleen’s ear. “I believe that is a false statement. Human culture has always fascinated me. The variety, the passion, the colour. It’s something most Apex will never understand, I’m afraid.” She shook her head. “I don’t- I don’t know how I know these things. I don’t remember ever living under Miniknog rule, but these flashes of information… “ After a moment of silence, Firth looked towards the door. “I should get back to work. And I’ll keep working on speaking Human, too!” Miniknog? That’s a question for another day. I wonder where she really came from. What memories are locked away by the antenna on her head? Kathleen thought. Maybe it’s better she forget the past. Maybe it’s better we all do. “Hey Sanshoo.” “Yes, Doctor Jones?” “I’ve been reading about the history that I… y’know, missed…” “Yes, I’m aware, Doctor Jones. You’ve asked me questions about Hylotl biology that’d make an Avian blush.” “This isn’t about that. Ahem. I was just reading about some ancient ruins…? There’s supposedly an ancient, super-advanced extinct species whose ruins are still scattered around today. Reverse-engineering technology apparently gave us the basis for a lot of tech today. It says here that something called the Terrene Protectorate was investigating, but that’s fifty years old and that’s all I could find on it.” “...” “Well?” “Well, what?” “Do you know anything about it? What I’d give to see something like that!” “I think that you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the holonet, Doctor.” Log 1 I still can’t believe I’ve been requested specifically for this project. Morphogenetics was a joke at the institute. They all laughed at my research, but who’s laughing now? A full-scale government-funded grant. The people leading the new Knowledge Party really are making big changes, I suppose. I’ve decided to keep this log to track my personal thoughts over the course of the research. This is big. I have to handle some logistics now, but I’ll give more info later. Log 2 My personal database is now a fortress. Quintuple-encrypted data and more firewalls than I care to count. I can’t let this information leak out to anyone. The Knowledge Party contacted me almost immediately after they won leading seats in the parliament. Their progressive attitudes are gaining them followers fast. What they showed me was beyond amazing. I’ve been studying theoretical Morphogenetics for years. It’s all black-box theories regarding mass genetic alteration, but at the end of the day it was still all conjecture. Until now. The Knowledge Party heads haven’t just confirmed my theories. They’ve found a way to make it happen. Almost, at least. They have a nearly-complete formula for a genetic upgrade that could advance our species’ evolution by ten million years.. It’s not done yet, however, and that’s where I’m supposed come in. They’re supplying me with all the resources I need to make this happen. This is all completely secret. Nobody beyond the facility they’ve given me and the Knowledge party’s heads themselves know what’s going on here. It’s a tall order, but to complete this task would be the greatest scientific breakthrough in Apex history. Time to get to work. Log 30 We’ve nearly completed the chemical compounds necessary for the procedure. This is tedious work, mostly, but it’s a crucial step towards making the plans a reality. I’m not allowed to leave the facility, per my contract. It’s too risky to leak the plans, they say. It’s not a problem to me. Any friends I leave behind pale in comparison to the duty I’m completing for our entire race. Log 68 The chemical compounds are finished. At least, we think they are. Before we can begin construction of an electrical gene-stimulation prototype, we need to test the raw compounds. I’ve put in a request for live test subjects. Small animals. The genetic dissimilarity shouldn’t be an issue for the raw chemical tests, but any subjects won’t survive the testing. In other news, the Knowledge Party won all the parliament seats in the latest election. They’ve got much more power to advance science now without any clueless politicians from other parties holding them back. Log 70 They gave me live subjects. Apex. Eight fully mature Apex males. Seven females. Two adolescent. One infant. They couldn’t risk testing on even slightly genetically inaccurate subjects, they told me. They’re right, of course. I was a fool for letting any other thought even cross my mind. What are a meagre eighteen lives in the face of the species? Nothing. Their lives are more important now than anything they could have been doing before. I personally administered the treatments this morning. I’m writing in my personal quarters until the screaming dies down. Then we can get back to science. Log 71 The subjects proved very informative. We’ve made our modifications and have already begun casting parts for our prototype gene-stimulation capsule. Those eighteen Apex provided an invaluable service to the Knowledge Party. I’ll make sure to have “Test Subjects 1-18” engraved somewhere in the facility. The effects of the raw chemical compound had an… unexpected effect on all subjects. Significant biomass growth occurred incredibly quickly in localized regions stemming from major muscle systems. Bone density increased 123% and subjects grew 4 cm taller on average. This all took place over the course of 12 hours. All subjects expired by 16 hours. The Knowledge Party informs me that the erratic physical effects are not an indicator of the results of a completed serum. I trust them over my own research. With a prototype under construction, we can begin with the research proper. I’ve dubbed the project the Cerebro-Evolutionary Process, or CEP. Log 423 Another year comes and goes, and we’re that much closer towards making this dream a reality. We make so much progress each and every day, I often work all through the night on our prototype. It’s so near to completion. The CEP will allow the Apex capacity for intellect the potential to increase tenfold, if I’m interpreting this data correctly. And I am. No room for mistakes anymore. Side note: This year there was no election. The Knowledge Party holds all the seats, and there aren’t any other parties to run anyway. Excellent. Less distractions on our way to perfection. Log 555 This is the moment. Prototype 1.02 is ready for testing. The Knowledge Party has provided us with more subjects as usual. Subject 72 will be the lucky Apex to be the first to step into a new age for our species. I envy him, in some respects. I don’t have much time for writing. The experiment will soon be at hand. I must prepare a few final adjustments before we step into a new, brighter future. Log 556 Utter failure. Subject 72 wasn’t halfway through the initial stimulation process before expiring of shock. I must try harder. Log 612 Failure. Log 670 Failure. Log 710 Eureka! Prototype 5.82 has given us our first surviving subject. Subject 687 has endured the entire CEP process. She is being monitored as I write. One can only imagine what thoughts are going through her head as she enters a new realm of existence. Full effects will take time to show. I will keep the log updated with any further news, Log 715 Subject 687 has deteriorated in condition at an alarming rate. Initially appearing unaffected, various tumors, especially near the brain, began to grow hours after initially undergoing the CEP. Biomass has swelled and increased physical strength enormously. Subject killed two assistants before being detained again. Mental faculties have regressed to an animalistic state of consciousness. Subject has continued gross development of cancerlike musculature at a linear rate since conception. Yet another failure. I can’t give up. I will observe subject 687 for any further developments. Log 716 Subject 687 collapsed under the weight of its own musculature. Its heart was not strong enough to deliver blood the tumor-filled specimen. I have commenced work on Prototype 6.00 Log 930 Failure. Log 1207 Failure. Log 1388 Failure. Log 1457 Failure. Log 1684 Failure. Log 1885 Prototype 36.09 has produced three viable subjects so far. Subjects 1443, 1452, and 1456 all show promise. Tumor growth is minimal. Mental faculties are stable. I may be onto a lead here. There has to be an end in sight. It’s been five years since I last saw the sun. The KnowParty regularly delivers treatments of adrenal pills that allow work for upwards of 34 hours straight. Soon. Refinement of current design seems to show promise. Log 1890 Success. Thirteen years of scientific progress has been leading up to this moment. My magnum opus. Prototype 259.06 consistently delivers specimens that are, in every sense of the word, perfect. Stable genetic structure, none of the rampant biomass growth seen in my crude earlier experiments, and initial testing shows mental faculties have increased an average 312% I have spoken with the first perfect specimen, Subject 9077. He does not provide a stimulating conversation, with most utterances being variations on pleas for rescue, but he is remarkably composed, stable, and intelligent. I can’t believe it. I’VE DONE IT. I’VE DONE IT. I’VE DONE IT. Log 2001 The KnowParty begins its systematic plan to administer the CEP to all Apex citizens. By their estimations, our entire species could be enlightened in less than 10 years. They finally revealed the project to the general population today. I stepped outside of the facility for the first time in thirteen years. Pex is a different planet than it was before. Everything is much more efficient. The KnowParty has removed distractions, disobedience, inefficiency. We are Apex. We are progress. I must go. I am to receive highest honours in a ceremony beginning the global CEP directive. It is my privilege to be one of the first to receive treatment. Side note: It seems that with the unveiling of the CEP, the KnowParty will officially take on full governmental control, getting rid of the archaic, pointless parliament. They’ll be calling themselves the Ministry of Scientific Progression, or Miniknog. Log 2002 Experiencing the CEP firsthand was exhilarating. The pain was overwhelming, but I already feel new possibilities at my fingertips. Nothing is out of our reach. We have truly become the Apex of evolution. The Miniknog’s CEP Directive is going perfectly. Already 12% of the entire population has undergone the process. This is the zenith of our existence. They will write about me in history books for aeons. Log 2032 I received an emergency call from the CEP facility this morning. There’s been a development with Prime Subject 9077. He’s begun to display physical symptoms. Growth, increased musculature, and rapid follicle development. I am following for any major developments. This is a serious issue. 80% of Pex has had their populations undergo the CEP already. There can’t be a mistake. The Miniknog knows what they’re doing. I trust in the Miniknog. Log 2051 This is an emergency. Prime Subject 9077 has continued to rapidly gain muscle mass and display increased hair growth. All secondary subjects have begun to display said characteristics as well. I don’t know what to do. This all points to the aggressive development of atavistic tendencies in the Apex genetic structure, but that’s impossible. My studies- I know I did the proper research. If this isn’t a fluke, and continues as shown, this regression will hit the general population in a matter of months. Log 2055 All test subjects have undergone complete genetic regression to a primal, protolithic ancestor of the Apex in all but mental faculties. Height has increased by an average 215%. Muscle mass has swelled grossly, covered in a thick coat of fur and leathery skin. The only reassurance, if I can call it that, is that all subjects have retained their current mental abilities. This has allowed them to eloquently express the extreme amounts of pain the transformation causes. Due to the development of vestigial physical properties in subjects, I have redubbed the CEP as the Vestigi-Evolutionary Process, or the VEP. I have repeatedly requested the Miniknog the halt the VEP Directive, but they have refused to answer at all. No representative of the Miniknog has addressed the public in weeks. This is all my fault. I’ve doomed our species to become monsters. Log 2059 I have begun to show synmptons of the VEP. Iwoke up this morning 3 cm talller than the night before. My body is wracked withpain. It feels as if myy bones are burstiing from my flesh. Thisreaction has begun all acrosss Pex. Still the Miniknog refuses to show their face. Log 2060 MY bnody mass has incerased 300% in the pastfour dayss. PaInn is unbearable. COovered in thickfur. I AM AMOONSTER. LIKe tHE Rest of my speceis. Log 2061 Testing. Testing. I have begun to use an automatic dictation program to create these logs. My fingers are too large to type on any keyboard now. The regression has begun to slow in the early populations to be administered the VEP. There is nothing I can do now. There is nothing any of us can do. The VEP has been effectively delivered to every Apex in existence. We’re all permanently changed. All future generations will grow up to be monsters. But we’re not the real monsters. The true monsters are the abominations ruling us under the guise of the Miniknog. We played straight into their hand. In less than a single generation they’ve completely taken over the world, and we’re just slaves now. I imagine they’ve installed listening devices on all technology already. They’ll no doubt hear this. No matter. They finally showed their face again, after the riots, after all the starvation and death and pain that the VEP caused. That I caused. There’s a new leader, they say, a powerful man who will steer the Apex into a brighter future. Ha. Where have I heard that one before? He calls himself Big Ape. I call him our downfall. The Miniknog and this Big Ape are trying to “clean the slate.” They want to erase our history, our culture. Everything from before they came to power is being destroyed. They want to hide the origins of the VEP, hide everything we knew before we knew only slavery and oppression. I can’t allow this to happen. I’m using the most powerful cyphers and encryptions that I have to hide these logs. Do you hear that, Miniknog listeners? You’ll never be able to find this. I hope that everything will be saved. If this survives, maybe future generations will know my shame. Perhaps they will learn of life before the Miniknog and rise up against him. Perhaps they’ll be the ones to lead the Apex to a brighter future. //End Report// General SG-679-These data logs were uncovered from an underground server bunker using basic decryption surveillance, sir. What shall we do? BA-1-Destroy them. When I started envisioning Substellar Vagary, it was a very different story than the one I’m telling now. The cast of characters has changed drastically over the planning phase, being one of the most dramatic changes from draft to draft. At one point, the crew of the Sucker’s Luck (which I was calling the Vilify at the time) included as many as ten characters. I trimmed down the core cast to the six I have now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be introducing these guys in other ways. Some, in fact, you may be seeing sooner rather than later. Here are some early character designs I created for Substellar Vagary: Some of you who have kept up with the story for a while witnessed the change of human heroine to Kathleen. Until that point, I had been using Portal 2’s Chell as a protagonist. This came about when I was designing a character to explain the alien universe to for the benefit of the reader. I decided to have the character wake up from cryosleep hundreds of years in the future. Realizing this sounded a lot like Portal 2, I decided to go ahead and write Chell into the story. Later in the drafting of episode one, I realized that I wanted this to feel like more of my own work, so I replaced Chell with my own character Kathleen. She still retains some aspects that I really enjoyed from Chell, such as being rendered mute (though for different reasons) and carrying around a big cube, which Kathleen’s story will explain eventually. Originally I had planned for the crew to include a Glitch crewmember, who went through several iterations and names. First he was Keoren V3, but I eventually changed his name to Theremin, after a particularly sci-fi-ey instrument. Theremin, who I affectionately coined the Binary Bard, was to be a travelling Glitch minstrel, and was mostly used for comic relief at first. The very first character I created, I kept making revisions to his character to allow him to fit thematically, but there came a point where I realized he would fit better somewhere else, so he was cut. Some of his character can still be found in Nym Galtby the Novakid. Shrub has remained almost completely unchanged from the earliest drafts of the story. The only major change to him was a change in his name, which was originally Bajlegab Batslegab. I found it more meaningful and easier to have him called Shrub, as if his black-market masters never actually gave him a name, only calling him a derogatory term that Shrub adapted as a title. Before Sanshoo became captain, there was a seperate captain character I created named Lady Bonnibel Flare. Though sharing name and species with the current Bonnibel Galtby, Lady Flare was a very different character, being a plotting, scheming Novakid with plans with plans to make her fortune. She suffered from the poor memory most Novakid share, but kept pages of notes on everything she observed in a holopad she kept on a necklace. I cut her as fluff, and reused the name for Nym’s sister Bonnibel. Bonnibel Galtby also has the trait of writing notes and storing them in a memory drive around her neck, although she’s much less of a planner. Sanshoo has existed since the beginning, but up until recently he existed as a witty, Han Solo-style rogue. Much more lighthearted and easygoing, the choice to make him captain changed his character significantly. Now I sort of imagine him as a PTSD-ridden Han Solo who has to make live-or-die decisions with others counting on him. It’s a more interesting character, with a deeper backstory and more depth in general. Nym Galtby was sort of in a weird spot for a long time. The original Nym was a sleazy interstellar snake oil salesman, with a penchant for kleptomania and get-rich-quick schemes. The concept of a Novakid charlatan is still interesting for me, but Nym was just too unlikeable for the main cast, so he eased into the role of a reckless, slightly lunk-headed wanderer very nicely. He still retains his kleptomaniacal tendencies and disregard for law, but I’ve determined that it makes more sense to have it be a cultural Novakid quirk to not really “get” laws and regulations. I wrote in Bonnibel to have a foil for him to work off of, and the lawless duo was born. SEaMS was a character that I really didn’t want to cut, but had to to avoid bloating. Basically the SAIL of the Sucker’s Luck, SEaMS was this cracked, homebrew, crappy piece of software that was constantly utilizing its acid tongue and absolutely hated working for the crew. It was still bound to the three laws of robotics, but only very loosely. He’s a character I’ve yet to figure out when to introduce, but will definitely be exploring again. Firth, like Shrub, has existed in a mostly unchanged form throughout development. The only major change was that for a very long time, Firth was male. I changed her into a female to create a more even gender distribution and because it broke some stereotypes, which is always nice. The last cut member of the crew is a young Avian named Citlali, who never lived in the Avian theocracy but spent most of her life as a slave. She was the youngest crewmember and was adept at learning secrets and being stealthy. I’m considering bringing the character back as a recurring antagonist/antihero, but we’ll see. The crew of the Sucker’s Luck has gone through a ton of iterations, but I’m very pleased with what I ended up with and how they’ll grow individually and together as the story progresses. (Transcribed from a Reddit post) I write an episodic thing down in the forums called Substellar Vagary. I decided that the different species lacked the vocal structures to physically speak each others' languages, so universal translators have been developed for easy communication. The human-designed translators tend to give species quirks or accents based on cultural similarities to human historical cultures. The Novakid language is the most alien and incomprehensible of all the known species, as it's actually the sound waves created as a side effect of the electromagnetic pulses Novakid emit to communicate. It sounds like buzzes, burbles, fizzes, and pops, mostly. When translated are given an American Western accent and many of the Novakid language's difficult-to-translate expressions are turned to old diatribes and slang, which sort of explains why they talk like cowboys. The Avian language is mostly intonation-based, sounding very musical to foreign ears. Whistles and screeches make up the Avians' vocalizations. When translated, Avian receive quick-speaking, vaguely Brazilian accents. The translators have a bug that picks up some whistles as an extra phoneme, so translated Avians tend to whistle slightly when they speak. The Floran language consists of whistles, clicks, and reedy tones, because the stiff Floran vocal structures are relatively inflexible and solid. Because Florans are the newest race to the galactic stage, and although they are obviously not very well-liked, attempts have been made to update the translator software to interpret Floran dialects. The translation software is still new and buggy, and generally the Floran that bother to wear a translator at all are using outmoded and broken tech, which is why the Floran often speak in broken fragments. The software also picks up the reedy hisses as extra phonemes, which give the species their iconic lisp. Floran that wish to integrate into galactic society often opt for a surgical procedure which involves carving a hole in the throat and allows for a much less prominent lisp. The Apex language, like the species themselves, is rough, blunt, and extremely efficient. Synonyms are an oddity to the Apex, as well as language for the purposes of prose or expression rather than information. Due to the Apex's massive bodies and musculature, the language is several octaves below our own. Despite this, the Apex actually have the closest languages to the Humans, and attempts have been made to speak both without the use of a translator (mostly unsuccessfully). When translated, the Apex speak in deep, eastern European accents, and generally come off as a curt and to-the-point. The Hylotl, on the other hand, possess a flowery, ornamental language that, when combined with traditional Hylotl customs, can turn even the briefest of exchanges into an hours-long ceremony. It is considered beautiful in written form, where the text is an art form in itself. Spoken, it's a varied tongue that utilizes the Hylotl's wide range of vocalization (think frog songs). When translated, the Hylotl are given Japanese accents, and their colourful language tends to make them sound courteous at best, condescending and narcissistic at worst. Lastly, the Glitch. One would wonder why sentient machines even have a language, especially since they share a hivemind and wireless data sharing is much more efficient. The answer is that the Glitch were designed to simulate the growth of biological societies, so they were programmed to speak a language of various machine noises and filters. When translated, the Glitch sound as if their voices were heavily processed, which can make emotions difficult to infer. This is assisted by the fact that the Glitch automatically and subconsciously prefix their statements with their intentional inflection. Strangely enough, the Glitch, trapped in their medieval stasis, don't wear translators, but still understand the languages of other species. This is because the galaxy-wide hivemind that controls the Glitch is constantly gathering and providing information to all Glitch pertaining to any languages experienced by any unit, so that they have an automatic language database built into their systems. Let me know what sort of content you want to see on here, and thanks for reading my material! *Just so everyone knows, I'm aware that there are two "In-Universe Materials" tabs. For whatever reason, every time I fix it, the spoilers recreate themselves, so I'm just leaving it be for now.
Updated with a new story leading in to SV Episode 2. Tlilzin's a minor character you'll meet early on. Will his escape go as planned?
Wondering what the mysterious message Sanshoo recieved actually said? Probably not, but I wrote it anyways and posted it here! There's also another small news report that's just some lore/worldbuilding. Enjoy! [SPOILERS AHOY] Actually, while I'm on here, I'm looking for an appropriate name for a ship. The Sucker's Luck is eventually going to be retrieving a small, one-man dogfighter onboard, and I'm looking for a name for it. Like everything else about the ship, it's a little bit ramshackle, not the prettiest, but still there when it counts... most of the time. The name could fit with the Sucker's Luck gambling motif, but it by all means does not have to. I'd love some suggestions!
Oooh, sounds like the transmission was received from a Glitch! This ought to be interesting. I wonder what the shadows are. As for the dogfighter, I'm thinking about it.. Maybe: Red Admiral, Tough Draw, Dead Reckoning, Jury Rigger.
It's been a while since I've posted a soliloquy! I've updated the main post with three new little pieces. Two are bits of character dialogue I've written but haven't put anywhere yet, so they may yet see use in a future episode of Substellar Vagary. The third is a transcription of a post on Reddit where I explain the Vagary-verse's take on communication between the species of aliens. For whatever reason, the forum's formatting keeps messing up my spoilers, and after the seventh attempt to fix it I'm giving up for now, so the main post has two "In-Universe Material" sections. No worries. I'll attach them here, too, for convenience! “Kathleen, take off your translator for a picosecond.” Firth walked into the cargo bay just as Kathleen phased down a holotarget with her training pistol. “Huh? Why? I can’t understand any of you without my translator. I can’t even talk, actually.” Kathleen shot Firth a confused look as the Apex mechanic ducked under the doorway. “It’s a surprise. I’ve been meaning to try something.” “All right?” Kathleen unhooked her translator from around her ear and disconnected the diodes that allowed her to speak electronically. She gave a nod towards Firth, who was giving a toothy grin of anticipation. “Saluton! Ich sprechen di shprakh mmin al'ard inkurūdo people! Watashi ga jissen shite imasu practice days tres!” Kathleen wasn’t used to hearing Firth’s gravelly non-translated voice, but she picked out a few words from the garble. She re-applied her own translator. “What do you think? I’ve been trying to teach myself the human language!” “It’s, er, I heard a few words in there I recognized…” At the sight of Firth’s crestfallen, leathery face, Kathleen added, “But it’s really getting there! You know, there’s not really a ‘human language.’ There were countless languages all across the world back on Earth…” “More than one language? But why? That seems so… inefficient!” After a moment of puzzling, Firth spoke again. “Oh! I believe that I understand. Humans have developed secondary languages for espionage and data storage, no? That is clever.” “It’s actually a cultural thing. I’m speaking a language called English, because that’s the language developed where I lived… Do the Apex only have one language across the entire species?” Kathleen asked. “It is most efficient to be understood by all of your kind, and translators are rarely allowed to Apex citizens. They don’t wish you to speak with outsiders. The Miniknog says Unispeak has always been our language, but personally…” Firth instinctively looked around and leaned over towards Kathleen’s ear. “I believe that is a false statement. Human culture has always fascinated me. The variety, the passion, the colour. It’s something most Apex will never understand, I’m afraid.” She shook her head. “I don’t- I don’t know how I know these things. I don’t remember ever living under Miniknog rule, but these flashes of information… “ After a moment of silence, Firth looked towards the door. “I should get back to work. And I’ll keep working on speaking Human, too!” Miniknog? That’s a question for another day. I wonder where she really came from. What memories are locked away by the antenna on her head? Kathleen thought. Maybe it’s better she forget the past. Maybe it’s better we all do. “Hey Sanshoo.” “Yes, Doctor Jones?” “I’ve been reading about the history that I… y’know, missed…” “Yes, I’m aware, Doctor Jones. You’ve asked me questions about Hylotl biology that’d make an Avian blush.” “This isn’t about that. Ahem. I was just reading about some ancient ruins…? There’s supposedly an ancient, super-advanced extinct species whose ruins are still scattered around today. Reverse-engineering technology apparently gave us the basis for a lot of tech today. It says here that something called the Terrene Protectorate was investigating, but that’s fifty years old and that’s all I could find on it.” “...” “Well?” “Well, what?” “Do you know anything about it? What I’d give to see something like that!” “I think that you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the holonet, Doctor.” I write an episodic thing down in the forums called Substellar Vagary. I decided that the different species lacked the vocal structures to physically speak each others' languages, so universal translators have been developed for easy communication. The human-designed translators tend to give species quirks or accents based on cultural similarities to human historical cultures. The Novakid language is the most alien and incomprehensible of all the known species, as it's actually the sound waves created as a side effect of the electromagnetic pulses Novakid emit to communicate. It sounds like buzzes, burbles, fizzes, and pops, mostly. When translated are given an American Western accent and many of the Novakid language's difficult-to-translate expressions are turned to old diatribes and slang, which sort of explains why they talk like cowboys. The Avian language is mostly intonation-based, sounding very musical to foreign ears. Whistles and screeches make up the Avians' vocalizations. When translated, Avian receive quick-speaking, vaguely Brazilian accents. The translators have a bug that picks up some whistles as an extra phoneme, so translated Avians tend to whistle slightly when they speak. The Floran language consists of whistles, clicks, and reedy tones, because the stiff Floran vocal structures are relatively inflexible and solid. Because Florans are the newest race to the galactic stage, and although they are obviously not very well-liked, attempts have been made to update the translator software to interpret Floran dialects. The translation software is still new and buggy, and generally the Floran that bother to wear a translator at all are using outmoded and broken tech, which is why the Floran often speak in broken fragments. The software also picks up the reedy hisses as extra phonemes, which give the species their iconic lisp. Floran that wish to integrate into galactic society often opt for a surgical procedure which involves carving a hole in the throat and allows for a much less prominent lisp. The Apex language, like the species themselves, is rough, blunt, and extremely efficient. Synonyms are an oddity to the Apex, as well as language for the purposes of prose or expression rather than information. Due to the Apex's massive bodies and musculature, the language is several octaves below our own. Despite this, the Apex actually have the closest languages to the Humans, and attempts have been made to speak both without the use of a translator (mostly unsuccessfully). When translated, the Apex speak in deep, eastern European accents, and generally come off as a curt and to-the-point. The Hylotl, on the other hand, possess a flowery, ornamental language that, when combined with traditional Hylotl customs, can turn even the briefest of exchanges into an hours-long ceremony. It is considered beautiful in written form, where the text is an art form in itself. Spoken, it's a varied tongue that utilizes the Hylotl's wide range of vocalization (think frog songs). When translated, the Hylotl are given Japanese accents, and their colourful language tends to make them sound courteous at best, condescending and narcissistic at worst. Lastly, the Glitch. One would wonder why sentient machines even have a language, especially since they share a hivemind and wireless data sharing is much more efficient. The answer is that the Glitch were designed to simulate the growth of biological societies, so they were programmed to speak a language of various machine noises and filters. When translated, the Glitch sound as if their voices were heavily processed, which can make emotions difficult to infer. This is assisted by the fact that the Glitch automatically and subconsciously prefix their statements with their intentional inflection. Strangely enough, the Glitch, trapped in their medieval stasis, don't wear translators, but still understand the languages of other species. This is because the galaxy-wide hivemind that controls the Glitch is constantly gathering and providing information to all Glitch pertaining to any languages experienced by any unit, so that they have an automatic language database built into their systems. Edit: Oh, and by the way, Substellar Vagary isn't abandoned. I'm just a writer that perpetually fails to meet deadlines I set for myself. Epsiode 2 will finish up in the next few chapters, and then I think I'll have a vote on here as to which of my ideas I should work on next. Edit No. 2: Forgot to mention! If you like Substellar Vagary or Starbound writing in general, you should come stop by the Network of Starbound Fanfiction Writers (humourously dubbed the NSFW, for short)! This relatively-new guild is the spot for the forum's best and brightest authors, so if you're looking for a good read, some writing discussion/advice, or to submit and application, pay us a visit! We also periodically host community-based contests and writing events. There's currently a story being built where you, the humble Starbounder, can contribute by submitting characters and plot ideas! Well, that's enough shilling for now. Happy Starbounding!
Quick update, I've added the poll to determine what SV Ep3 will be about as well as my entry for the December writing contest (runner up!).
