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 Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 1:38 pm
The Vanguard: A Distant LandWhat is a year on the Earth Calendar to a Velencian when they have such long life spans? Days come and go, and the universe moves on. They have barely aged at all since they first arrived here. And yet, this is the longest they’ve been away from home. Earth is a place of mystery and novelty, and there are so many possibilities here, but it is not Velencya. This world is not their world. Homesickness is understandable. Communications have been limited; even Lyndin has only been able to pass a few messages back and forth to the Council on Velencya. But, he’s made it his goal to connect the bridge between Earth and Velencya–if only temporarily. The conditions are perfect; thanks to the meteor shower and a carefully constructed communication tower, there is a limited window for the Vangurdians on Earth to communicate with their friends and family on Velencya! A message has been sent out to every ComTech device with instructions on how to utilize the tower. It has limited charges, so for the time being it is only capable of handling one half hour video chat or call. Alternatively, text messages and letters can be sent and received during this window as well. With the notification on the ComTech, Lyndin has attached a vital message. Quote: Greetings, Vanguardians. I have attached instructions for connecting to a special program available through our ComTech. Please be aware that there is a small window of time within the Earth dates of June 15th and July 9th to access communications directly to Velencya. You may connect for up to half an hour for video and voice calls, and you may send and receive messages with near immediate transmission to any available Velencian back home. We have sent out a message on Velencya to inform everyone of this window. I know many of you miss home. I had hoped we would be back already with better solutions for our people, but this mission has taken many turns and requires constant shifting. We’ve made progress in ways I never could have imagined, and I am so proud to have the team that we do here. I know this is not the ideal solution, I wish we could manage a trip home before resuming our research, but I have set up these communications with hopes that it will ease the burden many of you are carrying. My hope is to find a more permanent solution to establish communications, but for now this is our best option. You may contact anyone you wish to speak to, but I would like to request that you please be considerate of the information you have obtained during this mission. You have been entrusted with classified information that we cannot risk spreading on Velencya. We do not have the resources to manage the panic, and I can assure you that everyone is making their best efforts to improve and resolve our situation. I have to ask for patience for a while longer. Please refrain from discussing the status of His Highness, Velencya’s Core, or any other sensitive information. Please understand that I do not make this request lightly. I am not asking anyone to lie, but I am asking that you please choose your words carefully and do what is best for our people. I know we want to go home. I know we want our world to be saved. When Velencya is stable, I have full intentions to help restore Earth to its full potential as well. For now, please use your ComTech to coordinate with our systems who you would like to speak to, and when, and we will see that they are available to accommodate your request. You can tell them about your projects, or Earth, but the official report as of now is that we cannot leave this world until we have acquired vital materials. If anyone needs any guidance or has any questions, please contact me directly. I’ll be available as soon as possible. You all have my utmost gratitude. Thank you for everything you’ve done. I have no doubt we’ll be making great strides to accomplish our goals in the near future. 
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Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 1:40 pm
OOC InformationICly, Lyndin has had limited contact with Velencya and would have discussed the mission status with trusted, high-ranking Vanguardian advisors. He would have reported losses, and families would have been notified if their loved ones were lost on the mission. Lyndin would send reports as often as possible and the general mission status as reported to Velencya is that they are generally doing well but are navigating a difficult situation with a foreign world and the people on it while collecting research and materials vital for Velencya’s long term future. They would have been made aware that there is a dangerous situation on Earth that the Vanguard is currently strategically combating; due to the close proximity to Velencya, it would be unwise and unsafe to let this issue flourish. It is also known that while the Velencians are here, they are also making progress on developing interstellar communications and may be able to find a way to restore Velenia and/or improve Velencian home life. ICly, Vanguardians would be aware that this is what the general population has been told and understands of their mission. OOCly, please do not create a situation where your character should be pressured to lie and/or reveal meta information. The Vanguardians on Earth and select NPCs on Velencya are the only ones who are approved to have information regarding the Vanguardian Core, Caedus’ status, or Lyndin’s affiliation with the Negaverse/Chaos. The purpose of this plot opportunity is to give the Vanguardians time to communicate with their friends or family back home to resolve some of their personal homesickness, not to introduce potential plot holes or issues. We apologize if this disappoints anyone, and we are open to approving plots upon request, but we would like to strongly ask that players please use this opportunity to have their characters communicate with people they care about. Players should not have their characters discuss anything about the Vanguard or their meta purpose here on Earth without permission, but if they have questions they can PM the mule and we will answer them and update our FAQ below to help others! A few things to remember about Velencian society can be found in the thread below, and the Vanguardian Faction Information can be found here! Players can write solos, roleplays, or can handwave communications back home, but everyone must fill out the below form so we can approve the general conversation! Velencians can talk about their projects or experiences on Earth, but they should keep in mind the official story and should not say anything to cause doubt about its validity. So far, Velencya has been told that they are making good strides in their intended mission, though there have been many unpredictable hurdles they’ve had to overcome. This prompt will be open until 11:59 PM (PST) on Sunday, July 9th; you have until then to send in the following form! If you are still in the process of plotting things or discussing with staff what you would like to have happen, that’s fine! You just need to express interest in using this prompt prior to then, and ICly the messages must be exchanged before the end of Sunday, July 9th. Like all roleplays started between June 15th and July 9th, this prompt can be used to earn a ticket, and it can be used towards Individual Participation Prizes! Vanguardians can only contact home once but they can speak to as many people as you are willing to get approved as NPCs for them! Their conversation can ICly only last for one half hour, so please be mindful of this! It's important not to assume anything about Velencya or Velencian society; if you have any questions, please let us know! If something is incorrectly assumed or not approved and is included in any roleplay or solo, we will ask for corrections! The FormIf you are interested in pursuing this plot for your Vanguardian, please fill out the following form and send it to The Space Cauldron! [b]Vanguardian Character[/b]: (Include their name and a link to their journal)
[b]Contacting[/b]: (Who will they be contacting? This can be a friend or family member, but if it comes up in roleplays it is important to get their occupation and name approved! You can include as many people as you want to get approved, but please make sure you have reviewed the below post to familiarize yourself with Velencian information!
[b]Topics[/b]: (Please go over the general topics of interest you wish to cover! If you need general information or want to double check that your NPCs can comment on something or if you want information on things that they should know, please include any questions here! Your character can discuss many things, but please keep in mind the above requests for topics to avoid!)
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Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 1:42 pm
Velencian InformationFull information about Velencya and Velencians can be found in the Faction Information Thread; this is just a general reminder about their world and some of the people in it! Velencya is a synthetic planet created by the survivors of a vicious assault on their original world, Velenia. Velenia was once a small but prosperous planet; its people were intellectuals and valued knowledge and peace. There were not a warfaring society and considered themselves more advanced than that--however, it made them easy prey for invaders who sought their resources. The Velenians were quickly overthrown from power and enslaved by a barbaric, war-faring race that plundered their world and used them for physical labor. The old King and Queen were able to lead a rebellion against the invaders, and though they were not able to overpower them, they were able to create a spaceship that ferried their people off of the planet before they were destroyed.
Legends are told of their greatness; they were killed in battle protecting their people, but their efforts helped establish a ship that grew into a colony, that grew into a world. The synthetic planet was known as Velencya--a temporary home meant to shelter them until their Senshi could awaken and help them reclaim Velenia.
For a while, Velencya grew. They stole when they needed to. They traded when they could. They made alliances and built themselves up from nothing. They waited for a Senshi that would never awaken. The only heir to the late King and Queen, Caedus, was an adventurous and enthusiastic diplomat; he was presumed dead after attending a mission with the Vanguard. In his absence, and while the Velencians waited for their Senshi to be reborn, the Vanguard rose to power. A Council of elders rule Velencya; there are very few Velenians of the old world left alive, and they are greatly outnumbered by the Velencians--those born on the synthetic world, who have never known their true homeworld.
Commodore Lyndin became the go-to leader in Caedus’ absence; though he always relied on the Council to make decrees and pass them for the betterment of Velencian society. He is the most prominent leader in the Vanguardians, and is greatly respected by all.
Velencya has thrived, in a way; they are still a small, synthetic planet, but they have survived. They have grown. They are resilient. AppearanceVelencya appears similar to a futuristic night-time metropolis; they have a clear dome surrounding their world, powered by crystals that create a synthetic atmosphere for them. They have no clouds, and because they frequently travel to keep themselves safe, there is no consistent night or day.
There are lights everywhere, in street lamps and on buildings, to chase away the darkness. Crystals are everywhere and help support the world; because it is a synthetic creation, everything must be in sync and maintained to properly function. Sometimes the sky changes color to mimic a rising or setting sun, but this requires energy they don’t always have, and is more often a byproduct of something in the atmosphere or a nearby star system.
The city has patches of grass, trees, and flowers to help maintain a breathable atmosphere. The world has been programmed to sustain life, but plants need to be imported, and resources such as water need to be traded and pilfered to the world. There is an advanced water recycling resource on the world; no drop is wasted.
The buildings are tall and narrow, meant to fit as much onto the surface as possible. Buildings can comfortably reach up to sixty stories without touching the barrier that protects them.
Velencya only has one real city; the rest is dedicated to growing crops to sustain life. The entire world is spherical and has a strong gravitational force. Velencya is about half the size of Earth's Moon and has the ability to be programmed to move through space. The barrier that preserves the atmosphere also protects from stray space debris.
Most Velencians live inside the city; the vast majority of their work is done by machines so they can focus on education and improving resources. Machines grow and harvest their crops, though some Velencian scientists may live outside of the city to experiment on more effective ways to grow produce. LanguageWhile older members of the Vanguard, such as Commodore Lyndin and Caedus, can speak old Velenian and English naturally, most younger members (and all Questable Velencians) will use a communicator that automatically translates spoken English into their natural language. For as long as the communicator is on and attached to them, it also allows them to speak in English. This device is only programmed to translate to and from English, so other languages may become warbled and incorrectly translate. This communicator can be an earpiece, a piece of jewelry, or programmed into their ComTech depending on how they choose to wear it.
While all Velencians ICly know the Velenian language, players should not assume any words or phrasing. If a Velencian is speaking in Velenian, please ICly indicate this and do not attempt to translate or describe the language. It cannot be taught to anyone else. Society and CultureVelencya is rooted in tradition and all new generations are brought up to respect it. Velencians value hard work and education, and are community minded and should aspire to serve their people. They work together and are taught to focus on improving their strengths, or even just focusing on a single strength. Velencians believe that there is a place for everyone in their society. It is imperative that every Velencian have at least one field of study and excel in it; Velencians study nearly every field, even the history of other worlds. They like to learn of their successes and advances, as well as how they came to fall. It is important that they don’t make the same mistakes.
Velencians are not taught to explore individuality, as they believe that this deviates from their structure and will encourage weaknesses and dissent. Everyone is treated fairly and given the same opportunities as one another. This is a world of survivors, and they take care of each other. They believe they are stronger together. Their goals are to maintain Velencya and make sure it stays habitable for future generations, though they are very limited in reproducing. Velencians live very long lives and it is only with approval from their Council of Elders that they can bring new life onto the world. They do not have the resources or space to handle overpopulation so are very careful to keep themselves within a safe range.
Velencians are typically non-hostile; they are an advanced race who does not fight amongst each other. There is no crime on Velencya. The Vanguard is trained in combat that they may need to defend themselves while they are scouting and recovering necessities from other worlds, but even they typically do not see combat.
Velencians are the only sentient species on the synthetic world except for a very small population of cattle. Velencians have a diet that is almost exclusively fruits, vegetables, and harvested minerals. An incredibly small part of the population must consume meat to survive due to a genetic deficiency. The animals live happy, comfortable lives; they have renewable appendages that naturally break off and regrow; Velencians respect life and harvest this resource safely and painlessly for the small number of ‘defective’ Velencians. However, to avoid passing this gene on, these Velencians are often not given permission to procreate.
They do not keep pets, as they believe this is on par with enslaving another living being. Though they can recognize inferior life forms may be better off with intelligent aid, keeping a creature against its will is considered an ethical violation on Velencya. Additionally, they do not have extra resources for another living creature so it would be against the rules to keep one. The only exception to this might be scientists who are studying living creatures for a specific purpose, but this is always short term and they are always returned to their natural habitat, no matter how bleak their survival may be there.
If the Velencians must harvest from a living creature, they only do so when they can utilize every resource available to them. If they cannot use every part of a creature, they will not harvest it. Religion and RitualsVelencya has no true religion but individual studies may lead them to adopt certain beliefs. These are typically private and not discussed. They believe in Cosmos and the Galaxy Cauldron and trust that when their life is over they will be reborn; they hope that in their next life, their studious nature and hard work will carry over. They intend to improve and evolve in every lifetime.
Velencians have few specific rituals; they have marriage unions. Some may choose to stay together for their entire life, and some may have long-term, but temporary, partners. Some may choose partners based on affections, similar studies, or genetic compatibility. Love is felt by Velencians, but it is improper to express such raw emotion in a public setting. Marrying for love is possible, but there is predominantly another bond between them as well.
Velencians do not celebrate birthdays; they are marks in life and they use these days to reflect on what they have learned and how much more they need to learn.
When Velencians pass away, after a day of public mourning, their bodies are presented to the crystal core of their world. The crystal absorbs them and they become one with the world. Somewhere on the world, a crystal will grow for them. These crystals continue to grow by absorbing latent energy in the air and can be used to keep the planet alive and functioning. The CalendarThe Velencian calendar is based on the original Velenian calendar. Velenia had two moons that were destroyed during the invasion, but prior to that the moons were used to tell time. Velenia had ten months, each with about fifty days; when the two moons eclipsed each other, a new month would begin. A Velencian day lasts for roughly 48 hours. Loosely, one year on Velencya is about three years on Earth. PoliticsVelencya has been unable to make contact with living worlds for centuries; they have no political alliances at present except for what the Vanguard can secure on Earth.
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Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2023 1:42 pm
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