[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmY0ZjFmMS5WMmxzWkNCVWFXMWxjeUJoZENCMGFHVWdSV0Z5ZEdoemFHbHVaU0JKYm00LC4w/designer-block.regular.png[/img][hr]
[hider=The Race for Space, Public Service Broadcasting][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlnwuV6RuMo[/youtube][/hider]
[hr]
[i]"We meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds..."

"The eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding..."

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win..."

"Many years ago, the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, "Because it is there"...

"Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. Thank you."

- John F. Kennedy, speaking at Rice University. September 12th, 1962. [/i]

[hr]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Y867XbW.jpg[/img]

[hr]
[/center] 

Welcome to Wild Times at the Earthshine Inn. This RP-thing takes place in the not-so-distant future of 2230, during the golden age of solar system exploration. Due to a variety of factors, from advanced technology developed via asteroid mining to the decline of Earth to climate change, humans now look towards the stars and planets not as things of wonder, but as real estate opportunities. Dozens upon dozens of human colonies now dot the solar system, from the moons of Jupiter to the distant icefields of the Oort Cloud. 
Technology in this age is advanced, but not Star Trekkian. Faster-than-light travel has yet to be invented, but solutions to the problems caused by the distance of space have been provided. With your average rocket, a human spaceship can get from Earth to Mars in a little under a day, about 19 hours, while it takes about a month to get from Earth to Pluto. Light itself has to travel as well though, meaning that radio transmissions from Earth to Mars, for example, take about a half hour. This distance is just about perfect for off-Earth colonies to develop their own cultures while still being connected to the rest of humanity. 
In this Rp-esque thing, you play a space explorer of some sort. Perhaps you are a trucker hauling payloads of important minerals or gasses around to different colonies, or a mercenary fighting to conquer or protect various colonies outside of Earth jurisdiction. Maybe you’re a pirate who attacks cargo ships to steal their precious metals or a junker who cleans up wreckage to recycle important electronics. The Solar System is a wide-open frontier with danger and adventure lurking all over. Unlike other RPs, however, your character isn’t acting in a singular plot, but instead has brought the story of their adventures in space to a small dive bar in a lunar city. Gather round the bar and grab a drink as you listen to the stories of fellow adventurers and tell your own tales of traveling across the Solar System in a land of unparalleled opportunity. 
	Below can be found a brief history of how humanity got to this moment in time, from the year 2021 to the current year, 2230. Much of recent history within this list has been left intentionally blank for you to fill in. Unlike usual, I’m taking a different approach to worldbuilding with this RP, allowing the players to construct the world around them as they see fit, so long as it fits within the thematic parameters. You can put a place already made into your own context, or you can create entirely new places anywhere in the Solar System.

[hr]
[b]Genre:[/b] Hard Science Fiction
[b]Availability:[/b] By Invitation [b]only.[/b]
[b]Pace:[/b] Slow, requiring interaction once every few days, with max being once a week.

So here's how this is going to work. Unlike most RPs, where everyone together writes one story, this RP will be more like an anthology, where every player will take turns writing a short story that is their character telling a story of their lives exploring space. The rp will be very slow-paced, and once it is your turn for your story, you have one week to post your story. We will then have some short posts of characters' reactions to your story before we go to the next one. We will go in a set order decided after the introduction to the rp. Depending on how well-liked the RP is, we may have multiple rounds, where characters can tell new stories or new characters can join. 

[hr]
[img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjM2LmY0ZjFmMS5VblZzWlhNLC4w/designer-block.regular.png[/img] 

[indent]1) No OOC in the IC. 

2) There is no minimum post size. Write what needs to be said and write it well. 

3) All short stories must be put into a single post. If your story exceeds the max character limit, you may double post. 

4) Usual shit. Don't be racist, homophobic, etc. Cursing is of course allowed, as is sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. 

5) Stories do not have to be canonical. You are a bunch of half-drunk spacefolk sitting around a bar— you're probably gonna make shit up or exaggerate. That said, pay attention to what other writers write. We are building this universe together, so work together to make a cohesive setting if you can. 

6) Once it is your turn to post your short story, you must post within the next 7 days. You may prepare the story in advance. If you do not post in 7 days, your character will be excused from the table and you will go to the end of the order. 

[/indent]