The Sealed Kingdoms
Scope
The motivation behind building The Sealed Kingdoms
The idea of the Sealed Kingdoms has been bouncing around in my head for the better part of 10 years, dating all the way back to the early games of D&D (the 3.5 era) with friends. Certain factions have a much earlier origin, as I've actually wanted to write a science fiction novel since the middle of high school. Still, it's only in recent years that I've developed the stamina, focus, and knowledge to actually turn these desires and experiences into something more concrete.
The goal of the project
I want to write serious science fiction novels based in the Sealed Kingdoms setting as part of an ongoing effort to create an expanded universe where all of my stories can take place. As I go along, I hope to learn a lot more about the associated sciences as well, as I think it's very important to have a broad intellectual pallette in modern times - this journey is as much about self-improvement for me as it is about realizing the dream of publication.
The Sealed Kingdoms's Unique Selling point
The Sealed Kingdoms is a place where traditionally 'space opera' stories can be told within the framework of the hard science which would normally preclude it (i.e. no faster-than-light travel, communications, or detection).
Theme
Genre
The primary genre of The Sealed Kingdoms is hard science fiction. The most advanced human and human-like civilizations are post-cyberpunk societies, but not post-scarcity, while other species verge on 'indistinguishable from magic' without quite crossing that boundary.
Reader Experience
I want the reader to revel in overcoming fears to take in the wonders of the cosmos. The world is dangerous and we are fragile, but that makes overcoming the obstacles set before us feel like a much more noble, respectable endeavor.
Reader Tone
The tone of the world is grey-grey; it is realistic, but with the possibility of happy endings. People on the frontiers live difficult lives but enjoy the freedom of building new worlds, while people living on established worlds enjoy the comforts of high technology without escaping the obligations of their societies.
Recurring Themes
The hard vacuum of space and the biological needs of the people are emphasized to root the reader in the seriousness of the world. At the same time, there are constantly small reminders that there is the possibility of some sort of great attainment - some form of higher being or purpose - for people to strive for. For example, humans are not well-suited to the rigors of space travel, but their artificial intelligence and cybernetic technologies put them at the cusp of 'apotheosis,' a permanent escape of the human mind and spirit from the decadent prison of the flesh.
Character Agency
Characters are generally free to pursue their own interests, though social strictures, the smallness of any single being beneath the cosmos, and the brutal reality of physics put limits on what one can accomplish within a single lifetime. Luckily, some entities have found ways to drastically expand both the scope and duration of such efforts through technology.
Focus
Drama
While the truly alien species seldom interact with one another on the astropolitical stage, they occasionally come into conflict over resources, space for colonies, or the ethics of certain practices. For example, while Wurth Harkin, founder of the Cobalt Protectorate and liberator of the Evermornan people, is perfectly happy to wield relativistic weapons against threats to the human species, other species crafted the Valleybridge Accords explicity to ban the use of such terribly destructive devices.
The Sealed Kingdoms, the BCGR general roleplay system, and all associated content are copyright 2021 Werner Martinmaas (BCGR_Wurth). All rights reserved. Images copyright 2021 Werner Martinmaas or their respective creators. If you see a piece of content not properly credited, please let me know so I can fix it. Thanks for reading!