Welcome to the Talos Sector
Centuries ago, a cataclysm destroyed all means of interstellar travel and communication, isolating all human colonies across the stars. Now that a handful have managed to reconnect, they're seeing how far their cultures have diverged and feeling the weight of incompatible priorities.
The heart of this setting is the universal struggle of reconnecting with people after growing apart.
Genre
Grounded Sci-Fi
Despite the fictional technology, this setting feels plausible based on what we know of our current reality.
Soft Sci-Fi
The effects of technology on people and cultures take more focus than scientific explanations of that tech.
Tone
Talos deals in grey morality and difficult choices, with an undertone of hope.
It's not always clear who is a villain or what the right answer is, but there are always those trying to make the world a better place.
Themes
- There's always more to discover. No map is ever fully complete.
- Everyone is hiding something. 'Why' can be just as important as 'what'.
- Anyone can change history. Sometimes even for the better.
Every planet covers different aspects of sci-fi sub-genres, allowing each campaign to have its own, more specific themes and adventures, from political intrigue to planet-hopping pulp, from post-scarcity and transhumanism to wilderness survival and ferocious monsters. The nature of the story is up to those telling it.
Reader Experience
This is a future in motion. Someone is always up to something, and anything could change if the right person intervenes. Readers will see themselves as part of these worlds, and reflections of our current reality.
Player Agency
As a collaborative work, details and layers are added to support player ideas and enthusiasm. The decisions they make have long-lasting impact, for good or ill, and can ripple across the galaxy or fall into obscurity.
Whether reader or player, you can start reading at (nearly) any article that piques your interest and be able to follow along with no additional context. If anything is confusing or hard to follow, please let me know in a comment so I can answer any questions and fix the article.