VPS - Void Psychosis Syndrome

No one knows what it is, or why it's spreading like wildfire. The infinitologists claim that it's the wrath of the universe while the psychiatric technicians says that it is a form of isolation sickness, feeding into the fears and mental weaknesses of the stricken. But no one knows.

Those who have been sucked into the maddening spiral of full blown VPS are a danger to themselves and others. Insomnia, paranoid delusions paired with homicidal and suicidal tendencies are just the tip of the iceberg.

Backwater & Speedpaints

So what is out there? Well, there is everything from the glistering steel towers in the core systems to the criminally operated space stations on the fringe. Mining operations, terraforming hubs and Ripper infested ships which sail through the void are but a small part of possible setting locations. The illustration below is one of my personal speedpaint favorites and shows the early stages of a mining colony set up on an un-terraformed world.

This next one shows how a group of exploring xenoarcheologists in the company of a scout makes a significant archeological find in the form of old alien ruins.

Ship Ahoy

This ship is a C-class Gargon model freighter. This particular one is the ship you will be flying in the ready to play adventure in the quickstart. So welcome to the Valhalla, in a couple of months you will be part of her crew. Trust me, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

What the hell is it?

Not friendly would be the short answer. This is a continuation of the creature design shown in earlier posts. We’re determined to keep at it until the antagonists in the C&D world are disturbing, nasty and deadly.

Science Researcher

In the world of C&D there is a great distinction between a scientist and a science researcher. The SR is seldom stationed for long as he is more inclined to find new angels and opportunities to turn into actual science. One can say that they’re the prospectors of the scientific world. They find new scientific materials and research, do the preliminary scientific work and sell the opportunity to their clients.

Scouts

The special training scouts go through allows them to handle the NETSS (Nano Environmental Tactical Stealth Suit), which renders them virtually invincible to the naked eye and most scanners. The mental strain of maintaining the stealth mode is extreme as the user has to actively interact with the interface, lining up environmental scans with his position. The outer skin of the suit consists of nanites which are capable of changing color and patterns as well as deflecting most scanners (such as IR and LIDAR).

Scouts are experts at getting behind enemy lines in order to obtain information or engage in sabotage with surgical precision. Their weapon of choice is a high-powered sniper rifle. 

The Core Harvesters

Mining, core harvesting and resource management is paramount for the continuation of the human species. In order to accumulate the vast resources needed to expand, the E-Class core harvesters were developed. These crafts are virtually cities of their own.

With a length of 2000 meters (about half the length of central park), a width of 500 meters and a height of 300 meters (about the height of the Eiffel Tower) they’re massive constructs. They contain approximately 30 decks and enough material to set up a large mining colony or several small ones. These beasts are out for months, carrying thousands of miners and engineers. We have our illustrator Henrik Karppinen to thank for this beautifully composed version of a Thor E-Class harvester.