Chronicles of Riddick future setting

[Mystaros]

Coupla things...

The DC of CoR is indispensible. It has a lot more on just what Riddick is... and he's definitely a "super-human" of some sort, though that may not be due to genetic heritage.

Aeron of the Elementals explains that the Elemental philosophy is based on Plato, and that there are five elements, Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Ether. I suggest that, as with all religions, she's leaving out some other things. For example, in the book the "half-dead" nature of the Lord Marshall is described as being astral in nature. The Underverse is described as being beyond a "rift" in the regular 'verse, called the Threshold, and is an actual location in the 'verse where the new Lord Marshall must go to and return from — as the Half-Dead.

I think there are as many "elements" as one would want to put into the campaign, think of them not so much as classical elements as "platonic ideals," in which each different "'verse" represents the most ideal aspect of that "element." Thus, the Airverse would be for elemental Air, the Fireverse would be for elemental Fire, the Underverse for elemental Death, and the "Furyverse" would represent elemental animalism... as Riddick mentions, duiring cryosleep the most base, animalistic level of the human mind remains awake... and he is more or less conscious whenever he wants to be in cryosleep! Except, of course, when he gets whacked by the power of Shirah (in the book and in the DC).

The recognized "Elemental" races of Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Ether are all closely connected, and far mroe common than other "elemental" races, as those are indeed the five classic Greek elements... and the most common in general. The ancestors of Riddick's people must have settled on a planet that had close ties to "elemental animalism," or perhaps "elemental nature" in general, as the visions of Furiya (seen in the DC) seem very lush in general. Thus, like the Air elementals, the Furiyans absorbed "elemental animalism," and Riddick has been "chosen" to revenge the primal animalism of the Furyians, which still survives in the "Furyverse" personified by Shirah.

As to Riddick being the "last" Furyian, that is misleading. The DC shows that the prophecy declared that the Lord Marshall would be killed by a "new-born" Furyian male... and thus they killed all the new-born males, strangling them with their own cords. Somehow, Riddick survived this, even though the Lord Marshall visited him while he was in his crib! (note the "new-born" thing is very classic in mythology). So while all the new-born males were slaughtered, any other survivors, even young boys and teens like the Purifier would have been at the time, would have been given the choice to convert or die! So many of the current Necromongers might even be Furyians! However, as the process of conversion also sterilizes the subject (as mentioned in the book), that would likely make Riddick indeed the last of the Furyians... unless there are other survivors, hidden elsewere...

Oh, and I read somewhere that the Riddick DVDs have sold more than $90 million worth... so the odds of a sequel are looking better! Considering it is designed to be a trilogy (with Pitch Blakc as the "Prequel" along the lines of The Hobbit), we might even see two more movies on this 'verse... er, universe...

 

[Mystaros]

One point I meant to make in my ealrier post had to do with the relationship between the Primeverse (the regular universe) and all the other 'verses.

There are at least the five acknowledged elements, Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Ether.

I'd argue that Ether is *not* the source of the Underverse, as Death is something entirely different. So then we have Death as a sixth, and I'd argue for "Animal" or perhaps "Primal" energy being a seventh, and the basis for Riddick's Furyian power (or even, call it "Life," as he is opposed to "Death").

Then there would be the Astralverse, which is the 'verse that exists on the edge of all the other 'verses, and which allows the powers of the other 'verses to extrude into the Primeverse, as with the powers of the Lord Marshall to steal souls and separate his own soul from his body (which enables him to move and seemingly be in more places than one at a time).

The essence of the Astral, which keeps all the different 'verses apart, is weak in some places, allowing some worlds or even whole regions of space to become part Prime, part Elemental... and thus, on those planets, arose the Elemental races. Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Ether are the most common, with other "elemental truths" represented only more fitfully or uniquely throughout the Primeverse, such as Furyia, which has a strong connection to the Primalverse, wherein life itself is at its most primitive, elemental, animalistic state.

Colonists on Elemental worlds themselves either evolved, or their children evolved elemental traits. Thus, settlers on Air-connected worlds gained air-like bodies, settlers on Fire-connected worlds gained fire-like bodies, and so forth, down to the Furyians, who in general did not change but became more primitive and primal, appropriate for a known warrior-race.

Only Death itself was not found, until 212 years ago, when Covu the Transcended discovered the Threshold, a rift in space (with, presumably, attendant planets nearby) across which the Underverse, the "elemental universe of death," could be reached. He founded the Necromongers as the first Lord Marshal. Zhylaw the Last, the Lord Marshal slain by Riddick, was the sixth such Lord Marshal. (There is LOTS of great information in the novelization of CoR on this, including an approximation of 212 years since the "first death" of Covu, as it is 212 A.D.C. in Necromonger reckoning)

So now, Death is unbound, and the "natural balance" has been badly jarred, as the Necromongers deal out far more death than is natural. So the elementals act, and in a "prophecy" tell the man they believe to be the next Lord Marshal that he will be slain by a new-born Furyian male... so he goes to destroy the Furyians, setting up the battles between "primal life" and "primal death" so to speak. Remember, elementals calculate... so Life against Death is just right on the bottom line.

A few more notes on Necromongers off the top of my head...

The "Quarter-Dead" are standard Necromongers. They have not crossed The Threshold, and have not seen the Underverse, yet through their training (Template) and experience (Prestige Class) they can gain greater understanding of and greater connection to (and powers from) Death.

The "Half-Dead" is the Lord Marshal. There is only one, and the first thing he must do upon becoming Lord Marshal is go to The Threshold and go into the Underverse... if the Guardian approves of him, he becomes the new Lord Marshal. He has powers beyond even the greatest of the Quarter-Dead.

The Quasi-Dead are no longer PC-Worthy, as they are more "devices" than characters, though I suppose a Prestige Class to represent those on the *path* to Quasi-Dead status might work, in an expanded universe. The Quasi-Death ahve basically starved themselves, literally, into a state of near-death, in order to augment their psychic powers. In the books there are the Greater Quasi-Dead, who can read minds, and the Lesser Quasi-Dead, who are used as telepathic communicators between ships. As the Purifier did not exhibit any sort of psychic powers, the Purifiers (read "cleric or priest" types) are not the group from which the Quasi-Dead seem to arise. They are ascetics, and perhaps monastic; perhaps they are based on Asylum, the Necromonger home-world. A prestige class of "Quasi-Dead Petitioners," with limited psychic abilities might be good for the game. Lesser and Greater Quasi-Dead are nearly unlimited in their power (the telepathy of the Lesser Quasi-Dead knows no bounds in space, and is instantaneous regardless of distance). Far more limited powers might be appropriate for the Petitioners.

As an side, the Hellhounds may very well be Furyian beasts. It was not said so implicitly, but it was very well hinted at. The "eyeshine" of the Hellhounds might have been a characteristic of the native "primal-energy steeped" fauna of Furyia, even before being settled by Humans...

 

[PJ-Mason]

I think i will get the book, if only to see what they have to offer background wise.

I'm still trying to track down the extra scences that are in the COR DC. So far it seems a scene were Riddick cuts loosed some energy or something and a female furyan scene.

BTW...Great stuff James! I think your extrapolations follow through logically.

 

[trancejeremy]

I just watched CoR on DVD (I finally borrowed it from the library. Yes, I'm cheap). And I have to wonder - how on Earth did this make sense to anyone in the theater?

I mean, it made sense to me because I read the novelization first, which actually is quite long and explains the background. But the movie doesn't seem to, and I have to wonder, maybe it didn't do so well in theaters because it was too complicated for its own good.

 

[PJ-Mason]

I just watched CoR on DVD (I finally borrowed it from the library. Yes, I'm cheap). And I have to wonder - how on Earth did this make sense to anyone in the theater?

I mean, it made sense to me because I read the novelization first, which actually is quite long and explains the background. But the movie doesn't seem to, and I have to wonder, maybe it didn't do so well in theaters because it was too complicated for its own good.

A good point. Even Pitch Black veterans had problems with COR.
I think as gamers, we can "fill in the blanks" easier than your average movie goer.
Was there a novelization for PB, does anyone know?

 

[Mystaros]

A good point. Even Pitch Black veterans had problems with COR.
I think as gamers, we can "fill in the blanks" easier than your average movie goer.
Was there a novelization for PB, does anyone know?

In the various reviews I've given CoR here and there, that is the major point that knocks it down a star for me: lack of thorough establishment of background and story. Gamers, science-fiction fans, epic fantasy fans, and so forth could easily fill in those blanks. The guys I saw it with were discussing just that as we left the theater when we originally saw it! The Director's Cut helps a lot, but still adds more questions than it answers. Who is Shirah? How does Riddick gain the power to blast the Necromongers? Etc.

The various extras on the Director's Cut edition help a little, too. There are descriptions of the various scenes, planets, and people, as well as "Toombs' Chase Log," which tells his tale for about three months before the beginning of the movie... giving some insights into other systems, planets, and merc life.

There is a novelization for Pitch Black, and I would probably have it in my greedly little hands right now were it not for the ice storms we've been having. Hopefully tomorrow I can go into town and pick it up...

A couple minor things I've picked up on on "systems" and where the movie takes place:

In the movie, Riddick says that Crematoria is "in the system," when it actually is not. Crematoria is in the Igneon system, whereas Helion Prime is in the Helion system. In the book, he describes the other two triple-max slams as being "in the borderlands other side of the Arm." Very revealing, that. By "in system" it's layman speak for being "in this Galactic Arm." After all, most movie-going joes wouldn't know a galaxy from a solar system (lazy, but necesary film making).

So Crematoria is within the same Galactic Arm as Helion. Note also that before they got to Helion, the Necromongers went through Coalsack and Aquilia. The Coalsack Nebula is about 2,000 light years away from Earth. It is visible from Earth in the southern hemisphere, in the Southern Cross:

http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/coalsack.html

I've still not been able to merge that somehow with the nearby "Aquilian" system also mentioned, as there are several stars that could be "Aquilia," as "Aquilia" is actually a constellation, not a single star in and of itself (and the major stars that make up the constellation are all within 100 ly of Earth, though many of the star clusters of the constellation are at a proper distance, though I'm still not sure if they are even in the same direction in the Galaxy as Coalsack).

Either way, it seems that the star systems mentioned are from the equator to the southern hemisphere... visible from New Zealand, not here in the States...

Here's a very general map of the galaxy...

http://www.anzwers.org/free/universe/milkyway.html

http://www.anzwers.org/free/universe/5000lys.html

I *think* the Coalsack Nebula is on the verge of the Sagitarrius Arm of the Galaxy, which puts it closer to the Galactic Center from Earth, which is in the Orion Arm. If so, I would say there are more stars, closer together, making travel times shorter.

Note that in the book it is mentioned that the crew of the Necromonger vessel that hunts the mercs and Riddick all go into cryosleep on shifts, so their vessel isn't necessarily any faster than that of the mercs. Supralight drive is still not that fast when you are dealing with light years.

When Riddick has the vision of Shirah while en route to Helion Prime, he is 27 or so days out... but as the readout lists "Furya" in the "Furyan" system with no data (all "unknown") there is no way to know where exactly Furya actually is...

The system of U.V. 6 is the Frigido system...

Just more random thoughts...

Oh, and here's a web site I just found... looks like it might be useful!

http://pitcherblacker.com/

 

[Mystaros]

Some interesting bits from this interview:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news04/041115h.php

Question: I have a few fan boy questions in part because I'm a fan too. I read the book and have reviewed the DVD, but I was curious to find out what that dark gas like substance was that accompanies the Necromonger ships when they fly, hover, and land?

David Twohy: Necromonger weaponry is gravity based. The exhausts of their ships work in reverse thus the dark clouds that appear around their vessels. The have a way of compressing the forces of gravity and utilizing it for an energy source.

Question: Will we get to see the UnderVerse if the sequel gets made?

David Twohy: Yes. Whether it will be a heaven or hell or something like that mixed together in the case of the dark faith of the Necromongers remains to be seen, but all religions communicate the idea of a person rising from the dead to a new life. So if one is a faithful Necromonger, they should rise again in the UnderVerse.

Question: You hinted at that in the audio commentary on the Unrated DVD too. Is the "Riddick Universe" a humans only universe like "Dune" or "Foundation" or are their any other sentient forms of extraterrestrial life we have yet to see?

David Twohy: So far we have sentient humans and alien beasts. So the answer now is yes.

 

[PJ-Mason]

The various extras on the Director's Cut edition help a little, too. There are descriptions of the various scenes, planets, and people, as well as "Toombs' Chase Log," which tells his tale for about three months before the beginning of the movie... giving some insights into other systems, planets, and merc life.

Yep. The regular DVD has these too. very helpful. Though i wonder if the info on the regular dvd isn't as recent on the DC version.
I am definitely getting the PB and COR novels next week when i go into town.

By "in system" it's layman speak for being "in this Galactic Arm." After all, most movie-going joes wouldn't know a galaxy from a solar system (lazy, but necesary film making).

Sigh.

The system of U.V. 6 is the Frigido system...

On my DVD it says that Riddick was hiding in the UV system and that the planet was Planet 6 (hence UV 6). Do they name it Frigido in the book? Gee, a frozen planet in a system called Frigido. Giving the writer's naming habits, the name itself is almost prove positive that that is its real name!

Oh, and here's a web site I just found... looks like it might be useful!

http://pitcherblacker.com/

Hmmm...have to send out a scouting party and check it.

 

[PJ-Mason]

David Twohy: So far we have sentient humans and alien beasts. So the answer now is yes.

Translation: We'll change stuff later if we feel like it!

 

[Mystaros]

The CoR Campaign Setting: The Primeverse and Astralverse

Primeverse
The Primeverse is the common-known universe. All other 'verses either partially extrude into or are otherwise adjacent to this 'verse, to a greater or lesser extent, generally in the area of a single planet or throughout an entire star cluster, sometimes in relation to a rift between the 'verses (there will also be numerous doors and nodes in the region as well). The Primeverse is the setting for most of the action of a CoR campaign.

The major action of the campaign is set in the Milky Way Galaxy, in the Orion, Sagittarius, and Perseus Arms, out to about 10,000 Light Years from Old Earth. Travel is generally through Supralight Drive, though there are lesser, slower faster-than-light drives available. Travel times vary, depending on the distance and quality of the drive, and can range from anywhere from 10 ly per day to 10 days per ly. Most time on a starship is spent in cryosleep, when the body is slowed down to almost zero; people thus have "paper" ages, based on their actual date of birth, and age after "cryo-deduction," as the time spent in cryosleep does not count against aging effects (positive or negative -- and the difference can be great, such as on paper being 75, while having lived and experienced only 45 years).

Humans and their evolved sub-species are the major sentient races of this section of the Primeverse. Sub-species of humans have evolved over the centuries since colonization by humans, either naturally (if amazingly quickly) in conjunction with the otherversal energies encountered or through genetic manipulation. There are five Elemental races that are recognized as the "Elder" Elemental races, due to their being related to the five primal elements of ancient Greek Philosophy: the Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Ether Elementals. Other, minor Elemental races continually try to be considered "Elder," or are sometimes lumped with the Elder races out of ignorance. Many such races are not even considered "Elemental," as the 'verse with which they ahve a connection is not even an "element" like air, earth, water, fire, or ether, but instead is more of a "concept," "state," or "thing," such as primal energy, death, wood, metal, light, darkness, etc. The Necromongers are often mistkanely considered an Elder Elemental race.

The human region of space is not ruled by any one governmental or corporate entity, however, there are several large organizations that cross other stellar political and corporate spheres of influence. The various Galactic Corporations are monolothic and huge, generally based out of Old Earth, Luna-Sol, Mars, or the First Colonies, and have more power than entire star clusters of united worlds. Riddick once worked for one such company before he was set up, and sent to his first Slam. Most people just simply call all these companies, "The Company," because the companies tend to be owned by the same groups of people, and though they have their small wars between each other over influence and profit, tend to stick together against the rest of the Primeverse. The Company also maintains the Universal Denomination Currency, which is based out of Luna-Sol. U.D.C. is the one currency accepted just about anywhere in the civilized Galaxy. Another major Galactic organization is The Guild, which evolved centuries ago to unite almost all contract militaries and security companies under one massive banner (The Guild claims to trace its lineage back to the Culture Wars of the early 21st century, but as so many records of that time were lost, most do not believe this assertion). The Guild handles bounty hunters, mercenary teams and whole armies, and maintains the Max-Slam system of Max-Sec, Double-Max, and Triple-Max prisons throughout the three Arms, which The Company and many other governments want, but can never seem to convince the natives to keep in their own backyards.

Finally, even after all the space in between their worlds, and even with human evolution through contact with other 'verses and genetics, humans are still often divided into groups and alliances based on color, ethnicity, sex, culture, race, gender, creed, religion, and other elements of human nature. There are thousands of inhabited planets across the 20,000 light years of major human occupation, and untold other colonies in the whispy boundaries of the Galaxy. Among them, one of the most powerful unifying (and discordant) elements is religion. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Wicca, Mormonism, and just about every other Old Earth religion made the jump to space. Some evolved, others have not, and planets can be found where isolated, xenophobic peoples who hav ebeen out of contact with the greater 'verse for centuries live in circumstances millennia old, based on their ancient scripts, having abandoned advenced technology in its entirely. In other cases, the religions continued in the mainstream, and evolved with the greater 'verse at large. Some have evolved in horrible fashion, such as Necroism, which can trace its theological line back to the Brotherhood of Austeres, a splinter group of the Chrislamic faith (itself a merger of Islam and Christianity). Whole new philosophies have evolved, some in line with contact with the other 'verses, others in isolation.

Astralverse
It is through the Astralverse that all 'verses are adjacent, and through the Astralverse that other 'verses extrude into the Primeverse. There are, at this time, no known native inhabitants of the Astralverse, nor any human races that have evolved through contact with the Astralverse exclusively; either they simply have not yet had the chance to evolve, are hidden, or are in some as-yet distant section fo the Galaxy. It is through the Astralverse that the Supralight Drive is able to bring humanity to the greater Galaxy, otherwise old star drives would take weeks and months, not days, to traverse the void between the stars. Thravel through the Astralverse in this fashion can be difficult on human sanity, which is why most time is spent in cryosleep, the mind unaware of the bending of space and time through the Astralverse. Mystics often remain awake on such journeys as long as possible, as they claim it is easier to have visions while closer to the Astralverse in Supralight Drive.

Elemental races also use the Astralverse to extend their Otherversal powers into the Primeverse. Psychics (of any nature or origin) use the Astralverse to traverse the Primeverse in Astral form: it is the road for their telepathic powers, and the method by which they exercize their other psychic abilities. Note the important difference between Otherversal powers and Psychic powers: Otherversal powers are innate, and utilize the Otherversal essence and the Elemental's connection thereto in order to manifest the power. Psychic powers are exterior human mental control over Otherversal essences. The psychic uses Otherversal energy with his mind like a hand uses a tool, while the Elemental commands the tool as though it is his own hand, a part of himself (which it is).