Oceania, The City above the Hanging Sea.

[Logos&Eidos]

While working on a major location for my science-fantasy WIP, I hit a wall and didn't no where to turn.


Oceania is a mega-city that built by the Domain(the government that controlled the known worlds) during the height of its power, as part of series of ether(not space)-habits, each large enough to be considered small worlds.
When the Domain fell do to psychic-plague, the resulting chaos would see most of Oceania's sister mega-habitats were destroy.

The city floats above the surface of the "the Hanging Sea" a massive nebula that is largely composed of water. Oceania as been in a near anarchistic since the fall of the Domain, nobody has been able to take complete control
and hold it for more than a few years. The closest thing to a ruling faction are the guilds who's members are descended from Oceania's support staff.


Oceania was built using mundane and magi tech that was lost with the falll of the Domain, and is partially capable self repair. Oceania is neither immobile or defenseless, its mobility and weapons systems are still operation.



While Oceania's backstory has been sketch out the city's layout and configuration still remain nebulous to me. My initial idea [ a pair of shafts joined by a middle section which contained all of systems that kept Oceania going. From each of the shafts extended the habitat spires each more than a mile long and half a mile across. The transparent protective outer casing around Oceania, makes the city appear as though it were a massive diamond floating in the aether.] didn't fit aesthetically to me its shape being far to alien.

I need something fantastical but still familiar, Atlantis(as depicted in StarGate), Ravinca and Sharn all have elements that can be used but, pulling them together into something unique and interesting; where things get tricky.

 

[arboriad]

This sounds interesting, Logos&Eidos. I'm not seeing your question though.

 

[Logos&Eidos]

This sounds interesting, Logos&Eidos. I'm not seeing your question though.

"While Oceania's backstory has been sketch out the city's layout and configuration still remain nebulous to me. My initial idea [ a pair of shafts joined by a middle section which contained all of systems that kept Oceania going. From each of the shafts extended the habitat spires each more than a mile long and half a mile across. The transparent protective outer casing around Oceania, makes the city appear as though it were a massive diamond floating in the aether.] didn't fit aesthetically to me its shape being far to alien.

I need something fantastical but still familiar, Atlantis(as depicted in StarGate), Ravinca and Sharn all have elements that can be used but, pulling them together into something unique and interesting; where things get tricky."



The quote contains the question.
I thought that its nature as a question would apparent do to how its structured.
My question restated is, how do I build this handful of ideas about this city of Oceania into a mini-stetting with in my world.

* What is an interesting configuration/lay out for city.

* What is the city's over all feel and tone.

* What factions are present with in the city, and feud with another for control over it.

* Why has the tyrannical Imperium not invade the city.

 

[arboriad]

I think at this point your ideas are in development, so you might want to take a step back and look at how this city plays into your story. From your description already, I'm beginning to get an idea, but ultimately what is important is what happens in your tale - the city is an influencing backdrop.

Is this city a conglomerate of rich and poor? How is it supplied? How did the city get there, and who is in charge? Those kinds of questions will help you determine your factions, and why the Imperium hasn't invaded.

 

[Logos&Eidos]

I think at this point your ideas are in development, so you might want to take a step back and look at how this city plays into your story. From your description already, I'm beginning to get an idea, but ultimately what is important is what happens in your tale - the city is an influencing backdrop.

Is this city a conglomerate of rich and poor? How is it supplied? How did the city get there, and who is in charge? Those kinds of questions will help you determine your factions, and why the Imperium hasn't invaded.

First I made thread because talking my ideas out helps more than pondering in isolation. I'm actually working backwards I know what role the city is meant play, I place just outside the"known worlds" where the central conflict of the story is taking.

It give our hero a place to recover after he emerged from limbo, he was lost between planes/states of being for sixty five years, do to a botched teleportation spell/art. The Hero gets to recuperate and learn about how the world has changed in his absences, without having to deal either enemies or his what remains of his Allies(most of them).

Oceania also serves as a great set piece this massive city floating above an endless sea, and possible weapon against the Imperium depending on how I develop the story.


Yes the city has a greatly varying levels of wealth.

The Oceania's supplies come from two places, city was originally built to be self sufficient so there are architectural modules, and the Hanging Sea is full of flora most note worthy gigantic pads that drift about the surface,fauna and even mineral.

Oceania was placed above the Hanging Sea by the Domain purely for atheistic reasons.The guilds of Ravnica,is the best model that I could use for the government of Oceania. The people who maintained all the civil services, and provided entertainment evolved into guilds that who's Guildmasters form a ruling council.

Being preoccupied with the conquering the known worlds is the only reason I could of for the Imperium not conquering Oceania; they still have an embassy or a garrison located there however.

 

[arboriad]

Ok, so a couple of thoughts.

One, if a city is going to be built in a nebula, or anywhere in space, I can't see aesthetics being a determining favtr. More likely Oceania started out as some sort of waysyation, or a refinery/depot for exotic matter from harvesters in the Hanging Sea. This might create the value you're looking for, especially if the plague destroyed the ability to recreate whatever the city's refineries are able to do.

If it's a way station, then that depends on your move of intergalactic travel. If light speed is possible, or wormholes, then that idea isn't as valuable.

I'm no scientist, but a nebula made of water doesn't make much sense to me - being made of gases. I could understand pockets in a nebula condensing into watery planets, but the distance on a nebula is gigantic without lightspeed. Perhaps having some giant water world would be more easily understood, perhaps with several moons repeatedly exchanging water when getting too close. or something.

Also, a thought about your protagonist's convalescence; I recommend creating a scenario that drives him to take some sort of action, so that your not tempted to several chapters of info dumping. Perhaps have him recuperating while there's a power struggle, or the city council is factioning over whether to align with the Imperium. Or the leading families or oligarchs want to raise the cost of business because they recognize that they're in a valuable galactic position, holding something the Imperium can't do without, while the other families are prepared to destroy it rather than let it all fall into the wrong hands.

Sorry if that's intruding on your story.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[Logos&Eidos]

Ok, so a couple of thoughts.

One, if a city is going to be built in a nebula, or anywhere in space, I can't see aesthetics being a determining favtr. More likely Oceania started out as some sort of waysyation, or a refinery/depot for exotic matter from harvesters in the Hanging Sea. This might create the value you're looking for, especially if the plague destroyed the ability to recreate whatever the city's refineries are able to do.

If it's a way station, then that depends on your move of intergalactic travel. If light speed is possible, or wormholes, then that idea isn't as valuable.

I'm no scientist, but a nebula made of water doesn't make much sense to me - being made of gases. I could understand pockets in a nebula condensing into watery planets, but the distance on a nebula is gigantic without lightspeed. Perhaps having some giant water world would be more easily understood, perhaps with several moons repeatedly exchanging water when getting too close. or something.

Also, a thought about your protagonist's convalescence; I recommend creating a scenario that drives him to take some sort of action, so that your not tempted to several chapters of info dumping. Perhaps have him recuperating while there's a power struggle, or the city council is factioning over whether to align with the Imperium. Or the leading families or oligarchs want to raise the cost of business because they recognize that they're in a valuable galactic position, holding something the Imperium can't do without, while the other families are prepared to destroy it rather than let it all fall into the wrong hands.

Sorry if that's intruding on your story.



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

I'm glad to know that I was going in the right direction development wise. Because I started to revise my ideas about Oceania and the Hanging Sea, The Hanging Sea is now the Auqa-torus a manifestation of the elemental planes planes, predominately water, that exist where an asteroid belt would be; while there is no exotic-matter, there are elemental essences that can sometimes be fished from the water.



Your story ideas, are no intrusion.