OOC: "Remaking Humanity"

Introduction


NOTE:
This story is not ready for writers.
However, you are invited to subscribe and follow along as I create it and,
when the time comes, create a character.​

Basic Story:
  • The year is 2018.
  • Terrance Hanson, one of the world's richest men, builds The Hanson Biosphere Complex (HBC), intending to reproduce -- on a much larger scale -- the Biospere 2 project that operated between 1991-93.
  • He staffs the HBC with scientists, researchers, and conservation minded people from all over the world, as well as with a skilled support staff.
  • The HBC is completed and the occupants -- which includes some surprising faces -- are barely sealed inside when a lethal virus is discovered to be spreading across the planet.
  • Within days, tens of thousands are dead and the number of those dying is increasing exponentially.
  • Those inside the HBC's domes are protected from both the virus and the desperate people outside.
  • As time passes, questions arise as to whether Hanson had a hand in what's happening out in the real world. The timing simply seems so coincidental.
  • But, there is no proof, so ... live on.
Our Story's Setting:
  • Our story takes place in a fictitious city called Capital City.
  • We will, however, be using images from a real location to give a touch of reality to our story.
  • For more on this, see this link.
 
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Image Gallery

The Hanson Biosphere Complex: Comprised of 3 main structures:
  • "The Greenhouse":
    • The southern most and largest of the three structures.
    • More than 800 species of plants are grown here, providing food, medicines, fiber, etc, to both the human and non-human occupants of the HBC.
    • Certain animal species run free here, including ducks, chickens, and other larger animals who do more good than harm to the soil and plants; and insects and other arthropods whose work is vital to some species, such as bees, butterflies, etc.
    • The roof is made of a very strong, transparent composite material that will hold up to anything short of an airplane crashing into it.
    • There are also three basement levels:
      • B1: Mostly but not solely departments related directly to the processing of the Greenhouse's products.
      • B2: Mostly but not solely departments related directly to the maintenance of the Greenhouse's diversity and health.
      • B3: Housing and services for human occupants, primarily but not solely those involved in the Greenhouse's operation.
  • "The Pool Room":
    • The northern most structure, above which the tower extends.
    • In it are 3 pools of water, each approximately the size of an Olympic sized swimming pool and as deep as 40 feet in places. Each is divided into smaller pools to allow specialization and safety:
      • "The Lake": A fresh water pool divided into separate sections for the raising of various fresh water animals and plants for food.
      • "The Sea": A salt water pool for the same purposes, only for salt water animals and plants.
      • "The Algae Pool": A salt water pool thick with oxygen producing algae.
    • At the same below-ground level of the pools are work areas, some with viewing windows of the pools. Recreation areas are also present, in which the humans can watch the various water species live and play as if at a water park.
    • The roof is similar in construction to that of the Greenhouse.
  • "The Gaia Dome"
    • The east most structure.
    • Although mostly a habitat for domesticated animals that provide food and other products to the human inhabitants, it also houses interesting wildlife that is there strictly for entertainment purposes.
    • It, too, has 3 basement levels, though the mix of purposes -- including human habitation -- varies so much that they defy description here.
 
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Questions to consider.

How long does the virus last

As with any virus there will be survivors. Some who just survive and others who are naturally immune what are they up to and do the Domers know about them

what is the effect on wildlife and food crops
 
Story Direction

The Obvious Story Direction: This is obviously a story about people finding themselves in an unprecedented situation through which they must survive.
  • The characters include friends, family members, coworkers, and strangers alike.
  • They include people from a dozen or more different countries speaking as many different languages.
  • They include members of projects that predate the viral outbreak and people who seem to have no connection whatsoever to the Hanson Biosphere Complex (HBC).
  • How will these people interact with one another in an effort to not just survive but thrive?
  • That is the story direction.
General Categories of Story Lines: While there is one specific direction, there will be many different stories taking place. I can imagine them falling into three general categories:
  • Relationships: While some of the residents know one another, most of them are only now meeting one another. How will they interact? Will they form productive working relationships? Will they form productive personal relationships?
  • Growth and Learning: Half of the current HBC residents were not assigned to projects pre-virus:
    • Some were associated to the renovations and security improvements -- which are now complete -- and assumed that their association with the HBC was finished.
    • Still more had relationships -- personal or business -- either with Hanson himself or with one of his many businesses or charitable organizations.
    • And still more had no idea whatsoever that they had a connection -- direct or indirect -- to Hanson or his entities.
    • What will all of these people do now? Will they find new vocations and contribute? Or will they be hangers-ons?
  • Unexpected Situations: Periodically, I will throw in a twist, creating an adverse situation with which the characters -- all or some -- will have to deal. I will typically offer hints as necessary -- if you're lucky :D -- but for the most part, characters will have to find a solution on their own (within the direction and restrictions that will be explained elsewhere and linked here when I have written them).
Freedom and Restrictions in Story Development: I want all writers to feel they have freedom to develop their characters and story lines, but keep this in mind:
  • We have a general direction in which we are heading: trying to survive and, if possible, thrive -- in this new world order.
  • The introduction of unexpected twists may affect more than just your character and the characters with whom you are writing.
  • Essentially, before you throw out a twist that will affect other writers or change the story direction, ask me first. I'm a benevolent role play dictator, but I am a dictator, so ... please ask first. :D
 
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The Virus

Discovery:
  • Just days after the residents of the Hanson Biosphere Complex (HBC) were sealed in to begin their new lives, reports of a lethal virus began emerging.
  • The CDC (and other such agencies in other countries) would soon discover that the virus was already in over 3/4 of the world's countries.
Spread and Incubation:
  • It would be discovered that the virus spread via water, air, and touch with an effectiveness that had never been seen in any virus before it.
  • In contrast to how quickly it spread, the virus incubated slowly. This is what had allowed it to spread across the globe so effectively before being detected.
  • Before efforts to investigate its source -- Patient Zero -- were abandoned, the CDC concluded that the virus had been in the human population for at least two months before it was detected.
  • By the time the virus was discovered, no steps to stop its spread would have been effective.
Lethality
  • Within days of the virus's discovery, tens of thousands across the world were dying each day, and that number was increasing exponentially.
  • Ultimately, the lethality rate in the general public was estimated to be 99.6%.
 
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Our Story's Setting:
The Hanson Biosphere Complex

The Stadium Grounds:
  • For the most part, our story takes place inside The Olympic stadium
 
Our Story's Setting

Reality versus Fantasy:
  • Reality:
    • We will be using the Olympics Stadium built for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, to provide many of the images and details for our HBC.
    • These buildings provide a wealth of images and descriptions, which I think will enhance our story with a dose of reality.
  • Fantasy:
    • While we will be using images and descriptions from a real location, our story takes place in a fantasy location.
    • The pair of buildings within which most of our story takes place is called the Hanson Biosphere Complex (HBC).
    • They were built specifically to reproduce on a larger, grander scale, the Biosphere 2 project, which took place in Arizona (USA) between 1991-93.
    • The HBC is located in Capital City, which is located near the 45th parallel half way between the equator and the north pole in a temperate region.
    • Nothing else about the location of these two -- the HBC and Capital City -- need be known.
  • While I will be introducing many pictures and descriptions from the Olympic Stadium and the building located to its east, now called the Biodome de Montreal, you should not assume that information you find on the internet about the buildings applies to our role play.
  • If I have not stated that it exists either in this OOC or in the IC, don't assume that it does; and if I have stated something that contradicts the reality of the Olympic Stadium or Montreal de Biodome, assume that that is simply the way it is in our story.
 
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