It’s been a few years since I’ve dropped in on the BluShock sci-fi role-play group, led by Fazzy Constantine (Faisel Constantine), so when I saw their latest world build in the Destination Guide, I knew I’d have to hop over and have a look.
Formed in 2020, BluShock is an action-oriented role-play group with a story spanning the galaxy and multiple worlds, with in-world builds focusing on specific locations from the evolving storyline. I’ve had the pleasure of covering some of the group’s adventures in these pages utilising the BluShock tag, and have always enjoyed my visits and the level of detail brought to both the evolving story and the group’s builds.
The latest of the latter offers a unique setting in the form of the water world Thundrheim. Cast into near-perpetual twilight and hiding a secret, the planet is home to a most unusual settlement / spaceport called Stackspire Depot Colony.
Thundrheim drifts in the shadow of its own shattered moon, caught in a rare orbital alignment that casts the planet in near-constant twilight. A perpetual solar eclipse dominates the sky — not total, but enough to smother the sun’s full brilliance.
The world itself is a churning deepwater sphere, scarred by ancient tectonic activity and dotted with archipelagos of broken land that barely reach above sea level. Beneath the waves, sonar pings often return… distorted.
– Planet Thundrheim, from the BluShock website
Built – as is the case with all of the BluShock team’s major builds – by Noah Constantine (NoahLion), Stackspire is a mix of hideout, trading outpost, research facility and melting pot of visiting races.
Rising from the waters in the manner of an Earthly oil rig, the depot colony is not precisely a thing of beauty, giving the impression it has simply sprouted levels and extensions entirely at random to meet the demands of those living, working and visiting it, rather than as a result of planned or considered development. What appear to be ultra modern sections rub shoulders with shanty-like wooden structures built on what might have once been open working decks and / or are tucked between the sturdier levels of the station.
Close to the uppermost levels of the depot sits the space dock – or perhaps air dock might be a better description, given the styling of some of the craft docked there, looking like they are better suited to cruising the skies of Thundrheim than to venturing beyond its atmosphere. Adjoining this is what appears to be the main commercial level of the station, a place where attempts have been made to offer some natural flora and which is dominated by advertising, kiosks and promises of other distractions arriving ship crews might appreciate.
Perched atop a narrow seamount in the planet’s equatorial belt is Stackspire Depot, a towering structure of welded metal, tangled infrastructure, and questionable legality… The depot leans out over open sea like it’s trying to escape the planet… Ships come here to disappear. Fuel up. Trade off-grid. Or bury secrets where no one will find them.
– Stackspire Depot, from the BluShock website
Most of the actual buildings within the depot’s structure are facades rather than offering interior spaces (which is not to say there are no indoor spaces). This allows for RP to take place on the depot’s various levels, these being interconnected by steel stairways and operating elevators. Static NPCs are also dotted around – which left me wondering if some of these could not be used to give added depth to the setting by being more interactive. Some of these NPCs, together with references through some of the signage give suggestions of various sci-fi franchises (and a video game!) without actually drawing on any of them to pollute the BluShock story; rather they help tweak a subconscious since of familiarity when exploring.
Those who seek a little adventure (and wish to perhaps discover the mysteries of what might be going on beneath the waves of Thundrheim should make their way down to the station’s lowest deck and the submersible station extending out over the waves. Here, people can board a submarine at one of the three rezzing stations (make sure you accept the HUD and attach it on boarding) and take it out – and under the waves.
There are some interesting finds awaiting those who make the trip, from the remnants of a civilisation offering parallels with Earth’s own in the late 20th / early 21st centuries, together with the wrecks of lost space vehicles. Their presence offers further opportunities for photography and role-play.
In all, another fascinating sci-fi environment for people to explore – and perhaps join with the BluShock team in their on-going adventures.
SLurl Details
- Planet Thundrheimr – Stackspire Depot Colony (CELDWIN, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 