Author Topic: Sianetic Harbingers  (Read 3513 times)

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Offline Hansuke

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Sianetic Harbingers
« on: December 10, 2023, 08:14:01 AM »
While researching information on the Sianetic Harbingers, it appears that the earliest Spacemaster reference is in the Spacemaster Companion (#9500 - 1986). Were there any prior references to them in any other Rolemaster publications?

Offline MisterK

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Re: Sianetic Harbingers
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2023, 08:45:20 AM »
I found a reference in 'Action on Akaisha Outstation', (#9101, 1985). The glossaries of 'Future Law' (#9100) and 'Tech Law' (#9200) do not seem to include the term, so I guess it's the first reference ?
Though maybe 'Imperial Crisis - House Devon in Turmoil' (#9300, 1985), which also includes the reference, is the first one.

Offline Hansuke

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Re: Sianetic Harbingers
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2023, 09:36:36 AM »
Thanks for that MisterK. I see the reference to them in 'Action on Akaisha Outstation' and 'Imperial Crisis - House Devon in Turmoil' reads very similar. I did find an interesting rumour in 'Imperial Crisis - House Devon in Turmoil' which indicates that the xenophobic race Cerilites may guard Harbinger artifacts of great power. That sounds like an introduction to a scenario. Looks like there are no stats for the Cerilites but that they are humanoid with Iron Age technology. And of course there remains the mystery of how they can thwart Devonian technology.

I just woke up this morning wondering where the beginnings of the Harbingers myths came from in the game. I figure everone was sitting around discussing the Ancients and someone said, "let's call them Harbingers" and then someone else said "that's too bland"; let's add something like "Sianetic".

Offline MisterK

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Re: Sianetic Harbingers
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2023, 11:05:55 AM »
Ceril VII is Kulthea, the Shadow World. It's indicated in the SW Master Atlas III, p 178, under the entry of Third Era year 6020. The only thing odd is that it is indicated that the orbital station is set up by the Imperium, House Colos and the Dia Khovaria - even though it is part of House Devon space and 'Imperial Crisis' states that the small orbital station is controlled by Devonians. It looks a bit like a mixup there.

It must be noted that this entry was absent from the SW MA IV.

Another entry is present in Emer II, in 6023 TEI : "Terran Empire: [TARA agents (a division of the Dia Khovaria; the ‘TAbernacle Research Agency’) violate Terran Empire quarantine and land on Kulthea, in Námar-Tol. Concealing their true identities, they make contact with a select few Loari Elves in Námar-Tol."

Yet another entry in Emer III, post-6053 TEI : 'In orbit, the Imperial observation station picks up the disruptions in the global energy barrier. The Dia Khovaria dispatches a support ship, which lands safely on the uninhabited Tower Isle in SE Emer. They set up a base and from there they try to contact the first group sent thirty years earlier, and the small team sent just two years before; Patrick O’Kiran is among the crew of that more recent ship.]

In Emer III, there is an interesting bit of fluff text as an introduction to part XI 'maps and charts' :
"Dia Khovaria Datafile: Delta 93218
ImpDate: 475.097.12.02 Imperial Standard Time
To: Father Belthus Rekan, Administrator, Church Orbital Station and TBD relay #267
From: Patrick O’Kiran. TARA Agent Rank 5
Status: Classified: Level V Signet Seal
Planet: Ceril VII (native local name: Kulthea)
Subject: Landing shuttle mission to planet surface
Mission: Secure advanced ancient harbinger race technology for DK exploitation; determine nature of planetary energy barrier
Message: Reverend Father: I am currently aboard a native ocean-going vessel, approximately 5000 kilometers ENE from the landing site/base camp. My immediate destination is a region in the southeast of the continent known as Emer, where I have detected very unusual electromagnetic resonance readings on long-range sensors. Agent Kraus remained at the previous port to follow up on a related energy reading. As before, communication is intermittent, though handheld devices continue to function locally within acceptable limits.
In Your Service by the Word,
Patrick O’Kiran"

There is actually a temple of the Church of the Word in Haalkitaine, with the following information : "GM Note: The Church of the Word is actually the Dia Khovaria, an organization in the Terran Galactic Empire, one of several factions with covert operatives on Kulthea. All are seeking ancient tech artifacts, and to unlock the secret of the Essænce: the strange powers controlled by residents of this technologically
backward planet."

It is quite explicit that what is disrupting Terran tech is the Essaence.

Offline Hansuke

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Re: Sianetic Harbingers
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2023, 12:23:39 PM »
This is stuff that I like. Great! What starts out as a short quest regarding the Harbingers becomes a rabbit hole. I never played Shadow World in my role playing heyday. No one if my group of friends had any interest and so I never read much about it.Thanks for the help. Now I am going to have to secure some of the Shadow World books for readings.

Offline MisterK

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Re: Sianetic Harbingers
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2023, 01:10:17 AM »
Basically, the Sianetic Harbingers of Space Master are the Althan civilisation of Kulthea, and more specifically the ruling K'Taa'Viiri. I think there is a K'Taa'Viir NPC in one of the Space Master books, but I couldn't find it quickly.

Starting with the official Shadow World timeline, and especially the very beginning of this timeline (pre-Interregnum), will give you the bare bones of the available information: who they were, what they did, and how it all came to a cataclysmic end.