Re: Terraspace: The Oortlings

My take on the Oortling issue is that, like every race, there is probably a
mixture of options 1 (the evil experimenters) and option 2 (benevelent, "oh,
was that me?" people).  Oortlings, as a whole, seem to be more of the type
who, as a species, lean toward option 2.  When confronted by beings more
powerful than themselves (MFs (I do like that abbreviation)), the resort to
meekness and subservientness, to the point of almost, as a species, becoming
extinct.

So, you can look at the Terrspace Oortlings as evolving either one of two ways.
First way is that these Oortlings somehow escaped from their ilithid masters to
Terraspace where they quickly found, or created, their jellyfish and flumpf
ships.  Then, they discovered that they were the biggest fish in the pond, and
reacted in the way they had learned from their former masters.  Hence, they now
perform weird and nasty experiments on the poor human (and other) inhabitants
of Mars, Terra, and Luna.

Or, you could say that this group of Oortlings is descendant from a "lost
tribe" of Oortlings who never fell under illithid control.  Therefore, they
were able to live up to their potential and create the flumpf and jellyfish
ships.  Since they are the most advanced race in the sphere, they feel pro-
tective of the other races and descend upon them during dark of night to
check up on the races and see how they are progressing.  Maybe even drop off
some technology or help build some pyramids or giant statues or create circles
in corn fields to confuse everyone.  But this is done with the purpose of
guidance and nurturance.  I would think that the fear would come from the
native races themselves since they do not understand the forces at work and
would naturally think that their Gods have come to visit when they see the
Oortlings land in their ships.  Perhaps the Oortlings realize this and land
under cover of dark to minimize the number of individuals they traumatize.

Yeah, I like the second explanation better.  Because in a few thousand years,
when the Oortlings leave the sphere, the legends flying around the worlds will
be great.  And, can you imagine the reaction of the locals if a spelljamming
ship actually lands near a settlement?

Of course, you realize that this means that Terraspace must be well off the
beaten path.

Enough musings.  Let's hear what you've got.

--Rick Grieve