Wednesday 16 April 2014

The K.I.N.G

To be be able to function properly, Space Castle needs a strong, sensible leader able to make quick decisions supported by a dedicated and professional team.
What it has, is an ancient, self controlled and, frankly, ridiculous AI called The K.I.N.G.
The K.I.N.G (Knowledgable Integrated Network Guide) was installed eons ago by a unknown person who should have known better. As far as anyone can tell (anyone who’s tried to examine the main operating system too closely suddenly disappears, usually in a cloud of smoke and lazer fire) The K.I.N.G is supposed to control 95% of the Castle operations. It looks after it’s defences, it’s atmosphere and anything else essential to living safely in the castle. It actually does none of this and leaves these tasks to teams of engineers,scientists and dunderheaded thrill seekers (all part of the Space Castle Core); most of whom have a small grasp of how the place actually works.
The K.I.N.Gs main task is to keep it’s subjects happy with daily proclamations from the hundreds of screens dotted around the castle. It keeps it's people informed of any dangers they might face and any new laws it wishes to set. It issues orders to The KINGS Men, a highly trained and lethal combat force ready to fight off any threats to the castle and The K.I.N.G. It operates the Guardbots who buzz around the castle enforcing laws and/or breaking down and shooting the wrong people.
There are two ways to speak to The K.I.N.G. You can go to one of the many Audience Booths and ask for an audience. This is somewhat risky as, apparently, many people wish to speak to it and there is usually a massive queue (many people have died waiting). The other option is to feed a Suggestion Card into the slot on all of the Proclamation Screens. The card is then sent to a central location where a team of bored individuals type the suggestion directly into a database which The K.I.N.G takes many of it’s announcements from. It takes them at random, so the majority of it’s warnings could well be weeks,years or centuries out of date.
On the face of it The K.I.N.G is a benevolent being taking care of it’s subjects and keeping them safe from the many dangers Space Castle has to offer. In actuality The K.I.N.G is behind much of the chaos the castles inhabitants are forced to put up with. 

The K.I.N.G
‘Good Morning Subjects
Today is another glorious day in the Castle, our engineers predict all habitation floors will remain 79% stable throughout the day with a 10% chance of reality phasing later in the evening. An unknown green mist has appeared on Main Staircase 5 (previously Main Staircase 36). Early investigators have either exploded or been eaten by their own hallucinations so you are advised to keep clear.  A Hyperdactyl has taken up residence in the Minstrels Gallery. Avoid at all costs. The K.I.N.G.S Men have been sent to take care of the problem. Please beware stray lazer fire, you will not be compensated for injury or death.
Finally, Chef LeStrade from LeStrades Bistro advises you to please avoid the mashed potato as it has achieved sentience. So ends this mornings proclamation. Long live The K.I.N.G’
 

High Concept
Sentient A.I Computer network 'running' Space Castle.
Trouble
Unhinged
Aspects
The Guardbots and The KINGs Men follow my commands without question.
There's a high chance that any information I provide is woefully out of date or just plain wrong.

 


Tuesday 15 April 2014

Space Castle.



In the deepest reaches of the galaxy is a structure so impossible it’s existence calls into question the very meaning of the word impossible. It also puts a lot of pressure on the word ‘existence’ because, clearly, if it was so impossible it would not exist. But it does.
It sits between the two, too impossible to exist, but too real not to.
This kind of pressure plays havoc with the internal structure of the place.
Rooms, Corridors, whole floors, pop in and out through realities, slip through time, or warp and stretch into different things completely.
It’s not an easy place to live.
If it’s not the building causing problems, it’s invading armies or hideous space beasts suddenly appearing in the bathroom. It’s the endless parade of malfunctioning robots or unknown terrors lurking in the  miles of shifting corridors. Sometimes it’s just the plumbing.


Welcome to Space Castle.
It’s a castle. In space.