The RCS Gloriana

In the early days of the Cynthion Empire, there was the Thalassa Line. The Queens of the Tsukino line and all manner of celebrities chose the Thalassa Liners for vacations and they were still running strong when the Vega System was colonized. In honor of the birth of the Queen’s Heirs, the “Crystal Trinity”, the Thalassa Line christened the Astraea class, their biggest and most elegant ships ever.

While the flagship “Astraea” was grand, her sister “Gloriana” was the largest and most beautiful. There were waiting lists for years to take the Vega circuit aboard the Gloriana while it was still being constructed and the Royal Family had a permanent reservation in the Imperial Deluxe Suite. However, the Launch Day turned out to be where all the trouble first began.

Admiral Yulia Godwin herself was to be the ship’s Godmother and was there to christen the Gloriana. The champagne bottle was rigged to explode, setting off other explosives in the vicinity. 143 lives were lost, including the Admiral’s and the Gloriana was badly damaged. Soon after, any thoughts of repairing the Eurydice shipyards and the Gloriana were forgotten. Sin invaded and took over.

A few years later, the shipyard became home to a small and thriving underground community. The first escaped Senshi arrived and joined the then-small and pitiful Resistance, but were in serious danger of being noticed by someone. The Gloriana was a rather shabby shell of what it had been, but there was still a working power system and room enough to hide if there was a raid.

This location came in handy when the last of the free Senshi escaped with Sailor Adonis and the Princess. The power systems and medical bay helped to monitor the Princess while she slept in her crystal cocoon. But much of the damage required parts and tools unavailable to the rebel forces. They keep things running with a combination of steampunk ingenuity and pure stubbornness. Parts of the ship have been refitted to run without electricity or on improvised steam power, clockwork, gas engines or homemade generators. Others have been plundered to keep vital things working or sold to buy food. The beauty of the ship mingles with the harsh reality of the state of things.

There are still some luxuries. The staterooms are still fit for habitation. The gardens that were meant for leisure and to provide fresh produce are still working, if a bit overgrown and wild looking. The library, computers, sick bay and kitchen are in wonderful condition. But, it’s still a flawed paradise. They can’t afford to be caught. They can’t leave Eurydice, the system’s biggest slum and Phoebe is still in danger.

The Gloriana is actually shaped much like a cruise ship of the 1920’s and 30’s. The decks are enclosed and can be sealed while in space. The decor has an Art Deco and Art Nouveau feel, with hidden crescents, night sky motifs and depictions of crowned nymphs and fairies. Each floor has 20 to 30 twelve-person escape pods, though a number of them are no longer functional and quite a few can’t even be opened anymore. The lifts are still working perfectly, though they sometimes misbehave and stop on the wrong floor or shut down all together. More than a few impromptu parties have gone on in a busted elevator, while others try to get in.

Deck 1 is home to the cargo bays, which sit empty apart from a few crates of luxury items and spares of things that might break. Most of the more useful things have been looted, but there’s still a lot of space and things that might come in handy. There are also crew quarters, smaller rooms, and the power plant. The propulsion systems were taken away years ago, however. This is also where Sickbay is, along with the dormant Phoebe.

Decks 2-6 have more quarters, as well as a few conference rooms. Otherwise they aren’t very impressive.

Deck 7 is where the fun starts. The restaurants, nightclubs and duty-free shopping was here and some valuables can still be found here in the form of clothing, dishes, and computers. It’s a good place to relax and pretend to be normal.

Decks 8 and 9 have more shopping and restaurants, as well as the grand theater, where movies, plays, and other stage shows would have been shown. Some of the doors here have been gutted for parts elsewhere, but there may be holes in the walls that let people pass through to other rooms. (EDIT: Two of the smaller ballrooms, the Nehalennia and Nereus rooms, are here as well, but the Nehalennia is sealed shut.)

Deck 10 has the Kids’ and Teens’ clubs, a smaller theater, the nursery and more quarters.

Decks 11-22 have more rooms, gaining in size and luxury as the floors go up. (EDIT: Deck 22 has the largest of the three ballrooms, the Amphitrite, and it's still in moderately good repair.)

Deck 23 is the Bridge. This is where the worst of the looting occurred, primarily because the most valuable tech was here.

Deck 24, or “Topside” is home to one working hot tub, three busted ones, what used to be a spa and salon, the fitness center, the pools and a few more dining establishments. This is also where the entrances to Smokestacks 1, 2, 3, and 4 are.

Smokestack 1 is the Pleasure Garden. The flora here is mostly flowers, trees, and shrubs, with a few ponds, streams and fountains. Each level represents a different “paradise”, such as Pacific Rainforest, Amazonia, Celtic Woodlands and Zen Garden

Smokestack 2 is the Arboretum. While guests were welcome to wander it, this was mostly where tree fruits and nuts were grown.

Smokestack 3 is another garden, where non-tree fruits, vegetables and herbs are grown. Somehow, the Eurydicean version of a gopher got in and the Senshi have been fighting the little blighter and his cousins since.

Smokestack 4 is sealed shut and the glass is so strong and heavily tinted, no one can see inside.

The Penthouse Deck is where the Imperial Suite is. Currently, its being left open out of respect, but it will probably be Phoebe’s room if she wants it.

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Feel free to reply with where your character shacks up and what the room looks like as well as any favorite haunts on board!