Over the years we have found that - as much fun as it can be to explore the vast diversity and scope of the Orion's Arm universe - it can also be challenging to write stories set within it. There are so many potential settings for stories, and so many technologies to explore, and so many cultures, races, social movements, etc. that trying to write an OA story can start to feel like drinking from a fire hose. At the same time, the presence of superhuman intelligence and massively advanced technology can make it difficult to develop dramatic situations and challenges that human scale characters can take on and (hopefully) overcome or succeed at.

The Orion's Arm Sandbox Settings are intended to help authors start to explore and expand the Orion's Arm setting by using a series of 'sub-settings' - each drawn from the larger OA universe, each potentially vast in scope in its own right - but also smaller than the whole and (hopefully) easier to get one's arms around when looking to write an OA story (or stories as the case may be).

Each sub-setting is designed to allow multiple authors to write stories set within it, either independently or in collaboration. Each sub-setting includes an introductory summary (often taking the form of an article from the Encyclopaedia Galactica), a supporting framework of information, and one or more vignettes or 'starter kit' stories that can either be expanded upon, built around, or used as inspiration to create something entirely original.

We hope that the Sandbox Settings help and inspire you to start writing within OA. If you have any questions or concerns about some aspect of a particular Sandbox Setting, or the Orion's Arm setting more generally, please don't hesitate to contact us. Happy writing!

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Setting: The Andian Mission Assistance Fleet

Enter the Andian Mission

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Setting: The Surreal Rash

Enter The Surreal Rash

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