Humanspace Empires Creations

[vargr1105]

Hello all,

It seems I've missed one heck of a party. While I was away from the Old School blogosphere someone decided to make a RPG based on the Space Opera civilization that colonized EPT's world of Tekumel. It was about time!

Curently the creator of the game seems to have vanished, but being in a creative mood I see no reason not to contribute.

If someone has an active blog where they post Humanspace Empires material, please feel free to swipe and use the ideas I shall be posting on this thread.

[aldarron]

I've posted a few HE ideas on my blog boggswood.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

HE is awsome! and I look forward to your posts.

[vargr1105]

Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory I - Velocistic Space Armor

One of the few true technical novelties to see the light of day in this age of inertia-laden bureaucracy, Velocistic Space Armor carries the potential of revolutionizing super-scientific infantry warfare. Alas, a combination of hidebound tradition, staggering costs of refitting the armies and the fear of battlefield changes the widespread implementation of this technology would unleash, have conspired to make it little more than a little-known novelty...for the time being.

Currently, Velocistic Space Armor has not been issued except to a few elite cadres of the Imperial Sultyat Clone Legions and some of the personal guard of the Veritable Autocrator. A few models have been presented as gifts to some select nobles, or as a reward to citizens that have proven their loyalty to the Empire with their heroic efforts.


Image from the first test run of the Mk1 Velocistic Armor Prototype taken from the Imperial Technical Hall of Registry. Note the blue coloration that the armor is aquiring, caused by the Velocistic Effect.


Appearance

All existing examples of Velocistic Armor were built from a base frame of the most recent templates of Heavy Space Armor. The very limited number of models fabricated meant the Imperial mechanical artisans were able to uniquely dedicate time, effort and loving care in the elaboration of each suit.
It is obvious to anyone seeing a Velocistic Armor suit, even if the viewer has no idea exactly what he is observing, that he gazes upon something special.
As a rare example of Humanspace individualistic creativity, no two Velocistic Armors are exactly the same. Variations in color, indented sigils and decorative paraphernalia are a multitude among all the suits built so far. And the models constructed as gifts or rewards are truly unique and readily identifiable in their design, usually tailored to the personality and personal history of the user.


Kuyia Vashuna, Sub-Provost of the Imperial Museum of Glorious Warfare on Rashu'ud IV, poses besides the magnificent winged and iridium-inlaid Velocistic Armor granted by the Veritable Autocrator to her late grandfather, the adventurer-warrior Nangu Vashuna. Commander Nangu led his mercenary company in a foray into Regulan space where he perished of a mysterious fast-acting plague while operating an Ansible. The exploits of his force of warriors are among the most successful fighting encounters with the inimical species, and Nangu Vashuna himself holds the current record of personal casualties inflicted upon that enemy. His name has been recorded on the Most Highly Exalted section of the records in the Palace of Ever-Glorious War.


Workings and Effects

Velocistic Armor is a suit of Heavy Space Armor to which 3 extra components have been added: a Micro-Interfogulator, a Vermilion Principle Actuator and a slave micro-Positronic brain.

The Micro-Interfogulator is necessary to channel the vast amount of energy required to reverse the Vermilion Principle. At this time there is no other method to have the required power in portable form. The micro-Interfogulator is used solely to provide energy for entering and supporting Velocistic mode, the energy for normal operation of the armor and it's weapon systems is provided by its batteries.

The artificial brain, upon command to the armor's user, begins and controls the Velocistic process, taking special care to end the procedure when the safety limits are being crossed. It operates the Vermilion Actuator and causes the armor to be "tuned out" from the normal flow of time. As the Actuator is operated in reverse, instead of being "frozen" in time, the armor is enveloped in a field which allows it and its user, from the perspective of outside observers, to move and act at a much higher rate of speed. Curiously, unlike matter affected by standard Vermilion Principle that acquires a ruby-like tinge; the armor and whatever its carrying takes on a bluish hue while the Velocistic process is active.

Such wondrous capability does not come without a price: a duration limitation. The flux of energy from the micro-Interfogulator and the strain put upon the positronic brain by regulating such a complex procedure carries a near-exponential probability for catastrophic system failure if the effect is maintained for any length of time. To avoid this the positronic brain runs a routine at all times the Velocistic effect is activated and automatically shuts down once a certain threshold has been passed. There is no way to know beforehand just how long the Velocistic effect will last before that happens, typically the interval of time will vary between a few seconds to a full minute.

It is possible for the armor user to override the positronic brain with a command and extend the Velocistic effect by a few to a few dozen seconds more, before the main protocols take over and end it for good and without further recourse.

Use of this option however, is not advisable except when the situation offers no other alternative for it carries the real possibility a critical (and potential self-destructive) system failure.


Game Rules


A 1:1 scale statue of the Velocistic Armor issued to Anshak HiShi'i, former Planetary Governor of Arcturus system, made of non-reactive duraplastic resin. As per request of the user the face-plate was made to resemble the features of his esteemed ancestor and founder of the clan, Naludlu HiShi'i. Current whereabouts of both user and armor are unknown.


In HE game terms a Velocistic Armor suit works exactly like Heavy Space Armor when the Velocistic Effect is off, granting an AC of 2, negating an DEX AC modifiers and confering an effective STR of 18; it also has the same self-repairing capabilities of Heavy SPace Armor. It weights 50lb more than standard Heavy Space Armor for a total of 200lb.

The Velocistic Effect can be activated by verbal or somatic command. In Velocistic Armors made for PSY users this can be replaced by a mental impulse. The armor user can command the Velocistic Effect to cease at any time by the same method.

The Velocistic Effect lasts 1d6 rounds. The Game Master should roll the die and keep the result secret from the player until the very last round, when the armor's helmet internal display tells the user the effect is about to be shut down.

If the user issues a new command on this round the Velocistic Effect is extended for 1d4 more rounds. The GM should again roll this in secret and tell the player the effect ceased on the round after the last. The positronic brain is in critical mode during the extension of the Effect and no processing capacity is left to issue any warning on the internal display.

After a Velocistic Effect cycle is complete the positronic brain must recalibrate the micro-Interfogulator and Vermilion Actuator settings. This typically takes 1d4 turns. Once the armor is again ready to undergo the Effect the user is informed on the helmet display.


While the Velocistic Effect is ongoing the following things occur:

* The armor and whatever it is carrying acquires a blue hue

* The armor user Movement speed is doubled

* The armor user number of attacks are doubled

* The user's Initiative modifier increases by +2

* AC is decreased by two against melee attacks

* AC is decreased by two against missile attacks if the armor
wearer is moving while being shot at

* No effective communication with others besides gesturing (which looks accelerated and comical and must be interpreted) is possible. The armor user will sound like a high-pitched, fast-talking chimpmunk and hears others talking in veeery slooow deep-pitched tones

* Each round the Velocistic Effect is extended there is a 20% chance something goes wrong. If this happens roll 1d20 and check the table below


Extended Velocistic Effect Failure Table (1d20)

ROLL --- EFFECT

1 Catastrophic system failure. Armor explodes with force
equivalent to a Wavium grenade (HE pg. 38). User must
Save vs. Death or be incinerated. Armor is useless and
irrecuperable.

2-3 Critical System Failure. As below but armor internal
power system detonates and eletrical energy in
unleashed on its interior. User takes 2d6 Energy
Damage without a Saving Throw and is stunned for 1d6
rounds. Add 2d4 x 100 CR to the total repair costs
indicated for the effects below.

4-6 Total System failure. All of the effects below, plus armor
internal power system is damaged, rendering it
immobile and useless until repaired.

7-10 As below but 1d3 Velocistic components have been
damaged.
Armor must be taken to an Imperial technician for repair
before Velocistic Effect can function again. Cost of
repairing each component is 1d6 x 100 CR.

11-15 As below plus energy surge damages armor's internal
machinery. Armor works as Medium Space Armor for AC
and self-repair purposes until being fixed by someone
with either the Mechanic or Robo Tech skills. Cost of
repair is 1d8 x 100 CR.

16-20 Velocistic Effect ceases. No further effects but system
re-calibration will take 4d6 turns instead of the usual
1d4.


Inspiration

Empire of Petal Throne fans might guess the inspiration for this article was the venerable "Excellent Ruby Eye". The Vermilion Actuator is the first prototype technology to use the effect described for that Eye in the game, albeit in a more inificient and cumbersome form.

[vargr1105]

Here's a list of the stuff I intend to write as time goes along. Each of these titles represents an idea I've had for HE and all it remains is putting it on typed form and find some nifty images to go along with them. They will not be written in any particular order, but as inspiration and time fancies. If anyone finds some titles particularly interesting and would like to see them first please say so and I will try to work on them first.


Annals of Humanspace History I - Psychohistory - "Anathema or Salvation?"

Annals of Humanspace History II - The Revolt of the Sol Children - "A Home for A People"


Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory II - Anti-Light Amplification Glitter Armor - "Relic of the Ages"

Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory III - Thermopticomimetical Space Armor - "A Noble's Vanity"

Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory IV - Glorious Imperium Special Issue Space Armor - "The Aesthetics of Terror"

Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory V - Glorious Imperium Gush-class Superheavy Projectile Rilfle - "One Shot, One Kill"

Wonders of the Veritable Autocrator Armory VI - Directed Electromagnetic Burst Personal Weapons - "Anti-Mechanism Warfare"


Exalted Mercenary Companies of Humanspace I - The Free Martian Shen Company - "Rebels Without a Cause"

Exalted Mercenary Companies of Humanspace II - Fellowship of the Dispossessed - "Last Refuge of the Disgraced Warrior"

Exalted Mercenary Companies of Humanspace III - Regiment XIII - "Mother's Wisdom and Mercenary Bartering"

Exalted Mercenary Companies of Humanspace IV - Armored Order of the Fiery Ax - "Boarders Without Peer"

Exalted Mercenary Companies of Humanspace V - Society for the Pacification of Primitives - "Charitable Bellicosity Without Super-Scientific Weapons"


Human Subspecies of Humanspace I - The Yani - "Blended Humanity"

Human Subspecies of Humanspace II - The Lat - "Least Among The Sol Children"

Human Subspecies of Humanspace III - The Sla - "They Who Held the Wall"

Human Subspecies of Humanspace IV - The Nor - "Blessed With the Blue-Eyed Curse"

Human Subspecies of Humanspace V - The Monku'u - "The Eternal Savages"

Human Subspecies of Humanspace VI - The Hanmtau - "Those of the Epicanthical Fold"


Pocket Polities of Humanspace I - The Protectorate of Lat'sla - "Bulwark Between Empires"

Pocket Polities of Humanspace II - The Glorious Imperium - "Resurrectionists & Keepers of the Lost Genome"

Pocket polities of Humanspace III - The Hanmtau Meritocratic Collective - "The Polity of Proles"

Pocket Polities of Humanspace IV - Petty Kings of the Rim Regions - "Wildcards Beyond the Border"


Deeds of the Ever-Glorious II - Glorious Imperium Meteoric Mechanized Infantry - "Death From Above the Exosphere"

Deeds of the Ever-Glorious III - Glorious Imperium Retributive Special Section - "Bane of the Narnyel of the Great Houses"

Deeds of the Ever-Glorious IV - Lat'sla Protectorate Advanced Planetary Militias - "Defeaters of Accountants"

Deeds of the Ever-Glorious V - Xulzu's Primitive Hordes of Monku'u - "Plunder, Pillage and Rape Across the Spacelanes"

Deeds of the Ever-Glorious VI - Shen Lassitudinous Heavy Infantry Transport Regiments - "The Sleepers that Awaken"

Deeds of the Ever-Glorious VII - Pachi Lei Cymek Berserker Bands - "Super-Science Augmenting Genetic Psychopathy"


Of Vibrodagger and Thermoptic Cloak I - Glorious Imperium War Prevention Bureau - "All Debts Paid in Full"

Of Vibrodagger and Thermoptic Cloak II - Lat'lav Protectorate Infiltration Section - "Eyes and Ears of the Nor Among the Yali"

Of Vibrodagger and Thermoptic Cloak III - The Pe Choi Familiality of Fate - "The Ur-Psychohistorians"


Super-Science Summations I - Artificial Insanity and Avatars - "Limits of the Positronic Soul"

Super-Science Summations II - Life-extension, Immortality and Revivification - "Undying Tyrants, Eternal Saints"

Super-Science Summations III - Interfogulators and the End of Megastructures - "The Bounty of Infinite Energy"

Super-Science Summations IV - The Vermilion Actuator and Cold Sleep - "Revolutions in Life-form Interstellar Transportation"

Super-Science Summations V - Glorious Imperium Erzatz Energy Arms - "Weapons for the Masses"

Super-Science Summations VI - Glorious Imperium Erzatz Duroplastic Personal Armor - "Non-Super Scientific Passive Protection"

Super-Science Summations VII - Demise of the Duranium Androids - "Economic Supremacy of Flesh vs. Metal"

Super-Science Summations VII - The Uncanny Valley of Yeleth - "Pseudobiological Androids in Humanspace"

Super-Science Summations VIII - Glorious Imperium Mk III Shield Belt - "Quasi-Invulnerability at the Price of Quasi-Blindness"

Super-Science Summations IX - Glorious Imperium Vuhtri Interfogulator-Torpedo - "Weapons Without Answer for a Fraction of the Cost"


Grand Admiral Regurgitations I - The Homeworld M.S.D Paradigm - "A Case for Eternal Recurring Interstellar Conflict in the Sidereal Universe"

Grand Admiral Regurgitations II - Glorious Imperium Battle Doctrine - "Paradoxes of Quantity & Quality"

Grand Admiral Regurgitations III - Ahoggya Physiognomy and Battle Doctrine - "A Species Made for Melee"

Grand Admiral Regurgitations IV - Considerations on Super-Scientific Infantry Warfare - "It Was Necessary to Destroy It to Save It"

Grand Admiral Regurgitations V - Quantum Antipositronic Bombs - "Alas, Robot Legions"


Scribblings in Sophontology I - Secrets of the Cloned Shen - "The Power of Pheromones"


Locus and Landscapes I - Relay & Way Stations - "Relics of the Pre-Interfogulator Age"

Locus and Landscapes II - Aluthl Hunting Preserve - "Jungle-Planet of Genocide via Obsolete Weapons"

Locus and Landscapes III - The Empty Vector - "Gateway for Humanity's Expansion"


Vignettes Both Vilified and Laudable I - Me'esha Yalikhe - "Forgotten Torturatrix of the Swamps"

Vignettes Both Vilified and Laudable II - Nunl VuDa'a - "Sleeper Agent for the Nor"

Vignettes Both Vilified and Laudable III - NAMELESS - "5th Finger of the Autocrator"

Vignettes Both Vilified and Laudable IV - Prince Frizhu VaRielenhei - "Travelling in the Presence of His Enemies"

[aldarron]

Exalt!

[vargr1105]

Super-Science Summations V - Glorious Imperium Erzatz Energy Arms - "Weapons for the Masses"

"The difference between a Humanspace prole slave and an Imperium free man is that the former isn't allowed to wear a gun." Thaltu VaMeshi, Glorious Imperium Public Teacher of Moral Philosophy


All citizens of the Glorious Empire are permitted by law to carry and use primitive and advanced arms. It is widely believed this pocket polity bears, adjusted for total population, the largest percentage of armed humans in the whole Sidereal Universe. Super-Scientific weapons are considered too destructive to have a role in self-defense outside of military combat, and therefore bared from the list of right granted to the citizenry.

Every adult citizen, with special waivers for old age, health, etc is also expected to be part of the Planetary Militia in the case of invasion. But how to arm the militias to respond against an invader using Super-Scientific weapons, given all the constraints in time and resources?

The answer is: Erzatz weapons.


A Rifle Behind Every Blade of Grass


"I was not familiar with the Glorious Imperium's habit of arming their warriors with toys."
Humanspace Grand Commander Ladlal Hiseredhi (K.I.A.) during the 1st Ketyel/Imperium War


"Erzatz" is word of a lost pre-Atomic Armageddon language believed to mean something along the line of "rugged but efficient"

Erzatz Energy Weapons are Super-Scientific personal armaments built to the cheapest and lowest possible standards while still maintaining a fair degree of efficiency. An Erzatz can almost be considered a fac-simile of a true energy weapon. Cheaper replacement materials were used whenever possible, the design focus on fast mass production concerns rather than long-term durability, the power sources use dirt-cheap obsolete and perishable technologies, etc.

A Humanspace military commander might well laugh when presented with an example of an Erzatz, but put him in command of a ground force facing a planetary population carrying several million of them and his smile quickly vanishes.

Currently the cost of manufacture per unit is so low that repair kits are not even made. It is, quite literally, cheaper for the economy of the Glorious Imperium to make a new Erzatz than to repair one.

There are literally billions of Erzatz weapons hidden in secret depots within the Glorious Imperium, waiting to be opened and distributed to the populace on a Planetary Governor's command. Add to this the many robotic factories concealed underground on most planets with a sizable population, and automated factory-ships laying in distant orbits of most systems. With a single Ansible communication these will initiate their routines and begin churning out Erzats and getting them to citizens. The most elaborate arrangements have direct means to deliver the Erzats, using the planetary tubeway transport network for instance, or maybe they will be delivered in a multitude of drop-capsules from a factory-ship. In other cases, militia officers special trained in a secret code will await a communication revealing the location of a depot of underground factory.

During their time in Civil Service, which every Imperium Citizen must undergo for a minimum of two years, the common man is taught how to operate an Erzatz. After that he may sign for refresher courses with take place every standard year.


Design


"Iron sights? Silica Optics?! In-built, non-replaceable batteries?! BATTERIES??!! In a gun?...By the Fiery Spirit! This has got to be the worse piece of [CENSORED] I have ever laid my [CENSORED] eyes on! It's [CENSORED] ugly as a [CENSORED] [CENSORED] too! Look at this, and so small like a [CENSORED]! I can hold it in one hand..."
Commentary of the N'luss mercenary Xi'uhn upon first being presented with an Erzatz


In Humanspace culture a predilection for manifest symbolism and baroque design makes even weapons a thing of design and beauty with inlaid engravings of precious alloys, encrusted artigems and screaming colors. Compared to this the Erzatz' black or grey recycled duraplastic molded blocky and short looks very crude to say the least. Like the product of an inferior culture that lacks the very concept of Proper Action, and does not know how to project force in their aesthetics. Erzatz weapons, in particular the rifles, do tend to look shorter than they should be. This is a design feature for practicality purposes, as the guerrilla force that will be using them is expected to be fighting in urban scenarios or in natural landscapes where concealment is easily a factor. Lighter, shorter weapons are easier to carry and use in those conditions.

Some Humanspace warriors find them way to small for practical use. But it must be repeated Erzatz were built for average-sized Imperium citizens and not 6'3'' Sultyat clones.


Erzatz Outside the Glorious Imperium


"Your Excellency!! The proles are revolt...AAAAAHH!!!"
Last words of Shafelai, Concubine the Sixth of Planetary Governor Unuluqi HiThurd


The first encounter Humanspace had with Erzatz weaponry happened during the Fourth Interim (55,577 AD) on the first offensive of Ketyel House Thurd into Glorious Imperium space (vide: Deeds of the Ever-Glorious Vol. III & IV).

Since then Erzatz have made their way into Humanspace proper, as cheap second-hand weapons brought by Free Traders or smugglers. On more than one occasion, acting on intelligence from The Bureau of War Prevention (vide: Of Vibrodagger and Thermoptic Cloak Vol. I) the Imperium has provided tens or hundreds of thousands of Erzatz to rebel proles or separatist groups within Ketyel House Thurd territory. From there word is slowly reaching inner systems that if one needs to arm a force of many thousands swiftly and cheaply, the Empty Vector region might be a place to look. So far the Glorious Imperium has given no indication it is interested in commercializing Erzatz beyond short dumpings their surplus on House Thurd's territory.


Rules

Erzatz rifles and pistols come in Laser, Heat ray and Z ray varieties. They work as indicated on Pg. 35 of the Humanspace Empires Playtest Draft with the following modifications:

* Range is 10% shorter

* Weight is 50% lighter

* An Erzatz weapon has a -1 to -2 penalty to hit (roll 1d2 when weapon is acquired to determine)

* An Erzatz weapon causes -1 to -2 less points of damage per hit damage (roll 1d2 when weapon is acquired to determine)

* A natural roll of 20 on an attack roll using an Erzatz means a weapon component has deteriorated or the internal battery is depleted. The weapon fails to fire and is now useless.

If found for sale on Humanspace an Erzatz Cost is only 10% to 19% (1d10+9) of that indicated on the table. It is unlikely a single unit is found for available sale but rather a crate of 5d20 weapons.

Humanspace-born player-characters may have a further complication using an Erzatz gun. The design and ergonomy look so primitive and different some practice may be required before making optimal use of the gun. The player should make a Skill Success roll for energy pistol or energy rifle when first handling an Erzatz or be considered non-proficient with the weapon, suffering a -2 penalty To Hit in addition to the Erzatz inbuilt modifiers.

After each combat where the PC uses an Erzatz or given sufficient downtime, the player may roll again. Once the roll is made the character knows how to properly use the gun without the -2 penalty and no further rolls are necessary for operating that specific model.


Inspiration

The idea for Erzatz Energy Weapons came from two literary sources, Weapon Shops of Isher by A. E. van Vogt and Freedom's Sons by Harold A. Covington.

[kesher]

Scribblings in Sophontology I - Secrets of the Cloned Shen - "The Power of Pheromones"

Thou Art Exalted! for that title alone!

[vargr1105]

(Sonorous Alarm Resonates)


EXALTED OPERATOR!
YOUR ESTEEMED PRESENCE IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED AT THE INSTRUMENTAL CONSOLE
.
.
.
ANSIBLE TRANSLUMINAL COMMUNICATION DETECTED
.
.
.
CALIBRATING RECIEVER....
...
..
.
CALIBRATION COMPLETE
.
.
.
SPACE-TIME TRIANGULATION....
...
..
.
COMPLETE...DETERMINING COMMUNICATION'S ORIGIN....
...
..
.
DETERMINATION COMPLETE...PRESENTING DATA DISPLAY

Provinience: Eldebrara II
Timeframe: minus 1,347 seconds
Priority: Urgent!
Seal: Governor-Maximum
Cryptics(a): Basic Imperial Grade 2...decoding...complete
Cryptics(b): Military Imperial Grade 1...decoding...error...station's decalgorithm clearance level insufficient


. . . PLAYING DECRYPTED MESSAGE PORTION . . .



* * * BY THE MIGHT AND AUTHORITY OF KETYEL HOUSE DASHI'ID! * * *


URGENT AND IMMEDIATE!

Let it be known by all loyal Humanspace Imperial subjects that on this date [109 - 60,011 AD] a blight befell the world of Eldebrara II.

An entity, known as GHARG, self-styled Cymek Lord, descended from orbit acompanied by a force of exotic war-bots riding great aircars of uncommon design.

These hostile forces fell upon the Eldebrara's Capital Governmental District and without warning or declaration of intent proceeded to rain fire and destruction in a most hostile manner upon any and all they could find.

The mechanisms and their leader stormed the Governor's palace wroughting great destruction within, being repulsed at great costs by the valiant efforts of the local Regimental Sultyat Clone Legionnaires.

During the confrontation the creature known has GHARG had the foul temerity of firing his weapon upon the august person of Planetary Governor Lord Ternme HiDashi'id, humble servant of the Most High Upon The Fields of Stars, Lord of the Floating Palace, Supreme Commander of the Sultyat Clone Legions and Ward-Protector of All Humanity, the Incomparable VERITABLE AUTOCRATOR, May He Rule for an Eon Lest the Suns Go Dim!

Praise his honored ancestors that his Mighty Lordship escaped unschated in body if not in spirit, for he is currently impaired by the grief of irreplaceable loss.

The criminal GHARG, while effectuating escape with his hosts laid hands upon, and spirited away, the High Lord's most venerated treasure, the most resplendent among all women, she of fair skin and red hair Pulai Kallara the Nor Concubine the First of Lord Ternme.



The Cymek Lord GHARG steals away the fair Pulai Kallara


Simultaneously with all these occurrences an atomic device was detonated within the starport provoking great wreckage and loss of life, and rendering most vessels incapable of flight and pursuance of the abductor GHARG.

Being thus momentarily deprived of the means to eventuate the bringing to justice of GHARG and his accomplices, His Illuminated Preeminence Lord Ternme HiDashi'id has adjudicated to seek the dauntless and selfless service of any other blessed subjects of the Compass of the Known Cosmos,
Arch-Luminary of Humanspace, God-Immortal over Sophonts, Pulsar of Puissance that Illuminates the Dark, the Ineffable VERITABLE AUTOCRATOR, May His Wisdom Rain Upon Us As Ever-Lasting Meteoric Showers!

The Most Fair and Generous Planetary Governor exhorts any persons of means, valor and courage to pursuit and punish the abductor under the aegis of His Lordship.


The hierachical priorities of the Quest are thus enumerated:

1) Recuperate Concubine the First Pulai Kallara from the clutches of GHARG and escort her back to the Governor's Palace at Eldebrara II, unharmed and scatheless.

2) Take into custody the inimical GHARG and likewise deliver it in chains and made innoxious to the presence of His Lordship, so that the barbarous being may face most harsh and swift justice .

3) In lieu of [2], should the Cymek resist capture most strenuously, exterminate it in a most prejudicial manner and salvage proof of its eradication for presentation to the Governor. The intact head would be the optimal trophy.

4) As much as possible, destroy, nullify and scatter GHARG's mechanical minions so that they may never rise again in unpropitious manner against any on Humanspace.


From appraisal of GHARG's actions at Eldebrara II the fiend is assessed to have the listed capabilities:

* Personal Heat ray sidearm of superior power to standard Imperial

* Ocular globules with Z-Ray micro-projectors capable of independent target acquisition

* Concealed Vibroblades on both wrists

* Augmented strength of level superior to One-Eight on the Druune scale and synthetical tireless stamina

* Full body encasement in a form of trans-duranic alloy, suspected to be equivalent or superior to Heavy Space Armor in protective ability

* Immunity to Anti-bio chemical miasmas and presumed high tolerance for other insidious actinics

* Ultravision-grade perceptive powers, assumed visual band includes all spectra

* Immunity or impressive resistance against mind-affecting PSY powers and Super-scientific abilities

* Some form of PSY power/Super-scientific ability which manifests as Machine Empathy & Control.


Further, the inimical commands the following:

* A battleship-sized space vessel of alien design

Class: Unknown
Capabilities: Unknown. Speculated equivalence to Shatrun-class Destroyer but with higher acceleration and hyperspatial performance

* A host of robotic android forces outfitted with Super-scientific armaments, mainly Heat rays, squad-level heavy explosive Projectiles, anti-bio gas Projectors and Grenades

Performance: Comparable to Imperial Mk 2 War Bots
Size of force: Unknown, most likely between several dozen to a few hundred



One of the oddly-designed war-bots composing the host of GHARG



Upon successful completion of the quest the heroic band of personages can expect the following emoluments:

* Full indemnification of all reasonable expenses incurred in the course of the quest, paid in Imperial coin

* One (1) Cubic Metre of solid natural Iridium per shophont

* A one grade promotion of social hierarchy within the means of the Governor and/or the prospect of joining his retinue

* Further recompenses as deemed dutiful for any individual valorous deeds that please His Lordship

Category II Shamtla Insurance is extended to all persons (except proles, slaves or nonbios) taking upon this quest to cover any material losses, wounds of the body, mind or psyche and provide recompense to appointed heirs for partial or total disincorporation.

Prospective man-at-arms, mercenaries and bounty-hunters are thus entreated to travel anon to the nearest Imperial Palace of the Realm to register their intent to quest for Lord and use their own means to give chase to GHARG with great haste.

Let no effort be spared, let no stone be unturned!


This I have written and ordained by mine own hand.

SIGNED
Lord Ternme HiDashi'id, Planetary Governor of Eldebrara II

SEAL OF KETYEL HOUSE DASHI'ID

PERSONAL SEAL OF THE LORD



*Post*Scripture*Instructions*

1) Acquiesce recievership of this message at once!

2) Replicate and transmit the missive without delay or impediment to all stationary and mobile ansible stations within range of your location and repeat every standard hour until obtaining confirmation of delivery.

3) Convey encrypted data packet containing GHARG's vessel last known hyperspatial vector and extrapolated destinations to the local Imperial Palace of the Realm.



GHARG's vessel escapes into hyperspace

[vargr1105]

Rules & Regulamentations I - Social Class Tables for PCs - "Growing Up On Humanspace"


I love random character generation tables that help flesh a PC's background. I would not necessarily advocate their mandatory use, but they often but often help a player that feels uninspired when sitting down to roll a character. Other gamers sometimes like the excitement and challenge role-playing a character with unexpected traits presents.

This table was designed for Human characters born in Humanspace, but it might also be used for Imperial Pe Choi as there is a sizeable population of these aliens within the 3rd Terran Empire.

When creating a new character, after Background Tech Level is determined (pg. 15 HE playtest draft) the player should roll 1d100 on the table below to discover his PC's social provenience.

The results on the table do not represent a demographic breakdown of social strata within Humanspace but a statistical interpretation of the origins of most "adventurers".

To create a truly random and eclectic adventuring party the Game Master might allow a straight 1d10 roll for each character interpreting the results as: 1 = Slave/Bondsman, 2 = Shadow, etc.


1d100 Roll & Social Origin
---------------------------
01-06 - Slave/Bondsman
07-16 - Shadow
17-33 - Shadow-Born
34-68 - Imperial Citizen
69-76 - Outcast Aristocrat
77-85 - Nobling Bastard
86-93 - Minor Noble
94-98 - Ketyel 2nd-Son
99 - Imperial Scion
00 - Other



SLAVE or BONDSMAN




The character is the property of someone else, most likely the PC with the highest social status in the party.

The PC might have been born into slavery or be a former freeman that lost his freedom. He might even have sold himself to slavery to pay his debts or to escape some grislier fate.

If the character's master releases him from bondage is status changes to Shadow. Generous masters have been known to reward exceptional freed slaves with a purchase of citizenship.

While a slave is technically a legal non-entity, note that the status and prestige of his master "rub off" on him. The manservant/bodyguard of a noble has higher status than a common prole or shadow.

A bondsman is much like a slave except is servitude is contractual and non-permanent. A bondsman agrees to serve a master for a specified length of time or until a specific task is met. Most bondsman are in their situation to pay a monetary or social debt, or to fast-track to Imperial Citizen status.

A nice game-facilitating strategy is having a Bondsman PC be enthralled to the patron of the party, expecting to be freed upon reaching a certain character level.

Modifications: The character must obey his master's dictates without question. He gains a +1 modifier to all actions of active protection of his person when he is present., and a +1 modifier to Skill and Power rolls when attempting to prevent bringing attention to himself (this represents slave's tendency to "blend away" and remain "unseen" in the presence of their betters).

A Slave or Bondsman has no personal property or funds and begins the game with whatever equipment the GM sees fit. If the character's master is another PC, it is up to him to equip his servant from his own pocket.



SHADOW (Ex-Prole)




The character was born a Prole and abandoned that life to live among the edge and underbelly of Humanspace. He poses as a Citizen and most likely has assistance of a Citizen-patron (or more rarely, an Aristocrat) in his workings toward acquiring true Citizenship.

Modifications: The character gains a +1 modifier on uses of the Bureaucrat skill for the purpose of concealing his societal status and extricating himself from situations where it is called into question. He also has a +1 bonus to the Basic or Technical skill of the occupation he abandoned when he ceased being a Prole to represent this caste's ability to singlemindedly dedicate itself to the task they were raised for.

The PC can pass as and interact with other proles flawlessly if he dresses like one.

An Ex-Prole begins the game with a mere 1d6 x 200 CR.



SHADOW-BORN




The character was born into a family of shadows and raised on the outskirts of Humanspace society. His parents may have been Proles at one time, or maybe his lineage belongs to the Shadows since time immemorial. The PC might, or might not be questing for citizenship. If he is then he will likely have a patron similarly to the Ex-prole indicated above.

Modifications: The character gains a +1 on Skill Success rolls for two skills that can be used for subterfuge. He also has fair knowledge of the Underworld scene on his region of space. He is fully familiar with the Society of the Shadows can interact with other shadows effortlessly and can identify other shadow-born easily if they are not actively trying to conceal their true nature.

A Shadow-Born begins the game with 2d4+1 x 200 CR.



IMPERIAL CITIZEN




The character is part of the 20% of population standing between the prole masses and the ruling nobility. He is legally entitled to travel freely among Humanspace, can own Super-scientific items and enjoys the full charter of rights under the auspices of the Veritable Autocrator.

Since citizenship is not a birthright but a privilege the player should indicate how his PC came into acquiring it: military service, success in the gladiatorial arenas, sponsorship by a Noble or Citizen or outright purchase.

Modifications: None. But the PC is assumed to be known as a person of good standing and proven record with no criminal record. He starts the game with the normal 3d6 x 200 CR.



OUTCAST ARISTOCRAT




The character is a former noble stripped of his title, or belongs to a lineage that was expelled wholesale from the ranks of nobility. He is now of common citizen status and most likely seeks to reclaim his lost position in the social hierarchy or uplift his lineage into peerage once again.

If the ex-noble was evicted from aristocracy individually, it was most likely a decision of his former House, but the order could have come from upper Imperial authorities. The player should devise the reason and details for the occurrence.

If he belongs to an outcast lineage, it was mandated by Imperial decree and the event could have happened well before the PC's birth. In this case the PC's former House is assumed to still have sufficient moneys to purchase citizenship for its members when they are born.

Modifications: Despite being legally only a citizen, the character is trained in the etiquette and mannerisms of the nobility and could easily disguise himself to pass as one. Simultaneously, he has lived enough among commoners to interact normally with them. The character gain a +1 bonus on Success rolls to two social skills of choice. He starts the game with the normal 3d6 x 200 CR.



NOBLING BASTARD (Hidall)




The character is the fruit of a coupling of a noble and a citizen, shadow, prole or slave that has been recognized by his aristocrat progenitor. The PC was raised by the commoner parent, while the noble one purchased him Imperial citizenship (or sponsored is entry into a Service that granted it) and paid him a yearly stipend until his 21st birthday. Besides this the PC an expect no further support and must now make it out on his own

As a member of the lowest grade of pseudo-nobility, the character is addressed as Hidall ("son of someone") and allowed by law to wear the Seal of the House of his noble father Transfixed to indicate his mixed parentage. This status is not transmissible to any children or heirs the character might have.

Modifiers: The PC suffers a -1 modifier on reactions by true nobles, who consider him a poseur until such time as he acquires a true title by marriage or service; but he is one step above normal citizens and will be granted preferential deference when no true nobles are present. When interacting with nobles solely as a representative of persons inferior to him (a PC party of citizens or below for instance) the penalty modifier is waived.

He begins the game with an extra (1d10+5) x 100 CR that he managed to save from his stipend.



MINOR NOBLE




The character is a full-blood member of any of the Noble Houses in Humanspace excepting the 16 Great Ketyel and the Dynasty of the Veritable Autocrator. The precise nature of the monikor "minor" and the specific title the character holds should be determined by the player. As rule, the higher the title the less prestigious the Noble House he is a part of.

Typical minor nobles are Knights, Baronettes or something similar, but for a truly exotic background the PC could be the sole remaining member of his house with an high title (Duke, Archon ,etc) but no holdings, wealth or property besides what he carries with him.

Modifiers: The PC is fully familiar with aristocratic protocol and will take to social interactions with nobility as a fish to water. He will be accorded due respect by citizens and fawning adulation by proles.

The noble PC will most likely be the leader of the adventuring party, or at least their representative to the outside world. Should he be hired or recruited for military activities he will be granted officer status regardless of past experience.

The character starts the game with twice the normal number of Credits (3d6 x 400 CR), plus clothing and accouterments in league with his station



KETYEL 2nd-SON




The 16 Great Noble Houses are renowned by their promiscuity, fecundity and hordes of concubines. Some are even known to dally in genetic cloning to increase their numbers. Given all this, it is no surprise that even with their extended resources the Ketyel cannot assure a position within their ranks for all the produce of their loins.

2nd-Sons are younger sons or recent copies of titled Ketyel nobles who stand in line to inherit nothing of importance. Rather than being minor flukes within the house, many choose to be Arch-Knighted and become wanderers in Humanspace questing for fame, fortune and eventual uplifting within the ranks of the house.

A few seek to establish their own small domain and found a new minor house of their own under the patronage of the Ketyel.

Modifiers: As for the Minor Noble but on a superior level. The PC will socially surpass even non-Ketyel nobility, unless they hold a high rank in the military or bureaucracy. Most 2nd-Sons consider proles to be chattel underneath their attention and will nominate a citizen flunky when interaction with the creatures is necessary.

In regions of Humanspace controlled by his House the character will be able to pull a lot of clout and resources, as long as his endeavors are deemed to be of service to the power, prestige or glory of the lineage.

The PC will begin each new adventure with 4 times the normal amount of Credits (3d6 x 800 CR) and the game-master should allow the player to choose any personal equipment free of charge, within reason. Most likely the character will have a small retinue of Retainers up to the maximum permitted by his Charisma score, which should be salaried out of his funds.

Another option is limiting the character to normal starting funds and purchases but granting him a personal spaceship of sufficient size to comfortably carry the whole party and their retinue.

Beyond this initial wealth, after the game starts whenever the 2nd-Son undertakes a new adventure with less than 5,000 CR the player should roll 3d6 x 200 and take the new result as is total funds if higher than the current score. This represents income from grants and investments in the PC's name.



IMPERIAL SCION




The player character is a blood relative to the Nth-degree of that August Persona, the Omnipotent Psychic Eye Which Gazes the Galaxy, Dispenser of Calamities Upon the Foes of Man, the Veritable Autocrator, may His Sapient Prescience Contrive Our Fates Until the Heat-death of the Universe!

The PC stands in line of succession to inherit the Imperial Throne...after several thousands of other persons.

The Dynasty of the Veritable Autocrator is so exalted and so saturated with ambitious lordlings that the even with mighty and valorous deeds an Imperial Scion not directly born to inherit a high title has little probability of acquiring one.

Worse, the constant court intrigue and political backstabbing risk making a minor scion a casualty of the many games of high politicking infesting the core worlds. To provide an outlet from this, and at the same time diminish the number of pretenders stalking the halls of power, the Dynasty provides willing Scions with a variant of the 2nd-Sons tradition: the Scion must forevermore conceal his true origins unless in the most dire of straights, and will not be allowed to return and enroll into normal Dynasty life.

The Veregyá, the dreaded Imperial secret police keeps a rooster with the self-exiled Imperial Scions and creates fake identities for them. Each Scion is given two methods of proving his true identity in an emergency: a ring-seal made of a diamond-duranium composite, recognized by all Imperial Services and Noble Houses of Humanspace, and a special invisible tattoo somewhere on his body carved with extra-planar energy that can only be seen using sensory equipment uniquely in the possession
of the Veregyá. Any use of the ring will soon bring forth an agent of the secret police bearing a scanner, and woe betide he doesn't find the tattoo on the seal-ring "owner"...

Modifiers: Starting funds as for a Ketyel 2nd-Son but the character starts the game with BOTH the wealth and the spaceship plus the seal-ring and the tattoo.

Not calling undue attention to his true lineage status is both recommendable and a precondition for obtaining dissimulated support from the Veritable Autocrator Dynasty, thus most Scions pretend to be minor nobles or bastard noblings and get the usual social treatment allotted to the persona they are imitating.

Once per Level the Imperial Scion character may use a "Get out of jail free card" in dealings with Imperial authorities or any Ketyel House. This will allow him to obtain a favor out of the ordinary (release from imprisonment, private audience with a Planetary Governor, commissioning a battleship, etc).

The social attitudes of an Imperial Scion towards other vary immensely from individual to individual. Some hate and resent the life of dissimulation they were forced into; others revel in the freedom that exile from the court grants them and are quite liberal by Humanspace standards, rubbing shoulder with both commoner and noble without differentiation.



OTHER




This social class represents the rare adventuring individual that does not fit any of the former categories. The past and origins of said person can be as varied as the player wishes and the GM allows. Usually an "Other" was born and raised in an environment
quite distinct from Humanspace norm.

Examples include someone raised by robots or aliens until adulthood, a native of a lost colony with an exotic social structure which only recently was re-discovered by Humanspace vessels, a foreigner from a Pocket Polity such as the Protectorate of Lat, the Glorious Imperium or the Hanmtau Collective, etc.

Sungam Bronn is a good example of an player-character with an unusual upbringing that would qualify for "Other" status: ancientastronautspbp.blogspot.pt/p/s-bronn.html

Modifiers: As the GM sees fit. Proficiency in a native language (if not Sunuz) and maybe a reaction roll/social skill penalty until Level 3 is reached are recommended.

[Achán hiNidráne]

Gah!!! Somebody find Drune, drag his rump back to the keyboard and tell him to get back to work...

In the meantime, have another Exalt!

[vargr1105]

Thank you joyous companions and esteemed peers for your words of support, you are all most kind.


Next in line: considerations on using Mutant Future to crate Mutant Player-Characters in HE.

[vargr1105]

Rules & Regulamentations II - Using MF to Roll Mutant PCs in Humanspace - Part One


As all present no doubt know, many years antecedent one of the eldest tabletop RPGs was born: Gamma World. Said game revolved mainly about characters blessed, or afflicted with, mutations that granted them wondrous abilities beyond the ken of mortal men wandering on a world post a holocaust of immense proportions.

As even the might of the mountains is muted by the vastness of the seas of time, this work is no longer obtainable in the markets. But a few short revolutions prior the guild known as Goblinoid Games produced a replica of Gamma World using their cloning sapience as that near-lost knowledge was preserved for future times, albeit in a somewhat altered form. This new shape was christened Mutant Future.

The basic matrix of Mutant Future was that of its eldest sibling, Labyrinth Lord, itself cloned from one of the original incarnations of the very first RPG issued from the minds of those elder refulgent entities, the Gaming Masters of Old; many alas no longer with us in the material universe but May the Gaming Halls of the Hereafter Be Ever-Filled by their Mirth and Sounds of Rolling Dice.

Humanspace Empires, the unfinished brainchild of sagacious Drune, was born of the same framework of LL and MF. Its author mentions on his writings the intentions of utilizing these older works to expand his own.

MF in particular, with its algorithms to determine the workings of mutant creatures seemed the optimal candidate to capture ideas to represent their equivalent creatures in Humanspace.
The presence of Mutants on the Sidereal Universe has been widely, if very sparsely documented with particular reference to the creations and after-effects from the Second Terran Empire of the Clonemasters (26,117 - 48,044 AD).

Even if in the age of the Dynasty of the Veritable Autocrator May His Supernal Magnificence Integument the Thousands of Worlds Perpetuum, the presence of Mutants and their Cymek counterparts has waned, it is clear from the musings of the evanesced Drune that both classes of beings were projected to make part of the range of playable options in Humanspace Empires.

This is were the Unseen Hand of Fate plays its part. By whim or design the controlling forces of the cosmos saw fit to inspire the prescient authors of the Mutant Future fac-simile to incorporate on their volume a whole section dedicated to transposing the rulings for mutants contained therein into external settings.

Certes, the system as presented was designed with the intent to combine MF with its older sibling Labyrinth Lord, but the congeniality between these two and Humanspace Empires opened the door for possibilities pregnant with promise.

It was just yesterday that I took to my chair, and without any prior preparation or aforethought of the final result, endeavored to roll up a HE Character affixed with the precepts expounded on Pgs 145-154 of Mutant Future titled Section 9: Mutants & Mazes and attempting to coalesce the results in a satisfactory manner as the operation went along.

Beneath are the results:



Humanspace Empires Character

Name: Utslúdhu
Class: Adventurer
Level: 1st
Race: Human Mutant
Sex: Male
Homeworld: Mikrú (Super-scientific)
Social Class: Shadow-Born
Age: 35
Experience Points: 0 / 3,000
XP Bonus: +5%

STR: 15
DEX: 14
CON: 6
INT: 11
PSY: 19
CHA: 7

Hit Points: 11
AC: 5
Armor: Skin Suit

Weapons: Disruptor pistol

Languages: Sunuz

Background Skills: Basic: Urbanite Technical: Thief +1, Smuggler +1, Electrician

Class Skills: Energy pistol

PSY Powers: Psy Luck

Mutations

Class 1: Dwarfism (4ft tall, +1 To Hit in melee against larger foe) , Night Vision 60 ft, Ultraviolet Vision

Class 2: Combat Empathy (+1 To Hit and Damage), Increased Willpower (+2 on rolls to identify unknown technology)

Class 3: Disintegration (obtainable at character Level 11)

Drawbacks: Bone Structure Frailty (+1d4 per die of blunt trauma)

Saving Throws

Energy 15
Poison 12
Disease 12
Death 12
Psy 14

Treasure: 400 CR

Character Portrait:



Background: Utslúdhu was born to a family of fence shadows in the industrial world of Mikrú, a somber, polluted planet characterized by its sprawling factory-cities. His short stature was no doubt derived from the unhealthy setting his mother lived in while he grew inside her. Firstly deemed a runt when born, he was nonetheless raised in loving care as the sole child his mother ever had.

His dwarfism and ability to see in the dark proved quite useful when he matured. Utslúdhu was able to use disused robotic maintenance tunnels and air vents to move around the under-passages with such unrestricted facility he soon became renowned among the fence shadow Clans. To protect himself from the gigantic predatory rodents that infested certain sections of the secret passages he roamed Utslúdhu obtained and learned to operate a disruptor pistol.

After years of carrying missives and small contraband through the metal tunnels known only to him Utslúdhu was able to save enough funds to buy crew-member a commission aboard a Free Trader spaceship. Leaving his world of origin for all times, he used his planet-bound skills to facilitate the business of the free trader while picking up minor abilities in electrical engineering.

Recently the captain of the vessel made an impressive succession of bad business deals (always against the counsel of wise Utslúdhu) and ended up loosing his ship to his creditors. Planet-bound once more many light-years distant from his former home, Utslúdhu now seeks to join an entrepreneurial adventuring company possessing a ship of its own, so he may sail the cosmos again.


Notes

I would say the experimentation was a resounding success. The character portrayed above was determined both "by the book" and randomly, with some minor adaptations to resolve the differences between Mutant Future and Humanspace Empires.

Inquisitive readers who have made it this far are beseeched to maintain their Ansibles modulated and in readiness for the next transluminal transmission, wherein the proceedings to create diminutive Utslúdhu shall be expounded in full detail.

[vargr1105]

Gents,

I am currently catching up on the Dreadstar a comic series by Jim Starlin. I read a couple of issues of back when I was a kid and was waiting on a doctor's waiting room. I've no idea what a booklet-sized South American edition of a space fantasy comic was doing there but I remember being fascinated by it. Only now, courtesy of .cbr files, do I get the chance to feast my eyes on the (I hope) full series.

Dreadstar has a feel and power level different from Humanspace, but it's chock-full of good ideas that can be cribbed. It's a great star-spanning saga with force blades, mystical sorcerers, martial arts, telepathy, cyborgs, robots, oppressive religion, old gods, massacres, genocide, a centuries-old war and the small group of unaffiliated rebels who want to end it. All told using sharp, clean, colorful hand-drawn art.



Just look at the dynamism, balance and precise line detail of that cover. They just don't make comics like the used to in the 80's. Makes you want to don a latexium suit, grab a Z-ray pistol and join the fray.


So I will put my Humanspace Mutants on hiatus for just a bit and stat one of the critters inspired by the imagery of this series.

I give you...


Saturday Night Special II - Cymek Guard Bot Mk II - "Disembodied Brain Madness"


Cymek Guardian Bot Mk II

Frequency: Very Rare
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Inimical (insane)
Intelligence: Low to High (6-15)
Size: Large (9' tall)
Move: 90'(30')
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 6+2
Attacks: 2 (shot and punch)
Damage: 2d8/1d8
Save: W6
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XX (master's treasure)
Special: +4 on Saves vs. mind affecting PSY Powers, Darkvision
Experience: 300




Highly illegal in Humanspace, these monstrosities take the form of large robotic duranite battle armor suits controlled by a human brain surgically extracted from a living person and placed inside its chest. It is an inhumane procedure which condemns the victim to a lifetime of slavery and eventual madness due to tactical sensory deprivation. It was one of the favorite forms of punishment the Lords of the Cymek Empire reserved for their enemies.

The Cymek Guardian's power source and installed nutrient packages are sufficient to keep it running for several years at a time without supervision and it can operate in vacuum or other environments unpropitious to human life.

The guardian lacks a voice modulator. Even if the brain retains all knowledge of the languages known in his or hers previous existence, there's no means to communicate with others. Enforcement of command rules set by the Cymek Guardian's master are assured by primitive circuit connected to the brain stem than delivers pain-compliance electric impulses if the thing strays from accepted behavior.
Most victims of this form of cymekization go rabidly insane in short order and develop a psychotic hate for all living humanoids they cross; this just makes them more efficient guardians.

The design of the brain-case inside the Cymek's chest and the psychotic insanity increase the difficulties of using mental powers against the trapped human mind controlling the robotic body.

The typical Cymek Guardian is equipped with a short-range (150') disruptor rifle built into its left arm, granting it a bonus of +1 To Hit with it. Its motorized right limb is used to strike at foolish targets who wander too close.

[vargr1105]

Rules & Regulamentations II - Using MF to Roll Mutant PCs in Humanspace - Part Two

Welcome one and all, reverend persons, High nobles, Astronaut cultists, Imperial scientists, wanderers, non-humans and all other pursuers of wisdom.

Hence we continue our exposition on human biological mutations on Humanspace Empires and the utility of Mutant Future for generating such player characters.

So grab thine copy of MF and thine HE Playest Draft, and read on.



CREATING A MUTANT PLAYER CHARACTER FOR HUMANSPACE EMPIRES

Note that these guidelines, with a sole exception specified at the end, apply only to Human mutants. No provisions are made here to roll a mutant Ahoggya or Pe Choi.

Unlike Mutant Future, in Humanspace Empires "Mutant" is a race, not a Character Class. A mutant PC still gets to select a HE class (with a limitation) but some of his racial traits take precedence over the ones of his class. The data below is used in lieu of that found on Pg. 145 of the Mutant Future rules book .

Mutant Human
Requirements: None
Prime Requisite: STR (regardless of Class)
Hit Dice: 1d6 (see experience table)
Attack Table: per Class
Maximum Level: None
Saving Throws: Use the Saving Throw table found on Pg. 50 of Mutant Future rules book regardless of Class chosen and rename the type of save thusly:

Energy Attacks ---> Energy Blast
Poison or Death ---> Poison and Disease
Stun Attacks ---> PSY Effects
Radiation ---> Death

MUTANT LEVEL PROGRESSION
Level - XP Needed - Hit dice (d6)
1 - 0,000 - 1+6hp
2 - 1,876 - 2+6hp
3 - 3,751 - 3+6hp
4 - 7,501 - 4+6hp
5 - 15,001 - 5+6hp
6 - 30,001 - 6+6hp
7 - 60,001 - 7+6hp
8 - 120,001 - 8+6hp
9 - 240,001 - 9+6hp
10 - 340,001 - +1 hp only
11 - 440,001 - +1 hp only
12 - 540,001 - +1 hp only
13 - 640,001 - +1 hp only
14 - 760,001 - +1 hp only
15 - 880,001 - +1 hp only
16 - 1,000,001 - +1 hp only
17 - 1,120,001 - +1 hp only
18 - 1,240,001 - +1 hp only
19 - 1,360,001 - +1 hp only
20 - 1,480,001 - +1 hp only

Note: Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored at level 10 and above


Step 1 - Generate Ability Scores

This is done normally using whatever method the Game Master decrees.


Step 2 - Generate Mutations

This is done as indicated in MF Section 9: Mutants and Mazes starting on Pg. 145. After all beneficial and detrimental mutations are determined go to step 3. (some guidelines for this step will be presented later).


Step 3 - Determine Mutant Nature

Review all of the character's mutations that are active at 1st character level and find into which of the 4 nature types he fits: Human-like, Passable, Concealable or Evident. The Nature together with Origin (below) will affect the PC's Social class options.




Human-like

Human-like mutants have no malformations or physical manifestations of their condition whatsoever. Unless the character uses his powers in a visible manner, or is subjected to a genetic test (or internal exam in the case of mutants with internal morphological differences), no one will take him for anything other than a normal human.

Even using his mutations might not necessarily alert a witness, many mutant powers can could be dissimulated as PSY Powers or Super-scientific abilities.

Passable

A Passable mutant has visible morphological traits, malformations, etc, that could be mistaken by onlookers for a naturally-occurring medical condition, such as dwarfism or gigantism.

Concealable

The character has physical traits which are obviously mutant in origin and cannot be passed off as a naturally-occurring medical condition, but may be concealed with little effort. Examples include simple things like fangs, claws, eyes of unnatural colors but might go as far as having a second face tucked away in the chest.

Evident




Anyone can tell the mutant is not a normal human just by looking at him due to odd traits that cannot be hidden for such as: odd skin color, covered in fur, extra limbs, horns, etc.

Optional Rule: regardless of mutation results the player can choose to make his mutant's Nature Concealable or Evident. Simply add one or more traits with no positive or negative mechanical effects (skin, eye or hair color, size of eyes and ears, different number of digits on hands, etc)


Step 4 - Determine Mutant Origin

On Humanspace a human mutant can be what he is due to several different causes. These might affect the the Social Classes available to the character particularly in conjunction with Nature.

Mutant Player Characters are sufficiently rare in Humanspace that there is no need to elaborate a percentile roll table with different incidence for each origin, a straight roll will suffice. Roll on the table below and note down all results.

MUTANT ORIGIN TABLE (roll 1d8)
1 - Defective Sultyat Clone
2 - Dormant Clonemaster Genes
3 - Hybrid Progeny
4 - Natural Mutant
5 - Noble Clone - (if mutant's Nature is Evident roll again)
6 - Stable Genome
7 - Vat-Grown
8 - Player's Choice


Defective Sultyat Clone

More often than is readily admitted the clone-vats where the Imperial Sultyat Legions are grown suffer malfunctions and produce a wild result. Most mutant legionnaires are abominations unable to live on their own outside the artificial wombs. Some are viable but their inferior nature targets them for disposal and protein recycling.

Every so often, a defective clone manifests extraordinary inborn abilities. In these cases the clone is usually spared and taken for further studies. By Imperial law he will be unfit for normal Legion duties but the possibility exists his mutations could be of service to the Veritable Autocrator, May Entropy of His Person Ever be Assuaged, as a member of a secret task force. It is also not unknown for a Sultyat clone-vat engineer to keep the mutant around as a pet or serf, or even sell it to a person willing to pay the price.

Like their all his normal brethren a defective Sultyat clone has been sterilized and cannot reproduce.

Unless the character is deformed in some way his facial features and body type will belong to any of the several Sultyat variants and he can be identified as such by Imperial legionnaires and persons familiar with the legions

Social Class: Slave, Bondsman or Citizen. If the defective clone Human-like in Nature he is automatically a Citizen that has completed his terms of service on the Legions and unless the player chooses otherwise no one knows that the character is really a mutant.

Slaves/Bondsmen might begin the game having recently escaped servitude and living as a Shadow, but still use the Slave/Bondsman rules for character generation. The player should specify exactly who the former master was and more than likely there's a warrant for the character's arrest.


Dormant Clonemaster Genes




During their reign of 220 centuries the Clonemasters wrecked havoc with the Human Genome and created many wonders and horrors. While most of their legacy has been destroyed its most insidious form is still well present within the DNA of a fair number of humans today: the dormant genes.

The mutant is the son/daughter of two normal humans who carried the specific combination of Clonemaster dormant genes to have a roughly 1-in-4 chance of birthing a mutant child.

The PC will be fertile and can procreate with normal humans, any children he fathers will have a 50% chance of being a mutant too. The character's brothers and sisters have a 25% chance each of being is a mutant like him. In all cases the mutations manifested will be the exact ones the player character bears.

Social Class: Slave/Bondsman, Shadow, Shadow-born or Citizen, regardless of Nature.
The genetic legacy of the Clonemasters has been extirpated from the noble lineages of humanspace during the Cymek Empire's Purity Crusade. Even if a noble couples with a commoner with the Clonemaster dormant genes the result will always be a normal human child (but carrying the dormant genes himself).


Hybrid Progeny

The character is the progeny of a normal Human parent and a fertile Mutant (of any type). If the mutant parent could pass as human and the PC's Nature is Concealable or [Evident[/i] this will mean a big surprise to the human parent.

Hybrid Progeny mutants have a 25% chance of being sterile. If they are fertile any children will have a 50% of being mutants too but their mutations are rolled normally.

Social Class: Slave/Bondsman, Shadow, Shadow-born or Citizen. A mutant with either Human-like or Concealable nature can also be a Nobling Bastard.


Natural Mutant

The character is the progeny of two perfectly normal Human parents. His mutations are fruit of environmental conditions (mutagens, background radiation, etc) that affected him while growing in the mother's womb.

A natural mutant has a 50% chance of being infertile and a 25% chance of fathering mutant children with individual mutations of their own if he isn't.

Social Class: Any for Human-like and Passable mutants.
Slave/Bondsman, Shadow, Shadow-born, Citizen or Nobling bastard for Concealable.
Slave/Bondsman, Shadow, Shadow-born or Citizen for Evident.


Noble Clone

Sometimes nobles clone themselves, either for reasons of infertility, egotism or because their natural progeny is a disappointment. These clones are called Truesons or Truedaughters to express their genetic equality to the Noble. The current fashion is to grow the clone in the opposite gender.

A mutant Noble Clone is similar in nature to a Defective Sultyat Clone: something unexpected happened with the clone-vat. Every mutant Noble Clone has a 50% chance of being sterile from birth.

Social Class: Minor Noble, Ketyel 2nd-Son or Imperial Scion for Human-like.
Automatically Outcast Noble if Passable.
Automatically Nobling bastard if Concealable.


Stable Genome

The character is not a true mutant but a member of a minor branch of the human race with sufficient genetic drift to have lost inter-fertility with the Homo Sapiens of 62,011 AD.

The cause for the divergence could be natural evolution in a world quite different from Terra, or the character's race is one of the last extant creations of the Clonemasters in Humanspace. The more the character can pass as human, the more likely it was the former rather than the later.

Regardless of the cause the PC's species is restricted to a single world, or even a specific region of one except for the very rare few who hop aboard a starship. And even those must eventually return if they wish to form a family and leave any sot of legacy. The PC cannot breed with normal humans or human mutants but can create progeny normally with members of his own race.

Social Class: Slave/Bondsman, Shadow or Shadow-born only.


Vat-grown




The mutant was grown on a clone-vat but his mutations aren't the fruit of accident, he was designed to be like that, most likely using ancient and forbidden Clonemaster lore.

This is a crime of the highest order and requires a fair amount of resources not easily available. Corporations, religious institutions, Astronaut cults and powerful Nobles that don't give a fig about the proscriptions of the Veritable Autocrator, May His Palace Float Above the Plains of Moon-Europa Until the Sun Turns Into a Nova, are likely candidates for the creator of the mutant character.

Social Class: Slave/Bondsman only. Unless the character party is working for whoever created the PC he starts the game as a fugitive slave and his master(s) are looking for him.


Step 5 - Determine Social Class

Check the article Rules & Regulamentations I - Social Class Tables for PCs - "Growing Up On Humanspace" and roll for social class until a result permitted by the mutant's nature and Origin is obtained. Some Origins only have one Social Class available and need no rolling.


Step 6 - Determine Background Tech Level

Defective Sultyat Clones, Noble Clones and Vat-Grown mutants automatically have the Super-Scientific background.

Stable Genome mutants should roll 1d10: 1-2: Primitive, 3-7: Advanced.

All others roll normally on the table found in Humanspace Empires Revised Playtest Draft Pg. 15.


Step 7 - Determine Background Skills

This is done normally as per the rules on Pgs. 14-16 on HE Revised Playtest Draft with the changes from "Growing Up On Humanspace". It is recommended to the player that skill selection takes into account his Nature, Origin and Social Class.


Step 8 - Choose Character Class

Scientists are not available as a Class choice for mutants. The Plastic Actualizer or Lens was designed to work only on pure strain humans and a mutant PC's organism would reject it.
This also means Adventurer mutant cannot select powers from the Scientist list.

Most mutants tend to be Adventurers or Warriors, unless their mutations make them poor soldier material; but mutant Astronauts are not unknown.

Step 8.1 - Determine Class Skills/Powers

These are determined normally on the appropriate Class table but the mutant only gets half the number of Class Skills/Powers normally gained (rounded down) at 1st Level.

If the mutant is an adventurer he still gets the full choice range of Background Skills gained through his class; only the number of staring Class Skills/Powers is reduced.

When the mutant gains a level any new Class Skills/Powers are determined normally and without penalty.


Step 9 - Finish Character Generation

Roll for Hit Points, note down XP required for next level, name character, buy equipment, etc.

Note on equipment: While certain physical mutations may indicate Armor must be adapted or tailor-made for the mutant (at extra cost, of course) it is assumed any purchased during character generation is fully compatible with him at no extra expenditure.


RULINGS FOR MUTATIONS IN HUMANSPACE EMPIRES

The variety of mutation powers present in Mutant Future and the ad hoc nature of many of them make it impossible to make rulings for full compatibility with Humanspace Empires without what would amount to a full revision.

That is beyond the scope of this article. The goal here is to use the Mazes & Mutants section of Mutant Future (Pgs. 145-153) "out of the box" and fit them to a HE character.

The Mazes & Mutants system should be used to determine the mutations of the character as-is and then the effect of each mutation perused to determine if any adaptations should be made for the Humanspace milieu. I suggest the non-random method for selection not be used, this only opens the door to power-gaming and morose character generation.


Here are some personal guidelines for MF mutations in HE:

* MF is more of a kitchen-sink, gonzo game. Some mutations such as Density Control are "too silly" and unfit for a Space Fantasy game and should be re-rolled. Of course, your mileage may vary.

* Other mutations, such as Plane Shift are overpowered and out of sync with the setting of Humanspace but can be toned down into something workable, in this case a Nexus Point power. Read the descriptions and see if a re-adaptation would work better than rolling for a different mutation. As above.

* References to Radiation and WIL should be taken as "energy" an "PSY" respectively. Saving Throw vs. Radiation now becomes Saving Throws vs. Energy Blast.

* Mutant powers based on pheromones or body chemistry might not work at all on alien races or have a different effect than expected.

* Many Armors in Humanspace Empires fully insulate the wearer from his surrounding environment. If the mutant or his target are encased in such armor then powers based on pheromones, body chemistry or touching exposed skin should not work.

* Similarly, powers that allow the mutant to project energy from his hands or eyes cannot be used while wearing most armors unless the character wants to risk damaging it.

* Powers that require use of MF's Mental Attack Table should now require the target to make a Saving Throw vs. PSY Effects. If the save is made either the power does not affect the target or he only takes half damage.

* Likewise, substitute Save vs. Stun Attacks by Save vs. PSY Effects.

* Many detrimental physical mutations (albinism, hemophilia, reduced immune system, etc) are real-world medical conditions which should be curable with Super-scientific medicine. Such an option should be provided to the mutant player character in-game provided he has the funds to pay for it. An exception to this should be made for Stable Genome mutants; one cannot "cure" them anymore than one could cure a human of his humanity.

* Unlike MF, in Humanspace mutant characters should not be able to develop new Mutations besides the ones they start the game with and those gained at higher levels. In Humanspace radiation simply kills.

* MF characters begin with the equivalent Hit Points of a Humanspace PC of high level. Take this into account when ruling on healing or regenerative mutations.

* Technology Rolls are fully absent from Humanspace Empires. Either ignore any reference to them or turn them into bonuses/penalties to Technical skills.

* Remember most mental, and many physical mutations can pass as PSY Powers or Super-scientific abilities.



ADDENDUM: MUTANT CLONE SHEN FROM MARS




Me extend hand to monkey in greeting. I named Sshátrr, proud Mutant Clone Shen.

Where Sshátrr come from? From Mars of course! All clone Shen come from Mars, mutant or not mutant.

Mars is Super-scientific planet. Best planet in Monkeyspace to make clones. Mars nice place with big starport, ruined cities, red monkey-women lay eggs. Flyers very popular.

You want to know more about us Mutant Clone Shen? I tell you about us.

Shen is best species in Known Space. Cloned Shen new and improved version of best species. Mutant Clone Shen even most best than just clones. We different and unique, taller, stronger, shoot laser beams from eyes. Good stuff! We the betterest. No, me no make new word. Stupid monkey not speak good Sunuz.

Mutant clone Shen all different. We all unique. Why? Ask monkey Mars Masters. They speak about "making ultimate Shen clone" but never happy with result. Stupid monkey Mars Master not know what good is.

Mutant Clone Shen ability scores rolled normal like not-clone Shen. Everything else the same, but mutations make clone Shen better.

What is "deturiment"? You mean bad stuff? Yes, sometimes things not go right with clone-vat. Maybe monkey Mars Master drunk or maybe he buy second-rate chemicals from nasty Nininyal merchant.

Then clone Shen not come out of clone-vat alright. I have clone-vat brother. Clone-vat brother name Krrs'sth. He got two tails and very, very small. Almost like Tinalíya. We keep Krrs'sth in birdcage and poke him with stick HAR, HAR, HAR!

All mutant clone Shen is males. Because males is better that's why..stupid monkey. Shen females too weak, Shen egg-fertilizers too small, male Shen perfect. Just ask monkey Mars Masters.

And all mutant clone Shen is Warriors, because that what we train for after leaving clone-vat. Warriors is the better! Scientists too geeky, Astronauts too religious and Adventurers useless. Mutant clone Shen leave piloting and repairing to monkeys. We only do Warrior stuff. Warrior stuff is fun!

Nature? What you mean Nature? Everyone know all Shen look the same to silly monkeys, they too stupid to tell different. They think we mutant clone Shen are all Shen-like.

Hmmm...unless mutant Shen have two heads or something, like vat-brother K'shk'shu then is Evident. Unless monkey is blind, HAR, HAR, HAR!

Shen smarter than monkeys. They always know Mutant Shen Clone is Evident. Why? Because Shen not stupid like monkeys and can smell each other. Unless mutant Shen in Spacesuit or Space Armor, then Shen can't smell.

Sshátrr always in skin suit with bubble cap near other Shen. Why? Because Shen not like mutant Shen. Stupid monkey know this if stupid monkey was Shen.

Monkey most always stupid, even monkey leaders stupid sometimes.

Monkey leaders no like each other sometimes. Like Mars monkey Master and head monkey of Monkeyspace Veritable Autocrator, May He Always Have Lots of Bananas to Eat. If they become friends maybe clone Shen become Sultyat Legion. That great! Sultyat do lots of fun Warrior stuff.

Origin? Monkey ask too many questions. We Clone Shen born in Martian clone-vat, what you expect?

Mutant Shen clones always be Slaves or Bondsmen because life crap for clone Shen in Monkeyspace and stingy, stupid Martian monkey Masters no give Shen citizenship for good service...ever.

So mutant clone Shen must become fugitive if wants to leave Mars. Nasty Mars monkey Masters always want escaped mutant clone Shen back.

Yes, monkey right. We not on Mars so Sshátrr be fugitive and Mars monkey Masters looking for...hmmm.

Sshátrr answer too much. Apologize to monkey but monkey now know too much so Sshátrr must kill monkey.

Monkey no worry, Sshátrr make it fast...

(horrid screaming ensues)

[kesher]

My God! It's Full of Stars!

What drugs are you on?? I want some...

[vargr1105]

Apr 26, 2012 13:49:37 GMT -6 kesher said:

My God! It's Full of Stars!

What drugs are you on?? I want some...

Fair friend Kesher, the ideas nearly write themselves. No chemical stimulants necessary so far.


Next in Line: New Armor Options for Humanspace.

[vargr1105]

Ok, I can't resist. The next article is going to take a bit to finish, so here's a list of the new armors that will be made available. I hope it gets your salivary glands working.


Gladiator Face-plate

Gladiator Great Helm

Duranite Sheet-bands

House Ceremonial Armor

Experimental Shield belt (Mk III)

Advanced Infantry Armor

Advanced Infantry Armor (heavy)

Latexium Suit

Reinforced Latexium Armor

Bio-booster Latexium Armor (Mk I)

Bio-booster Latexium Armor (Mk II)

Synthleather Hunter's Garb

Serudla Dragonweave

RP-Skin Suit

Hostile Environment Space Suit

Anti-prole Riot Gear

Space Scafander (advanced space suit)

Transparent Duraplastic Shield

Duranium Shield

Duranium Pavise

Space Armor (superheavy)

Amberite-Carbon Nanotube Mail (Mk I)

Amberite-Carbon Nanotube Mail (Mk II)

Amberite-Carbon Nanotube Mail (Mk III)

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - I


The new Humanspace armors will take a while and since stat-ing critters is easy I made a filler.

OD&D/BX/BECMI/LL/MF/S&W have a veritable cornucopia of creatures that can be combed and ripped off to make adversaries for a Humanspace Empires party, it is but a question of adaptation.

It is also possible to make thinly-disguised versions of old favorites with a suitable background to explain their presence in the Super-scientific Age of 62,011 AD. Here is one:


Al-Bér - "The Eviscerating Beast"

images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070317064205/forgottenrealms/images/thumb/f/fe/Owlbear.jpg/220px-Owlbear.jpg
[/img]


Frequency: Rare
No. Enc.: 1 (1d4+1 after mating season)
Alignment: Inimical (ultra-aggressive and territorial)
Intelligence: Cunning Animal (2)
Size: Large (8' long)
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 3 (2 claws, bite)
Damage: 1d8/1d8/1d8
Special: Hug
Save: W3
Morale: 9 (11 once it has tasted blood)
Hoard Class: Nil
Experience: 500

Al-Bérs are ferocious, omnivorous land predators found on many Terra-class worlds in Humanspace and Pe Choi regions.

They are certainly an artificial genetic creation but studies have been unable to determine exactly what they were bred from. The best candidate so far is a small quadruped predator from the Pachi Lei Homeworld at Arcturus, but the Al-Bér's feathers mean Terran ornithologic genetic material was certainly added to the splicing. It is unknown who created them or for what reason; neither is it known how the species ended being scattered through such a vast region of space.
Old fragmentary records from explorers and exo-naturalists seem to indicate the birth of the Al-Bér predates the rise of the Clonemasters

Taxonomic classification of the Al-Bér is a nightmare. The creature has a bird-like head with white circular eyes and a curved beak. The beak is not composed of keratin but rather a form of dull colored ivory. They are warm-blooded with mammalian glands but bellow their brown-black or yellowish brown shaggy coats and feathery growths (usually in the posterior limbs) is a pale skin with proto-scale structures. Their young are born out of eggs but suckled by the mother. The general morphology, excepting the head, reminds humans of the Terran bear, but an Al-Bér lacks any manner of tail and its claws greatly surpass in size those of that old Earth predator. Full-grown males as long as 8 feet and weighing up to 1,500 pounds have been observed in the wild.

Al-Bérs thrive in wooded areas and like to make their lairs in caves or underground structures wide enough to fit their large bulks. While not arboreal animals they are quite proficient at tree climbing, using their long sharp claws to dig into the bark and propel themselves upward.

They are mean spirited mega-predators and very quickly displace, or hunt down to extinction, any competitors in whatever ecosystem they are introduced. Hunters and explorers who have survived close encounters with these creature often speak of the bestial madness they glimpsed in their pupiless eyes, and the unrelenting savagery of the attack.

In combat an Al-Bér tends to concentrate its rending attacks on a single target until it stops moving, even when facing multiple adversaries. They attack with both claws and their beak. If both claws successfully strike in one round, the Al-Bér also squeezes the target in a powerful hug that does an additional 2d8 hit points of damage.

This does not prevent thrill-seeking nobles from venturing in Al-Bér hunting expeditions. Even with the aid of Super-scientific weapons and armor a pack of these beings is sure to present a challenge.

Fiercely territorial, an Al-Bér always roams alone within its hunting grounds and attacks any threats it perceives. The males compete for females during mating season in ritual mock duels.

After the mating season is over Al-Bérs become more dangerous than usual. While the female retreat to hidden nests for a couple of standard-months, the males undergo a remarkable behavioral change; instinctively forming small packs and roaming the areas around the nests to hunt any intruders until the eggs hatch, the young are nursed and the females emerge from their hideouts.

An Al-Bér cannot be domesticated by usual means as even young lings trained from the time of hatching will turn against their owner once they reach maturity. However, some nobles and persons of means keep Cymek Al-Bérs with brain-control implants as pets and guards.

The Veritable Autocrator himself, May Always His Duranium Fist Grasp Humanspace, is known to own a mated pair of Cymek Al-Bérs of unusual large size named Rofush and Daysi'i.


So there you have it. One of D&D's most iconical beasts adapted for HE. I had to limit my description of the creature to the images I found; if this was a true adaptation for an on-going game I would probably make the Al-Bér more exotic-looking, with green or purple fur, a longer beak and maybe a pair of antennas.

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - II


Here's another bestie swiped from the old D&D bestiaries. See if you can guess the name of the original.



Gar'un (Thermoptical Guardian Robot Mk II) - "The Rock That Isn't"




Frequency: Rare (Uncommon outside Imperial bases)
No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d4)
Alignment: Inimical (programmed to destroy intruders with extreme prejudice)
Intelligence: Average Pseudo-A.I. (9-12)
Size: Medium (5´to 6' tall)
Movement: 90' (30')
Fly: 150' (50')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 4 (blade slashes)
Damage: 1d4/1d4/1d4/1d4
Special: Thermoptical Concealment, Flight, Immunity to mind affecting powers, no need for life support
Save: ARS8
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: Nil
Experience: 400

Gar'un are humanoid robots built in the shape of black or grey demonic-looking beasts. They have a thermoptical cloak and an in-built suspensor-nullification effect generator which allows levitation and flight.

When immobile and enveloped in the thermoptical cloak a Gar'un can hide behind a projected fake image of any object roughly equal to its size (usually a large boulder in countryside settings), this allows 99% efficient concealment to the naked eye but not to Super-scientific sensors.

When not in use the thermoptical cloak retracts to the back and is held by a 5th and 6th "limb" giving the Gar'un the aspect of having large bat-like wings.

These robots have sharpened B-Diamondium blades in their hands, feet and inside their bestial jaws; usually in the shape of claws and fangs. Gar'un are not built with any other armaments as their blades are strong enough to damage even heavy Space Armor.

They attack inexorably in melee and can slash or bite a target up to 4 times per round. Gar'un armor is of very good design and built using light Duranium, it can only be harmed by Super-scientific armaments.

Although a Gar'un only has pseudo-A.I. its positronic brain uses efficient heuristic protocols that makes it an efficient guardian/predator. It was not designed with a voice modulator or software for social interaction with sophonts. If anyone is in their presence without the proper security codes, they shouldn't be there at all and must be eliminated immediately.

[Baron]

Is it a gargoyle?

[vargr1105]

Apr 29, 2012 12:39:18 GMT -6 Baron said:

Is it a gargoyle?

Indeed it is, Sir. Your D&D Lore has served you well.

[vargr1105]

...THE EVER-GLORIOUS...

...IMPERIAL SULTYAT LEGIONS...

...IN THEIR OWN WORDS...

...MUSINGS FOR THE MARTIAL...

...EDIFICATION OF THE SOUL...







"To say a Sultyat would die for the Empire is a misrepresentation of the Truth. A Sultyat Legionnaire endures; he endures pain and embraces death to the point of feigning it if it is useful to deceive and kill his enemy, thus removing a threat to Humanspace."
General Ashuatl 291, Legion of the Coruscating Divine Sol




"One million deaths are a merited and just fate for those who oppose the Veritable Autocrator. We are inefficient soldiers because we have still not found a means of killing one of his enemies the other nine hundred and ninety nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine times required for satisfactory performance."
Lieutenant Sakáchang 642, Legion of the Mighty Hyperspatial Shadow




"The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it. We Sultyat are the empyrean destroyers in Humanspace and through us the Veritable Autocrator controls all of Humanspace."
Major Tselmú 692, Legion of the Ever-Revered Imperial Guard




"Do not be trapped by the need to achieve perfect victory, there is no such thing. Be content with functional imperfection and ignore the groans of repair crews and supply line bureaucrats."
Field Commander Gáriddu 605, Legion of the Congealing Zero Absolute




"There are no creatures I met on my travels that offend the senses as much as common mercenaries. Those beings are the antithesis of what the Sultyat represent. They fight for fun and profit; we fight only for the Necessity of Duty."
Sergeant Saru’u 023, Legion of the Supreme Scintillating Halberd




"Action equals Reaction, there exists a limit to the brute force even the most powerful warrior may apply without destroying himself. Misuse of fighting power is a fatal Sin, but its purposeful parsimonious application is ultimate Morality in action."
Captain Verethor 426, Legion of the Grand Edificators of Spacial Victory




"If War is continuation of Politics by other means and Wavium cannons are final argument of Kings you may think of us as the Ultimate Ambassadors."
Lieutenant Ulelmi 611, Legion of the Dark Void Between the Stars







"There may be problems in this universe for which there are no solutions, but so far judicious application of focused brutality has stellarly resolved all problems that confronted me."
Artillery Corporal Yánul 390, 2nd Legion of The Atomic Battlefields of Old Terra




"On matters of the spirit, We need no Religion except loyal devotion to the Veritable Autocrator and its credo is superiorly expressed by deeds rather than words. I can think of nothing more ridiculous than Sultyat transformed into a babbling priest."
Grand General Kosurtu 394, Legion of the Luminous Dismembering Energy Beam




"Reason and logic are the first victims of strong emotion, loss of cognitive capability is a close second. You must be coldly unemotional even in the din of battle; a clear mind might save your lives when everything else fails you."
Infantry Commander Tlokiridésh 235, Legion of the Unassailable Floating Citadel




"I pay no heed to the ridiculous superstitions of Astronaut Cults and their assertions the souls of dead Sultyat Legionnaires are re-born in the next generations on the clone-vats. We are an army of genetic twins so it is natural to find a repetition of behavioral patterns among us..."
Colonel N'dalish 248, Legion of the Devastators of Terrestrial Worlds




"By all means, when garrison duty becomes unbearable take rest & relaxation leave and loose yourselves among the red light districts of the Proles. But do not mingle with those creatures overmuch. You should never be in the company of anyone with whom you would not want to die with for any extended periods."
Gunnery Sergeant Nyel 353, Legion of the Transduranic Asteroid Fortress




"Attempting to measure the threat level of a foe merely by visual perception, even if augmented by sensors, is a paramount tactical folly. The mighty threatening Shen will loose his balance if you chop part of its tail off, but disregard a Xeno-Sepoy due to his small size and you too may loose important parts of your anatomy."
Lt. Battle Instructor Tlashetkun 762, Legion of the Quantic Wave of Maleficence







"Enemies strengthen you, Allies weaken you. Therefore a Sultyat Legion must be fully self-sufficient if it wants to be the strongest."
Captain Bedra 017, Legion of the Loyal Elder Exiles From Mars





"Imperial Geneticists claim that to produce an evolutionary alteration in an organism one should place it in an environment which is dangerous but not fully lethal. A thousand generations in the environment of War are evolving us into evermore perfect soldiers."
Field Medic Kaváda 532, Legion of the Omnipotent Singularity of Demise




"Ultimately, victory and defeat are a matter of personal choice, careful or reckless. Choose your battles carefully."
General Dlún 587, Legion of the Splendorous Armor of Solid Light




"The best, most powerful and efficient weapon in the entire cosmos is the one you have with you at any given moment and make good use of. A single rusty nail is more potent that a battle-cruiser laden with atomic torpedoes when you drive it through the skull of its commander."
Sgt. Martial Instructor Tammul 409, Legion of the Swift Irradiating Stellar Flare







"No model of Combat Robot may ever hope to replace the Sultyat Legions on the field of battle because Pseudo-artificial intelligence has the problem of Unflinching, Absolute Faith. Those thinking machines actually believe all the data input they receive is true and react accordingly. Intuition, instinct and conceptualization make us superior to them when information is not 100% reliable; which is all of the time during a battle."
Combat Engineer Vrí 164, Legion of the Joyous Eaters of Cymeks




"If you ever find yourself thinking the battle is over you are a fool. If you ever find yourself thinking the battle has not yet begun, you are in the wrong place."
Unknown Sultyat Soldier of the Legion of the Null Gravity Acrobat-Dancer




"All the ships, artillery and atomics in a military often make one forget that the right ideas at the right time can surpass them all. Your equipment and training are just a pair of old boots, it is up to your brain to do the walking and find the best shortcuts."
Corporal Sha’inu 756, Legion of the Dog-Predator of Inimical Souls




"Those who refuse to fight against traitors to Humanspace using every possible weapons and means are nothing but traitors themselves. In matters pertaining to the Continuation of the State, empathic feelings towards your so-called fellow Men are anathema."
Captain Surin 938, First Legion of the Most Highly Honored Originals







"A normal human lifespan is not always sufficient for a warrior to achieve true greatness. Fortuitously, we can be cloned, so this is not a problem. True martial greatness is something every Sultyat cadet crawling out of the clone-vats has achieved a thousand times over just by virtue of being who he is."
2nd Lieutenant Zhaim 467 , Legion of the Singing Slayers of Sirius




"The gravest error all you officers-in-training can do in this class to believe that any one particular version of military history is absolute fact. All history is recorded by a series of observers, none of whom is impartial and the facts of old wars are distorted by sheer passage of millenia. Look upon the past battles, strategies and tactics that shall be taught here not as operational directives, but as inspirational legends that provide guidance."
Commander-Instructor Lelhan 442, Legion of the Shatterers of Living Glass




"An ancient aphorism of war states no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. Always try to be the enemy who discontinues someone else's battle plan."
Lt. Battle Instructor Osol 914, Legion of the Diamantine Vibroblade Raised High




"A human needs new experiences, they allow the person to grow. Our occupation provides close contact with an infinite variety of new experiences, thus we become giants."
General Purgá 313, Legion of the Ever-Decaying Orbital Vector




"Never forget that Fear is the true path to Victory, you must make friends with fear and moral terror. For fear leads to anger and anger leads to hate, hate leads to purpose, purpose leads to clarity; Clarity...achieves Victory!"
Field Commander Chéhela, Legion of Those Who Breathe Insidious Atmospheres




"Too much knowledge never makes for simple decisions. Efficient simplicity is at the core of our Battle Doctrine, so we will not instill your minds with too much theory at this Academy. The nature of your Sultyat training will be more practical than theoretical and you will doubtless fell unprepared when you leave these halls. If you survive your first field deployment that doesn't mean the training worked; it merely means it is finally over."
Cpt. Instructor Arkhol, Legion of the Black Duranium Monolith







"The Grand Auditorium in the Headquarters of the old League of Worlds reputedly had a saying above the monumental entry arch in man-sized letters, each composed of thousands of precious gems. It stated proudly: THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BAD PEACE OR A GOOD WAR. I must respectfully disagree with that assertion. To defend my opinion I would call attention to the fact that when the Regulans attacked those Venerated Ancestors of ours for a third time, the Inimicals had themselves Very Good War; the proof of that is the League of Worlds no longer exists."
Major Tsolelume 604, Legion of the Sailors of the Hydrocarbonate Ocean




"When Sultyat Clone trainees take their Oath to the Veritable Autocrator they are given a coin, an Iridium piece stamped with His Revered profile and bearing a specific isotopic marker to prove its authenticity and provenience. Our acceptance of that coin is the acceptance of the special duties and burdens of military life. We are soldiers from that moment on, though we know nothing of the management of arms, so recently did we emerge from the clone-vats."
Legionnaire Zhavukél 368, Legion of the Invisible Pulsing Quasar




"Always remember you are a superior form of human in the quality of purity. Our ranks are grown from untainted genetic samples taken from the best and brightest unaffected by the Atomic Armageddon that decimated Old Terra. We are the few among trillions who can claim no taint in our origins with absolute certainty."
Commander Zhamagaya 602, Legion of the Laborious Relievers from Existence




"A crowd is not the sum of the individuals who compose it. Rather it is a species of animal, without language or real consciousness, born when they gather, dying when they depart. A military hierarchical pyramid and the rigorous training of soldiers can be seen as an attempt to take a crowd of individuals of superlative quality and erecting a mental superstructure. This provides a function comparable to the hive-mind of a termite colony. The final effect of this process is visible when an army meets an hostile crowd. Even may the rabble outnumber the soldiers tenfold, when the dust settles it is usually the army that is still standing."
Grand General Qúm 320, Legion of the Running Centaur of Alpha




"Whatever we may say, all of us Sultyat Clones suffer from disturbed sleep at times, disquieted by incessant dreams which oftentimes seem oddly familiar even among Legionnaires who have never met before they discuss their oniric journeys in the mess hall. The Psychtechs claim this is but a syndrome of identical brain morphology coupled with a shared lifestyle, but I wonder if there is indeed some truth to the claims of the Astronauts Cults when they talk of us."
Medical Core Private Dridla 872, Legion of the Engulfing Ether Nebula




"As a hobbyist student of history I like to read about how mighty personages fall even at their moment of greatest triumph. My favorite tale is that of Shungí, Planetary Governor of Rishele during the Transporter Wars. Having her world besieged by a large Shen force and lacking the military means to resist until rescue could arrive, but knowing her besiegers belonged to an egg-group that had faced Sultyat Legions once before, she concocted the idea of fabricating fac-similes of our Legionnaire Battledresses en masse and distributing them among the Planetary Milita. The ruse worked. The intimidating effect of the disguised militias caused even whole divisions of Shen soldiers to flee the first encounters. By the time the reptiles learned the truth the Imperial Navy had arrived and annihilated their space fleet, and was proceeding to eradicate the mass of invaders with targeted orbital bombardments. Later, at a victory celebration aboard the Imperial Navy flagship General Choquma 077 of the Legion of the Iridium Pylons of Destiny personally awarded Governor Shungí with the Iridium Sun, the highest decoration a civilian can be granted in Humanspace. Then, in full view of every officer and exultant he promptly executed the Governor by his own hand for the crime of Desecration of the Sultyat Uniform."
Private Zhuru 213, Legion of the Blaze of Plasma Incandescent




"Humanspace History extends so many millenia into the past that there is only one category of human activity in which the dead do not outnumber the living many times over. Most beautiful children are dead, as are the most gifted artisans and the most cunning of criminals. The fairest women and the most learned men—all are dead. The exception is us, the Sultyat Clones, because when we die we can be remade in multiple copies."
Medical Officer Cheshá 695, Legion the Meteoric Silver Comet




"Millions of men and women trained from creation for a single purpose; one thousand generations of augmented human potential; Super-scientific offensive and defensive engineering marvels; six hundred and eleven centuries of historical warfare available for consultation at our fingertips...how it is that we still manage to be defeated sometimes? The answer is as simple as the cause is complex: Politics!"
High General Zigobulu, Legion of Thrice-Blessed Martyrs of Victory




"A beginning is a very delicate moment; this every Sultyat Legionnaire knows. An ending tends to be a messier affair; this all who face us in battle are quick to learn."
Old Sultyat Saying



...BLESSED BE THEY...

...THE PROTECTORS...

...OF HUMANSPACE...

...GUARDIANS OF...

...ALL HUMANITY...

LONG LIVE THE FIGHTERS!

[vargr1105]

Human Subspecies of Humanspace IV - The Nor - "Blessed With the Blue-Eyed Curse"


The Nor are classified as sub-species of Humanity (though they claim otherwise) existing in an independent Pocket Polity near the borders of Humanspace. Their "Glorious Imperium" lies beyond the outer edge of the territories claimed by Ketyel House Thurd and they have faced this Noble House in two defensive wars in the past; which they won resoundingly and much to the loss of face of House Thurd. The fabled Nor military group called "Retributive Special Section" counts two House Thurd Planetary Governors even one Narnyel Lord among its victims, thus the animosity stands to be eternal and the House has sworn an oath of blood-vengeance against the Nor and their allies.

The origins of the Nor are lost in the mists of time, but it is known they resided scattered within the borders Humanspace until being united under a single leader and led in a massive exodus towards the region of the Empty Vector somewhere during the nth Interstellar War (54,044 - 54085 AD). The collapse of the First Humanspace Alliance and the weakened state of the great Narnyel Houses prevented anyone from stopping the Nor's departure.

The identity of that original leader, who they refer to as "The Great Leader", has been lost even to the Nor themselves. It is likely he was an Admiral or perhaps even a Grand Admiral in Humanspace Navy at the time.

An image of the "The Great Leader" that has not
as of yet been confirmed as historical correct

The Empty Vector was a totally inhabited region at the time with several Terra-type planets devoid of native intelligent life. The astrographical layout of that area of space makes travel throug it very difficult except through a single pathway crossing specific stars in sequence, hence the "vector" classification took hold of the common vernacular when referring to it. Ketyel House Thurd had long planned a massive colonization effort of the Empty Vector and even went as far as investing immensely
The Nor beat them to it, and were never forgiven for it.

Not much is known about the Nor or their Glorious Imperium in Humanspace outside the territories of House Thurd. Common wisdom says the Nor are extremely xenophobic towards the denizens of Humanspace, who they call "The Yali" or Blended Humanity, and characterizes them as rather irreligious. Most interaction of the Nor with Humanspace comes in the form of limited trade handled almost exclusively by the their Protectorate of Lat'sla were most of the population is not of Nor origin.

The most widely known feature of the Nor among those that have heard about them is their propensity for being born with eyes of such uncommon colors as green or blue. A very old superstition claims that humans born with blue eyes are cursed in some manner and a danger to those who surround them. The precise origin of this belief is not known, but popular folklore tails claiming the Atomic Armageddon of Old Terra was caused by "Demons of Eyes of Blue" might provide some clues. This attitude is wholly absent among the Nor themselves, blue eyes are known to be revered and considered a blessing rather than a curse.

A typical example of a Nor Astronaut

But the physical differences go beyond the eyes. The average Nor is taller than a normal human by half a foot and many are known to be higher even. Their complexion is much paler, body hirsuteness is lower and a Nor tends to have light shades of hair, some are even said to have hair the color of gold! Space Merchants who have seen Nor women claim they are among the most beautiful females to be found.

The Nor use a dialect of Sunuz for their daily interactions but have crated an artificial language called "The High Speech" which is used in the military, government and by the higher classes in formal occasions.

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - III - "Kuat'un"


Kuat'un (Assassin/Guardian Robot Mk IV) - "Four-Armed Death"




Frequency: Very Rare
No. Enc.: 1 (0)
Alignment: Neutral to Inimical (depending on programming)
Intelligence: Combat Algorithms only (0)
Size: Large (7' tall)
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 2
Hit Dice: 8
Attacks: 4 (melee weapons)
Damage: by weapon type
Special: Immune to mind affecting PSY Powers, normal fire, electricity, vacuum and cold
Save: ARS4
Morale: 12 (no self-preservation protocols)
Hoard Class: None
Experience: 800

Kuat'un are Super-scientific guardian automatons of great power designed to exterminate living creatures in melee combat.

Their construction involves quite expensive cutting-edge technology and in truth, they are no longer made in mass numbers. The M.K.M. Corporation (Mercantile Killer Mechanisms) who held the patent went bankrupt and was absorbed by competing factions. The Kuat'un blueprints eventually found their way into public domain and today individual robots of this kind are created by exceptionally affluent nobles and Scientists. The example provided here is just one the possible variations of Kuat'un found on Humanspace but it represents the most common kind encountered, based on the last model MKM Corp. produced and commercialized

Given their superior design and superb armor quality a Kuat'un are completely unaffected by primitive weapons, lightning guns and other electrical damage and normal fires. In addition they can operate in vacuum and in temperatures approaching absolute zero. They are also fully resistant to all common forms of gases, even corrosive ones.

These droids have to real measurable intelligence beyond what protocols are necessary to make them efficient killers in close-range combat. They can respond to voice commands of their owner/master but lack a voice modulator and any type of heuristic social protocols.

Traditionally Kuat'un are designed With heads in the shape of human or animal skulls and limbs wrought to resemble the shape of human bones. The typical Kuat'un has four arms, and each may carry a Super-scientific close combat weapon to attack every round; usually vibroblades are chosen but at least one model was reported to have wielded four space swords simultaneously.
In combat a Kuat'un is able to direct his melee attacks up to two opponents each round, distributing his 4 attacks as its positronic brain sees fit.


Inspiration: Labyrinth Lord's "Bone Golem"

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - IV - "Bashúl"


Bashúl - "Lizard of the Evil Eye"
b


Frequency: Rare
No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Size: Large (10' long)
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 6 + 1
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d10
Special: Paralysis attack
Save: M6
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVII
Experience: 600

Called Ishk by the Shén, the Bashúl are 8-legged reptilian monsters that remind one of the old Terran dragons of legend, that can paralyze living creatures permanently with a strange form of Proto-psychic power.

The planet of origin of these beings is unknown but they may be found throughout Terra-type all over Humanspace due to the Clonemasters; as they bred them and used the creatures extensively as a weapon of terror.

A Bashúl usually has a dull brown body with a yellowish underbelly. Some specimens sport a short, curved horn atop the nose. An adult Bashúl's body grows to about 10 feet long. Bashúl prefer to dwell in dense woods or labyrinthine settings such as natural caves or artificial tunnels. At least one verified report tells of a Bashúl that infiltrated an exploration vessel as it was about to leave a planet's surface and incapacitated 92% of the crew before being lured into an airlock and ejected into space by a courageous female crew member.

Bashúl are hermaphrodites. Once one member of the species has consumed enough protein it will paralyze several beings and drag them to a nest where it lays several eggs. They young will hatch shortly and feast on the captives, growing until they can set out on their own. thus, even a single of these reptiles can be the harbringer of is a dangerous infestation; as long as it victims compatible with its digestive biology in the vicinity.

Eye contact is necessary for the Bsahúl to use its power on a creature. This requires a round of concentration by the reptile and the victim is required to make a Saving Throw vs. PSY Effects or his muscles will be paralyzed. Normal autonomous functions such as respiration, heartbeat and digestion remain unaffected. The Bashúl's power does not affect all sophonts equally. Ahoggyá and Heglethyál are seemingly immune while Shén are particularly vulnerable, suffering a -2 penalty to their Saving Throws.

Shield belts have curious effect a Bashúl's power. Sometimes they can "bounce back" the power on the creature itself (5% chance with a MK I shield, 10% with a Mk II) and persons using one are somewhat protected from it (+1 to save for Mk I, +2 for Mk II).
Avoid locking gaze with this creature in combat makes missile combat impossible and reduces melee attack rolls by –4. Attacking with the aid of sensors reduced this penalty to –1.


Inspiration: LL's basilisk

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - V - "Nramurumi"


Nramurumi - "The Rolling Black Mass"




Frequency: Uncommon (Common in the sewers of Advanced/Super-scientific worlds)
No. Enc.: 1 (0)
Alignment: Neutral
Intelligence: Non-heuristic software (0)
Size: Large to Very Large (10'-30')
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: 1 (pseudopod)
Damage: 3d8
Special: Immune to mind affecting PSY powers, Resistance to weapons, Mitosis
Save: ARS5
Morale: 12 (no self-preservation protocols)
Hoard Class: None
Experience: 1,000

This artificial creature, often mistaken by a large fungus when not moving, is a product of Advanced waste disposal nanotechnology gone array. A nramurumi takes the form of a black globular mass that slithers about in sewers or corridors, breaking down any organic matter in its path and making no distinction between refuse and living sophonts.

It is typically 10' to 30' in diameter. It is capable of moving not just on the floor, but also on the wall and ceiling due to its adhesive properties, and may compress itself through small fissures and under the cracks of non-hermetically sealed doors. With time it "digests" even through normal metal but not Super-scientific materials such as Duranium or Duraplastic.

A nramurumi is only damaged by fire, disintegrator weapons and heat rays. Wavium ammunition or explosives also affect them but do only hald damage. It also takes full damage from PSY-swords. If a nramurumi attacked with a weapon that it is immune to, it splits into more individuals of reduced mass. Every successful attack creates a smaller nramurumi that has 2 HD and deals 1d8 hit points of damage to opponents.

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - VI - "Tzá'zitsk"


Tzá'zitsk - "The Tentacled Grub"




Frequency: Common on Pe Choi Homewrld, Rare on Humanspace worlds with arenas
No. Enc.: 1d3 (1d3)
Alignment: Neutral
Intelligence: Animal (1)
Size: Large (9' long)
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3 + 1
Attacks: 8 (stingers)
Damage: 1d4-1
Special: Paralysis
Save: M2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XXI
Experience: 300

The dreaded Tzá'zitsk is a scavenger originally from the Pe Choi Homeworld. They are large insectoid creatures averaging 4' tall and 9' long resembling giant fat grubs with multifaceted eyes, small legs, and with a head bearing 2' long feelers tipped with a poisonous stinger.

This creature was an extimct species akin to the Terran saber-tooth tiger that was re-created using Super-scientific genetic technology. In the Pe Choi homeworld it can only be found in paleontogical reserves, but it became a favorite beast on Humanspace gladiatorial arenas and vast numbers were exported to human systems; more than one mated pair escaped and today the species can be found on the wild in several worlds. Some nobles keep populations of Tza'zitsk in their hunting reserves.

When the stingers strike an opponent, he must succeed in a Saving Throw vs. Poison or become paralyzed for 2d4 turns. If not faced with more opponents, the carcass scavenger will swallow the paralyzed character on the subsequent round. Shen and Tinalíya seem to be imune to Tzá'zitsk poison but Pe Choi are quite vulnerable to it (-4 on Saving throw). The paralysis may be cured with a dose of Anti-Tox drug.

Tzá'zitsk stingers are not strong enough to penetrate Space Armor, a character wering it still suffers damage from the blow but will not have to roll a Saving Throw.

[vargr1105]

Bestial Bereavements & Bestiaries of Humanspace - VII - "Nanyo"



Nanyo - "The Monocular Giant"




Frequency: Rare (Uncommon underneath some cities)
No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Hostile
Intelligence: Low (6-8)
Size: Very Large
Movement: 90' (30')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 13
Attacks: 1 (large club or thrown boulder)
Damage: 3d10/3d6
Special: PSY curse
Save: M13
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVIII + 5,000 CR
Experience: 1,300

A horrific product of Clonemaster meddling with humankind's genes, Nanyo are ugly humanoid giants averaging 20' tall. They have but one one large eye centered on their face. This afflicts them with reduced depth perception and they suffer a –2 penalty to attack rolls. Nanyo are primitive creatures with no predisposition to use modern technology, but they like to collect any "shinny stuff" or implements from the "little people" they happen to find.

In combat they employ whatever item they find that can serve as a large club; anything from trees to rods of scavenged metal. They also throw rocks, boulders or whatever improved missile they can get their hands on up to 200' for 3d6 hit points of damage.

A few Nanyo manifest PSY Powers, the most common of being a curiously powerful reverse version of PSY Luck that affects 1d6 beings within 100'. Victims that fail a Saving Throw vs. PSY Powers suffer a -2 penalty to all attacks, PSY power success rolls and saving throws made for the next 1d4+6 days. They will also suffer 3 extra damage points from any attack.

These giants generally live together in small numbers on remote locations, preferring to make their lairs in large caves; but they have been found on the Underworlds beneath old Super-scientific cities too. Almost all Nanyo live as hunter-gatherers but a very few settlements led by peculiarly intelligent specimens have mastered the raising of livestock.

Isolated, self-sufficient communities of Nanyo are content in leaving others alone, but when any group cannot obtain sufficient food they gladly take to raiding and plundering to supply their larder. To them, a sophont is no different from cattle and will be devoured without gumption. Some cities have serious problems with Nanyo taking residence in their under-tunnels and dragging the unwary into the darkness to be devoured.

Nanyo speak a simple debased form of Sunuz that uses many archaic terms lost from common usage over 20,000 years ago. Communication without access to Super-scientific translator is exceedingly difficult and there is only a 50% chance a character without one can understand a Nanyo or make himself understood.

[Ynas Midgard]

This is incredible! Thou art exalted!

[vargr1105]

Boy, the Exalts keep coming. I must be doing something right.

Lets see if folks bite on the chance to play HE...meanwhile, here's a Sultyat addendum:


Saturday Night Special III - The Sultyat - "The Perfect Soldiers"

It is a very bad idea to go against Sultyat Clones. Even should a party survive an encounter with the Legionnaires, if any witnesses remain sooner or latter word will reach the authorities and there will be a group of very important, powerful persons with near-limitless resources wishing to capture them for "interrogation"...but accidents and mistakes are known to happen.

These statistics represent your typical Sultyat Legionnaire (inasmuch as there is such a thing), the Hit Dice levels indicated represent the minimum a Sultyat is expected to have to hold such a rank. Like PCs, the clones gain levels with experience The characters may well meet a common trooper and find she's a a grizzled veteran of many battles which has reached Level 10.


SULTYAT VETERAN


No. Enc.: 1d6 (3d10)
Alignment: varies according to orders, usually Benevolent or Neutral
Intelligence: Medium to High (13-15)
Size: Human-sized (6' avg.)
Movement: 120'(40')
Armor Class: 4 (2 for officers)
Hit Dice: 4 + 8hp (34 minimum)
Attacks: 1
Damage: by weapon or 1d4+2
Special: Improved Morale, Saves, HP and Initiative, Resistance to PSY, Martial arts, Hit and Dmg bonus
Save: W4
Morale: 11 (no retreat, no surrender)
Hoard Class: nil
Experience: 400

All Sultyat clones are superior human specimens, warriors engineered for enhanced intelligence and physical traits and trained from birth to be ruthless killers. As such their physical traits average 16.5 on the Universal Scale and the medium IQ stands around 140.

A legionnaire has a +1 bonus to personal Initiative, +3 bonus on Melee attack and damage rolls, +1 bonus on Missile attack and damage rolls, +2 bonus on Saving Throws vs. Energy Blast, Poison and Disease and a +2 bonus on Force rolls. Special mental defense techniques are part of a Sultyat's curriculum granting them a +1 bonus on Saves vs. Psy Effects.

The superior genetic material from which they are grown undergo triage for quality, every Sultyat has excellent health. The Hit Points of a legionnaire are rolled normal but will never be inferior to (8 + HD x 6.5) rounded down.

Legion training gives a Sultyat a HD-1 level in any Background Skills he needs to master as required by his function within the army, a 5 HD communications engineer would have the skill Comms Tech +4.

Last but not least the Legions have secret martial arts technique; all legionnaires gain +1 bonus To Hit when fighting unarmed (for a total of +4) and cause 1d4+2 points of damage.

Ranks
Newbie Sultyat recently arrived from the academy are 3rd level Warriors, the average veteran will be 4th level. Higher ranks will have more Hit Dice. Sergeants and NCOs are 5th level minimum, field officers 6th, commanding officer 7th, etc.

Morale
Thanks to their mental makeup and psychological conditioning Sultyat troops never rout and only retreat when ordered to. They are not immune to fear but rather learn to channel their fear into action instead of paralysis or flight.

Sultyat clones are still subjected to Morale tests but only when it is clear an encounter is hopeless, such as when half their number is fallen and the enemy outnumbers them. A morale test is made only for the highest ranking Sultyat, if he fails he will order an orderly retreat. A few of their number will lag behind to cover the retreat of their companions.

If no officers or NCOs are present a failed Morale test means one legionnaire will shout a code word or make a coded gesture and flee to get reinforcements as fast as possible. His companions will
remain and fight until victory, relief arrives or unto death.

Garrison
Typical Sultyat Legionnaires will wear standard Sultyat Battledress armor (AC 6) for a total Armor Class of 4. Officers will have Mk II Shield belts in addition to the Battledress (AC 2). The battledress is not an enclosed suit of armor but the helmet is equipped with an air filter (+1 to Save vs. Poisonous gases) and a small supplement of compressed oxygen that will last between roughly one hour, depending on exertion.

The missile weapon of choice for Sultyat garrison is the Needle gun with Vibroblades carried for melee combat. Sergeants and superior ranks will have a Wavium pistol as a sidearm or a Heat ray pistol in setting with insufficient atmospheric oxygen to detonate wavium. Officers carry a Space Swords in lieu of a Vibroblade.

Soldiers out on patrol might be carrying smoke, stun or tangle grenades. Others explosives will only be issued if the legionaries are going into a combat situation that merits it. In urban settings Tangle guns are issued as sidearms to every soldier as an alternative to lethal combat.

When not in patrol or in a formal occasion a Sultyat Legionnaire wears a Latexium uniform granting protection equivalent to heavy clothing (AC 8). The uniform is a one-piece suit designed to be sealed with a bubble helmet and work as a Skin suit for life support purposes in an emergency. In worlds without a breathable atmosphere every soldier is given a personal bubble helmet and a full complement of air pills which are kept in his personal locker at the barracks.

Sultyat Legionaries out on a mission in non-Terra type worlds, space stations or any environment where a human cannot survive unassisted trade their Battledress for Skin suits designed to look similar to their usual armor. The Armor classes will be equivalent to battledresses with officers again having Shield belts.

Concealed Weapons
Almost every Sultyat Clone has one or more hidden weapons in his person, Battle Doctrine allows for personal taste in this matter so the variation from individual to individual is considerable. Popular selections include carbon monofilament garrotes hidden in the hair, sharpened artificial diamond nail implants, sub-dermal paraduranium punching needle daggers which puncture out of the skin with a specific muscle impulse, micro-grenades or gas capsules inserted in body orifices or swallowed to be retrieved even in captivity, small dissimulated compartments in the armor hiding small throwing blades, acid capsules in the form of false removable teeth or extended canine teeth made of hard substance, etc.
Clones who have Cymek body parts to replace those lost in battle will surely have more weapons and tricks hidden in them.

Marines
Marines are mechanized medium infantry rapid-response forces who also provide security aboard Imperial Navy ships. Many are "meteoric" units trained and equipped for orbital insertion in a planet without the use of transport ships, dropping from orbit encased in individual cocoons to protect them from atmospheric friction.

A marine will be wearing a Light Space Armor with a Mk I Shield belt (AC 3) with officers having Medium armor with a Mk II model (AC 1).

Armaments will be whatever the mission requires, with Wavium or Lighting rifles being popular choices for main missile weapon. Every marine regardless of rank will have a Space Sword. A platoon on a mission will be well equipped with grenades and demolition explosives and usually as one Jel'un combat robot assigned for support. Heavy weapons such as Disintegrators and missile explosives will be assigned if the goals of the mission warrant it. Mobile artillery, Armored vehicles and aerial support might be present, but only the hardest targets or longer term missions justify such resources. Most times marines rely only on aircars for transportation.

Marines serving aboard ships or performing boarding actions will trade their more destructive energy rifles for Tangle guns and Heat ray rifles. A few marines in each boarding party will be issued Needle guns to be used as support weapons if any fighting takes place where there's no danger of breaching the hull. Troopers with STR 18 and all officers will have Duranium shields improving their respective AC to 0 and 2. The Space Ax is the standard close quarters weapon of marines in space ships.

Marines also provide guard duty for Imperial installations and embassies and are sometimes assigned as an escort for important persons in Imperial service. In this role they will be armed as garrison legionnaires but will have a full mission-ready armory of equipment nearby (minus a war robot) to deal with any emergencies.

Heavy Infantry
Heavy infantry will not be found outside a full warfare scenario and if a PC party meets them they are most likely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Heavy infantry uses heavy Space Armor and Mk II Shield belts (AC 0) regardless of rank. The armor will be specially shielded against radiation to allow combined warfare using atomics. Weapons are whatever is needed and usually lots of it, particularly the heavy stuff. Expect to see heavy armor, non-mobile artillery and whole platoons of war robots. Air support will be present, even if just in the form of armored aircars with heavy weapons and infantrymen in Contra-grav belts.

Superheavy Infantry
[INFORMATION CLASSIFIED BY IMPERIAL ORDER]


Occupation Forces
A world or location which has been taken or re-taken by the Empire will be occupied by a variety of forces depending on the strength of local resistance, how long the occupation has lasted and how close pacification is. The use of the Imperial army denotes personal interest by the Duranium Throne, so the dreaded Veregyá, the Imperial secret police is surely to be present, perhaps even since before hostilities began, and will likely be the last Imperial department to leave the location.

Heavy Infantry will rarely be present after the initial phase of conquest. Other troops are phased out as time passes; marines first, battledress troops last, leaving a small garrison behind.

The Glass Fang
One weapon every Sultyat will never be found without, even in his sleep, is the traditional blade that represents the fighting force itself: the Glass Fang.

The fang is made of a single piece of B-Diamondium and gained its name because the material appears to be crystalline, transparent glass. All fangs are roughly the size of an ancient shortsword but the precise design varies for each legion. Some are shaped like straight poignards, others have serrated, curved or even wavy blades.




In the hands of someone unfamiliar with Sultyat hand-to-hand fighting techniques a fang is considered a primitive weapon, suffering a -4 penalty when attempting to hit an individual wearing Advanced or Super-scientific armor, to this are added any penalties for lacking the Warrior skill Primitive Weapon Sword or Shortsword. A Sultyat has no such problems. In their hands the Fang has no attack penalty when used against Super-scientific armor because Sultyat martial arts training teaches how to properly target weak spots in a armor with a fang. A legionnaire fighting with a Fang causes 1d8+3 points of damage on a hit.

The clones rarely use the fang when a vibroblade will do the job, it is considered ignoble to sully the blade with the blood of a lesser foe unless the legionnaire has no other weapon. A legend among the Sultyat says if a legionnaire ever betrays his Oath to his leader the fang will break at the moment of his death, or shortly after.

Dead Sultyat are interred with their Fangs over their chests. If a dead trooper's body cannot be found or was destroyed the burial of the fang is an adequate substitute for the corpse at the funeral. Every legion has a detachment of troops whose mission is to recover lost fangs of fallen Sultyat on the battlefield, this action is called "Retrieving the Spirits".