Okay, so I recently made a post on RPGnet about a Fantasy Dungeon Crawl styled Sci-Fi game idea I had and through much help I decided on an idea.
It takes place in a single, multi-star, planetary system. And the idea is instead of having a single land-mass fantasy map, I have a Planetary System map that has locations that correspond to similar locations.
Instead of Empires there are Homeworlds, instead of barren wastes there are asteroid belts, instead of dungeons there are derelict space hulks, etc.
Setting-wise the concept is thus: Around 200(Maybe more?) Earth-Years ago dozens of species left their homeworlds in an attempt to escape some sort of a galactic catastrophe simply called The Blackout. They all converged onto this system, led there by a mysterious ancient signal. After much exploration the various races came to the conclusion that this system had been created for the express purpose of harboring these races in the event of just the sort of devastation that occurred. The Creators were nowhere to be found but various ruins and bits of tech prove they once existed. Over the past couple hundred years each race set up their civilizations on the planets that fit their needs best. Society has survived, but there have also been conflicts between the more civilized(PC) races and some of the territorial War-Like races. There is also "Magic" in a style very similar to Biotics from Mass Effect.
Players will basically be Adventurers traveling between stars and Planets exploring derelicts and ruins, discovering tech and clues to the history of this place. Currently planning on using a Modified version of the Dragon Age RPG.
The PC races I have so far are:
Humans: Humans
Uon: A small, hardy Rodent-like race (the setting's Dwarves)
Vri'es: A tall, long-lived asexual Amphibious/Insectoid race (Elves)
Autons: A Synthetic People (Warforged)
Open to suggestions for other PC Races or NPC races
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/races.png)
The System is a Trinary system Two Suns (B & C) sharing an orbit around a Third (A), and the a Fourth outlying Star(p) orbiting the group. The Majority of the PC races will have settled on Planets around A. There are a couple Dozen Planets and a hundred or so Moons and Dwarf Planets. As well as a couple Asteroid Belt(One in Local System B and one separating A from B & C) Travel between planets around the same star takes hours, travel to other stars take days if not weeks.
Just a quick map I whipped up. Needs names, locations, and phenomena. The Relays are the only intact piece of Creator technology. They are Giant transmitters and are what put out the signal that called all the races to the system. As of yet no one has been able to get inside them and while they are no longer transmitting they are being used as signal relays, allowing fairly fast communication between systems.
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/system.png)
So, what do I need from the community? Ideas really. Locations, phenomena & Other races for the most part. Tone-Wise I'm following kind of Mass Effect meets Destiny. Don't be afraid to steal from other sources, I certainly am, and you may be familiar with properties I'm not.
I can't imagine a solar system like that without some major gravitational screwiness. How does this effect the atmospheric conditions of life baring planets? They argue that Westeros has such insane random weather because the planet is in a dual relationship between two stars. How does having four stars orbiting around each other change everything?
Tell me more about the Autons. Are they like Upgrade from Ben10? A weird blend of cellular life and nanotech? Are they just sentient machines, or are they cyborgs?
But yeah this looks cool! I'd totally join in if this is what my group would want to play. Ok
Quote from: Love of Awesome
I can't imagine a solar system like that without some major gravitational screwiness. How does this effect the atmospheric conditions of life baring planets? They argue that Westeros has such insane random weather because the planet is in a dual relationship between two stars. How does having four stars orbiting around each other change everything?
Tell me more about the Autons. Are they like Upgrade from Ben10? A weird blend of cellular life and nanotech? Are they just sentient machines, or are they cyborgs?
But yeah this looks cool! I'd totally join in if this is what my group would want to play. Ok
I'm basically ignoring the weirdness of gravitational forces for a few reasons, 1, that map's not to scale ;)
2. It was a created system that just works. Maybe that's one of the mysteries, why does it work so well when maybe it shouldn't. I also did quite a bit of research on these types of systems when making my BSG map (Which this is based on) and while it wouldn't be stable in the Long term, it would be perfectly fine for upwards of 250,000 years. Which is not much astronomically, but is enough for the game.
Not entirely decided on the Autons. I think most of their origin is lost even to the Autons(or was maybe erased). I'm thinking Malleable Nano robotic exterior with possibly biological organs (basically what you said). So Cyborgish though I'm going to say they don't know that part either. Unfamiliar with Ben10 though.
Thanks
Here's some info on the PC Races
Human
- Bog-standard humans. Cybernetic and genetic Enhancements are common but not to a Transhuman Level.
- Can learn to harness The Void(Magic/Biotics)
- Estimated Population: 450 Million
- Current Homeworld: Terris
Vri'es (Elves)
- Evolved from an Aquatic Species, adapted to breathe in a slightly Oxygen-rich atmosphere, but can survive fine in Earth-Standard. Still Able to Breathe Underwater
- All Vri'es have the ability to harness the Void to one degree or another.
- Estimated Population: 400 Million
- Current Homeworld: Voranna
Uon (Dwarves)
- Hardy Species likely evolved from some sort of Rodent Ancestor. Homeworld's slightly-high gravity results in dense skeleton and Musculature when compared to humans.
- Uon seem utterly Unwilling to attempt harnessing the Void
- Estimated Population: 240 Million
- Current Homeworld: Udilon
Auton (Warforged)
- Artificial beings constructed of a malleable Nano-Organic material. Origin is unknown, even to the Autons. Cannot reproduce
- Auton seem to be incapable of harnessing the Void
- Estimated Population: 300,000
- Current Homeworld: N/A, the Autons do not have a formal Society or Homeworld
NPC Races
Drenn (Orcs)
- Multi-armed seemingly reptilian race. Very territorial and Xenophobic to the point of rage. Most tech from Conquering before the Blackout as opposed to from actual mechanical advancement
- Drenn can harness the void. It is unknown how common this ability is.
- Estimated Population: 180 Million
- Current Homeworld: Qern
Willing to hear ideas on how to Incorporate other Fantasy Races into this Setting.
Sounds to me like many of the standard D&D/PF races you'd find in any normal game, slightly altered to fit your sci-fi theme. If you need more, why not simply use the same with the remaining standard races: halfling and gnome. When building any setting other than vanilla D&D, I never include the standard races, rather more specific non-standard races (I personally loathe the typical: elves, dwarves, orcs, etc.)
I would certainly create a cybernetic race, as you've included above, but would never call them "warforged" - ick, that's Eberron, another D&D world - to me that's so unoriginal not to create your own non-warforged-based cybernetic race.
For a space game, I'd include humans, "Roswell" Grays, some warrior race (other than orcs), a cybernetic race, an aberrant tentacle race (squid people), and whatever else I could see fitting (?).
Note: I don't mean to discount your choices so far, just that using sci-fi flavored versions of standard D&D races is something I would never do myself.
In fact, I've published the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG), and despite being fantasy, the setting doesn't include Asian versions of elf, dwarf, halfling, orc, gnome, etc. (not even mentioned). Even Oriental Adventures created races like "Spirit Folk" which was a Japanicized elf race, even though Japanese folklore didn't include anything like spirit folk, so of course are not included in my setting because of that. In my setting I only adopted races/monsters directly from 19th century and older Japanese folklore. I like authenticity, and not the same old D&D races.
Quote from: Gamer Printshop
Sounds to me like many of the standard D&D/PF races you'd find in any normal game, slightly altered to fit your sci-fi theme. If you need more, why not simply use the same with the remaining standard races: halfling and gnome. When building any setting other than vanilla D&D, I never include the standard races, rather more specific non-standard races (I personally loathe the typical: elves, dwarves, orcs, etc.)
I would certainly create a cybernetic race, as you've included above, but would never call them "warforged" - ick, that's Eberron, another D&D world - to me that's so unoriginal not to create your own non-warforged-based cybernetic race.
For a space game, I'd include humans, "Roswell" Grays, some warrior race (other than orcs), a cybernetic race, an aberrant tentacle race (squid people), and whatever else I could see fitting (?).
Note: I don't mean to discount your choices so far, just that using sci-fi flavored versions of standard D&D races is something I would never do myself.
In fact, I've published the Kaidan setting of Japanese horror (PFRPG), and despite being fantasy, the setting doesn't include Asian versions of elf, dwarf, halfling, orc, gnome, etc. (not even mentioned). Even Oriental Adventures created races like "Spirit Folk" which was a Japanicized elf race, even though Japanese folklore didn't include anything like spirit folk, so of course are not included in my setting because of that. In my setting I only adopted races/monsters directly from 19th century and older Japanese folklore. I like authenticity, and not the same old D&D races.
Uhmmm... They're not called "Warforged" they're called Autons. The Parenthesis is what race they correspond to in basic D&D parlance.
I really don't think you understand what I'm attempting here. And I'm not sure why you felt the need to make a post entirely about how you wouldn't do it like I am. And Discounting my choices is all you did.
This is neat. You mention a lot of concepts (like the Blackout, Void, the Creators, etc.) that I'd like to see expanded upon. The various origins of the sentient species, their histories, beliefs, physiologies, are all things I'd like to hear more about. Also, that art is killer; are these pictures you made yourself or what?
I guess I'd like to see, specifically, more information on the Blackout and what it really means. Is it a literal blacking out of technology and space, like a darkness eclipsing everything? Or is it more tangible than that, like a creature or species or disease or something trans-dimensional? What sort of repercussions does it have? Death? Does it "zombify" (or whatever equivalent you'd create) the creatures touched by it? Can it be "touched"? In any case, is it coming towards the currently civilized worlds? Are there any means to defend against it? Perhaps "islands" of light, still functional despite being surrounded by the Blackout, serve as small, isolated hubs out in the galaxy, but reaching them might be dangerous.
Quote from: Gamer Printshop
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GP, with all due respect, your contribution to this thread amounts to "I don't like what you're doing, also shameless plug for this other thing I made." Not exactly constructive.
Quote from: Tensen01Uhmmm... They're not called "Warforged" they're called Autons. The Parenthesis is what race they correspond to in basic D&D parlance.
I really don't think you understand what I'm attempting here. And I'm not sure why you felt the need to make a post entirely about how you wouldn't do it like I am. And Discounting my choices is all you did.
No, that's not what I mean. If all your alternate named "new species" have an equivalent D&D parlence race (Autons for "warforged", vries for elves, etc.), then to me, you're not really creating new races, rather only slightly changing D&D parlence versions. So when showing the four races you've created so far - and all of them are parlence D&D races, and you're looking for suggestions for other races, I have no where to go with suggestions, other than suggest doing the rest of the parlence D&D races.
If instead I had an idea of what racial niches you need filled, instead of what other races can be defined by D&D parlence, that would give me direction in giving you aid. Let's say you needed a
race of aerial beings that dwelled in the breatheable layers of a gas giant;
amorphous lifeforms for a super heavy gravity planet; or
a nano-race of microscopic humanoids, with advanced technology, equivalent to human sized in equipment, and having star cruisers that are almost visible to human sight - that would give me the direction to be creative. The parameters you've set with your provided race so far hamstrings where to go next, since the possibilities are almost endless. I need tighter parameters to help - that's all I'm saying.
Quote from: Weave
This is neat. You mention a lot of concepts (like the Blackout, Void, the Creators, etc.) that I'd like to see expanded upon. The various origins of the sentient species, their histories, beliefs, physiologies, are all things I'd like to hear more about. Also, that art is killer; are these pictures you made yourself or what?
I guess I'd like to see, specifically, more information on the Blackout and what it really means. Is it a literal blacking out of technology and space, like a darkness eclipsing everything? Or is it more tangible than that, like a creature or species or disease or something trans-dimensional? What sort of repercussions does it have? Death? Does it "zombify" (or whatever equivalent you'd create) the creatures touched by it? Can it be "touched"? In any case, is it coming towards the currently civilized worlds? Are there any means to defend against it? Perhaps "islands" of light, still functional despite being surrounded by the Blackout, serve as small, isolated hubs out in the galaxy, but reaching them might be dangerous.
Thank you for the interest you're showing. The artwork is NOT mine. It was cobbled together from various sources online simply as a way to help myself visualize the setting.
I'll be perfectly honest, I haven't put a huge amount of thought into the Backgrounds as of yet other than a few specific things. But let me just BS a bit and see what happens.
The Creators: Some sort of ancient Intergalactic Species. Evidence has suggested that they might be the "Ancient Aliens" theorized by crackpots in many sentient races. Haven't decided on if this is true or not or what effect they may have had on the Sentient Races.
The Void: The Vri'es claim to touch the void one must exist on multiple plains of existence at once, and despite their technological advancement treat it more like Magic or a Religion than a hard science and resist any attempt to codify it. Human Scientists have, as of yet, been unable to determine what it is or how it allows a person to do what it does. Perhaps it was granted by the Creators?
The Blackout: I was imagining it was just a sudden extinguishing of stars, but I also like the idea of a palpable darkness spreading through the galaxy. I imagine whatever it is has already arrived but from appearances this System is entirely immune to it. This is because not only did the Creators make this system, they also engineered the Blackout(Though that would be now known to any of the Sentient Races) possibly as a way to get all the races here(either for nefarious or noble reasons). Now that I think about it, I suppose it's kind of a Mass Effect reaper situation, though I didn't make a connection until afterwards. I like the idea of maybe it being able to Infect people. This could lead to the inclusion of many "Monsters" that are actually changes Sentients, again very similar to Reapers. This could be an effect of a flaw in the Creators tech.
Not sure I want to think on the "Islands of Light" just yet. veyr much like crossing the ocean in a Fantasy game, should come once the current area has become too small.
I am open to interesting suggestions on any of these topics. And I'd like to include species equivalents of Halflings or Kender, or any other races but am currently drawing a blank as to what form to include them in.
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If I knew all those things I wouldn't exactly need any help would I, those are all finished ideas. I can say "I want something to replace Halflings" and that's fine, but what I need is suggestions on form and function within the setting. Just saying "Add Halflings" does me absolutely no good. The Possibilities are supposed to be endless, that's the point of Brainstorming. What more would there be to say if I said "race of aerial beings that dwell in the breatheable layers of a gas giant" That's a finished race, there's really nothing more to add, that's hamstringing.
I said to myself okay, I want to add Elves, what are all the non-physical aspects of Elves? Long-Lived, Inherently Magical, Specific Attitude. Okay, great that's simple, now I pick a form that doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with Elves. Tall Amphibious Aliens who are very advanced and breathe a mixture very similar to Humans.
You have to start at the beginning, not at the end. As stated before, I don't think we're even on the same page, and as you said I don't think you can help.
>>I am open to interesting suggestions on any of these topics. And I'd like to include species equivalents of Halflings or Kender, or any other races but am currently drawing a blank as to what form to include them in.
You could go with spiders or giant roaches. It would be amusing to have roaches swarming over other PCs, just like Kender- grabbing and *touching* everything. :). The roaches live fast, play hard, die hard and have an insatiable curiosity. They communicate by means of telepathy or (perhaps better-- radio wave vibrations sent through their antennae).
Welcome to the site!
Quote from: LD
>>I am open to interesting suggestions on any of these topics. And I'd like to include species equivalents of Halflings or Kender, or any other races but am currently drawing a blank as to what form to include them in.
You could go with spiders or giant roaches. It would be amusing to have roaches swarming over other PCs, just like Kender- grabbing and *touching* everything. :). The roaches live fast, play hard, die hard and have an insatiable curiosity. They communicate by means of telepathy or (perhaps better-- radio wave vibrations sent through their antennae).
Welcome to the site!
Thanks!
I like the idea of small insectoids, maybe not quite Roaches. But I definitely like the rest. Into everything, in every city you visit. And it could be like a bird, at some point in their evolutionary past they built nests and needed shiny and interesting things to attract a mate. That's no longer needed but they still have to collect. Definitely won't be a PC race, not because I hate Kender, quite the opposite, but because no one seems to know how to play one properly. Do they even have Higher intelligence?
The Question is... How did they get here? Because they definitely didn't come on their own ships.
Quote from: Tensen01
Quote from: LD
>>I am open to interesting suggestions on any of these topics. And I'd like to include species equivalents of Halflings or Kender, or any other races but am currently drawing a blank as to what form to include them in.
You could go with spiders or giant roaches. It would be amusing to have roaches swarming over other PCs, just like Kender- grabbing and *touching* everything. :). The roaches live fast, play hard, die hard and have an insatiable curiosity. They communicate by means of telepathy or (perhaps better-- radio wave vibrations sent through their antennae).
Welcome to the site!
Thanks!
I like the idea of small insectoids, maybe not quite Roaches. But I definitely like the rest. Into everything, in every city you visit. And it could be like a bird, at some point in their evolutionary past they built nests and needed shiny and interesting things to attract a mate. That's no longer needed but they still have to collect. Definitely won't be a PC race, not because I hate Kender, quite the opposite, but because no one seems to know how to play one properly. Do they even have Higher intelligence?
The Question is... How did they get here? Because they definitely didn't come on their own ships.
You know if you're interested in small insects, The Expanded Psionics Expanded handbook has the Dromites. They're weird little bug people.
So for Kender I like the idea that, instead of a PC race they become more of a Pet/Companion. If they take a liking to you it becomes nearly impossible to get them to leave so it becomes just easier to let them tag along.
Quote from: Love of Awesome
You know if you're interested in small insects, The Expanded Psionics Expanded handbook has the Dromites. They're weird little bug people.
Well, I don't necessarily want small insects. That's just a good form for Kender. I'm less interested in the original form of the races as I am the non-physical aspects. Attitude, Abilities, Personality and such. The form comes after and is informed those traits(or isn't if I just find a cool-looking alien design)
Here's an updated race chart. Heights on just about every species were adjusted, and I added the Kexx (Kender) that LD suggested. I don't intend on them being a PC Race, but they're very common so I thought they deserve to be in the picture
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/races2.png)
All of the races thus far appear to fall into the bipedal humanoid pattern. You could try looking outside that box for some more exotic things: races that move by slithering or crawling or flying, races without discernable heads, races that use trunks or tentacles instead of arms to manipulate objects.
Quote from: Ghostman
All of the races thus far appear to fall into the bipedal humanoid pattern. You could try looking outside that box for some more exotic things: races that move by slithering or crawling or flying, races without discernable heads, races that use trunks or tentacles instead of arms to manipulate objects.
One of my suggestions was for some kind of being that dwells in the breatheable layers of a gas giant. Such a creature would feature various flight capable limbs, some for distance flying, others for hovering, and probably limbs to hold and manipulate tools/weapons, but would undoubtably have no kind of legs as gas giants are normally gas only, no solid surfaces to stand on.
Another was a suggestion for an amorphous body type in a heavy gravity world, where bones would be less effective physically than other types.
I usually start with a specific exotic world or environment concept, then decide what kind of lifeform would be most ideal - and design from there.
Quote from: Ghostman
All of the races thus far appear to fall into the bipedal humanoid pattern. You could try looking outside that box for some more exotic things: races that move by slithering or crawling or flying, races without discernable heads, races that use trunks or tentacles instead of arms to manipulate objects.
I am certainly open to ideas along these lines so long as they still are able to reasonably be player characters or be able to be interacted with by the PCs. Nothing tied to a specific exotic environment basically.
And there is a reason that most fall into that same category, I'm just fine-tuning it at the moment.
Quote from: Gamer Printshop
One of my suggestions was for some kind of being that dwells in the breatheable layers of a gas giant. Such a creature would feature various flight capable limbs, some for distance flying, others for hovering, and probably limbs to hold and manipulate tools/weapons, but would undoubtably have no kind of legs as gas giants are normally gas only, no solid surfaces to stand on.
Another was a suggestion for an amorphous body type in a heavy gravity world, where bones would be less effective physically than other types.
I usually start with a specific exotic world or environment concept, then decide what kind of lifeform would be most ideal - and design from there.
Okay, none of those would work for PCs or even reasonably for NPCs.
I'm new here so I really don't want to come off as a jerk, but You have ignored everything I've said and only suggested ways that you'd do it and basically told me I'm doing things wrong. No one else seems to be having a problem, if they're not sure they're asking questions, not complaining about how their idea of doing things doesn't fit with what I'm doing. If you're not willing or incapable of abiding by what I'm setting down I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop posting in this thread.
Quote from: Tensen01I'm new here so I really don't want to come off as a jerk, but You have ignored everything I've said and only suggested ways that you'd do it and basically told me I'm doing things wrong. No one else seems to be having a problem, if they're not sure they're asking questions, not complaining about how their idea of doing things doesn't fit with what I'm doing. If you're not willing or incapable of abiding by what I'm setting down I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop posting in this thread.
I think you've misinterpretted everything I've said, there's no need to be defensive. I am not suggesting that my ideas are the only way to go, rather I design settings for publication now, and when designing a sci-fi setting this is how I do it. Now you might opt for a different way of setting development and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just trying to offer suggestions based on how I'd do it.
Without first defining what kind of planets are in your galaxy setting, I am not sure how to create a new race. To me any race is somehow based on biology and physics. I am only trying to help you by offering some possible planetary/environment configurations which can offer clues on what a given race might look like. Once you create the anatomy, then you can start to develop the society and technology behind each race. Any RPG needs races to fit specific niches - planet, environment, biology, physics are what I start with in the process of race development.
Honestly, I cannot dream of what you might need, without some parameters to help. Just to state, "I need new races", but then offer no direction on what the specifics are to best fit your setting, how can anybody help?
There is no right or wrong about it, but we need some direction.
So I will stop posting - obviously I can't help you.
I posted this to the Cartographers Guild. I'll repost here:
How many of the planets in this system are habitable. You could have mysterious and dangerous Ancient installations on many or most of the uninhabitable bodies, derelict ships perhaps of the Relay Builders and many asteroids may be positively riddled with tunnels and caverns dug long before the various races were summoned by the Relay signals.
All of these could be defended by ancient robotic defenses, occupied by space orc raiders or there might be rival explorers looking to exploit the treasures of antiquity or survive terrors they've accidentally unleashed. The possibilities for dungeon crawls could be endless.
More habitable worlds could also harbor ancient installations and wreckage of their own or be good places for overland adventures. Perhaps you could have fusion-powered hot air balloons sailing between floating cities in the storm-ravaged atmosphere of a gas giant.
Look at all those new pictures of Ceres and Pluto and tell me you don't see whole worlds to map on mere asteroids and dwarf planets. Imagine a castle looming over Philae's landing site. This isn't necessarily a project you can fit into one map. You could do anything from an atlas with pages dedicated to each world in the system to a single map with the larger planets represented as textured balls and a brief notation of what's present on each body. Or you could start with the latter and work your way to the former.
In addition to what I've already mentioned, you could have acid seas, fierce alien jungles, deep frozen tunnels under planet-girdling glaciers, etc.
Look at all the moons and planets of the Solar System and then add fantastic elements. Not just fantastic. Steal ideas from conventional science fiction, westerns(ala Firefly), and horror genres. Perhaps something like Lovecraft's Mi-Go or Old Ones lurk or sleep under the ice of some outer planet or bake under the sands and stone of some inner planet.
Additionally:
I'm assuming the Vries, Uon, Human Kexx and Autons are capable of coexisting and cooperating in a united party. I also assume the Drenn live in similar environments to the others. The Drenn, though pretty unremittingly hostile to the others, are capable of communication and reasoning with the others. To the point at least that one can use bargaining or trickery to get them to spare one's life or freedom or even discuss some mutually beneficial arrangements.
Exotics may live in similar environments to the others, but be sufficiently alien as to be incapable of communication. They may be uncompromisingly hostile or they may generally be peaceable unless provoked. The nature of what may provoke them may be mysterious, confusing and seemingly unpredictable.
Other exotics, such as Tumey's Krakens or Gas Dragons may live in environments completely unsuitable for Humans(etc), but they could still be a threat to the floating cities or hot air dirigibles' operations. They may also be useful allies for operations in those environments if characters can communicate with them and arrange cooperation.
A lot of how this works would depend on how closely you want to hew to the Fantasy genre. If all your foes are strictly evil and you deal entirely in a shirt-sleeve environment, then that will set particular and strong limitations on the sorts of adventures and environments that will be of interest to you...
Thanks for posting here, I haven't been following on CG.
All of the Terrestrial planets are habitable to one form or another. The Core planets are all Habitable by the Core PC Races, though some wouldn't be as comfortable on other planets. Udilon has a higher gravity and is a bit warm and Voranna is a little too Oxygen Rich to be perfectly comfortable. The Kexx don't seem to care about any of that they thrive just fine. Every named dot other than the Gas Giants is habitable and may have habitable moons.
I assume all the non-core planets are about 50/50 Inhabited and uninhabited. I assume some of the races which were called didn't make it. But the idea is that each individual system is comprised of planets that are similar to each other in atmosphere, but not particularly similar to the other Systems. As if each system was designed for a specific group of lifeforms(They were). Obviously, that's what Environment Suits are for :D
Yes, the Core PC races coexist and cooperate pretty well, though they don't exist under any sort of united government, but their governments definitely have agreements and such, especially after what happened with the Drenn.
Speaking of the Drenn, yes they are Intelligent and capable of communication, though opinions would be split on whether they can be reasoned with. Them being in their own system (They breathe a very different atmophere) hasn't helped, they've basically set up a Drenn Empire, having conquered the other races that arrived to settle in that system (The Goblinoid equivalent races).
My problem with lots of Exotics, such as the aforementioned Gas Giant species, is that I find it highly unlikely that they could have developed Interstellar travel, which they'd need to to have arrived. All of the native planetary species are non-sapient and are basically animals and "monsters" so they would basically be monsters, which I am fine with, but would not fit as PC Races which is mostly what I have been working on.
I think, like most Fantasy, all the enemy races are either Evil or Animals without evil intentions. But there are Space Suits and Ships so Environments aren't a hindrance for adventuring.
>>The Question is... How did they get here? Because they definitely didn't come on their own ships.
Insects can be hard to kill; they probably hitched a ride on the side of ships. Don't die in the vacuum of space, can survive the G-forces from the intergalactic transit, can latch on tight, etc.
Quote from: LD
>>The Question is... How did they get here? Because they definitely didn't come on their own ships.
Insects can be hard to kill; they probably hitched a ride on the side of ships. Don't die in the vacuum of space, can survive the G-forces from the intergalactic transit, can latch on tight, etc.
Yeah that's what I figure, I'll just have to figure out who brought them... Or maybe noone knows and they all blame each other. Hope you like the image I found for them. needed an Insect that still looked a bit cute.
Quote from: Tensen01My problem with lots of Exotics, such as the aforementioned Gas Giant species, is that I find it highly unlikely that they could have developed Interstellar travel...
This makes sense... unless the Void can be used for interstellar travel. Another possibility might be biotechnology; maybe gas-giant aliens never developed metallurgy, but they became master-breeders and/or are somehow natural genetic engineers (could also be Void-assisted) and eventually grew themselves some starships. Not that you need to include things like gas giant species if you don't want to.
Quote from: Steerpike
Quote from: Tensen01My problem with lots of Exotics, such as the aforementioned Gas Giant species, is that I find it highly unlikely that they could have developed Interstellar travel...
This makes sense... unless the Void can be used for interstellar travel. Another possibility might be biotechnology; maybe gas-giant aliens never developed metallurgy, but they became master-breeders and/or are somehow natural genetic engineers (could also be Void-assisted) and eventually grew themselves some starships. Not that you need to include things like gas giant species if you don't want to.
Ooooohhh, the Void stuff is something I never even considered. It's not that I don't want to include them, it's that I'm still finding it hard to imagine a race that lives in the clouds of a gas giant would even get to the point of knowing there's something beyond. We know there is because we can see it, they wouldn't be able to even leave their specific layer.
Anyways, like I said, they'd be okay for a pre-existing "monster" but not for an actual sapient species.
What about a race that's adapted to life in the vacuum of space? They could originate from a low-gravity planet without an atmosphere, and possess some natural means of propulsion that they use for short distance flight in their homeworld. Characters of this race would be able to exit airlocks to space"walk" outside a vessel without the need for a spacesuit, but they'd need some technological assitance for communicating with other races (since sound can't be heard in a vacuum, they'd prolly communicate visually, which could be translated to a computerized voice and back by some kind of device).
So I think, unless inspiration strikes I'm going to say I'm good on PC races. And by "PC Races" I means the races that inhabit the central worlds as they can all survive in a similar atmosphere. I'm thinking System B is primarily reptilian-appearing races, and C is Insect/Crustacean races.
B is your Evil empire; Orcs, Goblinoids, Kobolds, various other corrupted species that were conquered by the "Orcs" before they arrived here, and plenty of Monsters in the form of pets and livestock they brought.
C is basically going to be kind of a no mans land simply because there's been next to no contact with any of the Species there, due to the aforementioned idea that they're so different that communication is next to impossible. Maybe these are the Void Travelers, sort of the equivalent of Demons and angels in D&D, you know they exist, they are powerful beyond reason and you've seen them, but their motives are so alien that it's difficult to comprehend them.
Have not yet decided what to do with Proxima(p)
Alrighty, after much flipping and flopping I was finally able to find some artwork(From icarus miniatures) that perfectly represents what I was thinking for the Drenn and their ilk. I also found some better art for the Vries. So here's an updated image. Be sure to click the image to see the large image.
From left to right:
Vries (Elves), Uon (Dwarves), Humans, Vexx (Kender), Auton (Warforged), Dreen (Orcs), Grahl (Goblins), U'Grahl (Hobgoblins), Void Born (Dragons?)
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/races4.png) (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7vjzyihOV0aaVFkS040WExYWkU/view?usp=sharing)
Now that I have a copy of Fantasy AGE it's time to stat them up, as much as that system Stats anything.
It seems to me that the Blackout and the engineered, haven-like nature of the System are the most unique aspects of the setting. Obviously all of the refugee-species here are capable of interstellar flight, so presumably the Blackout is somehow "ongoing" outside the system; or, if the stars have literally been extinguished, maybe there's just nowhere to go.
I'm not sure if you want ideas for the Blackout, but here are a couple:
- some kind of interstellar nano-swarm/grey goo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_goo) ecophage that arrives at a system, envelops the star in a dyson bubble (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere#Dyson_bubble), drains the star of energy, consumes any planets/asteroids and other matter to replicate itself, and then moves on to the next system. The System is protected by some kind of shield that the swarm can't penetrate (yet). The swarm could also infect organisms, making them zombie-like agents.
- light-sucking mythical star-vampire things from out of the Void that got into this universe somehow and are now just straight-up eating stars (somewhat similar to the C'tan (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/C%27tan)). They're kept out by a series of blessed/arcane wards encircling the System, like a gigantic magic circle in space. Their mortal thralls, though - given dark gifts, of course - can cross the circle.
- some sort of bizarre solar plague spread between the stars making stars literally sick and then killing them. The System's star appears to be immune to the disease, having been somehow "innoculated." Maybe creatures irradiated by the diseased light of a sickly star become monstrous...
I, too, have been brainstorming a sci-fantasy setting, so I'll toss out my ideas and you're welcome to them if any are interesting to you.
So, at a point in the near future, humans mastered cryosleep and sent sleeper ships to the nearest star systems to explore and colonize. One such ship crashed on a world which was inhabited by stone-age tech creatures. Humans couldn't survive in the atmosphere or on the food, and as they couldn't repare their tech easily, they died out in a few generations. But they taught this race many things, became the foundation of their mythology, and gave them a head start on their technological development.
The world itself is a planet around a red dwarf, and it orbits so close that it is tidaly locked. On the day side rages a giant hurricane. One race lives here, a religious and warlike race that worships the all seeing red eye that can be seen if you venture to the heart of the huricane and look up through the clouds. This race has metallic skin to fend off the radiation from the sun's frequent flares.
On the night side dwells a race with mutagenic properties. Their technology consists of "items" they have grown. Their weapons, armor, homes, and devices are all technically their same species. They are scientifically advanced, having had the benefit of moons and stars and planets to watch and develop astronomy and maths. They live near volcanic vents and hot springs, bastions of warmth on the cold night side.
The race that learned from the humans live primarily along the terminator, a band between the night and day side. Here there are frequent rain storms. The land is made up of many islands, most of them peninsulas of larger continents on the day or night side. This race is the most "human-like".
The fourth race is a small, batlike winged race that uses the constant high altitude winds to wander like nomads. They are incredible navigators and are well recieved amongst the other three races, facilitating trade of materials and information.
Now, this setting is designed to be more of a fantasy setting, with medeival tech and psychic powers filling the role of magic. The big foes of the setting have united the four races. You see, due to time taken for the humans to travel to this system, another hroup of humans have now arrived hundreds of thousands years later. These humans have evolved into something like grey aliens, and their callous exploration of the world has made them into an adversary. Their incredible technology makes them potent foes, and all the races can do to fight them is deal with exploration parties and disable their communications towers, as they lack the ability to directly target their ships.
I do like your base ideas. Since you have psionic/biotic powers, you could have strange limbless creatures that use minor telekinesis to manipulate objects. I really think you should go with a evolutionary/mutagenic race like the zerg that grow their technology and ships; imagine a pc whose gun is their sibling.
Also, I wouldn't worry too much about habitability. If the setting is sci-fi or sci-fantasy, you can easily have atmosphere suits and other devices for living on and exploring other worlds.
Steerpike, Very interesting ideas... The Nano Swarm one gives me ideas, but not sure it'd work. I want the Blackout to be mysterious, but if a species was already space-faring they certainly would have noticed that happening so it'd be less a Blackout and more an Infestation. Still intriguing though. Much to think on.
Xeviat, thanks for the suggestions. I don't think any will really work since they seem very much a part of their own setting, but cool ideas none-the-less. Also not too sure on the Biotech Race... Doesn't really tickle my imagination. I do want another PC race but that one's just not doing it for me.
The Biotic Race is certainly a good one for a "Monster" that I've also been considering. There's a reason all the PC races are Bipedal, Bilaterally symmetrical humanoids, so any PC race would need to fall into that category for the most part. Shapes and Sizes can, of course differ quite a bit, but they should stay close to that.
What I've been doing is just combing through Google images for interesting alien designs for anything that strikes my fancy. Have yet to find another one I like yet, though.
I'm not worrying about Habitability at all, like you said, that's what Suits are for.
Quote from: Tensen01I want the Blackout to be mysterious, but if a species was already space-faring they certainly would have noticed that happening so it'd be less a Blackout and more an Infestation.
So is the idea that the Blackout happened
all at once? Like, one moment, stars... the next, they're gone? I was picturing a kind of creeping darkness sweeping throughout the galaxy, but maybe it's more of a cataclysmic flip of the light-switch situation?
Quote from: Steerpike
Quote from: Tensen01I want the Blackout to be mysterious, but if a species was already space-faring they certainly would have noticed that happening so it'd be less a Blackout and more an Infestation.
So is the idea that the Blackout happened all at once? Like, one moment, stars... the next, they're gone? I was picturing a kind of creeping darkness sweeping throughout the galaxy, but maybe it's more of a cataclysmic flip of the light-switch situation?
No, it was a creeping thing, but no one knows what is was. A bunch of nano bots creating a Dyson sphere would be a pretty obvious occurrence though.
That's probably true, assuming the nano-bots can be analyzed from afar. So you're leaning towards more of a mystic/magical/preternatural exaplanation?
Quote from: Steerpike
That's probably true, assuming the nano-bots can be analyzed from afar. So you're leaning towards more of a mystic/magical/preternatural exaplanation?
Not necessarily no. I'm leaning more towards Unnatural event disguised as a natural disaster.The Blackout was engineered. The Why and Who I haven't decided on just yet. It may have been intentional or accidental, not sure.
It's a question whose answer, in game, is so far in the future that I have time to think on it, but I'd equate where I'm going to the Apocalypse in Dark Sun but with more mystery.
Working on a more detailed map, adding locations and such. Open to ideas for interesting places or odd phenomena to add.
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/a.png) (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/tensen01/media/a.png.html)
New PC Race.
The Ha'Lii (Halfling)
- Centaur-like mammalian race. Primarily agrarian society. Require a slightly Nitrogen-rich atmosphere. Fairly new to interstellar travel.
- Ha'Lii can learn to harness the Void, but do not have any Void-based societal traditions.
- Estimated Population: 850,000
- Current Homeworld: Shiir, Terris' moon
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/halii.png)
Ideas for Backgrounds (Please suggest ideas)
(In Fantasy AGE, backgrounds are basically occupations or social roles the player had before they became who they currently are. Each Background gives a choice between two Skill Foci.)
Criminal
Doctor
Law Enforcement
Miner
Mechanic
Pirate
Politician
Pilot
Scientist
Student
Soldier
Trader
Traveler
Which Halfling culture are you going to be using for those Ha'Lii? Hobbit style or modern gypsy style?
Quote from: Xeviat
Which Halfling culture are you going to be using for those Ha'Lii? Hobbit style or modern gypsy style?
My intent was Hobbit style, but I'd totally forgotten about the more nomadic gypsy style. And there's no reason they can't be combined :D
So here's my current list of Backgrounds. Since this game is basically going to be in a post-scarcity society I'm ignoring Social Classes. What I'm going to do instead is pick a number of Backgrounds that fit with each Race, so each race will have a list of available backgrounds.
Backgrounds
Academic
Focus: Intelligence (Research) or Willpower (Memory)
Athlete
Focus: Strength (Might) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
Bounty Hunter
Focus: Perception (Tracking) or Intelligence (Linguistics)
Diplomat
Focus: Communication (Diplomacy) or Intelligence (Cultural Lore)
Drug Lord
Focus: Communication (Persuasion) or Communication (Deception)
Engineer
Focus: Tech (Engineering) or
Explorer
Focus: Intelligence (Navigation) or Intelligence (Linguistics)
Gangster
Focus: Strength (Intimidation) or Dexterity (Shotgun)
Hacker
Focus: Tech (Hacking) or Tech (Security Systems)
Law Enforcement
Focus: Communication (Investigation) or Perception (Searching)
Media Personality
Focus: Communication (Performance) or Willpower (Morale)
Medical Personnel
Focus: Willpower (Morale) or Tech (First Aid)
Miner
Focus: Tech (Demolitions) or Dexterity (EVA)
Pilot
Focus: Tech (Piloting) or Tech (Navigation)
Pirate
Focus: Strength (Intimidation) or Tech (Piloting)
Politician
Focus: Communication (Deception) or Communication (Leadership)
Revolutionary
Focus: Communication (Leadership) or Tech (Demolitions)
Scientist
Focus: Intelligence (Natural Sciences) or Intelligence (Research)
Scoundrel
Focus: Communication (Gambling) or Communication (Deception)
Scout
Focus: Intelligence (Survival) or Tech (Piloting)
Smuggler
Focus: Communication (Deception) or Communication (Bargaining)
Soldier
Focus: Perception (Assault Rifles) or Dexterity (Grenades)
Spy
Focus: Communication (Disguise) or Communication (Deception)
Technician
Focus: Tech (Combat Tech) or Tech Synthetics
Thief
Focus: Tech (Security Systems) or Dexterity (Sneaking)
Trader
Focus: Communication (Bargaining) or Intelligence (Evaluation)
If it's really post-scarcity, why are there bounty hunters, pirates and smugglers?
Quote from: Ghostman
If it's really post-scarcity, why are there bounty hunters, pirates and smugglers?
Why are there now? Just because a Society is Post-scarcity doesn't mean that it's completely equal and fair across the board or that everything's free, just that, theoretically goods, services and information are universally accessible. Theoretically the US is very nearly post-scarcity, but there are still people in poverty through no fault of there own. This isn't Star Trek, which makes no sense, there is still crime and criminals and people who need something they're kept from having by other people who don't want them to have those things, or who want them for themselves.
Let's say this setting could easily be Post-Scarcity, but there are plenty of people in powerful positions who will not allow that to happen.
Anyway, I'm running into a kind of Major roadblock as I start statting out the Races and attempt to bring them into the System. Well, It's only with one race really. The Autons.
Here's the problem: I'm having trouble justifying any Auton character having a "Background" which in AGE is basically an Occupation you had before you became the Wizard/Rongue/Fighter that you are now (See a couple posts above for the list). I mean, these are artificial beings with next to no formal society, what do they need with jobs?
Let's look at the Warforged, whom I based them off of: Every single one of them was built to be a soldier. Yes, they had various types, but at the core, they were all soldiers. Then they gained sentience and now are trying to find who they are. Now, I'm not saying that's what the Autons are like, but imagine now that you had to write some backgrounds for those Warforged, they'd all end up being military and I wouldn't want that, but having them be able to be Gangsters or Politicians wouldn't make sense.
Maybe the problem is that I don't know where the Autons came from or what their function was before arriving in-system. Is this a Geth situation? Or is it a District 9 situation? So far all I know about the Autons is that they are Bio-mechanical organisms and they cannot reproduce, so every Auton there currently is are all the Autons that will ever be. They are also all unsure of their origins. Now that doesn't mean they don't remember where they were before arriving here, just that they don't know How or by Whom they were created.
So what do you think? I'm sure figuring out where they came from and how they came to be will be extremely helpful, but I am completely blanking on any ideas, and I don't want to lose the race as a PC race. Help?
Quote from: Tensen01So what do you think? I'm sure figuring out where they came from and how they came to be will be extremely helpful, but I am completely blanking on any ideas, and I don't want to lose the race as a PC race. Help?
I'm a little confused as to why the Autons don't have any kind of society. They're sentient, self-aware life-forms, albeit biomechanical ones, right? Presumably they came to the system on ships, and have had to settle somewhere, even if it's into other beings' societies. They must have material needs, especially if they have biological components, but even if they were purely mechanical they'd need some kind of energy to keep themselves running. If they need energy and we're not dealing with truly post-scarcity societies that've done away with poverty, that means Autons need to work to keep themselves running. So why couldn't an Auton be a gangster or a bounty hunter or mercenary or whatever?
One way to approach them might be to make them kinda like homeless people or gypsies - itinerent nomads and drfiters who'll do whatever dirty jobs need doing to keep themselves in energy units, or whatnot. Maybe they're viewed as second-class citizens or seen as nothing more than machines and thus abused, exploited, and excluded from positions of power. I suppose this is fairly close to the District 9 situation, but the prawns had a very well-defined society.
Despite being self-aware machines the geth don't seem like a good comparison if you want to resist the idea of a formal Auton society, since the geth had a pretty distinct social structure (albeit an unusual one) complete with religion, heretics and dissidents, a unique form of collective decision-making, etc. I get the feeling you're envisioning Autons as discrete individuals rather than some kind of hive-mind, too.
You should definitely figure out where they come from and what their original purpose was - maybe a slave-race that survived the Blackout, though their masters didn't? Perhaps they're all very subservient by nature due to their programming and so are forever running about looking for people to give them orders.
You know, you're right. I guess, even though I included them because they weren't, I was still thinking of them as Emotionless Machines. I think it's probably because of the Art I chose to represent them.
I mean, sure they're not going to be present in every occupation(probably not allowed to be athletes) but that doesn't mean they aren't in the work force in other places, that's the whole reason I decided to do the backgrounds differently in the first place.
Thanks, guess I just needed someone else to say it and kick me in the butt.
Okay, so I was working on something else when the idea just popped into my head...
The Autons, as far anyone can tell, were the very first to arrive in system... In fact, the Autons were always there. They were made by the Creators, and their memories of arriving were implanted(Or they have no memory of arriving at all). They were created as a kind of Caretaker race, which is why they can be found on every planet. They are highly adaptable and don't care about atmosphere or anything like that. They don't really have their own society because they were designed to integrate themselves into whatever society they found themselves in.
The reason they can't reproduce/there aren't any more being made, is that the automated factory (P1) is no longer operable.
You know I don't know how much of Pathfinder you checked out, but they actually have an android race that fits the flavor of your setting a bit better if you care to check it out.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/advanced-races-11-20-rp/android-16-rp
Rite Publishing has a better one, also for Pathfinder, called Ironborn (http://drivethrurpg.com/product/68775/Ironborn-of-Questhaven-PFRPG?term=ironbo), it comes with a complete backstory and culture.
Quote from: Love of Awesome
You know I don't know how much of Pathfinder you checked out, but they actually have an android race that fits the flavor of your setting a bit better if you care to check it out.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/advanced-races-11-20-rp/android-16-rp
Hmmm, interesting, thanks for that. I think it will be a help for sure.
So, I was talking to a good friend of mine and I asked him what he'd look for in a game/setting that billed itself as a Sci-Fi game using Fantasy Gaming tropes. Most of what he came up with I'm already including, but one of the things was something I had completely overlooked... Treasure.
The acquiring of Treasure in all it's forms is a big part of Fantasy games, and as such should factor into my game as well. The problem I'm hitting is just what is Sci-Fi treasure? Obviously there's money, that's a given, but what are the Sci-Fi Equivalent of Magical items? +1 Swords? Etc.?
So far I have the "Magic Wand" which is basically a piece of tech that allows the Player to access "The Void"(Imagine Mass Effect Biotics), as well as a modification of the "Runes" mechanics from the Dragon Age RPG (Basically weapon and armor mods). But what else can you think of? It should be something where its utility outweighs its value as a rare artifact of the Forerunner/Precursor race, assuming it is an artifact. WOuld love to hear suggestions
Okay, so in thinking on it and talking with some folks I came to the conclusion that, the best way to implement "Magic Items" is to crib an idea that, despite my dislike for the system they came from and their use in that system, will be the perfect analog. Cyphers (Numenera, The Strange, Cypher Core). One, or at most a couple, use items that allow the PCs to do something extraordinary in some way. The difference is that in my setting they'll be fairly rare instead of so common you have to artificially limit how many a character can carry.
But this will open the way for a "belt" that allows the wearer to pass through solid objects, or that can allow someone to lift a building. And once they're burnt out (going to adapt the Numenera Artifact Depletion rules) they'll still likely be worth something to collectors/scientists.
I'm also going to have to come up with a good general equipment list and Bionics/Cybernetics stats.
So, In the process of statting out the Autons and figuring out their society I figured out where the creators (Now Officially being called The Magratheans or Magra for short by the Humans, after an piece of ancient Earth literature, and simply as "The Designers" by most other races) went...
They didn't go anywhere. Every Designer is alive and well... In the body of an Auton. They knew that in their original form they'd end up likely being worshiped as gods and they didn't want that. So instead they created the Autons and downloaded their consciousness into them. Autons do not, however, have any memory of this. All Autons instead carry the momeories of arriving in-system and landing on the planet closest to their arrival point, eventually spreading out to explore the system until the other races began arriving.
When an Auton "dies" their consciousness is immediately beamed back to the Factory World and implanted into a new Body with memories of a quiet life on P1 and are then free to stay or venture back out into the system. There is a small Governing body on P1 that has access to all of this knowledge and oversees this process.
Completely reworked the map... Instead of a Trinary/Quadruple system I made it a Singular system with several brown dwarfs acting as smaller suns.
Also added names to every planet. I figured even if they weren't inhabited they'd still be named. Names are primarily in Vries.
Click for full-size image
(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l1/tensen01/borannus.jpg) (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7vjzyihOV0aWU1KeU1rTGN4SVU/view?usp=sharing)