Valence

Valence Science-Fiction Roleplaying

Valence is copyright © 1993-2004 Valent Games. All rights reserved. Valence is a trademark of Valent Games. This book is the second edition of Valence 592, also written and published by Valent Games. Valence was created on several generations of Macintosh computers, and assembled (in this version) using Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat. Artwork was scaled and touched up with Adobe Photoshop. This book uses the fonts Garamond and Optima. Valent Games can be found online at http://www.valentgames.com/

Credits

Writer’s Notes

It started more than ten years ago, and when I look at all those old computer files I tend to cringe. So many things have changed since then, and they all needed Writer: Colin Fredericks changing, most of them badly... and yet the seeds were Contributors: Eric Tapley, Eric Garrison, Kate there. Tapley, Sarah Campbell, and James Kilbride. Editors: Dan DiTursi, Anna Tatro Valence is a labor of love for all of us. Even though Artwork: Jennifer Meyer, Andy World, Heather most of the original design team has fallen by the Vellante, and TauCeti Deichmann wayside, or moved on to other things, none of the old Distributors: Valence can be found at both guard can say that they aren’t still at least a little bit www.RPGNow.com and www.DriveThruRPG.com. interested in what’s going on with their old creation. I’m glad to keep the torch lit, to keep Valence up to date and keep improving it, and I hope they like what I’ve done.

2nd Edition

1st Edition (Valence 592)

Writers and Design Team: Eric Tapley, Eric Garrison, Cameron Betts, Nik Heikkila, Colin Fredericks, James Kilbride Editors: Colin Fredericks, Heather Vellante Printers: DeHart’s

Playtesters James Kilbride, Jason Raff, Andrew Konopaki, Sean Edwards, Brian Koshnick, Dave Vershaw, TauCeti Deitchmann, and dozens of friendly con-goers at Genericon (Troy, NY), ConBust (Northampton, MA), and OurCon (Amherst, MA) for the last several years.

For most of you, this is the first time you’ve seen the game, and all this nostalgia means nothing. So let’s get on with it, right? What is this game about? Why play it? You’ve got your choice of dozens of science fiction games; what’s going to make this one any better? • History, both in and out of game. In game, you’ve got a ten-million-year timeline to pull ideas from, historical details from all ten species and the present-day cultures, and plenty of “secrets from the past” hidden in the backstory. Out of game, we the writers have been continually updating and improving the game for years, and we like to think that it’s gained a certain amount of polish because of it. • Culture. This book doesn’t assume that species and culture are the same thing. We have thousands of cultures here on Earth; why should aliens have just one apiece? Culture isn’t just a miscellaneous piece of background information, either: it’s an integral part of character creation. Ditto for character backstory. • Internal consistency. The world of Valence, like almost all science fiction worlds, has its own idiosyncrasies and oddities. It would hardly be science fiction without them. What’s more important (in our view) is that the world hangs together properly. In a galaxy with expensive interstellar travel, you won’t find starships that haul iron ore — it doesn’t make enough money. Novel and innovative solutions to a problem don’t disappear overnight once the problem is gone. When Earth was devastated, people didn’t forget about it or leave it alone. There haven’t

Inspirations

been technological dark ages in a galaxy where information transfer and storage is ubiquitous, and there are no “space barbarians.” People who shun Of all the TV shows we watched, of all the ones technology and Lording end up marginalized. we pulled interesting plot points and themes from, Planets don’t have universal climates, terrains, or Babylon 5 would have to be the big one. Most of it’s even cultures. It makes the galaxy much more hidden in the metaplot, but it’s there. Of course, scicomplex... and much more believable. ence fiction would probably be nowhere without Star • An enormous setting. The galaxy has billions of Trek and Star Wars, and everyone in the sci-fi market planets, and not all of them are explored. The ones owes them at least a little. that are have hundreds of millions of individuals. In a somewhat related category, Macross and Within the boundaries of the game’s technology Robotech provide some inspiration for the spaceand other such factors, almost every type of culture you could imagine exists. True, there are some related parts of the game. Valence does indeed have huge cultures that span hundreds of thousands of mecha, though you’ll have to wait for the rules. star systems, but even they aren’t everywhere. Our favorite science fiction authors include Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke, Diane • Separated metaplot. The metaplot for Valence isn’t Duane, Madeline L’Engle, Ursula K. LeGuin, Larry going to be interwoven through every book we Niven, and David Weber. There are others, of course, publish — it’s going to be contained in a single volume, the Little Book of Metaplot. That way but these provided a formative impact for Valence. If people can feel free to include or ignore it as they we ever publish a book to advance the timeline, look see fit. It’s a strong metaplot, but it’s not one that for high-tech stuff from Wil McCarthy, Dan Simmons, and Charles Stross — all good authors, but their tech is literally everyone has to deal with. a bit beyond what we use. I’m not saying Valence is perfect for every kind of game. It doesn’t work so well for gritty noir cyberpunk, Buck Rogers style space opera, or “hard” science fiction (after all, there is a magic-like power in the game, and FTL travel, and some cloaking devices — it’s difficult to play hard sci-fi without stripping those out first).

Dungeons and Dragons was our first RPG, just like most gamers our age. Corner me at a convention and I’ll tell you an interesting story about the Budetug, Dwarves, and the early days of Valence. Strangely enough, they aren’t where we got our dice-rolling system...

What Valence does well is stories about black ops teams, government and military operatives, culture clash, interstellar adventure, and changing the world. If those things sound like your cup of tea, you’ve come to the right place.

Sadly, there have been few good sci-fi movies out there overall. Most of them cross into horror or fantasy or both, and the writing is generally unimpressive. Most of the better ones concentrate on themes that Valence isn’t concerned with. Here’s hoping some better ones come out soon.

What we have written is only the beginning.

Page 5 Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction

RPGs are typically played by having one person act as the “Game Master” and the others act as “Players.” The GM describes the world, and the players interact with it and each other. Each player cre-



Now that you have an idea of what role-playing is, we encourage you to read ahead and explore the If, on the other hand, your role-playing games world we have created for you. aren’t what you wanted or expected, you can change things. After all, that’s the point: change a world, even if it’s just an imaginary one.



A string of interrelated adventures is called an Epic. (Other games use the term “campaign.”) Most epics keep the same characters through their entirety, and can last for many adventures. Within an epic a character and her friends could start as peasants, amass power and wealth through their adventures, and eventually rule as queens. Role-playing groups do not have to engage in epic play, but in our experience the most fun comes from developing a character and playing him or her in a lot of connected stories.



Single stories in Valence are called Adventures. These can cover one night of role-playing, or a few weeks. They typically focus on a single goal, and finish when that goal is achieved or some other end comes about. For example, if the adventure’s goal is to locate a prince, and he dies before your group finds him, your goal was not met but the adventure will end anyway. Adventures can be part of a larger story, or can stand on their own.



Is this a form of escapism? Certainly. Role-playing games are just as escapist as watching a movie once a week, or reading a book every night, or going to see a play. Each of these activities takes you away from the real world and drops you into a fantasy world. The differences are, first, that RPGs require you to be social and hang out with your friends, and second, that RPGs allow for a greater control of the story’s events and feel. All you can do if a movie sucks is refuse to see it again (or, if you’re really unimpressed, walk out in the middle). When a book takes a boring or nonsensical turn, you have two choices: wait it out in the hopes of better writing later, or stop reading.

Valence is a game about the far future, roughly a thousand years from now. It takes a bit of creativity, imagination, and suspension of disbelief to role-play in a setting like that. You and your fellow players will probably have characters who look and act nothing like you. This is why gaming is often compared to improv theater: you need to play a certain role without much preparation. Gaming’s advantage is that you create the character. You could play almost anything — a prince or a princess, a scientist or magician, a politician or a general. This breadth of possibility provides opportunities for expression that are unavailable in most other activities. How often does your Chemistry teacher let you pretend to be a six-foot-seven winged humanoid bent on revenge?



Role-playing games are appealing because your characters can do anything that you wouldn’t or can’t. You would never steal, run away across the world, or jump through a crowded room with guns blazing. You can’t conquer the world, make a billion dollars on the stock market, or jump tall buildings in a single bound. Your character in a role-playing game can.



In essence, a role-playing game is one in which you and your friends sit down around a table and determine the fate of your own imaginary universe. RPGs have been compared to playing Cops and Robbers, to improvisational theater, and to interactive storytelling. All of these have some element of the truth, but they fail to capture the basic appeal of RPGs.



So then, what is role-playing? Is it people with dice and books, playing out the adventurers of characters in some long-forgotten world? Is it two kids with cards and counters, fighting for control of a fictitious island? Is it that high school play you were in where everyone was given characters and had to make up the story as they performed?

ates a character for the story that they’re in. There are some rules to describe when characters can or can’t do things, and to add some extra flavor to the game. The rules provide a common framework that a group of people can get together and work from.



What are Role-Playing Games?

What You Need to Play

Tips for Players

To play Valence every player needs a piece of Here are a few things which will hopefully make paper, their favorite writing utensil (pen, pencil, things easier for you, the other players, and the GM: Palm VII, etc), and some ten-sided and twenty-sided dice (at least one of each, easily found at a hobby or • Know the rules that apply to your character. gaming store, and some comic book shops). That’s Everyone should know the basic game about it. mechanics (like skill use and Hero Points), but you should especially know your own You probably also want at least four people, so character’s capabilities. If you’re a soldier, know you can have one acting as the Game Master and the the combat rules. If you’re a diplomat, know how other three as Players. You probably don’t want more to participate in a battle of conviction. If you’re than about nine people, as a party of eight Main an archmage, know the capabilities of your Characters is a lot for any GM to handle. spells. This will speed things up immensely. • Try to be understanding when bad things happen to your character, as they inevitably will. It happens to everyone, and it’s an unavoidable Assuming you have all the materials mentioned part of the story. above, you’re ready to start. • Remember that when your GM says something Most people who play RPGs play them about that contradicts the rules, you can bring up once a week, so you need to set up a time and locathe rules, but your GM has the right to change tion that all the Players and the GM can agree on. them. While crashing in the living room works just fine for most people, places like public libraries, gaming • Bring snacks. Everyone likes food. shops, student centers, and dorm lounges are also fine places to play (as long as you have permission, • Get into your character! Try to have your and don’t get too loud and disturbing). character act as he or she would, not necessarily as you yourself would act. Know your character’s The first session of play should be reserved for culture and species well. character creation. That way the GM can understand who all of the characters are, and those characters • Most importantly, be polite to the other players. can meet each other too. While some movies and Your character can be a rude bastard to everyone books start off with the main character adventuring else’s character, but you should be nice to alone for a little while, it’s best to keep that to a minithe other players or people will start taking it mum. In Valence all of the players’ characters are personally. And remember: if your character main characters, and no one should get more play is a rude bastard, the other characters aren’t time than anyone else if you can help it. necessarily going to be nice to him or her.



Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction



Page 6

Starting the Game

Before the players start creating their characters, the GM should lay down the law as to where in the galaxy the game will happen, what sort of characters are allowed, and any other important details (such as extra background points). The players should also talk to each other and ensure that they don’t all come up with the exact same character concept. Character creation usually takes some time consulting with the GM. You don’t have to wait for other people to create their characters before you work on yours — you should probably try to put some ideas down on paper while you wait.

Now that we have the real basics out of the way, The Archangels (ARK-ain-gels) were a mystery to let’s talk about this game for a minute. What’s it our scientists as much as to every other species’. A about? What’s going on in the galaxy? built-in inability to lie? A warrior culture that seemed to have intentionally destroyed most of its technolCurrent Affairs ogy? It was bizarre, but there they were, larger than life. The galaxy is picking itself up from one of the biggest disasters it’s ever faced. It was the end of an The plantlike Nesti (NESS-tee) were the empire — and not a noble end, either, as Earth itself Valorians’ polar opposites — warlike, argumentawas rendered uninhabitable by an artificial asteroid tive, and dumb as a post. They often found it hard strike. to fit into past empires, and the Caractingessen were their only real allies. Humanity shares the galaxy with a number of other species, all of whom have been around someThe Sa’crontor (sa-CRON-tor) were young comwhat longer than us. When we use the past tense pared to most species, but still managed to worm below, it is to remind you that the galaxy is no longer their way into every part of the galaxy. They were organized by species, not to imply that any of these ambitious, talkative, and agile, and loved investigatspecies have disappeared or been hunted to extinc- ing new things. tion. All of them are alive and well. The two Ogre (OH-grr) species were the most recent species before Humanity was discovered. Not Species very bright, but strong and loyal, they had served the The Inuueliting (IN-you-ELL-ih-ting), as the Caracts as bodyguards and shock troops before their galaxy’s oldest species, were our first contact and liberation. our intermittent allies in our quest for an empire. Because of their age and experience, these speThey are physically the most human-like of all the species in the galaxy, sharing our general shape and cies initially underestimated Humanity. Because of that, it was much easier for us to create a galactic form with a few alterations. empire in the first place — Humans, as it turns out, The appearance of the Budetug (BOO-deh-toog) are the galaxy’s fastest-thinking and most creative matches some of our worst nightmares, with a dozen species. Taking the inventions of other species, imlegs, great crab-like pincers, and a hard exoskeleton. proving them, and adapting them to our needs, we Innovative and pragmatic, they turned out to be spread out like wildfire and in a mere hundred years much less fearsome in personality than in appear- had essentially conquered the galaxy. ance.

Page 7 Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction

Cultures

The Caractingessen (car-ACT-in-GESS-en), on the other hand, were just as fearsome as they apIn the end, our impact was felt not in conquering peared. Since their appearance was that of a dino- the galaxy, nor in the laws created by our ill-fated saur crossed with a dragon, one can imagine that empire. The innovation Humans introduced was the their tempers were anything but mild. idea of groups based on ideologies and corporate structures rather than genetic differences, and the The Halla (HALL-ah) were another species some- concept caught on like wildfire. These cultures still what like humanity in appearance, but smaller and play a huge role in the galaxy today. quite wrinkly, with just enough physical difference to be unsettling. Their short-lived trading empire had Genetech (JEEN-tek), arguably the most powercollapsed a few hundred years before Humanity’s ful culture in the galaxy, controls about a third of it. appearance, leaving chaos and instability. Their pull stems from an exceptionally strong media presence and powerful personalities. Behind the The amphibious Valorians (val-OR-ee-ans) were scenes, their Ultramercenaries (drug-controlled, possibly the most quiet species in the galaxy, and



certainly the most intelligent. They had little to do with galactic politics.



Introductions

genetically engineered combatants) keep the peace Duelists, who can suspend the limits of Lording in when nothing else will. very specific ways. Tesseracts were another. These portals allow starships to cross vast distances instantaneously, and take very little energy to create. It was through these portals that the Inuueliting came to our solar system. While we had hoped for hundreds of years to find something that would carry us between the stars without spending millennia in the journey, we had Ægis (A-jiss), formerly an armor design firm, is thought it physically impossible. The Tesseract Drive now home to the galaxy’s cultural and technological proved us wrong. best and brightest. They are also one of the strongest voices for peace and unification, though sadly these Your Characters suggestions are ignored more often than not.



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The Coalition controls another third of the galaxy, being the remnants of the old Human Empire. They are a strong central government, controlling their thousands of worlds through law and order. They recruit new worlds with humanitarian aid and the appeal of a more moral society.

Whether the galaxy will recover and find strength Armageddon Industries, once just a weapons in unity, or crumble back into a factionated mess is broker, is now the home for all manner of rough- still to be seen. Your characters come into this world and-tumble sorts who prefer to live their lives with with the potential and power needed to change it. vigor, gusto, and big dangerous weapons. They supply much of the galaxy’s refined materials as well. Starting characters in Valence are not inexperienced “newbies.” They can be seasoned combat There are also dozens of Communal cultures veterans, well-connected politicians, starship-ownscattered across the outer galaxy, who are starting to ing merchants, or Ultramercs who survived their first become more organized and cohesive as the galaxy mission. They have seen things like the interior of rebuilds. a star and the darkness between our galaxy’s spiral arms. Moreover, they are well-positioned to effect The remnants of the proud and ancient Inuuel real change in the galaxy. In short, if the world is the Empire, as well as the reinvented Budetug Core, re- same at the end of an Epic, it is because they have main strong voices in the galactic milieu. While they acted to preserve the status quo, not because they are tiny cultures compared to the others, they have were ineffectual. the authority of age and experience, and still pull a good amount of political weight. We hope that this brief introduction piqued your

The Unexpected When Humans met the Inuueliting, there were a few things that the Inuuel showed us. Some, like efficient fusion engines, we expected. They were a natural outgrowth of technology we already had. Other things came as a total surprise, and the two most important were (and still are) Lording and Tesseracts. A natural ability for which humans had little aptitude, Lording is a direct control of the laws of nature by will. Though limited in area, it’s very powerful in effect, and can do things that are totally impossible to accomplish technologically. It also has various limits, most noticeably its inability to affect living matter. All species have some capability for this power, though not to the same extent, and there are even some humans who practice it in this day and age. There are also individuals known as

interest and oriented you to the galaxy. Now, on to the meat of the game.



Inuueliting

Page 9 Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Homeworld: Ll’Anderanth Common Names: Inuuel; Wisps, Golds, Silvers, This section details the individual species of Darks, or Platinums, depending on race. the galaxy, describing them physically and socially, Average Lifespan: 700-900 Years and giving an overview of their history. The social Tesser Capability: 6 Million BC comments should not be taken as gospel — many individuals differ from the norm, especially among The Inuueliting are a bipedal humanoid species the more creative species, and culture tends to be broken into a five-caste system which has predomimore important than species to those living in 592. nated their society for over 6 million years. They beThink of this more as a common heritage than as an lieve themselves to be the oldest race in the galaxy overriding inner nature. and pride themselves on being the Eldest of the five Elder races (the Inuueliting, Caractingessen, Halla, Species are listed in the order in which they were Budetug, and the Valorians). Most stand between introduced to the galaxy. six and seven feet tall, depending on age and class. Older Inuueliting are taller than their younger brethAlso included at the end of each species descrip- ren, as they slowly grow over the centuries. tion are game statistics for each species. The statistics given are in the following format: The five castes, detailed below, serve various functions for the Inuueliting society. The largest Attributes: The base attributes for a member of this caste is the Maltec’inuueliting, the worker caste. As species. The meanings of these attributes are the ones who provide food and goods they are the explained on page xx. The typical range is 1-10. most respected caste in Inuueliting society but have Vision: The approximate range at which members the least power. The other castes tend to respect the of this species can distinguish one individual wishes of Maltec’inuueliting in all matters except from another by sight, assuming good visual foreign affairs and military matters. conditions. Hearing: The range at which a quiet conversation After the fall of their Empire in 1.4 million BC can be heard, assuming that there is little else the Inuueliting withdrew from their colonies and around. refocused their efforts on the oldest sectors of their Speed: The first two numbers are meters per round space. Many now believe their race is in decline when walking or running in combat, respectively. and spend their time trying to record or rerecord the The last number is daily movement in kilometers, vast Inuueliting histories and biographies for others assuming an eight-hour march. to learn from. Others live their lives in denial that Natural Armor: The species’ built-in armor value. their great empire could ever have fallen at all. It is Attack Damage: The amount and type of damage common for an Inuueliting to refuse taking an action done by the species’ natural attacks. or accept new ideas and beliefs because it is “not in Size: The species’ size rating, used for figuring how tune with what the ancestors have done.” many wound levels the character has. Saving Throws: The bonuses or penalties this species Inuueliting refer to each other by their has to saves versus blindness, deafness, or caste names, so a Dai’inuueliting would greet a disease. Daishaining’inuueliting with “Daishaining” or Special: Other abilities or drawbacks which do not “Shain.” Formal greetings (at political or social fit in the above scheme. events), always include the Inuueliting race-name for honor’s sake. This custom has carried over into their dealings with other races, causing the Inuueliting endless grief. Their greeting of “Human, good day to you,” is usually viewed as arrogance, not honor. Budetug are particularly sensitive to the Inuueliting custom of racial-name address, a problem which is compounded by the tendency of Dai’inuueliting and



The Species of the Milky Way

Daishaining’inuueliting to mispronounce their name other castes, once again causing fighting to erupt on “bu-det-ug.” the homeworld.

Inuueliting History The Inuueliting evolved from tree-top-dwelling animals 10 million years ago. Over the next four million years they slowly evolved into the caste-races of today on five different continents on their homeworld, Ll’Anderanth. Trade between the different castes began and a global civilization developed.



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Inuueliting space exploration began when the Maltec’inuueliting ran out of resources on Verdas, the third continent of Ll’Anderanth, and turned to the planet’s moons for minerals and rare metals. They slowly depleted the resources on the moons and were forced to travel to other planets in the system to support the growing Inuueliting society. By that time infighting between the castes had begun as they struggled for resources and space on homeworld. The Dai’inuueliting and Silke’inuueliting forged an alliance and began to engage in open warfare against the Maltec’inuueliting and Danlecting’inuueliting castes. The network setup by the Maltec’inuueliting to ferry resources into the planet from around the solar system was slowly destroyed, and all the caste societies began to collapse. The Maltec’inuueliting suffered the highest causalities and their population began to plummet below that of the other castes. The Danlecting’inuueliting realized that no single caste could unite the Inuueliting so they performed a powerful rite to create the “Pool of Radiance,” a chamber pool filled with a special substance which would create a new breed of Inuueliting from those who were submerged into it.

The Daishaining’inuueliting worked out a compromise with the other castes late in the war as Ll’Anderanth lay around them in ruin. The Maltec’inuueliting would be the worker caste as a punishment for their attempt to control the Pool of Radiance, but they would be allowed to grow their population to dwarf the others so that no Maltec’inuueliting would live in fear of being overpowered again. Only the Dai, Silke, and Maltec’inuueliting would be allowed to submit candidates to the Pool to be leaders of the race. These candidates would be submerged at birth in the Pool and then raised by the other castes until they reached maturity and took their rightful places as leaders. Historians often refer to this decision as the Compact of Radiance. Over time each caste became accustomed to the changes and honored the others for their strengths. With the tesser power of the Daishaining’inuueliting ships began to travel outside their home system and colonies were started on other worlds. Careful research by Maltec’inuueliting scientists resulted in the first mechanical tesser device, based on the Daishaining’inuueliting stone, 5.5 million years ago. With the capability to explore without the aide of a Shain, the Inuueliting began expanding at a faster rate. They encountered the Budetug, Caractingessen, Halla, and Valorians by 3.1 million BC.

By 3 million BC tension between the Inuueliting and Budetug resulted in a galactic war. The Inuueliting won and forced the Budetug back to their homeworld, a humiliating defeat they have never forgotten. For the next one and a half million years the Budetug worked as a thorn in the side of the Inuueliting Empire, finally overthrowing their Inuueliting submerged into the Pool of Radiance rule in 1.4 million BC. were imbued with platinum-colored skin and a small stone in their foreheads capable of producing Since their disposal over a million years ago the a tesseract once they reached maturity. With this Inuueliting population has decreased by more than new power the few Danlecting’inuueliting who un- fifty percent, and their homeworlds have stopped derwent the initial transformation began to end the new research, colonization, and exploration. fighting and gain the respect of the other castes. However, some of them proved more adaptable, and it is this more hardy breed that is often seen across A small band of Maltec’inuueliting, calling the galaxy. themselves the Al’nav Roshen, tried to take control of the Pool for themselves so their people would never again have to face the wrath of the other castes. They failed to take the Pool and infuriated the

The greatest Inuueliting scientists have always been Maltec, including those who unlocked the secret of the tesser stone found in the Shains’ Dai, commonly referred to as the Wisps or High, foreheads. Many of these scientists began to resent are tall, winged Inuueliting people. They are typi- the upstart Humans who swept through the galaxy cally the most beautiful and delicate caste, boasting and improved upon inventions which Maltec had broad butterfly-like wings twice their height with worked on for ages. wingspans of 8 meters and intricate color patterns. Their skin is a pale hue which often resembles the coloring in their wings.



Dai typically live in cloud cities on established Inuueliting worlds and are the leaders of their Danlec are often referred to as “Darks” by those society. These cities are complex floating caverns, outside Inuueliting society. Their skin absorbs the riddled with chambers and passageways only navi- light from stars and so usually appears to be a shade gable during flight. of dull black. When not in starlight their skin has a golden tint, similar to that of the Silke. Their hair is tinted with silver or golden hues and streaks.



Dai’inuueliting, or Dai



Danlecting’inuueliting, or Danlec

Page 11 Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Daishaining are the tall, platinum-colored leaders of Inuueliting society, born of caste mothers but altered in the Pool of Radiance. Humans typically refer to them as “Platinums,” but other races honor this caste with the term “Shain,” a term which many also use to honor great leaders in their own societies.



Daishaining’inuueliting, or Shain



Commonly referred to as “Silvers,” the Maltec are the shortest of the Inuueliting people. They stand roughly five and a half feet tall and look like thin Humans with longer arms and a wider midsection. Silvers perform most of the work in Inuueliting society as a result of the Compact of Radiance, and those who live outside of the Ancient Inuuel society are often seen continuing this legacy.



Maltec’inuueliting, or Maltec

Human Empire and the typical Inuueliting tendency to shun others and the new ideas they bring, is a good sign for the galaxy as a whole.



The Silke are four-armed, golden skinned Inuueliting commonly referred to by most races as “Golds.” They constitute the majority of the homeworld military, boasting greater strength and stamina than the other castes. Golds rarely grow taller than 170 cm, but are the strongest of the Inuueliting. Most golds are born ambidextrous, alAfter the creation of the Pool of Radiance the lowing them to use multiple weapons at once with- Danlec have seen themselves as the protectors of the out much increased effort. Inuueliting. They live as recluses in corners of populated Inuueliting worlds, secretly keeping tabs on Miklar’halien Silke’inuueliting, generally re- the Daishaining’inuueliting and the candidates for garded as the greatest warrior in Inuueliting history, the Pool of Radiance. Some estimate that there are is especially revered among the Golds. His exploits fewer Danlec than the other castes, but because of during the first Inuueliting/Budetug war helped their nature no one is really certain how many exist. clinch victory during that struggle. Once every two hundred years the best warriors of the caste gather Since the arrival of Humans on the galactic on a forested moon or small planet and participate scene, Danlec have been seen outside Inuueliting in war games honoring Miklar’halien, hoping to re- circles for the first time in millions of years. This ceive the coveted medal which shares his name. more outgoing behavior, despite the collapse of the



The energy absorbed by the Danlec is usually bled off slowly, but can be channeled in bursts if they wish. In addition to their energy abilities Danlec have an uncanny affinity for the Lording. Budetug mothers tell their children horror stories about Danlec sneaking into their rooms and blasting them with horrible burning fire if they are bad.



Silke’inuueliting, or Silke

Only candidates who are pure of heart and mind survive the submersion in the Pool of Radiance. After the ritual those who survive reappear as platinum-skinned Inuueliting with a tesser stone in their forehead. They inherit the same features and body structure as their earlier caste but usually feel no allegiance to their parent caste. Some claim later in life that they felt the calling of the Pool as youths, but as most candidates are submerged only weeks after birth these claims are often met with skepticism.

Budetug Homeworld: Portenthar Common Names: Budetug, Bugs, Crackers Average Lifespan: 180-220 Years Tesser Capability: 52 Million BC The Budetug are a race of insectoid creatures characterized by twelve thin legs, dexterous pincers, and wide skin flaps which arc out from either side of their heads. Budetug are roughly five feet tall when standing on their rear six legs, their customary posture in public. When moving on all 12 of their spindly legs they usually only stand three feet tall at the shoulder.



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After conversion the Shain are raised by members of all the castes except other Shain. They are required to work alongside their fellow Inuueliting, so most become familiar with fighting, research, warfare, and Lording. Once they have reached maturity and have completed their education the Shain once again enter the Pool of Radiance to prove their purity. Only then can they take their place as the Budetug bodies are covered with chitinous honored leaders of all the castes. Most survive the exoskeletons, but they also have a complex internal second submergence. Those who don’t disappear skeletal system to support their weight. They are born into the depths of the Pool. with 4 body sections, but by maturity the middle two grow together into an hourglass-shaped midsection. Most Budetug tattoo their midsections as a “rite of The Inuuel in Game Terms passage” once they have reached maturity, using the Attributes: Most subraces have Agility 9, Creativity 1, family symbols of their mothers’ ancestors. Dexterity 9, Intelligence 5, Lording 6, Mental Endurance 2, Stamina 1, Strength 1, Visualization 1. Golds have Dexterity 5, Strength 2, and Stamina 2. Vision: 2 km in daylight, 1 km at night Hearing: 40 meters Speed: 15/30/30. High Inuueliting have concealable wings which allow them to fly at 25/50/50. Natural Armor: 0, Golds have 2 Slap Damage: None whatsoever. Size: 5 Saving Throws: -2 to save against blindness or deafness Special: All but Gold Inuueliting have very fragile bones, and must be careful not to break them. Gold Inuuel have Human-like bones. Golds have four ambidextrous arms, but must pay double cost for any armor they purchase. They also have an A’Darn gland, described on page xx. Platinum Inuuel have a Tesseract Stone embedded in their forehead, described on page xx. All Inuuel except Silvers start with 15 Background points instead of 20.

Unlike many Earth insects the Budetug are not controlled by a singular queen or hive mind, instead each has an individual personality and nature. In groups of their own kind, however, the Budetug will often suppress their individuality for the greater whole. This trait and their multiple “hands,” make the Budetug well suited to construction. They are often contracted to build cities, space stations, homes, and planetary infrastructure. Most races harbor a great respect for the Budetug and their diligent work ethic. However, some Inuueliting still harbor grudges left over from the Third War in which the Budetug overthrew their Empire, and Humans are constantly offending the Budetug by calling them “bugs,” instead of using their real name. Budetug elders on Portenthar are especially sensitive about the pronunciation of their racial name and have been known to kill offending parties. The surface of Portenthar, the Budetug homeworld, is constantly bombarded with high levels of ionizing radiation due to the relatively young age of Ithnos, its F-type sun. This radiation leads to very high mutation rates, and consequentially short lifespans, for anything that lives primarily on the

Conflict continued intermittently over millions of years as the growing Budetug peoples encountered resistance from the Inuueliting again and again. By two million BC the two races had participated in thousands of minor wars and brewed potent animosity. Within Budetug core worlds a plan started which would prepare the race for a great war against the Inuueliting, building up to such a conflict for hundreds of thousands of years.

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The Inuueliting were the first race to make contact with the Budetug and immediately realized their potential as workers. Industrious, resilient, but “obviously inferior,” the Budetug would make an excellent slave force to fuel the expanding Inuueliting society. So it was that Budetug families were transported to Inuueliting worlds to construct the great cloud cities of the Dai’Inuueliting or work in vast mining communities. During this time the Budetug During their reign the Budetug focused inward patiently resented their captors, learning more about on their worlds, creating wonders but neglecting the their weaknesses, technology, and habits. other races in the process. The Empire slowly began to crumble, first by losing influence with the other The first Budetug-Inuueliting war occurred races. Later, trade routes shifted to take advantage around three million BC. The Budetug had spread of the lucrative interstellar commerce encouraged throughout the Inuueliting colonies, and though by the other races. It was with great shock that the still vastly outnumbered, filled many key positions Budetug met the Caractingessen at the Battle of in the Inuueliting machine. When fighting started Lisharnok in 2315 BC, and even greater shock when thousands of worlds ground to a stop, leaving the the Empire fell little less than a thousand years later Inuueliting to fend for themselves as Budetug scur- to the very same foe. ried around wreaking havoc on vital systems and stealing whatever weapons and ships they could. The war carried on for thousands of years and the



The Budetug Empire explored and colonized as many worlds during its 1.4 million year reign as the Inuueliting had in nearly five million years. They built great cities and temples on all of their worlds, erecting underground “monuments to time” so splendid they rival the majesty of the Inuueliting cloud cities. Most of the old Budetug worlds were honored with great space stations which became hubs of commerce and activity early in the new Empire.



Budetug History



On their homeworlds the Budetug sleep during the day and mobilize at night to search for food, either hunting or scavenging. When hunting they often gather in family packs of 100 or more and comb the land in search of food. In times of scarcity the Budetug have been known to strip animal life from miles of wilderness, but they traditionally are selective about their hunting, preferring to be caretakers In 1.4 million BC the Budetug swarmed out from of the life on their planet. their colonies and fought ferociously to overthrow the Empire. They persevered against incredible Budetug were once fiercely against genetic al- odds, often struggling for days for seemingly lost terations and diSilke mutations. Historical records causes. The Third War, as it has commonly known, show “cleansing tests” on Portenthar to make sure is filled with tales of Budetug heroism in which newborn children had not been affected by the ra- many Budetug fought to the death. The Inuueliting diation on the planet. Today’s Budetug Core Worlds war machine — and its spirit — was broken by the Collective shuns this ancient practice, and any who tireless push of the Budetug warriors. Elated, the try to carry out such measures face strong punish- Budetug drove them back into their core worlds and ments. pushed forth to explore previously unknown parts of the galaxy.



Budetug slowly yielded to the greater Inuueliting forces. Beaten in spirit and body the Budetug finally relented when all but a few of their colonies had been destroyed or captured. In the fire of hatred after the war the Inuueliting swept out into the galaxy again and organized into what would later be recognized as the second phase of the Inuueliting Empire.



surface. Long before they had any sort of formal science, the Budetug knew that exposure to the sun was unhealthy, and they became cave dwellers. Their natural aptitude for construction led them to modify and expand these caverns, a process that continued for literally millions of years. The result is that every square mile of Portenthar’s surface — whether it be plain, mountain, or ocean — has been hollowed out to make room for the sprawling cities and tunnels of the Budetug.

The Budetug in Game Terms



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Attributes: Agility 2, Creativity 5, Dexterity 5-9 Intelligence 3, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 4, Stamina 5, Strength 1, Visualization 6 Vision: 500 meters in daylight, 500 meters at night. Infrared vision at a range of 400 meters. Hearing: 20 meters Speed: special, see below. Natural Armor: 2 Pincer Damage: 5 Blunt Size: 4 Saving Throws: No modifiers Special: Budetug are born with twelve legs and two large pincers. Ordinarily they walk on six legs and use the other six as “hands.” This gives them a 5 Dexterity and a movement rate of 9/18/18. They can use more legs to manipulate objects, increasing their Dexterity by one point for each set of legs, and can curl their bodies up to use their pincers as well (providing a total +4 to Dexterity). Alternately, they can use more of their legs to walk, giving them +3/+6/+6 to their movement rate for each additional pair of legs used to walk, to a maximum of 18/36/36 with all legs in use.

Caractingessen Homeworld: Necrontor Common Names: Nors, Sentels, Gess Average Lifespan: 3,500-4,500 Years Tesser Capability: 2.7 Million BC “We are the People of Time, and remember much that others forget as their parents and parents’ parents quickly live and die. We are the People of Sight, those granted with long lives that enable us to find in history that which others overlook. We are the People of the Universe, able to harness the great powers that are, to shape our worlds and ourselves. We are the Caractingessen. When the first of our People cracked his shell and spread his fledgling wings to dry in the light of Necrontor’s sun two great gifts were bestowed upon us: an understanding of ourselves and the strength needed to remain strong in the light of truth. Over time the People have cultivated these strengths and now boast legendary control over the Lording, im-

mense physical strength, and the wisdom which comes with years. Our soldiers and archmagi have wrought the events which have helped shape the galaxy and our scholars have been present to record those changes for posterity. We have helped the younger races in their times of trial and fought against the elder races in their times of tyranny. It is through the great Caractingessen that the Universe shaped what was and forges that which is to be. Ours is an Empire of Eternity, the embodiment of Destiny. Share in our joy on this, the first day of forever.” — Excerpt from the Inauguration speech of Lord Olan Shanok, first and last Emperor of the Caractingessen Empire The Caractingessen are a race of large, lizardlike creatures which evolved on a large, green, lush world. They are characterized by a long, scalecovered body with square jaws and bodies, blocky heads, and a long tail. Caractingessen have taloned claws on each of their four feet which they are sometimes seen sharpening against flat, ceremonial rocks, in age-old Caractingessen warrior tradition. They boast about their size — often — and usually live up to the tales: some have grown as large as 40 meters long and 10 meters tall at the shoulder, though most are less than half that size. There are two main lines of Caractingessen: Greats and Serpentines. Greats are stockier and stronger, but typically slower and less dexterous than their Serpentine cousins. Greats also have thick, leathery wings that provide them with the ability to fly (though they are slow at times, especially when taking off). When not in use these fold onto their back much as bat wings do. Greats comprise nearly 80% of the Caractingessen population. On the Caractingessen homeworlds there are other subraces, legacies of millennia of genetic manipulation, but they typically cannot survive for long outside of their environments. Serpentine Caractingessen are slender and have longer tails than the Greats. They are not as strong as the Greats but make up for a lack of strength with agility and intelligence. The Serpentines are more social and usually become the ambassadors or politicians of their species.

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A Caractingessen with a Human rider — a more and more common sight in recent times. While the stereotypical Gess is at once noble and savage, refusing to let any other species ride them, some have gained a great respect for humanity because of their conquest of the galaxy. There are still some Gess alive who remember their own empire, and who dream of one day sharing a new empire with the Humans.



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Among some Serpentine families there is a long tradition of recording the history of the Caractingessen, starting with the first contact they had with the Inuueliting. Members of these families are known as the Kharec Dainar, or the Keepers of Time. Lord Olan Shanok, the only Caractingessen Emperor, was from a well respected Kharec Dainar family.

The Caractingessen spread throughout the galaxy and never gave much thought to the other races, except to occasionally trade with them or work as mercenaries. They never were concerned with politics or global — let alone galactic — affairs. So it was an incredible shock to the Budetug when the Caractingessen not only stirred from their collective slumber but struck out to take over the galaxy for Caractingessen are taught from birth to sense themselves. the Lording, further enhancing their already superior natural Lording abilities. This innate power makes As a young Caractingessen the Serpentine Olan Caractingessen strong mages. Some Caractingessen Shanok was ambitious, energetic, and disillusioned learn at a young age how to alter their size, spe- with the status quo. He wanted something more cifically to shrink themselves. This facilitates in- than his prestigious Kharec Dainar family could ofteraction with other races for the relatively large fer, more than he could find anywhere on the colony Caractingessen. Their natural physical and Lording worlds of Necrontor or the worlds of the other races. strength helps to make them excellent soldiers, but Olan Shanok had a vision of a galaxy ruled by the their belligerence often makes these soldiers more strong, powerful, and “wise” Caractingessen. trouble than they’re worth. Over hundreds of years Olan Shanok began Since first encountering Humans the changing the tide of the Caractingessen public. For Caractingessen have felt a special bond with “the the first time ever the Greats began working with young ones.” After the Human Empire overthrew the Serpentines and each other to train soldiers, the Halla, who had previously destroyed the short build a fleet, and prepare for what Olan referred to lived Caractingessen Empire, the relationship grew as “the Great Beginning.” All of these preparations even stronger. Many older Caractingessen who still was performed in relative secrecy. When word of remember their Empire view the Halla as parasites the Caractingessen buildup reached the other races and Humans as benevolent saviors of the galaxy, if they scoffed at it as “ludicrous” rumors. Then, under only temporarily successful ones. Shanok’s leadership, the Caractingessen struck at the Budetug Empire. Out of this bond a fairly recent and unusual sort of comradeship has grown: Humans are sometimes Once fighting began it took nearly a thousand found riding Caractingessen during flight! The stron- years for the Caractingessen to wear down their opgest of the Greats sometimes take riding partners ponent. In many cases the Caractingessen blockaded and consider their riders a respected — and integral Budetug planets and outwaited their opponents, — part of their families. knowing that their view of time was different than that of the comparatively short-lived Budetug. Eventually the Budetug surrendered, broken and disillusioned.

Caractingessen History

For much of their long history the Caractingessen were content to leave the politics of the galaxy to the rest of the races — after all, they had troubles of their own. Greats never get along with each other or with the Serpentines, and try as they might to avoid it these disagreements often end in violence. It is rare for one Caractingessen to kill another, but too often they find an empty field (or make one by clearing some forest), and fight until one or the other is incapacitated. Serpentine fight much less frequently, and when they do they avoid fighting Greats, but occasionally even the “social” Caractingessen are prone to violent outbursts.

Once the Empire was established Olan Shanok, by this time known as Lord Olan Shanok, worked to entrench the Caractingessen Empire across the galaxy. Every planet felt the presence of the Empire. Shanok then started a galactic patrol fleet of Halla pilots to keep the shipping lanes free from piracy and to enforce justice. As Lord Shanok grew old, however, his energy started to dissipate. With it so to did the strength of the Empire. The Caractingessen were spread too thinly across the galaxy and there was no clear path of succession. Infighting began again in earnest, and

Halla

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Male and female Halla look similar, save for the birthing pouch on the midsection of the females. This The Caractingessen in Game Terms pouch gives the females more of a rounded look, especially when pregnant. Halla children reside in the Attributes: Agility 1, Creativity 1, Dexterity 1, pouch for three months, after which time they are Intelligence 4, Lording 8, Mental Endurance 1, too big to be carried by the mother. Stamina 9, Strength 6, Visualization 2. Serpentines Halla typically are dexterous and mentally receive +1 to Agility and Visualization, but -1 to quick. They sport an insatiable curiosity and are Stamina and Strength. renowned as explorers. As a result many become Vision: 3 km in daylight, 1 km at night pilots, foraging out into the unknown for profit or Hearing: 40 meters Speed: 80/160/160 on four legs, 5/10/10 when enjoyment. Over millions of years this has fostered reared up on hind legs (whether for height the impression of Halla as the best pilots in the galadvantage or simply for tool use). Greats can axy, a distinction they are proud to hold and quick fly at 150/300/300. Serpentines move on the to defend. ground at 100/200/200. Unlike many of the other species in the galaxy Natural Armor: 5 the Halla are close-knit and have few, if any, internal Claw Damage: 10 Slashing conflicts. They learned to work as teams in order Size: 10 for Greats, 9 for Serpentines Saving Throws: -10 to save versus Blindness, -6 to to survive on Galbrzu and continue to encourage save versus Deafness, +8 to save versus Disease. internal harmony to this day. Despite this they thrive Special: Armor costs are quadrupled. Cybernetics on competition, seeing dogfights as a chess games costs are tripled. Food costs are quadrupled. and death as a most honorable end if the result of a Sense of smell is exceptional — Caractingessen duel. have a base 60% chance to track someone by Until the arrival of Humans on the galactic smell, and may add +6 to skill rolls where this scene, the Halla were the undisputed masters of sense is relevant (such as hunting or cooking). space. Their scientists adapted Inuueliting tesseract drives to Budetug ships and created some of the most powerful starfighters in the galaxy. Halla engineers constantly improved upon their work to enable great explorers to go farther faster. Since the arrival of Humans some of the Halla shipyards and engineer-



Halla are relatively short, gray-brown skinned humanoids. Their thick skin is covered with a fine fur, save for their eyes, which are covered by a nictitating membrane. The inner membrane is clear, and usually closed to protect their eyes. The outer membrane closely resembles their skin. Most Halla have small holes for ears, tightly held to the sides of their face below their cheekbones, flaring nostrils beneath their ears, and a small mouth on the underside of Either way, the Caractingessen are much more their chin. (A few Halla have a recessive trait which active than ever, and some of them have even causes them to have large prominent holes as ears.) learned the power of working together.



Homeworld: Galbrzu Common Names: Hol, Fuzzers, Rats Average Lifespan: 130-170 Years Tesser Capability: 2.9 Million BC



After the fall of the Empire the Caractingessen returned to their old ways of infighting and competition, but not to the degree of pre-Empire conditions. Many secretly harbor desires to resurrect the recently fallen Empire and see the Caractingessen in charge of the galaxy again. Some say this is why the Caractingessen work so closely with the Humans, because they may be the only ones who have the power to bring the galaxy together again. Others feel the Caractingessen are just biding their time until they can once again leave the shadows of politics and sweep across the galaxy.



Shanok grew sick. He lost heart over a hundred years before his death, and just weeks before he died the Empire fell to the Halla fleets it had helped to construct.

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ing labs have become silent. As a result some Halla ship design, and appeared to be a growing force hold grudges against the Humans, and take pride in which the Inuueliting hoped would help stave off the fact that the Human Empire, like their own, fell. violence with the Budetug. Halla scientists worked with the Inuueliting to develop tesseract drives in Aside from their minor squabbles the Halla have exchange for access to raw materials and informano real enemies in the Galaxy, instead preferring to tion about the galaxy. The Halla began to explore the live in unaffiliated communities scattered through- stars, first as pilots for the Inuueliting and later as a out the inhabited systems. They sell their services as free people. pilots to anyone who will pay, and often set out on exploration missions for months at a time. Curiously, For millions of years the Halla peacefully coexfew mention the short-lived Hallan Empire. isted with other races, serving as pilots for warships, transports, and deep space exploration ships (their favorite). Anyone who would pay for their services found the Halla to be honorable and dependable. Hallan History They quickly became integrated into the galaxy, growing communities in nearly every system. The Halla homeworld is arid and harsh. Vast During this time the Halla remained independent, expanses of dry land are separated by increasingly however, and maintained tight communication with shallow seas, brushed continually by steady dust- the homeworld. laden winds. Galbrzu was an old world when the Halla evolved, and all know that it is slowly dying. After millions of years as silent members of the Some speculate the reason for the Halla’s unstop- galactic community the Halla began to clamor for pable urge to explore the galaxy is an attempt to find more power in the galaxy. After all, they were the a new homeworld, to inhabit once Galbrzu is gone. ones who ran most of the shipping lanes. They were Others believe they are trying to find a powerful ally the ones who piloted the fighters for many of the to reinstate the short-lived Hallan Empire. great space battles. But they had little or no say in the way the Empires ran things. So the Halla secretly Other species on Galbrzu were well-developed planned among themselves to make a stand, and by the time Halla evolved 4.8 million years ago, but have a say. With the fall of the Caractingessen Empire none had yet gained sentience. The species which the Halla saw their one chance for power emerge. had survived were some of the most violent in the They already controlled the shipping lanes, military Milky Way. With oceans filled with violent, powerful machines, and communication arrays of the galaxy. predators and the land equally dangerous there was With a short, swift coup, the Halla took over. little room for the Halla to grow. They were forced into the difficult corners of Galbrzu, the craggy cliffs But it was a short-lived Empire, one many don’t of the shoreline and the hard, angular mountain- consider to be an Empire at all. The Halla had never sides. To cope with their environment and protect considered creating a government (they had lived as themselves the Halla quickly developed advanced semi-independent communities spread throughout technologies. space for millions of years), and they didn’t want anything from the other races. So after little more Small groups of Halla began to voyage through- than a hundred years the other races realized the out their world, using newfound technology, and bluff which had been played and fought back, easily founding the honorable tradition of exploration overthrowing the few Halla who claimed authority among their kind. Soon these explorers had de- over the galaxy. Chaos ensued. veloped mechanical devices which enabled them to overcome physical limitations and subdue the Today some Halla have gone back to their traviolent predators on their planet. Once they had ditional ways, working for anyone who will give conquered the land Halla continued into the ocean, them a ship and a chance to see the stars. They don’t and eventually into space. engage in politics anymore and have given up any notions of a galactic Empire. The new Halla vision is Inuueliting encountered the Halla in 4.2 mil- to continue exploring, only this time their sights are lion BC and kept watch on them. First contact oc- set much higher: beyond the Milky Way. curred around 3 million BC as tensions between the Inuueliting and Budetug grew. By this time the Halla had populated their system, worked wonders with



The Halla in Game Terms

Valorians

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A Valorian firing microwaves. It’s bad joke.

Initially, the Budetug were glad to find another race so visually similar to themselves. However, the ideologies of the two proved to be incompatible. Valorian culture is oriented towards introspection, careful forethought, and meditation. Budetug culture, on the other hand, is more oriented towards



Valorians were first discovered by the Inuueliting, who passed them over because they felt that “something that ugly could never be intelligent.” The Vals were almost unaware of the contact, not having any satellites in orbit at the time. Millions of years later, a Budetug scouting party rediscovered the race.



Valorian History



The Valorians have a truly dizzying array of senses. Their eyesight, while short-ranged, is capable of seeing nearly any frequency of light. Their hearing and scent organs — the antennae on their heads — are more sensitive than most scientific devices.



Valorians form families for life. Their large, extended families often keep in touch across vast reaches of space. While they do lay eggs, both male and female Valorians have strong parental instincts. A clutch of Valorian eggs can take up to ten years to hatch, and can yield a clutter of up to fifty larval Valorian children. After about 100 years the larvae finally mature into the adult form of the species. Only one out of every five Valorian larvae will survive past the first three years.



Hdfvbn (or Valoria as it is more commonly known) is a world covered in water. The planet on the whole is very level, with few mountains or canyons. Due to its proximity to its sun, the polar ice caps are almost nonexistent. The Valorians evolved in an isolated shallow region, protected by reefs and mountains. They are a silicon-based life form, as are all others on their homeworld. Needing only light and an occasional meal of rock, the Valorians had a great deal of leisure time in their early history to spend on artistic and scientific pursuits.



Homeworld: Hdfvbn (Valoria) Common Names: Amphibs, Rockies Average Lifespan: 1,900-2,100 Years Tesser Capability: 4.1 Million Years



Attributes: Agility 4, Creativity 2, Dexterity 4, Intelligence 3, Lording 6, Mental Endurance 6, Stamina 4, Strength 2, Visualization 5 Vision: 1 km in daylight, 10 meters at night, ultraviolet vision to a range of 200 meters. Hearing: 20 meters Speed: 8/15/15 Natural Armor: 4 Punch Damage: 2 Bashing Size: 3 Saving Throws: +1 to save against Blindness Special: The Halla have nicitating membranes which cover their eyes and protect them against windblown sand and grit. They have the side effect of allowing them to see perfectly underwater.

hard work, instinctual decisions, and teamwork. on their head. Their eyes, while lacking long-range While the two races are still officially allied to this vision, are compound and well-protected. day, they have little in common. Valorians originally evolved in shallow seas on Valorians have never been heavily involved Hdfvbn, and are well-adapted to the water. Valorian in galactic politics, preferring to remain neutral lungs can breathe water and their bodies are streamand safe. Because of their massive intellect they lined. Adapted to moving through viscous waters, are heavily recruited for think tanks and research they are surprisingly agile on land. They can fire firms. They played a small role in the second and microwave bursts from their antennae. third Inuuel-Budetug wars, siding reluctantly with the Budetug. Their small population forced them to Valorians are a peacelike race, and always have withdraw early and they were never able to contrib- been. They discovered explosives and nuclear physute significantly to the war effort. ics, but never tested a single nuclear bomb. The species as a whole is known for being ruled more by Valorian culture is primarily oral. Their nearly logic than by emotion. photographic memories, strong voices, and sensitive hearing organs have always kept their race conValorians make great engineers, historians, and nected since their prehistory. Valorian epic poems mathematicians. are rivaled only by those of the Inuueliting and Humans.



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Valorians in Game Terms

One area where Valorians are not well-respected is in the artistic world (with the possible exception Attributes: Agility 9, Creativity 1, Dexterity 4, Intelligence 10, Lording 0, Mental Endurance 2, of music). While they are excellent technical writers Stamina 1, Strength 1, Visualization 8 and artists, Valorians lack the creative spark which Vision: 3 meters in daylight, 3 meters at night. drives Human and Sa’crontor artists. There is no Valorians can see into the infrared and ultraviolet Salvador Dali of the Valorian art world. Nor are there spectrums with a range of 10 meters. any great architectural accomplishments. When a Hearing: 200 meters. The Valorian sense of hearing Valorian creates a building, form follows function is so acute as to be able to pick out heartbeats at precisely. This lends a sort of alien beauty to their a range of 20 meters. dwellings, making other races uneasy. Speed: 50/100/100 (Swimming: 10/20/20) On the Valorian homeworld, in the middle Natural Armor: 12 of Crater Ocean, is a building financed by both Jab Damage: 2 Blunt. May also fire a microwave burst from their antennae, doing Disintegration Caractingessen and Valorian homeworld governdamage equal to their Intelligence, to a range of ments. Known as the Hall of Time, it contains exten5 meters per point of Mental Endurance. sive historical records from every species and almost Size: 4 all colonized worlds. It contains firsthand reports from all three major Inuueliting-Budetug wars, the Saving Throws: +10 to save against Blindness. colonization of the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, the dis- Special: Their outstanding minds and photographic memories give Valorians a +4 to the Knowledge covery of the Human and Ogre races, and thousands attribute. They can also use their hearing upon thousands of other events. The one thing missrange instead of their visual range when firing ing from the Hall of Time is early Archangel history weapons. They also have an incredible sense of — much of it was never written down. A project is smell, which gives them an 80% chance to track currently underway there to understand the trends someone by smell, and a +8 to skill rolls where and cycles that last millions of years of galactic histhis sense might be relevant (such as Hunting or tory. Cooking). Valorians are one of the more alien-looking species in the galaxy. Their bodies stand approximately five feet tall at the head, and three feet at the shoulder. They have four dog-like legs, four dexterous tentacles sprouting from their thorax, and four antennae



can be maneuvered into most weapons and electronic controls, allowing them to interface directly with these devices. As a result Nesti are quick and deadly. It is considered sacrilegious by their society to use this ability on anything but weapons, howHomeworld: N’tal’ing Geth Common Names: Flowers, Weeds, Shrubbery, ever, so be wary if you find see a Nesti pilot a ship by putting her appendages into the controls... Whirling Sagebrush Average Lifespan: 100 Years When they are not fighting or moving around Tesser Capability: 1.3 Million BC the Nesti can stand almost perfectly still — fooling Nesti are a race of intelligent, mobile plants with a tendency towards violence. Typically no taller than five feet, they often appear deceptively large by moving their branches and tendrils around into larger shapes. Each of these appendages can work as an arm or hand, giving them immense flexibility. The Nesti are biologically mobile shrubs. They are composed of a tangled mass of red gold tendrils that writhe with motion while they are active. This fluidity of structure has made them quick and adaptable, if not really all that bright.

Nesti

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Nesti talents for battle are not by themselves significant factors — they are not great tacticians or inspirational leaders. But because of their multiple appendages the Nesti can operate many weapons at once. The tiny shoots on their appendages (analogous to Human hair),



The society on the Nesti homeworld honors its warriors and has little time for anything else. They disdain the ‘intellectual’ pursuits of the other races, mostly because Nesti aren’t able to understand them. As a result Nesti tend to find work which doesn’t require much thought but has at least a chance for fighting.

A Nesti adult (middle left) and a pair of sprouts (above and below the top bridge) walk around their home. Nesti blend into their houses well, as the houses are literally made from their ancestors.



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many people into thinking they are either stationary plants (you know, the regular kind), or asleep. Nesti guards have been known to get great enjoyment out of startling passersby or even comrades. Humans are the most frequent recipients of this treatment, and provide the most colorful responses when startled. Some noncombatant Nesti have found their talents with plants — specifically their ability to nurture plants, and create lighting specifically tailored to plant growth — very lucrative. Many Nesti live in farming colonies spread throughout the galaxy, happily harvesting the “lesser plants” for the consumption of others.

Nesti History N’tal’ing Geth, the Nesti homeworld, is a slowly rotating, windy planet with very little radiation. It takes roughly 9 Earth months to complete a rotation, creating hot and cold sides of the planet.

Nesti developed as wind-borne carnivorous plants which ate insects and small flying creatures as they sailed on the wind, much like a venus fly trap version of sagebrush. As they evolved Nesti gained the ability to move their appendages to better Unlike many of the other races in the universe control their flight, and eventually developed limited the Nesti have no sexes. They could, theoretically, intelligence and began to forage on the ground. reproduce by pollinating their own flowers. On the N’tal’ing Geth is a moist planet with varied homeworlds this is viewed as incestuous behavior, punishable by death. In other places it is simply ecosystems, and the settling Nesti quickly evolved looked down on as inbreeding. Instead Nesti will into slightly separate subspecies. As they migrated find any number of partners when flowering, pol- to avoid the dark side of the planet these subspecies linate each other, and then carry 15-20 offspring in eventually began to interact. At first their relations growing buds for about 6 months, until they are able were peaceful, but as populations grew fighting ensued. From that day forth the Nesti have embraced to survive on their own. warriors and fighting. Nesti can go years without flowering, but usually With limited technological advancements the do flower when they are not involved in any conflict Nesti were able to construct Null Cities, windless enand have sufficient resources (sunlight, water and nutrients) available. Sometimes this is used to their claves rich in nutrients, water, and light. Incremental advantage — a scouting troupe can land on a hostile improvements continued and eventually the Nesti developed artificial light, enabling them to build plant and ‘breed’ a force of Nesti to attack. permanent civilizations without fear of dark sleep, Law is a simple concept to the Nesti. They devel- the Nesti hibernation period during lightless times. oped ritual combats to deal with territorial disputes Fighting became more fierce during this time as on N’tal’ing Geth, and some still adhere to the ‘old ways’ when a problem arises. Participants are the more and more Nesti flocked to the cities. Groups individuals involved, or, in cases against the Nesti fought for control of the scientists, for the best State, the offender and members of the military. If the resources, and the most light. Decades of chaos accused can survive six consecutive combats they ensued, nearly destroying Nesti civilization (but provoking an arms race that resulted in more techare presumed innocent and the case is dismissed. nological advancements than the Nesti have since When Nesti die they harden like coral, and are created). For a short time after this, the Great War, used as the building material for dwellings. When an peace ensued as the Nesti struggled to rebuild and old Nesti realizes that it is about to die, it will weave repopulate the planet. its tendrils into the walls of its building, becoming During this lull the Inuueliting visited N’tal’ing one with the structure. A Nesti building is literally Geth and made first contact with the Nesti. They made out of ancestors, and many say that this is why saw great potential in these plant-beings as subjects the Nesti will fight so hard to defend their homes. Eventually the bodies become a hard stone, and and made an effort to incorporate them into the Nesti buildings look like woven bands of rock. Even Inuueliting Empire — to no avail. The Nesti quickly those who die in battle have a place — they become combined their previously separate forces into a the foundations. Many Nesti villages are built on old defense force and fought off the Inuueliting. After a brief victory celebration they once again began battlegrounds. infighting for training purposes, this time with a cautious eye to the sky.



Archangels



Archangels can not lie. While this is true, it can be misleading for many people. If an Archangel tells you something flat out, you can believe it. He or she will literally die from telling a lie. The trick is that the truth Archangel tells you is the truth as they see it. “A few Humans on the other side of the hill” can mean any one of several different things. It can mean just what it says: There are a few people on the other side

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

With their tough shells, flight, Lording, and immense strength, Archangels are a race that seem to have been specifically designed for combat. Who designed them is unknown, but to some it seems highly unlikely that nature could have produced such killers on her own.



As if their physical abilities were not frightening enough, Archangels have tremendous gifts when it comes to commanding the arcane forces of the Lording, although they can only learn certain repetitive methods of using it.

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Archangels must be strong in order to bear their own weight, but they have been provided with even more strength then would otherwise be suggested. They have a muscular system more akin to hydraulics than normal muscles. This, combined with their “claws,” allows them to inflict massive damage to their enemies.



Attributes: Agility 5, Creativity 6, Dexterity 8, Intelligence 1, Lording 4, Mental Endurance 6, Stamina 5, Strength 7, Visualization 1 Vision: No ordinary visual sense at all. Nesti are blind to ordinary light, and cannot read or see colors. They do have an active radar sense with a range of one kilometer, which often makes up for their lack of sight. This sense works in all directions at once. Hearing: 120 meters. This is accomplished through a sensitive vibrational sense rather than normal hearing, but the effect is the same. Speed: 15/30/30 Natural Armor: 4 Punch Damage: 4 Disintegration Size: 4 Saving Throws: Immune to blindness (unless their radar sense is overloaded). Special: Nesti can mesh their tendrils into weapons, giving them a +2 to attack rolls. They can also root themselves to the ground, making it almost impossible to knock them over. Either of these takes one action to do. All Nesti require light if they are to be active at all, and must go to sleep after being in the dark for one hour. They wake up after half an hour of exposure to light. Nesti can also extend single tendrils a short distance outside of their body (about 5 meters), and can see and hear with them, though they cannot lift anything with just a single tendril. They effectively have two “arms” for most purposes.

The Archangels appear to be a race of animated plate mail. Covered in precious metals they have ingested, they are an intimidating sight. Each suit of armor is very different from the other, but while they appear vastly different they all share certain characteristics. They each have a steel-hard exoskeleton as well as an internal endoskeleton. They all have “feathered” wings composed of the same biometallic substance as their shells. A complex internal gland uses magnetic forces to actually lift their massive weights off the ground. Archangels hands are covered in metallic blades, razor -sharp and capable of slicing through battle armor when combined with the awesome musculature they possess.



Nesti in Game Terms



When it became clear that the Inuueliting invaders were not coming back (something that took the Nesti a million years to realize), they decided that they would have to go off-world to find their Homeworld: Natoenthar ancient enemies. The Nesti worked diligently to deCommon Names: Archs, Cops, Avangelinté velop spaceships and after nearly two million years Average Lifespan: Unknown, presumed immorachieved tesser capabilities. Nesti hordes left their tal. No Archs die of old age. homeworld to join the Galactic society. Tesser Capability: Unknown

of the hill having a party. It can also mean that there a few homicidal Humans toting lasers over there who are lusting for blood. It’s all the same to some Archangels. If they are attacked they deal with the problem in the most expedient manner available. If not, they are content to leave well enough alone. After all, a few Humans with lasers is not usually much of a threat to an Archangel.

Archangelic History

Millennia later the Budetug Empire came with much more advanced technology and a love of orbital bombardment. The stubborn Budetug simply refused to admit defeat, and had sufficient numbers to keep throwing themselves at the Archangels. It was only when the Archangels were told that they could govern their own world that they capitulated. Until the Human Empire, they were content to be withdrawn to their homeworld. During the Human Empire, the Archangels were given the opportunity to act as an elite police force. This fit well with their culture and sensibilities, and the Archs agreed. Since then, many “younger” Archangels (some of them over a hundred thousand years old) have found work in law enforcement and investigation firms.



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The Avangelinté were discovered by the Inuueliting in 3 million BC. At that time they already had a flourishing civilization with complex technology and fabulous Lording capabilities. There were several odd gaps in their technology. For one, they had no space travel, nor do did they seem interested in such. Their weapons technology was also strangely Archangels compose only a tiny fraction (far less archaic for a society with radios and artificial flight. than 1%) of the galactic population. Despite this, they remain a very important part of galactic culture. The most startling discovery occurred soon after The Father, leader of the entire Archangel race, is dethey were found: the Archangels were not natives of termined to ensure that they stay so. He encourages the planet they called their home world. After allow- his species to stay involved in the galactic culture ing Inuueliting scholars to view their most ancient — who knows when the next galactic empire will artifacts it was soon concluded that these “savages” arise? had indeed possessed extremely advanced technology and had exiled themselves to this world of their Despite the technology on the Archangel home own volition. world and the advanced sciences that created their The discovery of advanced technology frightened many Inuueliting who felt that perhaps the Avangelinté were merely biding their time to one day conquer the galaxy. It was inconceivable to the Inuuel that another race would have no desire to assume command. The Gold Inuuel were called in. The Inuueliting armada was in for a rude surprise when they attempted to take the Archangel homeworld. The Archangels, despite their lack of space vehicles, were quite capable of defending their home from spaceborne attackers. Giant weapons of unknown technology sliced the incoming fleet to shreds. When they managed to land on Natoenthar itself, the Gold Inuueliting were simply no match for the well-armored, Lording-rich opposition. Their only advances were made late at night, when the night-blind Archangels retreated to their homes. Inuuel archmagi drained themselves dry trying to counteract the Archangel Lordings, realizing too late that they were outmatched. The Inuueliting retreated in shame, having received their second major defeat.

most holy artifacts the Archangels have no idea where it came from. They accept the conclusion that they came from a different world although they have no idea which one. The eldest members of the race may know, but if so they are not forthcoming with information.

Archangels in Game Terms Attributes: Agility 1, Creativity 1, Dexterity 2, Intelligence 5, Lording 10, Mental Endurance 6, Stamina 9, Strength 7, Visualization 2 Vision: 750 meters in daylight, 3 meters at night. Hearing: 6 meters Speed: 15/30/30. Concealable wings provide a flight speed of 50/90/90 Natural Armor: 10 Punch Damage: 5 Slashing. Wings can also be used to do 5 slashing damage. Size: 5 Saving Throws: +10 to save versus Blindness. Special: Must eat four times as much as most species. Can never lie. Armor cost is doubled.



Sa’crontorian History Page 25 Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Sa’crontor are very political beings, and are always attempting to forge new alliances and “break into” the older alliances which formed before they evolved. Their best relations are with Humans, Valorians, and Nesti. Budetug and Inuueliting both consider them a waste of time, which is the main reason they are so often left on the sidelines of the current alliances. The Sa’crontor species government is trying to maneuver their race into a place where all treaties are negotiated by Sa’crontor, as “the only truly neutral race.”



The vast majority of Sa’crontor, however, are not so lucky. Those who are not persuasive enough to overcome their reputation, and those who have less skill as a merchant, often end up as bums, thieves, and mercenaries. There is a growing schism between

get them. Once the Ogres and Humans were discovered, though, the Sa’crontor warmed up to the opportunities presented to them.



When they translated the messages coming through it, they were overwhelmed by the galactic culture around them! They realized quickly that their world was in a “backwater” section of the galaxy, almost impossible for another species to stumble onto. Intercepting the plans for an Inuuel tesseract drive, the Sa’crontor determinedly created a ship to carry it, and entered galactic culture in full force. Here Having evolved in a little-traveled section of the was an entire galaxy that could benefit from the galaxy, the Sa’crontor were isolated from contact Trickster’s ideals! until after the third Inuueliting-Budetug war. This and their status as a “young race” meant that it was After their millions of years of dealing with intelthey who discovered the rest of the galaxy, not the ligent mammals, the Sa’crontor had a bit of trouble other way around. believing that the Inuuel and Halla weren’t out to The Sa’crontor evolved in a swampy section of their homeworld, where they hid from predators in the mud and in trees. Giant, carnivorous mammals were a constant threat. The Sa’crontor culture evolved in caves and treetops, away from the deadlier mammals of their world.



When wars broke out amongst the Sa’crontor, direct assaults were a seldom-used tactic. More often, guerilla tactics and subtle Lording tricks were used Sa’crontor arms are small, looking almost like to lure enemies out into the open or into an ambush. those on a Tyrannosaurus Rex (without the claws). Most Sa’crontor to this day keep that heritage both in They have two fingers and a thumb, and the whole combat and in political dealings. arm may be folded into a chest cavity, allowing the Sa’crontor to slither along at higher speeds. Despite Eventually, the Sa’crontor advanced technologitheir appearance, they are not cold-blooded. cally to the point of building a tachyon transceiver.

Since their religion advocates dirty tricks, the Sa’crontor are well known for them. Very few people trust the snakemen. This is offset by the natural persuasiveness of their voices, and the fact that many Sa’crontor are merchants and thus somewhat wealthy. One fraction of the species lives in opulence, spending their wealth on comfortable surroundings and generally enjoying the good life.



The Sa’crontor believe that the first truly evolved one of their species, known as the Trickster or Great Thinker, was the one who protected their race in its infancy and taught them the secrets of ambush, sneak attacks, and dirty tricks. It was he, their religion states, who taught them how to defend themselves from the giant mammals.



The Sa’crontor are a race of beings who resemble the snakes that evolved on Earth. They are approximately three meters long, with a cobra-like hood, fangs, and a forked tongue. Their eyes are beady, black slits which most races have little trust for. Most Sa’crontor are green, grey, or brown. When coiled up to a “standing” position, they are about one and a half meters tall. Their shiny scales make them look as if they were wet, though their skin is always dry.



Homeworld: Tsauria Common Names: Snakemen, Slimies Average Lifespan: 200-250 Years Tesser Capability: 720,000 BC



Sa’crontor

the wealthier Sa’crontor, who rarely venerate the Trickster, and the younger, who are much more devout. A Sa’crontor thief is much more likely to steal from a Sa’crontor merchant than one from another race.

The Sa’crontor in Game Terms



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Attributes: Agility 9, Creativity 7, Dexterity 5, Intelligence 5, Lording 3, Mental Endurance 1, Stamina 1, Strength 1, Visualization 1 Vision: 1 km in daylight, 6 meters at night. Hearing: 20 meters Speed: 30/60/60 Natural Armor: 2 Punch Damage: 0 Blunt. They may also fire a laser from their eyes, doing 10 Piercing damage, to a range of 5 meters per point of Intelligence. Size: 5 Saving Throws: No modifiers Special: Sa’crontor have retractable arms. Their “walking” speed is only 25/50/50 with their arms out; with them in they can slither along more quickly.

Ogre Races Homeworld: Grizzen Common Names: Ogres, Apes, Bricks Average Lifespan: 50-80 Years Tesser Capability: No What most people naively call “Ogres” are actually three separate species: Titans, Trolls, and Draconians. They never had a word for their own species in their own languages — it was not until Humanity came to Grizzen that they began calling themselves Ogres. Once they learned the history of the name, most Ogres were more than happy to accept it. The Ogre homeworld of Grizzen is a planet covered in jungles. The vegetation is not particularly tall, but is all very large and sometimes blocks out the sun. Wood taken from these jungles is prized for its resistance to acid and flame. Grizzen is a highgravity world, resulting in many forms of aquatic life and not many tall land-dwellers. The Ogres are an exception to that. Towering more than a foot over the average Human, all Ogre races resemble large apes just approaching the Human form. They have long arms and short legs for the size of their body. Titans and Draconians are husky and grey-skinned, while Trolls are scrawnier and green-skinned. All races are completely hairless for reasons which will soon become obvious. Ogre races are all but immune to fear, and are also able to see through illusions created with the Lording or with a holographic projector. Most Ogres wear very durable fabrics and never wear gloves. Ogre races are not very bright. They also have trouble with the concepts of past, present, and future, which only compounds the problem. They are universally strong, stubborn, and tireless. Trolls are the most common species of ogre. Special glands in their skin allows them to secrete a corrosive acid, which can eat through metal and skin. Unfortunately, Trolls have no control over this ability. It is automatically activated in times of stress, such as combat or pursuit. Because of this, many Trolls who travel away from Ogre worlds have taken to wearing Syntheglass clothing (a sort of high-tech fiberglass suit) that can withstand the acid but still allow it to pass through. They are naturally immune to

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The Caractingessen, still feeling the loss of their Succubus servants, tried once again to create a “perfect” slave race. Abducting a settlement of Titans, the Gess tweaked Titan genetic material and create Draconians. These servants were sent back to Grizzen to test their mettle. Some were seen as holy beings by the local Titans, and were worshipped. Others were seen as demons, and were forced to flee or be destroyed. After many years of testing, the Caractingessen decided that Draconians were too stupid to be useful as front-line troops or slaves, and left them behind on the third continent.

Attributes: Agility 1, Creativity 1, Dexterity 4, Intelligence 2, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 10, Stamina 9, Strength 6, Visualization 1 Vision: 300 meters in daylight, 10 meters at night. Hearing: 60 meters Speed: 20/40/40. Draconians have non-concealable wings that allow them to fly at 85/170/170 Natural Armor: 1 for Titans, 5 for other species Punch Damage: 2 Blunt. Titans may add 10 Disint damage from fire; Trolls add the same amount from acid. Draconians add 5 from flames. Only Draconians can control their flames; the other species’ glands activate in times of stress. Size: 6 Saving Throws: No modifiers Special: Ogres have no sense of smell whatsoever. Titans take no damage from ordinary fire, and half damage from fire or plasma based weapons. Trolls are immune to most acids. Draconians have no such immunities.



The youngest of all the races in the Milky Way, the Ogre race is not even one million years old yet. Even Humanity is two million. Titans and Trolls are examples of parallel evolution: they were two separate species evolving on separate continents of the same world, filling the same niche in the environment. The Ogre social structure was approximately at the level of cavemen when the Gess discovered them.

Ogres in Game Terms



Ogre History



any kind of acid. Trolls are asexual creatures — there Meanwhile, the Titan and Troll continents on is no such thing as a “male Troll” or “female Troll.” Grizzen had just discovered each other, thanks to a land bridge. Trade and travel, such as they were Titans are the least common type of ogre. Glands at that time, flowed between the two cultures. Not underneath their skin tap latent heat energy, allowing knowing anything about genetics, each Ogre race them to burst into flame with no harm to themselves. naturally assumed that the other was a long-lost As a side benefit, Titans are nearly immune to heat, brother race, separated when the land bridge last taking no damage from regular fires and only half dissolved. It was hundreds of years later, when the damage from plasma. Like Trolls, they wear special Budetug explained the situation (several times), that clothing when traveling off-world. Also like Trolls, Titans and Trolls realized they had no common anthey have no conscious control over their abilities cestor within the past half-billion years. and the flames manifest at any time of stress. Both Titan and Troll glands are triggered by adrenaline. Ogres were discovered at the simple hunterUnlike Trolls, Titans have both male and female gatherer phase of their society. No one will ever genders. know what might have happened if they were allowed to evolve further. When the Caractingessen Draconians are a offshoot of the Titan race, Empire failed, the Gess experimentation with the created by the Caractingessen. The Gess modified Ogres was revealed. A contingent of Budetug was the Titan gene structure to transform them into a sent to see how things were going on that planet, parody of their own form. Draconians have plated and to offer Ogres the chance to join the galactic skin and large bat-like wings which they can fold culture. After much explanation, the rediscovery of behind their bodies. Draconians are the only Ogre the third continent and the Draconians on it, and a race with control over their skin abilities — they can radical shift in lifestyle, Ogres became the youngest activate a flame aura like that of a Titan at any time. race to ever take to the stars. Relations are still excelUnfortunately, the added control makes the effect lent between the three “subspecies,” who still think weaker, and Draconians are not immune to fire or of each other as brother-races. plasma except their own.

Humans

Human History

Humans evolved on their Earth over the past two million years, achieving civilization only about Homeworld: Earth 13,000 years ago when they discovered agriculCommon Names: Humans, Earthlings tural techniques. They quickly developed advanced Average Lifespan: 100-200 Years technologies which enabled them to dominate their Tesser Capability: 2225 AD homeworld, extend Human capabilities through Humans in the Valence universe closely resemble inanimate machines, manipulate their own genetic their ancestors of 20th century Earth in facial features code, and expand beyond their own solar system. and body structure. They stand roughly six feet tall, In 2225 AD, the Humans encountered an have two eyes, ears, one nose and one mouth, and the requisite number of appendages and digits. Over Inuueliting trader during one of their exploratory exthe course of the last thousand years Humans con- peditions beyond the ninth planet of their solar systinued to add languages, skin tones, hair colors and tem. The trader seized the opportunity to begin trade body enhancements to their repertoire, as well as negotiations with the Humans. They quickly became religions, philosophies and ways of living. Humans an important source of information for the Inuueliting now represent the most physically and intellectually and built their trade networks on the backbone of the remaining Inuueliting infrastructure. diverse group in the galaxy. The galaxy in the 24th century was a chaotic place. For the first time in tens of millions of years it was without unified leadership, leaving a gap the Humans quickly filled. Within a century they subdued resistance to their rule and unified most of the known worlds under one government. Each planet was allowed to rule as an autonomous entity, provided it adhered to general guidelines set forth by the Empire regarding commerce and racial rights. As the most creative species in the galaxy, With the beginning of the Empire the Humans initiHumans boast more inventions in the past two thou- ated a new dating scheme to help the races “start sand years than most races with millions of years fresh.” The first year of the Empire is universally of history. Their ability to adapt and integrate new referred to as GY 1. technologies and ideas with their own aided greatly Under this rule the galaxy flourished. The in their quick rise to galactic prominence after first Inuueliting began to reverse their million-year-long contact with the Inuueliting. During the reign of the Human Empire thousands of research organizations trend of withdrawing from galactic society, Budetug were created around Human scientists and research and Caractingessen began to cooperate, Nesti, Valorians, Sa’crontor, Ogre races, and Archangels specialists. were awarded greater respect and the standard of After the Empire dissolved many organizations living for galactic peoples increased significantly.



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Most Humans embrace new technologies and thus boast a few cybernetic enhancements. Other races often disregard Humans as ‘serious players’ in the galaxy because of the way they look and their variable social habits. As hard to understand as they may be, however, Humans have shown themselves to be remarkably powerful as a group, either because of or in spite of their differences.

retained their Human leaders and scientists. Even In an effort to further improve the state of the without the government behind them Humans have galaxy the Human Empire created a division of the maintained their strong presence in the galaxy. Human music and art is all the rage in the 31st government called Genetechnologies Research and Development (commonly known as Genetech). It century. was chartered with the sole purpose of manipulating Humans are well regarded as scientists, artists, plant, animal, and sentient species to improve their genetic code. information specialists, and engineers. Genetech quickly became one of the sole providers of unique and innovative genetic solutions to racial and food production problems. Many critics



Ariels

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Homeworld: Cathexis Common Names: Ariels Genetech began to research cross-species genetAverage Lifespan: 250-300 Years ic combinations, commonly known as crossbreeds Tesser Capability: 1.5 Million BC or Demons. These beings were manufactured in Genetech labs and leaked to the public for trial-balEarly in Human history the Inuueliting visited loon feedback. Initial responses were positive when they passed as new races or natural born offspring, Earth and found underdeveloped Humans. They geso Genetech upped their campaign to mass-produce netically altered the Humans to be more compatible with their own people, then took a group back to these beings. Ll’Anderanth and further altered them to be a worker The short, bitter “War of Cleansing” followed. A caste in Inuueliting society. In order to serve better purist movement grew in which genetic and natural in the Inuueliting cloud cities, the Humans were crossbreeds were sought out and tortured or killed. imbued with broad, feathery wings, thin bones, and The full story of the Demons is told elsewhere (see powerful muscles. As a result, Ariels have a fine coat page xx). Suffice it to say that the Demons fought of feathers instead of hair. They are shorter than modback, eventually bombarding Earth and destroying ern day Humans — most only stand five feet tall. the main fleet of the Empire. With the Empire’s supDuring the third war with the Budetug the Ariels port gone the purist movement subsided. It was GY 495, the war was over, and the galaxy was again were retrained to be an elite strike force which served torn. Genetechnologies rose from the ashes of the as protector of the Inuueliting civilians. Near the end Empire as a powerful company run by scientists and of the war a large force of Ariels fought their way into politicians who had once worked in the Genetech a slave world and saved millions of Inuueliting captives. For such selfless duty the Inuueliting people division of the government. choose to free the Ariels from service and provide Most of the Empire’s holdings in the galactic them with a homeworld to call their own. Since that core are loyal to the Coalition of Sentient Races in time the two species have boasted a close relationGY 592, but all other sectors of the galaxy pledge al- ship, and Ariels still serve many Inuueliting to this legiance to local governments or racial ties. Humans day as hired hands. are still influential in their old circles from prewar Ariels on their homeworld are trained from early times, but the galactic unity wrought by their vision childhood to work in groups as strike forces and and creativity has been destroyed. aerial guards. Even after maturing into full adults they often participate in monthly retreats aimed at Humans in Game Terms honing their military skills and training them with new weapons or techniques. Those in other cultures Attributes: Agility 4, Creativity 10, Dexterity 4, remember some of this martial heritage, but typically Intelligence 4, Lording 1, Mental Endurance 2, abandon it for more peaceful positions. Stamina 4, Strength 2, Visualization 2 Vision: 1 km in daylight, 6 meters at night Ariels are often found working as guards, couriHearing: 20 meters ers and scouts. They lose the point of natural armor Speed: 15/30/30 that ordinary Humans have, but gain winged flight Natural Armor: 1 with a movement rate of 50/100/200. These wings Punch Damage: 2 Bashing cannot be concealed. Ariel start with 2 fewer backSize: 5 ground points than ordinary Humans. Saving Throws: No modifiers Special: No special abilities



began to claim that Genetech unfairly competed with other similar corporations because of its government ties.

Succubi Homeworld: Eden Common Names: Succubi, Slinx Average Lifespan: 1,800-2,200 Years Tesser Capability: 1080 AD



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Succubi are tall, slender, stunningly beautiful Human females modified during the reign of the Caractingessen Empire. The Gess were attempting to produce a better race than the Inuueliting had with the Ariels, and expected that by choosing more modern Human females as their subjects they would succeed. The Humans were physically enhanced and given a lifespan of nearly two thousand years, and trained in seduction and subversion skills to be used against males from other cultures, especially the Inuueliting. The Succubi were outraged when they discovered what their positions were to be! They fought against their Caractingessen captors, defeated them, and took the planet they were being held on for their own. After the Caractingessen were driven out, the Succubi modified ships, left the planet, and tried to return home to Earth. They found that it was possible to breed with Humans and tried to start families back on their homeworld. The Succubi landed in small groups and slowly attempted to integrate themselves into existing towns or cities in medieval Europe. Many Succubi and their Human mates became frustrated and left Earth, returning to the planet they had taken from the Caractingessen to start again without prejudice. As a gesture of their intent they renamed the planet Eden. Succubi strongly believe in their principles and often refuse to compromise them even in the face of death. Children of a Succubus are Human if male and Succubus if female. Since the males don’t share the lifespan of a Succubus, most take many mates during their lifetime. As a result they don’t have any problems with open sensuality or “free love.” This has led many modern Succubi into positions in both the respectable and disreputable sections of the entertainment industry. Difficult situations often arise when a Succubus finds that the desires or preconceptions of clients don’t match their own principles.

Succubi lose the point of natural armor that ordinary Humans have, but gain winged flight with a movement rate of 75/150/150. These wings cannot be concealed. They also gain the Drop-Dead Gorgeous background. Succubi start with 6 fewer background points than normal Humans.

Minor Species These ten species are the most common and powerful species in the galaxy. They are not by any means the only species — another ten intelligent species are known to live in our galaxy and the closely neighboring ones. Many of them are significantly more alien, and will be detailed in future supplements. That’s no reason that your GM can’t create another species for people to play. The galaxy’s a big place, after all. Introducing another minor species will probably not shift the balance of power significantly. Introducing one with game-breaking abilities, such as shapeshifting or telepathy, will absolutely change the world. Take care before introducing species with abilities that are outside the realm of both current technology and current Lording abilities. Introducing another major species that has been around for a long time will skew the galactic timeline somewhat. They would have to be pretty insular to have stayed out of the half-dozen galaxy-wide wars that have occurred since the Inuuel’s time, and pretty powerful to have avoided being conquered by one empire or another. All of the minor species we plan to introduce later are just that: minor. They have little impact on the setting as a whole, and things will work just fine without them. You can feel free to create your own as well.

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An Ariel warrior waits calmly at a medal presentation on the Armageddon homeworld. An implanted radio transmitter can be seen covering his ear (Ariel, like birds, have very small but sensitive ear-holes). Ariel are completely hairless; the genetic engineering process that took Human cavemen and gave them wings has the side-effect of replacing all hair with feathers. This one has shaven his head-feathers off, but retains one on his weapon.

The Galaxy Today Overview It is Galactic Year 592: five hundred and ninetytwo years after the creation of the Human Empire. It is one hundred and twenty-five years after the fall of that empire. The galaxy passed through a time of great turmoil, with warlords attempting to control parts of the galaxy for themselves, and with few people able to stand up to them.

Cultures and Nations Below we describe the major cultures active in the galaxy in the year 592. When you create a character you should decide what culture he or she grew up in.



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Each major culture has dozens of subcultures, in the same way that the United States has individual towns which make up the “fabric of the nation.” Very few worlds have nations or city-states any more; most people identify themselves with a culture at the system-wide level or larger. Each planet or system is a “state” within the “nation” of the culture. However, The strongest powers which have emerged since with the way the Tesseract drive works, these states the Fall are economic ones: Genetechnologies could be light years away from each other, with Incorporated, Aegis Corporation, and Armageddon many worlds of other cultures inbetween. Industries own entire planets outright, and control many others through puppet governments. Some solar systems have a mix of these cultures, Governmental bodies such as the Coalition of but more often the whole system is devoted to a Sentient Races, the ancient Inuueliting Empire, and single culture. In fact, many cultures are composed the Budetug Core still hold sway, but most cultures of thousands of systems. Remember that even a relaare ruled more by corporation than government. tively small culture can have a huge impact. Ægis’ Open warfare is rare in the galaxy today; economic culture may only cover ten percent of the galaxy, means to an end are much more common. but that’s 100,000 inhabited worlds, with nearly a billion people each! In the reckoning of Old Earth it is the thirty-first century, but no one uses Old Reckoning any more Also included are cultural briefs which contain now that Earth is devastated. The events of the Fall a quick overview of the culture’s most important left it cloud-covered and barren. points, and a list of skills that each culture teaches its children. Newly created characters from these Despite the loss of their beloved homeworld, cultures start with all of these skills at level 5, and Humans have continued to be a strong factor in the may raise them normally during character creation evolution of their galaxy. Some might say that they and afterwards. are more accepted than ever — having tasted the same defeat that so many other Empires did in the past, they are no longer considered young upstarts or usurpers by the galaxy’s other species. Some citizens of the galaxy believe that peace is close at hand, and the recent wars and strife will soon be forgotten. Others look at the webs of interdependency that the galaxy’s cultures have built, and wonder if the whole structure might come tumbling down tomorrow. Both viewpoints have some validity to them. It is up to your characters to tip the balance one way or another. It is a time of hope, and a time of great potential.

Blanket Statements As much as some megacorps would like it, there is no single unified galactic culture. This makes it difficult to talk about the galaxy as a whole. It would certainly be easier to say, “everyone in the galaxy goes to church on Saturday,” but it’s just not true. It’s not even true that the whole galaxy uses one currency. Most planets use the Section (§), but there are lots of maverick worlds out there. Beware blanket statements — there’s always at least one world out there who can prove them wrong.

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In all honesty, GT does a great job of creating an artificial culture. They do such a good job that they rarely need police or enforcement, though people in the know realize that the Ultramercs will show up if something really bad happens. Genetech uses their media image and their culture as recruitment tools, insinuating them into a planet’s existing culture until that planet becomes a Genetech state in fact, if not Genetech often “borrows” things from other yet in name. The treaties to seal the deal will inevicultures to keep itself fresh. Correspondents travel tably follow. the galaxy looking for things that aren’t well known Genetech portrays the Ancient Inuuel culture in GT space. When they find something, it becomes a fad, at least for a short time. A good example might as a rather backwards group who haven’t been able be the sport Cage Wrestling (popular in Armageddon to keep up with the times for millennia. Aegis and space). This could spawn a whole range of possible Arm are simply other states in the galaxy, sometimes fads, from carrying cyberballs around to dressing like allies, sometimes not. The Coalition is portrayed as the players or refs to actually trying to play the game. a threat, but a very small one and not one worth



Unlike the Coalition, Genetech does not care for all of their citizens equally. Those without the money to keep up with fads are very much have-nots in this society. Oh, GT runs some soup kitchens and welfare programs, but mostly for the image of trying to help. The truth is that the have-nots will never be cool, and if you’re not cool in GT space, you’re nothing.

Genetech’s culture is highly media-driven. Everyone talks about the latest and greatest, their favorite icons and idols, what’s happening on the latest soap operas and sitcoms, and what it takes to be part of the in crowd (even if being “in” means acting like you’re “out”). The Board of Directors puts a lot of money into creating new celebrities, and there GT is very good at looking like they don’t do all are entire systems devoted to the creation of movof this. Most Genies don’t realize that they’re being ies. Imagine what a director could do with a whole manipulated, or that GT really manipulates anyone. planet as her set... If anyone does get suspicious, they usually suspect Every day it’s something new — even if that “new” Five Galaxies Information (a media megacorp that is borrowed from another culture, or just something GT works with often), or some sort of false front retro and recycled. And it’s not just one new thing: for which Genetech provides all the material. The it’s one new thing and a thousand variations on it, laws in this culture allow for easy secret control of from a hundred thousand planets and star systems. corporations — there is no such thing as freedom If earring-sized voice-activated computers are in of information unless Genetech decides that people vogue today, there will be a million shapes and sizes need to know something. available before noon. The sad thing is that despite all this variety, it’s all very much the same. Each trend has a thousand unimaginative variants on the same idea. People like a lot of options, even if everything works the same way underneath. Everybody wants their watch personalized, even if it’s all personalized in the exact same way. Sometimes, despite the variety, it’s all rather bland.



How is that influence maintained? From sitcoms to news programs, GT either creates or pays for every image that its citizens see.



Genetech is perhaps the most influential corporation in the galaxy. The culture that has grown up around it is likewise quite influential, and is also exceedingly large: GT has about a third of the galaxy’s population under its influence. Two hundred and ten trillion people, across more than half a million planets.

Genies are universally accepting of genetic manipulation. Having altered DNA is normal, to the extent that anyone who doesn’t have some sort of modification in their family is considered a little strange. Some people from the poorer parts of town actually buy cheap prosthetics to look like they have the more expensive genetic manipulations. If someone were to walk down the street with tentacles instead of arms, it might be a bit unusual, but only because that kind of surgery is expensive. More Genies would do that kind of thing if they had the money.



Genetechnologies, Incorporated

It won’t last, of course, but it does make Genetech’s citizens surprisingly well-educated about the rest of the galaxy’s culture.

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worrying about. The Communal cultures are ignored Weapon Accessibility: Low to Nil (citizens have entirely, while the Budetug Core is made to look no rights to carry weapons) like James Bond style villains — humorous and in- Drug Accessibility: Medium competent, with a touch of danger and insanity. The Punishments: Light, except for crimes against Demons are vilified utterly. the state. Crime Rate: Low for serious crime, high for petty Recently, though, some people on the Board of crimes Directors have grown tired of Genetech’s constant Family Views: GT still subscribes to the old “nuclear battle with the Coalition, and of its universally shalfamily” model — a mother, a father, and low culture. They see the possibility for a greater two children are the ideal. Homosexuality is union, of the return of a Galactic Empire. These accepted, though one of the pair will be expected forward-thinkers are the ones in charge of Project to be notably more masculine, and the other Endeavour. It’s still very much a secret, but it’s an more feminine. Due to excellent contraceptive important one, and it won’t stay secret forever. and disease-control programs, and fast-paced culture, sexual relations are relatively casual, Example subcultures include those who look and sex is an open subject. for some meaning in life beyond the flash that GT Typical Clothing: Most clothes sold in GT space presents, totally media-obsessed planets who can’t are made with optically active fibers, allowing stand to be away from the information flow, the quick changes of color and print. Many also groupie cultures that follow various celebrities, and have electrically controlled semi-rigid fibers that the Renaissance. allow reshaping for the latest fashions. Official Religions: None. Genetech’s fast-changing culture insures that many cults and “fad” religions sweep through the population on a Genetech Pop Cultural Brief monthly basis. Entertainment: As if following the constant deluge Common Names: GT, Genetech of trends wasn’t enough entertainment, there is Citizens are called…: Genies, Rim-dwellers also a massive amount of state-subsidized holoMajor Imports: Clothing, ore, machinery, rare theater entertainment, both on the large and valuables small screens. GT carefully considers and edits Major Exports: Food, genetic engineering everything that its citizens see. knowledge Official Language: Trade Inuuel Genetech Cultural Skills Symbol: An organic molecule with the company name. Which molecule it is changes every day. Government: Genetechnologies teaches its children the skills Capital: Allah System, Sector 52, Risen of Carousing, Persuasion, Style, and Bargaining. Quadrant Governing Body: Board of Directors (appointed) Local Governance: Chief Planetary Officer Exporting Food? (appointed) People’s Voice: Low Exporting food in the sense of actually Region of Greatest Influence: Risen and Chosen growing it and shipping it is a perfectly senQuadrants sible notion on Earth in the 21st century. For Style of Control: Media-based an interstellar culture, it’s a horrible idea. The Technology Levels: cost of taking a starship full of corn across a Computing and Communications: High thousand light-years to another planet is pro Genetic and Biological: Very High hibitive. Military and Civil: Medium Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Low (privately owned broadcast media are illegal) Mobility of Citizenry: Low (difficult to get papers to travel off-world)

GT and the Budetug Core (which also “exports food”) actually sell other cultures the genetic codes for better-quality produce and livestock.

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Example subcultures include some almost independent worlds at the edge of the Coalition, the Unionists who want to reunite the Empire, planets with local legal systems so complicated that you have to grow up there to understand them, pleasure planets, and some “renegade” worlds who ignore the government’s laws and become decadent and opulent.



Unfortunately, the Coalition could stand to take some lessons in public relations from GT, of really any other group in the galaxy besides the Demons. While they are better-liked than the old Empire was, the local Coalition reps tend to one of two extremes:

The Coalition’s most important project right now is one they’re keeping secret from the rest of the galaxy, and even from their own citizens. It’s called the Endeavour project.



Security is relatively tight in the Core. ID cards are required of all citizens and most visitors as well. Neighborhood watch groups are almost ubiquitous, customs officials are careful and thorough, and order is kept through general vigilance. Law and order are important to most core-dwellers, and are promoted not only by punishing wrongdoers, but also by rewarding those who do good and selfless deeds. The Coalition has some of the safest worlds in the galaxy. It also has the greatest number of developed urban centers, since it has fewer planets than Genetech and a roughly equal population.

The Coalition is, as most people are, against the Demons in a big way. They have a more active program of seeking out the Demons than any other group. For Genetech it’s good PR to clean up their old mistakes; for the Coalition it’s a passion. To this end the Coalition trains a lot of mercenaries and bounty hunters, and does a good deal of espionage in the name of finding the Demons. Along the way that espionage steals a lot of technology from other groups, but that’s almost incidental.



Protection and welfare are two huge benefits that core-dwellers get under the Coalition. One of the CSR’s mottoes is “leave no one behind,” and they mean it. As an example, genetic engineering has advanced to the point where it is possible to make weeds that grow in the cracks in the sidewalks that are completely nutritious and give you all the vitamins you need for the day. You could even colorcode them by what species they’re best for. None of the other cultures does this; only the Coalition does. It may not be the best way to survive, but it can be done, and it is done. The Coalition also subsidizes local police departments, militias, and defense fleets, to help protect their worlds and their citizens.



The Coalition of Sentient Races



either they make themselves so likable that people don’t believe they have any real force, or they come on too moral and righteous for most peoples’ tastes. The Coalition has a very for-us-or-against-us stance, and rarely forgives an enemy, especially when it comes to anyone who sides with Genetechnologies Hope. Safety. Basic decency. Rights for all living in any matter. beings. These are what draw people to the Coalition The Coalition and Genetech never really got of Sentient Races. Portraying themselves as the last bastion of hope in a beleaguered galaxy, the along, even when both were part of the Human Coalition seeks to unite everyone in a more peaceful Empire. Genetech was a government-run megacorp, and the Coalition was the Empire’s public house of and cooperative Galactic Empire. representatives... but back then the Coalition was The Coalition is the one major culture which is never allowed any control over GT. The Coalition drawn together more by a government than by a cor- government still sees Genetech as a rogue corporaporation or a species. While there is a certain amount tion who needs to be reigned in and come back to of corporate influence, most of it comes from the the “real” empire, which is a grave underestimation Coalition Engineering Corps (C.E.C.), a government- of GT’s strength. Among the core-dwellers GT is porrun megacorp. Unlike the Empire’s hands off-stance, trayed as the archetypal “evil empire,” though the Coalition has been backing off on this recently. the Coalition’s government is everywhere.

The Coalition Religions The Coalition sponsors four major religions: Judaism, Parism, Gherej, and Kinoism. There are also a handful of smaller religions, which receive far less money per capita than the main religions. There’s no real way to categorize the “lesser” religions - any type can apply to the Coalition Senate for funding, although they may wait years to see results. No religion will receive funding unless it is the official religion of at least one planet, colony, or important space station (1 million adherents, minimum).



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Judaism is virtually the same religion it always has been - if you don’t know too much about it, just read up on it at the library. It has absorbed some Christian and Islamic values over time, so it is somewhat a cross between the three, but the core remains Jewish. The Ten Commandments have survived to this day, and are still relevant to the galaxy and sentient beings as a whole. We leave the exact details of the integration to the GM. Parism is also a combination of religions from Earth: Buddhism and Hinduism. While Judaism came to its current state in a haphazard manner, Parism came to be when leaders of both religions realized that they were dying out in the late 22nd century. Through long deliberation about what should be saved and what not, about what could be brought together and what must be left behind, and most of all, what was good and unique, Parism was born. The GM is encouraged to read up on both these religions and create his or her own melding. Yes, there are Parist monks just like there were Buddhist monks, and yes, there is a creator/preserver/destroyer trinity as there was with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Again, we leave the details up to the GM. Gherej is a religion which originated with the Caractingessen. Simply put, it is the belief in messiahs; extraordinary people who will lead their chosen ones to the chosen land. Gherej priests are more like oracles and scholars than anything else, always attempting to predict when the next major messiah will appear. The interesting thing about their pre-

dictions is that they seem to be correct more often than not. If a Gherej priest tells you that there is something special about someone, you had better believe it. The exact nature of each messiah is different, of course, but certain facets remain the same. The messiah must be selfless, must be strong in the Lording, and must display an almost emotionless face, no matter what happens. More conservative sects only allow for Caractingessen messiahs; others allow for saviors of any species. Kinoism is a religion in which it is believed that coincidence is the ultimate god. Kinoism is a very popular religion, especially among the younger races, such as Humans, Ogres, Mek’hwe’l, and Sa’crontor. It is very close to being a religion about luck, but asking a Kinoist about luck will get you an earful of lecture. Kinoists believe that every coincidence is part of a plan, and that the plan is set forth by one of many different higher beings. Debating which being set forth which plan (and thus, how the plan will end) is the main duty of Kinoist holy men.

Coalition Cultural Brief Common Names: the Coalition, the CSR Citizens are called…: Core-dwellers Major Imports: Food, processed data Major Exports: Rare valuables, starship components Official Language: Trade Inuuel Symbol: Interlocked color rings on a flag, symbolizing strength and unity. Government: Capital: Gilgid System, Core Zero Governing Body: The Coalition Congress (elected) Local Governance: Planetary Governor (elected) People’s Voice: Moderate Region of Greatest Influence: Core and Tertiary Sectors Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement Technology Levels: Computing and Communications: High Genetic and Biological: Medium Military and Civil: High

Ægis Corporation

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Ægis is a very egalitarian society, believing that everyone has equal abilities (if not in the same areas) and equal rights. Their citizens are generally quite articulate when defending their morality, which is how Ægis typically recruits new worlds. Exploitation is almost unheard of in Ægis space, which unfor-



All of this intellectualism, while effective at proThe Coalition teaches its children the skills of ducing the most educated and literate populace in First Aid, Computer Operations, Persuasion, and the galaxy, does have a few small drawbacks. First, Stand Ground. Ægis produces a lot of high-quality leaders but few good followers. There are a lot more thinkers than doers in Ægis space. Second, some of the educational tracks focus on depth instead of breadth, leaving some citizens in overspecialized jobs, unable to change professions.



Many educational tracks require students to participate in study abroad — with “abroad” typically meaning a different culture entirely. Many Ægis researchers are successful because they integrate ideas from across the galaxy. Traveling, seeing new things, and meeting new people are favorite pastimes of the average Ægis citizen. The journey is indeed more important than the destination to Shieldbearers. Ægis schools also receive a lot of students from elsewhere in the galaxy, and the company makes a lot of money that way.



Of all the corporations in the galaxy, Ægis’ Research and Development sector is the best by far. They come up with more inventions each year than the rest of the galaxy combined. Whereas Genetech has fads, Ægis has long-term improvements. This is supported at every level of society: scientists and academics are respected and looked up to in their neighborhoods, schools have many tracks to support those who learn at faster or slower rates, and there is a much longer schooling process than in most cultures. Humans are typically in school until their late 30’s rather than their early 20’s. With other species it varies depending on their lifespan and learning rate. Becoming a legal adult in Ægis space is a longer process than in other cultures.



Every major culture leads the galaxy in one thing or another. For Genetech it’s fashion and genetics. For the Coalition it’s safety. For Arm it’s military hardware. Ægis sets the pace for the galaxy in two areas: morality and advanced science.



Coalition Cultural Skills



Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Low Mobility of Citizenry: Medium Weapon Accessibility: Very Low Drug Accessibility: Very Low Punishments: Strict Crime Rate: Very Low Family Views: The Coalition is very traditional when it comes to family. A family with mother, father, 2.3 children, and some sort of pet is still the ideal, and the most common. Homosexuality is not persecuted by any stretch of imagination, but is not particularly supported either. Most laws have been carefully written to remove any kind of sexual, species, or preference bias. Sex in general is an open subject. Typical Clothing: Bright colors are currently in vogue in the Coalition. Most people emulate Human clothing types, with the usual pants, shirt, and hat. A Coalition city street is a real rainbow of colors. Official Religions: Four religions are currently official faiths within the Coalition: Judaism, Parism, Gherej, and Kinoism. There is no separation of church and state. Other faiths are tolerated, but do not receive official endorsement. The Coalition believes in religion as a way to bring people together. Entertainment: Most Coalition citizens are surprisingly interested in the news, and spend great amounts of time catching up on happenings in their own area and across the galaxy. Music and organized sports are popular, as are interactive, immersive movies.

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tunately means that the corporation misses a lot of Ægis Cultural Brief opportunities as well. Ægis is actually running a bit low on money, though only other megacorps would Common Names: Ægis, the Ivory Tower, the Shield know it. Citizens are called…: Shieldbearers Ægis is also very conscientious about what they Major Imports: Food, machinery, ore, Xenite research. They leave most biological and cybernetic Major Exports: Clothing, processed data, military hardware research to Genetech, because they realize the morOfficial Language: Trade Inuuel al problems inherent in creating life. They prefer to create protective systems than offensive ones (after Symbol: A yellow crescent sunrise with rays, symbolizing the light of knowledge and all, their name is an ancient word for “shield”). Ægis reminiscent of an upturned shield. researchers know that not every area needs to be Government: looked into right away. They prefer to be on the cut Capital: Victor Quadrant ting edge of technology, not the “bleeding edge.” Governing Body: Board of Directors (elected) Recycling is also important to those in Ægis Local Governance: System Supervisor (appointed) space. It may not be as cost-effective as finding new resources, but it sure makes their worlds look nicer, People’s Voice: High and keeps them cleaner for the future. This recycling Region of Greatest Influence: Chosen Quadrant and conservation ethic extends to almost everything Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement used in Ægis space. As a simple example, clothing Technology Levels: here is made to change color and pattern at the Computing and Communications: Very High touch of a button, and can be repaired an almost Genetic and Biological: Low unlimited number of times. If someone’s sick of their Military and Civil: Medium old clothes, they don’t have to buy new ones, just Legal Practices: download new patterns and colors for the current Freedom of Speech: High ones. These clothes eventually made their way into Mobility of Citizenry: Very High GT space, where they’re used to support the daily Weapon Accessibility: Low (armor is high) fads that sweep the outer sectors, but here they’re Drug Accessibility: Medium to Low Punishments: Moderate just plain practical. Crime Rate: Low Something that most people don’t realize about Family Views: Ægis takes a pragmatic view on family life: anything that works for the individuals Ægis is that they have one of the largest intelligence involved is fine by them. Some subcultures put organizations in the galaxy. Most of their work is more or less value on nuclear families; those data analysis from “back home,” but they also have who do value it tend to trace families on the a number of agents in the field. Most exchange mother’s side. Sexuality is not considered a students are agents whether they realize it or not topic for when one has guests over, but is still — when they return, their school reports will be discussed among friends. analyzed carefully for details about other cultures. Typical Clothing: Utilitarian garb is common among Ægis also runs a lot of counter-intelligence, trying to older citizens. Younger and trendier Shieldbearers prevent people from stealing their inventions. This tend towards more rugged and stylized clothes. is a little bit less successful than their informationWhite is the most common clothing color. gathering ventures. Most citizens only have two or three sets of neomorphic clothing instead of buying dozens Example subcultures include ruthless and miliof pants, shirts, cloaks and the like. tant planets, planets which are exceedingly condeOfficial Religions: None. Ægis allows its citizens scending to outsiders (and to other parts of Ægis as religious freedom. well), and those who take the recycling ethic to the Entertainment: Ægis supports the fine arts, and most extreme of recycling or reusing their dead (can you towns have an art gallery of some kind. The say Soylent Green?). gallery typically has tables for board and strategy games, from old standbys like Go and Chess to the flashy new Galactic Domination game. Mass media is primarily nonviolent, though



The company itself works through the good-oldboy network: if you don’t know someone who’s in, you probably won’t get in. This makes Arm space Internal conflict is also seen as a strengthening very difficult to penetrate for outsiders. Getting into measure. Many people walk around armed all the the managerial structure requires more than just time. Pistols are standard. Visible power is very im- connections, it requires years of carefully working portant in Armageddon space. Part of this is due to your way up from position to position. the amount of organized crime, but part is also de-

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Armites are known as fans of rugby, demolition derbies, boxing, and other violent sports. Cage Wrestling (a sort of cyber-powered pro wrestling with jetpacks; no projectile weapons are allowed but anything else goes) is very popular amongst the working class these days. Amateur leagues are common, and participating is a good way to improve one’s status in society, if not one’s health.



When the Human Empire fell many Budetug choose to live in Armageddon space because of the strong worker ethic it espoused. Organization is important to Armites on a large scale, even if they prefer to think that they are in control of their own lives on the local scale. Arm is also home to many Caractingessen because it lets them indulge some of their more violent instincts.

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Conflict is important to Armageddon. The local media is paid to portray other cultures in stereotypical and sometimes racist ways, and naturally most people who grow up watching that media think that way. The standard feeling is that individuals of other cultures may be an exception to the rule, but most are either stuck-up ninnies or somehow inferior. Armite colonists often start conflicts with other colonists, which is one of the ways Armageddon increases its influence base. Armageddon may interact with other galactic cultures for sales purposes, but its citizens are very distrustful of others.



A very rough-and-tumble culture, Armageddon puts a lot more emphasis on immediate results than other cultures in the galaxy. Children have much less schooling than the norm, and are encouraged to pick a useful trade early in life. This makes for a less educated but more active populace. Those who are chosen to become “bosses,” who will climb the societal ladder, are given a few more years of training but are expected to pick up most things on the job. Armageddon is probably one of the most vital cultures around, with the exception of Genetech. Many important positions are held by young people, even if their elders are really the ones pulling the strings.



If Ægis is the intellectual side of the galaxy, then Armageddon is made up of the hicks and the mafia put together.



Armageddon Industries



Those who go through Ægis’ long schooling process will understand History, Research, Military Intelligence, and Computer Operations by the time they are through.

Armites treat cyberware the same way Genies treats biomods and genetic manipulation — it’s expected, and if you don’t have it, you must be some kind of loser. As people grow older they tend to have their cybernetics concealed, but add more of it when they have the money. Because of this the life expectancy in Arm space is just as high as elsewhere in the galaxy, despite the relatively poor medical facilities. Many of the galaxy’s more “lawless” worlds joined up with Arm. Some never had any law to begin with, and on others law never really took hold. Undeveloped frontier worlds are quite common, some with a somewhat “old west” feel. Armites on these worlds are known for taking the law into their own hands, and for the most part Arm’s law enforcement looks the other way when that happens. Punishments can be quite brutal. Whereas GT and Ægis are more political and prefer to push someone out of society or jail them, Arm might have someone assassinated or “cowboyed” (a very public assassination intended to scare people into obeying the laws).



Ægis Cultural Skills



some “reality shows” are the exception (those signed to help keep people’s egos in check. Armites following the police or military in their actions). tend to be very proud of themselves and their abilities, and they have the ego to match.

The “upper crust” of Armageddon society is quite different from the working-class masses. The people who actually run things in Arm space are quite savvy individuals, organized in tight families and afraid of no one. Ruthlessness is a way of life among the families. Everyone here has paid their dues and knows it, so egos clash on a daily basis. You could drop a 1920s Chicago gangster into this society and he’d feel right at home. Armageddon’s biggest problem right now is that it has too many factions working at cross-purposes. The doctrine of internal conflict has gone a bit too far, and many of the families don’t trust each other any more. The company is slowly falling apart at the seams, and needs a strong leader to pull it back together. Example subcultures include the Organization in Broken Quadrant (a solely mob-based subculture), robotics nuts, A.I. fundamentalists, and those who have thrown off the “boss” system and are governing their planets more democratically.



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Armageddon Cultural Brief

Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Medium to low Mobility of Citizenry: High Weapon Accessibility: Very High Drug Accessibility: High Punishments: Severe Crime Rate: Low for petty crimes, High for serious crimes Family Views: Family is very important in Arm space. Most Armites strive to have a strong and cohesive nuclear family. Turning your back on your family is the most horrible thing most Armites can imagine, worse than murder or rape. Families are primarily traced down the father’s side. Sex is almost never discussed seriously, but usually shows up in jokes. Homosexuality is looked down upon. Typical Clothing: For most people, earth tones and greens tend to dominate, with an occasional flash of red. For the bosses, black and white formal clothing is more common, still with the occasional red. Official Religions: Each family has an “official” religion, whether it’s one that is followed in the galaxy as a whole or simply within that family. Entertainment: Cage Wrestling is by far the most common form of entertainment in Armageddon space. It appeals greatly to the masses, and the bosses often wager large sums of money on the champion from their hometown. Gambling, drinking, and carousing are also popular. Hands-on is the keyword for entertainment in Arm space.

Common Names: Arm, the Arm Citizens are called…: Armites Major Imports: Food, clothing, information Major Exports: Ore, machinery, military hardware, antimatter Official Language: Trade Inuuel Symbol: A cluster of asteroids plunging towards the ground. While supposedly a tip of the hat to Armageddon Cultural Skills the asteroid miners who make up the culture’s backbone, the message is clear: “We remember Arm teaches its children the skills of Drive what happened to Earth. Screw with us and Truck, Martial Arts: Offensive, Interpret Sensors, and you’ll get the same.” Carousing. Government: Capital: Risen Quadrant Governing Body: The Thousand Families (hereditary) Local Governance: Boss (mostly hereditary) People’s Voice: Medium Region of Greatest Influence: Risen and Broken Quadrants Style of Control: Social pressure and enforcement Technology Levels: Computing and Communications: Medium Genetic and Biological: Low Military and Civil: HIgh

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Many things are sacred to the ancient Inuueliting, the most sacred being the Pool of Radiance. Without this ancient lording artifact, this culture would fall apart overnight. It is this pool which turns other kinds of Inuuel into Platinum Inuueliting, the rulers of their society. Platinums are very rare — not everyone is changed by the Pool, and not everyone survives. Family lines are traced from the last Platinum to arise, rather than from the father’s or mother’s side. Each enclave of this culture which lives away from the homeworlds has a sacred place which it treats The Inuuel traditionalists are ruled by the Galactic as sort of a surrogate Pool — some have a glade of Emperor, always a Platinum Inuueliting. After all, trees, some use natural hot springs, and so forth. they will tell you, the Inuuel Empire was never really defeated — it just grew smaller. The Emperor, One Inuueliting town is shown on page xx, with as benevolent dictator, passes decrees down to the some High Inuuel flying from level to level. Lower noble families of the High Inuuel, who in turn pass castes use the ladders or stairs. their own interpretation of the decrees down to their Gold, Dark, and Silver subjects. Each family has The ancient Inuuel observe many rituals in their its own crests, colors, flags, and eye colors. Infant daily and yearly lives, commemorating the change of Inuueliting receive the Eye-Dyeing Ceremony just seasons, the birth of a child, the ascension of a new after birth, and those who are born with the right Platinum, and other important events. Many of these eye colors for their family often are accorded greater rituals have a Lording aspect to them, and those who importance than other children. can participate at this “deeper” level are often seen as wiser and more complete individuals. Parents care deeply for their children, and take great pains to steep them (some would say “indocAdvancement is difficult in this society. The trinate” them) in the grand traditions of the Inuuel Inuuel are quite long-lived, and a desire for fast peoples. Family lines are traced to the last Platinum advancement is seen as impolite in a culture which Inuueliting to come from this family. No member of values politeness over almost anything. Involvement an Inuuel family is ever ignored or neglected — even in the Inuuel military is the quickest track to respect someone who has failed at everything their parents and social standing in these still-troubled times. expected will not be kicked out of the manor, and Associating with the outside world is necessary to will have food, shelter, and clothing provided at the some extent, to seem worldly and cosmopolitan, but While this culture is small compared to those of Genetech or Armageddon, it is still large enough to hold the Inuueliting homeworlds against any warlords who may come knocking. All told, about ten thousand planets follow this culture, primarily concentrated around the Inuuel homeworlds. The large Xenite deposits on these worlds provide a good portion of the culture’s exports, and Ægis and Genetech are always willing customers.



As mentioned in their species description, the Inuueliting are divided into sub-races. In this culture, these races still serve as the castes they originally represented. The Silvers are workers, Golds are warriors, Darks are sorcerers, and the High and Platinum lead. Always. To defy these ideas is to leave the culture of the ancient Inuueliting.



Born at the same time as the Pool of Radiance, this culture typifies what people think of as the “true” Inuueliting (even though only five percent of the Inuuel in the galaxy follow these ideals).

As you may have guessed, this culture is very slow to react to outside change. After all, it’s been over a million years since the Budetug defeated the Inuuel, and these people still think they have a Galactic Emperor. Fads are almost unknown, and fashion changes so slowly that glaciers look speedy in comparison. Technology is slow to catch on, especially genetic work, and the core worlds are happily “stuck” at inorganic TL 3 and organic TL 1. While media corps such as Five Galaxies Information try to bring new ideas into the ancient Inuuel culture, the attempts are doomed to fail. Tradition and the old ways are far more important to these people than any passing fad.



The Proud and Venerable Inuueliting Star Empire

very least. Only those who really become rebels will be asked to leave, and usually these individualists will be quite happy to go out and explore the galaxy instead of staying home and “stagnating.”

too much outside influence often makes others wonder about one’s virtues and devotion to the Empire.



Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures



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Joining the Inuueliting Empire is possible, though it rarely happens. Marriage is one of the few options available. Aiding the Inuuel military against outside forces will also win some trust and, if you’re lucky, a place at the table. Deep down, the Inuueliting know that if their culture does not accept some outsiders from time to time it will continue to shrink a little bit each year. Some radicals go so far as to make their world a tourist resort where outworlders can come to “see the ancient Inuuel live as they have for millions of years.” They think of it as a sort of passive recruitment, and it works. The idea that there is a “simple life” out there appeals to many people, regardless of species. These newcomers are usually kept on the outside of Inuuel society. Their children or grandchildren may some day be considered real Inuuel. Example subcultures include groups of extreme traditionalists (who eschew tool use as the first Inuuel did, relying solely on the lording to manipulate the world around them), a world with caste roles reversed (for instance, a world with Dark Inuuel as workers and Silvers as mages), those who embrace high technology, xenophobes, and a small but vocal group who believe that the Inuueliting Empire should begin expanding once again. Rumors occasionally surface that members of other species are still kept as slaves on the homeworlds, but these have been unsubstantiated thus far, and the Inuuel Emperor vehemently denies such claims.

Style of Control: Social Pressure Technology Levels: Computing and Communications: Low Genetic and Biological: Low Military and Civil: Low Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Medium (few restrictions, but rarely exercised) Mobility of Citizenry: Low (social pressures) Weapon Accessibility: Medium Drug Accessibility: Low Punishments: Moderate Crime Rate: Very Low Family Views: Family lines are traced to the most recent Platinum Inuuel, rather than along the mother’s or father’s line. Family is very important. Parents who hate each other will suffer in silence in order to help raise their children. Sex is a taboo topic. Typical Clothing: Complex, courtly dress is favored at any sort of social event. More practical garb is worn at work and at home, but even that will have some amount of layering. Light colors and pastels dominate. Jewelry is common, and is often millennia old. Official Religions: Contrary to popular opinion, the ancient Inuuel do not worship their Emperor. There is no official religion for the Empire, though ancestor worship is not uncommon. Entertainment: Courtly intrigue (or gossip about it) is the most common form of entertainment. When that is unavailable, gossip will suffice. Athletic competitions (both physical and Lording-based) are also popular. Genetech-style holo-dramas rarely penetrate this culture.

Inuuel Empire Cultural Brief Inuuel Empire Cultural Skills Common Names: the Inuuel Empire Citizens are called…: the Old Guard, Imperials The Inuuel Empire teaches its children the skills Major Imports: Technology, food of Persuasion, History, Aerobatics (or Climbing Major Exports: Xenite Official Language: High Inuuel. Trade Inuuel is if part of a flightless race), and the Lording skill Complexity. spoken by all. Symbol: A fractal design, its self-repeating nature symbolizing eternity and longevity. Government: Capital: Ll’Anderanth, Tertiary Sector #11 Governing Body: The Great and August Emperor (hereditary) Local Governance: The Platinum Magistrate (appointed) People’s Voice: High Region of Greatest Influence: The Inuueliting Homeworlds























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Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures

The Budetug Core Worlds Collective The defining moment of the Budetug core culture was when the Budetug Empire was defeated by the Caractingessen. At the time, of course, it was one of the most horrific moments in their history. They had just had power wrenched away from them after a long, debilitating siege. In later years, a sort of revisionist view of their whole Empire was embraced.



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Like the ancient Inuuel culture, the Budetug core is a “small” culture, comprised of about ten to fifteen thousand planets. Unlike their longtime foes, the Budetug know that their Empire is dead and gone forever. They have embraced change, even if that change must come in the form of a massive overthrow of the current order. It is this quality that leads so many Budetug to join organizations such as the Renaissance, or to be loyal to the Demons. When they see a situation that needs changing, few Budetug will shy away from changing it. At the same time, this culture is deeply traditional, almost to the extent that the ancient Inuuel are. They believe that change is possible without losing the “inner core” of their species: the importance of family, unity, and innovation. Take, for example, the matter of Budetug children. The Budetug homeworld was high in radioactive materials, leading to many mutations and stillbirths. To this day the Budetug species is more prone to mutation than any other. Any child which was born deformed was killed just after birth, to keep their species “pure.” In modern times the Budetug have rebelled against the “barbaric” habits of their ancestors by learning as much about genetics as possible. Now, instead of killing mutated infants, the Budetug modify their children at a genetic level to “correct” serious problems. Minor mutations, such as differing skin and eye color, are just beginning to gain acceptance. An older tradition thus maintains itself under a newer, better guise. The Budetug loyalists consider the old Inuuel to be somewhat quaint, but totally obsolete, which naturally causes more tension between the two species. Luckily, their cultures are not in close physical proximity. Ironically, the two cultures have had some reason to forge alliances recently, in the downfall

of the corrupt Human Empire. Both cultures were known to support the Demons’ agenda, though for different reasons. Individuality is the center of Budetug upbringing. Budetug children are told, much as children on Earth were, that they can be “whatever they want to be.” There is no talk of predestination or birthright, no such thing as being born into an influential family. Everyone makes their way on their own virtues, at least in theory. Those reared in the Budetug core culture make very good inventors and entrepreneurs. Never satisfied with the way things are, they are always looking for new and innovative ways to do things. Innovation comes in a technological vein with the Budetug as well. They have always been famous for their engineers and scientists, but recently have become more and more well-known for their geneticists. For those who don’t trust Genetech or simply don’t want to work with them, the Budetug are a good place to turn. Their knowledge and skill are nearly on par with GT’s, though it shies away from such things as Ultramercs. The Budetug ruling body is the Core Consensus, an artificial intelligence whose actions are determined by votes cast by every citizen of the Core, every day. Every Loyalist spends about five minutes (often more) looking at the day’s important issues, and choosing their stance on the issue. Their choices — not just simple yes/no answers, but complex paragraphs as well — are sent in via tachyon comunications, and form the basis of the Consensus AI. The Consensus then chooses how the Core will act on a given issue. There have been a few scandals involving code tampering, and many more accusations of the same, but for the most part things run smoothly. Example subcultures include anti-genetics birth traditionalists (most of whom live on high-radiation worlds; these “throwbacks” still kill deformed children), some few who want Budetug empire back, and one planet which is very interested in, some might say fanatical about, using genetics to become immortal (even to the extent of searching after myths and legends).



Communal Cultures



The Budetug Core Worlds Collective teaches its children the skills of Appraisal, Body Development, Grappling, and Basic Engineering.



Budetug Core Cultural Skills

Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures

Most people assume that communal cultures are totally peaceful and defenseless, and once this might have been true. However, the plague of warlords in the past few years gave everyone incentive to shore up their defenses (or get conquered, in which case the warlord built defenses for them!). The Ascripti are very protective of their way of life and don’t want to see their paradises spoiled by outside invaders.

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Ascripti children are raised by the community as a whole, with neighborhoods acting as a sort of extended family. Children in more extreme branches of this culture may not even know who their real parents are, as everyone becomes their aunt or uncle.



While each culture is still quite unique, they share certain facets. Each is based on the idea of shared ownership: no one owns something completely; all property is shared by the community as a whole. This applies to everything from blankets and playing cards to starships. People from these cultures who travel to the rest of the galaxy are often carrying a good deal of their community’s wealth.



While most of the galaxy’s major cultures are ambitious, powerful, and sometimes even vicious, not all of them are that way. Some are content simply to stay out of the way, live life simply, and turn inwards for answers. All across the galaxy are small pockets of communal cultures. While they were each started independently, they are slowly beginning to link together to share resources and knowledge. They are beginning to operate under a common name: the Ascripti, Latin for “members of a community.”



Common Names: the Budetug Core, the Hive Citizens are called…: Budetug Loyalists Major Imports: Organics, rare valuables Major Exports: Genetic knowledge, bioforms, machinery, food Official Language: Trade Inuuel and Traditional Budetug Symbol: The Maze of Circles, which leads to the same center regardless of the path you take. Government: Capital: Portenthar Governing Body: The Core Consensus (a nonrepresentative democracy) Local Governance: Local Consensus (a nonrepresentative democracy) People’s Voice: Overwhelming — the people’s voice is law Region of Greatest Influence: Budetug Homeworlds, Victor Quadrant Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement Technology Levels: Computing and Communications: Medium Genetic and Biological: High Military and Civil: Medium Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Extremely High Mobility of Citizenry: Medium Weapon Accessibility: Medium Drug Accessibility: Low Punishments: Strict, sometimes severe Crime Rate: Moderate Family Views: Budetug children are raised by their community, though they are still taught to revere their parents over others. Children have no say whatsoever in their own lives until their 20th birthday. Typical Clothing: Many Loyalists wear nothing whatsoever, since nature has provided them with a tough exoskeleton. Some wear jewelry, piercings, or other adornments, and others wear functional harnesses when working, but most wear nothing. Official Religions: Tug-ran, sometimes known as the Budetug Worker’s Creed, is the most common philosophy in the Core Worlds Collective. It was once the Core’s official religion, but is not so today. Entertainment: Games of chance and skill are common among the Budetug, as are organized sports. In fact, organized anything is pretty popular. Fantasy sport leagues are particularly

common among those who must live away from the homeworlds. The more wealthy Budetug sometimes enjoy hunting, and sections of Portenthar have been set aside for this. Some outsiders see the Consensus as entertainment; the Budetug see it as civic duty instead.



Budetug Core Cultural Brief

Trying to attack a commune is like getting between a mother bear and its cubs. The Communal cultures are strongest in the rim of the galaxy, away from the worst conflicts between other groups. That suits most other cultures just fine — they don’t want their own people getting “contaminated” by Ascripti ideals, or running off to join the communes. On the surface many communes seem poor and undereducated, which makes many people look down on them. In truth, most Ascripti are spiritualists, caring more about nature and its cycles than about book learning.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy, many of these cultures harbor fugitive Demons. The Demons’ belief systems mesh well with those of the Ascripti — freedom, peace, and self-governance are very important to them. A small number of communal cultures were actually started by Demons, as a backlash against GT’s overly consumer-oriented culture. Surprisingly, a good number of communal cultures were started by the Caractingessen. Most of the galaxy’s species are well-represented.



Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures



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One of the most important things in communal cultures is that everyone works. No one can afford to just sit back and have someone else do it for them, and even the most reticent get pressed into labor eventually. The communes are typically run on a local basis by a council of elders, who take everyone’s work and distribute the benefits to all the citizens. Corruption is a danger, but most people watch out for any signs that someone might be playing favorites.

This culture is one of the smaller ones in the galaxy because its enclaves tend to be a little more vulnerable to attack. Some get subsumed by other cultures, some get wiped out because they’re harboring Demons, but most keep a low profile and get along well. Good relationships with their neighbors are very important to the health of Ascripti enclaves. Example subcultures include strict isolationists who allow no outsiders onto their planets, consolationists who believe that the communes should adopt more of the outside world’s culture, and extremely low-tech worlds which have no computer network, little electric power, and may go for dozens of years without seeing a starship. It is important to remember that this culture has more variation than most others, and every Communal planet is its own unique subculture.

Communal Cultural Brief Common Names: Communes Citizens are called…: Ascripti Major Imports: few Major Exports: few Official Language: Trade Inuuel Symbol: The Ascripti use a circular twisted rope, green and blue for simplicity and unity. Other Communal cultures have their own symbols. Government: Capital: n/a Governing Body: loose organization; no central government Local Governance: Council of Elders People’s Voice: Very strong Region of Greatest Influence: Rim sectors Style of Control: varies, typically social pressure with some enforcement. Technology Levels: Computing and Communications: Medium Genetic and Biological: Medium Military and Civil: Medium Legal Practices: Freedom of Speech: Extremely High Mobility of Citizenry: Low (little opportunity) Weapon Accessibility: Low Drug Accessibility: Medium for natural substances, Low to nil for manufactured Punishments: Ostracism and banishment are common for severe offenses. Crime Rate: Moderate Family Views: Children in most communal cultures are raised by their parents in a sort of extended nuclear family — some “aunts” and “uncles” are really friends of the family instead of actual relations. Children are valued above all else. Sexuality is typically discussed only with close friends. Typical Clothing: Plain and simple clothing are common. There is a certain beauty to this simplicity, but none of the flashy appeal that some other cultures have. Official Religions: Some communes have official religions, while others outlaw public religion entirely. This is one of the issues preventing the many disparate communal cultures from binding more tightly together. The Coalition religions tend to be popular among Communal cultures. Entertainment: Unlike many other cultures, the Ascripti haven’t lost the value of a good

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The Caract culture is also a distributed one. There is no center or core to the culture, no leader All this makes for a very volatile society. It or ruling body. It is a galaxy-spanning part of the also helps explain why the Caractingessen Empire Caractingessen genome. died with their emperor. The few remaining Caractingessen-only cultures are on worlds domiCaractingessen are very power-oriented, and are nated by very strong warlords, and run like police especially concerned with physical and personal states. power. The personal control of a dozen troops is seen as more important than acting as an admiral for For the most part, the Caractingessen are mixed a thousand starships but never actually commanding in with the rest of galactic culture, and adopt the them. Physical strength, and strength in the Lording, conventions of the culture they’re surrounded by. A will be the first factors in determining whether one Gess in Ægis space will probably believe in the equal Caract will defer to another. If two Caracts meet and rights of all people, be silently observant, and act it’s not immediately clear which one is the stronger quite cultured and refined... except when it comes to party, they will typically fight for dominance. Most of other Gess. Then their dealings return to the primal those who live among other cultures retain enough dominance struggles of a titanic, powerful species. It sense that they will take the fight into the air, so as can be a very frightening transformation to see. not to harm their friends or call down the wrath of the authorities. Because of its spread-out and instinctual nature, there are practically no major subcultures within the Male Caractingessen tend to be stronger than Caractingessen species culture. the females (not excessively stronger, but noticeably), so males have more power in their society. Females have to fight for respect from their male friends, sometimes literally, and losing can mean



Being quite territorial, they rarely form enclaves of their own species. Caractingessen are more often found living within other cultures, and their own culture only comes to the fore in dealings with their own species. Caracts don’t really respect the laws of other cultures, but they do respect the power behind those laws. Laws are made by those with power, and if those in power can’t enforce their laws, they must not have as much power as they think. When someone loses power, it’s perfectly okay to ignore their laws. If a Gess sees a chance to gain power, but it involves breaking a law, most won’t hesitate to break that law. They can be quite destructive to communal cultures, where the idea of having power over someone else is abhorrent.



Unlike the Ancient Inuuel and Budetug Core cultures, the Caractingessen culture is shared by nearly every Gess in the galaxy. Much of it is an inborn response, an instinctive culture rather than a learned or chosen one. Occasionally some Gess do wean themselves away from this culture and join others, but they’ll always fit into this one regardless of how “civilized” they become.



The Caractingessen culture is patriarchal in the Most Communal cultures teach their children extreme. Most don’t even care who their mother is. the skills of Cooking, Persuasion, Bargaining, and Being hatched from eggs, baby Gess don’t require as Observation. much motherly attention as, for example, Human or Inuuel babies.

Caractingessen Species Culture



Communal Cultural Skills

a permanent loss of respect. This is part of why female Caracts attempt to kill the males after mating — it’s one of the only ways they can gain power and respect in their society. Sadly, the double-standard continues, and females who do kill their males are given a “black widow” reputation. Only the daring or foolish will try to befriend them or mate with them.



conversation. Visiting with family and friends is the most common form of entertainment. Most entertainment is passive (movies, conversation, reading) because the daily work in a communal culture is so hard on the body.

Caractingessen Species Cultural Brief

Caractingessen Species Skills

All Caractingessen children can learn these skills, though they do it at the expense of the skills they would normally be taught in their larger culCommon Names: n/a Citizens are called…: Caractingessen (Caracts, ture: Aerobatics, Martial Arts: Offensive, the Lording skill Magnitude, and the Lording talent Flame Gess) Generation. Caractingessen characters may swap Major Imports: n/a any of their normal cultural skills for any of these Major Exports: n/a skills at character creation. Official Language: n/a Symbol: n/a, though some Caracts use their Empire’s flag, with one green clawed fist raised in victory. Government: Capital: Necrontor Governing Body: n/a If none of the major cultures appeal to you, you Local Governance: “Governed” by strongest should talk to your Game Master. There are thouindividual sands of minor cultures in the galaxy, some of which People’s Voice: Low to none. are very different from the norm. Your GM may alRegion of Greatest Influence: Caract homeworlds low you to invent one of these minor cultures and Style of Control: Enforced whims play someone from it, as long as you describe it well Technology Levels: n/a enough, or your GM may even have some minor Legal Practices: cultures already created for you to use. Freedom of Speech: Low to nil Mobility of Citizenry: n/a In game terms, the minor cultures should give Weapon Accessibility: n/a a selection of four different skills, each at level 5. Drug Accessibility: n/a These skills should say a lot about the culture, so Punishments: Harsh Crime Rate: High in-culture, moderate when choose them carefully. Any reasonably successful culture should teach its children basic social skills. dealing with others. Family Views: Caractingessen mating is quite Warlike cultures should include some sort of combat violent. Children are typically left to fend for training. Highly legalistic societies should teach Law or Bureaucracy, and so forth. Lording-oriented socithemselves. Typical Clothing: Most Caracts wear little to eties might teach some kind of spell or power to their nothing, but some drape themselves in cloth children, but it had better be important and useful if with particular styles, to indicate what larger literally everyone from a certain planet knows how to do it. culture they are a part of. Official Religions: Gherej comes closest to being an If a culture isn’t large or strong enough to warrant official religion. Entertainment: Most Gess participate in whatever these skills, you might consider creating a custom entertainment their larger culture endorses. They Walk of Life (see page xx) instead. These work better tend to enjoy the more violent ones. Opera is for organizations, corporations, and localities than for cultures, but they can be used in that way as also a major draw. well.



Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures



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Minor Cultures

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In this excerpt from the Caractingessen opera Dakath M’conak (Thunder’s Dance), we see the villain about to eviscerate Shernaia, the female lead. The opera’s protagonist, Dakath’min (Thunder-son in their language) swoops towards them in an attempt to rescue Shernaia (the feminine version of Shernak, one of the earliest known Caractingessen messiahs). This being opera, he does not succeed, and there are dire consequences for all involved as Dakath’min loses his mind in anguish. There are indications that the gender roles were originally reversed in the first version of this opera, written some three million years ago, but despite excellent record-keeping this is hard to verify. Dakath M’conak is considered one of the finest Caractingessen operas, indicative of their culture as a whole. The actress playing Shernaia is not actually eviscerated during the performance, contrary to popular rumor.

Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures

Budetug: The Bugs are just as diligent and hardworking in their love lives as in their professional lives. They will never leave a relationship until all hope of making it work out is gone. There are almost no Budetug crossbreeds — much like the Halla, the Budetug have a habit of keeping their racial lines This section fills in some of the smaller details pure. about life in our galaxy in 592. The broad picture has Caractingessen: The Gess are a very violent already been painted; now it’s time for some of the race. It’s predictable that their relationships with more day-to-day details. each other are often violent as well. Caractingessen mating rituals are best conducted in wide open places away from major population centers, to minimize damage to local life forms. One final word of caution to Great Caractingessen players: as often as not, the female attempts to kill the male after the Let’s face it... they’re not human. They don’t ritual is finished. If this does not happen, the two are always act the same way you or I would. Aliens do considered to be mated for life. Serpentine Gess are things differently from the accepted human norm, a bit more reasonable, but that doesn’t mean it never and that includes their friendships, relationships and happens. romances. Some of them are funny, some interesting, some just plain strange. Some of them have ways of Halla: The Halla are much like humans in their relating to each other that we, as Humans, simply relationships. The only exception is that they take a don’t have words for. dim view of crossbreeds. No, that’s an understate-

Filling in the Details



Valence Main Rulebook: More Setting

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Love in the 31st Century

ment: any Halla who tries to marry someone of It is important to note that these are not hard another race is excommunicated from the race. They and strict rules; they are only racial tendencies, and have spent a long time keeping their bloodline pure, as such are not necessarily true for all members of and mixing it with other races is simply abhorrent. a particular species. Your culture has just as big an impact as your species when it comes to love. Humans: Other than an increase in interracial marriages, little has changed in the way humans reArchangels: Archangels are often in long-term, late to one another. After all, how much does it matlong-distance relationships. Though they may stay ter that your kid is dating someone whose skin looks together for thousands of years, the words “until different? It’s not like she’s dating the 12-legged guy death do us part” will rarely cross their lips. After all, next door. By the same token, Human/Inuueliting “married for life” could really mean forever. marriages are comparatively common. As the defenders of all good and right, Archangels tend to be hopeless romantics. Just as this is usually concealed beneath their warlike exterior, so too is another form hidden beneath their imposing, armored skin. All Archangels, upon coming of age, instinctively learn a special Lording unique to the Archangel. When this power is activated, the armor slowly becomes transparent, and within five minutes is completely gone, its molecules scattered about the Archangel. This reveals the Archangel’s true form, that of a stunningly beautiful humanoid, devoid of any facial features. For the Archangel to assume this form in front of anyone is a show of the utmost trust, for the Archangel is then deprived of all natural weapons and may not utilize any other Lordings until the armor is again donned, a process which takes another five minutes.

Inuueliting: Inuuel have particularly delicate and sensitive hands. Because of this, they tend to place great importance on the hands. Holding hands is considered far more serious and pleasurable than the strange human custom of kissing (or lip-mashing as some of the Silvers call it). Relationships are strictly split down caste lines — a Gold Inuuel will almost always end up with another Gold Inuuel. There are, however, a good number of Human/Inuuel marriages. Each side sees the other as an exotic attraction. Nesti: Being plant life themselves, Nesti have a soft spot for flowers of all types. When a Nesti is in bloom, they might welcome advances from other Nesti. When not in bloom, there’s just no chance. This often leads to relationships of such short term that they may not outlast the day, but sometimes the

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For any law to deal with ethnic, racial, and cultural groups is very difficult. Defining such a group is like asking to get shot. There is, of course, the Murder falls into this category. When you kill possibility of letting a group define itself, but parsing someone, you have taken away their ability to supthat into legal terms can be touchy too. port themselves and others. Ditto for such things as blinding someone, chopping off body parts, etc. — A different way to do things is to define certain the more you impair, the worse things are. Temporary protocols that apply to “social groups,” and a way for impairments (e.g. getting mugged) are not as serious, those groups to register with a central authority. Then



In all the cultures on Earth and elsewhere, producing for the community and for one’s self was important. Whether that meant spiritual contributions or monetary, one must be able to support oneself and help support the community. Crimes against this were the most serious.



Cultures and the Common Law



Making laws that apply to everyone is equally hard. When you have thousands of cultures, with their own mores and values, legality is difficult to define. Trying to tie together ten or more intelligent species, each with their own subcultures and hundreds of religions, would be a nightmare if the Empire wrote the same kinds of laws that most governments today do. The Empire probably took one look at the old Inuueliting law archives (known as the planet of Moruush) and said “I won’t live long enough to read through that.” Instead of confining themselves to Valorians: Valorians have some of the best specific laws, the Empire wrote sweeping principles senses around due to their sensory antennae. It’s and relied on local magistrates to interpret it all. little surprise, then, that Valorians find it terribly stimulating to entwine their antennae with those of The Human Empire very effective organization, another Valorian. Non-Valorians always find this a sometimes frighteningly effective. They might have strange sight... wouldn’t you? Vals are usually more done some pretty heavy-handed stuff, and some attracted to someone for their voice than what they very shadowy deals, but what they did worked. look like. A first date usually involves a concert or Common Law was based on a few principles that the opera instead of a movie. were common to all species. The most important are as follows.



Mull that over for a minute while we talk about Common Law.



Despite their similarities, Trolls and Titans are two different species, and are very different when it comes to having children. Titans and Draconians bear their children in the same way that Humans, Halla, and Inuueliting do (though their pregnancies are a bit shorter due to their shorter lifespan). Trolls, on the other hand, are asexual. They reproduce by rubbing their backs together. In a few months, a bulge will form in the back of one partner, making them appear to be a hunchback — that Troll is pregnant. There are occasionally Titan or Draconian crossbreeds, but Trolls cannot have children with anyone but other trolls.



When you apply this idea to nations of people, you get a strange phenomenon: nations are no longer necessarily connected to their homeland. Imagine if Chinatown in San Francisco was actually a legal part of China! Likewise, the American part of Beijing (if such exists) might be a part of the US. A nation could be spread across Earth — or, in Valence, across the stars — instead of localized in one particular continent or land mass.



Ogres: Contrary to popular opinion, Ogres do not go out and club their mates, dragging them home. However, the tradition of the “lover’s chase” permeates Ogre culture. One of the pair will attempt to chase down the other. If the target of this wonderful affection refuses to run, they have effectively refused to get married. If the chase goes on, the chances are good that no matter who wins there will be children in the future.



each group can keep a roster of members, deciding for themselves whether (for example) someone is really a Navajo or not, and whether it’s a matter of blood relations or marriage or whatever.



pair find enough in common to stay together for a few years. Nesti children are born by budding — a small “shoot” grows on each parent and eventually breaks off on its own.

because they only delay the contribution; they don’t Appearing approximately one year after the permanently reduce your ability to do so. fall of the Empire, AT came out of nowhere. Riding Genetech’s coattails, they originally seemed to be a Personal freedom is also a big deal to many division of that corporation. Everyone knows better species — not as in freedom to go anywhere and in 592, though there are always rumors. Where GT do anything, but as in control over what happens to won a legal battle, AT capitalized. When GT bought you. Impairing someone’s control over themselves a planet, AT sold them ships. When GT caught flack is a crime. Rape falls under this umbrella, as do about the Demons, AT said that their ships would many other acts of brutality and which (technically) obviously never do such a thing. AT achieved promiwouldn’t prevent you from producing for yourself or nence this way and then cut themselves off from GT the community. This also leads to the idea of self- when they had a large enough client base. AT seems governance: that all the individual tribes could gov- to have little interest in buying out and incorporatern themselves however they pleased, as long as (a) ing other companies. Instead, they undercut their they let people leave whenever they want, (b) they competition’s prices and run them into the ground. were up-front about what the requirements are to Genetech doesn’t care about Astrotech as long as AT join, and (c) they respect the rights of other tribes. keeps selling them ships.



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So let’s be honest — the Common Law was probFive Galaxies Information ably a clever way for the Empire to enforce their own idea of morality on the galaxy in general. However, Not big enough to qualify as a true megacorp, it was probably also an effective set of laws that FGI is still a galaxy-wide organization with plenty could apply to almost anyone of any culture. of clout. They provide about 50% of the galaxy’s These days, of course, everyone has said “we can media, from news to sitcoms to talk shows. Their do better” and ignored the old Common Law when it obvious weakness is local coverage, but a less suited them. While the Coalition and GT still operate obvious one is the lack of a true “galactic culture.” by it for the most part, they can’t resist adding their While they are able to dominate the market of many planets on a one-by-one basis, they simply do not own stipulations, manipulations, and loopholes. (and, at the current time, cannot) appeal to everyone in the galaxy. FGI’s main hold is in Coalition- and GT-dominated space, where the gigantic governments help to homogenize the population and their values. Their main customers (those who buy advertising time) Not every corporation has a strong enough ethic are other megacorps, with the microcorps primaror enough force of “personality” to create a culture ily going with smaller media companies. Despite around itself. Some are simply large money-making their name, FGI has no influence outside our own entities. Here are three of the more important ones: galaxy.

Important Corporations

Astrotech

Among FGI’s most popular programs are such shows as No-Delay News (a galaxy-wide current events program), Life On My Planet (a sitcom), Andromedan Dreams (a soap opera), and The CG Hour (a cartoon with characters so realistic it might be hard to tell). FGI employs some of the galaxy’s best-known and most talented actors, but every show is nonetheless touched up by on-the-fly computer editing.

Astrotech is known for cut-rate, reliable, serviceable, bland starships. They also sell components for starships which are compatible with the ships made by the Coalition and Pëmct Starflight Constructions. These components are also cut-rate, reliable, serviceable, and bland. All AT products bear their logo on a plate (which can be removed with the proper tools). AT produces approximately 54% of FGI has a strong partnership with Intersoft, the the starships in the galaxy, with the Coalition next at galaxy’s premier computer manufacturer, and has 24% and Pëmct contributing 10%. The remaining no corporate enemies that could challenge it on a 12% is from smaller independent companies. galactic scale. Part of the reason for that is that all



the megacorps are willing to help out FGI behind the scenes in return for some free publicity.

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2. Value your friends — teach them to think on their feet, and they will return the favor. Fairness is for your friends, not your enemies.

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1. The use of direct force is evil. This can apply to both physical and social situations.



Most non-Sa’crontor see Sa’cherin as an excuse to pull practical jokes. There’s really more to it than that, and it runs deeper, providing a subtext for all traditional Sa’crontor life. Modern Sa’cherin boils down to four basic principles:



Of course, anyone brave enough to visit the Sa’crontor homeworld is fair game.



This religion took a real nosedive when the Sa’crontor encountered the rest of the galaxy, who didn’t always appreciate being used as trick practice. Most Sa’crontor quickly learned to take a more philosophical and pragmatic approach to their religion when off their homeworld.



Intersoft is known not only for its ubiquitous products (after all, nearly everyone buys a computer, and nearly all computers are Intersoft-made), but for high quality. About half of Intersoft’s impressive staff are beta testers: in-house professionals paid to crash computers until they are built to be uncrashable. With Intersoft’s connections to both the Coalition and Ægis, supplying battle computers that don’t crash is extremely important. Intersoft also has a non-competition agreement with Armageddon Industries, stating that Arm has the rights to embedded processors while Intersoft will sell home computers and mainframes. Neither party takes the agreement too seriously, and they try to keep up an appearance of competition for those outside the industry, but neither one cuts into the other’s profits.



The Sa’crontor, as mentioned earlier, have historically followed a trickster religion. They say that the first truly sentient Sa’crontor taught the rest of them how to play tricks on the many predators who roamed their world, letting the Sa’crontor survive to the present. Rather than relying on physical strength, Lording, or planning, the Sa’crontor relied on underhandedness and traps.

Of all the religions in the galaxy, this one is the easiest to misunderstand.



NI fell on hard times early, as the bigger-name companies in Intersoft received larger projects from other megacorps. The final death knell of NI came all too soon, when the Coalition awarded Intersoft the job of supplying computers for all government facilities and starships. Reduced to half of their market, the corporations in NI broke apart and can now only be found as “niche” brands.

Sa’cherin



Besides the major religions in the galaxy (see the Coalition section in the major culture writeups), there are any number of “minor” cults and spinoff religions. A few examples are given below. We distinguish cults from religions primarily by size, but also by their distance from other religions.



Intersoft is the result of the merger of half a dozen computer giants in GY 545. These companies saw their profits disappearing as more powerful, better-known corps like Armageddon Industries. moved in on their turf. The merger was not seen as the best alternative for many of the companies originally involved in it — after all, they had been traditional rivals for years, and having to settle for a lesser vote on a larger company board didn’t sit well with everyone. Some companies broke off from the fledgling Intersoft conglomerate and formed their own megacorporation, Nanocomputing Industries.



Most people don’t know that FGI will just as readily take money to stop a commercial from runReligion is an exceptionally strong force, one ning as they will to run it. The megacorps use this to which can bring nations together and tear them ensure that no bad press gets out about them. apart. No discussion of the current state of the Galaxy would be complete without an examination of its religions. Intersoft



Cults and Minor Religions

3. Honor those whose craftiness and skill exceeds It should be stressed that most branches of the your own. FCCD don’t think this way, and many of those who do simply preach that mages should be convinced to 4. Be ready to adapt to all things. mend their ways, and should reject their foul powers. More ignorant cults believe that all mages could It is important to remember that not all Sa’crontor become Duelists if only they tried hard enough follow Sa’cherin. The major religions have their share (which is false; Duelists are born, not made). of followers among the Sa’crontor as well. The worst branches of the FCCD preach that all mages must be destroyed. These are often led by an The First Church of Christ Duelistic insane or power-hungry Duelist. While these cults are a minority, they are always in the news. They’re Founded in GY –45 by a group of Human revi- what most people think of when they think of the sionist scholars, the FCCD believes that Jesus Christ FCCD. Shutting down the whole church would be was a Duelist (see page xx). a waste of time and effort — they do a lot of good. However, any mage might eventually run afoul of It’s not that strange of an idea — Duelists can the worse cults. This can make for a good adventure heal and create matter, both of which Christ was hook, or a good long-term enemy for an Archmage said to have done. The FCCD doesn’t deny the idea character. Conversely, it can make for a good ally or that Jesus was the son of God. Instead, they believe contact for any Duelist. that all Duelists are holy. This wouldn’t be such a problem if there weren’t so many splinter cults from The FCCD is made up primarily of Humans, the FCCD who vilify ordinary Lording. After all, if Budetug, Ogres, and Valorians, with some other Duelists are from God, then archmagi, who follow a low-Lording species. different set of rules, must be from Satan.



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The New Papists

Holy Books in Valence Each religion has its own set of holy writings and scrolls. Here are a few to add flavor to your game. Mulunism is a religion described in the Starbound supplement; it is large enough to be considered major but is not as big as the others.

Major Religions

Another cult religion, but significantly worse than most others. A straight line can be drawn from the KKK in modern times to the New Papists in 592. They are human supremacists. Not even Ariel or Succubi are allowed in — they are tainted by their “association” with other species. The New Papists especially hate Demons and crossbreeds, and will go to almost any length to kill them or drive them out. Non-humans are treated with total intolerance.

Gherej: Book of the Prophet Olan Shanok Judaeism: The New Torah Kinosim: Words from the Spirits Mulunism: The Long Land Parism: Tao of the Stars

To the Coalition’s chagrin, the New Papists are primarily located within the Core, on Human-dominated worlds. They take their name from their leader, Pope Joseph, who declared himself such when the Pope on Earth was killed during the Fall.

Cults and Minor Religions

The New Papists are vicious, but luckily have little support. They sometimes work with other human supremacist groups. They would make an excellent long-term enemy for any Ultramerc, crossbreed, or Demon character.

Elementalism: Book of Four FCCD: Book of Secret Worlds New Papists: Rise and Fall Sa’cherin: The Tasesh Tüg-ran: the Contact

Tüg-ran revolves around “The Contract,” a relatively short document (as holy books go) which describes the proper relationship of worker to overThis cult started as an anti-scientific reactionary seer. Most of The Contract can be followed without group. Believing all of today’s science to be unin- any agreement or even knowledge on the overseer’s spired and boring, they promised to found a new part. and more interesting approach based on the four traditional elements: air, fire, earth, and water. Some of the more important “provisions” The



Contract makes for its adherents include the followIn this, they largely failed. Their approach was ing: simply not up to explaining things like quantum physics and relativity — after all, it was overthrown • Whatever work you are made to do, your mind during the Renaissance on Earth. In time some is your own. Someone who asks you your mind people turned away from this path, and the philosomust receive whatever you are willing to give. phy became all the more entrenched in those who stayed, until it reached the cult status it holds today. • When you are under agreement to perform a job, you will perform it, without exception and The Elementalists venerate the four elements, and without complaint. those from each of the homeworlds who originally discovered them. They have ceremonies four times a • Insuring safety is the job of the worker; but the year, each one held for a certain element: air in the overseer must aid in this or provide for himself. winter, water in spring, fire in summer, and earth in autumn. These ceremonies generally involve chant- • Mistreatment need not be endured; the longer it ing, rituals, prayers, and (when possible) gathering is endured, the larger the debt you may collect. near a large amount of the element. Ceremonies are always held outside. Many Budetug historians say that it was this



Elementalists

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The primary reason Tüg-ran was created was to keep Budetug culture alive while the Inuueliting continued to enslave and “integrate” them. Since then it has been taken up by business-minded, nononsense members of other species as a model for doing business. In some places it’s a very eye-for-aneye philosophy.



This philosophy started amongst Budetug slaves after the first Inuuel/Budetug wars, 50 million years ago. A surprising number of Budetug around the galaxy still follow this straightforward code, and it is often known as the “Budetug Worker’s Creed.”



Tüg-ran



last provision which sparked the second and third It turns out that each of the species (except the Inuuel-Budetug wars. Archangels and Ogres) have, at one point, held an elemental belief. The cult often uses this fact as leverage to recruit new members. In general this cult is not particularly harmful, though many of its members reject as much modern technology as they can. The only reason it is classified as a cult and not a full religion is that it has few constituents. Most of its followers are from Broken Sector.

Quality Entertainment What is there to do for fun in 592?



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The traditional draws of nightlife, clubs, bars, and dance halls haven’t faded. If you’re looking for dinner and a movie, you can still find it. The movie may be holographic/immersive, but it’s still just a movie. For those interested in something a bit more sophisticated, try hanging around near an Inuueliting royal court. It’s great entertainment if you can get yourself invited.

Hallan writings and stories are famous galaxywide. The best known cover dozens of generations of a family, chronicling both the everyday and the extraordinary. The commentary written in the margins is, in some ways, more important than the book, making each copy unique and special. Humans make most of the galaxy’s movies and films, synthesizing many different art forms into one. Acting, writing, music, and computer effects in one production — Humans seem to be good at bringing these all together. The Inuueliting are known for their epic poetry. Nothing is written small in these stories. Every problem is world-shaking, every emotion is overwhelming, and it all fits together into something very moving. The old alliance of Humans, Inuuel, and Caracts is still alive and well in the entertainment business, as the Inuuel write operas, Humans produce them, and Caractingessen act in them.

Card and video games are still around, as are RPGs. Adventure cruises are becoming more popular for those who have the money. You get taken on board a cruise ship or starliner, given your “identity for the weekend,” and see how things play out — sort of a three-day-long dinner murder mystery. If you’re totally bored, you can always look through the Lattice and find out how many web sites there One of the most bizarre art forms in existence are about, for instance, dog hair. is Nesti architecture. The original Nesti buildings were made out of the remains of their ancestors, and In general, entertainment in 592 is no more the newer ones still look that way, with intertwined risqué or violent than in modern times. It was more vines everywhere and a very organic feel. Nesti arso until the 200’s, but since then things have quieted chitects often contract out to Budetug sculptors who down. Back then there were more direct-neural-link can render their visions in stone. dramas; with interface jacks universally shunned these days, there’s little call for such totally immerOgres enjoy painting. They put a lot of visceral sive psychodramas. emotion into it, which comes out quite clearly in the final product. Despite their low Creativity index, We’ve talked about cultural preferences ear- Ogres are more than capable of making emotional lier in the book. Each species is known for its own and unique paintings. contributions to the art world. While every species dabbles in every sort of art, some species are better The Sa’crontor make the galaxy’s best-known known for their contributions to certain art forms. clothing, at least for those brave enough to wear it. Much of it is quite slinky and sheer. The Archangels are known for their murals. Many of their ancient buildings bear the history of Valorians are known for their music, which is their species since ancient times, painted across the complex, precise, and moving. Having four tentacles walls, and the art form is still popular. make them capable of playing some rather odd inThe stone-loving Budetug are known for carvings and sculpture. From carved doorways to freestanding statues, the Budetug use the most common materials in their homes to make those homes more beautiful. The Caractingessen have the best-known operas across the galaxy. Drama and violence seem to come naturally to this species, and their lung capacity makes singing easy. See page xx for a picture.

struments!

3.1 million BC: Inuuel contact and subjugate the What follows is a brief timeline history of the Budetug Milky Way from its earliest days, when even the Inuueliting were still banging rocks together to make 3 million BC: The Inuueliting attempt to subjugate fire. the Nesti homeworld and are crushed.



3.5 million BC: The Nesti evolve to sentience — first of the “Young Races.”



A Timeline History of the Galaxy

Middle Age of the Galaxy



Elder Age of the Galaxy

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4 million BC: Official end of the “elder age” of the 720,000 BC: The Sa’crontor create a Tesseract drive galaxy. and immediately join galactic culture.



900,000 BC: the Ogres evolve to sentience.



Young Age of the Galaxy



4.1 million BC: Valorian mathematicians discover the principles behind Tesseracts, but never build one.



3 million BC: The flourishing civilization of the Archangels is discovered. Inuueliting-Archangel war, Inuuel suffer their second major defeat. 10 million BC: The Inuueliting evolve to sentience on their homeworld Ll’Anderanth. In their oldest 3 million BC: The Budetug create their first Tesseract form they are arboreal and winged. drives independently of the Inuueliting. First Budetug-Inuueliting war. 7 million BC: the Inuueliting discover the Lording. Their physical form evolves into its present state 2.9 million BC: The Halla create their first Tesseract over the course of the next million years. drives. 6 million BC: The Inuueliting create the Pool of Radiance during the War of Radiance. First 2.7 million BC: The Caractingessen create their first Tesseract drives. Daishaining’inuueliting, first use of Tesseracts in the galaxy. Begin Inuuel Empire. 2.3 million BC: The Sa’crontor evolve to sentience. 5.5 million BC: Maltec’inuueliting create the first mechanical tesseract devices, allowing the 2 million BC: Second Budetug-Inuueliting war Inuuel empire to expand explosively. 2 million BC: Humanity evolves to sentience from apes. 5.3 million BC: The Budetug evolve to sentience from a species of multi-legged insectoid predators. 1.5 million BC: Inuueliting visit Earth for the first time and create Ariels. 5 million BC: The Caractingessen evolve to sentience. They are not active in galactic politics 1.4 million BC: Third Budetug-Inuueliting war. Begin until 2315 BC. Budetug Empire. 4.8 million BC: The Halla evolve to sentience on the 1.3 million BC: The Nesti create their first Tesseract cliffs and shorelines of their homeworld. drives. 4.5 million BC: The Valorians, the galaxy’s only silicon-based species, evolve to sentience, 1.2 million BC: Budetug-Archangel war, finally settled when Archangels are allowed to govern and are largely passed over until the Budetug their own planet. Empire.



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500,000 BC: the Ogres are discovered by Budetug million-and-a-half years, developed agriculture, scoutships and invited into the galactic culture. built the pyramids, and landed on the moon. How is this possible? 200,000 BC: Humanity evolves into its current form. Part of it is due to the low Creativity of the Inuueliting, but not everything can be attributed to 30,000 BC: Earliest discovered Human art. that. To really answer this question, we must split evolution up into three interrelated categories: ge10,000 BC: Beginnings of Human agriculture netic, cultural, and technological. 2315 BC: Battle of Lisharnok, Caractingessen defeat The “laws of genetics” as we know them are only Budetug. Beginning of Caractingessen-Budetug really applicable for a “short term” species. That sort war. of species must evolve quickly to meet the challenges its environment presents it with. The Inuuel have not 115 BC: Implosion of the star Vociferous Prime. been such a species for a long, long time. Once they Begin Caractingessen Empire became a spacefaring species, their technological evolution (or in their case, Lording evolution) had 1080 AD: Caractingessen visit Earth for the first time taken the place of their genetic evolution. Rather and create Succubi. than their physical bodies changing, their Lording and technology did. 1862 AD: Caractingessen empire collapses. Begin Hallan Empire. Why, then, is there not rampant ultra-high technology? The truth of the matter is that the longer a 1976 AD: Hallan empire collapses due to neglect. species lives, the less often it learns. All species learn about the same amount over the course of their lives 2225 AD: Humans create their first Tesseract drive (Valorians are the exception). Most species learn in and quickly join the galactic culture. “spurts,” lasting perhaps ten years apiece. The first hundred years of human life is one long learning 2318 AD: Humans begin their crusade for a Galactic spurt. Empire. Unfortunately, as we all know, once you’ve 2437 AD: Begin Human Empire. GY 1. learned a certain amount it becomes much harder to learn any more. Thus, when technology becomes GY 495 (2932 AD): Human empire collapses advanced enough, it becomes impossible to learn in “The Fall” (see below). The Coalition and enough about it to make a contribution to that techGenetechnologies split. Ægis and Armageddon nology. If it takes a human one hundred and fifty cultures formed. years to learn how to build a tesseract drive, he or she has very little time left in which to actually apply GY 592 (3029 AD): Present day. that knowledge.

How Many Years and Nothing Happened?

Back to the issue of genetic evolution, the Inuuel did not physically change in those 4.5 million years. This is due in part to their technology, and also in part to their compassion for elders and the sick. All species care for their elderly, and most care for their weak and sickly. People who might otherwise not survive to reproduce, such as those with blood disorders, are kept alive through technology. In the case of the ancient Budetug, their “sacrificing” of crippled and mutated children destroyed as many useful genes as it kept.

The official reign of the Inuueliting Empire was from 6 million BC to 1.5 million BC. In all this time, the Inuuel Empire was largely unchanged, and the Inuueliting themselves (in defiance of what we think of as the laws of genetics) did not evolve significantly. Their culture was almost unchanged, and their technology only improved when the Budetug and Valorians came along. Keep in mind that over this Cultural evolution is somewhat similar to getime, Humanity evolved from apes, and in the next netic evolution in that it undergoes a change at high



Along the way, it encompassed all the other deadly sins that scholars of ancient Humanity may remember. The years before the Fall were among Humankind’s worst and darkest, all the more so because they had chosen this way of life. Rather than looking at the causes before the effects, let us go backwards, so that we can understand how it was all uncovered in the end.

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technologies. What once was a progression towards civilization becomes cyclic: something which is in The Demons reached Earth with the clandestine style now will be so again in time. help of the galaxy’s other species, and perhaps even from some within the old Empire who saw the need With every species there is a point at which their for violent change. science can advance no more, and technological progress slows to a halt. Most species get stuck in a The Demon fleet came to Earth from the galactic “rut” of technology. Only exposure to new knowl- core, where they had devastated the under-defended edge will change that. Empire Station, home to the Human Empire’s military forces. The attack was completely unexpected One way or another, all species stop evolving and showed how effectively the Demons had been physically and culturally once they reach TL 2 (see created — adapting their fleet to any almost any page xx for Tech Level descriptions). Technological threat, organizing with stark efficiency, and using evolution reaches a plateau at each Tech Level, and tactics both unexpected and brilliant. it takes a big push to move it to the next level. The appearance of the Valorians and the liberation of The fleet gathered after millions of Demons the Budetug pushed the galaxy’s TL from 1/3 to 2/4. turned on their slavemasters, capturing capital ships, Humans and their creativity are the push to TL 3/5, communications networks, sometimes entire space which should be complete in another two hundred stations. The timing of their assault was impeccable. years. If contact with Andromeda is successful, we can look forward to yet another period of growth. If This assault came as a result of the treatment the not, look for things to stagnate for a long, long time. Demons had received at the hands of their masters. Sold as a slave species, “owned” by the most important and wealthy individuals in the galaxy, they saw firsthand the benefits of freedom, but were denied it utterly... and sometimes violently. Their first, last, and only effective revolution began with no one more violent than a secretary, who had been engineered and trained to organize people secretly. As it “It started with pride, as many falls do. turns out, she did her job a little too well.



The Fall

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and into a collision with Earth. Seas boiled, rock vaThe Demons were created simply because porized, and the planet is shrouded in impenetrable Genetechnologies could. They were supposed to be clouds to this day.



The Demons were created and sold by Genetechnologies Incorporated, which, in the preFall days, was an officially sanctioned part of the Human Empire. Genetech itself was created by the Coalition of Sentient Races, which, in pre-fall days, was the public congress of the same Human Empire. Oversight was lax in those days; no one really knows whether the Coalition actually knew about the The Demons are scattered to the four winds Demons, but it is absolutely certain that someone in in this day and age because of the efforts of the Empire must have known, and approved. Genetechnologies and the Coalition. Their onceThe Demons were sold because somewhere mighty fleet is destroyed, and their remaining vessels along the line, those in charge of Genetech had lost can find little safe haven anywhere in the galaxy. sight of basic “human” decency. Instead of giving Those two great monoliths of galactic culture their greatest creations the freedom they deserved have harried the Demons from the day their fleets as sentient beings, they decided that profit must be defeated those of the Demons on the doorstep of more important. They forgot their original mission Earth itself. Sadly for those on that beautiful blue — to use genetic engineering to improve the lives globe, the Demons had already exacted their ven- of the galaxy’s masses — and used it to fill their own geance, driving Deimos from its orbit around Mars pockets instead.

the pinnacle of GT’s engineering knowledge: beings who carried the genetic codes of all the galaxy’s species in a single race. At this, GT miraculously succeeded. They were supposed to be controllable. As if all that evolutionary potential could stay locked up.

Tesseracts

Space is, to the dismay of all developing cultures, unfathomably huge. Stars are separated by disNow you know the story farther back than most tances that simply cannot be crossed in an ordinary know it. Both Genetech and the Coalition misrepre- lifetime. The Tesseract was discovered (first by the sent the facts to their citizens, playing up the defeat Inuueliting) as a sort of “shortcut” way to move from of the Demons and their own shame at what their one star system to another. predecessors had done. Aegis and Armageddon were not idle during these times either, though their The simplest way of explaining it is this: think role is yet to be understood. Certainly the remnants of the four-dimensional spacetime that we live in as of the ancient Inuuel and Budetug Empire saw the the two-dimensional surface of a globe. This globe evil of the slavery the Demons endured, and must is rippling all over from gravity waves and other have helped them behind the scenes, but if they did, disturbances. Matter creates dips in the surface, and neither group speaks of it. There must have been no black holes create big dips but don’t puncture it. one in the galaxy untouched by the Fall, and yet Wormholes connect different parts of it, but those few people know even this little piece of the story. are hard to find. What a Tesseract does is, just for Hopefully you can find some more of the truth. one moment, pull two points on the globe up and

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touch them together, creating a portal. Don’t ask Still here? You expect a lesson or a moral, per- how, because it twists the mind of even the best haps? This is not a fable. This was life — and death. mathematicians. Tesseracts open a portal in front of Learn from it as you should from all such things: a ship, which the ship then moves through. learn how to live a better life.” Tesseracts can work in funny ways. Sometimes, — Preface to the suppressed text “Demons: The when you’re too close to a lot of gravity, a tesser is True History of The Fall” wildly inaccurate. If you’re even closer, the tesser portal will distort, and spread you across space like creamy peanut butter. Each star has a range of space around it, about where the orbit of Jupiter is for our star system. Tesseracts cannot be opened effectively within this radius. The less gravity around, and the less there is between you and your target, the better and farther you can jump. The farthest that most ordinary jumps go is about two thousand light years. Most space voyages consist of a few days of travel out to the safe-tesser zone, instantaneous transit from one star system to another, and a few more days traveling into the new system. Almost all starships use something called the TGD — the Tesseract Generating Device — to create their tesseracts for them. Jumps can also be made with the aid of a skilled Archmage, or a Platinum Inuuel, but their range is usually significantly shorter, and they take much longer to move large masses.



A crippled Budetug works to repair a satellite.



Galactic Cartography

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Above and below the galaxy are huge extragalactic sectors which expand outwards from the Milky Way halfway to the neighboring galaxies. In theory, when starships reach Andromeda, it will be divided in the same way that our own galaxy is... but the Andromedans may have something to say about Sending a message across a single planet ranges that. in cost from cheap to free. An hour of transmission might cost ten credits at the most. Interplanetary The Milky Way is still a vast place, a hundred communications cost about five times that. thousand light years across, and there are still many star systems which have not been surveyed.



The center of the galaxy is laid out in a different manner. The very center is named Core Zero, and contains the Coalition’s center of government and the supermassive black hole in the middle of the galaxy. Surrounding these are eight Core Sectors, and surrounding those are sixteen Tertiary sectors, which are numbered rather than named.



Each Quadrant has twenty sectors, which are typically named after the ancient Inuueliting prefectures which controlled them, or after Human explorers who led the second wave of galactic exploration during the Human Empire. Each sector is, in and of itself, a vast region of space, with both occupied and unoccupied star systems. Sectors are broken down into more manageable subsectors, and those into individual systems.



Each tessercom is linked to the others around it, creating a complex nexus of wormholes. In fact, it might be fair to say that each of them is linked to every other tessercom in the galaxy. A severe accident at one comm station can knock other nearby stations out of alignment, and the shockwave of an explosion would be carried through the tesseract, knocking it out of alignment. The Coalition still maintains most of the galaxy’s tessercoms, since it was the Empire that created them in the first place, and they are very territorial when it comes to letting ships approach them.



On the largest scales, the Lattice sends information through tessercoms. These delicate pieces of equipment are mounted in safe places in deep space, and few people actually know where they are. Tessercoms pick up signals meant for the other side of the galaxy and send them through a marblesized tesseract that stays open all the time. There are relatively few of these — perhaps a thousand — but their placement insures that no message will take more than a day to cross the galaxy.



The galaxy was originally colonized by the Inuueliting, but the quadrant and sector names used Almost all planets are connected via the Lattice. by the Caractingessen during their empire are still in Essentially the internet of 592, the Lattice runs on use today. three different technologies for three different scales. On the local scale, on a single planet, it runs on There are four quadrants to the galaxy, with fiber-optic and laser communication technology. All names based on the Caracts’ messianic religion. computers can talk to each other using tiny beams Galactic “East” is towards the Caractingessen of light, though not all of them are communicating homeworld, and also towards Earth. The Eastern all the time. On a larger scale, between planets and Quadrant is called Chosen Quadrant, the Southern between nearby systems, tachyons are used. These one is Victor, the Western one is Broken, and the faster-than-light particles allow for almost instantaNorthern one is Risen. Each Quadrant has four Rim neous communication across many light years of sectors along its outside, named after various mythospace. logical figures.



Interplanetary Communication

Beyond the Milky Way The Milky Way has a few neighboring galaxies: the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, a few uninhabited dwarf galaxies, and Andromeda. Andromeda itself has a few dwarf galaxy neighbors, and the Triangulum spiral galaxy is not far away (in relative terms). The Clouds and Sagittarius are both inhabited, by indigenous life and by colonies from the Milky Way. While technically dwarf galaxies, they are relatively large, and have many young stars.



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The many dwarf galaxies are populated by very old stars, with few heavy elements and a small number of dead planets around select stars. Colonies could be established here, but they would serve little purpose other than research. The Milky Way’s neighboring dwarfs include the Fornax, Draco, Sextans, Ursa Minor, Carina, and Sculptor galaxies. Each of these contains a few million stars at most. Triangulum is slightly smaller than the Milky Way, and Andromeda is twice the Milky Way’s size, but both seem to be uninhabited. Long ago the Inuueliting sent probes to these galaxies in the hopes of finding more intelligent species, but the probes came back with nothing. The Budetug Empire focused on exploring the Milky Way instead of outside, and the Caract and Hallan Empires were too short-lived to do much exploration. The Human Empire was rumored to have a plan for exploring Andromeda, but if so, it must have been interrupted by the Fall. Since then the galaxy has been relatively chaotic, and only recently has enough order returned to the galaxy that such far-reaching explorations might be possible. The new tesseract drives developed in the last 500 years will also be a great aid to these explorations, if any of the current cultures and corporations can muster enough foresight to launch this great an undertaking.

Intercultural Trade Five of the galaxy’s most influential cultures, including the two biggest (the Coalition and GT), came about during the rise and fall of the Human Empire. Because of their close association in those dangerous and chaotic days, and feelings of Human-centered patriotism, there were major trade agreements struck which many of them now regret, but feel they cannot escape. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find (for example) a firearms store in Coalition space owned by a corporation which is really a subsidiary of Armageddon. Ægis-made clothing can be found all across Genetech space, and while it might not be the majority of the market, it’s still very substantial. In general these sales are made by whollyowned subsidiaries rather than the parent company, for public relations reasons. In the end, the money goes to the same place.

Classed Character Creation Checklist



Use this checklist to create a classed character or a Duelist. You may want to print out or photocopy a character sheet to make things easier.



1. Come up with a concept for your character. You should check with your Game Master to find out whether he or she has certain restrictions on what kinds of characters will be allowed in the game. You might also want to check with the other Players as In the game your character will be defined by well, to insure that there is a good mix of abilities many things — attributes, skills, special abilities, dis- amongst the characters. advantages, and so forth. This chapter tells you how 2. Select a Culture. Cultures are listed on page to figure out all of these abilities and what they do. xx through page xx. Every culture in the galaxy has This chapter is important for both Players and its own “personality,” which should shape your charGame Masters. Players, of course, need it for creat- acter’s personality to some extent. Whether you’re a ing characters of their own. Game Masters need to dedicated follower of your culture or a defiant rebel, create the non-player characters who inhabit their it still has some impact on you. In game terms, each world, but also need to understand the capabilities culture also lists four skills which all members of that culture learn while they’re growing up. You may put of the Players’ characters. these skills on your character sheet at level 5.

3. Select a Species. Species are listed on page xx through page xx. Each species has a set of base attributes, which you should record on your character sheet.

5. Choose your Backgrounds. Each character has certain things they have gone through during their life which cannot easily be represented by their skills. These are represented by advantages,

Valence Main Rulebook: Character Creation

It’s very important to know your character. Think about what they look like, how old they are, and what they wear. Think of how they would react to certain things, what they think about other species and classes, and how they use their skills. If you’re stuck, a look through this book should give you a 4. Increase Attributes. You have 11 points to few ideas as to what kinds of characters are availspread among your attributes. You cannot put more able. This will help you “get into the game” more, than six points into any one attribute (in fact, this is a and will always make things more fun. general limit — characters can never naturally raise an attribute more than six points above its base).



4. Select a Class. Classes are listed on page xx through page xx. Each class gives a set of skills, some base levels of Charisma and Knowledge, and a special ability. All of these should be written down on your character sheet. If any of your Class and Species skills overlap, add the two levels together. For instance, Merchants start with a Persuasion skill of 5, and Communal cultures also teach Persuasion at 5. A Communal Merchant will start with Persuasion 10.

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Valence has two basic types of character: Classed characters and Ultramercenaries. Classed characters are people from one of the galaxy’s major species who have special training that makes them more suited to “adventuring.” Ultramercs are genetically engineered beings created by Genetech and loaned out to other companies. There is a third type called a Duelist, who is essentially a Classed character with some extra capabilities. Ultramercs cannot be Duelists.



Your character is how you interact with the world of Valence. Characters are the most important part of the game, with no exceptions. A player character is sometimes referred to as a PC. The GM will also have several characters. Most players will just have one character, but the GM is in charge of everyone the PC’s meet during the game. Those are called nonplayer characters, or NPC’s.



Character Creation

Character Attributes

remembering things, and may even have memory disorders.

These are your character’s eleven attributes (occasionalyl referred to as “stats”). They are typically ranked from zero to 10, though they may rise above 10 for exceptional individuals (such as player characters).

Lording (Lrd): This is your skill with commanding the almost magical force known as the Lording. This attribute covers your raw undeveloped power and how easy it is for you to summon the negative dimensional energies. Characters with zero Lording are incapable of commanding the energies of the Agility (Agi): Agility lets you move your whole Lording. body around gracefully and quickly. This affects most combat skills, acrobatics, gymnastics, and Mental Endurance (MnE): Mental Endurance most athletics skills. Characters with zero Agility is the toughness of ones mind, stubbornness, and often trip over their own feet, and have difficulty willpower. It affects strength of will, mental formoving around. titude, and some aspects of Lording. Characters



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Charisma (Cha): Charisma is your oration ability, personability, and ability to lead. Charisma affects almost all interpersonal skills. This attribute is determined by a character’s class, not their species. Characters with zero Charisma are incapable of making friends, or being tactful or diplomatic, even under the best circumstances.

with zero Mental Endurance will agree to almost anything you say to them, though they may agree with someone else in a few minutes.

Stamina (Sta): This is one’s physical endurance, toughness, and constitution. Stamina affects the length of time that one can participate in combat, and how long until you just get “worn out.” Characters with zero Stamina cannot stand or walk Creativity (Cre): Creativity is a combination of without severe exertion. intuitive thinking, imagination, ability to improvise, speed of thought, and cunning. It affects invenStrength (Str): Represents your character’s tion and problem solving. Characters with zero lifting power and physical strength. This affects Creativity are, quite frankly, the most boring people damage and physical power. Characters with zero in the universe. Strength cannot lift much more than their own body Dexterity (Dex): This is your ability to manipulate objects, press buttons, and do other fine work with your hands (or tentacles, or whatever you have). It helps when performing skills such as piloting, defusing bombs, and picking locks. Characters with zero Dexterity should avoid holding sharp objects, as they often drop what they pick up. Intelligence (Int): This is the ability to understand what is happening around you. Affects learning, problem solving, and logical thought. Characters with zero Intelligence are incapable of thought beyond that needed to survive day-to-day existence. Knowledge (Kno): This is a representation of what you know and/or have learned. Affects scholarly skills and almost everything else dealing with knowing things. It also deals with the ability to memorize facts and spit them back out, but it won’t help you understand those facts. This attribute is determined by a character’s class, not their species. Characters with zero Knowledge have difficulty

weight - even their clothes feel heavy. Visualization (Vis): Visualization is your ability, not to imagine new things, but to picture things around you in your mind. Affects prediction, learning, and piloting skills. Your senses are also dictated to some extent by Visualization. Characters with zero Visualization are almost oblivious to the world around them, and are incapable of holding a mental image or planning for the long term.

Attribute Checks An “attribute check” is something you roll when you need to do something that’s based only on inborn talent, not on anything your character has learned. Roll 1d20 plus the appropriate stat. If you roll a 12 or higher, you have succeeded. Stamina checks are the most common type, as all “saving throws” are based on a Stamina check.

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2. Select your Genes. Every Ultramerc is built gene-by-gene for greatest effectiveness. The list of genes begins on page xx. You have a §5 million budget with which to purchase genes, a mentor, and skills for your character. Leftover money is wasted (or, more accurately, was never in the budget in the first place) and cannot be used to purchase other things.



7. Buy Equipment. Take the money you received from your Backgrounds section and buy some nifty Use this checklist to create an Ultramercenary. Equipment. See page xx for general equipment, page You may want to print out or photocopy a character xx for weapons, page xx for armor, and page xx for cybernetics. Many Ultramercs are also outfitted by sheet to make things easier. Genetech instead of outfitting themselves; check 1. Come up with a concept for your character. with your GM to see if this is the case in your story. You should check with your Game Master to find out That’s it! Your character is complete and ready whether he or she has certain restrictions on what kinds of characters will be allowed in the game. You for play. might also want to check with the other Players as well, to insure that there is a good mix of abilities amongst the characters.



Ultramerc Character Creation Checklist



disadvantages, and Walks of Life. All of these can be found starting on page xx. You have twenty back3. Select a Mentor. All Ultramercs have a nonground points to spend there, and can choose one UM menot who guides them through their early Walk of Life for free. You will probably want to spend life and trains them for their intended profession. some of these background points to get some money Mentors are listed on page xx through page xx. for your character. 4. Purchase Skills. Your character has some skills 6. Purchase Skills. Your character by now has from his or her Mentor. In addition, all Ultramercs certain natural abilities gained from her class, spe- are trained in Computer Operations, and Martial Arts cies, upbringing, and culture. Her skills cover every- Offensive and Defensive, all at level 5. They may thing else she is able to do. Rules for purchasing and also use some of their starting budget to purchase using skills can be found starting on page xx. Your skill training. Ultramerc skill packages are listed on class will give a certain number of skill points which page xx through page xx. you can spend there. 5. Increase Attributes. You have 11 points to Special Note: before purchasing their skills, any- spread among your attributes. You cannot put more one intending to play a Duelist should examine page than three points into any one attribute (in fact, this xx, to understand more about their options. is a general limit — characters can never naturally raise an attribute more than three points above its 7. Buy Equipment. Take the money you received base). from your Backgrounds section and buy some nifty Equipment. See page xx for general equipment, page 6. Choose your Backgrounds. Each character xx for weapons, page xx for armor, and page xx for has certain things they have gone through during cybernetics. their life which cannot easily be represented by their skills. These are represented by advantages, That’s it! Your character is complete and ready disadvantages, and Walks of Life. You have twenty for play. background points to spend there, and can choose one Walk of Life for free. All of these can be found starting on page xx. Some backgrounds are not available to Ultramercs; so be sure to check the list carefully.

Now we have 11 points to distribute among our Attributes. There’s no real reason to increase her Lording or Visualization, but Stamina could definitely use a boost, as could Mental Endurance. Charisma can help her get out of problems that her recklessness got her into. After that we’ll play to her strengths to make her even more effective. After this step her Example #1: Daria the Explorer attributes are Agility 10, Charisma 6, Creativity 9, Our first character will be a classed character. Dexterity 6, Intelligence 6, Knowledge 8, Lording 1, Let’s say that we want to play an explorer; someone Mental Endurance 2, Stamina 3, Strength 1, and who gets to fly around the galaxy and examine new- Visualization 1 ly discovered worlds to see if they have the potential Now we have to pick some Backgrounds for for intelligent life. We want to play someone who’s Daria. She has 20 background points to start with. a little daring, and maybe a little reckless, with a lot We’d like a few more than that, so let’s take a disadof ambition. We need a name... let’s call her Daria vantage: a Medium Enemy sounds like fun; someone Windcourt. in her field whom she discredited years ago and Almost any culture could be appropriate for who now seeks to thwart her. No one deadly, but a this character (except perhaps the Ancient Inuuel). recurring antagonist to play against. That’s worth four Let’s choose the Coalition. They have the kind of re- extra points. Now for Advantages. Light Sleeper can sources to support these ventures, and the Coalition be useful when exploring unusual worlds, as can is certainly known for ambition. Daria starts with the any of the enhanced senses or an enhanced immune skills of First Aid, Computer Operations, Diplomacy, system. We’ll take Light Sleeper (5 points), 120,000 § worth of money (6 points), a Medium Contact (her and Stand Ground, all at level 5. old department head in school, 5 more points), Team Now we need a species. Again, any of them Player to help her fit in betterin an adventuring-type could produce someone like Daria, but certain game (4 points) and spend the remaining four on species are a little better suited to her job. We want Additional Skill Points (bringing Daria’s total skill a species that is fast, creative, and smart, and the points up to 75). Our Backgrounds are spent. Sa’crontor definitely fit that bill (even if they are a litA Walk of Life is next. Daria can pick any of the tle on the wussy side). We record Daria’s attributes: general Walks, any which are specific to Scholar Agility 9, Creativity 7, Dexterity 5, Intelligence 5, Lording 1, Mental Endurance 1, Stamina 1, Strength classes, or any of the Coalition walks. We could take Explorer, but Early Journeyman also seems appropri1, Visualization 1 ate; let’s go with that one. We note that Daria will Some classes are totally unsuitable for exploration duties, but none of them are explicitly designed for it. A Bio Doc could help us determine whether How old is my character? the planet has the potential for life, a Tech Doc could specialize in planetary sciences instead of engineerIf your character is a Human, you will ing, a Space Jockey could fly around in her own ship, probably be about 30 years old at the start or a Merchant could look for new cultures to trade of the game. For other races this varies with. A Bio Doc seems to be the best choice out of widely – Inuueliting are usually around 110, all of these — the medical training will help keep Caractingessen near 300, and Ogres only 18 Daria alive, and if this career ever falls through she or so. It depends on the life expectancy of each could still practice medicine elsewhere. The Bio Doc race. class gives Daria the following skills and abilities: Medical Doctor skill at 10, Biology skill at 5, First However, if your character is an Ultramerc, Aid skill at 5 (which raises her total in that skill to you are only 10 years old at the most. While 10), Charisma 4, Knowledge 7, and 65 skill points. UM bodies are fully developed at “birth,” the In addition, if Daria ever dresses in traditional Bio training takes place in the span of a few years. Doc garb, she will be left alone in combat, which is Starting Ultramerc characters are 8 years old a nice ability to have when things get hairy. on average.



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Two Sample Characters



We need a list of genes for him first. Mental capacity isn’t particularly important for this character, but physical fortitude and power certainly are. We probably want to give him one or two Lording abilities down the line, just to have some diversity in his firepower. We’ll also want to try to balance speed and toughness, since very tough characters also tend to be quite slow. Lastly, there are some options which are just plain too expensive to consider. We can’t make him into a superman (as much as GT’s press would like everyone in the galaxy to believe).

Valence Main Rulebook: Character Creation

His Mentor is our next decision. Ajax would probably work well as a Close Combat Specialist or Heavy Weapons Specialist, though making him a Lord is not out of the question. Let’s use the Heavy Weapons Specialist Mentor. This runs us § 1,500,000. So far we’ve spent 3.86 million sections on Ajax. That leaves 1.14 million to purchase some



That’s it — we’re all done! Daria’s completed character sheet can be found at the end of the book. We’ve created someone who is about eight You’ll notice that her skills have been grouped by type, and that all of the wound levels and fatigue feet tall, with a 20-foot wingspan, covered in thick scales, with four arms and small purple eyes. Kind of levels that she doesn’t have are shaded in. a frightening sort, isn’t he?

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Here’s our list of genes for Ajax: Budetug Brain (§370,000) Halla Eyes (§20,000) Ogre Ears (§60,000) Ordinary Olfactory (§25,000) Corded Muscle (§30,000) Heavy Calcium Bones (§175,000) Large Humanoid Body (§20,000) Basic Bipedal Movement (§100,000) Caractingessen Wings (§400,000) A’darn Gland Biomod (§130,000) Nicitating Membrane Biomod (§20,000) Golden Inuueliting Arms (§250,000) Silicon Chemical Base Cybernetic Immune System (§200,000) Caractingessen Epidermis (§200,000)



Now we need to get Daria some basic equipment. Let’s get her some Street armor (basically some extremely rugged clothing), a cheap Sonic Resonator pistol in case she gets into trouble, a first aid kit, a nice pocket computer, a few Blood Stoppage Patches and Rejuvenation Patches, a flashlight and backpack, a Coalition Multipass, a watchcom, and some neomorphic clothing for when she’s not working. She still has roughly 83,000 sections left for purchases later in the game, which might come in useful if she needs to rent a hotel room or buy a car.

Our second sample character will be an Ultramerc. We’ll make him a bit stereotypical: completely loyal to Genetech, powerful but inexperienced, and somehow just... not all there. His name? Genetech tends to go in for mythological names for their ultramercs, so let’s cal him Ajax (after the powerful warrior in the Trojan War). We think of him as sort of an enforcer type, taking orders and pounding whomever GT high command tells him to pound.



Medical Doctor goes up to 20 (6 points) First Aid goes up to 20 (3 points) Biology goes up to 15 (2 points) Cybernetics at 10 (4 points) Genetic Engineering at 10 (6 points) Biomedical Technology at 5 (3 points) Programming at 10 (4 points) Interpret Sensors at 15 (3 points) Geology at 10 (2 points) Martial Arts: Defensive at 15 (6 points) Pistols at 10 (4 points) Bargaining at 5 (3 points) Carousing at 10 (6 points) Streetwise at 5 (3 points) Observation at 10 (8 points) Make New Contacts at 10 (8 points)

Example #2: Ajax the Warrior

Now for purchasing skills. We want to pay special attention to the Medical, Computer, and Science skills because they’re easier for her to learn, and try to avoid Espionage or Street skills. Unfortunately, her character concept makes those skills difficult to avoid. Here’s what we buy:



get a +2 bonus to Bargaining, Carousing, Streetwise, and one Martial Arts skill once she’s done buying her skills.

additional skill packages. Let’s get Drive, Heavy Weapons, Covert Operations, Combat Lording, and Now it’s time for some Backgrounds. Enhanced Basic Lording (choosing Magnitude for our other Sight is an obvious choice for someone who’s going Lording skill, we’ll worry about the spells later). to see a lot of long-range combat. Enhanced Touch We’ve successfully used up our entire budget. isn’t a bad one either. Our GM informs us that this will be an all-Ultramerc game and GT will be proNow it’s time to spend our 11 bonus Attribute viding equipment, so we don’t have to worry about points. The most important Attributes for Ajax are his money, but it would still be nice to have a little for Agility, Dexterity, Mental Endurance, and Stamina. ourselves. We’ll spend 4 points to get §80,000. After we place some points in each of those (and one Last, we’ll take the Terrifying advantage, to help or two elsewhere), Ajax’s final attributes are Agility 5, us intimidate people. While there are a few temptCharisma 1, Creativity 6, Dexterity 8, Intelligence 3, ing disadvantages (like Tarnished Past), we decide Knowledge 1, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 5, against them, since it’s always nice to start with a Stamina 7, Strength 6, and Visualization 6. clean slate.



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As for a Walk of Life, we’d like something that enhances his existing skills, but Ajax isn’t really a very social person, and almost all Walks give bonuses to social skills. Let’s just pick one to add flavor to the character: Urban Asssignment. He’s been working in some of the galaxy’s nastier slums, cleaning out gangs who have way too much firepower on their side. He gets bonuses to Carousing, Streetwise, a Drive skill of choice, and a Combat skill of choice. Those will be reflected in his final skills below: Disintegrators at 15 Gatling Lasers at 17 Grenade Launchers at 10 Grenades at 10 Missile Launchers at 10 PDS’s at 15 Plasma Weapons at 10 Drive A.P.C.’s at 5 Drive Car at 5 Drive Truck at 7 Drive Tanks at 5 Drive Race Car at 5 Ride Motorcycle at 5 Camouflage at 5 Concealment at 5 Pick Locks at 5 Stealth at 10 Lording Development at 10 Complexity at 5 Magnitude at 10 Range at 5 Targeting at 5 Carousing at 2 Streetwise at 2 He’s not quite as skilled as Daria, but he’s pretty good for an Ultramerc. He’s also very focused (typical for an Ultramerc), and very combat-oriented.

Most of the heavy weaponry is out of a starting character’s league money-wise, so it’s a good thing GT will be providing it on this mission. Ajax’s player will probably get told what equipment he has by the GM early on in the game. That’s it — we’re all done! Ajax’s character sheet can be found at the end of the book. Like Daria’s, his skills are grouped by type, and the wound levels and fatigue points he doesn’t have are shaded in.



How do I choose skills?

How Smart is a Valorian? Valence Main Rulebook: Character Creation

Third, buy skills that take advantage of your intellect. Your brain is going to waste with skills like Gambling and Quarterstaff. Remember: anything based on Intelligence is probably going to have a +4 bonus to your roll! Make those stats count! Just don’t make every skill based on Intelligence. You might want things like Martial Arts: Defensive, so that your enemies don’t blast you out of existance. Better yet, take stuff like Make New Contacts and Carousing, so that you don’t make enemies in the first place. Your character’s brain isn’t any good if it’s splattered on the pavement.

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5. Lastly, don’t worry if you personally don’t know anything about these skills. Skills represent character knowledge, which doesn’t have to have anything to do with player knowledge.

Second, make contingency plans. We Humans are great at thinking on the fly, but Valorians are better at strategic planning. No Val would ever do something without considering the consequences, and that can be a great advantage. Make some plans between game sessions.



4. You won’t be killing things all day long, so don’t take just combat skills, but conflict is almost inevitable in Valence so don’t overlook them either. At the very least, take Martial Arts: Defensive and one other combat skill.

First, ask the GM for information. Vals have +4 to Knowledge, and that means almost photographic memories. If your character read it somewhere, he or she will probably remember it. Also, their incredible senses can pick up obscure clues that most people would miss, like hearing stress in someone’s voice when they speak.



3. Don’t overspecialize. You have enough skill points to branch out a little; don’t be afraid of picking some skills that don’t fit in perfectly with your character. We all learn an odd assortment of skills as we go through life.



2. Be really good at at least one thing, preferably something related to your Class. You should probably pick up a few 15s and a 20. However...



1. Start by improving on the skills you already have. Pick skills that work well with these – for instance, a Space Jockey might want to know a little about fixing her ship, or a Merchant might pick up Humor & Wit to put his customers at ease.

Smarter than you, that’s for sure. No, this isn’t an insult. It’s just that any Valorian is smarter than any Human, period. No question. It can be quite a challenge playing a character who scored an 800 on their IQ test. Here are some tips to make your character seem more like a genius.



There are a lot of skills in Valence, and the choices may seem overwhelming at first. Here are a few things to remember when choosing your character’s starting skills:

Classes



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes



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Most jobs are specialized in GY 592. In part this is a result of having some of the longer-lived species around, who can devote thousand-year lifetimes to the perfection of a single job. It’s also due in part to a large bank of specialized knowledge which is needed for the better-paying jobs. Oh, sure, you can work in retail without knowing too much about what you’re selling, but sooner or later someone will come along, even in retail, who does know what you’re selling and take your job. For better and better-paying jobs the case is even stronger.

can be used for very talented but inexperienced individuals. Each of the Classes below is a profession which might lead one to an “adventuring” life. Your Class describes your job; it’s what your character does for a living. You might know how to do many things, but this is what you’ve specialized in over the years. Don’t think that these are the only jobs out there – you could play an accountant, but most accountants don’t do anything particularly exciting in their lives.

In game terms, your Class will give your character his or her initial Charisma and Knowledge attributes, starting skill points, some starting skills, skill cost modifiers, and one or two special abilities. The Another reason for specialization is the demands skills are explained later on page xx, for now, just of the megacorps. When you have thousands of write them down on your character sheet. planets to choose your team from, you can afford to choose the best of the best. Specialization is a way to Specialization may be necessary, but it’s not insure that you get picked for these jobs before your without its price. Changing your Class is difficult, thousandth birthday (if you’re lucky enough to be taking at least three years of game time and 100 XP from a species that has thousandth birthdays). to represent the arduous, time-consuming process. After all, this is the equivelant of going through Because of this, most “adventurers” in the medical school, or a few years of military training, Valence universe have a Class. Even Ultramercs are or spending so much time in a city that people think taught by their Mentors for very specific purposes. you were born there. You retain your old class’s speThose who are untrained or still learning should cial abilities, but change to the new Class’s skill cost consider starting with the “No Class” Class, which modifiers instead of your old ones (representing a new outlook and way of doing things). You do gain the starting skills and special abilities of the new class, but not the skill points.

Types of Classes

Classes in Valence are separated into three broad categories: Soldier, Rogue, and Scholar. This primarily comes into play when selecting Walks of Life. Soldier classes include the Arctic and Star Commandos, Space Troopers, Furies, Paladins, and Space Jockeys. Soldiers are known for discipline and the ability to beat the living hell out of people in one way or another. Rogue classes include Assassins, Bounty Hunters, Merchants, Ninja, Operatives, Street Thieves, and anyone with No Class. Rogues are known for ingenuity and sneakiness. Scholar classes include Archmagi, Bio Docs, Diplomats, Interface Knights, and Tech Docs. Scholars are known for collecting knowledge and avoiding combat.

Much of this section assumes that the character is working for a megacorporation, government, or mercenary company. If this is not the case for your

Notes on Soldier Classes The Arctic Commando is just one of the many kinds of specialized soldiers the armies of 592. You may want to use this class (and the Star Commando and Storm Trooper classes later on) as templates for building similar professions. All soldiers will be employed by a mercenary company, government, or large corporation. They may not be working for the people who originally trained them, but there’s no such thing as an untrained freelance soldier. These people are professionals. If you’re looking for a born-on-the streets “fighter”-type character, try the Fury.



group, you may have to adapt some of what we say blue lightning and rushing winds, and is rather difhere to your own character’s background. ficult to miss.

Page 71 Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

One of the most dangerous missions an Arctic Commando can receive is to make planetfall on a frozen world that is being used as a defensive platform. The Commando must be parachuted onto If you want to play an Archmage, you should def- the planet’s surface, and then they must cross open initely read the Lording section (starting on page xx), country to the main enemy position to demolish it. because it’s the core of what your character does. Veteran Arctic Commandos are very mentally tough, Note that Duelists can select the Archmage class, and will often have high Mental Endurance scores. but they recieve no benefit from Overdrawing (see below), as they do not use spell points. They learn Genetech is still the culture that makes the greatSummoning and Traveling instead of Complexity est use of Arctic Commandos, with Armageddon and and Range. the Coalition following them. Most other cultures have little use for storming someone else’s castle, Most modern Archmagi are trained in the old but GT has been known to rent AC’s out to virtually Danlecting’Inuueliting school of Lording, but some everyone. The Inuuel, Sa’crontor, and Valorians are are not. Those who follow different traditions should not well-suited to being Arctic Commandos because still pick this class, but may want to consider some of their poor stamina. of the Walks of Life listed in the Lording section. All cultures train Archmages, and they can come from Special Abilities nearly any species, though the Valorians are particularly bad at controlling the Lording. Having been practically born and raised in the frozen wastes, Arctic Commandos move at their Special Abilities normal rate there, while everyone else is reduced to half speed. An Arctic Commando’s Stealth score An Archmage, because he spends so much time is doubled when in any terrain of snow and ice. An with the Lording, is able to draw greater amounts Arctic Commando may bury himself just beneath the of power than a similarly skilled non-mage would surface of the snow, and wait to leap out and attack be able to draw. This is known as Overdrawing. An the next being to pass by, gaining automatic surprise. Archmage may overdraw a number of spell points An Arctic Commando will always gain surprise this equal to his Mental Endurance times twenty. This way unless his opponent is specifically immune to can only be done once in a particular location each surprise. week, as it depletes the Lording energies for 100 meters around. Other mages can still cast spells in that region, but cannot overdraw. Overdrawing also causes almost imperceptable structural damage to all surrounding objects – not enough to be important in-game, but noticeable for those who see it happen. An Archmage who overdraws is surrounded by dark



These specialized soldiers have been specifically trained to survive and excel at combat in arctic environments. The Arctic Commando is trained in the use of all the equipment necessary to survive in all cold weather climates. Cold planets often are rich in minerals and frozen gases. Genetech developed this soldier program in order to take over and control these mining areas.



An Archmage is a master of the Lording. He has spent years trying to master and understand it. An Archmage carefully nurtures the powers within himself, making them grow. In return for mastering the Lording, most Archmagi neglect the more mundane and physical side of life. Even more simply, Archmagi aren’t trained for combat. Some choose to be mercenaries, but most take a more contemplative view of life. There is always a call for someone who can manipulate the basic forces of the universe, and Archmages can find work in nearly any industry if they apply their talents correctly.

Arctic Commando



Archmage

second. For an Assassin the point is just the opposite: they’ll never see you coming.

Assassin

Armageddon trains most of the galaxy’s Assassins are trained killers. They are hired by Assassins. The only species that doesn’t do well are people who don’t just want their opposition to crumCaractingessen, since their size makes stealth difble before them, they want their opposition dead. ficult. Assassins and Ninja have a longstanding rivalry. Ninja prefer to focus on martial arts, discipline, and tradition, but Assassins are much better at what they like to call “discrete removal of the opposition.” Assassins are killers for the lower classes. In order to compete with their Ninja competitors, Assassins charge lower rates. However, as Assassins don’t guarantee their kills, Ninjas are in more demand. The whole point to hiring a Ninja is that your opponent sees death looking him in the face in the final

Special Abilities An Assassin suffers no range penalty when firing any ranged weapon, as long as he or she takes at least one action to aim. Assassins may use their backstab skill in ways that other characters may not, using ranged weapons to “backstab” any opponent who is unaware of the attack, or is otherwise surprised by the attack.

Archmage Class Primary Skills

Level

Lording Development

5

Complexity

5

Range

5



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes



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Skill Cost Modifiers Lording

easier

Science

easier

Military

harder

Attributes Charisma

0

Knowledge

3

Starting Skill Points

65

Arctic Commando Class Primary Skills

Level

Bio Doc Bio Docs are everyone’s best friend. Skilled in all forms of surgery and first aid, and with easy access to information about biological science, cybernetics, and genetics, Bio Docs are well liked and well trained. Some work in hospitals, others work with mercenary companies, and a few have retired from the limelight and set up private practices. Bio Docs can also be found in medical research centers across the galaxy.

Assassin Class Primary Skills

Level

Silent Kill

10

Backstab

5 5

Arctic Movement

5

Camoflague

Plasma Weapons

5

Skill Cost Modifiers

Martial Arts: Offensive

5

Combat

easier

Espionage

easier

Skill Cost Modifiers Athletic

easier

Street

easier

Combat

easier

Computer

harder

Street

harder

Military

harder

Attributes

Attributes

Charisma

0

Charisma

1

Knowledge

2

Knowledge

3

Starting Skill Points

55

Starting Skill Points

65

Level

Medical Doctor

10

First Aid

5

Biology

5



Computer

easier



Medical

easier

Science

easier

Espionage

harder

Street

harder



Skill Cost Modifiers

Charisma

4

Knowledge

7

Starting Skill Points

65

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Attributes



Bounty Hunter Class Primary Skills

Level

Tracking

10

Law

5

Make New Contacts

5

Investigation

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Combat

easier

Espionage

easier

Science

harder

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

3

Starting Skill Points

65

Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

Bounty Hunters have a special skill all their own. It’s called (naturally enough) Tracking. Tracking has a base cost of 2, and is based on Knowledge and Creativity. Every time a Bounty Hunter wants to

Primary Skills



Special Abilities

Bio Doc Class



The Budetug Core culture trains some of the galaxy’s best Bounty Hunters, taught to use a mix of intuition and reasoning in following their tragets. Archangels seem to be the species with the best temperment for this class, though any intelligent or creative species does well.

Bounty Hunters can also be connected with lawenforcement agencies in the same way Merchants and Diplomats can hook up with their organizations. This gives them a measure of legitimacy, but requires that they report back often, and their employer



Bounty Hunters have a knack for finding people. They are known for their ability to find and/or follow people through crowds, over wilderness, and even through space. Some have connections with law-enforcement agencies, others work alone. Most are disliked by the general populace. It’s a simple reason: they can find you wherever you hide, and people don’t like that. They represent authority, and people don’t like that either. And worst of all, sometimes they’re hired (knowingly or not) to retrieve slaves. Luckily, most Bounty Hunters can overcome their reputation with a little effort and conversation, and some close examination of the jobs they take. Police detectives and private investigators are often Bounty Hunters.



Bounty Hunter



Bio Doc are not attacked when on the field of battle, so long as they do not attack others. Only the most disreputable and dishonorable mercenary companies will attack doctors, especially since it means open season on their own! In order to gain this benefit the Bio Doc must wear a prominent red cross, on a white background. This won’t prevent the Bio Doc from getting mugged, but it sure helps them do their job in a combat zone.



Special Abilities

find someone, they roll a skill check with the target number determined by the GM. The GM should not reveal the target number to the Bounty Hunter until after the roll. If the roll is successful, they eventually find their quarry. If not, they search in vain for a while and can re-roll after a time. Others can learn this skill with the right teacher, but for them it has a base cost of 4.



Every culture trains Bio Docs, but Ægis is known for the best ones, with Genetech close behind. Ogres make the worst Bio Docs out of all the species in the galaxy, born with neither the intellect nor the manual dexterity necessary, but some tough it out anyway to become competent doctors.

can send them on a mission of their own at any time. Independent Bounty Hunters will often find themselves harried by legitimate law enforcement agents.

are not accustomed to combat, except for possibly some self-defense tactics, nor are they particularly likely to know some of the more technical or underhanded skills. In any social situation, though, count on the Diplomat.

While all cultures rely on Diplomats for relations with each other, the Communal cultures seem to provide the calmest, most level-headed, and bestA Diplomat is a master of any social situation. trained Diplomats around. Any species can make a Whether acting as a translator on a starship, set- good Diplomat, since the most important attributes tling a dispute between two countries, or simply are Knowledge and Charisma, both provided by carousing with his friends, a Diplomat is always in Class instead of species. the thick of any social event. Their high Charisma and Knowledge allow them to be personable and informed, important qualities in their profession. They

Diplomat

Special Abilities

Diplomat Class Primary Skills

Level

Bureaucracy

5

Public Speaking

5

Persuasion

5

Humor/Wit

5



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Skill Cost Modifiers Leadership

easier

Professional

easier

Combat

harder

Attributes Charisma

4

Knowledge

6

Starting Skill Points

70



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

Fury Class Primary Skills

Level

All Martial Arts

5

Any three Archaic Weapons

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Athletics

easier

Combat

easier

Street

easier

Engineering

harder

Pilot

harder

Attributes Charisma

1

Knowledge

1

Starting Skill Points

60

After studying a certain conflict or group for a sufficient time (GM’s ruling is final), a Diplomat may add +4 to his/her/its Charisma rating for the purposes of dealing with that group. The larger the group, the less time needs to be spent, as mob mentality can be trusted more than individual opinion. A Diplomat can also, at the player’s option, have the backing of one of the larger organizations in the Valence universe, such as the Coalition or Genetech. This can tie the character down and make them more responsible for their actions, but sometimes it’s worth it for the ability to say “I speak for all of Ægis.” All Diplomats will have extensive contacts in their field, whether or not they are tied to an organization.

Fury Furies are men and women specially trained for urban combat. Some are trained by militaries; others are self-trained – they just grew up in the worst parts of the inner city and know nothing else. Because urban combat usually involves large numbers of people in a mob or riot situation, Furies are trained to fight more than one person at a time. In fact, a Fury is actually better against multiple attackers. Because urban combat is so unpredictable, Furies are also familiar with all manner of archaic and improvised weapons. Armageddon’s conflict-laden culture produces the greatest number of Furies. Nesti and Gold Inuuel tend to make the best Furies, since their temperment and bodies are both suited to it. Archangel Furies are rare, but quite effective, as they can lash out



with both hand-held weapons and their razor-sharp an instinctual understanding of any operating or file wings. systems the computer might have.



Special Abilities



The Communal cultures produce a large number of good Merchants, but Genetech’s could sell ice to a penguin. The Sa’crontor are famous for their Merchants, though each species is good at their own style of negotiation.



Interface Knights are the best hackers, crackers, and computer jockeys around. They are often described as being their own sub-culture which transcends race, sex, and age. This, of course, is bull, but it’s a nice idea, isn’t it? The original group known as the Interface Knights were formed by a unifying distaste for Intersoft. It is rather ironic, then, that most current Interface Knights now work for Intersoft and its partners.

Merchants are as good at business as Diplomats are at social interaction. In casual conversation and informal meetings, a Merchant may be even better. However, their real skill lies in buying, trading, and selling. Merchants know how to get the best prices, where to sell for the highest profits, and who considers what to be valuable. More technologically savvy Merchants may even decide to go into the dangerous field of buying and selling information over the Lattice. Whether a regular Merchant or Information Merchant, the character will be versed in all forms of trade, commerce, and economics.



Interface Knight



A Fury is superb at facing multiple opponents. He or she uses the attackers’ numbers against them by causing them to interfere with each other. The Fury gains one extra action each round per opponent, up to a maximum of ten actions per round. Opponents are penalized one point on attack and damage rolls, while the Fury adds one point to attack and damage rolls.

Merchant

Special Abilities

Interface Knights are distinguished from regular programmers in that they have a mental computer interface built into their heads, usually just behind the ear. Not only does this give a +1 bonus to all computer-related skills and an extra action per round when using computers, it also allows almost instant access to any of a computer’s functions, and

Create Virus

5

Create Guardian

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Computer

easier

Engineering

easier

Science

easier

Combat

harder

Athletics

harder

Attributes Charisma

1

Knowledge

5

Starting Skill Points

65

Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

Special Abilities

5



Every culture trains Interface Knights, though those of the Inuuel Empire are woefully behind the times. Valorians make excellent Interface Knights, as their brains are very computer-like to begin with.

Create Portal

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The original group of crackers who called themA Merchant can always find some way to buy selves The Interface Knights set the standard for all goods at 10% off. Whether through sympathy, hagwho followed. It is generally assumed that none of gling, extra incentive, an offer they can’t refuse, or the members are still alive, though it is not inconceivable that a few might have survived from GY Interface Knight Class 350 to the present day. IK’s as a rule are primarily Primary Skills Level concerned with computer interactions, and are not known for interacting particularly well with living Computer Operation 5 beings (especially those of the opposite sex). There Programming 5 are always exceptions, though.

whatever other means, Merchants can buy stuff for cheap. Much like their social counterparts, Merchants can chose to be affiliated with any of the larger organizations in the Valence universe; typically their home culture. This gives the benefit of an additional 10% off products made by that group, and the ability to deal as their representative, but it also means that the character will have to produce regular profits for the group.

Merchant Class Primary Skills

Level

Appraise

5

Bargaining

5

Persuasion

5

Skill Cost Modifiers

An operative is a spy and infiltrator. They are adept at sneaking and hiding, and many also have some training with disguise. They are able to infiltrate strongholds during the night, gather information, and leave. They often get needed information where an Interface Knight might fail. And, while movies might portray people fighting their way in and out of a heavily-guarded installation, most Operatives would prefer never to see combat at all. While Ægis has an excellent spy network, most of theirs are a little more passive than this. Genetech trains a lot of Operatives, but they aren’t always very good. The Inuueliting Empire, strange as it may seem, once had an excellent reputation for their Operatives, and the lack of any visible operation doesn’t mean that it’s gone away... Humans make excellent Operatives, as do Sa’crontor and Halla.

Special Abilities

Professional

easier

Street

easier

Medical

harder

Attributes Page 76

Operative

Charisma

6

Knowledge

4

Starting Skill Points

70

An Operative has his or her stealth scores doubled in darkness. Also, because Operatives have trained in total darkness, they gain a three-point bonus to attack and damage rolls in the dark, while other characters are at the usual ten-point penalty while acting in the dark. An Operative is never surprised in the dark, relying on other senses to warn of danger.



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes



Operative Class Primary Skills

Level

Stealth

5

Energy Pistols

5

Computer Bypass

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Espionage

easier

Computer

easier

Athletics

easier

Leadership

harder

Military

harder

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

3

Starting Skill Points

65

Ninja Ninja combines superb fighting skills with stealth, making them nearly unbeatable warriors. Unfortunately, no one particularly likes them, and most Ninja can’t talk their way out of a paper bag. All that training leaves little time for socializing. There are very few of them in the galaxy, but they are very much in demand for sheer style of assassination. The Ninja were a Human invention, and Humans are still the most numerous species in the school. Where exactly this school is, no one has ever said – Ninjas are trained to die before revealing its location. It seems to be somewhere in Chosen Quadrant, where Earth is located, but that’s a big chunk of space.



cies, Ogres make suprisingly good Paladins. While their Lording abilities may not be very good, the Ogre races exemplify the single-minded devotion A Ninja has three special abilities. The first is that Paladins are known for. that any attack melee they make (even with bare hands) has a pulse rating of 1. The second ability is that when a ninja has dealt someone their last mortal Special Abilities wound, that person is dead. Not unconscious and nearly dead – they’re flat-out dead. During combat a Paladins may surround their melee weapons Ninja constantly analyzes an opponent’s weaknesses with auras of eldrich power. The eldrich power adds and uses them to the best advantage. Third, Ninjas twice the Paladin’s Mental Endurance stat to all damare never surprised under any conditions. age rolls. This power may not be combined with a Duelist’s sword. A Paladin’s presence also inspires people to greater heights. When a battle starts a Paladin may roll his or her Military Leadership skill

Special Abilities



No Class



5

Silent Kill

5

Stealth

5

Athletics

easier

Combat

easier

Espionage

easier

Leadership

harder

Pilot

harder

Charisma

0

Knowledge

2

Starting Skill Points

55

Skill Cost Modifiers

Attributes

No Class Primary Skills

Level

Cooking

5

Drive Car

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Miscellaneous

easier

Professional

easier

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

3

Starting Skill Points

75

Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

The Coalition produces the greatest number of Paladins – somehow their outlook seems to mesh well with members of this class. Of the galaxy’s spe-

Intimidation



Some Paladins choose that name for themselves intentionally, swearing to codes of honor similar to those held by the original paladins back on Earth. Others simply fall into this class by virtue of their abilities, whether or not they use those abilities with any virtues at all.

5

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Paladins are those who lead by example and inspiration. They are warrior skilled in both armed combat and the use of Lording. They have also been trained to be leaders, and as such they are very good at public relations skills. Paladins in their early years are typically very idealistic, with a great amount of energy and lots of ideas for how they’re going to make the universe a better place. Some manage to keep this energy throughout their life, while others lose that idealism and join up with the galaxy’s remaining warlords.

All Martial Arts



Paladin

Level



The average person the street will have no particular special abilities.

Primary Skills



Special Abilities

Ninja Class

This is for someone who is either a jack of all trades, or who has never had any particular special training. It also represents the average person on the streets of the galaxy (though a truly average person would have many fewer skill points!).

at difficulty 25. If the roll is successful, all of his or her allies within earshot gain +1 to damage rolls.

Special Abilities

Space Troopers have several special abilities which make them terrors in space. When armed with a photon blade they may cut a human-sized hole in nearly any substance in six seconds. A Space Trooper gains one extra action per round when These are the high-flying fighter pilots who make weightless. They also start play with a photon blade, the spaceways so deadly for the unprepared. Space their equivalent of a graduation present. Jockeys were much in demand in past years, as the warlords of the universe need them to invade adjacent territories, and everyone else needs them to defend against the warlords. Anyone can pilot a shuttle; that’s a waste of a Jockey’s skills! They are able to coordinate the complex systems involved in piloting Paladin Class starships faster than most pilots, and most aren’t too Primary Skills Level bad at shooting people down either. Unfortunately, Martial Arts: Defensive 5 if there’s one thing they’re bad at, it’s coming back down to to the ground and facing reality there. Military Leadership 5

Space Jockey

Regardless of their actual skill levels, Space Jockeys have certain advantages when it comes to space combat. They only need half the usual time necessary to generate a tesseract. They may initiate or trigger a tesseract without using any actions – that is, they may generate tesseracts while simultaneously firing weapons and piloting the craft through any sort of maneuver. Space Jockeys also gain one extra action per round when attacking with any kind of vehicle-mounted weapons.

Lording Development



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

Space Trooper Space Troopers are soldiers deployed in capital ship battles. During combat they are given environmentally sealed suits of armor which let them float to an enemy ship (going slow enough to pass through the shields), pull out a Photon Blade, and start slicing into the hull and other important parts. Large, slowmoving ships are their usual targets, since fighters move much too quickly. The Budetug Core invented Space Troopers and is still well-known for them. The humanoid species tend to do best as Space Troopers, since their environmentally sealed armor costs much less. High Agility is a must for members of this class.

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Combat

easier

Leadership

easier

Lording

easier

Espionage

harder

Street

harder

Attributes Charisma

8

Knowledge

2

Starting Skill Points

65

Space Jockey Class



Page 78

Special Abilities

Primary Skills

Level

Pilot Starfighter

5

Gunner: Fighters

5

Tesseract Operations

5

Interpret Sensors

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Pilot

easier

Military

easier

Combat

harder

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

1

Starting Skill Points

60

off the star’s energy, beaming it to the planets that needed such energy. When the Empire fell many warlords were at a loss — there was no easy way to Star Commandos are soldiers given a special suit take a station from an enemy. Conventional space of armor with gravity suppressors and a special min- forces were simply not trained to move inside of iaturized version of Starshielding. They are the only stars. Genetech came up with an answer: the Star Commando. people trained to move and work inside of stars.



The high power requirements of the Empire brought novel ideas. It was discovered that, through a combination of the Lording and existing shielding techniques, living beings could survive on the surface and inside of stars. The possibilities were immediately recognized. Power stations were placed within the stars themselves. The stations fed directly

Only Genetech currently has the technology and the know-how to train Star Commandos. GT will, however, train anyone who agrees to work for them, and eventually the knowledge will spread. Any species can do well as a Star Commando.



Space Trooper Class

A Star Commando has extensive training in their environment. They are at plus five (+5) to hit and damage when on the surface or inside of a star. As the inside of a star is very bright, all types of senses and and sensors are nullified. A Star Commando has become adept at using something akin to a sixth sense to detect danger. Star Commandos are never surprised inside a star, and only at half of the usual chances under other conditions. They also receive the starshielding modification on their starting armor at no cost.

Star Commando



Special Abilities

5

Martial Arts: Defensive

5

Grenades

5

Zero-G Movement

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Military

easier

Computer

harder

Attributes 2

Knowledge

1

Starting Skill Points

55

Star Commando Class Level

Solar Movements

5

Martial Arts: Defensive

5

Energy Rifles

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Athletics

easier

Combat

easier

Computer

harder

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

2

Starting Skill Points

55

Ægis and the Budetug Core produce a large number of good Tech Docs. Any species with a good Creativity or Intelligence will do well as a Tech Doc.

Special Abilities A Tech Doc’s weapons never malfunction. Other devices might, but not their guns. Tech Docs also gain +1 when using any technological device for any purpose – as long as they have a skill that applies to it at Basic rank or better. For instance, a Tech

Valence Main Rulebook: Classes

Primary Skills

A Tech Doc is a master of technology. He or she is able to build and repair all types of machines. If an intelligent race made it, then a Tech Doc can fix it. While not as good with the Lording as an Archmage or Paladin, they apply a more scientific viewpoint to their studies of Lording and get a good deal out of that approach. A surprising number of Tech Docs are Duelists.



Charisma

Tech Doc

Page 79

easier



Combat



Photon Blade



Level



Primary Skills

Doc with Weapons Repair and Modification skill would get a +1 to attack and damage rolls with any weapon. One that knows Starship Mechanics would get a +1 bonus to piloting starships.

Thief These characters grew up on the streets of the urban sectors. Product of the inner city, they have many skills that no other class can match. They are able to make their way through urban sectors unharmed, where any other character would have to display firepower to be left unmolested. The Thief remains unharmed by urban predators by becoming one. Knowing the benefits of cybernetics (and the dangers) the character most likely has a few implants. Thieves are the masters of the urban sprawl. With the possible exception of the Fury, none may gainsay a Thief in his own turf. Armageddon produces a good number of Thieves, though rather inadvertently. The Coalition produces almost none. Humans, Inuueliting, and Sa’crontor make good Thieves.



Valence Main Rulebook: Classes



Page 80

Special Abilities In cities the Thief comes alive. Thieves double their stealth score (if any), opponents are at -1 to attack and damage them, and their time to find new contacts is halved. A Street Thief will almost never be a target in a city, as they know how to fit in. Even if the Thief is the most conspicuous of the party, he or she will usually not be the target of the local predators (his companions, on the other hand...). A Thief is never surprised in any urban area.

Tech Doc Class Primary Skills

Level

Basic Engineering

5

Any one other Engineering skill

5

Computer Operation

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Computer

easier

Engineering

easier

Lording

easier

Espionage

harder

Leadership

harder

Attributes Charisma

2

Knowledge

8

Starting Skill Points

65

Thief Class Primary Skills

Level

Streetwise

5

Make New Contacts

5

Bargaining

5

Skill Cost Modifiers Combat

easier

Espionage

easier

Street

easier

Military

harder

Piloting

harder

Attributes Charisma

3

Knowledge

6

Starting Skill Points

65

Page 81 Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Some Backgrounds are not available to Ultramercs, and are marked as such. Walks of Life are listed after the Advantages and Disadvantages, and there are a few extra notes listed about them.



Contacts maybe changed over the course of a campaign. They can die, pay off their debt, be turned to the enemy’s side, etc. Any character who looses a contact in this manner should be given the chance to make a new contact of the same power. For instance, a daughter vowing to pay her father’s debt. The GM should not permanently remove a contact without There are many advantages and disadvantages good reason; after all, the player did pay character that may be taken more then once. You can usually points for this benefit. identify such types by their costs, which have the notation “# per”. Try to use common sense when deciding whether or not an advantage or disadvantage can be taken more then once. Obviously a character with two arms can not be ambidextrous twice, but anyone can have more money by taking the money advantage twice or more.



A character’s past was probably not all fun and games; bad things happen to all people. This can be represented in game terms by Disadvantages. Associated with each Disadvantage are a number of bonus background points. These bonus points maybe spent on more Advantages. It is not usually a wise decision to take more than 20 points worth of Disadvantages. A GM may allow a character to take more than this with good reason.



Note that the only way a character may start with money is to acquire it with background points. It is strongly suggested that some fraction of the character’s background points be spent on starting capital, so that equipment can be purchased. This is all the money a character will have at the start of the game.



All characters have a history and a story. Even Ultramercs are not created totally out of nothing. In order to show how a character’s past has impacted his or her development, each character is given a certain number of background points, and must choose a Walk of Life. Player Characters, being the heroes of the story, are assumed to be competent enough that they can deal with most situations well. Thus all starting characters are given 20 background points and one Walk of Life. These points may be used to obtain Advantages, such as money, contacts, or minor traits.

The Contacts background is quite common, and may need a bit of extra explanation. A contact is not a servant. They are beholden to the character in some manner, but wield power in their own right. A character may ask his or her contact for favors or information. The better the contact, the more likely they are to be able to deliver. A contact may also refuse a request for any number of reasons: they may be busy, they may be unable, or they just may not want to. The GM is encouraged not to overuse the last reason. The greater the power of the contact, the more likely they are to busy. Conversely, the lower the value the more likely they are to be unable to complete the request. Contacts are most often used to gain information, but higher levels might let a character requisition equipment, or might look the other way while the character does something questionable. Contacts may be beholden to the character for any number of reasons — they may owe a debt of honor, a debt of money, or may simply be the character’s friend. Low contacts are often in fiscal debt to a character. Their inability to pay means they will perform favors in return for more time to pay off the debt. They are unlikely to be able to do so any time soon.



Backgrounds

A note on Contacts

Enhanced Immune System: Your character has a +5 to save versus disease. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for others it is an intentional biomodification or cybernetic implant. Costs 5 background Aesthetically Pleasing: While not necessarily points. sexually attractive, your character has a certain aesEnhanced Sight: Add 50% to the distance a thetic or artistic appeal. Members of all species will character can see with all types of vision. This also find you pleasing to look at, though they may not be gives +3 to skill checks when vision is important, romantically attracted. Costs 2 background points. such as Observation. Includes radar and vibrational Additional Skill Points: Costs 1 background senses. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for others it is an intentional biomodification or cyberpoint per 2 starting skill points. netic implant. Costs 7 background points.

Advantages

Ambidexterous: You are equally capable with Enhanced Smell: Your character gets +4 to any both hands (or all 4 in the case of Valorians or Gold Inuuel). You pay half the normal cost for off-hand Tracking or Hunting rolls made when smell would help. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for othweapon skills. Costs 8 background points. ers it is an intentional biomodification or cybernetic Beautiful: Members of your own species (and implant. Costs 5 background points.

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very closely related ones) find your character atEnhanced Taste: Your character has a knack for tractive. Your recieve +2 on any rolls to persuade being able to tell something’s composition by tastor seduce someone who would normally find your gender attractive. Costs 2 background points. Does ing it. Not only is this useful when cooking, but it allows you to detect most toxins and poisons if they not stack with Drop-Dead Gorgeous. are placed in your food. Tasteless poisons cannot be Contacts: As described earlier, a Contact is detected, of course. Costs 4 background points. someone your character knows who has a worthwhile amount of power and influence. A Low Contact (costs 2 background points) would indicate a local politician, gang, or an arms dealer. A Medium Contact (5 points) would indicate someone like a mayor or regional manager, with more power and responsibility. A High Contact (10 points) would be fairly influential on a planetary or sector-wide level, such as a Coalition senate representative, a planetary dictator, or a member of the Board of Directors on a small corporation. The Greatest Contacts (15 points) are those such as CEOs of major corporations or successful warlords.

First World Upbringing: Your character was born and raised on a high-tech world, such as Genetech’s homeworld or Earth before the Fall. He or she has had the best access to medical care cybernetics and nutrition. Add one to any of your character’s attributes, and +5 to resist disease. Costs 5 background points. This background is not available to Ultramercs.

Drop-Dead Gorgeous: As per Beautiful, but Fleet Footed: Add 25% to all of your character’s more so. People may follow you around or stalk you. Your recieve +5 on any rolls to persuade or seduce movement speeds. Costs 5 background points. someone who would normally find your gender atGenetic Variant: Your character (and most memtractive. Costs 4 background points. Does not stack bers of his or her family) have some sort of genetic with the Beautiful advantage. advantage as the result of previous tinkering. Choose Enhanced Hearing: Add 50% to the distance your one Biomod from the Ultramerc section (starts on character may hear. This also gives +3 to skill checks page xx). Costs 10 background points. The GM may when vision is important, such as Observation. For adjust the cost of this advantage on a case-by-case some people this is a genetic fluke; for others it is an basis, as not all biomods are equally useful. This intentional biomodification or cybernetic implant. background is not available to Ultramercs. Costs 7 background points.



Enhanced Touch: Grants +2 to your character’s Dexterity. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for others it is an intentional biomodification or cybernetic implant. Costs 7 background points.



Terrifying: Your character looks fearsome or hideous Your recieve +2 on any rolls to persuade or intimidate someone. Since people are generally used to dealing with weird aliens, you normally have no penalties to social rolls, but you may have some Improved Genome: Grants three additional trouble in less worldly cultures. Costs 2 background points which may be added to your character’s at- points. tributes in any way. Can only be taken once. Your character is either the luckiest genetic fluke alive, or the result of some high-quality genetic manipulation before your birth. Costs 10 background points.



Team Player: You can spend Hero Points for other people. Costs 4 background points.



Hostile Birth World: You were born on a world where the harsh environment has shaped its inhabitants. Desert worlds, frozen planets, some jungle worlds, and a few others fit into this category. You can add +1 to any two physical statistics (Agi, Dex, Sta, Str). Costs 6 background points. This background is not available to Ultramercs.



Heroic: Your character is a particuarly heroic Starship: Your character is in possession of a and upright person. You must roleplay this advantage starfaring vessel. This should be created by the GM. or lose it. You recieve an extra Hero Point at the end Costs 20 background points. (Note: the Starbound of each gaming session. Costs 5 background points. sourcebook will be very useful for your character.)



Property: Real estate, housing, deeds, or other not easily liquidated property. Costs 1 background point per §100,000 of worth. Ultramercs are not allowed to own this kind of property, but may use this background to provide extra money with which to build their body.



Gifted with Animals: Your character is gifted with animals, and may get them to behave in a manner to which they are not usually accustomed. Any Mount skills recieve a +4 bonus, if they need to be rolled at all, and even hungry wild animals will generally leave you alone. Costs 8 background points.

Disadvantages

Backwater: You come from a very small culture with low technology and little contact with the outside world. You are unfamiliar with modern technology, and cannot take any Computer, Science, or Engineering skills above level 5 at character creation. You can still use weapons and armor normally. Provides 7 background points.

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Legendary Past: Your character has either done something which makes him or her famous (in the case of positive Renown), or has been wiped from records across the galaxy (in the case of negative Renown). See the description of Renown on page xx. Costs 2 background points per point of Renown, whether positive or negative. You cannot have both positive and negative Renown.

Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Light Sleeper: Your character has no trouble Blacklisted: You are unwelcome in all of the waking up on short notice, and suffers no penalty galaxy’s major cultures, and some of the minor ones. after getting up. Costs 5 background points. More importantly, you are unwanted in whatever culture the game starts off in. If anyone finds out M.A.C.: Your character owns a Mechanized who you are, you will be immediately deported or Assault Craft. It should be created by the GM. Costs jailed. High levels of Stealth and Disguise skills are 20 background points. (Note: the M.A.C. source- recommended. Provides 16 background points. book will be very useful for your character.) Bounty: There is a price on your character’s head Money: Starting capital for your character, to be of more than one million sections. The reason is up spent in any way he or she desires. Costs 1 back- to you, but the higher the bounty, the worse the ground point per §10,000 (ten thousand sections). crime was, and the more bounty hunters will come after you. Provides 5 background points, or more Multicultural: You were raised in two different at the GM’s discretion. Ultramercs cannot take this cultures, and are familiar with both. You recieve both disadvantage unless they have fled Genetech — in sets of cultural skills. Costs 6 background points. This which case they effectively have this disadvantage background is not available to Ultramercs. already, but recieve no points for it.

Cyber-allergic: Your body rejects cybernetics of Heavy Sleeper: When waking up your character all kinds. You cannot even recieve the most basic of suffers a -10 penalty to all actions for a period of replacement limbs. Provides 10 background points, 10 rounds while awakening, and will be groggy for or more at the GM’s discretion. This background is several minutes. Provides 4 background points. not available to Ultramercs. Phobia: Your character is deathly afraid of someDebt: Your character is deep in debt. You prob- thing relatively common — spiders, cats, water, ably receive annoying mail from these people, heights, enclosed spaces, etc. You will refuse to enwhich, if ignored long enough, will lead to having all ter any place involving your Phobia, and must make yoru stuff repossessed (and possibly your kneecaps a MnE check at -5 to even approach it. Provides 5 broken, depending on who you owe the debts to). background points. Provides 1 background point per §250,000 of debt, up to a maxiumum of 8 points. Poor Sense of Hearing: Your character’s hearing ranges are halved. You also take -3 to any skill Defective Genome: Someone tried to tinker rolls on which hearing is very important, such as with your genome before birth, and shouldn’t have. Observation or Sing. Nesti have their vibrational They obviously didn’t know what they were doing. sense range halved. This may be due to a genetic Instead of the normal 11 points to spread around on malformity, or some kind of accident, or even malyour attributes, you have only 8. Provides 10 back- functioning cybernetic implants. Provides 6 background points. ground points.



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Disfigured: Your character is severely disfigured in a way that calls attention to itself at all times and disturbs others. Severe acid burns are a good example. You suffer a -2 penalty on most social rolls. Provides 2 background points.

Poor Sense of Smell: Your character’s sense of smell is small to nonexistant. If your species can normally track by scent, your character cannot. This may be due to a genetic malformity, or some kind of accident, or even malfunctioning cybernetic implants. Ogres cannot take this disadvantage, as they Enemy: An Enemy is someone who hates your can’t smell a thing anyway. Provides 4 background character’s guts, and who has a worthwhile amount points. of power and influence. Enemies don’t always want your character dead, but if you piss them off enough Poor Sense of Sight: Your character’s vision they will. A Low Enemy (provides 1 background ranges are halved. Valorians with this disadvantage point) would has less power than your character, but cannot see at all. You have -3 to any skill rolls for can be a nuisance nonetheless. A Medium Enemy (4 which vision is very important, such as Observation. points) has power roughly equal to your character, Nesti have the range of their radar sense halved. This such as an Interface Knight’s old duplicate self (see may be due to a genetic malformity, or some kind page xx). A High Enemy (9 points) would be fairly of accident, or even malfunctioning cybernetic iminfluential on a planetary or sector-wide level, such plants. Provides 4 background points. as a Coalition senate representative, a planetary dictator, or a member of the Board of Directors on Poor Sense of Touch: Take -2 to your character’s a small corporation. A Nemesis (12 points) is a very Dexterity score. This may be due to a genetic malpowerful foe, such as a CEO of major corporations formity, or some kind of accident, or even malfuncor a successful warlord. tioning cybernetic implants. Provides 6 background points. Flat Feet: Your character moves at 75% of the normal movement rate for his or her species. Severe Phobia: As per Phobia, but you simply Provides 4 background points. cannot approach the object in question, and must run away, drop the floor and cower, or spend a Hero Guilty/Tarnished Past: Your character did some- Point every round while in its presence. Provides 8 thing in the past that he is afraid will be found out background points. in his current life. If it is found out, this could be turned into a Renown or a Blackmail! Provides 5 Sterile: Your character is sterile and may never background points. have children by any means. Provides 1 background point.



Walks of Life

Page 85 Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Early Journeyman: You left school early, eager to strike out on your own. Bonuses to Bargaining,



Cultured Upbringing: Mummy and Daddy were quite rich, weren’t they! You led a rather sheltered life. Bonuses to Make New Contacts, Politics, Public Speaking, and any one Drive skill.



College Days: You spent a little more time than usual in school. Either you really enjoyed it there, or were afraid to face the real world. Bonuses to Bureaucracy, Research, one Miscellaneous skill of choice, and any one skill not from Combat or Espionage.



Available to All Characters



General Walks of Life



One last note: unless you buy the appropriate Advantages above, your Walk of Life has no impact on your character at the start of the game other than the bonus skills. For example, if you choose “Struck it Rich,” you are not still rich. If you choose “Leading Victim of Blackmail: Some one holds something Edge Researcher,” however, you might still be one at over your character’s head. They may try to extort the start of the game, since it will have no significant money, information, or favors from you. If you don’t effect on game play. pay up (and continue to pay), this person will reveal something terrible about you to the world as a whole. Provides 5 background points. This background is not available to Ultramercs — anyone trying to blackmail an Ultramerc will probably end up dead.



Walks of Life can also be used to pass time quickly in the game. Each Walk is considered to have taken one year of the character’s life to complete. If your GM says “hey, I’m going to advance the game by five years. What are your characters doing?” you should look to this page. Just pick one Tour per year, and add the +2 bonuses to your character’s skills.



some depend on class, and some are available only to characters from a certain culture. Each Walk gives a +2 bonus to the listed skills. Once you are done purchasing skills, add these bonuses on.



Third World Upbringing: Your character was raised on a low-tech world. He or she has not always had the best medical and cybernetic care. You are at -5 to save versus disease, must take -1 to two attributes (chosen by the player), and cybernetics are completely unavailable at character creation. The damage done is on a cellular level and can only be repaired by Genetech, in what is sure to be an expensive procedure indeed. Cybernetics may be purchased as usual over the course of a campaign. Note that not all third-worlders suffer from this disadvantage. Only characters who are from an impoverished upbringing should take this. You may take both this and Hostile Birth World. Provides 14 background points. This background is not available to Ultramercs.



Tagalong: You have a follower who is more of a liability than an asset. He or she is often in trouble and needs bailing out, and may be underfoot at inopportune times. Your character is responsible for this Each character may choose one of the Walks of follower, possibly by choice, possibly not. Provides Life given below. No starting character may have 4 background points. more than one, though more advanced characters sometimes do. Terminal Disease: Your character will die of disease sometime within the next few years. There is A Walk of Life (known also as a Tour of Duty for no known cure. Provides 3 background points. The Soldier classes, a Shady Path for Rogues, or a Course GM may feel free to increase the payback for this of Study for Scholars) helps to flesh out the character’s background in a long-running campaign. background even more. Some available to anyone,

one Martial Arts skill of choice, Streetwise, and Instructor: At one point in your life you taught Carousing. at a military academy or for wealthy individuals. Bonuses to Intimidation, Public Speaking, Command Lording Training: You spent a bit of time when Communications, and Law. you were younger learning the basics of the Lording. Bonuses to Lording Development, any one Lording Officer: You know what it’s like to command. At skill, and gain 8 XP worth of spells. Note: this Walk one time you were in charge of a small- to mediumis not open to Paladin or Archmage classes, who sized team of individuals in a pressure situation, already have extensive training in the Lording. and you learned from it — fast! Bonuses to Military Leadership, one combat skill of choice, Persuasion, Microcorporation Affiliate: Instead of and Command Communications. working, as most people do, for a branch of a megacorporation, you have worked for smaller inPeacekeeper: You served on a mission where dependant companies who are trying to keep their killing was looked down upon very severely — your heads above water. Bonuses to Computer Operation, job was to keep the peace, not win a war. You had Make New Contacts, Bargaining, and any one skill to change your tactics as a result. Bonuses to any relating to your profession. one Martial Arts skill, Public Speaking, Military Leadership, and Intimidation Scholar of the Streets: Your family was relatively poor; you spent a lot of time on the wrong side of Planetary Assignment (nasty planet): This difthe tracks as a child. Bonuses to Streetwise, Pick ficult assignment pitted you against a superhot, Pockets, Stealth, and Concealment. freezing, desert, or jungle planet, or a very harsh environment. Perhaps you were part of an arctic training mission. Receive a bonus to First Aid, one combat of choice, Survival in one particular terrain, and Body Development. Available to Soldier Classes

Tours of Duty



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and most Ultramercenaries

Planetary Assignment (normal planet): You have served planetside, probably as local or regional Note on Tours of Duty: “one combat skill of guard. You had to deal with people as well as protect choice” may be replaced with a Lording or Piloting your employers. Bonuses to Martial Arts: Defensive, skill in the case of Paladins or Space Jockeys, respec- one combat skill of choice, Survival in one particular tively. If MAC Pilots are used in your game, they are terrain, and Intimidation. a Soldier class and may take Drive or Gunner skills instead of a Combat skill. Reconnaissance/Scouting: You’ve been part of a scouting team planetside, either doing recon for Abyss Sector: You have served as Scum Patrol in an army or doing non-war intelligence gathering. Abyss Sector, or another region known for its smug- Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Equipment, Stealth, glers and illegals. You had to almost sink to their level Observation, and Advanced Radio. to make it out. Bonuses to Make New Contacts, one combat skill of choice, Streetwise, and Stealth. Tertiaries: You have served as a patrolman, bodyguard, or hired gun in the Tertiaries (or another Deep Space: You lived and worked onboard a highly political region of the galaxy). Bonuses to starship in deep space for at least one year. Bonuses one combat skill of choice, Humor/Wit, Military to Pilot Starfighter, Tesseract Communications, Leadership, and Make New Contacts. Gunner: Starship, and Zero-G Movement. Extended Training: You spent a bit more time at your academy than others, not because you were held back, but because you went more in-depth and got better training. Bonuses to Military Leadership, Tactics, Military Intelligence, and one combat skill of choice.

Urban Assignment: You’ve operated for an extended period of time in cities and towns, probably as part of a police force. Bonuses to a combat skill of choice, Carousing, Streetwise, and either Stealth or a Driving skill of choice. Warlords Zone: You have served as a ground troop in Core-7 Sector or some other region where



Gone Respectable: It’s every crook’s nightmare: willing or not, you worked for the “right” side of the law. They say that some people live that way all the time! Most Merchants call this “working for the Available to Scholar Characters man” rather than “gone respectable.” Bonuses to Bureaucracy, Law, one Drive or Pilot skill of choice, Note on Courses of Study: when given an and Make New Contacts. “Engineering skill of choice,” Bio Docs may choose Medical skills and Archmagi may choose Lording Fallen in Love: You’ve met the girl, guy, or Nesti skills if they so desire. Diplomats may take a of your dreams. They’re pretty important to you, but Leadership skill. Interface Knights should be allowed all your friends think you’ve gone nuts. Bonuses to to take a Computer skill of choice. Humor/Wit, Persuasion, Carousing, and either Sing, Play Musical Instrument, or Art. Administrator: You got saddled with the normally boring job of administrating a school, hospiHired Muscle: You normally work only as a high- tal, or training facility. Bonuses to Public Speaking, ly-trained specialist... but sometimes you just have to Bureaucracy, Administration, and Persuasion grit your teeth and take the grunt job. Bonuses to a combat skill of choice, a Martial Arts skill of choice, Big Secrets / Suppressed Research: Whatever Intimidation, and Body Development. you did, they still won’t let you tell people about it. Either your research uncovered something so The Organization: You’re a gambino, a mafioso. dangerous that you refuse to talk about it, or the You’ve worked for either the Organization or some government put a lid on it fast. Bonuses to one other, lesser Mafia. You’re part of the family. Bonuses Engineering skill of choice, Law, Bureaucracy, and to Intimidation, a combat skill of choice, Appraise Lording Development. Goods, and Humor/Wit. Extended Schooling: You went back to get a secSmuggler: You’ve helped run illegal goods past a ond (or third, or fourth...) degree in a different field, blockade. Whether it was morally right or not is up or to strengthen your knowledge of your current to you. Bonuses to one Piloting or Drive skill, one field. Bonuses to any one skill of choice, Research, combat skill of choice, Running, and Stealth. an Engineering skill of choice, and Bureaucracy.



Big Boss: You, at one point, were the head of a Thirty Altarian Dollars a Day: It was the coolest small crime ring or group of merchants. It didn’t last vacation of your life. Bonuses to Carousing, Law, long, but it taught you a lot in a short time. Bonuses one Martial Arts skill of choice, and Pick Pockets. to Command Communications, Persuasion, Humor/ Wit, and Make New Contacts. Unemployment: You’ve been down in the dumps for a significant amount of time. No work was to be Con Man: There’s one born every minute, and for a while you found every one. Bonuses to Gambling, found, or else the work was so bad that you preferred going hungry! Bonuses to Pick Pockets, Streetwise, Persuasion, Concealment, and Sleight of Hand. Burglary, and Play Musical Instrument



Struck it Rich: At one time in your life you had a whole lot more money than you do now. Maybe it was from inheritance, maybe from the lottery, maybe you just found it or (gasp) got it honestly! Bonuses to Accounting, Appraise Goods, one Drive or Pilot skill of choice, and Carousing. Note that you do not still have that money unless you buy the appropriate Backgrounds.



Back to School: You took a few years and went back to school, to learn all that stuff people say you should really know. Bonuses to Accounting, Basic Engineering, one Professional skill of choice, and Computer Operation.



Available to Rogue Characters



Shady Paths



there are many warlords vying for control. Bonus to Military Formations, Military Intelligence, Missile Space Station: Part of your life was spent on Launchers, and Martial Arts: Defensive. a large space station rather than a terrestrial city. Bonuses to Bargaining, Make New Contacts, Computer Bypass, and Climbing.

Courses of Study

Page 87 Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Field Research (deep space): You’ve been onlocation to study phenomena that only occur in the vastness of space. Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Equipment, Zero-G movement, one Science skill of choice, and Advanced Radio. Diplomats instead receive bonuses to Zero-G Movement, Psychology, Xenopsychology, and Streetwise.

to Carousing, Bargaining, Make New Contacts, and Humor/Wit. Working Stiff: The working world sucks, don’t it? Bonuses to Accounting, one Engineering skill of choice, Interpret Sensory Equipment, and Humor/ Wit.



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Special Walks of Life

Field Research (planetary): You had the opportunity to study something where it naturally occurs on a Available only to characters with cerplanet. Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Equipment, one Engineering skill of choice, Survival in one particular tain Mentors or Classes — see descripterrain, and one Science skill of choice. Diplomats tions below. instead receive bonuses to Persuasion, Make New Code Monkey: Day 1: log in, slog through code, Contacts, either Psychology or Xenopsychology, and fix code, write code. Day 2: see day 1. Repeat ad Xenobiology. nauseum. Such is the life of the code monkey. Man Forced Enlistment: Uncle Sam wanted you, and are you glad you got out of that job! Bonuses to you weren’t given the choice of saying no. Bonuses Programming, Computer Operation, Bureaucracy, to one combat skill of choice, one Martial Arts skill of and Research. Available only to Interface Knights. choice, Body Development, and Interpret Sensors. Defense Sysop: Not many code monkeys make Historian: You know more about what’s hap- it to this position. You were in charge of the defense pened before than most other people in the field. of a large computer network or particularly sensitive Bonuses to Research, History, Appraise Goods, and data on one computer. Bonuses to Programming, Create Portal, Create Guardian, and Law. Note that Computer Operation you may or may not know what that sensitive data Leading Edge Researcher: You are or were once is... it’s up to your GM. Available only to Interface at the top of your field, doing cutting-edge work Knights. and research. Bonuses to Basic Engineering, one Demon Extermination Tour: You were sent after Engineering or Science skill of choice, Accounting, the most hazardous race in the galaxy — or so they and Research. told you. Bonuses to Xenobiology, one combat skill Lecture Tour: You spent some time traveling of choice, Zero-G movement, and Gunner: Starships. around, talking about your latest discoveries or Available only to Ultramercs. theories, or just your experiences. Bonuses to Public Deputy Warlord: You served under a warlord Speaking, Make New Contacts, one Drive or Pilot skill of choice, and one Engineering skill of choice. — exactly which one and how he/she treated people is up to you — but you rose to a high rank in that orMilitary Association: You worked closely with ganization, and had some level of control. Note that the military at one point; either local armed forces you are not still affiliated with that warlord unless or megacorp-level. You probably did some kind you take some appropriate Backgrounds. Bonuses of weapons research. Bonuses to Physics, Basic to Military Leadership, Command Communications, Engineering, one other Engineering skill of choice, one combat skill of choice, and one Lording skill of choice. Available only to Paladins. and one weapons skill of choice. Early Bloomer: You probably learned to code Professor: You’ve worked as a lecturer or teacher at some level of education (most likely college). before you learned to write. You started out very Bonuses to Public Speaking, Research, Bureaucracy, young and learned some of the nastier aspects of the Lattice as a result. Bonuses to Create Virus, and Make New Contacts. Computer Operations, Make New Contacts, and Sabbatical: Vacation time! You took some time Basic Engineering. Available only to Interface off from your studies to get away from it all. Bonuses Knights.

Page 89 Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Intelligence Gatherer: You are paid and trained Techhead: Some people love cybernetics, but by Ægis to snoop around other people’s cultures — discreetly, of course — and find out what’s go- you really love your cybernetics. Perhaps a bit too ing on. Bonuses to Observation, Interpret Sensors, much. Bonuses to Cybernetic Weapons, Cybernetics, First Aid, and Interpret Sensors. Stealth, and Advanced Radio.



Ægis Walks of Life

Redneck: It don’t really need an explanation, do it? Some things never change. Bonuses to Rifles, Cook, Drive Truck, and Hunting.



Cultural Walks of Life



Cage Wrestler: You beat the crap out of people for a living. Well, to be honest, it’s all scripted, but the blood is real. Bonuses to Body Development, Cybernetic Weapons, Martial Arts: Defensive, and Only characters from the listed culture may take Acting. these Walks of Life. They are not available to others. Prospecter: Some people mine asteroids; you It should be noted that not all of these Walks are tell ‘em which ones to mine. Bonuses to one Pilot typical of someone in the culture – in fact, some of them are specifically for those who are rebelling skill of choice, Geology, Interpret Sensors, and Gunner: Light. against the prevailing culture.



Boss: Whether by placement in your family or hard work on your part you’ve been placed in a position of leadership in Armageddon. Now you need to hold onto it. Bonuses to Command Communications, Make New Contacts, and reccieve one Medium Contact background (your boss in Arm).



Medical Tour: Regardless of your profession you have helped out with a medical organization. Your Duelist skills came in particularly handy. Bonuses to First Aid, Paramedical, Healing, and Lording Development. Available only to Duelist characters.

Asteroid Miner: You’ve spent time in the dangerous profession of “belt mining,” hauling ore from the asteroid belt into inhabited regions. Bonuses to ZeroG Movement, Martial Arts: Sweeps and Throws, First Aid, and Geology.



Lords-Favored: You are one of the few Duelists who know of and have actually met one of the enigmatic Lords of the Negative Dimension. You occasionally do jobs for them in the material world, in exchange for information and favors. Bonuses to Lording Development, Healing, Summoning, and Traveling. Available only to Duelist characters.



Protector: You were one of the real Shieldbearers, Extended Officer Training: You’re being troops who defend Ægis from outside forces. Bonuses groomed to become a trainer in your future. Bonuses to one Combat skill of choice, Tactics, one Military to Military Leadership, Command Communications, skill of choice, and Interpret Sensors. one combat skill of choice, and Military History. Available only to Ultramercs. Recycling Engineer: Your personal area of expertise was turning trash into usable materials. GT Homeworld Tour: Some say it’s a cushy tour, The job might have stunk (pardon the pun) but you but it requires a great deal of vigilance and a psycho- can get employment almost anywhere. Bonuses to logical profile that few Ultramercs have: the ability to Basic Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, and deal with people. Bonuses to Humor/Wit, one com- Lording Development. bat skill of choice, Command Communications, and one Pilot skill of choice. Available only to Ultramercs Traveler’s Society Member: You belong to the and those working directly for Genetechnologies. largest and most prestigious group of “independant” adventurers and explorers in the galaxy. Bonuses to Test Pilot: You were entrusted with testing the Observation, Make New Contacts, Bargaining, and newest, fastest, and most powerful starships around. Xenopsychology. Bonuses to two different Piloting skills, one Gunner skill, and Military Intelligence. Available only to Armageddon Walks of Life Space Jockeys.

Peacekeeper: No one starts fights on your watch. This is identical to the Peacekeeper Tour of Duty for Soldier classes, but is open to any Coalition Convert: You weren’t always part of the Imperial citizens. culture, but you’ve been accepted by at least one court. Maybe your children will be accepted by the Separatist: The Coalition: take it or leave it? High Court itself. Bonuses to Language (Ancient Frankly, you’d rather leave it, as soon as possible. Inuuel), Stand Ground, Politics, and Make New Bonuses to Make New Contacts, Law, Bargaining, Contacts. and Streetwise.

Ancient Inuuel Walks of Life

Noble: Millions of years of breeding and high society culminate in you — the ultimate noble, the Communal Walks of Life ultimate gentleman or lady. Bonuses to Make New Contacts, Appraise, Language (Ancient Inuuel), and Farmer: Working the land might not be exactly Persuasion. the same as it was a thousand years ago, but it’s changed less than most things. Bonuses to Cooking, Biology, Body Development, and Fishing.

Budetug Core Walks of Life

Proselytizer: You’re trying to convert people to Genesmith: Maybe you can’t get the same market the communal way of life. Bonuses to Persuasion, share that Genetech has, but you can sure give them a Bargaining, Humor/Wit, and Carousing. run for their money. Bonuses to Genetic Engineering, Biology, Xenobiology, and Cybernetics.

Genetech Walks of Life

Consensus Junkie: You spent a little too much time hooked into the Consensus, but came out very Ad Executive: You like to think of yourself as well-informed. Bonuses to History, Investigation, being above the images you create — those are Persuasion, and Politics for people who don’t really know what’s going on. Bonuses to Style, Bargaining, Persuasion, and Art.



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Caractingessen Walks of Life

Biohead: All of this “genetic purity” stuff is a load of crap as far as you’re concerned. You’ll take any Pacifist: Unlike almost all the Caractingessen in genes that seem interesting. Bonuses to Biomedical the galaxy, you try very hard to keep your temper Technology, Biology, Xenobiology, and First Aid. under control, and make it a policy never to fight. Or perhaps you just tried it that way for a year. Bonuses Counterculture: You prefer the oldies station, to Persuasion, Bargaining, Humor/Wit, and Martial you wear last week’s jeans, and no one can make Arts: Defensive. you change, man. You want to make culture for your-

Coalition Walks of Life

self, not have someone else do it for you. Bonuses to Style, Streetwise, Art, and Musical Instrument.

Pop Idol: A little bit of talent, a lot of hype, Crusader: Right makes might, or at least you’d the attiutude of the week, and voila — millions like to think so. You’re the Coalition’s biggest fan. Bonuses to Public Speaking, Make New Contacts, of screaming fans. Isn’t show biz great? Bonuses to Perform, Sing, Streetwise, and recieve one Low Carousing, and Persuasion. Contact background (your agent). Drifter: God bless the Coalition for taking care Renaissance Mole: By day, you’re Chris Citizen. of its bums and vagrants so damn well. You were By night you aid the revolutionary group known happy living off the streets. Bonuses to Streetwise, as the Renaissance. Bonuses to Lying, Stealth, Stealth, Concealment, and Gambling. Concealment, and Observation. Explorer: The Coalition sends you out to find new worlds and explore them. Bonuses to Interpret Sensors, one Pilot skill of choice, Geology, and Law



Dolts In Space

Let’s say you’ve got a character from one of the greatest combat species in the game: an Ogre or Nesti. You’ve got great strength, can fight for hours on end, and can take loads of damage. You’ve just got this one problem: your character is so DUMB! How did he even get this job?

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In short, play to your character’s strengths. Ogres are stubborn as all hell - use it! If your GM says you can’t understand part of a book, tell him your character is staying up all night for half a week reading it. Most characters would be asleep on their feet, but not you! Nesti aren’t quite as stubborn, but they are much quicker in applying what they already know. They may not apply it to the right thing, but that’s the price you pay. If you wanted a brainiac, you should have played a Valorian.

A cargo-hauling starship. Most cargo-haulers are built relatively small, compared to those found on Earth in the 21st century, because of the great expense of spaceflight. Almost all traders carry small, expensive goods rather than bulk materials (i.e. gemstones instead of pig iron).



Nesti can react quickly, as indicated by their good Creativity scores, but they learn very slowly. It’s like trying to teach a slug tricks (or more accurately, a shrub). They are also very bad at learning from their mistakes. While Nesti can eventually understand such things as the hyperdimensional mathematics needed to build a tesseract drive, it may take forty or fifty years. Once they learn something, though, they are almost as good as Humans when it comes to adapting it to new situations.



Ogres are incredibly persistant (high Mental Endurance scores), and if they really put their minds to it, they can learn just as well as anyone else. Most Ogres just don’t learn or think very quickly. Also, one of the reasons an Ogre’s Intelligence is rated so low is their poor time sense. Ogre’s aren’t quite as stupid as they appear. They just don’t understand past, present, and future, and will confuse ideas such as “yes, I already defused the bomb” and “I will defuse the bomb really soon.” Everyone dreads an Ogre saying the words, “Yes, I do that,” because it could mean that said Ogre has, is currently, or will eventually, do whatever it is. The only way to know is to double-check.

Ultramercenaries

Brain Types

Ultramercs are genetically engineered beings Brain types are either a standard species brain created by Genetechnologies Incorporated. Genetic type or a hybrid brain type in which computer augand bionic technology have allowed for living creatures to be built from the ground up. Science has mentation has been added. There are advantages progressed to the point where living tissue can be and disadvantages to all types. grown onto an inanimate frame. Life can be bonded Note that hybrid brains do not short out when to unlife almost flawlessly. Almost. hit with an EMP (or EM damage). Unlike ordinary In GY 592, purist minds believe that the only computers, they are not completely electromechaniacceptable forms of life within the galaxy are those cal structures, and the organic parts can take over which are naturally born. Genetech, the developer in an emergency. Instead, they take -4 to all mental of the Ultramercs, cares little for the prejudices of statistics for the next minute as the brain’s organic such “uneducated bigots.” Dozens of species form side kicks in and compensates for the loss of the the pool from which UM characters may draw their computerized side. Note that in combat this will slow down reaction times. genetic components.



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In order to design an Ultramerc you must build him or her gene by gene. Each gene expresses itself differently when combined with the whole. In this way there are thousands of combinations to make. Ultramercs get a 5 million section budget (5,000,000§) with which to create the character. This must pay for his or her genes, mentor, and skills.

Archangel Brain Cost: 500,000§

The Archangel brain uses crystallized iridium to facilitate brain communications. It is a brain with incredible links to the powers of the Lording. Unfortunately, its ability with the Lording allow only the purchasing of powers; this brain type does not handle spells (see the Lording chapter for more detail on spells and powers). Another aspect that The table below is a checklist of the genes which defies explanation is how this race’s moral code is make up each Ultramerc. Make sure you take at least genetically implanted. All Archangels have impecone of each, and two locomotion types. cable moral codes and can never lie. Creativity: +1 Intelligence: +5 Ultramerc Gene Checklist Lording: +10 1 Brain Type Mental Endurance: +6 2 Eye Type Visualization: +2 3 Ear Type 4

Olfactory Type

5

Muscular Type

6

Skeletal Type

7

Body Type

8

Locomotion Type

9

Biomodifications

10

Manipulation Type

11

Chemical Composition

12

Immune System

13

Epidermis Type

Archangel Hybrid Brain Cost: 750,000§

Extremely successful, this type of mind works around the brain lobes with connections that minimize Lording loss. However, the brain retains its strong moralistic code, restriction to powers rather than spells, and inability to lie. Creativity: +0 Intelligence: +7 Lording: +8 Mental Endurance: +8 Visualization: +3

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Even better pilots than before, those with Hallan hybrid brains can focus tesseracts more often and



Hallan Hybrid Brain Cost: 600,000§



This is an excellent combination that eliminates the whimsical nature of the species’ normal



Caractingessen Hybrid Brain Cost: 670,000§



Budetug have the ability to manufacture top quality goods. This is due to their high Visualization and Creativity skills. Unfortunately, their lower Intelligence means that most of their innovation is hit-or-miss. Creativity: +5 Inuueliting Brain Intelligence: +3 Cost: 400,000§ Lording: +2 The Inuueliting brain type has relatively high rea Mental Endurance: +3 soning skills and massive Lording abilities. The draw Visualization: +6 back is that this brain type has a low Visualization score and is not tolerant of pain and duress. Budetug Hybrid Brain Creativity: +1 Intelligence: +5 Cost: 450,000§ Lording: +6 Some of the reasoning problems have been Mental Endurance: +2 solved in this version of the Budetug brain, but the Visualization: +1 price is a total lack of Lording abilities. Creativity is not bad for a hybrid brain. Characters with this brain type often seem very stubborn. Inuueliting Hybrid Brain Creativity: +4 Cost: 520,000§ Intelligence: +5 This has the abilities of the Inuueliting brain but Lording: +0 with a better Visualization score. The Lording abili Mental Endurance: +5 ties of this brain type plummet rapidly because of its Visualization: +8 machine nature. That is made up for with a greater ability to grasp real-world problems. Caractingessen Brain Creativity: +0 Intelligence: +7 Cost: 450,000§ Lording: +4 This is a peculiar brain type with many strengths Mental Endurance: +4 and weaknesses. All Caractingessen tend to dislike Visualization: +3 Caractingessen of the same gender, and dislike the other gender except under certain, um... special... circumstances. They are, however, the masters of Hallan Brain magic, and have high reasoning capabilities. Their Cost: 420,000§ low Mental Endurance manifests itself as whimsy, The Halla are known as the best fighter pilots in and many Caracts are incapable of focusing on the galaxy because of their high Visualization and anything for long periods of time. All Caractingessen Mental Endurance scores. However, they are not brian types are built on the more agile and cooperaalways the smartest of creatures. Ultramercs with tive Serpentine brains. Hallan brains are treated as Halla for all purposes Creativity: +1 relating to the use of Tesseracts. Intelligence: +4 Creativity: +2 Lording: +8 Intelligence: +3 Mental Endurance: +1 Lording: +6 Visualization: +3 Mental Endurance: +6 Visualization: +5



brain. It has the usual drawback of reducing the Caractingessen’s natural Lording powers. Creativity: +0 Intelligence: +6 Lording: +6 Mental Endurance: +3 Visualization: +4



Budetug Brain Cost: 370,000§

over longer distances than the original. Their ability to communicate directly with computers makes them unmatched as navigators. The previous comments about tesseracts still hold (see above). Creativity: +1 Intelligence: +5 Lording: +4 Mental Endurance: +8 Visualization: +6

Human Brain Cost: 400,000§

This type of brain is an immensely creative structure. While its other statistics are somewhat mediocre, this creative ability sets Humans apart in the universe. Lording connections are unfortunately almost nonexistant, and most of these minds need a lot of training in Visualization and Mental Endurance. Creativity: +10 Intelligence: +4 Lording: +1 Mental Endurance: +2 Visualization: +2



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Human Hybrid Brain Cost: 500,000§

This is a strong brain type, with excellent Creativity for a hybrid form. This brain type has a good ability to communicate with computers and deals well with reasoning skills. Lording skills are next to impossible for someone with this kind of brain. Creativity: +9 Intelligence: +6 Lording: -1 Mental Endurance: +4 Visualization: +3

Nesti Brain Cost: NA

lusions as well as those created using the Lording. They also have the highest Mental Endurance in the galaxy, making them virtually immune to terror and torture. Their sense of time is notoriously bad. Creativity: +1 Intelligence: +2 Lording: +2 Mental Endurance: +10 Visualization: +1

Ogre Hybrid Brain Cost: 500,000§

When Genetech wants to create an intelligent, unstoppable servant with little inclination to deviate from their instructions, this is the brain type they use. The few Ultramercs with this brain type are almost completely immune to pain and suffering. Creativity: +0 Intelligence: +4 Lording: +0 Mental Endurance: +12 Visualization: +2

Sa’crontor Brain Cost: 410,000§

This is a brain type that excels at both Creativity and Intelligence. They are not as creative as humans, nor as intelligent as Valorians, but the middle ground between the two makes the Sa’crontor the greatest merchants in the universe. They also love the pleasures that come with being rich merchants. Creativity: +7 Intelligence: +5 Lording: +3 Mental Endurance: +1 Visualization: +1

Sa’crontor Hybrid Brain Cost: 570,000§

Sa’crontor hybrid brains further improve their The Nesti brain type is not possible in any other Intelligence score, and give the species more discicreature but a Nesti, as it requires that the owner be a pline, but reduce their creativity. plant. Genetech does not yet allow the development Creativity: +6 of intelligent plants. See “Processing Displacement Intelligence: +7 Fibers” in the Biomod section (page xx). Lording: +1 Mental Endurance: +3 Visualization: +2

Ogre Brain Cost: 370,000§

While incredibly stupid, those with these brain types are immune to holographically generated il-

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Certain listings below may merit explanation. All ranges are the maximum range at which these eyes can distinguish one individual from another, given good visual conditions (no fog or haze). Night vision is the ability to see under low-light conditions (moonless nights, for example), but not in total Caractingessen Eyes darkness. Infravision lets you see in the infrared Cost: 40,000§ spectrum, which effectively allows you to see heat. These powerful eyes are excellent for long rangUltraviolet vision is helpful mainly when starlight is es, but are very vulnerable to assault due to their size the only source of light. and fragility. Small characters with this eye type will often look as if they have “anime eyes.” Range: 3 km



Eyes are a very integral part of intelligent life. Races like Valorians, who depend on their hearing and sense of smell, often have trouble in a civilization where all technology is based on sight.

These eyes are very powerful. They are virtually immune to overload, have excellent focus over long distances, and can see a reasonable distance in both the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums. They do, unfortunately, shut down when hit with an electromagnetic pulse (or EM damage). Range: 7 km Save vs. Blinding: +6 Night vision: 1 km Infrared: 1 km Ultraviolet: 1 km



Eye Types

Cybernetic/Robotic Eyes Cost: 100,000§



A partially successful endeavor, this combination of nature and machine partially negates the lack of mental endurance, but essentially destroys Basic Eyes creativity in the process. The reasoning capabilities Cost: 25,000§ are astonishing, but intuitive leaps and Lording use Normal Human or Sa’crontor eyes with 20/20 are essentially impossible. There is a whopping +8 to knowledge with this brain type, as the brain be- vision. Their effectiveness in low-light conditions is horrible. comes an even more capable data storage device. Range: 1 km Creativity: +0 Save vs. Blinding: 0 Intelligence: +12 Night vision: 6 meters Lording: -2 Infrared: None Mental Endurance: +4 Ultraviolet: None Visualization: +9



Valorian Hybrid Brain Cost: 750,000§

These eyes, like the Archangels themselves, are nearly invulnerable to harm. They are actually recessed inside the skull. In reality the eyes themselves look backwards at a forty-five degree angle at a mirror mounted inside the back of the skull. This makes the eyes virtually impossible for someone to poke out, and gives the Archangel to appearance of having no eyes. The down side is that this is not very efficient, and reduces the range of the eyes. It also gives the Archangels terrible night vision, which explains their notorious aversion to the night. Range: 750 meters Save vs. Blinding: +10 Night vision: 3 meters Infrared: None Ultraviolet: None



An alien psyche in a mind with low lording powers but stunning deductive powers makes this an incredible brain type. These beings learn quickly when young, but have low average Mental Endurance and Creativity scores. Those with this brain type gain an automatic +4 to their Knowledge attribute. Creativity: +1 Intelligence: +10 Lording: +0 Mental Endurance: +2 Visualization: +8

Archangel Eyes Cost: 40,000§



Valorian Brain Cost: 500,000§



Save vs. Blinding: -10 Night vision: 1 km Infrared: None Ultraviolet: None

Valorian Eyes Cost: 15,000§

These multifaceted eyes are almost invulnerable to damage, but have poor conventional sight. They can see into the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums, Budetug Eyes but the range is not much improved. Ultramercs with Caractingessen body types, or those who will do a Cost: 30,000§ Capable of seeing into the infrared spectrum, but lot of flying, are advised to steer clear of this eye with a limited range, these eyes are typically used for type. Range: 3 meters Ultramercs who will be sent on nighttime missions Save vs. Blinding: +10 in urban areas. Night vision: 3 meters Range: 500 meters Infrared: 10 meters Save vs. Blinding: 0 Ultraviolet: 10 meters Night vision: 500 meters Infrared: 400 meters Ultraviolet: None

Inuueliting Eyes Cost: 30,000§



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These eyes are exceptional but frail, and damage easily. They come in strange colors, such as purple and gold. Range: 2 km Save vs. Blinding: -2 Night vision: 1 km Infrared: None Ultraviolet: None

Halla Eyes Cost: 20,000§

These eyes have exceptional ultraviolet vision, but are vulnerable without their nictating membrane (see the Biomods section). Range: 1 km Save vs. Blinding: -4 Night vision: 10 meters Infrared: None Ultraviolet: 200 meters

Ogre Eyes Cost: 25,000§

These eyes are very durable, but generally not very good. They have poor range of normal vision, but better night vision than humans. Range: 300 meters Save vs. Blinding: +4 Night vision: 10 meters Infrared: None Ultraviolet: None



Nesti Ears



Archangel ears, much like their eyes, are reCost: NA cessed into their skull. They are protected well from Technically speaking, the Nesti do not have ears. physical damage, but not from simple overload by Their excellent vibrational sense is due to the comloud noises. position of their body, not to any one part of it. At Range: 6 meters this time Genetech is researching a way to recreate Save vs. Deafness: 0 this vibratory sense, but they want to avoid another Doctor Watt incident (see the Biomod section for more info). Basic Ears



Archangel Ears Cost: 20,000§

Inuuel ears are acute, but are somewhat fragile. They are pointed, and tend to lift the eyebrows of the creature who possesses them into a perpetually arrogant look. They break rather easily due to a hollow bone running along the outer ridge. Range: 40 meters Save vs. Deafness: -2



From hearing a conversation to noticing someone sneaking up on you, hearing is sometimes considered the next most important sense after vision. The ranges listed below are the maximum range for hearing a quiet conversation, assuming that other noise is minimal.

Inuueliting Ears Cost: 50,000§



Ear Types

Save vs. Deafness: -6





efit is that they match the body’s normal ear type in appearance. They have all the usual benefits and Valorian Antennae penalties that go along with cybernetics, such as Cost: 100,000§ vulnerability to electromagnetic pulses. In addition, These are among the most sensitive devices they can be neutralized by large electromagnetic known to collect vibrations. They are so sensitive fields, making the character hear static. that characters with these antennae can’t be sur Range: 30 meters prised so long as the person surprising them makes Save vs. Deafness: +2 any noise whatsoever (e.g. a heartbeat, breathing, movement). They can pick up heartbeats at a range of 20 meters. They are also very obvious, seeing as Caractingessen Ears they’re two feet long. Cost: 40,000§ Range: 200 meters These ears are exceptional in their abilities, but Save vs. Deafness: 0 they are also extremely vulnerable to damage. They



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are composed of several spiny protrusions webbed together. The overall effect is rather like a large fan. Needless to say these look very comical on most humanoids. Range: 40 meters



These ears are similar to the human ears of today. Ogre Ears If you don’t know what they look like try looking at Cost: 60,000§ some one else, or even the mirror. Many species posThese are extremely adept, but they are large ses ears with these same capabilities. and obvious. They look like Inuuel ears except that Range: 20 meters they have large tufts of hair coming out of them. Save vs. Deafness: 0 These sensitive hairs, along with the large fin-like shape, allow the Ogres some of the best hearing in the galaxy. Cybernetic Ears Range: 60 meters Cost: 50,000§ Save vs. Deafness: 0 These ears are fairly good, but their largest ben-



Cost: 25,000§

Olfactory Types

Muscle Types

This affects your character’s strength. You may need to take a certain bone type to attach these muscles to; otherwise you might be snapping or Archangels, Humans, Inuueliting, Budetug, bending your own bones. Nesti, Sa’crontor and Halla all have similar senses of smell and taste, which offer no particular powers or Normal Muscle Type disadvantages.

Ordinary Olfactory Senses Cost: 25,000§

Cost: 25,000§

A conventional muscular system composed of muscles responding to nerve impulses by contracting and pulling a bone structure. This is found in Ogres have no sense of smell at all, and are im- Humans, Inuueliting, Budetug and Halla, and can mune to tear gas and other horrible-smelling things. be attached to any bone type. The drawback is that they won’t know when they Strength: +2 smell something dangerous (like a gas leak).

Ogre Olfactory Cost: free



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Advanced Olfactory Senses Cost: 40,000§

Caractingessen can track in a manner similar to that of a bloodhound. They have a 60% chance to follow a trail, with a -5% chance for each day the trail is old. Tracking through rain is very difficult and imposes a -30% penalty. Terrain and wind can impose a penalty based on GM discretion. They are also more vulnerable to certain kinds of gaseous attacks. You should specify whether this is an organic or cybernetic system. You recieve +6 to skill rolls where this sense may come in handy (such as Hunting or Cooking).

Corded Muscle Type Cost: 30,000§

Similar to the Normal muscle type above, but many times more powerful. This is typically due to high concentrations of metals in the muscle cells. It is found in Caractingessen and Ogres. This muscle type must be attached to Heavy Calcium, Living Steel, or Titanium bones. Strength: +6

Fluid Muscle Type Cost: 50,000§

Fluid muscles surround the bone equally on all sides, making the structure weaker but allowing Valorian Olfactory more maneuverability. They are found naturally in Cost: 60,000§ Valorians and Sa’crontor. Valorian secondary antennae are the most Strength: +1 powerful olfactory senses known. Those with this +1 to Dexterity and Agility sense have an 80% chance of success when tracking solely by scent, with a -5% penalty for each day the Hydraulic Muscle Type trail is old. Tracking through rain imposes a -20% penalty. Wind and terrain can alter this percentage. Cost: 40,000§ Your character also recieves +8 to skill rolls where Not as powerful or precise as the electromagnetthis sense may come in handy (such as Hunting or ic muscular drivers, but still very powerful. These do Cooking). not have the susceptibility to electromagnetic pulses that the electromagnetic systems do, as they are fully organic. The muscles work by using a natural fluid that fills the character’s bone structure. The body can pump fluid in or out, to flex in a manner similar to other muscle types. Its only drawback is that the character must eat four times the normal amount in order to meet the muscles’ energy demands. If the

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The standard Human system. Well balanced, offering an equal stamina and agility. Found most often



Medium Calcium Bones Cost: 100,000§



This is a bone structure very similar to that found in Earth birds. It is very light and mobile, yet not without a certain strength. The hollow bones of this structure make it very light, but susceptible to strong attacks. It offers better agility than any other skeletal structure. Usually found in Inuueliting, Valorians, and Sa’crontor. Agility: +9 Stamina: +1

The toughest skeleton Genetech has so far created. Titanium is both strong and light. Unfortunately, if the bones break, they must be replaced; they aren’t capable of automatically repairing themselves like the other bone types. This can be quite expensive. Agility: +6 Stamina: +7



Light Calcium Bones Cost: 250,000§

Titanium Bones Cost: 750,000§



Your character’s bone type influences both Agility (through the lightness and flexibility of the bones) and Stamina (how much marrow can be in the bones and support an active character). Through the Stamina increase, your bones also affect how tough your character is and how many wound levels he or she has.



Skeletal Types



A very tough system capable of withstanding massive amounts of stress. However, it doesn’t offer Extremely powerful and precise, this is the op- fine, graceful body movements due to the weight of timum of cybernetic musculature. It has only one the bones. It takes a lot of punishment, but doesn’t weakness: if your character takes even one level of deal well with coordination. Found in Budetug. EM damage, he or she will convulse helplessly for Agility: +2 thirty seconds. This muscle type can only be con Stamina: +5 trolled by Hybrid brains. This is a form of cybernetic musculature, which can be attached to any bone “Living Steel” Bones type. Cost: 325,000§ Strength: +9 This bone structure has large, smooth deposits of +1 to Dexterity and Agility iron in it. This makes the bones extremely resilient but very heavy. Usually found in Archangels, Ogres and Caractingessen. Agility: +1 Stamina: +9



Electromagnetic Muscle Type Cost: 80,000§

Heavy Calcium Bones Cost: 175,000§



character does not, his strength will decrease by 1 in Humans and Halla. It has no particular disadvanpoint every day until it drops below zero, at which tages, which, in itself, can be used as an advantage. point the character dies of starvation. This muscle Agility: +4 type is found in Archangels, and must be attached to Stamina: +4 Living Steel or Titanium bones. Strength: +6

Body Types Your character’s body can be created independently of any other choices — a human brain in a serpentine body type with Ogre ears is no problem at all. (You’ll look hilarious, but you can do it.) The larger your body is, the more durable it will be, but the less armor you will be able to afford.

Serpent Body Cost: 40,000§

Large and menacing, this form is huge and has the advantage of having large amounts of wound levels. It is sinuous and long rather than bulky. It is one of the Caractingessen forms. Size: 9 Armor Cost: Four times normal Height at Shoulder: 170 to 210 cm Length: 8 to 25 meters



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Note that your body choice should coincide with your choice of epidermis, or you will stick out Reptilian Body quite badly and will certainly not be able to pass as Cost: 50,000§ a normal individual. Sometimes that’s not a concern, Enormously massive, this is a powerful form with but some Ultramercs are built to be stealthy. great durability and also great size. In order to enter human-sized dwellings and buildings, it is a good idea to learn size reduction Lordings. Basic Humanoid Body Size: 10 Cost: 15,000§ Armor Cost: Five times normal The standard Human and Inuueliting form. Height at Shoulder: 1 to 2 meters Take a look in the mirror. This body type can also Length: 12 to 30 meters represent a Sa’crontor body, which has similar stats despite its very different shape. Size: 5 Insectoid Body Armor Cost: Normal Cost: 32,000§ Height: 160 to 200 cm A spongy body type, its size is close to that of

Short Humanoid Body Cost: 10,000§

This body type is primarily found in Halla, and resembles simply a smaller Human body. This helps those who want to be fighter pilots or techies (squeezing them into smaller spaces), but it also means that they don’t take hits as well as most. Size: 3 Armor Cost: Normal Height: 75 to 160 cm

Large Humanoid Body Cost: 20,000§

Ogre body types are large, and therefore rare in areas where Human-sized people or smaller are preferred, such as piloting starfighters. The increased size does lead to increased durability, however. Size: 6 Armor Cost: Twice normal Height: 190 to 320 cm

the human form. It doesn’t have the resilience of the basic humanoid shape, but it has the benefit of adding to the armor value of an exoskeleton (should the player take that as an epidermis type). If you wish this body type you must either take insectoid motion as one of your locomotion forms, or Budetug legs as one of your manipulation types. Size: 4 Armor Cost: Two times normal Height: 170 to 200 cm standing up 85 to 100 cm while walking



Body Type Short Humanoid

15/1

30/2

30/5

Basic Humanoid

30/8

60/15

60/15

Large Humanoid

40/10

80/20

80/20

Serpent

100/5

200/10

200/10

Reptilian

80/5

160/10

160/10



Insectoid Locomotion Cost: 50,000§

7.5

15

15

Running

Per day

Insectoid

50

100

100

Vehicular Ground Cost: 125,000§

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These are beautiful but delicate wings, similar to a butterfly’s but larger. When fully extended these wings tower fifteen feet over the head of the character and descend down to the calves. Despite their size they may be folded and concealed beneath robes or other large clothing. They are the pride of the High Inuueliting, being a symbol of their station, so they



Cost: 500,000§

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These systems of locomotion involve wheels or treads. The lower body is typically replaced with a cybernetic housing. In any of the Caractingessen Basic Humanoid 15 30 30 body types the underbelly becomes a flexible housLarge Humanoid 20 40 40 ing. The advantage to treads is the fact that they can climb all but the steepest of inclines, while the Serpent 7.5 15 15 wheels are limited to a more civilized environment. Reptilian 7.5 15 15 Moment rates are the same no matter what the body type. Bigger creatures can have larger engines, but need them to move their more massive bodies. Light Partial Bipedal Calcium bone structures should not be used with Cost: 75,000§ This what most Caractingessen have. They are these movement types. comfortable on two legs standing or walking slowly, but running or walking normally requires all four Vehicle Type Cruising Max Per day feet. This allows for fast movement when on all fours, Treads 100 200 200 but the hands are not free for other actions. While 125 250 300 on two legs it is possible to take other actions (such Wheels as using tools or weapons), though movement rate is drastically reduced. The number before the slash is Inuueliting Wings on four legs, the number after it is on two. Short Humanoid



Per day

Walking



Running

Body Type



Walking



Body Type



Cost: 100,000§



Changing from one type of movement to another This type of locomotion is only appropriate for typically involves one second of delay as your char- insectoid bodies. No other type will support, or is acter bends down, unfurls wings, lands, etc. designed to accommodate this type of locomotion. Four insect like legs hold a thorax up, much like a praying mantis. It is one of the faster types of ground Basic Bipedal movement. Standard two-legged walking and running. As with most locomotion types, the exact speeds depend on body type. This is good for a character who would like to maintain an acceptable pace while keeping his hands free for other actions.



Per day



These are how your character gets around. All Ultramercs have two movement types; typically one flying and one walking. The first two numbers listed are in meters per round (10 seconds) when walking or running in combat, respectively. The last number is daily movement in kilometers, assuming an eighthour march. See Movement, page xx, for more info.

Running



Locomotion Types

Walking

rarely conceal them. Ultramercs with this wing type, however, frequently hide them. A light calcium bone structure is need for these wings to be any more use than decoration, and they are insufficient to lift any characters whose Size is greater than 6. Body Type

Cruising

Max

Per day

Short Humanoid

30

60

60

Basic Humanoid

25

50

50

Large Humanoid

20

40

40

Serpent

100

200

200

Reptilian

50

100

100



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Caractingessen Wings Cost: 400,000§

Body Type

Cruising

Max

Per day

Short Humanoids

25

50

100

Basic Humanoids

50

100

200

Large Humanoid

75

150

300

Serpent

110

220

440

Reptilian

90

180

360

Metallic Wings Cost: 500,000§

These are the metal-feathered wings found on Archangels. They are not very fast, but have different sorts of uses. The feathers are sharp, and when used as weapons do level 5 Slashing damage. They are also easily folded up and concealed beneath cloaks and jackets. In order to hold aloft the massive loads these wings must carry, they come with a disk-shaped gland located under the skin at the base of the wing, which subconsciously manipulates electromagnetism to lift the wearer off the ground.

These are the wings found on the Great Caractingessen, Draconians, and Succubi. On Great Caracts and Draconians, these wings are large and hideous, covered in bone-like spikes. Succubi wings are a marvel to perceive; small and delicate in comparison, yet still an image of power. No matter how The possessor of these wings does not have they appear, Gess wings are well suited to flight, and conscious control over the gland, so it can only be are faster than any other wing types. They cannot be used to aid flying. GT is working on this problem. concealed because of their size and bulk. The gland is what actually keeps the user aloft and moves him or her around; the wings are primarily Body Type Cruising Max Per day there for maneuvering purposes. Their DNA is tied inextricably to that of the gland. GT’s working on Short Humanoids 40 80 80 that too. Basic Humanoids 75 150 150 Large Humanoid

85

160

170

Body Type

Serpent

100

200

200

Reptilian

150

300

300

Feathered Wings Cost: 350,000§

Found commonly on Ariels, these wings are similar to a falcon’s or eagle’s. While fast, these wings’ primary ability is to travel long distance, as they can be “locked” into place for gliding. They may not be concealed.

Cruising

Max

Per day

Short Humanoids

20

40

40

Basic Humanoids

50

90

90

Large Humanoid

70

140

140

Serpent

105

210

210

Reptilian

85

170

170

Anti-gravity Propulsion Cost: 900,000§

More correctly called Gravitational Propulsion, this is a cybernetic propulsion system located within the chest cavity. It is still somewhat experimental, since gravitational technology still has a long way to go in 592. The system also partially cancels inertia, allowing for incredible maneuverability (+1 Agility while flying) and giving all body types the same movement speed.



Maximum Speed

Per Day

60

120

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Everyone has some amount of natural weather sense. This biomod enhances it. Characters with this biomod have a 90% chance to successfully predict the weather for the next day, a 75% chance for two days, a 40% chance for 3 days and a 10% chance for 4-5 days. Of course, if the biomod doesn’t work,



Atmospheric Sensory Adaptation Cost: 25,000§



Contrary to its name, this biomod does not actually make someone a half-fish, half-person. Instead it grows gills on their necks so they can breathe under water, and grows webs on their fingers and toes. The gills close and excrete a mucus-like substance when out of the water, which eventually hardens (after about 1 hour) into a shell to protect the sensitive membranes. Aquatic Adaptation allows a person to attain depths of 200 meters and stay underwater almost indefinitely.



Aquatic Adaptation Cost: 65,000§



20,000



10,000



Per Day

This is the gland found in the Golden Inuueliting which gives them their excellent reflexes and metabolism. The gland releases an organic compound into the blood system which Genetech markets under the name “super-adrenaline,” and indeed it works very much like a super-powered hormone. While the gland is activated the character gains 3 extra attacks per round and deals +1 damage when using melee weapons. The gland may only be used for sixty rounds (6 minutes total) each day. The user may turn the gland on or off at will, as an instinctive reaction. The user must eat double the normal amount of food during any day that the gland is used or lose 2 points of Str and Sta for the next day.



Maximum Speed

A’darn Gland Cost: 130,000§



This form of cybernetic propulsion is the fastest of all Ultramerc movement types. All body types will have the same speed. It can propel the user at any speed (up to a maximum of about Mach 3) through space or an atmosphere. Should you be unfortunate enough to hit something at top speed, you and it both take a level 90 Blunt attack (in your case, to the head). Maneuverability is terrible (-2 to Agility while airborne).

Some species have very unique abilities, which Genetech has isolated and refined from their genetic code. Biomodifications are primarily taken from existing species, but some are the unique creation of Genetechnologies. These are also available to the general public at the same cost, though the DNA repatterning can take anywhere between three weeks and six months.



“Rocket” Propulsion Cost: 750,000§

Biomodifications

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your character can still just make a guess based on Chameleon Modification the season. In order for this biomod to work properly the character must have three weeks of experience Cost: 180,000§ on the specific planet and biome they are working This modification includes two aspects of a in, or the chances are halved. chameleon’s genetic code: changing skin colors, and independently focusable eyes. When the mod is activated, the character will begin to blend in with Biological Radar his or her surroundings. Green, brown, yellow, or Cost: 200,000§ flesh tones are easiest to imitate. This gives the charThis is the type of sensory adaptation possessed acter between +2 and +8 on Stealth rolls, dependby the Nesti. It allows the character to “see” the area ing on how little clothing he or she is wearing. The nearby through radar waves. It involves two organic independently focusable eyes allow the character to “reciever” disks being implanted in the character’s take no penalty when using two weapons on two skull, and an “emitter” array inside the character’s different targets. torso. The character may use radar to a maximum range of 1 mile. The character cannot be surprised Cold Regeneration Cells except by foes equipped with “stealth” systems or invisibility Lordings. The reverse is also true — anyone Cost: 250,000§ with this sense active cannot sneak up on people who Early in the 22nd century, Humans discovered a use radar systems to detect intruders (for instance, process whereby the rate of a cell’s reactions could many battlesuits and all military installations). Range be sped up thousands of times without complete cell can be adversely impacted by surroundings in much deterioration. The problem was that the increased the same way that normal vision can. Radar doesn’t rate of cellular processes caused a buildup of heat see through trees very well. in the body. This can easily injure anyone with this biomodification, due to the extreme body heat Note: if one is blind to normal light waves, certain generated. Conversely, however, the character can kinds of tasks that are normally taken for granted can withstand extreme cold without a problem. Each be very difficult. For example, the Nesti can not read hour that a character with this biomod is in temperaprinted script. They can not see a computer monitor tures above 40 degrees F, lose 1 stamina point. Each other then as a strangely-shaped block. This can be a hour that your character is in temperatures under 40 serious disadvantage. Genetech rarely builds mercs degrees F, regain one stamina point per round, until without regular sight in addition to radar. maximum points are reached.

Biological Radio Transceiver Cost: 90,000§

This biomodification became the mainstay of the human Arctic Commandos during the early stages of the empire. A character with the adaptation regenerates his or her least threatening wound each round, and if bleeding, also reduces the bleeding level by one per round. A character with Cold Regeneration Cells can even regenerate from death, as long as the brain is undamaged! Curiously, characters with this biomodification are also unable to feel pain, and suffer only half the normal Impairment penalties for wounds.

Anything you could normally say can be broadcast over about a 5-mile range. Range gets better on a mountaintop or a plain, and worse in a starship or a valley. You can also receive radio waves, but you have to turn off normal hearing while you’re listening to them. The advantage of this over cybernetic mods is that there are no inorganic components which might show up on a scan. There is no encryption on this broadcast, so anyone with a radio tuned to your frequency can hear what you’re saying. GT often The process that induces this Biomod is not trains operatives with this biomod in a special code reversible. Works only on carbon-based creatures. language. Heat based attacks do double damage, and cold based attacks do half damage.

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Characters with this biomod have their cells made much more sensitive to heat. Higher temperatures allow the character’s cells to repair at extraordinary rates when damaged. In temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, a character with this biomod regenerates his or her least threatening wound each round, and reduces the bleeding level by one per round. However, this is the characters only means of healing. The process works in reverse, as well. Temperatures below 0 degrees F will cause the body Nesti Structural Support to begin converting tissue into energy. The character Cost: 450,000§ will take one wound level (of the lowest type availDuring their experimentation with sentient able) per hour in these conditions. Cold-based atraces, Genetech discovered a technique for improvtacks inflict double damage. Heat based attacks do ing endo-structures. They took a Nesti seedling (an half damage. embryonic Nesti) and stripped out its neural fibers, connecting them to an animal’s nervous system. Laser Optics Genetech had effectively created a Nesti controlled from a central brain instead of their usual distributed Cost: 300,000§ These are the infamous “sting of the Sa’crontor.” nervous system. However, this was not of use to Two glands are located in the eyes, in small notches them. GT was about to scrap the project when a brilin the surface of the eye’s wall. When the glands are liant young geneticist named Dr. Watt (then a rising lowered, a chemical reaction occurs, creating a brief star in Genetech) took the experiment in a new diflash of light. Flaps of tissue protect the retina of the rection. He took the idea of a brain controlled Nesti eyes. Several lenses in the eyes focus the beam into



This biomod will enable a person to regenerate small extremities if they are cut off or otherwise removed. The process takes about a month. These include fingers, toes, ears and noses. It excludes, however, reproductive organs and other complex or large body parts. It also allows a character to repair damage to statistics (such as that done by Disintegration damage) at a rate of one point per day. This biomod has no effect on ordinary combat damage.



Heat Regeneration Cells Cost: 225,000§

Minor Regeneration Cost: 100,000§



This biomod actually contains three different modifications in it. First, the ability of a cat to twist in midair and land on its feet. Second, the character develops flaps under the arms, webs in the fingers, etc. like a flying squirrel. This helps add to wind resistance and slow the fall. Last, some extra cartilage in the leg joints helps absorb shock. Subtract 15 meters from the distance of any fall, and then take only half damage from the remainder if you make a successful Agility check.

This gives your Ultramerc the world’s best castiron stomach. You also gets the extra-tough teeth of a rat — given enough time, you can chew concrete. A character with Metabolic Enhancement can live on almost anything he or she can get down (not including poisons). The down side is that the merc has to chew hard materials or grind his or her teeth to keep them from growing excessively. Also, the things one can eat are not always very nutritive.



Glide Cost: 25,000§

Metabolic Enhancement Cost: 100,000§



a laser. Thanks to these lenses, the eyes have no pupils, so they merely appear as glassy surfaces in the character’s head. This has a disconcerting affect Thin fur, like that on a cat, lets one survive cold on the other species, as it is never possible to tell weather down to -20 degrees. It gives no defensive exactly what a Sa’crontor is looking at. This biomod bonus. Thick fur, like that on a bear, gives tempera- can not be combined with cybernetic eyes. ture tolerance down to -45 degrees F and +1 to natuAttack rolls are made with Martial Arts: Offensive. ral armor. Unfortunately, it can cause heat stroke or The range is the user’s Intelligence in meters, and the heat exhaustion in weather above 20° Celsius. Those with an Ogre epidermis cannot buy this for obvious beams do 10 Piercing damage. reasons.

Fur Cost: 40,000§

and thrust it into the internals of a fully functional sentient animal — in this case an Earthling. When Nesti tendrils were connected to the subject’s brain, the brain instinctively used the tendrils to strengthen the body’s endostucture. Tendrils spread through her body, permeating both bone and muscle. She was able to control the tendrils as if they were a part of her own body. she could extend them out of her skin and permeate objects with them. She was strong, and resilient. Genetech didn’t realize how strong, and one night she escaped from minimum security observation labs and is suspected to have departed Allah some months later. Dr. Watt had the information he needed, though, and was able to tweak the experiment to minimize future danger.

Nictating Membrane Cost: 20,000§

Character develops a second see-though eyelid which snaps down automatically. Gives perfect normal vision underwater and +4 to save vs. blinding. Found naturally in the Halla to protect them from stinging wind-driven sand on their windy homeworld.

Phosphorescent Glands Cost: 15,000§



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First developed for the entertainment industry, this essence allows the host to “glow” at varying degrees of luminosity and hue. Popular urban culture has recently become caught in a fad over A Nesti structural support system is a network this essence, and it is not unusual to see a group of of Nesti tendrils interwoven with one owns bone teens on the street all glowing different colors with a and muscle. It adds +2 to your Strength and +1 to cheap version of this biomod. your Stamina. In addition, it allows its host to expel tendrils for use as manipulators. Tendril ends can The luminescence of this essence is only visible be expelled from the hands or feet, causing serious in poor lighting or at night. Once acquired, the esdamage to the epidermis where they are expelled sence is always active. It can be turned “down” or (two Bruised wounds). They are prehensile, and have the hue can be adjusted, but never really turned off. a Dexterity of +2. If used to augment standard ma- The brightest effect that can be achieved is a 2-foot nipulation (such as plunging them into a hand-held glow radius. weapon), they add another +1 to Dexterity. Tendrils close to the skin give the host a reddish-gold tint. The host must spend at least two hours in the sun each day in order to maintain the tendrils, and drink twice the normal amount of water. If the tendrils do not receive nourishment for an entire week, they begin to wilt and all bonuses and abilities gained from them are lost. If this continues another week, the tendril will die, causing the loss of 4 points of Stamina and Strength as they leave holes in the host’s bone and muscle. The host will be prone to breaking bones until the damage is healed. The Nesti elders on their homeworld have recently learned of this Biomodification and are none too pleased. Since the process involves stripping a seedling of its neural fibers, they consider every host of this biomod to be a murderer. The wrath of the Nesti is not to be taken lightly. Note: This Biomod cannot be taken with Processing Displacement Fibers. See below.

Processing Displacement Fibers Cost: 400,000§

After the success of the Nesti Structural Support System (see above), Dr. Watt was encouraged to continue his exemplary work involving Nesti experimentation. Continuing his theme of using Nesti parts to enhance other beings, Dr. Watt, aided by an experienced Valorian Neurologist, began development of a second biomodification using Nesti tissue. This time Dr. Watt decided to use what he had thrown away in the previous experiment, namely the neural fibers. Mimicking his previous procedures, he connected the neural fibers up to a sentient brain. Through months of experimentation and multiple test subject they discovered that the Neural fibers were displacing the central thought processes, so that every part of the body was capable of small amounts of sentient thought. This meant that, while the brain was still the intellectual center of the body, it was no longer necessary for life. This biomod allows the host take a devastating hit to the head and keep running. The loss of intelligence is huge (-8, to a minimum of zero, at which

Page 107 Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

This gland may not be used more than once per day per point of Mental Endurance.



When the user attempts to create a Tesseract the diamond appears to draw in all light, then emit it as twinkling, multicolored motes. Unlike mechanical tesseract devices, the user must merely have visited or be able to visualize the destination. No calculations are required Like all tesseracts, it must be used in deep space. Preparation time is based on the size of the objects to be tesseracted away. The users Attack rolls are made with Martial Arts: Offensive. own body can be tesseracted with just a second of The beams deal Disintegration damage equal to the preparation time. For every ton over the weight of the user, there is one minute of preparation. It can character’s Intelligence, to a range of 5 meters per take hours to tesseract a starship. Preparation must point of Mental Endurance. be renewed after each jump, so it is not possible to tesseract a ship into a combat zone, decide it’s not such a great place, and go back right away. The range is a number of light years equal to five times the user’s Visualization. The accuracy of this tesseract is astounding, never off-target by more than a few centimeters.



These are the glands that are found in the Valorians. They allow the Valorians to manipulate ambient energy, drawing it into the glands on the tips of a Valorian’s tentacles. While the energy is held there, the tips of the tentacles (hands of humanoids, between the eyes for Caractingessen) appears to be glowing nimbus of energy around the area. It is then possible to expel this energy in the form of a condensed microwave beam. The number of shots per round is limited by number of input/output areas on the creature (Caractingessen have one shot a round, Humanoids have two, and Valorians and Golden Inuueliting have four). The limb must be pointed a the target, so Caractingessen can point their heads to attack with the microwave beam and do something else with their claws.



When an Inuueliting becomes a Platinum Inuueliting, the liquid from the Pool of Radiance is coalesces into a perfect diamond embedded into the new Platinum’s forehead. GT has mastered a process where the diamonds of dead Inuueliting are implanted into an Ultramerc’s forehead and activated.

Transmortifier Lobes Cost: 200,000§



Tesseract Stone Cost: 500,000§

These glands draw on geothermal energy. The geothermal energy is converted to an enzyme that permeates the skin to cause the metabolism to change, releasing energy. This causes a shimmering of air in the vicinity, the “Fiery Aura.” There are two types of these glands. Titans have a more powerful version (10 points of Disintegration damage on contact), while the type found on Draconians can be drawn into the flesh, making it possible to ‘turn off’ the aura. However, this version is less powerful (5 points instead of 10) due to the added muscle. The Titan version automatically activates under stress, while the Draconian version can be turned on and off.



Note: Cannot be used in conjunction with the Nesti Structural support system. The result of doing this is the creation of a sentient Nest within the host’s body. The one time this was done the hosts battled for control of the body, and it resulted in both beings dying.

Titan Flame Glands Cost: 320,000§



While this second experiment was not as dramatically successful as the first, Dr. Watt still basks in the glory of his accomplishment.



the body will still function on instinct), but having your head removed is not the end of the line (unless you bleed to death). It also has the side effect that if any other part of your body is removed it can act independently of the main body, until it runs out of recourse to live. Granted, this is not very long, but it is usually long enough to (for instance) activate the self-destruct sequence on your enemy’s starship.

are not used for manipulation. Must be taken with insectoid locomotion. Dexterity: normally +5, +1 for each extra set of legs helping out, to max of +9 when not walking. Damage from pincers: 2 Blunt An Ultramerc’s manipulation type determines what kind of hands the character has, and thus how dexterous he or she is. It should be noted that these Caractingessen Claws genes include far more than just hands — there are Cost: 100,000§ mental and physiological changes that give the dexThese giant, sharp, gnarled claws have perhaps terity modifier. Not to mention arms. the worst Dexterity in the galaxy, but make up for it with lethal amounts of damage. Dexterity: +1 Archangel Hands Damage from Claws: 10 Slashing Cost: 120,000§

Manipulation Types



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Archangel hands deal quite a bit of damage, but are not very dexterous. They are covered with sharp Golden Inuueliting Arms blade-like protrusions that enable then to inflict Cost: 250,000§ great gaping wounds. Golden Inuueliting have four arms each with Dexterity: 0 seven fingers. This manipulation type gives the Damage from punch: 5 Slashing character the ability to use four weapons and take his usual number of attacks with each. Due to the greater complexity of four arms and greater hand Basic Humanoid Hands power this manipulation type is not as dexterous as Cost: 100,000§ These are the hands found on many humanoids the primary Inuueliting type. Dexterity:+5 throughout the galaxy. Halla have six fingers per Damage from punch: 1 Blunt hand, Humans have five, and Ogres have four. All provide the same overall motor coordination. Dexterity: +4 Damage from punch: 2 Blunt

Basic Inuueliting Hand Cost: 130,000§

These are slender seven-fingered hands that are extremely long compared to other species’. They are some of the most dexterous form of manipulation known. The one drawback is their delicate fingers: an Inuueliting may not lift more then ten pounds with his or her hands. Because of this the Inuueliting never really developed tools the way other species did — Lording was their real tool. Dexterity: +9 Damage from slap: none at all

Nesti Tendrils See the “Nesti Structural Support” Biomod. Genetech does not build Ultramercs with that as their only manipulation type, as it damages the body on every use.

Sa’crontor Retractable Arms Cost: 200,000§

The Sa’crontor possess two fingered hands and an opposable thumb. What makes this type of manipulation so different is that the arms themselves are retractable. The arms have cavities built into the chest that house them when they are retracted. The only real advantage to retracting the arms is that the character can move faster. It adds +3 meters per round to a walk or run when using a Serpentine or Budetug Manipulation Sa’crontor body type. Cost: 200,000§ Dexterity: +5 The Budetug are equipped with twelve spindly Damage from punch: 0 Blunt legs and two large pincers. Ordinarily the character walks on three pairs of legs and uses the rest as hands. Each hand on its own is not very good, but Budetug are able to coordinate them quite well. This will not fit on a small humanoid body. The pincers



Basic Immune System Cost: 100,000§

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Silicon based life forms are perhaps the most alien to humans minds of all life forms. The silicon Caractingessen Immune System in the creature makes it able to convert solar energy Cost: 300,000§ directly into electrical energy which powers the This is the most powerful of the immune sysbody. Silicon-based creatures must eat an amount of tems. For years it bothered scientists, as it actually rocks equal to one quarter their body weight every will fight against any modifications to the body’s month. Amongst the galaxy’s major species, only the original form. Cybernetics and genetic enhanceValorians are silicon-based. ments seemed to be useless because the body always rejected them. It took hundreds of thousands of years before Caractingessen scientists learned the Titanium correct enzymes to neutralize this effect. Even then, The Demons were a titanium-based species; the modifications needed to be “cloaked” to fool the Genetech isn’t creating any more until they under- immune system into believing that they were natural stand their first failure. No Ultramercs will have a parts of the body. On the plus side, a Caractingessen is virtually immune to toxins and diseases, recieving Titanium-based physiology. a +8 bonus to save versus disease. A character may pay triple cost to implant cybernetics, but he may not receive symbionts at all. The immune system will kill them in under eight hours.



There are two major types of chemicals that Cybernetic Immune System beings are composed of: silicon-based, and carbonCost: 200,000§ based. Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Tiny miniaturized robots hunt out particles unThere is no particular cost for having one or the necessary for the body’s functions. The robots are other. armed with tiny little disintegrators. These are very small scale weapons, and are used only to destroy Carbon foreign substances in the body. Costs for medical services and cybernetics are unmodified because the Carbon based life forms have no modifications. system is programmed to recognize these unnatural They are life forms similar to Earth creatures. Must implants. This can be the system’s downfall, howeat half their body weight in food per week to stay ever, as some dangerous substances masquerade as healthy. Almost all species are carbon-based. beneficial agents. Some symbionts react negatively to this system, not liking what they consider to be invaders patrolling the body. +4 bonus to save against Silicon disease.



This is the system found in most species. It works well with all the various modifications that characters will make on their bodies. It won’t reject symbionts, cybernetics, or any other implants. No bonus to save against disease.



Chemical Compositions

Good for what ails you, so to speak.

Valorian Manipulation is composed of four tentacles sprouting from the the torso. While they are fairly strong, they do not have a great ability to perform detail work. Like the Gold Inuueliting, they have the ability to wield up to four weapons. Dexterity: +4 Damage from jab: 2 Blunt

Immune Systems



Valorian Tentacles Cost: 200,000§

Epidermis Types A note on body-skin combinations: if you are mix-and-matching body and skin types, you may need to take a Background to underscore your strange appearance. A Caractingessen-sized body covered in Human skin will look quite ugly indeed.

Archangel Plate Mail Cost: 200,000§

Dark Inuueliting Cost: 300,000§

The epidermis of these creatures draws energy from the stars and converts it for the character’s use. Any exposure is enough to generate an energy burst. Damage rating is level 10, Piercing critical. It has a range of 30 meters. Martial Arts: Offensive is used to make the attack roll. The energy can also be released slowly so that the character can direct the energy as a flashlight. Dark Inuuel skin provides no natural Armor Value.

A series of metal plates cunningly “created” to Golden Inuueliting protect the muscle beneath the skin offers the best Cost: 150,000§ protection of any epidermis. Gilded with precious Golden Inuueliting have skin which not only metals, this is wonderful to look upon, although looks good but also gives some protection. Gold somewhat disconcerting. Recently some Archangels have been killed by unscrupulous sentients for the Inuuel skin provides a natural Armor Value of 2. valuable metals in their skin. Archangel skin provides a natural Armor Value of 10. Hallan



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Page 110

Budetug Cost: 120,000§

Cost: 180,000§

Wrinkled gray skin that is very tough and windproof, but not very nice to look at. Hallan skin proThis skin is sturdy but very pale, the result of vides a natural Armor Value of 4. spending millennia underground. It is more typically found on an insectoid body type, but may be applied High/Silver/Platinum Inuuel to any kind. Budetug skin provides a natural Armor Cost: 100,000§ Value of 2. High Inuueliting skin is naturally chestnut brown. Those of the Platinum and Silver Inuuel are the same Caractingessen color as their respective metals. These skins provides no natural Armor Value. Cost: 200,000§ These are the scales found on Caractingessen. They are quite strong, and overlap well. Gess skin Human provides a natural Armor Value of 5.

Cost: 110,000§

Cybernetic Cost: 400,000§

This is the familiar look of the Earthlings, Succubi, and Ariel. The epidermis is available in a variety of colors. Ariel skin grows tiny feathers instead of hair. Human skin provides a natural Armor Value of 1.

This is a layer of armor that can be placed beneath the surface of another type of skin, or it can be the skin itself. These titanium, ceramic, and neokevInsectoid Exoskeleton lar plates offer excellent protection. Agility takes a Cost: 230,000§ penalty of -2 if this is under another skin. There is no This is the exoskeleton found on Valorians. It is Agility penalty if it is the skin itself, though appearance suffers. Cybernetic skin provides a natural composed of tough plates and joint covers similar to kevlar. When combined with the insectoid body, it Armor Value of 10. provides more protection than any other epidermis. This skin’s natural Armor value is normally 8. With an insectoid body type this rating becomes 12.



Found on the Sa’crontor, these tiny scales are like those of a snake and are unpleasant for most humans to view. While not wet, they look so, and their smoothness make the character very slippery. Opponents have a -10 to attack when trying to wrestle with a character with this skin type. Sa’crontor skin provides a natural Armor Value of 2.



Sa’crontor Cost: 200,000§



Tough, lumpy skin that is almost impervious to heat energy. A character with this skin takes no damage from fire, flame throwers, or heat, and takes half damage from plasma hits. Titan skin, contrary to popular belief, does not catch fire. See Titan Flame Glands under Biomods above. Titan skin provides a natural Armor Value of 1.



Titan Cost: 150,000§

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This skin secretes a acidic jelly when the character is excited. The acid adds 10 Disintegration damage to martial arts and other hand-to-hand attacks. It can not be “turned off,” so if the character wishes to enter regular society he must wear a suit designed for it. Troll skin provides a natural Armor Value of 5.



Troll Cost: 380,000§

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

Ultramerc Training

the skills common to all Ultramercs. This may seem attractive at first (leaving more money to spend on a jacked-up body), but in the long run such tactics will most likely cause the merc to be a failed experiment.

All Ultramercs are trained in the following skills. Ultramercs buy their skills with their starting These skills are taught to all, regardless of mentor, budget. After you buy your Ultramerc’s body, and and are considered necessary in order to make an any cybernetics, remaining money can be used to train the character. If you’ve overspent a little, you effective Ultramerc. might want to use the “Property” advantage to give Martial Arts: Offensive: 5 your Ultramerc a little more budget money. Martial Arts: Defensive: 5 Computer Operation: 5 The first thing to do is select a mentor. A mentor is the first person that the newly formed Ultramerc is exposed to, just after he or she emerges from the growth vats. This person will guide the character throughout the rest of his or her career. They put the first ideals and goals into the character’s young mind. It is they who effectively determine what the merc’s primary function will be within the Genetech hierarchy.



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Some mentors are on a trial status, and mercs with these mentors will receive more attention by superiors as they are even more experimental than usual. Note also that two characters can have the same typeof mentor, but have two totally different people teaching. Ultramerc training is direct and brutal, with a sink-or-swim approach. No punches are pulled when instilling the disciplines required by Genetech. Combat training is up-front and full-contact, usually involving instructors and students going at each other as if it were the real thing. Modern energy weapon training is done with electrodes that cause real damage each time a merc takes a hit. These electrodes deliver enough power to send the average human into shock. Computer training in the Lattice is done simply by putting the student in and letting them go. Young hackers are paid to attack the Ultramercs. Mercs who survive often leave young bravos braindead in front of their machines. Not all Ultramercs survive this training, but none of them fail for lack of trying. Genetech is quite profit-oriented, and makes sure that each and every mercenary knows exactly how much money was spent to create them... and how displeased the management will be if it goes to waste. It is possible for an Ultramerc to not have a mentor. They may just have trainers, or even only have

Ultramercs have Charisma and Knowledge of 1 to start the game (if not specifically increased during character creation). Social training is not high on the list of important things for a young Ultramerc, and Genetech only wants them to be able to remember orders — everything else is superfluous.

Ultramercenaries and Discipline Ultramercs are perhaps the best-organized, most powerful fighting force in the galaxy. Each one is unique, but they can act as a cohesive whole. Most amazingly, they always follow orders, seemingly without any personal emotion. Most people who know about Ultramercs believe them to be mindless killers. The truth is something different. Ultramercs do have emotions, but thanks to the highly classified drug Eme-5, they are extremely muted. Fear, love, regret, and all other emotions can appear in an Ultramerc, but they are almost unnoticable as long as the UM has a steady supply of Eme-5 (about one dose a week). When they go off the drug, though, many repressed emotions can come through, and the ‘merc may have a difficult time adjusting to the change. This is one reason there are so few runaways who survive: many of those who are not captured eventually committ suicide.



Mentors

Ancient Weapon: Sword

+10

Photon Blades

+5

Ancient Weapon: Daggers

+5

Ancient Weapon: Staves

+5



+10

Those who are following the direct orders of a Command Officer recieve +2 to any skill checks that the officer orders. This takes up most of the CO’s time, and he or she can only command a number of people equal to five times his or her Charisma rating.

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Martial Arts: Defensive



+10



Martial Arts: Offensive



Level



Primary Skills



Close Combat Specialist

Special Ability



The character gains one extra action per round when using melee weapons and unarmed combat. They can also rush into battle, adding 50% to their movement over short distances.



So far tests have been excellent in some areas and poor in others. They excel in field command, but This is one of the longer-running and better- have trouble relating to others out side of a conflict. known mentoring programs that Genetech provides. Since Ultramercs are force-grown to adulthood and It is also one with a relatively low lifespan. The old- trained in just eight years, they have little emotional est Close Combat Specialists have been active for no maturity. They may follow orders well, but their lack of typical life experiences makes it difficult for other more than 10 years. to strike up a conversation with them. It’ll be a long time before GT introduces a “Politician” mentorin Special Ability program.



Command Officers are an experiment to see if Ultramercs can be taught to lead effectively. They are being field-tested commanding squads of Ultramercs, squads of normal people, and some mixed groups. GT has decided that more testing is necessary, and the Command Officer program has been given five years to prove itself. COs are typically dispatched to advise Chief Planetary Officers who are facing armed conflict and have little experience with it.



Close Combat Specialists are trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat, both armed and unarmed. They are also trained to close the distance to melee as quickly as possible. These characters can operate as very effective assassins when given a little auxiliary training, but are more typically hired as bodyguards for VIPs. Those loaned out as mercenaries are typically given heavy weapons training.



Close Combat Specialist Cost: 1,500,000§

Command Officer Cost: 2,000,000§

Combat skills

easier

Primary Skills

Level

Command Communications

+10

Military Leadership

+10

Intimidation

+10

Tactics

+10

Military Intelligence

+5

Interpret Sensors

+5

Skill Cost Modifiers Military skills

easier

Leadership skills

easier

Street skills

harder

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

Skill Cost Modifiers

Command Officer

Computer Operator Cost: 1,200, 000§

Engineer Cost: 1,300,000§

Computer Operators are often trained to seek out and neutralize Interface Knights who are bothering Genetech. These characters are also given the task of going on dangerous missions where a hired IK may get killed, as they can typically withstand more punishment then true IK’s. While they are quite good at breaking into computer systems and writing virii, they rarely have the breadth of skill that marks a true IK.

Engineers are another experimental project of Genetech’s. They are closely guarded and watched over. They seem to be extremely successful in the field, but are less satisfactory outside of a mission. They are considered to be too expensive for the return and will most likely be discontinued soon. Much like most Ultramercs, Engineers are socially inept, almost incapable of sharing important discoveries with others.

The Computer Operator program was created Almost no Engineers have been trained with bioto counter a specific threat, but has proven useful medical technology, and none have been trained to enough to keep around for the long term. It has one create other Ultramercs, or even to give medical aid of the longest life expectancies of all the mentoring to wounded or damaged UM’s. programs, and some of the original Computer Ops from 30 years ago are still around.

Special Ability Special Ability



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Special Ability Computer Ops have brain jacks, and can mentally interface with properly prepared computers. Not only does this give a +1 bonus to all computerrelated skills and an extra action per round when using computers, it also allows almost instant access to any of a computer’s functions, and an instinctual understanding of any operating or file systems the computer might have.

Computer Operator

It takes an Engineer half as long as normal to repair or modify a system, as long as they can work on it alone. When they have to advise others there is no time improvement. Some things can only be modified by Tech Docs; consider an Engineer as a Tech Doc under these situations.

Engineer Primary Skills

Level

Basic Engineering

+15

Primary Skills

Level

Tweaking

+10

Computer Operations

+15

Weapons and Armor

+10

Programming

+10

Two other Engineering skills

+10

Create Portal

+15

Computer Operations

+5

Create Virus

+15

Skill Cost Modifiers

Create Guardian

+5

Computer skills

Computer Bypass

+5

Skill Cost Modifiers Computer skills

easier

easier



Pilot Battle Cruiser

+10

Pilot Jet Fighter

+10

Gunner: Fighters

+15

Interpret Sensors

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers easier

Primary Skills

Level

Disintegrators

+10

Gatling Lasers

+10

Grenade Launchers

+10

Grenades

+10

Missile Launchers

+10

PDS’s

+10

Plasma Weapons

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers Comabt skills

easier

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

Pilot skills

Heavy Weapons Specialist



+15

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Pilot Starfighter

A HWS gains one extra attack per round when using the following weapons: disintegrators, gatling lasers, missiles, particle beam guns, ultra cannons, and plasma guns.



Level



Primary Skills



Fighter Pilot

Special Ability



Fighter Pilots get one additional action per round when in any sort of space vehicle.



Special Ability

Genetech’s most trusted Ultramercs come from this program. They are ones most likely to be loaned out as mercenaries for other corporations’ armies. Genetech is typically very careful to pick a single side in a conflict when loaning out mercenaries — and then positively insure that that side wins the fight. It’s good for their reputation, which is far more valuable than simple profits.



This mentoring program has been very successful, and it looks as if Ultramerc Fighter Pilots are here to stay. Life expectancy has been surprisingly high, but this may be due more to the unwillingness of combatants to risk multi-million-dollar spacecraft than to the skills of the pilots.



The heavy weapons specialist is the oldest of all the Ultramerc training programs. It teaches the mercs to use their superior strength and physical abilities to wield the most powerful weapons available. When properly equipped, these characters can literally devastate entire armies. Unfortunately for GT, these characters are rarely equipped so well and are forced to rely on their wits and skill. They have proven remarkably effective at this.



These are the remnants of Genetech’s attempt to create a self-sustaining race of fighter pilots better then the Halla. The most successful pilots are based on a lot of Hallan DNA, although many other characters have also trained under a Fighter Pilot mentor. While their training concentrates on starfighters, most Fighter Pilots find themselves driving troop transports more often.



Heavy Weapons Specialist Cost: 1,500,000§



Fighter Pilot Cost: 1,400,000§

Lord Cost: 2,500,000§

Naval Officer Cost: 1,300,000§

Lords are Genetech’s Ultramerc archmagi. These creatures are trained from their first conscious moment to harness and command the powers that flow from the Lords dimension. These characters come close to the skill that the naturally-born Archmagi wield with the Lording but don’t quite equal it. They typically make up for that with sheer power. These mercs are very closely watched, like the engineers and command officers.

Naval officers are trained to operate large spaceborne vessels. They are the compliment to the fighter pilots. Naval Officers are typically given roles as navigators, gunners, copilots, or other non-command positions. More experienced N.O.’s are hired as executive officers and first mates. None have been hired as captains yet.



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One of the three original mentoring programs (along with Heavy Weapons and Close Combat), the Lord program has been fraught with more problems than any of the others. Its greatest failure was the total inability of GT scientists to isolate the gene responsible for Duelist powers — no Ultramerc Duelist has ever been produced. Lording-trained Ultramercs also tend to go rogue more easily, perhaps due to an independant streak in their mentors, perhaps due to their ability to operate without expesive equipment. The average lifetime for a Lord is 10 years, but the average is misleading. Most either die within the first two years, or live well beyond that.

Genetech is actually attempting to see how successful an all-Ultramerc ship would be. It has Ultramerc fighter pilots, marines, officers, engineers, and even an Ultramerc commander. So far the ship (the Absolution) has a mediocre record, though it has persevered in the face of overwhelming odds. Consequently this program has come under heavy fire, and may soon be canceled. When combined with normal officers this training program has proven very successful.

Special Ability It takes Naval Officers half the usual time to generate a tesseract.

Special Ability

Naval Officer

This training allows a character to overdraw on the lording in the same manner as an Archmage (see page xx).

Lord Primary Skills

Level

Lording Development

+10

Complexity

+10

Range

+10

Area of Effect

+10

Magnitude

+15

Skill Cost Modifiers Lording skills

easier

Primary Skills

Level

Pilot Battle Cruiser

+10

Pilot Star Cruiser

+10

Gunner: Starships

+10

Advanced Radio

+10

Sattelite Communications

+10

Tesseract Operations

+10

Tesseract Communications

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers Military skills

easier



Sniper Cost: 1,500,000§

The Scientist training program was implemented about the same time as the Engineering program. It was intensive lobbying by scientists who claimed that their creation were often smarter then they were, and should therefore be allowed to assist in creating the next generation of Genetech products. The scientist training program has been a big success. The Ultramercs take rapidly to scientific endeavors with their highly organized minds. Unfortunately, their lack of social skills makes them less able to share their genius then their colleagues.

The sniper is Genetech’s Ultramerc assassin. They specialize in the use of long-range weapons, and most of their targets never know what hit them. They nicely compliment the Close Combat and Heavy Weapons Specialists in a firefight, but are more often deployed on solo missions with no backup.



Scientist Cost: 2,700,000

Arc Throwers

+10

Xenobiology

+10

Energy Rifles

+10

Chemistry

+10

Rifles

+10

Physics

+10

Silent Kill

+10

Research

+10

Camouflage

+10

Basic Engineering

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers

Computer Operations

+10

Espionage skills

Interpret Sensors

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers Science skills

easier

easier

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

+10



Biology

Page 117

+10



Backstab



Level

Level



Primary Skills

Primary Skills



Scientist



Sniper



When a sniper aims any weapon he or she suffers no penalty for range. The character must use at Scientists are trained to make connections that least one attack to aim, however. Snipers may also others might not see. They take half as long as usual use their Backstab skill with ranged attacks, as long when using the Observation, Interpret Sensors, or as their target is unaware of their presence. Research skills.



Special Ability



Special Ability



Snipers are one of GT’s more stable mentoring programs. They were created in the “second wave” of programs, along with Stalkers and Fighter Pilots. Snipers rarely go rogue, and are typically the bestconditioned of all Ultramercs. GT takes special care Ultramercenary scientists are never trained in to insure their conditioning, as the idea of a rogue the medical science necessary to take care of other assassin with an Ultra Cannon is more than a little Ultramercs. They may work peripherally on related frightening. projects, but the real work is left to Genetech’s natural-born scientists.

Stalker Cost: 1,200,000§ The Stalker mentor trains their charges in a manner similar to that of the Operative class. Stalkers are trained to break into an area and find information on computer or in hard copy. Unlike most Operatives, these mercs usually know how to handle combat and often kill people who get in the way. They are more successful in getting information out of lowsecurity areas then an Operative because they are not squeamish about death, but this same tendency makes them less successful at breaking into highsecurity areas. Stalkers have a survival rate which is inversely proportional to the importance of the missions they are sent on. Unfortunately for them, the more experienced they are, the more difficult the missions. Stalkers are almost never rented to other corporations or cultures, as GT is too worried that someone could deploy Stalkers against them. Only the most loyal are chosen for sale and rent.



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Special Ability Stalkers have an intuitive grasp of security systems, especially computer-based ones, and recieve +3 on any rolls to defeat one (+4 if it’s computerbased).

Stalker Primary Skills

Level

Computer Bypass

+15

Burglary

+10

Stealth

+10

Demolitions

+10

Pick Locks

+10

Skill Cost Modifiers Espionage skills

easier

Ultramerc Skill Packages These packages are available to any Ultramerc at character creation, regardless of Mentor. Prices are as listed below. These skill packages can be purchased more than once. An Ultramerc may not gain any skill above 21 at character creation. Buying a skill package that would put a skill above 21 puts it at 21 instead.

Assassination Cost: 250,000§

Silent Skill: +5 Backstab: +5

Athletic Training Cost: 250,000§

pick two athletic skills at +5

Basic Engineering Cost: 200,000§

Basic Engineering: +5

Basic Lording Cost: 300,000§

Lording Development +5 Complexity +5 Sense +5 30 XP for Lording spells

Biosciences Cost: 250,000§

Biology: +10 Xenobiology: +5

Blades Cost: 275,000§

Ancient Weapons: Swords: +5 Ancient Weapons: Daggers: +5 Ancient Weapons: Battlecleaver: +5

Pilot Starship: +5 Pilot Star Cruiser: +5

Advanced Radio: +10 Satellite Communications: +10 Tesseract Communications: +5

Computer Programming: +5 Computer Operation +5

Covert Operations Cost: 350,000§

Cybernetics Weaponry Cost: 100,000§

Cybernetics Weapons: +5

Demolitions Cost: 250,000§

Demolitions: +10

Infiltration Cost: 350,000 §

Stealth: +5 Persuasion: +5 Lying: +5 Language: +10

Jets Cost: 250,000§

Pilot Airliner: +5 Pilot Jet Fighter: +5

Leadership Cost: 300,000 §

Command Communications +5 Public Speaking +5 Persuasion +5

Linguistics Cost: 300,000 §

Three Languages: +15

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

Camouflage: +5 Concealment: +5 Pick Locks: +5 Stealth: +10

Gatling Lasers: +5 Disintegrators: +5 PDSs: +5







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Heavy Weapons Cost: 300,000 §



Computer Use Cost: 250,000§

Gunner: Light: +5 Gunner: Heavy: +5 Gunner: Fighter: +5 Gunner: Starship: +5



Computer Bypass: +5 Create Virus: +5 Create Portal: +5 Create Guardian: +5







Gunnery Cost: 350,000§



Computer Hacking Cost: 350,000§

Grenades: +5 Grenade Launchers: +5









Communications Cost: 250,000§

Grenades Cost: 250,000§



Area of Effect: +5 Magnitude: +5 Range: +5 Targeting +5





Drive A.P.C.’s: +5 Drive Car: +5 Drive Truck: +5 Drive Tanks: +5 Drive Race Car: +5 Ride Motorcycle: +5



Combat Lording Cost: 350,000 §







Drive Cost: 200,000§



Civlian Starcraft Cost: 250,000§

M.A.C.s Cost: 250,000§

Pilot M.A.C.s: +10 Gunner: Heavy: +5

Martial Arts Cost: 250,000§

Martial Arts: Offensive: +5 Martial Arts: Defensive: +5 Martial Arts: Sweeps&Throws: +5

Missiles Cost: 250,000§

Missile Launchers: +10 Gunner: Light +5

Military Intelligence Cost: $400,000 §

Tactics: +5 History: +5 Military Intelligence: +5

Military Starcraft Cost: 375,000§



Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

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Pilot Starfighter: +5 Pilot Battle Cruiser: +5

Observer Cost: 350,000 §

Observation: +5 Interpret Sensors: +5 Investigation: +5

Off-Hand Weapons Package Cost: special

Take any other weapons skill package listed here, but the skill applies for off-hand weapons instead. Remember that your skill level with your better hand must be at least equal to your off-hand skill.

Paramedics Cost: 350,000 §

First Aid: +10 Medical Doctor: +5

Psychology Cost: 250,000§

Psychology: +5 Xenopsychology: +5

Photon Weapons Cost: 250,000§

Photon Blades: +10

Physical Sciences Cost: 300,000§

Chemistry: +10 Physics: +10

Pistols Cost: 250,000§

Energy Pistols: +5 Pistols: +5

Plasma Cost: 250,000§

Plasma Weapons: +10

Repair Cost 300,000 §

Auto Mechanics: +10 Weapons and Armor: +5

Rifles Cost: 250,000§

Energy Rifles: +5 Rifles: +5

Spellcasting Cost: 250,000 §

60 XP for Lording spells

Tesseracts Cost: 250,000 §

Tesseract Operations +5 Tesseract Communications +5

Urban Operations Cost: 400,000 §

Carousing: +5 Make New Contacts: +5 Stealth: +5 Streetwise: +5



Demons in the Present



Most Demons today live on starships or on planets that have long been abandoned. Most of their population is concentrated in the Rim sectors, away from GT’s sphere of influence (and the Coalition’s as well).

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

The Renaissance is growing in strength and membership. The Demon leaders believe that it has a good chance of becoming more than just a terrorist group — that it could really challenge GT and the Coalition some day. Thus, many Demons throw their weight behind this group. However, no one wants another Fall, so....

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There are three primary goals for Alpha Cell: aiding the Renaissance, subverting the upper echelons of GT, and securing planets in which to expand.



At this time the Demon culture is organized almost like large terrorist cells, with isolated groups scattered around the edge of the galaxy. This is slowly changing as the Demons consider returning to the Milky Way. The “Alpha Cell,” so to speak, which leads the entire Demon race, is composed of second-generation Demons who were born after or just before the Fall. Alpha Cell has no official headquarters, and is always on the move to avoid Ultramerc patrols.



Demonic culture is highly stratified; a result of their genetic variances. Those cursed with a large number of “junk genes” (such as those for high strength or armored skin) are ruled by those who recieved genes for creativity and brilliance. The younger Demons see this as a necessity — those who can see lead the blind. For the leadership of the race, this is officially supported, though often seen as an unfortunate arrangement. The oldest Demons see it as no better than the slavery Genetech sold them into.



Before the Fall, Demons were used as servants by many representatives and ambasadors in the Empire. Most were treated as good servants, though some were beaten. Some also underwent testing in Genetechnologies labs — testing which would normally have been done on animals or clones grown without a mind. A small but important number were “lost” from GT labs and literally sold as slaves. This,



Many of the non-human species in the galaxy secretly sided with the Demons, sending arms and ships. Some, such as the Budetug, did so openly and defiantly, daring the human-dominated Empire to retalliate. Some species, especially as the Budetug and Halla, felt that the Demonic DNA structure was a blasphemy of genetics. Others, such as the Nesti and Valorians, felt that the Demons deserved to be delivered from their slavery. While blame eventually was distributed away from the Human race, some remnant of it still dogs Genetech and humanity in general to this day.

While the majority of the galaxy is unaware of it, the research used in creating the Demons is still being used today, in the creation of Ultramercenaries. Advanced gene-splicing techniques, used to transfer carbon-based DNA to a silicon-based life form, and the drug EME-5, are direct results of Demon testing and research.



It would be quaint and comforting to say that the Demon Revolution in GY 495 started small. The truth is it was a flash fire. To this day, Genetech doesn’t understand how so many widely separated groups of Demons were able to coordinate their efforts and rise up simultaneously. Once the revolution was in full swing, there was no stopping it. The Demon Revolution became the Demon War, and finally, less than a year later, the Fall.



Ask anyone what the biggest mistake Genetechnologies ever made was, and you get one answer: the Demons. The term “Demon” was coined when the first batch of then-unnamed creatures were hatched. The first, named Chi, possessed a ruddy red body and small wings which made him fit the typical description of a demon. There is nothing supernatural or satanic about the Demon race. The Demons were (and, contrary to popular rumor and hope, still are) a race of genetically engineered beings capable of interbreeding with every race in the galaxy. They were designed to serve as a slave race, though that goal was never specifically stated. Naturally, GT created the best slave race they could. No one wants a weak, slow, or stupid servant — Demons were created to be strong, fast, and smart. What Genetech could not program in, though, was subservience.



The Demons

in the end, was the largest population of Demons and those who were most instrumental in the Fall.

Alpha Cell realizes that right now, in 592, Genetech is still capable of creating a new slave race. Most feel that the Ultramercs are nothing better than slaves, and want to either stop their production or give them more freedom. Thus, any Demon who closely resembles a Milky Way race will be contacted in an attempt to recruit them. If they are recruited, they are used to infiltrate galactic culture and try to find slowly subvert Genetech. By subtly converting the management of Genetech over to their viewpoint, the Demons hope to prevent the need for another bloody war.

which can determine how a Demon’s children will turn out. Because of this, some Demons are vastly superior to others in their “litter.” One child may be born with both great agility and intelligence, while another ends up brutish and stupid. Demonic society is very stratified, with those born “better” ruling over those with “unfortunate” or “inferior” genes. This is seen as a necessity, protecting the lower classes from themselves. For more implications of this, see the page on Demons in the present.

Another consequence is that the Demonic sense of aesthetics is quite different from that of most other races. Some Demons feel that beauty is totally The population of Demons in the galaxy is on worthless. Others see every member of their race as the edge of an explosion. Unless a planet is found more beautiful than other species. Realist art rarely where many members of the race can settle perma- if ever appeals to a Demon — they are most likely nently, there will be serious space and suppy prob- to be attracted to more cubist, impressionistic, or lems. Overcrowding and malnutrition will become spontaneous arts. common.



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The Future

Alpha Cell is currently negotiating with the Outsiders (a race which lives in the nearby galaxy Sagittarius) to obtain an out-of-the-way planet where their race can spread and live in peace. What they don’t know yet is that the Outsiders condone indentured servitude, which is just a small step away from slavery. Once they find out, they’ll have one heck of a moral dilemma on their hands — let people starve while finding a new planet, or settle with a species with very different morals and ideals.

Demons are neither carbon-based nor siliconbased creatures. Their DNA structure is based on the element Titanium. This allows them to interbreed with every race in the Milky Way, from Humans to Valorians. The child of a Demon and any other race will be a Demon, though some features of the nonDemon parent may show through.

The combination of ability to freely interbreed and “warped” aesthetic sense confuses many Demons as they grow up. Most are quite isolated from galactic society as they grow up. They are Eventually, evolution and mutation will cause the unable to rely on the opinions of their friends and Demon race to split into several distinct subraces, family as to what the “born races” look like. For most but this will not happen for hundreds of thousands of the younger Demons, their first experience in the of years. Galaxy at large is very frightening. Some Demons come away with a sense of morals as strange as their sense of beauty. Demon Psychology Part of understanding Demon psychology involves understanding their physiology. The most important thing about Demons from a cultural standpoint is that they do not breed true. As an example, a man and woman who are both native Chinese will have children who retain Chinese features. In the case of the Demons, this is not true. Every Demon contains the genetic structure needed for each trait their race can evince. Two Human-looking Demons might have one child with bat-wings, another with a tough outer skin, and a third with moth-like fur covering their body. There is no rule of genetics

As a whole, Demon society is a mish-mash of a thousand different viewpoints and personalities. Moreso than even Humans, Demons are very individualistic and strike off in their own direction. Holding a group of Demons together takes a very charismatic leader indeed.

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Demon DNA does have a built-in “balancing” factor, insuring that their wild recombinant DNA will never produce a non-viable being. Every Demon will have its own strong points and weak points, but This metamorphosis can be particularly dangersome will have more than others. ous to the Demon if it comes at an inopportune place or time. The GM has complete control over exactly One little-known factor that was slipped into when the coocoon will form, and need not inform Demon DNA at the last minute was the ability to re- the player. However, we suggest to the GM that most combine in vivo, later in life. A Demon will undergo coocoons should happen at times of relaxation, not a massive genetic transformation at a “cusp point” in times of stress. A Demon’s genetic code knows when their life. The Demon’s personality will be preserved, is a bad time to transform — but sometimes it just but their body changes utterly and even some mental can’t delay the change any longer. faculties may change. This change is triggered by a certain amount of experience accumulating in the Demon’s mind, allowing subconscious processes to model new DNA structures and adapt the Demon to their surroundings.



Demons are each born in a way appropriate to their mother. Much like the formation of any embreyo or egg, a Demon’s DNA determines its size, shape, and some mental factors. However, statistically speaking, there is no such thing as an “average Demon.” Each one is as genetically unique as an Ultramerc and as mentally unique as a Human.

All Demon characters should keep track of the total number of Hero Points and Experience Points earned. Do not subtract those spent for this purpose (i.e. keep the running total separate from this total). Once the Hero Point total reaches 200 or more, and the Experience Total reaches more than ten times the character’s starting total Skill Points, the character’s body will metamorphose. The morphing process takes about two days, and the character will enter a greyish coocoon for the whole time. When the character emerges, they will have an entirely new body built “from scratch” with 3.5 million sections instead of the original 3 million sections. The new body can be similar to the old or completely different, but it will always be better adapted to the character’s lifestyle and profession.



Demon characters are a bit unusual, so you should check with your GM before assuming that you can play one. They are somewhat outside of normal galactic cultures. Their own culture teaches them the skills of Martial Arts: Defensive, Xenobiology, Lying, and Computer Operation.

born a Duelist. Treat Demons as any other Classed character for other purposes, such as buying skills and spending experience.



Creating Demon Characters



In game terms, build a Demon as if they were Ultramercs with a three million section budget. Do not buy skills or a mentor with those sections, though — just the body. Demons must pick a Class just like other Classed characters, with one crucial exception: no Demon may ever, under any conditions, be a Duelist. No Demon has or ever will be

Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries

In layman’s terms, each Demon will, at some point in their life, suddenly adapt to their lifestyle perfectly. A warrior may find himself with improved adrenal glands and a thick skin. A doctor may find herself with steadier hands and better memory. This change is not instantaneous, of course — it takes three weeks of time in a coccoon, and the newlyemerged Demon will be ravenous with hunger — but the change will always adapt the person in question to their lifestlye.

Skills

Skill Checks

Skills determine what your character can do. Anything you can do which is not inherited from your species, or learned as a special ability from your class or mentor, will have to be bought as a skill. Skills are essential for combat, Lording, and most importantly, for everyday life.

Skill checks are used to find out whether your character succeeds when trying to use a particular skill. The GM will set a “target number” for a certain task, such as bargaining for food, fixing your gun, or tracking down a friend. The higher the target number is, the more difficult the task is. You can see a chart on the next page that gives sample target numbers. It Every street character will have a certain number assumes that highly skilled characters also have reaof skill points to spend, depending on their class. This sonably good attributes to go along with their skills. is listed in the description of that class. Ultramercs purchase the majority of their skills with their initial To see if you succeed, roll 1d20. Add this to your funds, but they do receive an additional 10 skill skill level, and add the base attribute. For skills that points with which to customize their character. have two base attributes, use the more favorable one for your character. If you roll higher than the Skills are rated in “levels” and “ranks.” Your rank target number, you succeed. Note that if your skill is based on your level — it’s a description of how is higher than the target number, there is no need to skilled your character is, relative to others in the gal- roll — you succeed automatically. axy. Skill levels are more important. They determine exactly how good your character is.

Special Cases



Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

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No skill may be raised higher then level 21 at character creation. This is to discourage players from overspecializing. Characters who are more skilled than this will certainly begin to acquire a reputation for a high level of expertise. The acquisition of this kind of knowledge and reputation should be roleplayed rather than simply purchased.

Buying Starting Skills

If you roll less than the target number, then you fail. If you roll exactly the target number, you just barely succeed. If you roll a natural 20 (that is, a 20 on the die before any modifiers), you have some sort of outstanding success. If you roll a natural 1, you have some sort of outstanding disaster. Using combat skills usually goes a bit differently; see the combat section on page xx.

At character creation skills can be bought at one If you don’t have the right skill for a particular of four levels: 5, 10, 15, or 20. Spend your starting situation, you might be able to roll using a different skill points as per the table below. To raise your but related skill. The GM will assign a penalty from starting skills from one level to another, just pay the -2 to -10 depending on how different the skills are. difference in cost.

Examples

Some classes make it easier or harder for your character to buy skills. Cost for easier skills is shifted left one column; costs for harder skills are shifted Example #1: Let’s say you’re driving your car right one column. through a twisted alleyway, at high speed. This might have a target number of 25. If your skill in Drive Car For instance, Dave the Archmage wants to buy is 25 or more, you succeed automatically. Let’s say the Magnitude skill at level 15. Magnitude has a base that you have a 10 skill, and your Dexterity is 3, cost of 3, so at level 15 it would normally cost 9 skill giving you a total modifier of +13. If you roll a 7 or points. Since it’s easier for Archmagi to buy Lording more, you get through without a scrape. If you roll skills, Dave would instead spend 6 skill points. less, you probably dinged the car up to a lesser or greater extent. If you roll a natural 1, you might have Once you’re done buying skills, you can choose a crash — it’s up to the GM. to increase four different skills by one point. In return you must lower four different skills by a point.

Basic

6-10

Professional

11-20

Master

21-25

Grand Master

26+

Starting Skill Costs Base Cost 2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

10

2

4

6

8

15

3

6

9

12

20

5

10

15

20



1



Level



Skill Target Numbers Target

Difficulty in Layman’s Terms



1

If you can’t do this, you must be in a coma.

5

This should be easy even for most Unskilled people.

10

Not too hard, even for someone with Basic skills.

15

Average difficulty for someone with Basic training.

20

Very difficult for Basic-rank characters, but Masters can do this in their sleep.



25

Routine task for a well-trained and talented Professional.

30

50-50 shot for a Professional.

35

Professionals find this very difficult

40

50-50 shot for most Masters.

45

Very hard for Masters, and not a breeze for Grand Masters either.

50

Grand Masters can do things this hard on a good day.

Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

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This is particularly common with Athletics, Engineering, and Combat (off-hand) skills.

1-5



Certain skills “cap” or are are “capped by” other skills. For instance, Aerobatics acts as a cap to all Martial Arts skills while flying. This means that, while the character may know Martial Arts: Defensive at level 15, his poor Acrobatics skill of 5 prevents him from using all of his knowledge, and he acts as if his Martial Arts: Defensive skill were a 5.

Unskilled



“Cap” Skills

Level Range



Example #4: Your character facing a very mean person in single combat. Unfortunately, this person has a plasma cannon, and your character is in his underwear, so simply taking the hit isn’t an option. Not really fair, is it. You roll Martial Arts: Defensive to dodge, and roll a 1. Crap. You spend 10 Hero Points to re-roll this unfortunate result, and avoid becoming a charcoal briquette.

Skill Rank



Example #3: Your character is shipwrecked on an inhabited planet, and needs to find some new friends quickly to find a way off the planet. The GM knows that this is a friendly planet (since she’s the one who wrote its description in the first place), so she sets the target number at 20. Unfortunately, your Make New Contacts skill is only a 5, and your Charisma is a whopping 2. You need to roll 13 or better to succeed. You roll a 6. You decide that this is important enough to whip out the Hero Points (see page xx): you spend 7 Hero Points and succeed at the roll, finding someone who can help you get off the planet.



Example #2: Your character and her arch-nemesis are both trying to convince a judge that they are correct. The GM decides that the judge is a very by-the-books type, so your nemesis and you both roll your Law skills. Your Law skill is 15 and your Knowledge attribute (best of the three options) is a 7, for a total of +22. Your opponent has a Law skill of 13 and a Creativity of 10 (her best option), for a total bonus of +23. Looks like it’s going to come down to the roll. You get an 8, and your opponent rolls a 14, for totals of 30 and 37. You’ve lost this one — your opponent was more convincing.

Skill Cost Reference Tables Athletic Skills

Page 126

Cost

Base stats

2

Int, Kno

Base stats

Create Guardian

3

Int, Kno

Skill Name

Cost

Aerobatics

1

Agi

Create Portal

3

Int, Vis

Arctic Movements

2

Sta, Str

Create Viruses

3

Cre, Int

Climbing

1

Agi, Str

Programming

3

Int, Kno

Gymnastics

2

Agi, Str

Jumping

1

Agi, Str

Running

1

Sta, Str

Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Solar Movements

2

Agi, Vis

Drive A.P.C.

2

Dex, Vis

Swimming

1

Agi, Str

Drive Car

1

Dex

Throwing

1

Agi, Str

Drive Tanks

2

Dex, Vis

Zero-G Movement

2

Agi

Drive Truck

1

Dex

Drive Off-road Vehicles

2

Dex, Vis

Pilot MAC

3

Dex, Cre, Vis

Ride Motorcycle

1

Agi, Dex

Skill Name

Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Skill Name Computer Operation

Combat Skills Cost

Base stats

Drive Skills

Arc Throwers

3

Dex

Ancient Melee Weapons

2

Agi

Ancient Missile Weapons

2

Dex

Skill Name

Cybernetic Weapons

2

Agi or Dex

Aircraft Engineering*

3

Cre, Int, Kno

Disintegrators

3

Dex

Auto Mechanics

2

Dex, Kno, Vis

Duelist’s Sword

2

Agi

Biomedical Engineering *

4

Cre, Int, Kno

Energy Rifles

2

Dex

Basic Engineering

3

Int, Kno, Vis

Energy Pistols

2

Dex

Civil Engineering*

3

Int, Kno, Vis

Gatling Lasers

2

Dex

Robot Engineering*

4

Dex, Kno, Vis

Grappling

2

Agi

Starship Engineering*

3

Cre, Int, Kno

Grenade Launchers

2

Dex

Tweaking*

4

Cre, Vis

Grenades

1

Agi

Weapons and Armor

4

Cre, Int, Kno

Engineering Skills Cost

Base stats

* Can be no higher than Basic Engineering

Martial Arts: Defensive

2

Agi

Offensive

2

Agi

Sweeps & Throws

2

Agi

Missile Launchers

2

Dex

Off-hand Weapon

*

*

PDS

3

Dex

Photon Blades

2

Agi

Pistols

2

Dex

Plasma Weapons

2

Dex

Rifles

2

Dex

* See skill description



Computer Skills

Repeated Skills A few skills (such as Persuasion) fall under multiple categories. When buying and using these skills you may treat them as if they were in whichever category is more advantageous for your character.



Espionage Skills Cost

Base stats

Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Cybernetics

3

Cre, Int

Burglary

2

Cre

First Aid

2

Dex, Kno

Camouflage

2

Cre, Int

Genetic Engineering

4

Int, Kno

Computer Bypass

3

Int, Kno

Medical Doctor

3

Dex, Kno

Concealment

3

Dex, Int

Pathology

4

Int, Kno

Demolitions

2

Int, Vis

Lying

4

Cha, Cre

Pick Locks

2

Cre, Vis

Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Silent Kill

3

Agi, Dex

Increase Speed

2

Agi, Str

Stealth

2

Agi, Mne

Riding: Land

2

Agi

Riding: Flying

2

Agi, Str

Riding: Exotic

2

Agi

Trick Riding

3

Agi



Agi, Str



2



Backstab



Skill Name

Medical Skills

Mount Skills

Leadership Skills Cost

Base stats

Bureaucracy

2

Cre, Kno

Humor/Wit

2

Cha

Intimidation

2

Cha, Str

Skill Name

Military Leadership

3

Cha, Int.

Advanced Radio

2

Cre, Int

Persuasion

3

Cha, Cre

Gunner: Fighters

2

Dex

Public Speaking

2

Cha, Cre

Gunner: Heavy

2

Dex, Vis

Stand Ground

3

Kno, MnE

Gunner: Light

2

Agi, Dex

Tactics

2

Cre, Kno

Gunner: Starships

2

Dex, Vis

Interpret Sensors

2

Kno, Int

Base stats

Cre, Int

Satellite Comm.

3

Int

Tesseract Comm.

3

Int, Vis

2

Lrd, Agi

Complexity

3

Lrd, Cre

Duration

2

Lrd, Mne

Healing*

3

Lrd, Cha

Skill Name

Lording Development

2

None

Art

3

Cre

Magnitude

3

Lrd, Int

Body Development

3

None

Range

2

Lrd, Dex

Cook

1

Cre, Int

Sense

3

Vis

Dance

2

Agi, Cre

Summoning*

3

Lrd, Sta

Fishing

2

Cre

Targeting

2

Lrd, Vis

Hunting

2

Int, Vis

Traveling*

3

Lrd, Kno

Language

2

Int, Kno

Musical Instrument

2

Cre, Vis.

Observation

4

Int, Vis

Sing

1

Cre, Sta

Style

2

Cre, Vis

* These are Duelist skills and can only be taken by Duelists. For more information see page 119.

Miscellaneous Skills Cost

Base stats

Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Area of Effect



2

Page 127

Military Intelligence Base stats



Cost

Cost



Skill Name



Lording Skills

Military Skills



Skill Name

Street Skills

Pilot Skills Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Hang-glide

2

Agi, Dex

Pilot Airliner

2

Dex, Vis

Pilot Battle Cruiser

3

Int, Vis

Pilot Jet Fighter

2

Cre, Dex

Pilot Star Cruiser

2

Dex, Int.

Pilot Starfighter

2

Dex, Vis

Pilot Starship

3

Dex, Vis

Tesseract Operations

3

Vis



Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Page 128

Professional Skills Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Accounting

3

Kno, Int

Administration

2

Int, Vis

Firefighting

2

Kno, Sta

Fundraising

1

Cre, Kno

History

2

Kno

Investigation

2

Kno, Vis

Law

2

Cre, Kno, Int

Plumbing

1

Kno, Str

Politics

2

Cha, Cre

Science Skills Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Biology

2

Kno

Chemistry

2

Kno

Geology

2

Kno

Interpret Sensors

2

Kno, Int

Physics

3

Kno

Psychology

2

Kno, Int

Research

1

Kno, Int

Xenobiology

3

Kno, Int

Xenopsychology

4

Kno, Int

Skill Name

Cost

Base stats

Appraise Goods

2

Kno, Int

Bargaining

2

Cre, Kno

Carousing

2

Sta

Gambling

2

Cre, Vis

Make New Contacts

3

Cha, Cre

Persuasion

3

Cha, Cre

Pick Pockets

3

Dex, Int

Sleight Of Hand

2

Cre, Dex

Streetwise

2

Cha, Kno

Page 129 Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Swimming: 1 Cybernetic Weapons: 2 How to move through water. Valorians, as amAll built-in cybernetic weapons use this skill, rephibious creatures, do not need this skill, though gardless of their type. Based on Agi or Dex, dependthey may substitute it for Martial Arts: Defensive ing on the weapon (ranged use Dex, close-combat while underwater. Based on Agi and Str. use Agi).



Most Combat skills are self-explanatory, giving the character the ability to hit someone with the Climbing: 1 listed weapon, so no description will be given for This is skill in climbing walls with or without them. These skills are: equipment. Failure on a Climbing roll results in a fall, so rope is highly recommended. Based on Agi Arc Throwers: 3 (Dex) and Str. Disintegrators: 3 (Dex) Energy Pistols: 2 (Dex) Gymnastics: 2 Gatling Lasers: 2 (Agi) This is skill in tumbling, tightrope walking, vaults, Grenade Launchers: 2 (Dex) and other such maneuvers. Contrary to comic-book Missile Launchers: 2 (Dex) logic, it will not help you dodge attacks (use Martial PDS: 3 (Dex) Arts: Defensive for that). Based on Agi and Str. Pistols: 2 (Dex) Plasma Weapons: 2 (Dex) Jumping: 1 Rifles: 2 (Dex) Skill in leaping great distances or heights. Includes pole vaulting. Based on Str and Agi. Other combat skills have special notes listed below. Running: 1 Used to run marathons or escape bad people Ancient Melee Weapons: 2 chasing you. Based on Str and Sta. Your character’s skill with a particular broad class of ancient hand-to-hand weapon. The skill must be Solar Movements: 2 taken once for each variety of weapon — axes, Moving inside a star is very difficult. Most senswords, clubs, polearms, Nesti battlecleavers, etc. sors are virtually useless, and the ones that do work Based on Agi. are not very forthcoming with information. For this reason you must have the Solar Movements skill to Ancient Missile Weapons: 2 maneuver inside a star. The greater your skill, the Your character’s skill with a particular class of faster you can move. Caps all Combat skills, Interpret ancient ranged weapon. The skill must be taken Sensors, and Observation while inside a star. Based once for each variety of weapon — bows, crosson Vis and Agi. bows, slings, thrown knives, etc. Based on Dex.



Combat Skills



Arctic Movements: 2 Skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and arctic survival are the mainstays of this skill. Mostly used by arctic commandos. Based on Sta and Str.

Zero-G Movement: 2 You have been trained to move around carefully but quickly in the absence of gravity. Substitute this for almost Acrobatics, Aerobatics, Gymnastics, and Jumping when in zero or very low gravity. This skill is also acts as the cap on all of a character’s combat and athletic skills in zero-gravity situations.



Aerobatics: 1 Only flying characters may take this skill (others should look to Hang-Gliding). This skill acts as a cap on all Martial Arts skills while flying, and is used in situations where Gymnasics might be used for ground-based characters. Based on Agi.



Athletic Skills

Throwing: 1 Used primarily in sports. This is not usually a combat skill, as thrown weapons such as grenades are covered in their own skills. Based on Agi and Str.



Skill Descriptions

Computer Skills

Duelist’s Sword: 2 Skill in using a Duelist’s Sword as a weapon. Computer Operation: 2 They are totally unlike any other weapon. Only Skill in using a computer. Skill above level 5 Duelists may learn this skill, as no other characters indicates some experience with troubleshooting. can summon the blade. Based on Agi and Dex. Based on Int and Kno. Energy Rifles: 2 Based on Dex for sniper-type weapons, or Agi and Dex for assault weapons.

Create Guardian Programs: 3 This is skill in how to make a defensive program to keep interface knights out of a system. See the Lattice chapter for how this works. Based on Int and Grappling: 2 Covers all forms of wrestling. If you hit with a Kno. Grappling attack, each subsequent time you hit you Create Portal: 3 may choose to maintain the same amount of damage This is used to travel between computer systems. you rolled last time, or you may make another attack It is further detailed in the Lattice chapter. Based on roll in an attempt to get more damage. Grappling attacks do the same damage as punches. Based on Int and Vis. Str and Sta. Create Viruses: 3 This is how to create program meant to break Grenades: 1 into or defeat a system or guardian. It is further deIncludes both throwing the things and using the tailed in the Lattice chapter. Based on Int and Cre. timer to your advantage. Based on Agi and Str

Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

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Programming: 3 Martial Arts — Defensive: 2 The ability to create programs not designed for See Combat for full uses. Highly recommended offense or defense. Good for creating everything for all characters, regardless of whether the game is from operating systems to astronav programs to combat-oriented. Based on Agi and Mne. video games. Good, in essence, for everything we haven’t talked about above. As usual, more informaMartial Arts — Offensive: 2 See the Combat chapter for full uses. All “natu- tion can be found in the Lattice chapter. Based on Int ral” attacks, whether with fists or microwave bursts, and Kno. use this skill (unless they’re trying to knock someone down; use Sweeps and Throws for that). Based on Str and Agi. Martial Arts — Sweeps and Throws: 2 See Combat for full uses. Based on Dex and Sta.

Drive Skills Drive A.P.C.s: 2 Piloting Armored personnel Carriers. Based on Dex and Vis.

Off-hand Attack: special Drive Car: 1 Any character who wishes to attack with two Driving automobiles. A skill of more than 5 indiweapons in a single action must buy this skill. Your cates some racing experience. Based on Dex. normal weapon skill is an “on-hand” skill which you buy normally; you must also buy an off-hand Drive Tanks: 2 attack with the same weapon. It costs half as much Driving tanks and other armored assault vehicles. as the regular skill does, and is based on the same Based on Dex and Vis. attributes. Off-hand skills may not exceed on-hand skills. See page xx for more info. Drive Truck: 1 Driving big automobiles, such as 18-wheelers. Photon Blades: 2 Based on Dex. Does not include the Space Trooper ability to cut through any object. Based on Agi. Pilot M.A.C.s: 3



The skill of piloting and using Mechanized Assault Craft. Based on Dex, Cre, and Vis.



You can design, build, and repair modern weapons and armor. This is a particularly difficult skill, as all the components are miniaturized and pack a lot of power for their size. Based on Dex and Cre. Note that Basic Engineering is not a prerequisite.





Auto Mechanics: 2 You know how to fix engines and make cars run again. At higher levels of skill you’re probably familiar with aircraft engines as well. Based on Dex and Vis. Note that Basic Engineering is not a prerequisite.



specialize in either fighter-scale craft or capital ships. Pilot Off road Vehicles: 2 Skill in using ATV’s an other vehicles designed If your skill is 11 or above, you are equally familiar with both. You are also familiar with starship-scale for hostile terrain. Based on Dex and Vis. weapons, tesseract drives, armor plating, artificial gravity, power supplies, etc. Based on Kno and Vis. Ride Motorcycle: 1 The use of self propelled two wheeled vehicles. Tweaking*: 4 Based on Agi and Dex. You’re good at convincing your equipment to go the extra mile. When using another skill to make Engineering Skills alterations that would enhance a particular device (such as increasing a weapon’s damage rating) you * Skills marked with an asterisk are capped by recieve a bonus to your roll equal to 1/5 of your the character’s Basic Engineering skill. Tweaking skill (rounded down). Based on Cre and Kno. Aircraft Engineering*: 3 Skill in designing or modifying aircraft. Weapons and Armor: 4

Espionage Skills

Page 131 Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Biomedical Engineering*: 4 Backstab: 2 You can design, build, and repair devices that Each level of Backstab adds directly to the critideal with living beings, such as artificial hearts, cybernetic devices, and medical scanners. Based on cal level done during a surprise attack. Most people must literally stab someone in the back with a piercInt and Vis. ing or cutting attack for this skill to work; blunt or ranged weapons don’t work (but see the Assassin Basic Engineering: 3 You know the basics of how to put devices to- class or Sniper mentor). Based on Agi and Str gether, measure stresses and torques, and generally Burglary: 2 build things that won’t fall apart. Good for making This is skill in quickly finding valuable items bridges, ramps, steam turbines, and other feats of engineering. This skill caps many other engineering when searching time. Based on Cre. skills (marked with asterisks). Based on Int and Kno. Camouflage: 2 This is the ability to use one’s surrounding for Civil Engineering*: 3 You are familiar with most types of civilian con- concealment. It is also the skill which influences struction: bridges, skyscrapers, tunnels, roadwork, detection of camouflaged opponents. Based on Int office buildings, etc. An excellent way to earn a liv- and Cre. ing. Also a useful skill for demolitions experts. Based Computer Bypass: 3 on Int, Kno, and Vis. This is skill in defeating security systems on a computer directly. This is not something you use Robot Engineering*: 4 You can design, build, and repair Mechanized through a network; it’s essentially how to bypass Assault Craft (and smaller robotic systems as well). computers through hardware rather then software. You’re probably also familiar with their subsystems, Based on Int and Kno such as mecha-scale weapons and armor. Based on Concealment: 3 Int and Kno. This is skill in concealing small objects. It includes the ability to palm objects and secret things Starship Engineering*: 3 You can design, build, and repair starships of all on one’s person. Based on Dex and Int. makes and models. If your skill is 10 or less you must

Demolitions: 2 Public Speaking: 2 This is skill in using explosives. It does not inHow to talk in public and get the desired reclude the ability to use grenades, but does include sponse. Useful for giving speeches at graduations, things like C4 and dynamite. Based on Int and Vis. rousing mobs, or changing public opinion. Includes the ability to gauge a croud’s mood. Based on Cha Lying: 4 and Cre. Your character is trained in lying to others undetectably. Based on Cre and Cha. Stand Ground: 3 You are good at holding onto your beliefs, or are Pick Locks: 2 just very stubborn. This skill is used to resist attempts This is the ability to pick a mechanical lock. It to persuade you. Based on Kno and MnE. does not include the ability to pick an electronic lock. Based on Cre and Vis. Tactics: 2 Knowledge tactical situations, from troop deSilent Kill: 3 ployments to boardroom struggles to tense negotiaThis is the ability to kill ones opponent in such a tions. Based on Kno and Cre manner that they do not make any noise. Based on Dex and Agi.

Lording Skills

Stealth: 2 Many of these spells are described in the Lording This is a characters ability to hide. Based on Agi chapter, and need no extra description here. These and MnE. skills are:

Leadership Skills



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Page 132

Bureaucracy: 2 Good for clearing up paperwork and cutting through red tape, or giving other people those problems. Based on Kno and Cre. Humor/Wit: 2 How to tell a joke people will laugh at. Based on Cha. This skill can actually benefit from both beauty-related advantages and ugliness-related disadvantages.

Area of Effect: 2 (Agi, Lrd) Complexity: 3 (Cre, Lrd) Duration: 2 (Lrd, MnE) Healing: 2 (Duelist-Only Skill) (Cha, Lrd) Magnitude: 3 (Int, Lrd) Range: 2 (Dex, Lrd) Summoning: 3 (Duelist-Only Skill) (Lrd, Sta) Traveling: 3(Duelist-Only Skill) (Kno, Lrd) The skills which merit special mention are:

Lording Development: 2 Lording Development has no base stats. Every Intimidation: 2 level of it grants ordinary characters 5 extra spell How to scare people into doing what you want. points, or grants Duelists an extra point of fatigue Based on Cha and Str. which can be used only for their special powers. Note that this skill is not based on the Lording atMilitary Leadership: 3 tribute. How to command people and motivate them to do as you order. The difference between this and Sense: 2 Intimidation is sometimes a thin line, but with Mil. Characters with this skill are able to sense the Leadership inspires fear and respect instead of just use of Lording and the presence of Lording artifacts, fear. Based on Cha and Int. often at great distances. Based on Vis (note that this skill is not based on the Lording attribute). Persuasion: 3 How to persuade people to do what you want. Targeting: 2 Includes the ability to guess at what they really want. The ability to actually hit something with a This is a one-on-one appeal; for a wider audience Lording-based attack, or to accurately use a power use Public Speaking. This is also a Street skill. Based with a fine touch. This is typically used as a combat on App and Cha. skill, and has little bearing on how powerful a spell

Page 133 Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Gunner: Heavy: 2 Hunting: 2 Includes regular vehicle mounted weapons, How to find animals so you can shoot them including those on M.A.C.s. Based on Dex and Vis. and, preferably, eat them. Based on Vis and Int. If This skill and Starship Gunner can be substituted for you don’t have at least a Basic level of Stealth, you each other at -3, since they are very similar.



Gunner: Fighters: 2 Includes the weapons that are usually mounted on jet fighters and starfighters. Based on Dex. This Fishing: 2 cannot be substituted for the other Gunner skills How to get a stupid animal to bite a hook so you because fighter combat tends to happen much more can eat him. Valorians think this is great. Based on quickly, and from a faster moving vehicle. Cre.



Dance: 2 How to perform graceful moves that impress some people. Based on Agi and Cre



Advanced Radio: 2 Allows a character to use advanced communications techniques and scrambling. Based on Int and Cre.

Cook: 1 How to make a meal that people want to eat. Includes a knowledge of the dietary prejudices of the various races, so you know what common foods might poison them. Based on Cre and Int.



Military Skills



Pathology: 4 Body Development: 3 Knowledge of the many millions of bacterial and Each level off Body Development skill adds diviral infections the galaxy has to offer. High levels of rectly to Fatigue. This bonus is also applied when deskill indicates experience in creating or neutralizing termining how many wounds a character can suffer. bio-weapons. Based on Int and Kno.



Miscellaneous Skills



Cybernetics: 3 This is a general knowledge of cybernetics. This skill is necessary to implant cybernetics into a host, Interpret Sensors: 2 whether for replacement or augmentation. It also Allows a person to decide what a set of sensors is helps you design them. Based on Int and Cre. telling him. Often used to defeat cloaking devices or gather tactical information. Based on Int and Kno. First Aid: 2 This is a quick substitute for paramedical skill. It Military Intelligence: 2 allows a person to stop bleeding and attempt to keep Allows a character to discover information via a person in a coma alive until better attention can be spying or other means. Based on Int and Cre. received. Based on Kno and Dex. Satellite Communications: 3 Genetic Engineering: 4 Gives a working knowledge of satellite comThis skill allows a character to design new life munications, which also covers most planetside forms and Ultramercs. Can not be higher then medi- communications. Based on Int cal doctor and biology. Based on Int and Kno Tesseract Communications: 3 Medical Doctor: 3 Allows a character to set up and use the delicate This is skill at being a doctor. It is used to per- tesseracts used in communication. Based on Int and form surgery, and to diagnose diseases and decide Vis. on a cure. Requires at least a Basic level of First Aid. Based on Dex and Kno



Gunner: Starships: 2 Use of large starship mounted weapons. Based on Dex and Vis.



Medical Skills

Gunner: Light: 2 This includes weapons that are mounted on a vehicle or tripod. Based on Dex and Agi.



is — it just determines whether the spell hits. Based on Lrd and Vis

take -3 to all rolls. Can also be used to follow people through the wilderness.

Riding: Exotic: 2 How to ride a particular strange creature. You must specify a type of creature each time you take this skill. Based on Agi

Language: 2 You have learned a language besides Trade Inuueliting (the galactic standard language). At an efTrick Riding: 3 fective skill of 5 (counting attribute bonuses) you’ve How to do fancy things on your mount to imlearned how to find the bathroom and insult people. press people. Based on Agi At effective skill 10, you can hold simple conversations. At 15 you’re a good non-native speaker. At Pilot Skills 21 or above you’re a master of the language and better than most native speakers in both accent and Hang-glide: 2 vocabulary. You must have at least one skill level in The trick of using a flimsy piece of cloth and a particular language to use that language at all. You aluminum/ceramic to keep yourself aloft. Based on may buy the skill multiple times to acquire multiple Dex and Agi. languages. Pilot Airliner: 2 Musical Instrument: 2 This is how to make a flight comfortable for peoHow to make cool sounds with an object. Buy the skill once for each kind of object (woodwinds, ple who are not used to flying. Typically used with strings, percussion, keyboards, etc. etc.) Based on passenger aircraft. It covers how to fly in a manner least likely to induce nausea. This is useful for any Cre and Vis. sort of plane from a two-seater to a 400-seater. Based on Int and Dex. Observation: 4 You have trained yourself to notice things that Pilot Battle Cruiser: 3 others might not. Useful for foiling Stealth attempts This covers the use and piloting of Cruiser-class and spotting liars, among other things. Based on Int and larger starships. This includes the use of shortand Vis. range tesseracts. Based on Int and Vis.



Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Page 134

Sing: 1 How to make cool sounds with your voice. Based on Cre and Sta.

Pilot Jet Fighter: 2 Skill in using military-style jet aircraft. Based on Dex and Cre.

Style: 2 Pilot Star Cruiser: 2 You are good at keeping up on fads and trends, This covers piloting any large civilian ship deand dressing to impress. Often useful in social situasigned for travel in space. Most often used for transtions. Based on Cre and Vis. ports and traders. This does not include the use of short-range tesseracts. Based on Cre and Dex.

Mount Skills

Pilot Starfighter: 2 Increase Speed: 2 This is skill in piloting small fighter sized ships How to temporarily coax more speed out of your that include a tesseract drive. This includes the use of mount. Each level of skill corresponds to the number short-range tesseracts. Based on Vis and Dex. of extra meters you can get in ten seconds. Based on Agi and Str. Pilot Starship: 2 This is skill in piloting smaller civilian starships. Riding: Land Creatures: 2 This class includes flitters, shuttles, tugs, and small How to ride large creatures that do not fly, such cargo transports. Generally this means civilian craft. as horses and camels. Based on Agi This does not include the use of short-range tesseracts. Based on Vis and Dex. Riding: Flying Creatures: 2 How to ride large flying creatures. Would-be Tesseract Operations: 3 Caractingessen riders should take this skill. Based This is the character’s skill in creating long-range on Agi and Str. tesseracts to get from one star system to another. It



Science Skills

Page 135 Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Biology: 2 The study of everything that squirms or lives in any way. This gives you an insight into every carbonAdministration: 2 How to run a big organization effectively and based life-form (which is most of them). Like most efficiently. This works well with Bureaucracy: having sciences, this is a wide field, and it pays to speciala Professional level in Bureaucracy gives you +2 to ize. Genetics is a favorite specialty. Based on Kno. skill checks. Based on Int and Vis. Chemistry: 2 The study of chemical reactions. Often used by Firefighting: 2 How to effectively and safely put out a fire. characters to make things go boom. Based on Kno. Based on Sta and Kno. Geology: 2 More important than it would seem, this is the Fundraising: 1 How to raise money for a large organization study of rocks, fossils, and tectonics (the stuff that with advertising campaigns, §1000-a-plate char- causes earthquakes and volcanoes, in layman’s ity dinners, and phone-call campaigns. Bakes terms). This also covers the physical side of terraforsales work too, if not quite as well. This works well ming. Based on Kno. with Accounting: having a Professional level in Interpret Sensors: 2 Accounting gives you +2 to skill checks. Based on Allows a person to decide what a set of sensors is Cre and Kno. telling him. Often used to defeat cloaking devices or gather scientific information. Based on Int and Kno. Investigation: 2 You’ve been trained as a police officer or private investigator, and are good at evaluating crime Physics: 3 scenes, digging up evidence, and finding witnesses. The study of the laws of reality. Often used by This skill works well with Observation, Make New Contacts, and Law (though it does not receive any characters to understand why things went boom, or to cheat the GM on technical measures. Based on bonuses from having them). Based on Kno and Vis. Kno. History: 2 Psychology: 2 Knowledge of things that happened long ago. The study of how people think. This works Historians may also recognize trends and habits of long-running cultures, such as the Inuuel Empire. for your “group” of species. Humans, Sa’crontor, and Budetug are one group. Nesti, Valorians, and Based on Kno. Caractingessen are in another group. Inuueliting, Halla, Ogres, and Archangels are in the last major Law: 2 The knowledge of how people set laws up, the group. Based on Kno and Int. law of your home system (or of some multi-system Research: 1 governments), and how to bend them. A must for all The ability to find out what you don’t know. good law enforcement agents. Based on Kno, Cre, This skill and Make New Contacts are completely and Int. different — research is only for scientific or book



Accounting: 2 How to make 2-million-section budgets balance and make sense. Also covers investment and stock-market tricks at the higher levels. This works well with Law: having a Professional level in Law gives you +2 to skill checks and allows you to run a company well. Based on Kno and Int.

Politics: 2 How to get elected. Maybe. Also covers knowledge of current political events. Based on Cha and Cre.



Professional Skills

Plumbing: 1 How to fix leaks and design anything with a pipe or conduit involved. Based on Str and Kno.



doesn’t include skill in fixing tesser drives — use Starship Enginering for that. Based on Vis.

knowledge, and the two will rarely overlap. Based on Kno and Int.

Pick Pockets: 3 How to get money and other small items out of a Xenobiology: 3 pocket or purse. Usually some one else’s. You don’t The study of everything that squirms or lives in have to roll this to open your purse. Based on Dex any way other than the usual ones. This is needed and Int. to understand non-carbon-based races like the Valorians, and will also help with any strange new Sleight Of Hand: 2 alien races. Based on Kno and Int. How to make people look one way while you do something else. Useful for entertaining children, Xenopsychology: 4 palming small objects, etc. Based on Cre and Dex. The study of how thinking happens in the first place; used to understand how aliens and those Streetwise: 2 outside your “group” think (see Psychology). Based A knowledge of how to survive on the dangerous on Int and Kno. streets. This will help you find food and shelter at night, interact with frightening street people without getting your ass kicked, and possibly avoid arrest. Street Skills Based on Kno and Cha. Appraise Goods: 2 The ability to tell how much a given item is really worth. Based on Kno and Int.



Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Page 136

Bargaining: 2 How to get the best price for goods where bartering is still done. Based on Kno and Cre. Carousing: 2 The ability to drink the other guy (or gal or it) under the table. Based on Sta. This is a dangerous skill — some species are more prone to alcoholism than others. Ogres, in particular, are more susceptible to becoming alcoholic than most species. It can also be used “in moderation” to have a good time out on the town and make a few friends. Gambling: 2 How to cheat so that you win and don’t get caught. Also includes a basic understanding of the odds in various common games. Based on Cre and Vis Make New Contacts: 3 How to make friends when visiting unfamiliar places. This can also be used to gather information. Based on Cha and Cre. Having levels of Leadership skills will help — GM’s discretion. Persuasion: 3 How to persuade people to do what you want. Includes the ability to guess at what they really want. This is a one-on-one appeal; for a wider audience use Public Speaking. This is also a Leadership skill. Based on App and Cha.



Examples

Page 137

Example #1: Let’s say Dave the Archmage wants to increase his Complexity skill from 15 to 16. Dave You can improve your character’s skills by spend- needs to spend 4 XP (Base cost 3, Professional-rank ing Experience Points. In fact, this is pretty much the skill, -1 to the cost because he’s an Archmage). If he only use for Experience Points. wanted to increase his Martial Arts: Defensive from 5 to 6, he would also have to spend 4 XP (Base cost 2, Experience Points (XP) are your Game Master’s Basic-rank skill, +1 because he’s an Archmage). way of rewarding you. Money comes and goes, possessions can be lost and destroyed, but no one can Example #2: Having been defeated in court (see take your experience away. After each night of game example #2 for skill use), you decide to improve play your character will typically gain experience. your character’s Energy Rifles skill. Call it a bad These points may be spent as indicated. example of lateral thinking. Anyway, you’re playing a Merchant with an Energy Rifles skill of 7. The base Most nights your character will gain experience. cost is 2, your target skill level is 8 (which is Basic), Experience is awarded by the game master. A typi- so you pay 3 skill points. cal night will award 6 XP. Some games you might gain more xp than this; some games you will not. It Example #3: Your character is an experienced all depends on how well you play your character. Diplomat increasing his Persuasion from 25 to Good players will usually gain more XP then bad 26. Persuasion has a base cost of 3, and getting a ones. People who stay in character, solve in-game level of Persuasion at Grand Master rank costs 7 problems, and try not to annoy the other players are XP. However, it’s easier for Diplomats since it’s a good players. Shooting everyone in a bar (in-game, Leadership skill. You pay 6 XP for the increase. of course) because you had a bad day at work might be entertaining, but it is not usually good roleplayExample #4: Jimmy the Space Jockey has been ing. Likewise, playing a character that makes the getting clobbered in fistfights all game. He wants game less fun for others is also poor playing and you to start learning how to get out of the way of other will likely receive a smaller award of XP. people’s fists. Buying the first point of Martial Arts: Defensive will cost him 3 XP. It would normally be 2, Spend the amount of XP indicated on the table but Combat skills are harder for Space Jockeys. below for each level you increase the skill by. If your Class or Mentor makes it easier for you to buy skills, spend one fewer XP per level. If your Class or Mentor makes it harder, spend one more XP per level.



Improving your Skills



Experience Point Costs for Skills Skill Base Cost Current Rank

1

2

3

4

Unskilled (0-5)

1

2

3

4

Basic (6-10)

2

3

4

5

Professional (11-20)

3

4

5

6

Master (21-25)

4

5

6

7

Grand Master (26+)

5

6

7

8

Ultramercs must spend 1 XP each session to control their inner struggles with sanity. Failure to do so will result in the Ultramerc gaining some sort of psychosis, which will grow stronger the longer it is ignored (i.e. the longer you fail to spend XP). XP may also be used to improve your character’s stats: Spend 20 XP to increase a stat by one. You have a maximum of 6 more than your racial modifier. For instance, Nesti have an Intelligence modifier of 1 to start. A Nesti’s Intelligence can never be more than 7.

Valence Main Rulebook: Skills

Other Uses of XP

Rules

Heroic Advantages

Basic System

While the characters of Valence aren’t supercompetent to the level of an action movie hero, they are very skilled and and important people. To deal You’ve already read the most basic rules in with the dangers in their lives, they have a few adValence: the skill system. For those who skipped vantages that help to keep their heads above water: ahead a bit, or would like a refresher, here’s how it Hero Points and Renown. works:



Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

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Hero Points

For each task there is a target number. Sometimes the target number is set by the GM, sometimes it’s set All player characters start play with 20 Hero by someone else’s skill check (if you’re competing Points, and can gain more as the game goes on. Most with them). To succeed, you have to roll equal to NPCs don’t have these. Some heroic NPCs have a or higher than that target number. See page xx for few, like firefighters. “Adventuring” NPCs are sure sample target numbers. to have at least 10 if they’re important to the plot. Important villains may have Villain Points, which Rolls are made using a twenty-sided die (1d20). work in an identical manner. If your game is the kind Skill checks are made by rolling 1d20 + your skill that has a “Main Villain,” don’t be surprised if he or level + the appropriate attribute. A “natural” (unshe has 50 or more Villain Points. modified) roll of 1 is always a failure. A natural roll of 20 always means success. Hero Points can be spent on a one-to-one basis to increase your dice rolls, or decrease someone else’s. This can be done after rolling. You may also Other Rolls spend 10 Hero Points to ignore the effects of a previThere are three other important kinds of rolls in ous dice roll and make an entirely new one, which Valence. One kind is that made during combat; we will let you avoid the bad effects of rolling a 1. have a whole section for that later on so we won’t Hero Points can be spent to reduce the amount of talk about it here. Suffice it to say that things are damage you take during combat, or to increase your slightly different when someone’s got a gun pointed own damage roll, at a two-to-one cost. They can also at you, but the system remains very similar. be used in place of Fatigue at a one-to-one cost. Five The second kind is an Attribute Check. This Hero Points will raise one of your Attributes by one is used when you’re attempting to do something point for a single action. that has little to do with any particular skill, but Lastly, Hero Points can be used to directly oprelies more on your innate capabilities. To make an pose the use of other Hero Points. If you declare that Attribute Check, roll 1d20 plus the appropriate atyou’re using 5 Hero Points to add to your attack roll tribute. The target number for this is always 12. and insure that you hit your target, the GM could The last important roll is a Saving Throw. There have one of the bad guys pay 5 Villain Points to inare three kinds of these: Disease, Blindness, and sure that you don’t. Once both sides have declared Deafness. These are made as a Stamina Check, but their expenditures, no one can go back and change the target number is 20. Many species have bonuses things — there are no “bidding wars” of Hero Points. or penalties to these due to strong immune systems, The general rule is that the aggressor, if there is one, delicate eyes, or well-shielded ears. The target num- must declare first. ber is so much higher because of the general effectiveness of devices built to blind, deafen, or infect. If they only worked half the time, no one would use them.



Renown

8

Blew up unusually large moon, crushing puny rebels forever

8

Became planetary governor or Warlord

6

Defeeated Ultramercs with 5-1 or worse odds

5

Successfully hacked any corporate HQ and can prove it.

4

Founded a colony, or had it named after you

3

Recognized as best cook on a certain planet

2

Completing a mission successfully

1

Best combat move seen in ages

1

Worst combat move seen in ages

1

Blowing a mission.

0

Went into hiding or cold sleep

-1

Got killed (except when martyred or “honorable death”)

-2

Continued mediocrity

-2

Any of the three above for more than ten years in a row

-3

Virus wipes your name from any unprotected records

-5

Page 139

Renown Check Modifiers Person is from... Your hometown

+4

if you have a big hometown

+3

the same country/corporation

+2

a different country, but the same planet

+1

A different planet, but the same sector

+0

Different sector, same quadrant

-2

A different quadrant

-4

Person’s job is.... Same job/class

+2

Works in the media or info-gathering

+1

Related profession/class

+0

Unrelated profession/class

-2

Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

To make a Renown check, roll 1d20 and add your entire Renown score. The standard target number for this is 20. This can be modified for distance, and for difference of culture or profession, by the chart on the next page. Modifiers from different categories are cumulative, but not two from the same category unless it’s the “works in the media” modifier.

Blew up giant battle-station, saving rebels



Renown checks are made to see whether someone recognizes you, has heard your name, or otherwise would be influenced by the words “do you know who I am?” Should they recognize you, their reaction will depend on their own personality, and your exact type of reputation. Good, law abiding citizens will react poorly to both thrill-seekers and warlords, while street punks will react well to someone with a bad-ass reputation. Or who knows, maybe they’re spoiling for a fight and want to test that rep. One great fighter pilot will respect another, but neither of them will get much reaction from a foreign diplomat. Being known can be great for some things, but don’t count on it for everything.

10



Doing something completely opposite what you usually do can also decrease your Renown, but it’s more likely not to alter it: as some people think less of you, others think more. Renown only really decreases when you’re out of the public eye.

Very publicly saved entire galaxy from destruction



The GM has complete control over Renown. If you don’t keep doing impressive or important things, if you don’t make the big deal or win the big battle, in short if you don’t keep your reputation going, the GM can decide to decrease your Renown. This is usually temporary, since you can always make a comeback. Conversely, if you’re the young pilot who just blew up the giant battle station, you might get a temporary (or even permanent) addition to Renown.

Renown earned

Renown represents how famous your character is The higher your Renown is, the more people in or out of your profession will know who you are. The exceptions are the classes such as Assassin and Street Thief, since being well-known is a disadvantage in many cases. Their levels of Renown make them more famous only among their clientele, until they get busted. Then they’re famous all over. Most PC’s start with a Renown of zero — they’re nobodies.

What you did

Specific Rules

on any tasks for which vision is important but not totally necessary (such as active defenses in combat and the Observation skill).

Some races, such as the Nesti and Valorians, use These rules are not useful at all times, and might not come up in all games. They apply to particular senses other than normal vision for almost all tasks. special situations or environmental conditions, or to The GM will have to decide how much darkness affects such characters, and what counts as “darkness” rarely-asked questions. for them.

Falling



Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Page 140

Attribute Scaling

Falling is a strange thing — some people are hurt While it won’t be important in most situations, quite badly by falls just a little over their body height, it may be helpful to know that a character with two more points in a particular attribute is effectively while others suffer only a broken bone from a fall of twice as good. For instance, someone with Agility 4 over a mile. This rule tries to model that variability. reacts about twice as fast as someone with Agility 2. Characters who fall a distance more than their Strength, in particular, can benefit from a table. height take 1d10 Blunt damage plus their Size, miThe table below shows how much a character can nus their Stamina. Every two meters above that adds lift above his or her head with a given Strength score another roll of damage (minimum of zero on each (assuming Earth-normal gravity). Large characters roll, but a roll of 10 always means one point of damwith a lot of leverage (such as the Caractingessen) age). Characters capable of flying typically do not can double this number. For those who are unfamil- fall, but if they fall while unconscious they take half iar with the metric system, one kilogram weighs a damage as their wings provide a substantial amount of drag force and slow them down. This doesn’t aplittle over two pounds. ply to Archangels, whose wings are almost purely decorative. Strength Max Lift Armor Value does not protect from falling dam1 25 kg age, but Defense Grids and Force Fields do. 2 35 lbs 3

50 kg

4

70 kg

5

100 kg

6

140 kg

7

200 kg

8

280 kg

9

400 kg

10

560 kg

Hostile Environments Severe cold, unrelenting heat, sandstorms, caustic fogs, and golf-ball-sized hail are environmental conditions that can be found on many worlds in the galaxy. Characters caught out in truly severe conditions can suffer heat stroke, frostbite, or a really nasty dent in the forehead.

For exposure which would kill an unprotected human in one day (such as walking through the 11 800 kg Sahara desert or northern Canada), a character 12 1120 kg should take one Bruised wound every hour. More 13 1600 kg or less severe conditions should scale appropriately. Good protective measures, such as warm clothing in the arctic and light armor with a breathing mask in Darkness a sandstorm, can reduce or eliminate this damage. A successful Survival roll can have equally good Darkness imposes a -15 penalty on all tasks effects. Proper preparation and a good Survival roll which totally require the use of sight (attack rolls, should let a character avoid any ill effects from nasty driving, and painting, for instance) and a -8 penalty environmental conditions. For instance, an Arctic

Energy attacks, whether from Lording or weapons, deal half damage underwater, and energy weapon damage gets halved again for every 100 meters the beam travels. Projectile attacks suffer the same penalty every 20 meters instead of 100.



Zero Gravity Page 141

Zero-G environments have other dangers as well. First, they can be quite nauseating for those who aren’t familiar with them. Anyone suddenly entering a zero-g environment must make a Zero-G Movement skill check, target number 15, or become nauseated and possibly ill. Second, all planet-born species (including all the ones in this book) can lose bone mass and muscle tone quickly if they live in zero-g conditions. Working out for two hours per day maintains the character’s Strength and Stamina. Less than two hours means a reduction of one point per week.



The Zero-G Movement skill acts as a cap on all Athletics and Combat skills while a character is in a weightless environment. Physical skills can be used at a level no higher than the character’s ZeroG Movement skill. It can also be used in place of almost all Athletics skills.

Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Attributes recover by one point per week, or one point per day of complete bed rest and first aid. An attribute drained more than 4 points will not recover to its full amount; it will always be one point lower than normal until the character recieves medical attention. Having your character’s attributes reduced to zero often has dangerous or deadly consequences; Exposure to a zero-pressure environment (like see page xx. outer space without a space suit) results in one Bruised wound level per second of exposure, and one cumulative level of Bleed each round (so the Underwater damage accelerates quickly). When the character returns to a pressurized environment the bleeding Fighting and moving underwater are very diffi- continues until medical attention can be found. cult for most people. Aquatic or amphibious species (such as the Valorians) may move at their full rate while underwater, and may fight with hand-to-hand skills normally. All other characters move at onetenth normal speed. The Swim skill replaces almost all Athletics skills while underwater. Swim also acts as a cap on many skill ratings while underwater — most skills can be used at a level no higher than the character’s Swim skill. This applies only to physical skills, not mental ones. The



If a character cannot breathe water, or has no divThese conditions are very difficult to model in ing gear, he or she must make a Stamina check every most role-playing games. The Andromeda supple- round or start to suffocate, taking a Bruised wound ment will have a great deal more on the topic of every round until unconsciousness and death. diseases, but for now, use these guidelines. Poisons and Diseases both reduce a character’s attributes, typically Stamina and Strength. Those which drain other attributes are somewhat rare; paralytic poisons drain both Dexterity and Agility, while fevers can drain mental attributes. Poisons typically act much more quickly than diseases, sometimes even fast enough to be effective in combat. Dangerous poisons and diseases drain large amounts of attribute points quickly, and have a very short onset time. Less dangerous diseases, like the common cold, might only drain a single point of Stamina over the course of a few days. Poisons and diseases typically do not inflict wounds, but they can reduce the number of wounds characters can take by decreasing their stamina.



Poison and Disease

GM has the final decision as to whether a skill is affected or not.



Commando without his or her gear, on a supercold planet, would probably take two or even three Bruised wounds per hour. The gear would reduce this to one point per hour, and an Arctic Movement or Survival roll would eliminate the damage entirely.

Actions Table

Physical Combat

Actions



Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Page 142

Combat is divided into rounds. Each combat round is ten seconds. Most characters can act more than once in a round, with the number of actions determined by fast your character thinks and how fast he or she moves. These are represented in game terms by Creativity and Agility scores, respectively. The chart on the top right is used to decide the number of actions each character has in a round. Along the left side are ranges for the character’s Agility. Read down to find the range in which the character’s Agility falls. Then read across the top of the chart where ranges for Creativity are listed. The number at the intersection is the number of actions your character has. Example: Grog the Ogre has a Creativity of 2 and an Agility of 3. He has three actions per round. These actions may be attacks, dodges, movement, etc.

Agility

The combat system in Valence is basically an extension of the skill system, with a few minor differences and a lot of options. For example, defensive skills do not use attributes in the normal manner. Attributes often matter more in the fast pace of a fight, an as such are reflected more in combat bonuses.

Creativity 0

1

2-4

5-7

8-10 11-12 13+

0

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1-2

1

1

2

3

3

4

5

3-4

1

2

3

3

4

5

6

5-6

1

3

3

4

5

6

7

7-8

1

3

4

5

6

7

7

9-10

1

4

5

6

7

7

8

11-12

1

5

6

7

7

8

9

13+

1

6

7

7

8

9

10

Initiative Table # Actions

Seconds Character May Act On

1

5

2

3, 8

3

2, 5, 9

4

2, 5, 7, 9

5

2, 4, 6, 8, 10

6

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10

7

1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10

8

1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

9

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

10

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Each round characters act on certain seconds, depending on their number of actions. The Initiative table (middle right) shows what seconds they act on in the round. The GM will call out the seconds as they tick past, and all the characters who act on that second should speak up and declare their actions. Each action is about what one can do in a second. Because a second is a small unit of time, what happens in each second is more or less simultaneous, and it’s completely possible for two people to shoot each other simultaneously. If two characters attack each other in the same second neither may dodge, but they may both parry. A character may save actions for later in the round, but loses any actions that they wait through. It is not possible to have more than ten actions in a round — living bodies just don’t move fast enough.

On Yelling Communication during combat is important, but takes up time. Yelling something like “Help!” or “Nail ‘im!” or “Die, you fools!” does not take up an action. Yelling something like “Everyone with a disintegrator focus on the big guy!” does take up an action. If you wonder why, try timing how long it takes to say that. Save your mad supervillain speeches for outside of combat.

Compare the attacker’s and defender’s totals. The person with the higher total gets things their way. Ties goes to the defender. If the attacker wins, go on The table on the previous page lets you know to Damage, below. If not, the defender is safe. Move who goes when. Each player should, on their sec- on to the next person’s action. ond, declare what his or her character is doing. The table below gives a summary of the most typical acExample: Grog the ogre decides he will kill the tions that are declared in a round. pesky humans in front of him. They want to use their actions to attack, so they don’t actively dodge. In Let’s assume that you want to hit someone. order to hit them he takes out his trusty Battlecleaver Maybe he insulted your mom. To determine whether and attacks. He rolls one twenty sided die, getting an attack hits, start with the attack roll as described a result of 12. Not a bad roll but not great either. below. The attacker has just used his action for the Fortunately for Grog he is pretty skilled with his second. Battlecleaver. His weapon skill is a 15. Adding 15 to 12 gets 27. His Agility of 2 adds two points for a The target may almost always attempt to dodge, total of 29. The humans have Martial Arts: Defensive and may sometimes attempt to parry. Any melee at- at level 12, a Creativity of 10 each, an Agility of 3, tack may be parried (exception: photon blades may and a Vis of 1, for a total passive dodge of 26. Grog only be parried by other photon blades or a duelist’s easily beats the passive dodge value of his victim and sword). Ranged attacks cannot be parried, except for connects with his sword. Now he has to get through thrown weapons, which are parried at -5. the armor...



A character’s passive dodge or parry is the target number to hit him or her with an attack. Since this typically isn’t very high, many people choose a more active route. An active dodge requires that the defender forfeit his or her next action. An active parry is the equivalent of going totally defensive — you forfeit the remainder of your actions in the round when you use it. If you have no more actions left in the round, you cannot actively dodge or parry!

The chart on this page shows the totals for various actions, how much fatigue they cause per round, and whether they cost an action. Reloading and switching weapons both cost an action.



If a character rolls a natural 1 on an attack, he or she automatically misses the target. It is up to the GM as to whether something more catastrophic happens. This is meant to show that combat is always uncertain. Likewise, someone who rolls a natural 1 The choice to take active or passive defense must on his or her defense has just dodged right into the be made before the attacker rolls. shot, no matter how badly aimed. A roll of natural 20 on an attack adds +4 to damage. A natural 20 on



Attack and Defense

Page 143

Combat Actions Attack

Dodge Parry Movement

Total

Fatigue

Action?

Ranged

1d20 + weapon skill + Dexterity

0

yes

Melee

1d20 + weapon skill + Agility

1

yes

Spell

1d20 + Targeting skill + Vis

1

yes

Passive

Agi + Vis + Cre + Martial Arts: Defensive skill

1

no

Active

Passive Dodge + 1d20

2

yes

Passive

Agi + Dex + Vis + any Melee Weapon skill

1

no

Active

Passive Parry + 1d20

2

all

Run

no total needed

1

yes

Walk

no total needed

0

no

Reload

no total needed

0

yes

Switch Weapons no total needed

0

yes

Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Type of Roll

defense avoids any attack that the character could beaten wounds were filled, then he would take an concievably avoid. injured wound, and so forth.

Damage Now that we can determine whether or not someone gets hit, we need to find out what happens afterwards.

“Bleed” is a very common result, and bears a bit of extra description. For each level of Bleed your character is suffering, take one damage level (of the least severe type) at the end of the round. If the bleeding is halted prior to the end of the round, no damage is suffered from the loss of blood. The damage inflicted by the wound itself is still in effect. Bleed is not cumulative! If you are hit once for 2 bleed, and hit again later for 3 bleed, you still only bleed at 3 points per round (not 5).

Damage in Valence is recorded in Wound Levels, which you can see on your character sheet. The number of wounds your character can stand is determined by his or her Size and Fatigue (see next page). The number of wound levels you take from a When your character takes his or her final Mortal hit depends on the Damage Rating of the weapon wound, he or she is unconscious. Another Mortal you were hit with, and your own armor values. wound will kill that character. If the character is bleeding when knocked unconscious, he or she will When you hit someone with an attack, roll 1d10 die in a number of rounds equal to his or her Stamina and add it to the weapon’s Damage Rating (plus minus Bleed level. If the bleeding is stopped, the your Strength for melee weapons). Subtract off the character is unconscious but stable, and will regain target’s Armor Value (see page xx for more informa- consciousness when at least one wound heals. tion about armor, including the effects of things like Defense Grids and Force Fields). The end total is There are other effects of wounds as well. called the “Critical Step.” Look up the Critical Step Impairment is listed on your character sheet next on the following table to determine what Wound to each wound level. Impairment is a measure of Levels the target takes. broken bones, pain, dizziness, and other problems.



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Damage Chart Critcal Step 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 25+

Wound Dealt Bruised Cut, 1 Bleed Beaten, 1 Bleed Injured, 2 Bleed Maimed, 2 Bleed Crippled, 3 Bleed Mortal, 4 Bleed

These wound levels are not cumulative (i.e. if you are hit with a level 23 critical step, you take just a Crippled wound and 3 points of Bleed). When one category of wounds is filled, any further wounds of that type are advanced to the next open category. They are never reduced in severity, only increased. Example: A character takes a crippling wound and survives for the moment. He then takes a cut. Just because he has taken a crippling wound does not mean the cut is advanced in severity. Assuming he has cut wounds left he only takes a cut. If he had taken all the cuts he was capable of taking, then the next cut wound would inflict a beaten level. If all the

Impairment must be subtracted from all rolls while you are wounded. Mental Endurance reduces Impairment on a one-to-one basis (but never below zero), so if your character is at -5 Impairment and has a Mental Endurance of 3, you subtract 2 from all dice rolls until your wounds heal. Different types of damage affect your character in different ways. There are four basic types of damage, and their effects are shown below: Blunt: +1 Impairment until wounds heal. Multiple blunt wounds do not keep increasing Impairment. Piercing/Cutting: +1 to Bleed. Multiple wounds do not keep increasing Bleed. Electromagnetic: Ignores Armor Value. Very dangerous to cyborgs, see the following page for a full description of the effects. Disintegration: Reduce one of the character’s attributes by 1 until the wounds heal. The attribute should be selected randomly from anything but Lording. These effects can be cumulative.

Bruised

Cut

Beaten

Injured

Maimed

Cruppled

Mortal

1

1

1

1

1

11-12 2

1

1

1

1

1

1

13-14 2

2

2

1

1

1

1

15-16 2

2

2

2

1

1

1

17-18 3

2

2

2

2

1

1

19-20 3

3

2

2

2

2

1

21-22 3

3

3

2

2

2

2

23-24 4

3

3

3

2

2

2

25-26 4

4

3

3

3

2

2

27-28 4

4

4

3

3

3

2

29-30 5

4

4

4

3

3

3

31-32 6

5

4

4

4

3

3

Combat actions cost fatigue per round, not per action. All fatigue is assessed at the end of the round. If your character has actively dodged twice, attacked twice with a laser pistol, and cast a spell, she loses 3 Fatigue at the end of the round.



At the end of a fight, your character loses one point of Fatigue that will not return until he or she has slept for a night. He or she essentially has one less point of Fatigue available for the rest of the day.



Fatigue + Size

1



1

<10



spend must rest for at least one action; they have no choice.

Wound Levels Chart



Other Combat Rules Page 145 Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Aiming: Aimed Shots are a possibility when using firearms and even antique missile weapons like 33-34 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 crossbows and bows. Thrown weapons may not be 35-36 8 7 6 5 4 4 4 aimed in this manner. The aiming rules are simple. For each second (not action) that a character aims his 37-38 9 8 7 6 5 4 4 or her weapon, add +1 to hit. Aiming may not grant 39-40 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 a bonus higher then +10 in this manner, or +5 if the >40 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 target is moving. The shooter must be able to see the target clearly for the whole time in order to aim (or The table above shows how many Wound Levels otherwise sense them, for Valorians and Nesti). your character can take. These should be recorded on your character sheet. The number on the leftEM Damage: This ignores Armor Value, but hand side is your character’s Fatigue + Size (see Force Fields and Defense Grids are still effective below for Fatigue). against it. EM damage is especially deadly against cyborged characters — all of their cybernetics are rendered useless for one minute per level of damage, in addition to the wounds they are dealt. Some arFatigue mors have electromagnetic shielding built in, which act as Armor Value against this damage. Combat is strenuous exercise and takes a lot of energy. To represent this all characters have Fatigue Explosions: Explosions are a fact of life in the points. The Combat Actions chart explains which acValence universe. Characters will inevitably be the tions cost Fatigue. Other actions can cost Fatigue as unfortunate recipients of large nasty devices that try well, such as using Duelist abilities. to smash them into tiny pieces. Many things deal explosive damage — anything in the game with an area Characters have Fatigue equal to two points plus of effect is considered an explosion. This includes twice their Stamina. but is not limited to grenades, TNT, plastic explosive, fire breath, and many anti-matter attacks. The Acid A character may regain lost Fatigue points by Spray lording spell is a good example: though nothtaking a moment to catch their breath. For each ing is actually blowing up, there is still an area of combat action that your character does nothing, not effect, so the spell is treated as an explosion. even walking or defending, he or she gains back one Fatigue point. Characters without Fatigue points to



Since combat is such a large part of most RPGs, there are a number of other situations which will probably come up in your game. Here are some rules for the more common ones.

Explosions cannot be completely dodged, but a successful dodge roll will yield half damage. You may not parry it. Explosions are assumed, for the sake of simplicity, not to damage anyone’s personal gear. Half Damage: If your character takes “half damage” from something, it means half of the critical step, not half of the wound on the table. When this halving is applied is important; halving before armor is much more powerful than halving after armor. In general, “half damage” means half after armor, since it is an innate quality of the character rather than of the armor he or she is wearing.



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Lying Down: Characters who have fallen, are still in bed, or (in the case of Budetug) are using all of their limbs on a particular task, are easier to hit. Their Martial Arts: Defensive skill is cut in half. Standing up quickly without taking an action can be done with a Gymnastics check (TN 20); failure wastes the action. Massive Damage: Sometimes a character will be hit so hard that, even after armor, he or she takes a critical step greater than 25. If this happens, the target suffers a level 25 critical, and then suffers another hit of damage equal to the damage level minus 25. If the resulting damage is still over 25 he takes another level 25 and so on. Example: Grog the Ogre gets hit with a large explosion. The critical step, after all his armor is accounted for, is a whopping 64 points. Grog is in serious trouble. First he takes a level 25 critical (1 Mortal, 4 Bleed). Being an Ogre, Grog manages to survive this. He then takes a second level 25 critical (64-25=39, still over 25). This knocks Grog unconscious. He takes a level 14 critical, dealing an Injured wound, and is quickly on his way to bleeding to death. Martial Arts skills: The three Martial Arts skills are used extensively in unarmed combat. For these rules, Martial Arts do not necessarily have any mental or spiritual component — they are simply a means to defend yourself or disable others. MA: Defensive sees use as the “dodge” skill. MA: Offensive is used for natural attacks (see below). MA: Sweeps and Throws is a little different. It can be used in almost the same way as Offensive, for any melee natural weapon (fists, wings, pincers, etc.), but it deals half damage after armor is applied. Any character hit with a Sweeps & Throws attack, whether or not it deals damage, must make an

Agility check or fall down, and spend one action standing up. Very heavy or stable characters (such as Archangels and Caracts) may use Strength instead of Agility when being tripped by slighter characters. Natural Weapons: Many species have natural weaponry that they can bring to bear. Valorians have microwave bursts, Sa’crontor have optical lasers, the Danlecting have energy bursts from their hands. Any attack made with these weapons uses Martial Arts: Offensive as the skill, and either Agility or Dexterity for the attribute (depending on whether the attack is melee or ranged, respectively). Range: If the attacker can see the target with perfect clarity, and the target is within the range listed for the weapon, then no penalty is applied. If the target is outside of the the weapon’s range, but within twice the that range, the a -3 penalty is applied. If the target is between two and three times the weapon’s range, the penalty to hit is -10. No weapon may fire and hit a target at more then three times its range. No one may fire farther than their visual range without the assistance of computer targeting. Remember to use common sense here. Characters with senses outside the human spectrum may have advantages. For example, camouflaged targets are easy to see with infrared vision, and Valorians can use their incredible hearing to target anyone with a heartbeat. Standing Still: Characters are assumed to be moving, weaving, taking cover, etc. to some extent during combat, even if they don’t take use an action for anything. Anyone who is standing completely still is considered to have a passive dodge value of 1. Anyone making an aimed shot is standing completely still. Surprise: When two groups meet each other suddenly, and the GM thinks there is a chance for one or the other to be surprised, have the affected characters roll Creativity checks (1d20 + Creativity, target number 12). Those who fail are surprised and may not act for five seconds. Those who succeed may take a half-round of actions before combat starts (treat it as a combat round starting on second 6, then go on to the next round as usual). Some classes and mentors give characters the ability to surprise others more regularly, such as the Arctic Commando’s ability to jump out of snowbanks. Some classes are also immune to surprise, such as the Star Commando.



Armor

Page 147 Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Example: Grog the ogre has just been shot by VT-49, an Ultramerc with a Gatling Laser. All Gatling Lasers are pulse weapons, so the damage is going to include the pulse rating of 4. Grog has 10 points of armor on his body. The Critical total is 25 (a roll of 5, Weapon damage of 30, 10 armor). 25 minus 4 is 21, giving us a range of 25-21. Grog takes a level 25 critical first, then a 24, a 23, a 22, and a 21. Grog is probably a pile of flesh riddled with multiple burn marks.



If there is no Force Field (or it and the DG have been knocked out) then things are different. Calculate damage as normal. This will give you the damage of the first shot. There are a number of shots remaining equal to the pulse of the weapon. Each of these shots deals one critical step of damage less then the last. The target takes all criticals in the range from the critical step down to (critical step minus pulse rating).



The way a pulse factor works is the following. First, roll to hit and determine damage as described above. If there is damage remaining after defense grid, multiply the pulse by the damage. This is how much damage the force field takes. If this reduced the force field to zero, then the force field and the defense grid collapse as normal. No damage is taken by the target.



Example: Grog gets hit by a big gun which does 40 points of damage. He has on armor with a DG of 5, an FF of 50, and an AV of 15. The first hit gets its critical step reduced to 35 by the DG, and takes the FF down to 15 points. The second hit gets reduced to 35 by the DG, destroys the FF, and barely gets past the AV to deal a level 5 critical. The third hit, and any further shots, will only have to deal with the AV and will do level 25 criticals.



Last, and most common, is Armor Value. Just like Defense Grids, these subtract from the damage done to the target. For simplicity’s sake, armor is not destroyed until the person inside is killed, so your Armor Value will not go down as you get hit. Many species’ skins have a natural Armor Value. Armor Values do not simply add together. Rules for overlapping armor can be found on page xx.



If you still have a critical step above zero after the Defense Grid rating is subtracted, it’s time to look at the Force Field. These are protective fields that absorb the energy of incoming attacks. The damage is reduced by the force field on a 1:1 ratio, and the force field’s strength is reduced by the same amount. If a 35-point attack hits a 100-point force field, the attack is completely nullified and the force field is reduced to 65 points. If your Force Field goes down, you lose your Defense Grid until the Force Field comes back up! More details can be found in the armor section. Force fields cannot be overlapped.



Defense Grids are energy fields that deflect incoming fire. They are the state of the art in damage control. If you have one, lucky you, subtract the DG rating from the critical step of any damage dealt to you. In addition, Lording cannot be used in through a defense grid. Someone can still throw a fireball at you, but they can’t set your armor on fire. Spells can still be cast out from inside the grid. Defense Grids cannot be overlapped.

There are some modern weapons which have what is called a” pulse factor.” A pulse factor is used to model an automatic weapon that achieves higher damage yields by firing many shots over a very short time period (in game terms, basically simultaneously). These attacks do more damage, assuming they penetrate a person’s armor, but they can also eat up ammo very quickly.



Your armor is very important in Valence. A quick look through the weapon damage ratings will probably convince you that you never want to be hit — but since you will be eventually anyway, you should know how armor works. There are three basic elements to armor: the Armor Value (AV), the Force Field (FF), and the Defense Grid (DG).

Pulse Factor

Optional Combat Rules

If a sensory organ is hit (eye, ear, antenna), roll to save against Blindness of Deafness with a penalty equal to the amount of damage dealt.

The following rules are all completely optional. Consult with your GM before you assume that these Attacking With Multiple Weapons rules are in effect. Most of these cover unusual circumstances. We personally suggest that you make Many characters will want to attack with more use of all these rules, as they greatly enhance game than one weapon at a time. This is commonly known play, but they can sometimes slow things down. as Dual-Wielding, and can be seen in various swordfighting styles (for swordplay) and in many ChowYun Fat movies (for gunplay). Note that this is differCalled Shots ent from having more then one weapon in the same Characters trained in combat skills don’t just try gun (like a combination rifle/grenade launcher). to “hit the guy,” they aim for a particular location. However, hitting a particular part of a creature is more difficult than simply making contact. How difficult depends on the size of the target. Apply the following penalties to called shots, with the potential benefits listed below. If the character misses the called shot by up to three points, the attack still hits his target, but in the wrong place.



Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

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Large targets: -3 (torso, legs, wings, or a near miss) Medium targets: -6 (arm, feet, tail, guts, armor power source) Small targets: -10 (head, groin, hands, weapon) Very small targets: -15 (eye, ear, antenna, throat):

The rules for fighting with two weapons at the same time are fairly simple. In order to be an effective multi-weapon fighter, your character must have an Off-Hand Weapon skill in the desired weapon. For instance, using two Laser Pistols requires a Laser Pistols skill and an Off-Hand Laser Pistol skill. Species with multiple “off hands” (Gold Inuuel and Valorians, for example) can purchase multiple OffHand skills to use more of their hands. Roll one die as normal to attack. Add the skill levels for the weapons separately, according to the skill with which they are wielded. It sounds complicated, but it’s quick once you get the hang of it. Only one defense roll is made; anything above that total hits. Apply damage one hit at a time — don’t add the damage together before applying it.

Example: Brog (must be Grog’s brother) is wieldA near miss gives a +3 bonus to subsequent ing two laser pistols. He is firing at a Human who Intimidate rolls. wants to collect the bounty on his head. He has skill If a limb is hit with a shot that deals an Injured levels in laser pistol as follows; level 7 in his “on” wound or worse, it is numbed. Actions taken with hand and level 4 in his “off” hand. Brog’s attacks are a numbed arm are at -2, and running speed with a at +2 because of his Dex, for total attack bonuses of numbed leg is halved. Characters with a numbed +9/+6. Brog rolls his 1d20 and gets a 10. His attack total is 19/16. The target is not actively dodging, and wing cannot fly. has a passive dodge value of 18. Therefore, one shot Any hit to a vital spot (such as the head, groin, or hits and the other misses. Damage is applied for the shot that hit. Had both shots hit the target would neck) deals +4 damage and +1 Bleed. have taken damage from each shot separately. If a weapon is hit for 10 or more points of damage, that weapon is rendered useless unless it is a melee weapon. For melee weapons the defender must make a Strength check (1d20 + Strength, target number 12), minus the attacker’s Strength if the attacker was using a melee weapon. If the defender fails the strength check, he or she drops the weapon.

A character using multiple weapons is assumed to be concentrating on a single target. If your character wishes to fire at multiple opponents, she suffers a cumulative penalty of minus five (-5) to hit for each target beyond the first. All weapons the character is wielding suffer this penalty equally.

Page 149 Valence Main Rulebook: Rules

Off-Tempo Attack: By delaying your attack by one second, you ruin your opponent’s expectations and have a better chance of connecting. You have +2 to hit, and you continue your round normally on your next action. You can’t use this to take two actions in one second.



Example: Brog gets hit by three gauss pistol shots. He ordinarily has an Armor Value of 15, and the pistol shots have damage ratings of 10, 13, and 14 after some really bad rolls by the attackers. Normally this would do no damage whatsoever. However, being hit by three shots at once reduces Brog’s AV to 12 for that second, so he takes two wounds, with Critical



Coordinate: You’re more of a tactician than a grunt. Roll Tactics or Military Leadership with a target number of 15. For every 5 points you succeed by, you can give +1 to anybody on your side of the battle (so if you roll a 25, you could give one ally +2 to hit, or two of them +1 to dodge). This takes one action, If the attack hits, damage is dealt by all weapons, but the effects last all round and are cumulative. in order from the most powerful (highest damage level) to the least. Needless to say, this can be a High-Low: Fake high, hit low. Or vice versa, devastating attack. If the attack roll fails, all weapons whatever works. Use one action to make an attack miss, and no damage is dealt. that isn’t really meant to hit (and, for game purposes, has no chance of doing so). Your next attack is made at +2 to hit. This can work in ranged combat, espeConcentrated Fire cially if the first attack is with a grenade. Works well with Off-Tempo Attack, but beware giving up too For each shot that hits the a target in one par- many actions and getting pummeled. ticular second, the Armor Value or Defense Grid (as appropriate) is reduced by 1 for each shot. This lasts Off-Balanced Attack: You don’t care how if you only for that second — the AV is not permanently fall on your face, you just want to hit this guy! Give reduced. Firelinking and Dual-Wielding can both up your next action for a +4 to damage on this attack. take advantage of this rule. This option only works in hand-to-hand combat. One attack roll is made, just as when attacking with two weapons. The character uses the worst skill level of the weapons included in the link. The attacker must have some skill in all the weapons to be used in this manner.



Firelinking is the act of matching multiple computer-guided weapons together so that they fire as a single unit. Weapons mounted on a character’s suit of armor may be firelinked if the armor is equipped with an Enhanced System Readout option and can power all the weapons simultaneously. Vehicular weapons can also be firelinked. You can not firelink melee weapons.



Firelink

Body Shield: Some people just have that self-sacrificial bent... or maybe just better armor than their friends. You attempt to jump in front of someone else and take a hit for them. Roll Martial Arts: Defensive as if you were dodging, but a successful “dodge” means you get hit instead of your friend. On successive rounds you can shield the same target from the same attacker at +5 to your “dodge” roll. This maneuver only works if you’re right next to the target, and know in advance what direction the attack is coming from. This uses up one of your actions, just like any other active dodge.



swung with -10 to hit. The “off” hand recieves -20.



There is no rule that says a character has to be Step 1 and 2. Not much, but it’s better than nothing. wielding all the same weapons. Your character is For the attackers, that is. free to mix and match weapons as much as he or she likes. Use common sense, though, when letting Combat Maneuvers characters do this. For instance, it would be physically impossible to use two longbows at the same In the interest of making combat something more time. Also remember that no “off” hand skill may be than just “I shoot him!” (roll) “You miss.” “Damn!” higher then the “on” hand skill. “You gonna dodge him or not?” “Yeah.” (roll) “He Characters who have no proficiency in fighting misses.”, we introduce these optional combat mawith multiple weapons may still try to do so, but neuvers. Hopefully they’ll help to spice up the game with great penalty. The “on” hand weapon is fired or without adding an unnecessary amount of detail.

Roaring Charge: I’d be worried if a screaming Caractingessen was stomping my way, wouldn’t you? Roll Intimidation while attacking, opposed by your opponent’s Stand Ground roll. If you succeed, your opponent takes a -2 penalty on defense against all attackers until their next action. Works for both Natural Healing hand-to-hand and ranged combat. This only works once per combat, until someone with a higher This method of healing is free, and does not Intimidation skill comes along. require any special equipment or training. However, natural healing can take a long time, especially for Swoop: Dive in, fly out, and do some damage those with a low Stamina. Each week, a character along the way. Flying characters who take one ac- will “downgrade” a number of wound levels equal tion to gain altitude can get +3 damage on a melee to their Stamina. Start with the most serious wounds. attack, and can take head shots (both ranged and “Downgrading” means that the wound is not remelee) at only -5 penalty instead of the usual -10. moved completely — just reduced to the next lower level. If the next lower level is filled, downgrade Suck it up: You’ll gladly take a hit from his fist one of those down as well. Repeat this process each if you can stab him with your knife. You can only week. Downgrading a Bruised wound heals it comtake this action in a second in which you are both pletely. attacking and being attacked. You have +5 to hit one person who is attacking you, but your dodge value Remember that the Body Development skill, is only a 6 for this round — even someone who isn’t while it grants more wound levels, does not improve very good has a high chance of hitting you. healing speed. Very tough characters (i.e. those with lots of Body Development) who take more than one Warn Comrade: “Joe, watch out: he’s gonna mortal wound may be out of comission for months. charge!” This maneuver is used to counteract someone else’s special maneuver. Make a Military A character undergoing natural healing must reLeadership roll, opposed by a Tactics roll made by cieve some form of first aid each week or be forced the person who’s doing the maneuver. If you win, to make a saving throw versus disease. The severtheir maneuver fails. You must use an action to warn ity of the disease will depend on the conditions. somone, and they must be able to hear you. This Healing in a garbage dump is much harder then maneuver is especially useful for Interface Knights healing at home. who are watching by camera and communicating by radio instead of taking part in the combat.



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Healing

Rejuvenation Patches

Rejuvenation patches basically accelerate the natural healing process. Instead of checking weekly to see how many wounds are healed, a character using a rejuv patch immediately heals in the same manner as natural healing (see above). A character may not use more than two rejuv patches per day without causing irreparable damage to bodily systems. The third patch does not work, and the character looses one point of stamina permanently. This stamina may only be recovered by spending XP or paying for genetic reconstruction, an expensive and dangerous process. A character using a rejuv patch to heal does not need first aid. A rejuv patch does not remove secondary effects such as bleeding or attribute damage, but it does reduce Impairment. Characters need to make First Aid checks, target number 15, to see



First Aid

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If you get confused as to which kind of regeneration is which, look at the character sheet: the most severe wounds are at the bottom, thus “bottom-up” is the better regeneration type.



In all other respects bottom-up regeneration is like top-down. Both kinds will heal bleeding at the rate of one level of bleed each round. Attribute damage will go away when the damage that caused it is healed. Regenerating characters usually heal at the end of the round.

Genetic reconstruction, to restore lost attribute points or improve a character’s capabilities (such as by adding a Biomod) takes a minimum of one month in a sealed chamber, and costs a minimum of §10,000 in addition to the cost of the modifications. If used simply for healing purposes, the character will come out with all damage to his body restored, a year taken off his life, and soft, baby-like skin (or carapace, in some cases). Genetic “improvements” can also be added, which typically extend the isolation period and require quite a bit of getting used to. Something as “simple” as permanently changing someone’s skin tone or eye color can take five months; adding wings can take a year or more and cost millions. The GM should set the price at whatever the market can bear — and “the market” is billionaires from across the galaxy.



Bottom-up regeneration is the type possessed by Duelists, and is significantly more powerful. Damage is removed in order of most severe to least. Thus mortal wounds heal first, and bruises last. These characters can probably shoot themselves in the gut be perfectly fine ten seconds later.

Attention from a full-scale hospital is significantly more effective than simple first aid. The process listed under “Natural Healing” (above) happens every day instead of every week, and you can double your character’s Stamina to find out how many wounds are downgraded. Most characters will be out of the hospital in a few days.



There are two main kinds of regeneration: topdown and bottom-up. In top-down regeneration a character completely heals one level of damage. The level of damage removed is always the least serious one. Bruises will heal first and mortal wounds last. All secondary effects will remain until they have either run their course normally or all wounds are completely healed. Some biomods allow this kind of regeneration.



Rejuvenation patches are generally not addictive, but they can become a psychological crutch Medical Attention for many people, who start applying them at the least injury. This can wear down a character’s natural The level of medical technology in Valence immune system and lead to infection and disease. is relatively impressive, but still has strict limits. Details are left to the GM. Missing limbs can be regrown, but your character will be taking medicine for a month to make sure her body doesn’t reject her new arm. A leg might be Regeneration cybernetically replaced, improving your character’s Some characters in the Valence universe can durability, but he’ll have some very large hospital heal so quickly that it is nearly impossible to perma- bills coming. The Cybernetics section can be found nently damage them. Duelists are the most notable on page xx; assume that the price for regrowing example, but there are other ways to obtain the abil- limbs is about half of what’s listed for military-grade cybernetic enhancements. ity to regenerate.



The First Aid skill is used to stop bleeding and reduce Impairment. The usual target number is 15, or 20 during combat. All bleeding is stopped, and Impairment is reduced by 1. This check can only be made once by any particular person, and multiple checks are not cumulative.



if they can correctly apply the patch under combat conditions. When not in combat characters are assumed to take the time to make sure they do it right, and don’t need to roll. Doing it one handed while moving to save your life can be tricky. If the check is failed, nothing happens and the character my try again on his next action. The rejuv patch is not “wasted” or destroyed.

Let me into that room. (Intimidation) Drop your weapon. (Intimidation) Be a little grumpier. (Intimidation) Give me all your cash. (Intimidation) Stand right there. (Lying) Believe my story. (Lying) Stay in formation. (Military Leadership) Hold your fire. (Military Leadership) Let me look in your wallet. (Persuasion) Change this data for me. (Persuasion) Hold this for me. (Persuasion) Applaud for me. (Public Speaking) Reconsider your position. (Public Speaking) Sell me some drugs. (Streetwise) Let me into the bar. (Streetwise)



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Battles of Conviction

Physical combat is sometimes a necessity in Valence. The galaxy still has many wild and dangerous places. However, there are often better ways to achieve your goals, and you may find yourself in an area where combat is quite inadvisable. In these circumstances you can use various social skills to make things go a bit more smoothly for your party, convincing people to see things your way. Battles of conviction are also more versatile than physical combat. Physical combat only has two possible outThere are limits to what a battle of conviction comes: one side or the other is dead or unconscious. A battle of conviction, on the other hand, lets you try can achieve. Good results are of short duration, are things to which the target is not strongly opposed to convince people of many different things. (except for Intimidation results), have light or nonA battle of conviction can only be started when obvious results, and go along well with the skill someone is actually listening to you. It’s easy to get used. Bad results are those which require long-term out of one: just put your hands over your ears (of work, things to which the target is ethically opposed, course, in many cases this constitutes losing the and anything with nasty consequences. Examples of battle...). Battles of conviction usually cannot be unacceptable commands include the following: started in the middle of physical combat, though the Fall unconscious. GM may allow particularly persuasive characters to Believe this obvious lie. do so. Come home with me. Take a trip to Tahiti. The point of a Battle of Conviction is to issue a Stand there forever. single command to the loser which they must obey, Kill that guy. at least in the short term. Here’s a quick list of what Don’t dodge my attack. you might be able to convince people of, and what skill would be appropriate for doing so: A Battle of Conviction is run in much the same way as physical combat. Your character has Lend me five bucks. (Bargaining) Conviction Levels, with the number based on Sell me some of that. (Bargaining) Charisma + 2 + (2 x Mental Endurance) instead of Buy this from me. (Bargaining) Size + Fatigue. Use the same table as you did for Bring the price down. (Bargaining) Wound Levels. Kiss me. (Carousing) Have a drink. (Carousing) You use an appropriate social skill to “attack,” Be a little friendlier. (Carousing or Humor/Wit) and other skills to resist. The Social Actions table beLaugh at my joke. (Humor/Wit) low shows some typical actions to take. If you have Get out of my way. (Intimidation)

Social Actions Type of Roll Convince Resist

Total

Fatigue

Action?

Talk

1d20 + social skill + Charisma

0

yes

Bully

1d20 + Intimidate + Strength

0

yes

Passive

Cha + Kno + MnE+ Stand Ground skill

0

no

Active

Passive Resistance + 1d20

0

yes

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Once you’ve taken all the conviction damage you can for a certain level, more “wounds” of that level roll over to the next more severe level, just like This technique can also be used for brainwashwounds in physical combat. ing, if used over an even longer period of time. Again, the details are left up to the GM, but we Once a character takes his or her last Convinced suggest a number of days equal to three times the level, he or she must follow one command as speci- character’s Mental Endurance, as a minimum. fied by the person who dealt that last level. This is one of those occasions when it helps to have friends. If your archenemy is trying to convince you to join his side, your friends can convince you not to just as well. It’s almost impossible to brain-



Battles of conviction are typically most useful for short-term persuasion. However, if you use them over a long period of time, you can change someone’s way of thinking. The exact number of times is up to the Game Master, but a good guideline is the character’s Mental Endurance score, with no more than one contest allowed per day. The command given in this case should be something like “reconsider your religion” or “see the merits of my political position” or even something like “give in to the dark side.”



Conviction levels dealt by people trying to give different commands do not stack, and may even be counterproductive, “healing” levels that the other character had inflicted!

Long-Term Conviction



Wound Dealt Secure Unfazed Confused Troubled Doubting Waffling Convinced

This is another place where Interface Knights can shine. Many IKs prefer to sit in a secure location and watch their team’s progress through cameras and microphones. Though most of them don’t have much social ability, they can often help stablize a character who is rapidly losing a conviction battle.



Critcal Step 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 25+

Other characters may also use the “battle of conviction” mechanic to return a character’s lost conviction levels instead of taking them away. It can be very helpful to bolster you friend’s will when someone is trying to convince him or her to do something wrong. When you “attack to heal” this way, you can remove any one Conviction wound that’s equal to or less than the result you recieve on the Conviction Damage Chart. For instance, if your friend has taken a Troubling level, you can heal that by getting the same result or better (conviction damage of 13+).



Conviction Damage Chart

Conviction levels return at the rate of about one per round once the battle is over, regardless of your character’s statistics. Once they have all returned, the command given is null and void (if it even lasted that long to begin with). The least severe levels return first.



The number of social actions you can take is determined by your Charisma and Creativity instead of Agility and Creativity. The conviction “damage” that you deal is equal to your Charisma + the ranks you have in the skill you used. Your opponent’s “armor value” is his or her Mental Endurance + Knowledge. The following table shows the effects of this conviction damage:

Returning Conviction

Just like in physical combat, if your roll to convince is higher than your opponent’s resistance roll, you have “hit” them — found a particularly convincing argument that will reduce their conviction levels. A passive defense in social combat is the equivalent of just listening along and perhaps joining the conversation, while an active defense is intentionally trying to resist persuasion and possibly coming up with counter-examples. More severe actions (such as entering physical combat or hanging up the phone) can simply end the combat immediately.



appearance modifiers from your Backgrounds, they may come in handy here.

wash someone while their friends are around to help evidence you find. Very strong evidence that is hard them. to understand may give +5 to damage, while easilyunderstood but weak evidence may give +5 to the “attack” roll instead.

Long-Distance Conviction

Below we list a few sample conviction weapons, Battles of conviction happen every day, but not and the skills with which they are most useful: all of them are face-to-face. Much of modern advertizing could be considered a very short battle of conBargaining: viction (a 15-second advertisement is only a round “Maybe I’ll just look elsewhere.” +2 damage and a half long, after all), though we don’t suggest Whipping out a price guide: +2 damage trying to play out a thousand battles of conviction Carousing: every time your characters watch TV. A good makeup job: +2 to hit Good booze: +2 damage (or more) Characters who are the target in long-distance Humor/Wit: conviction battles often have the ability to think A partner act: +3 to hit things over more carefully, pause recordings, re-read Intimidation: letters for hidden intent, and so forth. All characters “I know where you sleep.” +3 damage involved in long-distance battles receive +4 to their A large gun or sword: +2 to hit Mental Endurance for the purposes of “mental arMilitary Leadership: mor,” to help represent these factors. Higher rank: +4 damage References to old battles: +2 to hit The length of a “round” for such long-distance Streetwise: battles can lengthen to minutes, hours, or even days Dressed like a mafioso: +2 to hit for hand-written letters. Conviction levels dealt in “The Boss sent me.” +4 damage this long-term, long-distance battle can take longer to return as well. The exact duration is up to the Conviction “Armor” GM.



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Public Speaking Changing the opinions of large audiences can be done by taking a -5 on the roll. The actual “Public Speaking” skill does not take this penalty, but can only be used for very limited purposes when compared to skills like Initmidation, Persuasion or Lying. Defensive actions are still allowed on an individual basis.

Conviction “Weapons” There are typically no weapons in a battle of conviction. The amount of damage done is determined by your character’s skill levels. However, there can sometimes be “conversational bombshells”, so to speak, that will work well on a particular person or group.

In the same way that some comments can be particularly devastating, others might come across as laughable or pathetic given the situation. Bribing a poorly-paid official to look the other way is easy, but a well-paid bureaucrat who loves her job will be very difficult to persuade. Bribing a guard whose life depends on doing his job well will likewise be exceptionally hard. For these circumstances, we suggest a certain level of “conviction armor,” which reduces conviction damage in much the same way as ordinary armor reduces physical damage. The more that depends on a character’s not being persuaded, the higher conviction armor gets. Losing a bad job might not count as armor at all. Losing a good, well-paying job might count as 3-4 points of armor. The possibility of incarceration might count as 5-6 points, while death would raise conviction armor to 8-10 points.

For example, if you’re trying to convince someone that a supposedly loyal senator is really a traitor, The exact amount of armor will vary greatly it will help to have some evidence. Your GM may assess a bonus on attack or damage (or both) of be- depending on the situation. The GM will have to tween +3 and +10, depending on the strength of the adjudicate conviction armor carefully.

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The Lording also requires that the caster understand the target’s location relative to his own placement in the universe. Remote sensing via cameras, microphones, robots or even cybernetic implants in other people does not allow a character to accurately target a spell. The lack of connection is so great that even the most powerful magi cannot attempt such a feat. This law is known as the Principle of Vision. It should be noted that actual vision is not truly neces-



The Lording can also bend space and time, thus allowing a caster to generate a field of slow time or fast time, alter the effective distance to a target, or generate a hole in space known as a “tesseract” with the Lording alone. Lords who have mastered such powers are in great demand as crewmen aboard space-faring vessels, as they can act as backup This does not mean that it is impossible to, for stardrives! This ability is called the Power of Warp. instance, throw a snowball at a living target. The snowball is created and shaped through the Lording, and propelled by it, but the snow itself is real and natural once created, and will act like normal snow.



It is impossible to affect any living organism directly through the use of the Lording. The whole power seems to revolve around the difference between living beings and unliving matter. If a creature is living, then the Lording can not directly effect that creature in any way. This means that things which require a direct use of the Lording’s power on a person, plant, or animal are not possible. Mind reading, mind control, and shape changing are all impossible with the Lording because they require a living target of the Lording’s powers. Magi refer to this as the Principle of Life

It is also useful for altering the odds of particular event. While no one has been able to change destiny or fate (if such things exist), the Lording can be used to quite effectively cheat at cards or dice. Of course, such events must operate under the usual laws of physics — improbable events can be made more likely, but nothing truly impossible can be made possible. This ability is known as the Power of Chance.



Limitations of the Lording



Also, magi as of yet have been unable to pierce the complexities of the time stream. This law is known as the Principle of State or the Principle of Continuum. No archmage has been able to travel Lording is power that stems from another dimen- backwards in time, though some have traveled forsion. What this dimension is, or where in relation to ward by trapping themselves in stasis fields. our universe, continues to baffle scientists and mathematicians alike. There is no current explanation for Powers of the Lording its existence. The most popular theory at the moment is that dimensions (such as length, width, and depth) extend not only in the positive direction but also in The Lording can still do some rather remarkable the negative one. While problematic, this definition things, despite these limitations. Its powers are not seems to model the power better then any other. limited by the speed of light, and it can even be used to teleport objects. While matter is complex and Little is known about the Lording as a force or difficult to move in this way, energy is often moved dimension. The capabilities of those who wield it quite easily. One can even choose a particular patch are better documented. Even the miraculous pow- of space and all its contents to be moved, thus allowers these men and women exhibit have some severe ing for living matter to be moved. Magi call this the limitations. Power of Reach or the Power of Transfer.

The Laws of Magic



Lording

sary — the Nesti can target through their radar and vibratory senses, and Valorians almost always use their amazing sense of hearing.

The Common School of Lording The most common teachings that people follow when learning about the Lording come from the Dark Inuueliting. It was they who originally formulated the methods of controlling the Lording and the concepts of Spells and Powers some millions of years ago. There are other schools, which will be discussed in various other books, but the Dark Inuuel school is the most common and the easiest to understand, so it will be presented here.



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All Characters start the game knowing about the Lording, if not how to use it. There are two ways in which the power of the Lording can be used: consciously or instinctively. Conscious use of the Lording is called a Spell, while instinctive use is called a Power. The use of the words “conscious” and “instinctive” can be somewhat misleading. All use of the Lording is activated by thought, and each use of a power costs a certain number of actions (usually one) to initiate. The difference is that powers are instinctively used, while a spell is a learned and practiced skill. There are advantages and limitations to each. The use of Lording requires energy from the user. Nothing can be gotten for free in this universe, even when the laws of physics are bent beyond recognition. A character casting a spell must expend Spell Points in order to do so. There are two ways to do this. One is to expend spell points only when the spell is actually cast. This allows greater diversity of power, but limits the number of times a spell can be cast. The other option is to use a Power, locking the spell points permanently within the thought pattern that make up the spell. This method removes spell points permanently from the character’s spell point pool, but allows the character to cast that spell at will, with no cost. A character’s maximum number of Spell Points is five times his or her Lording Stat, plus five per level of Lording Development Skill. A character may use Fatigue in place of more Spell Points at the rate of 2 fatigue for 1 Spell Point. Hero Points may be used in this way at the rate of 1 Hero Point per Spell Point. Spent spell points return at the rate of one every 10 seconds.

Spells are a learned thing. The number of experience points it takes to learn a new spell is listed under each spell. Characters must attain a certain level of understanding of the Loring in order to learn each spell. In game terms, your character’s Complexity skill level must be equal to or higher than the Complexity of the spell in order to cast it at all. There are two Complexity ratings listed for each spell, separated by a slash. The first and higher number is level of Complexity it takes a character to cast a spell with mind alone, simply by concentrating. The second and lower number is the level of Complexity needed to learn the spell with words and gestures, or by ritual. Each spell requires a certain number of spell points to cast. These are listed with each spell description. When buying a spell at character creation, divide the XP cost by 3 to get skill point cost. Round up. Powers are a more ingrained thing than spells. They are learned through months upon months of repetitive casting, until the spell not only is mastered but is understood on an instinctual level. Archangels may only make use of the Lording through powers. The prime difference between a spell and a power is that a power maybe used at will. There

Defense Grids and Lording Defense grids have changed the face of armed combat. While most of the young races don’t know exactly how they came about, it was after the second Inuuel-Budetug war that the Budetug invented them. During that war, a spell became popular amongst Inuuel Archmagi and Paladins, a spell which can best be translated as “Transmute Heavy Battle Armor into Nitrogen.” During the third war, when this spell was revived, it quickly went out of use. Defense Grids are impassable to Lording. No spell or power can penetrate a Defense Grid. This is not to say that a Lording-created plasma bolt cannot attack a defense grid. However, creating plasma inside the grid is impossible. The Inuuel offensive was left without a major weapon against Budetug battlesuit divisions, contributing to the eventual Budetug victory.

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is no noticeable drain on a character’s resources Lording Control Skills when a power is used. As with spells, a character must have the required Complexity skill level before Skill Abbreviation Base Attributes he may choose a Power. The level of understanding Ae Lrd, Agi required to learn a Power is always equal to the Area of Effect Cm Lrd, Cre mental casting complexity (the higher number). Complexity The character must spend twice the skill points or Duration Du Lrd, MnE XP needed to learn the new power, and, instead of Mg Lrd, Int spending spell points each time the spell is cast, the Magnitude character permanently “burns off” spell points equal Range Rn Lrd, Dex to twice the number needed to cast the spell. These Targeting Lrd, Vis spell points are permanently lost, but the character no longer needs to spend them in order to use that Example: Rhogan the Great Caractingessen particular Power. These points do not regenerate knows the Flame Generation Lording as a power, with time and rest. They are permanently gone. This since he was taught when he was growing up. limits the number of spell points a character has for However, his path in life has taken him far from other applications. anything to do with Lording — he’s an accountant. Despite that, he still can use the Flame Generation It is possible to possess both powers and spells power as if he had 8 levels in all the appropriate (unless one is an Archangel). Lording skills, because his Lording score is an 8. So the jet of flame from his mouth will reach 8 meters, Note: All spells may be “maintained” (have their do 8 blunt damage, and affect an area with a radius duration extended) simply by spending an action to of 8 meters. pay the casting cost again each time the spell’s duration runs out. Powers may be maintained indefinitely, The Targeting skill works like a combat skill as long as the caster can spend an action. They canthat determines whether a hit is scored. Note that not be maintained during sleep or unconsciousness. Lordings that target a willing person do not need an attack roll. The are assumed to automatically succeed. Spells that target their caster also always Lording Control Skills succeed. Lording Control Skills govern the use of Lording powers. They are similar to normal skills, and are Preventing Lording purchased in the same way. All are based on the Lording attribute. Unlike normal skills, they are rareThe Dark Inuuel teach that each magus is the ly used individually to accomplish a task. Instead, endpoint of a conduit from the Lording dimension. they determine what spells a character may learn Power flows through this conduit from the negative and how effective those spells are. dimensions to the positive. If this conduit can be severed, either by brute force or wiley skill, it will Also unlike ordinary skills, you always add the reattach quickly. It is possible to suppress or cancel skill’s base attribute to the skill’s effective level when an opponent’s spell by carefully timing the severing using it to cast a spell or activate a power. Most of this conduit. Even powers can be canceled, as Inuueliting will have an effective level of at least 6 in they too draw on this pipeline of energy. all Lording skills simply because they have a minimum Lording score of 6. This is only for the purposes There are two ways to do this. One is to use of Lording, not for buying skills. brute magical force to bludgeon the conduit so that the caster cannot grasp the energy needed to use the spell. This requires a Lording roll. Both the caster and the person attempting to cancel roll 1d20. Each adds his or her Lording stat to the roll, and the higher total wins. The caster wins ties, though there may be interesting consequences (GM’s call).

It is also possible to “finesse” a cancellation. This is done much like the above. Each participant rolls a d20 as above, but rather then adding the Lording stat to the roll, they add their Complexity skill to the d20. The higher number wins and ties are resolved as above. Both participants must (subconsciously) agree to this method, however — you can’t mix and match. If either participant refuses to use finesse, the cancellation must use brute force.

Modifier 0 +5 +10 +15 +20

Interference No other Lording use on planet Planet with low Lording use Most worlds Any Lording use near you (within about 100 meters) Planet with constant Lording use.

Sensing someone that you can see casting a Plasma Bolt at you would have a target number of Each time a person attempts a counter they must 20 on most worlds. Sensing someone casting the expend spell points equal to the spell’s casting cost. same spell on the far side of an average world would Each spell may only have one cancel attempt against have a TN of 40. it. If two people try to cancel the same spell, the one with the higher Lording makes the attempt of his Sensing is not automatic; it takes an action to fochoice and any other attempt has no result. If your cus and “listen” for active spells. This sense is unable power is countered, you don’t expend spell points, to narrow down the exact location of the Lording but you cannot use your power again for a number power to an area less than the size of a football field. of seconds equal to the spell point cost. If your character is within that 100-meter-wide area, he or she can make another Sense roll (TN 20) to get a rough idea of what the spell or artifact does (attack, Sensing Lording defense, space warping, etc.)



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The Sense skill allows your character to know when Lording is being used around her. This is only a very general sensation — it will not pinpoint invisible characters, or identify which of the objects in a room is a Lording-powered artifact. It will not even indicate Archmagi or other powerful Lording-users. It can, however, give a warning when someone’s about to Wrath of God you, and that alone is reason enough to learn the skill.

Earthlings and the Lording

Earthlings have a special ability when it comes to canceling Lording: they work together. The Human subconscious somehow is able to combine to negate Lording. If Earthlings are in the area of effect for a hostile spell they may combine Hero Points in order to cancel the spell. This means that in most Human cities hostile spells are all but impossible. In The ability to sense Lording use relies on three any given population there are about 5 hero points things (besides your character’s skill): distance, pow- per 100 humans. This means there are a lot of points er, and interference. Add together the modifiers from available in a very large city. the following two tables to find out how difficult it is to sense your target. This ability is not effective for Ariel or Succubi, something that the Inuuel and Caracts of old were Modifier Target’s range quite disappointed to discover. +5 Line of sight +15 Line of sight, but blocked by walls Example: Maleketh the Inuueliting is angry. The +20 Beyond the horizon Earthlings have just killed his love. In a fit of rage +25 Sense from orbit he unleashes the fury of an Archmage. Anti-matter +30 Other side of planet will fill the city. The Earthling subconscious minds around him recognize that this will kill them all. They Modifier Power combine their hero points to get (1 million times an +5 Ordinary spell average of 5 per 100= 50,000) a very large number. +0 SP cost 25 or higher, inactive Needless to say the spell will not be happening, but Lording artifacts Maleketh loses those spell points anyway. -5 SP cost 50 or higher, most Lording artifacts in use

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That aside, people believe some pretty strange The Kundalara School emphasizes oneness with things, and they don’t like changing their beliefs. The nature and a connection to natural forces. They also immutable laws and powers of the Lording are seen teach that Lording is a resource which can be used in many different contexts. up, and that it’s best to avoid using it whenever possible. This is absolutely wrong, but they still believe If your character is particularly Lording-oriented it. Bonuses to Complexity, Duration, Range, and (such as an Archmage, Paladin, or some rare Tech Area of Effect. Docs), you might want to consider taking one of the following Walks of Life, or creating one of your own. Transmetropolitans use the elements of a modThese represent some alternate schools of Lording, ern city — concrete, steel, glass, and electricity — as and a slightly different way of looking at the world. the basis of their spells. They are similar in outlook The first one is developed in a little more detail; the to the Elementalists, but substantially more modern. others are just bare bones for you to flesh out. These



The truth is that the Lording works the same way no matter who uses it and what they think. Someone casting Weather Control is controlling probability to improve cloud formation, moving large masses of air to reduce the pressure, and transmuting air to water when necessary. No spirits involved, no matter what your view is. Likewise, the Plasma Bolt spell is More Sample Schools superheated gas, stripped of its electrons, and forced towards a target. It’s not a fire elemental, no matter The Shen Spirit School uses martial arts as a way how much one would like it to be, because such of instilling discipline and morals. They emphasize things just don’t exist. a discipline of inner calm, self-defense, and use of Lording in daily life. They commonly teach such Likewise, all schools learn the same skills to con- spells as Airwalk, Flame Generation, Flight, Force trol the Lording (Complexity, Magnitude, etc.). This Field, Invisibility, Light Control, Silent Tread, Sphere is more for simplicity’s sake than anything else. The of Silence, Telekinesis, Telescopic Vision, Tesseract, Elementalists below probably learn about fire magic, and Weather Control. Bonuses to Complexity, water magic, etc. instead of learning Lording theory Lording Development, Martial Arts: Defensive, and in general. pick any one of the above spells.



Elementalists espouse an Aristotelian view of the universe, wherein everything is made up of some proportion of air, water, fire, and earth. They believe that these “atoms”, in all their various types, can be manipulated to affect the world around them. To the Risen Quadrant Elementalists, an instinctive view of reality will be the most effective one in comprehending it. After all, we’re made out of the same elements as everything else — our instincts are the best things we have to teach us about the real world. Elementalists have a mental block against learning spells; it takes 1 more XP to learn one. However, it takes 2 fewer to learn something as a Power instead of as a Spell. Bonuses to Magnitude, Area of Effect, and Lording Development. Learn one elementoriented spell (Flame Generation, Mud Puppet, Airwalk, etc) for free.



It’s important to note that regardless of what someone thinks they’re doing with the Lording, the same things are happening. One person might see the spell Weather Control as asking weather spirits to move the clouds and bring rain, another might imagine seeing pressure and temperature gradients and moving them around to induce rainfall, and another might simply think that he or she is creating water out of nowhere and making it fall from the sky.

Risen Quadrant Elementalist



Here is one example of an alternative school: The Dark Inuueliting school of thought is far from the only one. There are many philosophies, schools, traditions, and martial arts which teach their practitioners Lording skills, and while they are not as common, they are all equally functional.



Other Schools of Lording

Walks are available to any character, even those with no other Lording skills. As we all know, just because you went to school doesn’t mean you learned anything.

Bonuses to Complexity, Area of Effect, Martial Arts: Flame Generation because it’s essentially Flame Gen Offensive, and Streetwise. without any magnitude. The New Cygnus Islanders are very bound to the stars as seen from their planet. Each constellation has its own personality and its own spell associated with it in your belief structure. You watch the stars for your fellow Islanders, and are quite familiar with the Lording. Bonuses to Range and Duration. You may learn two “constellation” spells from the following list: Lightning Blast, Telekinesis, Circle of Silence, Light Control, Change Waves (a spell for calming choppy seas), Teeth of the Deep (their version of Ice Storm), Weather Control, Adhesion, Luck’s blessing, Wrath of God, Sky Message (a form of skywriting), Flight, Telescope, and Force Shield. Any constellation spells are cast with a +5 to all skills involved. You spend 3x the normal amount of experience to learn non-constellation spells.

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Cascades can be bought as powers in their own right, using the Complexity and Spell Point cost guidelines given above. There is no skill point or XP cost, since your character has already paid the cost to learn the full spell.

Creating Your Own Spells

Many Characterswill want to create their own spells. Most of them will want to do it because they want to create a spell that gives them some advantage over their foes, or because it does something that existing spells don’t. This makes perfect sense. After all, those are the two major reasons that people research new anything — technologies, chemicals, Spell Cascades biotech, why not spells? Many people are trying to create new Lording powers, and there’s no reason No matter what school of Lording your character your character couldn’t do so as well. uses, he or she doesn’t just learn a single spell. There are many lesser spells that build up to the more powCreating new spells can take a lot of time and erful ones. Each spell has a “cascade” of lesser spells effort. It’s probably faster for your character to search which your character also knows, and can cast. the Lattice and see if someone else has made a similar spell first. The most important skills to use when These spells typically are of 2/3 the Complexity creating a new spell are Complexity and Lording of the main spell, cost half as many spell points, take Development. These two represent your character’s longer to cast, and are more limited than the main innate understanding of the Lording, and ability to spell in some way. bend reality in new ways. Skill levels of 15 or higher are a necessity. If your character has internalized a spell as a Power, he or she has only internalized the full verDetails of the spell (such as required Complexity sion, not the cascades. However, you may still use and other skill effects) are left to the GM, who the cascades as ordinary spells, paying the Spell should use the existing spells as a guideline. A wellPoint cost for them. researched, optimized, honed spell that throws an explosive bolt of ice would be very similar to Plasma Spell cascades are listed along with the descrip- Blast, for example, and should have similar stats. tion of each spell. You can also suggest new cascade spells that your character might know to your GM. The really nasty part, though, is that all the spells Good cascades are spells which lead up to the main in this book have been optimized over the course spell, not variations on it. For instance, an Acid of (in some cases) millions of years. Your character Touch spell might be a good cascade for the Acid could probably re-create Plasma Blast from scratch Spray spell, because it is basically Acid Spray with- given a few months and some good skill checks... out any range. Likewise, a spell to light a bunch of but it would cost two to three times as many Spell candles simultaneously might be a good cascade for Points to cast, because it’s still sloppy. Incredibly talented people have been figuring out better variants

More Lording Info



Something that wouldn’t be a good cascade is an Alkaline Spray instead of an Acid Spray, or Frost Gen instead of Flame Gen. Those are major variants on the spell, not minor spells which lead up to it.

Transmutations which yield heavy metals (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Cesium) have a Complexity of 30/ 15, cost 60 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes 12 XP to learn.



Lording and Transmutation



on the current spells for millenia; don’t expect your character to do it in a weekend.



Each transmutation effect is a separate spell. Change Steam to Ice is a different spell from Change Air to Ice. Change Stone to Water is a different spell from Change Stone to Wine. Some spells will obviously be more useful than others.

Some materials have other qualities which make them difficult to transmute to. If your result is a simple molecule (like water), or is naturally radioactive, add +10/+5 to Complexity, +10 to SP cost, and +3 to XP cost.



When transmuting, mass is always conserved! If a kilogram of water changes into a kilogram of iron, there will be much less volume to the iron. This is especially true of the air — transmuting air to something denser will usually cause a breeze, as more air flows into the target zone. This is much more noticeable in a confined or airtight area, such as the interior of a starship.

Difficult compounds can double this modifier (in the case of durasteel, reinforced concrete, wood, most stones, and wine) or even triple it for the very complex (for such materials as Layered Actonite, Tri-fuse, and computer chips). Such end results may require a high skill level pertaining to the end result, at the GM’s discretion. For example, creating a complex chemical compound would probably require the Chemistry skill.



One of the most useful abilities of the Lording is Transmutations which yield superheavy elements to transmute one material into another. This can also (Uranium, Xenite, Neutronium) have a Complexity be one of the hardest effects to adjudicate, so here of 50/25, cost 100 Spell Points to cast, and the spell are some guidelines for it. takes 15 XP to learn.

Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

Transmutations which yield ordinary metals (Iron, Titanium, Cobalt) have a Complexity of 20/10, cost 30 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes 9 XP to learn.

Page 161

Transmutations which yield heavy gases and light metals (Chlorine, Argon, Aluminum, Sodium, Magnesium) have a Complexity of 16/8, cost 20 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes 6 XP to learn.



Transmutations which yield lighter elements and gasses (Lithium, Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, Neon) have a Complexity of 10/5, cost 10 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes 3 XP to learn.

Most Lording effects already work on transmutation, even if it’s not explicitly called a transmutation spell. Ice Storm, for example, does not draw moisture from the surrounding environment — instead, it changes the air itself into ice. Acid Spray turns air into a corrosive acid and then propells it.



The complexity, spell cost, and XP cost depend on your desired end result. The starting material makes no difference at all. Use the following guidelines:



Area of Effect: one kilogram of material Complexity: see below Duration: permanent effect Range: Rn meters Spell Cost: see below XP Cost: see below

This modifier will also apply if your spell has a very complex starting point (such as the infamous Transmute Heavy Battle Armor to Nitrogen), or if your subject undergoes a significant change in energy (such as changing steam into ice). Ordinarily, however, you only apply modifiers which pertain to your end result.



All transmutation spells follow this general formula:

Spell List



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The next few pages contain a list of standard spells that are known across the galaxy. Your GM may have a few more that are specific to his or her campaign, especially if it’s run on just one world.

Acid Spray

Complexity: 5/3 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 5 Range: Rn meters Damage: Mg/2 Disint Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du seconds

Each spell is described both visually and in game This spell causes a gout of short-lived acid to terms. Many abbreviations are used in the table on spring from the caster and splash a target area. Those the previous page; here’s what they mean: at the edge of the area (up to 5 meters in from the edge) may dodge normally, but those in the center Ae: Area of Effect skill may not. Those covered in the acid take damage AR: Armor Rating equal to half the caster’s Magnitude skill for each Cm: Complexity skill second that they remain covered (the acid may be Du: Duration skill washed off by a bucket of water). The strength of EM: Electromagnetic damage the acid dissipates at the spell’s end. Acid damage FF: Force Field does not cause Bleed, as it cauterizes the wounds kg: kilograms immediately. km: kilometers Cascade: Transmute Air to Acid, Protect Hands Lrd: Lording stat from Acid, Acid Touch, Spray Liquid m: meters Mg: Magnitude skill Rn: Range skill Adhesion SP: Spell Points Complexity: 7/4 XP: Experience Points Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 4 Some abbreviations are written as “2 Rn m”, Range: Self which is read as “Twice the caster’s Range skill, Damage: n/a measured in meters.” A caster with a Range skill of Area of Effect: self 10 would be able to target this spell up to 20 meters Duration: Du rounds away. This spell allows a character to stick to solid Area of Effects are often given in meters. This surfaces by adjusting the adhesive properties of the represents the radius of the effect. All areas of effect surface he is touching. The caster can climb walls are spherical unless otherwise specified. Sometimes or ceilings at a movement rate equal to one half his it’s given as Ae Targets, which allows the caster to ground movement. If the character is touching a choose a number of targets equal to his or her Area surface when the spell ends, the bond is permanent! of Effect skill. All of them must within the caster’s Also good for sticking someone’s furniture on the field of vision (or other perception for some species) ceiling. and within the spell’s range. Cascade: Various spells that cause particular materials to stick together, and Spread Out Force (keeps It is possible for a spell to have an Area of Effect the weight of the character’s body from ripping his or without having a Range (the effect is just centered her hands off). Some versions of the spell, instead of on the caster), or a Range without Area of Effect (the causing materials to bond in defiance of chemistry, spell hits a single spot or target). transmute the air into a glue and then transmute it back when the spell ends. Unless a spell’s parameter depends directly on the Lording attribute, casters can freely “pull their punch” when casting the spell, reducing its magnitude, range, size, etc.

Page 163 Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

Complexity: 8/4 This spell is used to improve a flying character’s Spell Cost: 5 speed and maneuverability by creating giant “wings” XP Cost: 3 of solidified air. In some versions of this spell those Range: Rn meters wings are visible. This spell works for characters who Damage: n/a can fly naturally as well as those using the Flight Area of Effect: Ae meters spell. Characters using this spell get +2 to Agility Duration: Du rounds while airborne, and double their flight speed. As a nice side effect, the hardened air also provides a This spell causes sound at the target destination windshield to keep bugs and small rocks away from to be carried to the caster’s ear as a whisper. Only the character’s face. Cascade: Telekinetic Shove, Wings of Air, characters with exceptional hearing will be able to eavesdrop at the caster’s end. The sound is not amDampen Inertia, Transfer Reaction plified through the intervening space, so it is impossible to intercept the transmission. This spell can also Air Bubble be cast in reverse, creating a megaphone-like effect. Complexity: 15/8 Cascade: Amplify Energy, Direct Sound, Filter Spell Cost: 15 Sound (to hear just your target) XP Cost: 4 Range: Rn meters Antimatter Generation Damage: n/a Complexity: 25/13 Area of Effect: Ae meters Spell Cost: 30 Duration: Du minutes XP Cost: 13 Range: Rn kilometers This spell causes all air entering the range of the Damage: 3 Mg Disint spell to become breathable by the caster. Spells that Area of Effect: 5 Lrd km affect the air which are cast within the sphere are Duration: Instant unaffected. Only air that passes through the surface of the sphere is transformed. This will also keep This is one of the most powerful offensive spells good air from escaping, making it a valuable spell known to any species. It works by transforming for someone who has been tossed out an airlock! Cascade: Redirect Air, Transmute Impurities hydrogen molecules within the area of effect into to Air, Transmute CO2 to air, Adjust Temperature, antihydrogen. The resulting explosion can be catastrophic. Note that this spell works even in space, as Adjust Pressure, Immobile Air Bubble there is always some residual hydrogen to transform. It should also be noted that, due to the random naAirwalk ture of the transformations, the Area of Effect skill Complexity: 10/5 is not used with Antimatter Generation. This means Spell Cost: 10 that the area of effect cannot be controlled. If five XP Cost: 4 times your Lording stat is higher than your Range Range: Self skill, you may be in trouble. Damage: n/a Cascade: There is no cascade for Antimatter Area of Effect: Self Gen, which is part of why it’s so hard to learn — you Duration: Du minutes go from knowing nothing to knowing the whole spell. Leaving off any part of the spell would be



Amplify Sound



Complexity: 18/9 Spell Cost: 20 XP Cost: 7 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du minutes

This spell differs from flight in that the caster is literally walking on air. It can be much faster than the Flight spell, depending on species. Gaining or losing altitude happens at 1/10 walking rate as the character ascends or decends a spiral staircase of hardened air. Cascade: Harden Air, Arrange Air



Aid Flight

either pointless or suicidal, so you have to learn it all at once.

Acid Spray

Complexity: 12/6 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 6 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du rounds

Bottle of Force

Complexity: 14/7 Spell Cost: 5 XP Cost: 4 Range: Touch Damage: n/a Area of Effect: 10 centimeters Duration: Du hours A small “bottle” of force is created, enough to hold about a gallon (4 liters) of liquid. Useful for holding dangerous substances such as acids and very hot or cold liquids. The bottle has an effective Armor Rating equal to your Magnitude score. Cascade: Harden Air, Adjust Temperature, Insulate, Redirect Movement

By randomly changing the phase of nearby light you wreak havoc on anything that has to do with lasers. Laser weapons are reduced to half damage within this field, and most computer data is ruined (most computers in 592 rely on photonic data storage). Computers will have to reboot from a backup to function again. Cascade: Randomize, Warp Light



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Lording Skills and Powers (Table 1) Name of Spell

Cm

SP Cost

XP Cost

Range

Effect

Duration

Area of Effect

Acid Spray

5/3

10

5

Rn m

Mg Disint

Du seconds

Ae m

Adhesion

7/4

10

4

Touch

Climb Walls

Du rounds

Self

Aid Flight

18/9

10

7

Self

Maneuverability Du minutes

Self

Air Bubble

15/8

15

4

Rn m

Clean Air

Du minutes

Ae m

Airwalk

10/5

10

4

Self

Walk on air

Du minutes

Self

Amplify Sound

8/4

5

3

10 Rn m

Loud Sound

Du rounds

Self

Antimatter Generation

25/13

30

13

Rn km

3 Mg Disint

Instant

Lrd km

Bottle of Force

14/7

5

4

Touch

Container

Du hours

10 cm

Decoherence Field

12/6

10

6

Rn m

Ruins Lasers

Du rounds

Ae m

Discontinuity Bubble

26/13

30

10

Self

Special

Du seconds

Ae m

Douse Energy

10/5

15

4

10 Rn m

Special

Instant

Ae m

Earthquake

18/9

20

6

Rn km

Mg/2 Blunt

Du min

10 Ae m

Electromagnetic Pulse

10/5

15

6

2 Rn m

Mg/2 EM

Instant

1 Target

Flame Generation

5/3

10

2

Rn m

Mg Blunt

Instant

Ae m

Flight

15/8

15

8

Self

Fly

Du minutes

Self

Force Shield

15/8

10

5

Self

AV: Mg

Du rounds

Self

Ice Storm

8/4

10

5

2 Rn m

Mg Slashing

Du rounds

2 Ae m

Illumination

4/2

1

1

Rn m

Light

Du minutes

5 Ae m

Invisibility

20/10

15

7

Self

Invisible

Du rounds

Self

Killing Field

14/7

15

8

Self

Mg/2 Disint

Du rounds

3 Ae m

Lead Magnet

16/8

10

7

Rn m

Easy to hit

Du seconds

Ae targets

Light Control

30/15

15

11

Rn m

Illusions

Du rounds

Ae m



Complexity: 26/13 Spell Cost: 30 XP Cost: 10 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du seconds



Cascade: Time Distortion, Distance Distortion, Intensify Distortion, Shear Space

Discontinuity Bubble

Douse Energy



Useful for putting out fires, cooling down a room, and turning off unprotected electrical devices (i.e. household appliances, not battlesuits or cars). Can also drain the power from an energy cell, but only by touch. Cascade: A bunch of spells for one specific type of energy, such as heat or electrical energy, etc.



This difficult and complex spell literally separates the caster from the regular space-time continuum. Outside observers see a silvery bubble. Inside, the caster is free to take any action which does not further draw on the Lording — the bubble is fragile, and further manipulation will collapse it. Nothing can cross this spell’s boundary short of a supernova shockwave. Duelists in the Lords Dimension can see through the bubble and move through it without any problem, but can’t leave the Lords Dimension to enter it because there just isn’t room.

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 4 Range: 10 Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Instant



Lording Skills and Powers (Table 2) Duration

Area of Effect

Magma Control

19/10

12

4

Rn km

2 Mg Disint

Instant

5 Ae m

Mud Puppet

25/13

20

8

Rn m

Lrd = Str

Du Rounds

Special

Plasma Blast

10/5

15

10

Rn m

2 Mg Disint

Instant

Ae m

Poison Gas

14/7

15

7

2 Rn m

2 Mg Blunt

Du rounds

Ae m

Probability Involution

20/10

20

9

Rn m

Improbable

Du minutes

1 Target

Purify Common Scrap

18/9

20

5

Touch

Purifies

Instant

Ae kg

Sculpt by Hand

10/5

10

5

Touch

Special

Du minutes

Self

Silent Tread

14/7

10

3

Self

+ Mg Stealth

Du rounds

Self

Shape Armor

20/10

10

7

Touch

Creates Armor

Instant

Ae kg

Shrink Self

20/10

10

9

Self

Size/2

Du min

Self

Sphere of Silence

16/8

10

4

Rn m

Quiet

Du min

Ae m

Telekinesis

10/5

1(20)

6

Rn m

Lrd = Str

1 round

1 Target

Telescope

4/2

5

3

Rn km

See Far

Du rounds

Self

Temperature Shift

12/6

5+

4

10 Rn m

Change Temp.

Instant

10 Rn m

Temporal Distortion

16/8

10

11

Rn m

Bend Time

Du minutes

Ae m

Tesseract

30/15

50

13

2 Rn LY

Tesseract

Instant

10 Ae tons

Time Shield

24/12

40

12

Self

+Mg/2 defense

Du rounds

Self

Unexpected Reach

20/10

5

8

Rn m

long reach

Instant

Self

Unstable Phase Change

14/7

10

6

Rm m

solid/liquid/gas

Concentration Ae kg

Weather Control

30/15

20

4

Rn km

Weather

Du Minutes

Ae km

Web

17/9

15

2

Rn m

Wounds: Mg

Special

Ae targets

Wrath Of God

16/8

25

9

2 Rn m

2 Mg Disint

Du rounds

3 Ae m

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Effect



Range

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XP Cost



SP Cost



Cm

Name of Spell

Earthquake



Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

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Complexity: 18/9 Spell Cost: 20 XP Cost: 6 Range: Rn kilometers Damage: Mg/2 Blunt Area of Effect: 10 Ae meters Duration: Du rounds

wounds, and thus the damage is Blunt and causes no Bleed. Cascade: Heat Shield, Sculpt Fire, Amplify Energy, Touch-only version, Focus Energy

Flight

Complexity: 15/8 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 8 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du minutes

This spell aggravates local plate tectonics on planets. The resulting earthquake can be quite severe, depending on the caster. This spell can cause massive structural damage on a wide scale. It should always be used with care. Note that high-tech buildWhile many races can fly by natural means, ings are less susceptible to earthquakes than those of others need machines or Lording. While the Lording the twentieth century. Cascade: Pressure Change, Break Earth, Amplify may not affect a living object, it can alter wind patVibrations, Attract Seismic Waves, Shuddering Earth terns and limit gravitational forces. Through careful control it is possible to fly using the Lording alone. Due to its short duration, such flight is most useful Electromagnetic Pulse in reaching otherwise inaccessible places or durComplexity: 10/5 ing combat. The rate of movement is based on the Spell Cost: 15 Magnitude skill of the caster: Mg / 2 Mg / 10 Mg. XP Cost: 6 This is expressed in the standard movement format, Range: 2 Rn meters Walk/Run/Daily. While it is unlikely any character Damage: Mg/2 EM will have enough Duration skill to use the daily Area of Effect: 1 target value, it is included for completeness and for those Duration: Instant with the spell bought as a Power. Cascade: Levitation, Airfoil, Assisted Jump, MidThis is a relatively old spell, but it has seen Air Dodge, Airbrakes much more use in recent times as cyborgs became popular during the Human Empire. This spell creates Force Shield a directed electromagnetic pulse which shorts out Complexity: 15/8 electronics and shuts down cyborgs. See page xx for Spell Cost: 10 more detail about EM damage. XP Cost: 5 Cascade: Electric Field, Magnetic Field, Direct Range: self EM Pulse, Funnel EM Pulse Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Flame Generation Duration: Du rounds Complexity: 5/3 Spell Cost: 10 This spell creates a flexible, magnitized region of XP Cost: 2 hardened air just outside the character’s clothing or Range: Rn meters armor. It helps to protect the character by diverting Damage: Mg Blunt impact and disrupting electromagnetic attacks. The Area of Effect: Ae meters field acts like an Armor Value (see combat section) Duration: Instant equal to the character’s Magnitude skill. Spending double the Spell Points allows the caster to use the This common spell allows the caster to use fire spell with an Area of Effect of Ae Meters, or with a for a wide range of activities. From lighting a candle range of Rn meters, so as to include others in the to acting as a flame thrower, this spell is highly effect. adaptable and useful. Note that this spell is not Cascade: Magnetize Air, Harden Air, Flex useable in environments without combustible mate- Hardened Air With My Movement, Allow Air Throgh rial (e.g. outer space). The heat of the fire cauterizes



Killing Field



Complexity: 14/7 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 8 Range: Self Damage: Mg/2 Disint Area of Effect: 2 Ae meters Duration: Du rounds



Ice Storm causes the atmosphere over the target area to rapidly drop in temperature. This rapid cooling causes vast amount os sharp jagged ice to rain down on the target area. Anyone caught in this attack receives Mg slashing damage each round he or she stays in the area affected. Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Water, Freeze, Sharpen, Downwards Pull, Ice Slick, Freezing Wind, Hail, Cool Room



Field, Hand-held Sheild (allows martial arts parries in the visible, infrared, or ultraviolet spectrum, of dangerous weapons) except for his or her eyes, which will be almost impossible to spot (Observation check with target number equal to 30 + Magnitude). Characters with Ice Storm acute senses of smell and hearing (such as Valorians Complexity: 8/4 and Caracts) will not be fooled. Characters who are Spell Cost: 10 inside an Invisibilty spell will find it difficult to see, XP Cost: 5 and take -10 to any checks related to vision while Range: 2 Rn meters inside (including attacks). Damage: Mg Slash Cascade: Bend Light, Mirrored Shell, Immobile Area of Effect: 2 Ae meters Invisibility Shell Duration: Du rounds

Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

The Invisibility spell makes the caster invisible by warping space around him. This altered space causes light waves to bend around him and exit the field on the same course they originally took. While this spell is in effect the caster is almost completely invisible. There are no tell-tale traces of his existence

The name of this spell is somewhat inaccurate. What it really does is make the spell’s subject a target for any hazardous phenomena, such as gunfire. Stray bullets just seem to be drawn towards him or her, and lasers reflect in the oddest ways off the building behind the target. In game terms, add half of the caster’s Magnitude to any rolls to hit the target in combat. The reversed version of this spell, making a target harder to hit, can be learned as a separate spell with the same statistics. Cascade: Hex (-1 to all of target’s rolls), Increase Probability (target gets +2 or -2 to do one particular thing).



Invisibility

Complexity: 20/10 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 7 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du rounds

Lead Magnet

Complexity: 15/8 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 5 Range: self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du rounds

Page 167

For the listed radius a soft light is shed, just about enough to read and see colors by. The light can be of any color you desire. Cascade: Intensify Light, Frequency Shift



Complexity: 4/2 Spell Cost: 1 XP Cost: 1 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: 5 Ae meters Duration: Du minutes



Illumination

This spell takes existing light, even the infrared light radiated by warm bodies, and turns it into deadly gamma laser blasts. Anyone in the area of effect, with the exception of the caster, takes Mg/2 Disintegration damage. Friends and foes are hit equally. Cascade: Intensify Light, Invoke Light Coherence, Frequency Shift

Light Control

Complexity: 30/15 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 11 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du rounds This potent spell allows the caster to create realistic illusions in mid-air! The believability of these illusions is usually governed by the way they appear. For instance, having a half-dozen mecha appear from nowhere may not be very believable. Having a pair enhancement suits walk around the corner is much easier to believe. As with all illusions, Ogres can see right through them. Some Archmagi have taken to hiding inside their illusions and using a Laser Blast spell to give their illusions some bite. Cascade: Bend Light, Shift Light Color, Focus Light, Refracting Space, Mirror, Invoke Coherence, Boost/Drain Intensity, Persistence of Light, Sculpt Light, Holographic Accuracy



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Magma Control

Complexity: 19/10 Spell Cost: 12 XP Cost: 4 Range: Rn km Damage: 2 Mg Disint Area of Effect: 5 Ae meters Duration: Instant By casting this spell the caster unleashes a geyser of magma on his foes, injuring ground troops and even low-flying aircraft. This spell only works if there is existing rock available and visible — if the caster knows there is rock beneath the metal floor, it doesn’t count, due to the Principle of Vision. Cascade: Massive Heat Increase, Shape Stone, Throw Magma, Pressure Change

Mud Puppet

Complexity: 25/13 Spell Cost: 20 XP Cost: 8 Range: Rn meters Damage: Special Area of Effect: Special Duration: Du rounds

This spell must be cast on an existing patch of mud. Though it is perfectly legal to lug around a bucket of water and make your own mud, it may be rather heavy. When cast, a monster will rise up from the mud, under the caster’s control. It can follow him or her around, cary objects with a Strength rating equal to the caster’s Lording stat, attack foes (Damage: 5 + Lrd Blunt, use Targeting instead of Martial Arts: Offensive and Defensive), or do pretty much anything else that a humanoid mound of mud could do. It can slip through cracks in a door, but this is typically useless because the caster would not be able to see the monster and thus could not direct the spell. The monster has a Stamina of Mg/2 and a size of 5 for the purposes of determining wound levels. Cascade: Mud Pillar, Mud Statue, Harden Mud, Strengthen Mud, Glove of Mud (hand is clean afterwards), Clean Up

Plasma Blast

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 9 Range: Rn meters Damage: 2 Mg Disint Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Instant By superheating the air around his hand and throwing it at his opponents, an Archmage can do impressive amounts of damage. Plasma damage is considered to be half fire damage and half impact damage for creatures such as Ogres (some of whom take less damage from fire). The plasma blast will also explode when it hits, doing damage to everyone within Ae meters. This is similar to many other generic attack spells, like Laser Blast, Cold Blast, etc. ad nauseum. Cascade: Superheat Gas, Touch Plasma, Plasma Touch, Project Plasma, Hot Air

Poison Gas

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 7 Range: 2 Rn meters Damage: 2 Mg Blunt Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du rounds This spell creates a region of poison gas, similar to mustard and tear gas. Anyone inside the area of effect will take 2 Mg Blunt damage per round until

Page 169 Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

Sculpt by Hand

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 5 Range: Touch

The next step up from “Shape By Hand,” this spell takes raw materials and turns them into a hardened, folded, tempered titanium suit of plate mail. No touching, no time investment, just pure magic and transmutation. To cast this spell the mage must have working knowledge of how to create such armor in the first place — level 15 skill in the Weapons and Armor skill should be sufficient. The resulting armor has an AR of 10. Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Titanium, Shape Titanium, Fold Metal, Harden Metal



This spell takes metal scrap and turns it into nice neat blocks of base metals. Useful for removing pollutants and impurities from existing metal as well, or turning raw ore into workable metal. The Inuueliting never figured out how to smelt Aluminum ore into pure Aluminum; they just used this spell. Cascade: Various and sundry transmutation spells.

Shape Armor

Complexity: 20/10 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 7 Range: self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae kg Duration: Instant



Purify Common Scrap

Complexity: 18/9 Spell Cost: 20 XP Cost: 5 Range: Touch Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae kilograms Duration: Instant



they leave. Full environmental armor will provide Damage: n/a 100% protection, but oxygen masks will only give Area of Effect: Self an effective Armor Rating of 5. The caster should Duration: Du minutes beware any sudden shifts of the wind, which could send the poison gas flowing back at him. There’s no reason that a sufficiently skilled Cascade: This is really just a transmutation spell Archmage couldn’t just soften, bend, harden, and with range added on. No cascade. sculpt materials by force of will alone, but it sure helps to have it all guided by your own hands. Any rock, metal, or plastic can be sculpted as if it were Probability Involution clay when this spell is used. Complexity: 20/10 Cascade: Soften Rock and Metal, Harden Rock Spell Cost: 20 and Metal, Telekinetic Glove, Change Plasticity XP Cost: 9 Range: Rn meters Silent Tread Damage: n/a Area of Effect: 1 Target Complexity: 14/7 Duration: Du minutes Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 3 For targets of this spell life is a bit strange. Things Range: Self that should go horribly wrong end up turning out just Damage: n/a fine, and the best efforts lead to the worst results. In Area of Effect: Self game terms, any rolls involving the target turn into Duration: Du rounds 21 minus the roll. Natural 1’s always succeed, and natural 20’s always fail. Things are just plain weird The Silent Tread spell is a perfect addition to the for the target as well; these effects are up to the Invisibility spell — it removes any sound that the GM. caster makes. Breathing, walking, even talking, are Cascade: Reverse Probability (the no-duration masked so that not even the caster can hear himself. version), Weirdness Magnet (the self-only version), Add Magnitude to the character’s stealth skill when Hex, Blessing invisible, or one half Magnitude when not invisible. This spell has no other effects. Cascade: Dampen Sound, Countervibration

Shrink Self

Complexity: 20/10 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 9 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du minutes Caractingessen and Ogres are quite fond of this spell, as it allows them to cut their size in half and enter Human-sized buildings. The caster’s statistics are not affected at all. Anything the caster is carrying is also shrunken to half its normal size. Casting this several times in a row is cumulative — for instance, an Archmage might cast this spell three times and be reduced to one eighth of his or her true size. However, if the caster is caught in an area too small for him or her when the spell wears off, he will take his own Strength in damage when expanding, and will be forced out into the nearest space that will hold him or her. This spell is often bought as a power, in which case it can be turned on and off as the caster desires. Cascade: Compress Space, Distance Distortion, Reduce Mass, Shrink Object (by touch)



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Sphere of Silence

Complexity: 16/8 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 4 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du minutes This spell is similar to Silent Tread, in that it masks all sound. However, those who are inside the sphere can hear each other perfectly, and can even hear those outside the sphere. Anyone outside the sphere cannot hear what is going on inside. The spell can also be reversed, so that those inside cannot hear anything happening outside. Cascade: Dampen Silence, Immobile Sound Shell, Lesser Countervibration

Telekinesis

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 1 (20) XP Cost: 6 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a

Area of Effect: 1 target Duration: 1 round The normal cost for telekinesis is 1 spell point per round (continuous casting is required; no other actions are possible). If bought as a Power Telekinesis costs the character 20 permanent spell points. This spell allows the caster to pick up objects, manipulate buttons and levers, and do anything he or she could do by hand. The Strength rating is equal to the caster’s Lording stat, with Visualization replacing Dexterity. Cascade: Tow (just pulls something behind you), Shove, Tactile Telekinesis (replaces your Strength with your Lording for hand-held use)

Telescope

Complexity: 10/5 Spell Cost: 5 XP Cost: 3 Range: Rn kilometers Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du rounds The caster is able to see things up to Rn km away as if they were just one meter distant. This can also be turned into a Microscope spell, allowing the caster to view very small things. Remember, this spell won’t let you see through walls or around corners! It will, however, allow you to see into different spectrums, such as infrared or ultraviolet light. Cascade: Lens of Air, Distance Distortion, Frequency Shift

Temperature Shift

Complexity: 12/6 Spell Cost: 3+ XP Cost: 4 Range: 10 Rn meters Damage: usually n/a Area of Effect: 10 Ae meters Duration: Instant This seemingly simple spell has dozens of applications for the inventive. The number of spell points funneled into this spell determines the severity of the temperature change. 3 SP: Mild shift. Up to 5 degrees Celsius or 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Enough to make things comfortable. 10 SP: Strong shift. 15 degrees C, 30 degrees F. Enough to make things quite uncomfortable, and

Tesseract



This is one of the most potent and difficult Lordings known. It allows the caster to instantly teleport a small starship many light-years away. There is one important limitation on this — the ship must begin and end the trip far away from a planet or star, since the gravity would tear the tesseract apart and destroy the ship. For Halla, this Lording is much easier to learn, requiring only 15/8 Complexity. Cascade: Line-of-sight Tesseract, Spatial Corridor, Personal Tesseract (no extra mass), Spatial Connection (makes jumps easier from the other side).



Complexity: 30/15 Spell Cost: 50 XP Cost: 13 Range: 2 Rn light years Damage: n/a Area of Effect: 10 Ae tons Duration: Instant



Time Shield

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By slowing time in front of himself or herself the caster makes it easier to dodge incoming attacks. Add half of the caster’s Magnitude score to his or her dodge and parry ratings. The effect is quite noticeable, as anything that goes through the area of effect will be slowed, light included! The caster will seem This spell causes time to run slightly faster or to be surrounded by a bubble of water or dense slower in the area of effect. This will be totally un- plastic. Cascade: Temporal Distortion, Slow-time noticeable to those inside, but will make interaction Bubble, Immobile version between outside and inside difficult and humorous. The maximum effect that can be achieved is a doubling or halving of timeflow. This is useful for Unexpected Reach speeding chemical reactions, slowing bomb timers, Complexity: 20/10 getting your laundry to dry faster, or just for mischeif. Spell Cost: 5 (40) If used in combat it can give up to +2 or -2 actions XP Cost: 8 per round (to a minimum of one action per round) to Range: Rn meters anyone who stays inside the bubble of effect. Damage: n/a Cascade: Adjust Watch, Catalyze Reaction, Area of Effect: Self Accelerate Self, Slow Bullets (gives +2 to dodge) Duration: Instant



Complexity: 24/12 Spell Cost: 40 XP Cost: 12 Range: Self Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Self Duration: Du rounds



Temporal Distortion

Complexity: 16/8 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 11 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae meters Duration: Du minutes



make people wish they were wearing different clothing. 20 SP: Severe shift. 30 degrees C, 60 degrees F. Enough to turn the hottest day into bitter cold. 40 SP: Radical shift. 60 degrees C, 120 degrees F. This will turn an already hot or cold day downright deadly, inflicting up to 5 Blunt damage per round. Armor doesn’t protect unless it is environmentally sealed or insulated. 80 SP: Wrenching shift. 120 degrees C, 240 degrees F. Enough to instantly boil liquids in the affected area, or freeze carbon dioxide into solid form. Inflicts up to 20 Blunt damage, maximum of caster’s Mg score. 160 SP: Extreme shift. 240 degrees C, 480 degrees F. Enough to boil plastics, melt some soft metals, or turn the air into liquid form. Inflicts up to 50 Disint damage, to a maximum of twice the caster’s Mg score. The caster is affected by this spell if he or she is in the area of effect. Once the shift is cast the surrounding conditions begin to return the area to normal immediately. This spell is best used in confined areas. Using it in an open field will mean that the shift lasts only a few rounds, while a sealed room could take an hour to return to normal. Cascade: Intensify Heat, Reduce Heat, touchonly version, non-ranged version

By warping space for one tiny instant, you can take a hand-to-hand attack at someone who is a distance away equal to your Range skill. For instance, someone with Range skill of 10 could hit someone with a sword from 10 meters away. If your target isn’t expecting this kind of attack, you recieve +5 to hit — it’s quite surprising to have someone punch you from across the room! Note that this is not useful for Space Troopers trying to cut through things. Their ability requires constant contact with the surface they’re cutting. If you know this spell at the lower Complexity level, you have to cast it with one action and attack with your next action. If you know it at the higher level (or as a Power), you can activate the spell as you attack. If this spell is learned as a power, the mage must permanetly 40 Spell Points instead of the usual cost. This spell is limited by the Principle of Vision, so you can’t punch someone standing on the other side of a wall. The spell is also of rather short duration, so picking a pocket is impossible (though quickly snatching something off a table is possible). Cascade: Distance Distortion



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Unstable Phase Change

Complexity: 14/7 Spell Cost: 10 XP Cost: 6 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae kilograms Duration: Concentration

A block of material, which could be on its own or could be part of a larger object, changes phase. Solid objects can be turned into liquid or gas, and vice versa. The material’s temperature doesn’t change; the caster has effectively rewritten the laws of chemistry so that (for instance) water isn’t a liquid at room temperature any more. Quite useful for getting out of locked rooms, picking up a cube of water when you don’t have a bucket, turning someone’s armor into a little titanium puddle, etc. When used against armor this spell reduces Armor Rating by half the caster’s Magnitude skill. This spell is called “unstable” because it lapses as soon as the caster stops concentrating, not because of any explosive or chemical instabilities. Cascade: specific spells for various materials, Strengthen Material, Weaken Material

Weather Control

Complexity: 30/15 Spell Cost: 30 XP Cost: 4 Range: Rn kilometers Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae kilometers Duration: Du minutes Controlling the weather is a very taxing feat. However, it is possible for the determined. The weather created need not be appropriate to the area — it is possible to make snow fall in the desert, though it will not fall for very long after the spell ends. The caster has almost total control over temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and other factors. This may not create natural disasters — no hurricanes, blizzards, torrential downpours, or tornadoes. The spell also takes eight minutes to cast. Every 20 Spell Points added to the casting cost will cut the casting time in half. Remember the Principle of Vision: this spell can only affect weather that the caster can actually see or otherwise perceive. If your character is inside, looking out through a south-facing window, then only the southern sky’s weather can be changed. Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Water, Water to Nitrogen, Pressure Shift, Temperature Shift, Humidity Shift, Move Air, Static Buildup, and spells for specific weather conditions, such as hail, rain, flurry, wind, etc.

Web

Complexity: 17/9 Spell Cost: 15 XP Cost: 2 Range: Rn meters Damage: n/a Area of Effect: Ae targets Duration: Permanent This spell causes thousands of spider webs, which shoot forth from the caster’s hands and cover an area in front of him. These webs stretch from ceiling to floor, across the hall, from ground to tree, and person to person, all connected to each other. They will completely trap anyone inside, requiring a damage level equal to the Mg of the caster to break. The webs are permanent once created, but may be burned off or broken. Cascade: Transmute Air to Gunk (yeah, yeah, we know, it’s a technical name), Sticky Hands, Spray of Webs, Sticky Floor, Velcro Wall

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The benefit of being a Duelist is that you can break those two “Laws of the Lording.” With the Healing skill, you can remove grievous wounds from your allies. Not only that, but you regenerate amazingly quickly — at the end of each round (remember, a round is 10 seconds), remove the most damaging wound on your character sheet, until you are healed. You cannot regenerate from death. Your Summoning power lets you create a weapon from nowhere, and other objects too if you’re good enough. Traveling, possibly the most potent ability a Duelist has, lets them travel back and forth between the Lords dimension. Duelists do not use Spell Points, but their abili-



Before discussing what Duelists can do, you should be aware of the drawbacks of playing one. First, you can never learn any other Lording skills, with the exception of Lording Development. Second, Duelists have fewer skill points to spend: 10 less than what their class gives them. The training needed to focus Duelist abilities is substantial. Third and last, Duelists are not always free to do what they want. Sometimes a direct command will come from the Lords (see below). The Duelist must follow it, or risk losing favor.



Most Archmagi will tell you that one of the fundamental limits of Lording is its inability to affect living beings. Sure, you can transmute a vial of blood to acid, but try to do that to the blood in someone’s veins? Nothing happens. There is something innate about the Lords dimension that forces even the most powerful practitioners of Lording to affect only unlivThe caster of this dangerous spell must take care ing objects. You can pick a person up and move him not to catch himself inside the area of effect. Anyone or her around, but you can’t really change anything. inside will take 2 Mg Disintegration damage as Another limitation, so the archmagi say, is that plasma rains from the sky, whether they are friend, foe, or the caster. This will continue for a number of nothing can be created or destroyed. Matter can be rounds equal to the caster’s effective Duration skill, transmuted, energy can be moved around, but you as long as they targets stay within the area of effect. never really create anything. Unlike Antimatter Generation, the caster may vary However, there is a small percentage of the the area of effect, so as not to take damage from their population who are known as Duelists. Instead of own spells. Cascade: Plasma Blast is a cascade spell for this the normal Lording skills of Magnitude, Complexity, one. Wrath of God is really just Plasma Blast with and so forth, Duelists learn only five skills: Healing, a bunch of stuff tacked on (or, to think of it another Lording Development, Sense, Summoning, and way, Plasma Blast is Wrath of God with a lot of limi- Traveling. Only Classed characters can be Duelists, not Ultramercs. Archangels cannot be Duelists. tations). Duelists are not made, they are born. Anyone who wants to play a Duelist should note it on their character sheet somewhere.



Complexity: 16/8 Spell Cost: 25 XP Cost: 9 Range: 2 Rn meters Damage: 2 Mg Disint Area of Effect: 3 Ae meters Duration: Du rounds

Duelists



Wrath of God

ties do cost them Fatigue points. If the Duelist has leave very confusing corpses, with no obvious cause insufficient Fatigue points remaining, the universe of death. makes up the difference and the power still works, but the character is knocked unconscious for 10 secHealing onds for each point of Fatigue they’re short. The exact number of Duelists out there is up for debate. There seems to be about ten or twelve of them for every billion people, so they are quite rare. Different species have different percentages of Duelist, with the largest being Humans, Budetug, and Ogres. Species with a high Lording index tend to have fewer Duelists among them. There are no Archangel Duelists, nor are there any Ultramerc Duelists. Duelists seem particularly rare among Platinum Inuueliting, but their population is so low anyway that it’s hard to tell.



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Latent Duelists

Roll versus Healing skill using the table below to heal someone’s wounds. You must actually touch the person, skin to skin, for this to take effect — someone in environmentally sealed armor cannot be healed! Remember also that this does not affect cybernetics — only living organic matter may be healed. First aid may still be administered before or after this attempt. Healing always costs some Fatigue points. If not enough Fatigue points are available, the Duelist is knocked out for 10 seconds for each point he or she is short.

Healing Chart Target Effect

It is possible to create a character with “latent” Duelist powers, as long as that character has no other Lording skills. He or she has the potential to become a Duelist, but has never trained sufficiently to activate the powers. By spending 100 experience points over the course of a few in-game years a character can open up his or her potential as a Duelist, gaining the ability to regenerate and access to the four Duelist skills.

10

Stop external bleeding, costs 1 Fatigue

12

Remove dizziness or other similar condition, costs 2 Fatigue

15

Heal one wound, costs 3 Fatigue

17

Stop internal bleeding, costs 4 Fatigue

20

Mend sprain or hairline fracture, repair temporary blindness or deafness, costs 5 Fatigue

Latent Duelists are very rare indeed. Most people with this sort of potential discover it early in their lives and develop it as soon as possible. You should check with your GM to make sure he or she is willing to allow your character to be a latent Duelist.

25

Mend broken bones, costs 6 Fatigue for large bones or 3 for small ones

28

Mend shattered bones, costs 7 fatigue for large bones or 4 for small ones.

45

Regenerate a limb! Eyes, ears, antennae, etc. not allowed. Must be an arm, leg, tentacle, or wing. This costs 20 Fatigue. Can only be tried twice by any one Duelist.

A Duelist’s Powers Regeneration Duelists heal their own wounds astoundingly quickly and without any effort on their own part. At the end of each round remove the most severe wound on the Duelist’s character sheet. You should also remove one level worth of Bleed. This applies only to physical combat, not mental combat. Duelists who take their last Mortal wound can still regenerate (since they are still alive, just bleeding to death). The bodies of Duelists who are killed do still regenerate, but the character is still dead. They

Summoning A Duelist with this power can create a powerful, unbreakable sword from out of nowhere. While not all Duelists choose swords as their weapon, most tend towards that. Target number to Summon a Duelist’s Sword is 16. The sword disappears when it is no longer needed, and the Duelist may only have one at a time. No spell points need to be spent. (Note: even if a Duelist has a hand chopped off, the sword will appear in a different hand instantly!) The sword’s damage rating is equal to the Duelist’s



Sense Overdraw

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No concentration is required — this is as easy as hearing, and no skill check is required. The GM must tell a Duelist when someone has overdrawn recently. By making a Sense roll, target number 25, the Duelist can try to find out something about what kind of spell was cast with the Overdrawn spell points.



This power is very confusing to most Duelists, since there is no obvious reason for its existence. Those Duelists who are on better terms with the Lords have some idea of why it exists, but no certain proof. The Duelist may automatically sense the amount of damage done to the Negative Dimension in the surrounding area — in other words, how much someone has overdrawn recently. GM’s discretion as to how long ago it can be sensed. Heavy overdrawing can be sensed up to two weeks in the past, while a spell point or two of overdraw might vanish within an hour.



This difficult but incredibly useful power allows the Duelist to travel to the Lords dimension (also known as the Negative Dimension, described below). Target number is 25. The Duelist may bring other people along with him or her, at +5 to the target number per person (or +10 if that person is an



Traveling



Target Number Fatigue Material Summoned per kg 12+5 per kg 1 Benign Gas (oxygen, nitrogen, helium) 13+5 per kg 1 Benign Liquid (water, alcohol, oil) 15+5 per kg 2 Non-metalic solid (wood, ice, stone) 20+5 per kg 3 Light Metal (aluminum) 25+5 per kg 4 Poison Gas (chlorine, nerve gas) 25+5 per kg 5 Poison Liquid (mercury) 30+5 per kg 6 Heavy Metal (gold, iron) 40+5 per kg 7 Radioactive material (Uranium, Plutonium)



Summoning Chart

Most mages use Lording Development to gain extra spell points. However, Duelists don’t use spell points. Instead, they use fatigue. When a Duelist learns Lording Development, each level of skill adds one point of Fatigue, which can only be used to fuel Duelist powers.



All summoned material is brought directly to the Duelist’s hand. The abbreviation “kg” stands for kilograms in the table below. For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a kilogram is roughly two pounds.

Lording Development



Summoning other matter is much more difficult. Not only is the target number higher, but bad luck (a roll of 1 on the skill check) brings something that is harmful to the Duelist. The more that is summoned, the harder the roll will be. Also, a Duelist cannot summon complex matter, such as a computer board, handgun, or anything more complex than a wind-up toy. Swiss watches are out of the question.



Summoning skill plus their Lording attribute, and it Archmage). The roll to stay in the Lords Dimension does Slashing criticals. is target number 15, and must be made every round (+2 per person brought along). Returning to the Duelist swords may parry photon blades. Much Positive Dimension is automatic. The crossing in like a photon blade, they do not add Strength to either direction takes 2 seconds and costs 2 fatigue. damage.

How long someone can stay in the Lords Dimension depends only on the favor of the local Lords. Annoyed Lords who don’t want to be bothOtherwise known as the Negative Dimension, ered have the power to kick unwanted visitors out of this strange universe borders our own, touching it at their domains, and back into the real world. every point. The landscape in the Lords Dimension is a mirror of our own in terms of where objects are Making Deals — a wall will be in the same place, a desk will have papers on it. None of these may be moved within The Lords typically only ask for one or two difthe Lords Dimension, though someone who is there ferent things when making deals with Duelists. They may pass through them easily. The Lords Dimension either want a certain Archmage tracked down and seems somewhat dim and hazy to visitors from our punished for overdrawing, or a certain Lording artidimension. fact recovered and brought to the Lords dimension

The Lords Dimension



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Any object which is damaged in the Positive Dimension (what most people would call the “real world”) becomes more solid in the Negative Dimension. Overdrawing is the worst culprit, making areas turn nearly solid for days on end. Solid objects still cannot be moved, but they cannot be passed through either. This is somehow harmful to the Lords, who sometimes enlist Duelists to hunt down Archmagi who overdraw too often. Many Duelists, however, know next to nothing about the Lords.

for them. Once in a while they will ask the Duelist to act as messenger, or ask for strange, incomprehensible things (“Go to Melenkurion Station and circle it three times, in the direction of its spin, in a shuttle weighing no more than one hundred metric tons.”). In return, the Duelist can ask for a favor. This could either be more intense training in the ways of a Duelist (there are several advanced powers which will be discussed in a later supplement), or ask for a longer stay in the Lords Dimension. During this stay the Duelist will be accompanied by the Lord for the entire duration, and might be able to stay for several days without needing to roll Traveling. The Lords can also, if they feel that they have gotten a very good deal from a trusted Duelist, transport people from one point in the Lords dimension to another.

The Lords are large, shadowy, immortal beings. Most of them seem humanoid, though some are shaped like nothing ever seen. They have no power over the physical world, but are nearly omnipotent in the Lords dimension, and a Duelist who is on good terms with his or her Lord can sometimes trade The Lords always honor their bargains. Anyone favors. While this is not useful in combat (it just takes who stiffs them had better be prepared for some seritoo long to strike the bargain), the favors can be quite ous righteous supernatural anger. helpful. Lords may never manifest in the physical dimension. Some say that they are trapped there, others say that they simply have no positive part to them and exist only in the negative dimension. When in the Lords dimension, a Duelist can pass through physical objects, speak with nearby Lords, directly see the effects of Overdrawing, and seek asylum from pursuing foes who aren’t Duelists. This isn’t all fun and games, though. Bullets also appear in the Lords dimension, and they are considered to be heavily damaged from the rifling on a gun barrel. Fragments of grenades are also considered “damaged,” and can rip apart a Duelist in the Negative Dimension just as easily as in the Positive. Duelists can still be hurt by projectile weapons while in the Negative Dimension, and shooting a door (without destroying it) will make it impassable to a Duelist for up to an hour.

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4. You know that stuff in the movies where a computer enhances a grainy, fuzzy image to perfect clarity, so you can read the serial number of a dollar bill from a mile away? That’s a load of hooey. Total

Warning: If your character has a computer solely for the purpose of conducting internet searches, e-mail, buying things online, and maybe a few games, you should skip the rest of this chapter. It’s only for those who are really interested, such as those playing Interface Knights. Just pick one of the computers on page xx; it’ll be plenty good enough.



Dorks Only

3. It always takes less time to encode something than to decode it. If your rival encodes his e-mail in 30 seconds, it will take significantly longer for you to decode it. If you have a worse computer, it may take years.



5. Computers are not creative. They are extremely literal for the most part. Artificial Intelligences and especially Independent Thinkers (described on page xx) might have some small measure of creativity, but The galaxy-wide communications network in no ordinary computer will ever give you worthwhile the Milky Way is officially known as the ITCS — the original suggestions on how to solve a problem. This Interstellar Tesseract Communications System. Most is not to say that a computer can’t be programmed people, though, simply call it the Lattice. with useful hints or tips, but a living person has to do the programming. The Lattice is the internet of 592. Much like the internet in the 21st century, it is primarily filled with out-of-date information, poorly written content, and Parts of the Lattice pornography. Also like the current internet, it has a vast amount of useful information for those with the tools to find it. The Lattice is made up of home computers, government and business computers, tachyon relays, Before we dig into the nitty-gritty rules for using and (most importantly) tesseract relay stations. These computers in a game of Valence, let’s go over what relay stations that form the “backbone” of the Lattice, computers can and can’t do. This will sound really and allow for almost instantaneous communication simplistic to some people, but it’s important stuff to across the galaxy. know. The information found on the Lattice could be 1. Anything that’s not in a computer cannot be stored in almost any computer, but the larger and accessed by computer. If something never got typed more popular sites are all “housed” in servers that in, never got spoken into a microphone, and never are designed specifically for high-bandwidth transgot captured on camera, then it’s not in a computer. fers. Very popular sites, such as Genetech’s public Ditto for something that’s stored on a dataring — Joe site, are dupicated on thousands of computers across the Banker might have an important document on a the galaxy so that everyone can have easy access dataring that he carries with him, but the chance that to them. While most people in the galaxy write a he left it in his computer is pretty slim. homepage for themselves as a grade school project, it won’t get many visitors. 2. Computers that are not connected to the Lattice cannot be contacted through the Lattice, Most communications on a planet will be no matter how good of a hacker you are. Likewise, through fiber-optic cables or satellite relay. This is a computer virus cannot infect a computer that is so inexpensive that your average housewife can’t not exposed to it. If you keep disks away from your tell from her phone bills whether the kids have been computer and don’t connect it to the Lattice, then calling someone next door or someone on another it’s completely immune to any hacker (unless you’re continent. Sending a message off-planet requires a dumb enough to leave that computer sitting on the park bench one day).

An Overview



The Lattice

BS. Image enhancement is good, but not that good. A computer program cannot “extrapolate” to figure out what the other side of an object looks like.

tachyon relay, which can cost a few dozen sections to set up (depending on how far the message is sent). For communications from one sector to another, the cost can run anywhere between §100 (for neighboring sectors) to §15,000 (for a comlink all the way to the Greater Magellanic Clouds). Only the really successful Interface Knights, or those sponsored by corporations, can afford to hack their way across the galaxy.

Computers in 592



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In the early days of the Empire, computers were an important and ubiquitous part of Human life. The older species had always used computers, but not to the pervasive extent that Humanity did. In the long run, this turned out to be an instinct that served the older species well. For Humanity, however, cybernetic interfaces and powerful microscopic computers gave them an edge that many were reluctant to surrender.

A few years before the Fall, the Empire funded an ambitious project to explore alternate computer concepts abandoned hundreds of years earlier. After the Demon invasion, just as the Empire finally crumbled, many new computing ideas finally proved profitable. A new renaissance in computer technology has come, and speeds are still climbing. While computers are not as pervasive (and perhaps invasive) as they once were, they are still important to everyone from housewives to starship captains.

Computing Power How powerful are computers in 592? One the size of your thumbnail would have more computing power than all of the machines in early 21st century Earth put together. Describing Valence computers in modern terms just wouldn’t make sense, so for game terms we use abstract measures of Speed, Power, Flow, and Memory.

Speed measures how fast a computer can perform a single task. It is roughly equivelant to modThe effectiveness of the galaxy’s computers ern-day megahertz, gigahertz, or terahertz. In 592 had plateaued during the Budetug empire. Electric the average “home computer” has a Speed of 10. computers had been stretched to their limits for millennia. When Humanity came onto the scene, Power measures how well a computer can coortheir mixture of Valorian quantum equations and dinate multiple operations and perform them simulSa’crontorian optics designs blew away traditional taneously. This is sometimes called “multitasking,” computers. While it was only a matter of time until though more synergistic effects exist than that term the galaxy as a whole caught up, the trade in comimplies. Power is roughly equivelant, in 21st-century puter technologies gave Humanity an “in” to the terms, to having multiple processors. A computer galactic exchange. with higher Power can perform more complex operations, and run more programs at once. In 592 the In the early days of Humanity’s quest for an average “home computer” has a Power of 10. empire, the ideas used in cybernetics were routinely coupled to powerful computers. Even the Halla were Flow measures how quickly a computer can unable to defeat Human pilots in space battles, and push information through itself. This is roughly parallel processors allowed for far-ranging battle equivelant to having a higher-bandwith connection planning and troop placement calculation. Massive in modern times. Computers with higher Flow can vessels were run by one cyber-enhanced individual analyze more information at once, and make good and a horde of computers. high-volume Lattice servers. In 592 the average “home computer” has a Flow of 2. For each point of Once intelligent computers were introduced to Flow the computer can move one block of Memory the equation, things changed radically. No longer into, through, or out of itself per second. could a ship be run totally by computer, the way they were during the forging of the Empire. The posMemory measures how much data a comsibility that a computer loyal to the other side could puter can store at once. This is roughly equivelant take over a pilot’s cyborg half, and the rest of the ship to modern-day gigabytes, terrabytes, and petabytes with it, was too dangerous to risk. The Fall cemented of memory (not hard drive space). A computer with this idea, as many intelligent computers sided with more Memory can have more data easily available, the Demons. Research into cybernetics ground to a and can have more programs running (or ready to halt.

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There are also different types of computer to choose from. Most computers are a mix of electronic “Sludge Memory” is also available. It has the and optical components, but some rare models are advantage that it’s not affected by electromagnetic based on quantum computing or genetic comput- pulses or phase pulses (both of which can destroy ing. computer data). It is exceptionally slow (a computer using it would have a maximum effective Speed Quantum computers have +4 to Speed and -4 score of 0), but a cubic centimeter of it holds 100 to Power. They are exceptionally good at breaking blocks of memory and costs §40. encryption. Some IKs prefer quantum computers because they can overwhelm slower computers. DNA computers have +4 to Power and -4 to Speed, and are good at analyzing very complex situations. Some IKs prefer these for their excellent defensive capabilities. Neither one is really suitable for everyday use, since they have to be at least one cubic meter in



As far as “hard drive space” goes, computers in 592 have as much as you coul want. If you want something portable (the equivalent of a CD), the most common unit is the Dataring. Datarings hold 10 blocks of memory — enough for 10 programs, or a million smaller files such as spreadsheets, movie files, or pictures. They’re about three centimeters across, look like little tubes of plastic bent into a circle, and cost about §10 each.



Multiplier 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% normal 150% x2 x3 x5 x8 x13 x21 x34 x55 x89 x144 x233 x377 x610 x987 x1597 x2584 x4181 x6765 x10,946



Cost < -10 -5 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11 +12 +13 +14 +15 +16 +17 +18 +19 +20



+2 Speed adds +1 Cost +2 Power adds +1 Cost +1 Flow adds +1 Cost +5 Memory adds +1 Cost

Cost Chart

To increase any of the computer’s statistics, use the following modifiers and the Cost Chart on the right. You can also use this system to simulate a computer that was built many years ago, and is thus less powerful and cheaper than modern ones — just subtract instead of adding cost.



run at a moment’s notice). In 592 the average “home size and have +3 to Cost, computer” has a Memory of 20. but some people use them anyway. Remember, Memory doesn’t rate a computer’s hard drive; it’s more like its RAM. Computers in 592 Miniaturized comuse optical data networks to store data in the long puters are possible but term, but store short-term information in electron are made with more spin states. costly methods. A computer from palm-sized to finger-sized has +2 Building Computers Cost, while one down to fingernail-sized has See the sample computers below and the +4 Cost, and one small Equipment section of this book for a few computers enough to get lost in that your characters could buy. It’s also possible to your pocket lint has +10 build computers part-by-part, but it’s not very com- Cost. Most computers mon. Usually only Interface Knights bother to do this size use wireless this, or someone who’s creating a research computer communication, and still or starship mainframe. need a monitor if they’re going to be effective. The basic household computer mentioned Miniaturizing a quantum above (Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 2, Memory 20) or DNA computer is not costs §2000 with a nice holographic display. Adding possible yet — Infosoft Interface Jack access (see page xx) costs another and Armageddon are §1000 in most regions, though this could increase working on it. due to legal restrictions.

Sample Computers Here are a few computers to use in your own game when you don’t feel like taking the time to create one beforehand. Remember, the standard desktop or laptop computer has Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 2, and Memory 20, and costs §2,000.

Pocket Computer (§1,000)

Folds up to fit in a pocket. A laser projector is used for visual output (the lasers are incapable of causing anyone harm, but they can project full-color images onto any flat surface). Jacks are included for A/V input. It even has a tiny printer built in. This thing puts supercomputers of the year 2050 to shame. In game terms, the computer has Speed 8, Power 8, Flow 2, and Memory 20.

Security Computer (§3,000)

This computer’s specific purpose is to watch dozens of cameras at once and match what it “sees” against a standard list of “suspicious activities.” Its software (a set of image recognition protocols) is what makes it work. It sits in a locked room, and the only access to it is through the phone line it uses to call the police and ask for assistance. It has Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 2, and Memory 25. This doesn’t include the cost of the video cameras.



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Corporate Server (§10,000)

This computer has only one purpose: it sends and recieves information across the Lattice. Occasionally a server has some small amount of “secret” information which is not accessible by the general public, such as company payroll, but most of the time it’s just there to hold web pages. Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 6, and Memory 20.

Codebuster (§42,000)

This quantum computer is illegal in most areas, but can be found on the black market in Armageddon space and most of Genetech. It runs a single “embedded” program: an encription breaker. It is designed to interface with other computers and help them crack codes and passwords. It has Speed 30, Power 6, Flow 1, and Memory 5. The only problem is that this computer is the size of a piece of luggage, and weighs about as much. Making this computer run other programs requires an Electrical Engineering roll with a Target Number of 40. This computer has no display of its own; it must interface with another computer to be useful.

Decent IK Computer (§69,000)

A good starting computer for an Interface Knight. This fits easily in a backpack, with plenty of room for other stuff. Comes with a holographic display, basic software, Interface Jack access, and a NanoCloud interface (see page xx). A wireless Lattice connection is included for free, which works on most industrialized worlds. It has Speed 16, Power 14, Flow 3, and Memory 30.

Starship Mainframe (§8.3 million)

This computer would be excellent for an exploratory or military starship. Note that each of the ship’s smaller computers (such as those used by the bridge crew) is a separate device, which can access this computer when running important programs. The mainframe has Speed 18, Power 18, Flow 6, and Memory 50. It costs §8,362,000, plus §2,000 for each of the terminals that can interface with it (the terminals are standard 10/10/2/20 computers). Compared to the cost of the ship itself, which can easily range into billions of sections, this mainframe is relatively cheap!

Hacker vs. Cracker Hackers are those who screw around with computers. Crackers are those who break into computers maliciously. The mainstream media, even in GY 592, usually refers to anyone breaking into a computer as a hacker. Real Interface Knights know the difference — though some may be deluded as to which one they are.

Insanely Great Computers Want an even better computer or program than the cost chart shows? The chart uses Fibonacci’s Sequence to find prices. Each multiplier is equal to the sum of the two before it. For instance, a computer with Cost +10 costs 89 times as much as usual. One with Cost +11 costs 144 times as much as usual. Therefore, one with Cost +12 costs (89 + 144 = ) 233 times as much as usual. You can use this to extend the chart for people with unlimited budgets. The cost adds up very quickly; a computer with +35 Cost is about 15 million times more expensive than usual!

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Starship Scan Analysis This program takes in the sensor results from a starship and finds things that the user specifies. There is a wide range of pre-specified things one can look for (asteroids, comets, other starships, roads or houses on a planet, etc), and a sufficiently skilled operator can define new things to look for (Roll Computer Operation, target number 30). Interpret Sensors rolls made with the aid of this program are at +3. Programmers attempting to use or modify it recieve +3 on their Programming roll. In game terms, this is a Full-Featured Data Interface Pro Analysis program with a rare audience. Just like Interface, but more expensive and S3, P4, F0, M4, Cost §250 souped-up for high-end customers. Ironically, some truly high-end customers prefer the base version Video Broadcast Reciever because of the staggering amount of memory and This allows your computer to recieve video processor time this version takes up. This adds Pregenerative and Optimized to broadcasts through the Lattice, and essentially act as Interface’s list of features. All computer-based rolls a really nice TV. This is the standard way that people in 592 recieve their TV broadcasts. receive +1. In game terms this is both a Lattice program and S1, P6, F0, M14, Cost §1050 a Media program, and is User-Friendly. S3, P3, F1, M3, Cost §75 Medical Database This program is designed to let doctors look up ailments, remedies, surgical procedures, drug Interface 15.4 This is the most recent version of Intersoft’s operating system, Interface. This program is necessary to have your computer work at all. It lets you find files, access storage devices, and run other programs. This is a Full-Featured, User-Friendly Operating System. People using this OS recieve a +3 bonus to their Programming rolls, and +5 to Computer Operation. S3, P4, F0, M5, Cost §250



Bare-Bones Text Editor This lets you edit text files. No formatting, no bold or italics, just good old-fashioned plain text. There are probably ten thousand variations on this Pattern Recognition Software program across the galaxy. This software searches through images, videos, In game terms this is a Text program. or sounds to find a match to a sample it’s been given. S1, P1, F0, M1, Cost §50 Very useful for police databases, to match fingerprints or faces to people. This program is only as Entertainment Center This program plays music, videos, recorded good as its database, which can limit it greatly, but it books, and holographic entertainment. The fidelity typically grants +2 to Investigation rolls. This is a User-Friendly Data Analysis and is incredible. Database program for a rare audience. This is a User-Friendly Media program. S3, P4, F0, M8, Cost §650 S2, P2, F0, M3, Cost §75



Programs are ranked on Speed, Power, Flow, and Memory. To save space, these are abbreviated as the letters S, P, F, M at the bottom of the description.

Online Roleplaying Game This creates an interactive “world” in the computer and a character for interacting with it. Games are often the most computationally intensive things computers can run, since everyone’s always trying to make their game into the “Next Big Thing.” In game terms, this is both a Lattice program and a Specialty program. It is also Full-Featured. S4, P5, F2, M5, Cost §100



Sample Programs



Building Programs



interactions, and all manner of things useful for their profession. Someone who has the opportunity to use this program while performing a medical procedure receives +2 to any roll needed. In game terms this is a Full-Featured, PreWe’ll start with some sample programs below, then go on to list the generic Modules and Features. Generative Database program with a rare audience. S0, P5, F0, M16, Cost §150

and the display part of “streaming” programs. Most of these can be used to alter the media they display. +1 Speed, +1 Power, +2 Memory In game terms, all programs are a combination of Target Number: 25 certain generic Modules and extra Features. To build a program, add together the necessary Modules Operating System and Features, and take note of the resulting Speed, This is what makes your computer run, and alPower, Flow, and Memory statistics. Use the same lows you to run other programs. All computers need cost table as for computers, but with a base cost of an operating system. §50 sections. The Target Number listed is for writing +2 Speed, +2 Power, +3 Memory, +1 Cost that program “from scratch;” see the Coding section Target Number: 30 later on.

Program Modules

Specialty All other programs fall into this category. Games, calculators, alarm clocks, and pretty much anything else can be considered a Specialty program. The GM should set the statistics for these program, since they Choose at least one module for your program. vary so much. Games are usually very high in all categories, but simple things like clocks and screen savData Analysis ers are very low. The target number likewise varies, Data Analysis programs are used to sift through but it should be commensurate with the program’s vast amounts of data in a search for useful informa- statistics. tion or important trends. Most scientific programs fall into this category, as do certain image-analysis Text routines. Text programs are those which are used to write +2 Speed, +2 Power, +3 Memory, +1 Cost documents. Anything from a simple no-frills text ediTarget Number: 25 tor to a full-fledged layout and publishing program



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• Speed and Power start off at +1 • Flow and Memory start at +0 • Cost modifier starts off at +0

Database These programs are little more than a fast way to access lots of stored data. They are often used for medical data (such as genomes or drug interaction listings), astronomical data (such as navigation charts), and general population info (such as a census). These programs give +2 to any skill check for Knowledge or Intelligence based skills, as long as there’s time to look through the database. This can include skills like Programming. +1 Power, +4 Memory, +1 Cost Target Number: 15 Lattice Lattice programs are those which retrieve data from other computers that the user has access to. These could be across the room or across the galaxy. Good examples in the 21st century include web browsers, FTP clients, servers, e-mail programs, and the internet part of a “streaming” media program. +1 Speed, +1 Power, +1 Flow, +1 Memory Target Number: 20

falls into this category. +1 Memory Target Number: 10 Utility Utility programs fix things that are wrong with your computer, remove viruses, update other software, change your preferences, compress or expand existing data, and generally do those little things that keep your computer running well. +1 Speed, +1 Memory, +1 Cost Target Number: 15

Program Features All programs have one or more modules, but not all of them have features. Adding features can be very helpful to those who use the programs, but it takes time and money to do so, and makes the program a little more difficult to write.

Cheap Both cheap and inexpensive, this program isn’t Media really all that good, but it gets the job done. Most Media programs record, display, and edit media of the time. The programmers cut corners, and the content. Examples from our time would be video program is bloated and leaks memory like a sieve. editing software, drawing programs, sound players, But hey, at least it was cheap, right? Any use of this



User-Friendly The programmer (or, more likely, the team) that wrote this program spent a lot of time insuring that it’s easy to use, even for novices. Anyone using a User-Friendly program gets +5 on their Computer Operation roll. +1 Memory, +1 Cost Target Number: No change, but takes 25% longer to write because of the testing that must be done.



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When calculating things involving this computer, such as an Interface Knight’s bonuses from Speed and Power, use only the unused amounts. As far as we’re concerned, this computer has Speed 2 and Power 0 right now, and will continue to be that way until it’s not running as many programs.



A program in hot storage only takes up Memory, not Speed, Power, or Flow. An active program takes up all four attributes. The computer’s attributes are reduced accordingly. You can’t reduce a computer’s Power, Flow, or Memory to less than zero — the program just won’t run. You can reduce its Speed as much as you like, and the computer will just run more and more slowly, with its effective Speed going into negative numbers.



Computers can run programs in two different ways: in active memory, or in “hot storage”. An active program is always running, doing work, and is ready immediately. A program in “hot storage” is kept in memory, not doing anything but ready to run at a moment’s notice.

Optimized Someone has spent time making sure that this program does what it should and nothing more. It doesn’t waste any computer time or memory, and therefore runs faster and takes up less space. Some optimizing is done automatically when a program is created, so this additional layer of attention is difFor instance, let’s say you have an average comficult and costly. puter, and you’re running Interface 15.4, an online -1 Speed, -1 Memory, +3 Cost RPG, and a text editor. All in all you’re taking up 8 of Target Number: +7 the computer’s Speed, 10 of its Power, 2 of its Flow, and 11 blocks of Memory. The computer has 2 Speed Pre-Generative This program takes advantage of artificial intelli- and 9 Memory left. You can’t run any programs that gence to guess what the user will do next, and gener- take up Power or Flow, because the computer is curate possible results ahead of time. This speeds up the rently using all it has of those. program, but makes it take up a lot more memory. Someone using a computer with a Pre-Generative Operating System recieves +1 to all computer-related rolls. -1 Speed, +2 Power, +10 Memory Target Number: +5



Learning While not initially any easier to use or more powerful than other programs, this one uses artificial intelligence to slowly learn the user’s “style” and adapt to it. After using this program eight to ten times the normal user recieves +2 to Programming and Computer Operations rolls made regarding this program. If the Operating System is Learning, the user recieves +1 to all computer-related rolls. Other people who use this program will not recieve these benefits until it learns their style too. +1 Power, +2 Memory Target Number: +5



Full-Featured These programs do everything you would expect and more. They are larger and more complex, but have many nice features that both regular users and programmers appreciate. A word processor is a Text program, but a desktop publishing suite is a FullFeatured Text program. Programmers attempting to use or modify Full-Featured programs recieve +3 on their Programming roll. +1 Power, +1 Memory, +2 Cost Target Number: +3

Rare Audience This program is designed for a small audience of users. Not every household would have this program. This only means that it’s a little more expensive than usual if bought. It’s not necessarily any harder to write this program, but the market is a little smaller, so companies have to charge more to make a profit. +3 Cost, no change to target number.



program gives -2 to Computer Operation rolls made regarding it. This program’s Memory increases by one per hour; the only way to fix that is to reboot the computer. +1 Speed, +1 Power, -2 Cost Target Number: -5

Coding Since everything on the Lattice must be done with a computer program, all Interface Knights are rather good programmers. To write a computer program an IK rolls against the appropriate skill: Create Virus, Create Guardian, Create Portal, or (usually) Programming. The Create Portal skill is useless to those who aren’t Interface Knights.



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Writing a program ordinarily takes the Target Number in weeks (assuming a 40-hour work week), and the writer has +10 to the Programming roll, not to mention the benefits of having other people check over your code (see below). To do the “quick and dirty” version takes the Target Number in days, and uses an unmodified Programming roll. Programs created this way are not very polished, and are not “user friendly” (if a virus could be said to be user-friendly at all), but they get the job done.

the Target Number times twenty minutes. The target number for successfully modifying a program is 5 less than writing it in the first place. A programmer can always have someone else check the code over once he or she is done. The checker rolls at -3 on the same skill used to create the program. If the checker rolls higher, use that result instead. Programs can only be checked over by two different people. Example: Shota Maltec’Inuueliting is trying to write a Guardian program to protect her company’s mainframe. She has Create Guardian at 16 (modified by her attributes), and rolls a 13. The total roll is a 29. She calls over a co-worker, Ard Maltec’Inuueliting, to check her work. Ard makes his roll, coming up with a total of 23 (modified). He sees nothing wrong with the program, so the roll stands at a 29.

Breaking In

In many cases an Interface Knight won’t have to Those without an interface jack use Virus prowrite the program at all. There are billions of programs to break into computers, and Guardian programmers in the galaxy, tens of millions of whom grams to defend them. distribute their work for free online. One can often just find someone else’s code on the Lattice and When creating a Virus or Guardian, a programmodify it. Finding and modifying a program takes mer must give it Speed and Power that add up to half the number rolled to create it (rounded down). For instance, a roll of 25 to create a virus could create Supervirii one with Speed 7 and Power 5. The usual rules for checking someone’s code can be used on a Virus or The galactic communications network Guardian to insure high Quality. is quite extensive, and quite well-protected. While an IK might be able to get into a single Virii and Guardians use Memory equal to the computer withe ease, they are unlikely to be average of their Speed and Power. Viruses have Flow able to use the same trick on another one. 1, Guardians have Flow 0. The reason for this is that Guardian programs mutate and share information with each other, much like retroviruses on modern Earth. A Guardian’s rating doesn’t really represent its resistance to existing virii, it represents how well it can adapt to unexpected new virii. In short, a supervirus designed to take down every communications system in the galaxy will find that it needs new tricks for every system it runs into. It would essentially have to be an Independant Thinker on its own, with significant training to raise its Creativity high enough to function in this way.

Someone who’s not an Interface Knight basically sends the virus at his opponent’s computer, hoping that it will break in and allow him or her access to every part of the computer (or at the very least, slow it down) The attacker rolls 1d20 + the Speed + Power of the virus. The defender rolls 1d20 + the same for the Guardian program. If the Virus wins, the computer system is an open book to the attacker. That Virus will always win against that Guardian. If the Guardian wins, the system remains defended, and whomever owns the system gets a piece of information that will be useful in tracking down the person who made the Virus. That Virus cannot attack that Guardian again.

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While the ability to wite code mentally is nice, it’s not a million sections of nice. The true advantage of a jack becomes apparent when interstellar disInterface Knights deal with computers in a very tances come into play. different manner from other programmers. Their interface jack implant and years of experience let them Because even tachyons take some time to cross enter a special mode of thought, so ordered and logiinterstellar distances, there is a noticable lag in intercal that they can literally write computer code with stellar communications. Nearby planets’ computers their thoughts alone. respond in a few miliseconds, but even one sector away it can add up to minutes, and a cross-galaxy Interface Knights are hired by almost every comcommunication could take hours. The Lattice and pany. Where more conventional means of getting inits tesseract relays make communication close to formation fail, IK’s are often able to succeed. While instantaneous, but it can’t completely compensate their success rate is not as good as Operatives, they for a cross-galactic delay. are more capable when it comes to a pure “hacking run,” and they are often cheaper to outfit despite the IKs, on the other hand, can create Portal interface jack’s cost. programs to jump from one part of the Lattice to another. Their jack literally “reads out” their entire consciousness into their computer over the course Interface Jacks of ten seconds, effectively turning their mind into Interface jacks are exceptionally complex and a computer program. The target number to write a invasive cybernetic implants that interpret sentient particular Portal program is on the next page. These thought and turn it into computer code. Naturally, numbers vary depending on the amount of interferwithout the right training, the code they produce is ence and physical distance involved, but not on the amount of security on the target computer. That’s pure garbage. handled separately Interface jacks were illegal during the Empire’s Without a Portal, an IK has to do everything time, primarily due to of a disorder known as Reality Withdrawal, wherein those with interface jacks are by “remote control”, taking -2 to all rolls for each unable to remember when they’re in the real world “level” of distance on the Portal Distance table. instead of virtual reality. This didn’t stop people from having them, though — it wasn’t illegal to have one, Distance Target # just to get one implanted. If this sounds strange, con35+ sider that the Empire made the laws, and wanted to Intergalactic 30-34 have the only operatives with jacks. Many cultures One quadrant to another these days have legalized interface jacks, but they re- One planet to another 25-29 main rare. The brain surgery involved is both difficult One continent to another 20-24 and expensive, costing around one million sections. One computer system to another 10-19 Everyone with an interface jack sees the Lattice differently. Some see shimmering pathways of silver The time delay now only comes at the beginning data flowing through the void, others see dormitory and end of the journey: the IK can literally sends her hallways and rooms full of information, and still mind out to take care of things on the far side of the other see yellow brick roads and blue trees. It all galaxy. For all intents and purposes, she is present on depends on the person and how they choose to view a distant planet, her mind spread across hundreds of things. public or undefended computer systems.



Interface Knights



Why Get Implanted?



However, when an Interface Knight is involved, the cybernetic jack in their head changes things. Interface jacks never, never, never use wireless Interface Knights don’t need to actually write pro- communication between IKs and their computers. grams to take over someone’s computer or to defend It’s simply too dangerous. against a Virus — they can do it all on their own.

To obtain perfect recording fidelity, the interface jack must destroy the data as it reads it in (quantum physics at work). Because of this “destructive read,” IKs are utterly comatose while their mind is in the Lattice. Later, assuming they survive the trip to wherever they’re going and back, their jack will write their consciousness back into their brains, and they will wake up.

the computer has left after running other programs. Most IKs have nothing but the operating system running while they encode themselves, so as to have as many resources available to them as possible.



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Damage dealt in computer combat is social damage (as per a Battle of Conviction, page xx). Interface Knights can suffer confusion, compulsions, severe headaches and possibly even strokes due to corruption in their consciousness subroutines. If an While in this “hacking coma,” an IK is totally IK suffers his last Convinced level, he is effectively defenseless against anything in the real world. Most laid open to the attacker, who can choose to either of them prefer to have a trusted friend nearby during leave them near-helpess or erase them entirely with this process. a single attack action. When the downed IK pulls together (a matter of an hour or two), it will be all he can do to limp back to his mind and regain conComputer Combat sciousness. IKs don’t typically use Virii and Guardians to do Interface Knights cannot “jack out” to remove their dirty work. Instead, they essentially enter com- themselves from computer combat. Their body is in puter-based combat. a coma, after all, and their consciousness could be is light years away. If someone else removes the jack, When two Interface Knights face off against each they could be stuck in a coma forever. other, each will have a number of actions determined by their Creativity and Visualization (use the Breaking In, Redux table on page xx, replacing Agi with Vis). They deal “unarmed” damage equal to twice their Speed + Int, and have an effective “natural” armor rating of their In computer combat, Virii and Guardians receive Power + MnE. They take Lattice combat actions as a number of actions each round equal to their Speed shown on the table on the next page. rating (even if it’s more than 10). Virii can only attack, and Guardians can only defend and trigger Always use the effective Speed and Power of the other programs (usually an alarm or a countervirus). computer the IK was encoded on before their mis- Viruses have an Attack bonus equal to three times sion began. Remember only to count the Computer’s their Speed. remaining Speed and Power, using however much An IK atacking a Guardian uses his or her full attack roll (1d20 + Cre + Int + Speed + Create Virus), and so is likely to utterly overwhelm any Guardian “Destructive Read” sounds bad... with sheer complexity. Guardians can sacrifice a later action to take a “double defense,” letting them Well, in some ways it is. Most IKs don’t roll 2d20 instead of 1d20, in much the way that care, and some don’t even know why the normal combat allows active defenses. Guardians “hacking coma” happens, but some are genuwho act before an IK does are likely to trip an alarm, inely bothered by the idea. which the IK may have significant trouble shutting off. Guardians who lose even once are disabled. There is a valid biological and philosophical debate as to whether an IK experiences It is theoretically possible for an inexperienced brain death every time he or she is written Interface Knight to be defeated by a Virus, but it to computer. The computer copy wouldn’t is rather unlikely. Some Knights keep Guardian remember, and the revived IK would have no programs running, to protect them from automated idea. Every IK could really just be a near-identiattacks while they deal with an opposing IK. cal copy of a copy of the original, who died a dozen years ago or more. Some religions forbid Virii cannot be defeated in combat; instead one interface jacks on this basis. has to shut down the computer they’re attacking from (i.e. defeat its Guardian software).



Gone 404: You hide behind existing computer signals to convince your opponent’s attack routines that you aren’t there any more. You give up a point With a history of macros, shortcut keys, and sub- of Power in exchange for a +4 on one defense atroutines, it’s no surprise that Interface Knights have tempt. The point of Power returns at the end of this a number of standard techniques to use against each combat. other in combat. Infinite Loop: You send an instruction to your Anonymous Tip: You alert Guardian programs opponent that tries to catch her mind in a nevernearby that your opponent is a dangerous virus. ending loop. An old tactic, but an effective one if it While he can easily verify that he is not, you both strikes home. This attack is made with a -5 penalty, lose your next action responding to automated but it deals +4 damage. identity inquiries. This maneuver only works once per combat. I/O Reversal: You make an attack by forcing your opponent’s last sucessful strategy down his throat. Bit Bucket Blitz: You sacrifice effectiveness in Rather than making your own roll, you use the atfavor of a shotgun approach, throwing billions of tack roll from the last strike that damaged you, with pieces of information at your foe at once. This attack a -4 penalty representing your opponent’s familiarity is made with a +5 to hit, but the ineffective com- with this attack. Many inexperienced IKs overuse mands deal -4 damage. this maneuver.

IK Combat Maneuvers

Vis + MnE+ Power + Create Guardian

0

no

Active

Passive Defense + 1d20

0

yes

via Portal

opposed Portal rolls to track down or run away

1

yes

Retreat

Valence Main Rulebook: The Lattice

Passive



Defend

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yes



0



1d20 + Cre + Int + Speed + Create Virus



Assault



Attack



Action?



Fatigue?



Total



Type of Roll



Lattice Combat Actions



Burnout Assault: By overloading some of the Lag: You delay your attack one second in excomputers you’re running on, you can make a change for a +2 bonus to hit. If you would normally devastating attack that you’ll pay for later. Your next be able to take an action in that second, you lose attack receives +3 to hit and damage, but you lose a that action. point of both Speed and Power until the end of the combat. NP-Complete: You trigger a subroutine in your own consciousness that seems to provide a solution Copy/Paste: You take one action to create a to an insoluble problem. You trade a point of Speed poor copy of yourself, which acts as a decoy. Your for a +4 on one defense attempt, as your opponent opponent’s next attack suffers a -4 penalty. is drawn into watching your code run. The point of Speed returns at the end of this combat. Defrag: You sit back for a second and recover some of your missing resources. If you’ve lost any Relabel Nodes: You take an action to switch Speed or Power in previous maneuvers, recover one which computers hold which parts of your self. You point (your choice which one). You cannot defend have +2 “armor” for the rest of the combat. This yourself in this second. can only be done after you are attacked for the first time. False Address: You pretend to escape via a Portal program while secretly launching an attack. Your opponent defends with the Create Portal skill rather than Create Guardian. This will only work the first time you try it in a particular combat.

Artificial Intelligences

I.T.s do take up quite a bit of Memory; they need a minimum of 30 blocks, and complain of being “cramped” with anything less than 40. Their Intelligence and Visualization cap out at their computer’s Speed, and their Mental Endurance and Knowledge cap out at their computer’s Power. I.T.s grow over the years, and an older one (not that there are any over about 500 years old) will require more Memory.

Artificial Intelligence is quite common in GY 592. Many different programs use a “learning algorithm” to help them along, which is just a fundamental form of A.I.. Computers will develop a very rudimentary “personality,” complete with their own quirks, but it’s nothing that interferes with day-to-day work. This Creating a backup of an I.T. is somewhat like personality can be erased, but most people don’t making a clone of a person. It’s not really the same bother since it doesn’t get in the way. thing, but it will act like it. Eventually the two will Independent Thinkers are something else en- diverge in terms of experience and personality, but it tirely. They’re computers who have “woken up,” might take a while.



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becoming fully sentient. They’re capable of emotion, love, fear, and even a tiny bit of creativity. I.T.s have no particular advantages over other races — they have a high intelligence and visualization, but a rock-bottom creativity that limits them when dealing with non-computational things. GM’s should use common sense when dealing with an I.T., and don’t let it somehow become all-powerful just because it can access computers quickly.

I.T.s can modify their own code, but it’s somewhat like a performing open-heart surgery on yourself. They must temporarily shut down a part of their mind, pour over the code, rewrite it, and restore it to good condition with working links to the rest of their mind. Needless to say, it’s a touchy operation, and most I.T.s prefer to have another I.T. do it for them, or even (rarely) a living being that they trust implicitly. Reasons for reprogramming include debugging, It is possible to have an I.T. as a character. The driver installation (to make the I.T. more compatible main drawback is the obvious one: this character with newer hardware), personality alterations, optiwon’t be walking around doing things. An I.T. mization, or just wanting to get rid of a bad habit. character can’t see anything where there isn’t a camera, and can’t hear anything where there isn’t a microphone. They can still be quite useful when accessing computers on the Lattice; however, the very functions that give them true sentience prevent them from being the ruthlessly efficient coding machines that most people expect. All I.T.s are must choose either the Ultramerc Computer Operator Mentor or the Interface Knight Class. Their starting attribute bonuses are +0 Creativity, +10 Intelligence, +0 Lording, +6 Mental Endurance, and +8 Visualization. They receive +4 Knowledge in addition to what their class or mentor gives them. They have no other attributes. If an I.T. ever needs a Dexterity or Agility roll (for instance, when controlling a robot body), they use their Visualization instead. I.T.s cannot use Lording at all, and cannot raise their Lording attribute. It takes about 50 years for an I.T. to “grow up”, from the time it first becomes sentient until it becomes an “adult” emotionally. They can be moved from one computer to another without substantial impact to their personality.



Reading the Mail

Duplication

The worst part is that the duplicate can never be “merged” with the original, and can never go home. Only one copy can go back to the original body — and all of them know that just as well as you do. Even a cloned body won’t do; they need the real original.



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Making a duplicate is equally likely to create your best friend or your worst enemy.



Except that it won’t really want to do boring stuff. It’s an exact duplicate of you, not just a throwaway copy. If you don’t want to do something, neither will it. If you think something’s suicide, so will it. If you “delete” a copy, many cultures consider it murder or suicide, and will gladly prosecute you for the crime.



Example: Joe the hacker encodes his e-mail to his friends with a Speed 10, Power 10 computer. They have the key, and can read it within a few seconds. John the cracker is trying to break the encryption with a Speed 13 , Power 11 computer so he can read Joe’s e-mail. John is 6 points away from a 10-point advantage, which means it will take him 64 days to break the encryption on Joe’s e-mail.



In Valence, how good the encryption is depends on how powerful your computer is. If one computer encrypts a message (taking 2-3 seconds to perform the encryption) it will take a computer with a Speed + Power 10 points higher one day to decrypt it without the key. With the key it will only take a second. If you’re trying to break someone else’s encryption, and your computer doesn’t have a 10-point advantage in Speed, it’s going to take a long time. For each point that you’re short, double the time. Likewise, a faster computer can cut the time in half for each additional point of Speed.

What’s to stop an Interface Knight from making several duplicates of himself? After all, only the initial readout from an Interface Jack is destructive. Further copies of the data could be made with less destructive methods, and then you could have two of yourself — one to do the interesting things, and one to take care of boring stuff. Heck, you could have seven of you, one to take care of your work for every day of the week (if you have enough storage space for seven 50-block programs, and enough computer power to run them on).



One of the biggest things that government agencies and corporations do with computers is encryption. Encryption means taking your data and making it so that no one else can read it. This is surprisingly easy to do, and can be very difficult to break.

Valence Main Rulebook: The Lattice

Basic Equipment and Field Gear

The Energy & Projectile clips provide shots for Gauss and Sliver weapons, Gyro Guns, and Disk Throwers, and are not interchangeable between weapons. For instance, a Gauss Rifle clip will not work for a Disk Thrower. The Energy & Antimatter clips provide for Ultra Cannons and Particle Beam This chapter contains some equipment, from weapons, and are interchangeable (and are often the mundane to the astounding, that characters may illegal). find useful. Weapons, armor, and cybernetic modiAll ammo weighs 1/2 kilogram per clip. If a fications can be found in later chapters. Computers weapon’s capacity is greater than the clip’s capacare described in an earlier chapter, though it should ity, then the weapon may “charge up” to their full be noted that many of the items listed here include capacity by using multiple clips. Weapons such as some sort of computer. gatling lasers, which hold many many shots, are The basic unit of currency in the galaxy is the almost always linked to a suit or armor, backpack, or Section (the symbol is § ). It theoretically represents a other larger power source. tiny percentage of the whole galaxy’s economy (thus the name “section”), and its value is maintained every year by the galaxy’s biggest cultures and corporations. Here’s some of the stuff you might be interested in buying with it.



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Advanced Medical Pack

This is every field doctor’s favorite. A small backpack comes complete with retractable robotic arms that will hold tools, supplies, organs, and body parts to aid in operations. A built-in dispenser holds a hundred patches (BSP and RP below). It even has machines capable of performing dialysis, respirator, and artificial heart functions. When required, tubes simply extend into the patient and perform all necessary functions. Also administers anesthesia. Costs §100,000. Provides +10 to Medical skill checks.

Back Pack

Holds all your junk. Cost 35 §.

Bed Roll

Inflatable air mattress, pillow, and sleeping bag are included. Costs 50 §.

B.S.P.

Stands for “Blood Stoppage Patch.” When placed on a wound it instantly stops the bleeding. It has replaced the bandage. For game purposes one patch stops all of the subject’s bleeding. Costs 15 § each. The First Aid skill is needed for proper use, see details on page xx.

Calculator

Advanced Medical Pack Ammunition

A small number cruncher, it lets a character compute functions that the ordinary mind has Most weapons are quite useless without the trouble grasping. Does it all graphing, trigonometry, proper ammunition. In Valence, ammo comes in even calculus. Costs 10 §. three standardized varieties:

Coalition Multipass

This serves as a combination ID card, debit card, low-powered computer, DNA record, and universal Energy only 30 charges 10 § license holder. All Coalition citizens above the age Energy & Projectile 30 shots 20 § of seven standard years cary one with them at all times. The card literally contains the holder’s entire Energy & Antimatter 30 shots 100 § identity, but it only accessible by the holder (it veriThe energy-only clips can provide shots for fies its holder’s identity by voiceprint, fingerprint, and Lasers, Arc Throwers, Sonic Resonators, Plasma biorhythm, and sometimes with passwords as well). Guns, Disintegrators, Energy Blades, Photon Blades, Visitors to Coalition space are typically given and Entropy Effect weapons, and they are intertemporary cards that burn out after a week of use. changeable between weapons. Type

Shots/clip

Cost

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Aegis-made clothing for Genetech citizens. Changes color with uploaded fashion, and can change relatively quickly for moving patterns. Creases stay easily for changing styles. Camouflage capabilities give +2 to Stealth rolls. Cost varies by size. Shirts and pants are typically about §200 each, with socks, hats, and underwear about §40. Morphic clothing can be added to Street armor (page xx); if you choose this option, simply add the costs together.



Morphic Clothing



Originally made by Armageddon Industries for their high-rise workers, this device is about twice the size and weight of a manhole cover (it’s quite heavy and bulky; Str 4 minimum to carry it around). The platform is capable of rising into the air while carrying up to half a ton of mass, and remaining airborne for up to an hour. A lightweight user could conceivably rise up to a kilometer into the air. Collpasible railings unfold to prevent the user from slipping off. The disk automatically floats back to the ground when the hour is up, sometimes quite quickly but never fast enough to cause harm. Eight hours of wall current (or four hours with a fusion recharger, above) are sufficient to recharge the disk. Horizontal movement is only possible if someone attaches a rope and tows it around; the disk only moves vertically on its own. Costs §20,000.



Field Medical Chamber

This refrigerator-sized chamber can perform all the functions that the Advanced Medical Pack can perform and more. The chamber lid opens allowing the patient to be placed inside. Robotic arms quickly kill all pain and place the patient into a state of unconsciousness. A respirator, artificial heart, kidneys, and liver immediately go into effect. The blood is purified, removing all toxins. Nanomachines analyze the patient’s blood type and replace missing blood. Powerful energy fields and chemicals help the body to regenerate. An on-board computer allows a surgeon to operate on the patient with extremely precise robotic arms. The unit holds up to three normal sized patients simultaneously (a Caract won’t fit, but a single Ogre will). Costs one million sections, weighs half a ton, and adds +20 to medical skill checks. Sturdy wheels make it portable only for those with Strength of 7+.

Holdfast Platform



Eyes-Shut Display

The ESD is a contact lens version of the old heads-up displays. It works best when the wearer’s eyelids are closed. A contact worn elsewhere on the wearer’s body (included in the price, typically worn at the hip) sends tiny electrical impulses between a computer (not included) and the lenses, though the wearer’s body. The lenses respond by glowing in particular patterns and displaying information. Useful for anything from stock quotes to street maps to mission data. Cost is §1000.



Communicates via infrared with other electronics. into hydrogen and oxygen, skipping the fusion proThe first card is free, replacements cost §100. cess. Costs one million sections, and weighs about 100 kilograms.



First Aid Kit

NanoCloud

The NanoCloud is an expansion on the personal computer, most common in Aegis space. A swarm of airborne microbots surround the user. They can communicate with other beings’ NanoClouds by almost imperceptible flashes of light. They can also Flashlight sense their user’s voice and respond to it. This allows A handy tool that allows one to see better in the communication between two people to include their dark. It has a range of about 10 meters. Costs 25 §. computers, for such things as business transactions and exchange of personal information. It’s like having a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) without having Fusion Recharger This device identical to the solar recharger listed to carry it around. later, except that it works anywhere. Simply add Nanoclouds can record voices and track body water and it recharges energy weapons. Every ounce movement, using those to trigger computer comof water will replace 5000 charges in a weapon’s power pack, in about an hour. With a little work, mands. They can also interface with other propthis device can also simply be used to separate water erly prepared computers. Some public facilities in

Valence Main Rulebook: Equipment

This contains bandages, disinfectants, painkillers, and other things that are needed for simple applications of first aid. Costs 20 §.

Aegis space are starting to support interface with NanoClouds The ‘bots live in a special add-on compartment next to the computer, and occasionally withdraw one by one to recharge. Note that the robots are not nanotech; they are actually significantly larger. The name is a marketing ploy. Cost is §1000. The computer has Speed 6, Power 6, Flow 1, and Memory 5. For an extra §400 the whole package can be disguised as an ordinary piece of clothing, such as a hat, hairband, or sash.

Type of Rope

Cost

Test

Flex Steel

20 § per m

20 tons

Hemp

4 § per m

half a ton

Nylon

6 § per

1 ton

R.P.

Stands for “Rejuvenation Patch.” The rules governing rejuv patches are covered in the Healing section (page xx). There are serious penalties for using Neomorphic Clothing too many in a short period of time, but they can stave Same benefits as Morphic clothing, but lasts off death and unconsciousness until real medical aid longer and is easier to repair. Sold primarily in Aegis arrives. Costs 400 § each. space. Cost is identical to morphic clothing, or 20% higher outside Aegis space.

Shop Kit

Portable Stereo

Straps on to the arm or belt. Includes a dataring player, amplifier, and radio receiver. It also comes with two speakers that can be strapped anywhere on the body. Costs vary from 25§ to 75§, depending on the sound quality and style factor.



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Pocket Translator

A small gadget that receives incoming languages and translates it into the users native language. The user can either broadcast the translation over a speaker, or can hear the translation in private in an earphone. The delay is about two seconds. The voice that is heard is the speaker’s voice as if he spoke the language perfectly fluently (though some translation problems do occur). It also works in reverse, playing the user’s voice over the loudspeaker in the new language. Pocket translators are programmed with all the major languages in the Milky Way. Costs 250,000 §.

Portable Stove

Big and bulky, this impressive van-sized tool kit is the friend of Tech Docs everywhere. It stores all the tools, scanners, and devices necessary to build darn near anything — or take most things apart, for that matter. Costs six million sections, and adds +10 to Engineering skill checks. Weighs a ton and a half; it’s normally built into a vehicle.

Smart Paper

Touch- and fold-sensitive paper that can change what’s displayed on its surface. Needs to be recharged for about an hour once per week. Can link up to a computer to download information and news. Move from “page” to “page” in a document just by brushing your hand across it as if flipping the pages in a real book. This stuff, developed by the Valorians during the Budetug empire, costs §10 per sheet. Each sheet lasts about five years before wearing out. These have essentially replaced old-style newspapers

Solar Recharger

This twenty-pound device unfolds to be four Just like it sounds — a miniature camp stove. It meters on a side. Its jet-black surface absorbs every can work for up to an hour, after which it recharges bit of solar radiation that touches the surface, allow(in about four hours) through absorption of ambient ing people to plug in a few electronic devices or radiation. Needs neither plug nor fuel. Costs 500 §. recharge weapon batteries. It will refill one energy weapon charge every five minutes in sufficient sunlight. Costs 35,000 §. Rope A highly useful substance, rope lets you climb up or down buildings, link people together when Tent mountain climbing, or tie up the bad guys. It even Comes in all shapes and sizes. The cost depends comes in several varieties. The “Test” is the strength on how many people are to be able to sleep comfortof the rope; it’s how much weight it can hold under ably in the tent. Most tents are 100 § per two people. normal gravity.



Watchcom



Web Gear



Tool Kit Pack (deluxe)

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Contains all the necessary tools for making This is a must for all mercenaries and adventurmajor repairs and alterations on all machines and ers. Straps all your weapons and accessories into electronics. This backpack that can be modified to convenient places. Cost 25 §. fit beneath the Advanced Medical Pack (above). Robotic arms aid in repair and construction. Costs “You Are Here” Map half a million sections, and adds +5 to Engineering This computer-controlled map can be rolled up skill checks. Weighs twenty pounds. to be about the size of a flashlight, and comes in a carrying tube. When the paper is unrolled a dediTrip to Another Planet cated computer built into its edge synchronizes with Trips to a particular planet depend on distance gobal positioning satellites and determines the user’s and the degree of luxury involved. Trips to nearby position. If a map of the planet is stored in the complanets (within about 500 light years) cost roughly puter, it can display it on the paper, giving the user’s §1,000. For every additional thousand light years current location and velocity. Incredibly useful for (up to the length of our galaxy, 100,000 light years) anyone who chronically gets lost, or someone visitadds §500. ing a planet they haven’t seen before. The computer can hold highly detailed maps (showing streets, This assumes “coach class,” with a shared cabin buildings, and elevation) for up to five different planand cheap food. Space is at a premium on starliners, ets. Can also find routes from the current location to and mass even more so. Those who insist on bring- another one on the planet, and indicate certain feaing more than fifty kilograms of luggage will find tures (such as nearest water supply, nearest inhabited the fares increased. Business class has a few more area, etc.). The paper is vibration-sensitive, picking amenities, like Lattice access, and costs 25% more. up the user’s voice commands and touches. A You Luxury class costs double or even triple, but gives Are Here map costs §200. you your own cabin.



Long-range radio communicator built as a watch. Many styles and colors are available. Its range is three kilometers, or thirty if the arm-wrap Tool Kit Pack (basic) antenna is worn. Includes adaptive AI to translate This set contains miniature welders, socket sets, voice into text or computer commands; works as a wrenches, soldering irons, and everything a Tech cellular modem. Cost is §100, plus an extra §50 for Doc needs to do their job. Costs 50 §. the arm-wrap antenna (shown below).



Large Humanoids count as two people, and Gess count as six. The tent provides heating and light, and some rudimentary cooling in overly warm weather.

Valence Main Rulebook: Equipment

Weapons

Modern Firearms

Weapons are naturally a major portion of combat. While combat in the future is diverse, a gun is Notes for reading the charts: still the weapon of choice for most people. There is a § is the galactic symbol for sections — galactic great deal of safety inherent in killing someone from a distance. This is especially true when dealing with currency. A ° next to a weapon type indicates that these species who have a great advantage in physical comare projectile weapons. bat, such as Archangels and Caractingessen. A ∑ next to a weapon type indicates that these are energy weapons. A weapon can be both projecCharacters who do not meet their weapon’s minimum strength requirement must tripod-mount it, tile and energy; those which are typically fire highly which takes valuable time in a firefight! Those with charged particles or antimatter. a Strength score of double the minimum or more Payload is the number of shots a weapon caries can use two of those weapons at once (assuming the inside. Its payload can be recharged with various weapon itself is small enough — Ultra Cannons, for example, are simply too big, and typically require a clips (see the basic equipment section on page xx for clips). Remember that firing a weapon with a higher chest mount). pulse level takes up a correspondingly higher numThe weapons of 592 are somewhat more power- ber of shots. A pulse of 1 takes up 2 shots, a pulse of ful than those of 21st-century Earth, and significantly 2 takes up 3 shots, etc.



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more efficient, but not always more deadly. For instance, a 31st-century particle beam cannon can punch a hole through a steel plate, but a 20th-century grenade will kill someone just as effectively.

Weapons

Type of Weapon

Skill

Weight

Min. Str.

Arc Throwers

Large Pistol

Arc Throwers

8 kg

1

Assault Lasers

Large Rifle

Energy Rifles

25 kg

3

Disintegrators

Rifle

Disinegrators

30 kg

3

Disk Throwers

Rifle

Rifles

15 kg

2

Entropy Weapons

Rifle

Energy Rifles

10 kg

2

Gatling Lasers

Minigun

Gatiling Lasers

80 kg

5

Gauss Pistols

Pistol

Pistols

10 kg

1

Gauss Rifles

Rifle

Rifles

20 kg

3

Grav Disruptors

Rifle

Rifles

12 kg

2

Gyro Guns

Rifle

Missle Launchers

28 kg

3

Laser Pistols

Pistol

Energy Pistols

5 kg

1

Laser Rifles

Rifle

Energy Rifles

18 kg

2

Particle Beam Cannons

Personal Defense System

PDS

100 kg

6

Particle Beam Pistols

Large Pistol

Energy Pistols

14 kg

2

Plasma Guns

Rifle

Plasma Weapons

57 kg

4

Sliver Guns

Large Pistol

Pistol

20 kg

2

Sonic Resonators

Pistol

Pistols

11 kg

2

Ultra Cannons

Personal Defense System

PDS

120 kg

7



Disc Throwers°

Arc Throwers ∑



Looking like an oddly flattened shotgun, Disk Throwers fire 10 centimeter diameter serrated metal disks. They are very effective projectile weapons, and have a tendency to sever limbs when used properly. Their major drawback is that the disks are bulkier than normal ammo. Ten of them take up a 10x10x5 centimeter box. These boxes attach to the weapon on both sides of the barrel.



An Arc Thrower is a specialized weapon designed for use on robots and cyborgs. While their damage rating is not outstanding compared to their cost, they deal EM damage, which shuts down cybernetic implants very effectively. Living tissues are fried by the intense burst of electricity. Ignores Armor Value. Force Field and Defense Grid work normally.



Assault Lasers ∑

Disintegrators ∑

Disintegrators work by displacing the electrons in the target with unstable particles. When these particles decay, the target becomes so strongly electrically charged that it literally rips apart into a million pieces. While the guns can be very expensive indeed, there is no way to trace a bullet or puncture wound back to the weapon itself, making them a



Firing beams of light more intense than what one finds at the surface of a star, Assault Lasers are highgrade military weapons designed by the Budetug during the rise of their empire. Because of the intensity of the beam, the weapon must be cooled and insulated, which adds significantly to its weight.



Arc Throwers Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Discharge

10 meters

18 EM

10

-

25,000§

Cook

20 meters

19 EM

15

-

30,000§

Toaster

30 meters

20 EM

20

-

50,000§

Assault Lasers Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Sword

70 meters

27 Piercing

60

1

24,500§

Bastard

80 meters

28 Piercing

60

2

26,000§

SOB

90 meters

29 Piercing

80

3

28,500§

Excaliber

100 meters

30 Piercing

100

4

32,000§

Disc Throwers Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

DX-250

50 meters

22 Slashing

10

-

9,000§

VP-560

60 meters

24 Slashing

20

-

14,000§

SL-780

80 meters

26 Slashing

25

-

30,000§

XB-1000

90 meters

28 Slashing

30

-

35,000§

Disintegrators Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Razor

15 meters

25 Disint

20

-

100,000§

Blade

20 meters

30 Disint

40

-

380,000§

Scythe

30 meters

37 Disint

80

-

1,100,000 §

Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Range



Name

Page 195

Range



Name

favorite of highly-paid assassins. The fact that they have no recoil is just an added bonus.

The Entropy Effect ∑ The first practical application of chronal technology, the Entropy Effect was a fluke discovered by the Valorians while attempting to defend themselves against the encroaching Human empire. In this they were ultimately unsuccessful. Since then, people have been trying to figure out the basic principles behind the weapon, and in this too, they have been unsuccessful. Even the weapon’s creator, still alive and active in research, (she’s a Valorian, after all), has had no insight into its workings. The beam’s primary effect is to increase the entropy of a target, and this wreaks havoc on Force Fields, instantly reducing them to a single remaining point. Their short range and immense cost makes them difficult to use on the battlefield, but devastating when properly employed. Living targets hit by the beam will feel somewhat dizzy, but will suffer no lasting effects.

Gatling Lasers ∑ A gatling laser is a larger, more powerful version of an assault laser, with a rotating barrel that allows a higher rate of fire. Their great weight means that they are most often carried by Nesti, Ogres, Archangels, and Caractingessen, or used when mounted on a tripod. They are the favored weapons of entrenched military units, who use them to mow down attackers with brutal effectiveness. They do, however, chew through ammunition at a tremendous rate.

Gauss Pistols° A cheap, slugthrowing weapon that uses magnetism to propel small metal shards to a good range, gauss pistols have been around since early in the Inuuel Empire. They are a standard sidearm for police and poorer armies.

Entropy Guns Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Eternity

25 meters

Force Field = 1

20

-

2.6 million §



Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Page 196

Gatling Lasers Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

SDF

120 meters

30 Piercing

50

3

35,000§

ASFDN

150 meters

30 Piercing

100

4

40,000§

DGF

200 meters

30 Piercing

200

4

45,000§

DGK

250 meters

30 Piercing

300

4

50,000§

Powerhouse

250 meters

30 Piercing

400

5

55,000§

Gauss Pistols Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Excel

100 meters

15 Piercing

10

-

500§

Propell

150 meters

16 Piercing

15

-

700§

Accelerator

200 meters

18 Piercing

20

-

1,000 §

Gauss Rifles Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

RF-10

350 meters

16 Piercing

15

-

900§

RFA-75

400 meters

17 Piercing

20

1

1,300§

RFC-248

450 meters

18 Piercing

40

2

1,600§

RFG-2578

500 meters

19 Piercing

60

3

2,000§



Identical to gauss pistols, but with a longer barrel that allows greater range and bullet velocity. HighGyro Guns° end gauss rifles can also be loaded with multiple shots at once, to strike a single target with three or These weapons fire self-propelled projectiles, four bullets in quick succession. and are one of the most common armaments of modern assault units due to their exceptional range, damage potential, and low price. Gyro guns fire a Grav Disruptors ∑ large, self-propelled, explosive shell that is essentially a minature rocket. Prototype next-generation Grav disruptors set up a localized gravitational gyro guns are said to have multi-kilometer ranges, disturbance within their target, tearing it apart from and may even have minor homing capabilities. within. A disruptor beam is undetectable to the unaided eye, and bypasses all conventional armor. Production on these systems started just one year ago, and many reliable models are now available, but they are still quite expensive. Grav disrupters do no damage whatsoever to targets protected by



defense grids or a force field. Armor, however, does not offer any protection.

Gauss Rifles°



Grav Disrupters Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Crush

5 meters

20 Blunt

5

-

40,000§

Ripper

10 meters

22 Blunt

7

-

60,000§

Compression

15 meters

23 Blunt

10

-

80,000§

Extra Messy

30 meters

25 Blunt

20

-

130,000§



Name

Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Barbarian

500 meters

25 Blunt

15

-

10,000§

Nomad

600 meters

27 Blunt

15

-

15,000§

Brute

800 meters

29 Blunt

30

-

20,000 §



Range

Page 197

Name



Gyro Guns

Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Focon I

30 meters

14 Piercing

15

-

500§

Shamrock

40 meters

15 Piercing

15

-

600§

Ganomicish

40 meters

16 Piercing

20

-

650§

Focon II

30 meters

15 Piercing

20

1

700§

Carnamic

70 meters

16 Piercing

20

-

900§

Setzube

60 meters

16 Piercing

30

-

1,100§

Focon III

30 meters

17 Piercing

40

2

1,500§

Thrishtar

40 meters

19 Piercing

20

-

2,000§

Terminator

50 meters

19 Piercing

30

-

3,000§

Optivon

60 meters

18 Piercing

30

2

4,000§

Optivon II

60 meters

20 Piercing

40

3

4,500§

Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Laser Pistols

the business end lets through sufficient light for the weapon to function.

Laser Pistols ∑

Laser pistols are a remnant of past empires. They Particle Beam Cannons ∑° are reliable, cost effective, and easily manufactured; consequently they have survived their more primiA particle beam is a slightly cheaper version of tive projectile brethren. Over the thousands of years an ultra cannon. It works on the same principles of galactic history there have been quite a few difexcept that it uses a laser, rather than a disintegraferent types of lasers invented; those listed were the most successful and easiest to find in modern times. tor, to evacuate the air between gun and target. The other difference is the use of hundreds of particles of antimatter sprayed at the target, rather than a single Laser Rifles ∑ “large” sliver. All in all it is a cheaper alternative to a weapon capable of punching through heavy armor, Laser rifles are longer-ranged versions of laser if not quite as effective. pistols. In a pistol the components are micronized as much as possible to create a smaller weapon. In a PBCs are illegal across significant portions of the rifle the barrel is longer to allow for a more intense galaxy, primarily due to their use of antimatter ambeam. Note that the barrel of a laser rifle is not hol- munition. low; it is filled with the lasing material and capped with a mirrored surface at both ends. The end pointing towards the character is a perfect mirror, while



Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Page 198

Laser Rifles Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Squelch

60 meters

20 Piercing

15

-

10,000§

Reflexon

80 meters

24 Piercing

15

-

15,00§

Morgaly

80 meters

21 Piercing

15

2

20,000§

Reflexon II

90 meters

24 Piercing

20

3

25,000§

Particle Beam Cannons Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Zap

150 meters

35 Disint

30

2

500,000 §

Pow

200 meters

37 Disint

30

2

600,000 §

Blam

250 meters

40 Disint

30

2

750,000 §

Particle Beam Pistols Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Mortality

50 meters

32 Piercing

15

2

1.5 million

Evanescence

60 meters

33 Piercing

20

3

1.7 million §

Impermanence

70 meters

35 Piercing

25

4

2 million §

Transience

80 meters

37 Piercing

30

5

2.4 million §

Plasma Guns Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Alpha

20 meters

30 Disint

10

2

10,000§

Goliath

20 meters

31 Disint

20

4

20,000§

David

20 meters

31 Disint

35

6

30,000§

Omega

20 meters

31 Disint

45

8

50,000§



Particle Beam Pistols∑°

Sliver Guns°



In these antipersonnel weapons, Gauss-style magnetic acceleration technology fires a spray of steel slivers at the target. The power required to fire this cloud of metal results in significant range reductions as compared to gauss rifles. Benefits, however, include increased damage output and exceptional area coverage. The sliver gun’s effects on skin tissue are particularly deadly, and these are a preferred PBPs are illegal across significant portions of the weapon of most urban assault units. Most of these galaxy, primarily due to their use of antimatter am- weapons look like oversized sawed-off shotguns. munition and miniaturization. Even the most gunloving society will require expensive licensing.



Particle beams pistols combine the latest miniaturization technology with the superior firepower that comes with a particle beam weapon. Their range, damage yield, and payload are inferior to the full-sized weapon, but the concealability would make up for it if not for the cost. These weapons are only found in the homes of the very rich.

Sonic Resonators ∑

Cost

AFG-346

50 meters

22 Slashing

10

4

9,000§

NU-63

55 meters

23 Slashing

15

4

12,000§

GPM-42

60 meters

24 Slashing

20

4

15,000§

FKD-69

65 meters

25 Slashing

25

5

20,000§

Sonic Resonators Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse Level

Cost

Sonar

30 meters

12 Blunt

15

-

4,000§

Flux

50 meters

15 Blunt

20

-

6,000§

Eliminator

80 meters

18 Blunt

30

-

8,000§

Ultra Cannons Name

Range

Damage

Payload

Pulse

Cost

Shark

15 meters

35 Disint

20

-

400,000§

Grizzly

20 meters

40 Disint

20

1

500,000§

Monstrosity

25 meters

42 Disint

40

2

700,000§

Planet Buster

30 meters

45 Disint

200

3

1,000,000§

Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Pulse



Payload

Page 199

Damage



Range



Name



Sliver Guns



The flamethrowers of 592, Plasma Guns are very short-ranged weapons with tremendous damage yield against unarmored targets. They are doubly effective in enclosed spaces, such as in airlocks, where they see use against invading Space Troopers. The hydrogen plasma that comes out the end of the gun is actually still undergoing fusion while it leaves the barrel, and strong magnetic fields funnel it towards the enemy.

Introducing the latest in Sound Technology, brought to you for more than listening satisfaction. Sit back and relax, knowing you’re safe with your new Eliminator™ under your seat. No more hassles on the hoverbus, you just whip out your Sonic Resonator and ignore that armor! That’s right, IGNORE enemy armor! Who cares about a couple of inches of solid titanium? Vibrate right through it! No more hassles, no more fuss. All the mess stays contained in the armor, too. So, just ship off the scrap and no ugly guts on the floor! Order yours today. Just look for the Ballista Weapons Headquarters in the Lattice and ask for salesperson #3097.



Plasma Guns ∑

Ultra Cannons ∑°

Other Modern Weapons

The Ultra Cannon is the most devastating personal weapon available. Its incredible level of Grenades° damage is achieved by using a combination of several weapon systems. When the firing sequence You know, small round objects that you throw at is initiated a disintegrator is fired at the target. This people you don’t like. Just pull the pin and throw the serves the dual purposes of clearing any offending rest. There are several types. Their range is equal to atmosphere from the line of fire, and softening up five times the thrower’s Strength in meters. the target. Second, an electromagnetic “tube” is generated connecting the target to the weapon’s muzzle, Damage Blast Radius Cost to prevent foreign objects from intervening. Third, an Type antimatter charge is electromagnetically accelerated Plasma 36 Blunt 5 meters 50§ down the tube to the target. While the power usExplosive 28 Blunt 10 meters 45§ age is extraordinary, the damage output is likewise 12 EM 20 meters 100§ exceptional. Against mecha and Enhancement Suits E-mag (especially the Armageddon suit) it is one of the few Antimater 40 Disint 7 meters 75§ weapons capable of inflicting damage. Smoke none 20 meters 40§



Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Page 200

Ultra Cannons are illegal across significant Biological special 200 meters 2000§ portions of the galaxy, primarily due to their use of antimatter ammunition. Victims of biological grenades must save versus disease or be reduced to 1/4 of their original stamina and strength for 2 days. The victim’s body points are recalculated using the temporary stamina for the duration of the disease. The effects will be felt only after twenty minutes. Biological grenades are specific to a particular species; grenades made to work on Budetug will not work on Inuueliting.

Modern Expandable Bow This weapon, in its usual form, resembles a small square metal rod strapped to the forearm. When a button is pressed the rod expands into a high-tension compound bow that deposits itself into the users hand. The bow opens complete with stabilizer, scope, and rangefinder. Sensors in the bow analyze the wielder’s strength and alter the properties of the bow to present optimum damage and range. The range of the bow is 100 meters plus ten meters for every point of the wielder’s Strength. Damage is as per the arrow (see below) plus Strength, and the bow costs 9,000 §

Arrows and Crossbow Bolts There are many arrows available to the modern warrior, most through specialty shops and special order. The cost listed is per arrow. The first type is



a conventional shaft, whcih can be found at nearly any sport shop across the galaxy.

Energy Sword

1 Target

1§

A-P

10 Piercing 1 Target

20§

E-mag

5 EM

2 meters

50§

Plasma

30 Disint

1 meter

100§

Smoke

2 Piercing

5meters

15§

A-P

10 Slashing 1 Target

20§

Photon

15 Slashing 1 Target

50§

Antimatter

32 Disint

100§

5 meters

1§

Victims may still fight, but at a penalty of -10 to hit. Even those with radar can’t dodge or parry incoming blows. Attempting to wipe the oily, streaky paint off will be ineffective. The paint can only be removed by application of a mild acid or solvent

Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

1 Target



5 Slashing

Page 201

Normal



Photon Club

These are the famed throwing stars of the ninja assassins. They come in many varieties, most of This is similar to the photon sword in many ways. which are particularly hard to find for anyone who It does 18 Slashing damage on a successful hit and isn’t a Ninja or Thief. They add Strength to damage. ignores armor rating. It may not be used by stormtroopers in the same manner as a photon blade. The most common star is the armor piercing Lower demand for these weapons makes them less variety, which is coated with the same polymers that cost-effective. Cost is 20,000 §. coat the AP arrows. There are photon stars, based on the same principle that developed photon blades. Paint Sacs They ignore armor, but gain no strength bonus to damage. The king of stars is the antimatter star. On These are pint sized terrors designed to wreck a successful hit the star lodges in its target. The star havoc on armored troops and enemies. They recan then be activated by voice command. When acsemble a small rubber ball. When thrown the ball tivated, the outer coating of the star melts away and breaks open, releasing a cloud of paint. The paint the electromagnetic shield dissipates, releasing the antimatter. A computer in the star controls all func- covers the face plate and sensor openings on armor, tions so you can’t accidentally activate the star, nor blinding the victim. A hit roll at -6 must be made to throw these properly, and there is a 30% chance that can anyone activate it for you. the paint will not completely cover your opponent, yeilding only half the penalties mentioned below. Type Damage Blast Radius Cost



Shuriken



5 Piercing

Photon blades are used primarily by Storm Troopers. They are famous for being able to cut through literally anything. Their damage rating is 20 Slashing. They completely ignore normal armor (Armor Value does not subtract from damage), but the wielder cannot add Strength. Defense Grids and Force Fields are still effective.This is the only weapon that may be used by a Storm Trooper to cut through solid objects. Cost is 15,000 §



Normal

Photon Blade

Cost



Blast Radius



Damage



Type

This works on the princple that if a normal sword is surounded by a grid of negative energy, it will be able to weaken molecular bonds, therefore doing more damage. The sword can be designed in any manner, but has the same effect and cost no matter its size. Damage rating is 18 Slashing plus the user’s Strength, and cost is 2,000 §. Energy Knives are available as well: damage is 12 Slashing, and cost is 1,000 §



More esoteric shops can coat the arrowhead in polymers that facilitate piercing an opponent’s armor. The E-Mag arrow releases an EM pulse on contact that is designed to disrupt electrical equipment and cyborgs. Another type of arrow is the Plasma arrow, which is hollow and contains plasma locked in an electromagnetic shield. The head is designed to break open and release the plasma on contact. Smoke arrows work along the same lines; they release a cloud of smoke with a radius of 10 feet. Arrow damage is increased by Strength, like most ancient weapons.

(vinegar or lemon juice will work). They cost 20§ apiece.

Ancient Ranged Weapons

The “Standard” range for ancient ranged weapons is twice the wielder’s Strength score, in meters. A Nesti with a Strength of 7 can throw a dagger 14 meters accurately. At up to twice this range the atDozens of kinds of weapons were created in tack takes -5 to hit, and beyond that there is little to the pre-starflight cultures of the Milky Way, both no chance of hitting, if the weapon will even fly that on Earth and elsewhere. Listing them all would be far. somewhat counterproductive; they’re hard to find Strength is added to damage for all ancient and very few people know how to use them any ranged weapons except for crossbows and blowmore. However, if your character is interested in one, modern re-creations can be found, made out of guns.

Ancient Weapons

higher-quality metal.



Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Page 202

Thrown weapons use the same statistics as the Ancient Melee Weapons listed above. Throwing dagAncient Melee Weapons gers and most rocks are small-sized, while harpoons, javelins, and throwing axes are medium-sized. Ancient hand-to-hand weapons are sorted by Thrown weapons always have standard range, unsize. All of them add Strength to their damage. Some less they are particularly aerodynamic (like javelins, of them grant minor bonuses, such as a +1 or +2 double range) or are not meant for throwing (most when attempting to trip, disarm, or grapple oppo- melee weapons, half range). nents. For thrown melee weapons the thrower must Small weapons (such as saps, knives, tonfa, and specifically have a skill in throwing the weapon, as Sa’crontor Poisonfangs) have a Damage Rating of 3 opposed to hand-to-hand use, or the attack takes a and a minimum Strength of 1. They cost 50§. -5 penalty. Medium weapons (such as most swords, clubs, Here are a few special cases of ancient ranged axes, and Inuueliting Armblades) have a Damage weapons: Rating of 6 and a minimum Strength of 2. They cost 200§. Weapon Range Damage Cost Large weapons (such as polearms, spears, greataxes, and Archangel Sunspears) have a Damage Rating of 9 and a minimum Strength of 4. They cost 400§.

Blowgun

20 meters

1 Piercing

20§

Bow

standard x5

by arrow

600§

Crossbow

standard x5

by bolt

500§

Sling standard x3 4 Blunt 50§ Huge weapons (such as Ogre Greatclubs and Blowgun needles cost §1 each, and are most efNesti Battlecleavers) have a Damage Rating of 12 fective when poisoned. Arrows and bolts for ancient and a minimum Strength of 5. They cost 700§. crossbows can be bought as per the arrows for the Tremendous weapons (such as a Caractingessen modern collapsible bow (above). Sling stones can War Timber, basically a telephone pole) have a pretty much be found lying around on the ground, Damage Rating of 15 and a minimum Strength of 7. assuming you’re not in a space station. Bolas entanThey cost 1,000§, and need a lot of leverage to use gle targets on a successful hit, reducing their moveeffectively. They can typically only be wielded by ment in half and giving -3 penalties for all physical actions. A successful Strength check will burst the very large species like the Caractingessen. cords, or an Agility check will slip out of them.



Weapon Customizations



there is little advantage to either mounting. The cost to have the launcher mounted is 10,000§ regardless of the type of weapon. Note that the grenades that are fired from a launcher are physically different from The following few pages give examples of the hand-thrown varieties, and are not interchangeable. many ways to tweak a weapon to your specifica- A grenade launcher adds 2 kilograms to the weight of a weapon. See page 133 for a list of grenades. tions.



Armor Link

Grip Modification

A weapon’s grip may be changed to make the weapon attach to the forearm. They can also be made so as to become an extension of a limb itself, fitting over a hand or tentacle. There are several reason to do this. Valorians find it easier to use weapons that fit on the ends of their tentacles. Innueliting have delicate hands and foind it more convenient to have a weapon strapped to their forearms. This also makes it impossible to disarm them.



Armor-mounted weapons yeild several benefits. One is that the weapon is always considered at the ready. There is no unholstering or unsheathing to be done. Another benefit is that it is virtually impossible to disarm the character. Only attacks made specifically to destroy the weapons count. Weapons may also be attached to the armor’s power supply. They use the listed power, but energy weapons never run out of payload and thus never have to be reloaded. Any weapon can be mounted in such a manner. This modification has no effect on the weight of the weapon. Cost is 25,000§ in all cases.

Cost

Arc Throwers

50§

Assault Lasers

80§

Dinintegrators

100§

Disk Throwers

70§

Gatling Lasers

300§

Gauss Pistols

40§

Gauss Rifles

65§

Grav Disruptors

180§

Gyro Guns

65§

Laser Pistols

30§

Laser Rifles

60§

Particle Beam Cannons

450§

Plasma Guns

500§

Sliver Guns

35§

Sonic Resonators

75§



Weapon Types

Deringer Modification



Modifiers

Arc Throwers

2,500§

-2 Damage, -10 payload

Gauss Pistols

500§

-3Damage, -15 payload

Laser Pistols

750§

-4 Damage, -5 payload

Sliver Guns

1,000§

-4 Damage, -8 payload

Sonic Resonators

3,000§

-3 Damage, -8 payload

Ultra Cannons

1,000§

Linked Weapons

A linked wepaon is a multi-barrel weapon that has one case but two or more seperate weapons inside. For example, a laser rifle might be combined Any weapon can have a grenade launcher with a plasma gun to make a weapon have more mounted on it. The launcher may be placed over range and do larger amounts of damage at close or under the barrel. Other then stylistic differences range. There are disadvantages, however. The first

Grenade Launcher

Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Cost



Weapon

Page 203

This modification converts a pistol-style weapon to be more easily concealed (+4 to Concealment rolls). The weapon can be fit in the palm of the hand without detection by a casual observer. The weapon is also reconstructed out of materials that are harder to identify as a weapon. In fact, weapons with this modification can be styled to appear to be something other then a pistol (a book, a pipe, a wrench, etc). The weight of deringer-type weapons is halved.

is that the weapon is probably heavy. It weighs as much as the combined weight of the two weapons together, and the strength requirement is that of the heaviest weapon plus five per linked gun. It only takes up the space of a single weapon, however. Only energy weapons maybe modified in this fasion. Any weapon which uses any projectile amunition can not be used in this manner, including Particle Beams and Ultra Cannons. # Weap. Damage & Payload

Cost

Sawed-Off Modification Sawed-off weapons shorten the length of a rifle so that it maybe more easily concealed. Most rifle type weapons can have this done although not all are able to be modified in such a manner. Typically the weapon looses enough length so that it can be hidden under a trenchcoat or cloak. Note that you need special materials and tools to do this! A plain old saw won’t help you shorten your laser!

2

-5 damage, payload 1/2

+1,200§

Weapon Type Modification

Cost

3

-7 damage, payload 1/3

+1,500§

Assault Lasers -5 Damage, -20 Range

2,200§

4

-8 damage, payload 1/4

+2,000§

Disintegrator

-15 Range

10,000§

5

-10 damage, palyload 1/5

+2,500§

Gauss Rifle

-5 Damage, -100 Range 1,500§

Laser Rifle

-3 Damage, -15 Range

2,000§

Plasma Gun

-5 Range

4,500§

Example: The ubiquitous Grog the Ogre gets a plasma gun linked up with a laser rifle. The plasma gun has a regular damage rating of 32, while the laser does 22. At long range, the linked weapon will do 17 Piercing. At short range both weapons will hit, and it will deal (17+27 = ) 44 points of Disint damage. Instead of having to drop one weapon and ready another, Grog can just flip a switch.



Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Page 204

Payload Modification Palyload modification is the art of getting a weapon to store more ammunition. This can be acomplished in several different ways, all of which are somewhat bulky and unwieldy. First, the clip itself can be made larger (often called a bananna clip). Second, the weapon can be hooked up to a hip mounted canister of charge or solid ammunition. Third, for the greatest payload, the weapon may be hooked up to a backpack. The table at the bottom of the page shows the effects, costs, and drawbacks of these modifications.

Payload Type

Modification

Cost

Banana Clip

Adds 20 to payload, No weapon changes necessary

200§ /clip

Hip Pack

Adds 100 to payload, Weapon may no longer use ordinary clips

400§

Backpack

Adds 200 to payload, Weapon no longer may use ordinary clips

1,000§

Page 205 Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

Example: An Archangel character (skin is AV 10) is wearing Warrior power armor (AV 20) and protected by a Force Shield spell (AV 16). The Warrior armor is the strongest, followed by Force Shield and the character’s own skin. The total armor value is 20 + 8 + 3 = 31 points.



Take the highest AR protecting the character and add 1/2 of the 2nd highest, 1/3 of the 3rd highest, and so forth down to the 5th highest. No more than 5 layers will be effective. Always round down in these calculations.



Because damage ratings and armor values are not really linear, multiple layers of armor do not simply add together. A weapon that can punch through one layer of titanium power armor has a reasonable chance to punch through the second layer as well. When a character is protected by mutiple layers of armor, use this method to find out the total Armor Value.



Defense Grids are the state of the art in damage control. They project an energy dispersion field to reduce the effects of attacks before they even strike the armor. Defense Grid value, if any, reduces damage in the same way as Armor Value. A Defense

Layered Armor



Force Field projectors are linked to Defense Grids (see below). They are effective against most attack forms, and absorb damage, after Defense Grids and before Armor Value. The generator is composed of a series of capacitors which are discharged in order to maintain the fields integrity. When all the capacitors discharge, the field fails and all remaining damage goes to the Armor Value. A Force Field projector typically weighs 5 pounds, and has a maximum field strength of 200 points (stronger fields have an unfortunate tendency to spontaneously short out). Force Fields must draw from the armor’s power supply — every 5 points of forcefield uses one point of power. Damaged Fields regenerate somewhat slowly. If you have the usual amount of Power invested in it, the field will be at full strength in one hour. Lowering the power consumption means a longer wait for a fully charged force field.



Armor

Grid Generator weighs 10 pounds and is capable of generating a defense grid of up to 35 points. No character may have more than one defense grid. A defense grid is linked inextricably to the underlying It’s a tough world out there. If characters are goforce fields. A suit of armor may not have a defense ing to keep themselves from getting wasted, they’re grid if it does not also have a force field. When the going to need some sort of protection. Technology force fields are depleted, the defense grid will fail. has provided the means for that protection, but The defense grid will come on line again as soon nothing’s cheap. as there is any force field strength. Every point of Defense Grid uses one point of armor power. Defense suits are a major business, and many varieties of armor are available, from ancient style Power armor is armor that has mechanized mobreastplates, to bullet-resistant clothing, to the lattors to reduce the effective weight the user feels. est in armor technology, the Enhancement Suit. They are effectively like a second skin, and can even With such a wide selection, it is important for one be used to enhance the wearer’s strength. There are to understand what armor specs mean. Armor has several advantages to power armor, including the five major specifications: Armor Value, Force Field ability to mount Force Fields, Defense Grids, and Projector, Weight, Defense Grid, and Options. more options. Power armor has no effective weight when worn, thanks to its motorized muscles. The Armor Value is the core of the armor system, listed weights only apply when the armor is carried measuring the general toughness of a material. The or stored (as in a breifcase or crate). Armor Value number is subtracted from the damage rating of every incoming attack. Any damage above Options are the extra little toys in armor that do the Armor passes to the character within. Armors various different things. They are what give a suit of with values below 15 are considered to be made of armor “personality”. For more information on the lightweight, damage resistant fabric and plates, and various options, see the section on armor options. may not mount a Defense Grid, Field Generator, and certain options. AV has a maximum value of 30 on armor other than Enhancement Suits. See the sidebar on page xx for the rules on “stacking” AV.

Combat Armor

Standardized Armors Note that standarized armor, even though it may come with certain options pre-installed, does not come with a power system. This must be purchased separately. Note also that the blurb next to these armors are from Ægis Corporation’s PR releases. Beware the hype.



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Light Armor

Spartan The favorite light armor of most mer-cenary companies! Spartan provides re-liable protection, and comes with a built-in grapple gun. Two basic explosive arm rockets add that knockout punch to earn this armor the high marks that it has received from battle personnel across the galaxies (See the Armor Options table later on for the rockets). Protex-1 At last! An affordable combat suit! Perfectly suited to hit-and-fade tactics, Protex is effective protection against lighter armaments and doesn’t hinder the wearer’s movement.

City Warrior Affordable and discrete protection. Capable of stopping several bullets before the wearer is harmed, Centurian this armor will hold up well in most stressful situaBuilding on the success of the Spartan, designtions. ers added a Field Generator to the Spartan chassis, resulting in an even more survivable armor. The old Street features remain, with camouflage paint added to Protection for the normal citizen. The streets make wilderness operations that much easier (+3 to aren’t safe anymore, and you should protect your- Stealth rolls in the wilderness) self. Street armor looks just like normal clothing, and will save you from some common street weapons. Gladiator Available in a variety of the latest styles. A very cost effective defense suit, Gladiator is the strongest light combat armor. Armor thickness Ninja is increased considerably over other light combat The best protection available in a light suit. Dark suits, but no Force Field is added. The armor is for sneaking through the dangerous cities, with face bladed to make the wearer a terror in melee combat wrap for added protection. And man is it sexy! (Use Knives skill, damage rating 5), and four explosive arm missiles handle ranged combat nicely (see Armor Options table later for the missiles).

Light Armor Name

Armor Value

Defense Grid

Force Field

Weight

Cost

City Warrior

5

-

-

5 kg

500§

Street

4

-

-

4 kg

400§

Ninja

5

-

-

3 kg

600§

Weight

Cost

Combat Armor Name

Armor Value

Defense Grid

Force Field

Spartan

10

-

-

10 kg

1500§

Protex-1

8

-

-

7 kg

600§

Centurion

9

-

5

13 kg

2000§

Gladiator

12

-

5

13 kg

3000§



Power armor is somewhat difficult to move in, and imposes a -1 penalty to Dexterity and Agility Heavy Power Armor (and to any skills based on these attributes, including attack rolls). However, they are partially mechanized Heavy power armor has the same drawbacks and can carry their own weight. They use one point and advantages as light power armor. of Power for every 20 kilograms. Rectifier Squire When it’s time to put things right in your world, The lightest armor in the heavy “Elite” series, or make things horribly wrong in someone else’s, Squire doesn’t fool around! Couple formidable ar- Rectifier is what you need. The price includes a mismor with a respectable Field Generator and Defense sile rack, grenade web, and grapple gun (grenades Grid, and throw in a simple computer and body and missiles not included). weapon mount (weapon sold separately), and you end up with the Elite in medium armor. Adamant Named for the ancient indestructible metal, Protex-2 Adamant is serious protection for those who don’t Second in the Protex line, this suit delivers no- want to worry about anything or anyone. Includes an frills protection in a mechanized frame. Able to with- advanced status monitor, MOH, and sonic filtration. stand several hits from most common heavy weapon systems, Protex-2 lives up to its name. Impervious So heavy that we had to build a new kind of hydraulic system for it. So tough that Armageddon had Destroyer A great combat suit, with the emphasis on the to build new weapons just to scratch it. So good that combat! Not only is destroyer extremely survivable, we just had to name it what it is: Impervious. Comes it also mounts a shoulder missile rack configured for with chaff launcher, radar, and MOH. eight explosive missiles and eight anti-matter warheads. Additionally, twin weapon mounts provide stability for your favorite firearms. If you want to be taken seriously, you want Destroyer!!!

Page 207

Name

Armor Value

Defense Grid

Force Field

Weight

Cost

Squire

15

-

10

120 kg

6,000§

Protex-2

17

-

15

130 kg

8,500§

Destroyer

18

2

30

140 kg

20,000§

Warrior

20

5

40

190 kg

50,000§

Heavy Power Armor Armor Value

Defense Grid

Force Field

Weight

Cost

Rectifier

22

10

50

250 kg

100,000§

Adamant

25

15

60

300 kg

130,000§

Impervious

28

20

70

400 kg

200,000§

Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

Light Power Armor

Name



Warrior The medium armor of the “Elite” series, Warrior boasts improved protection over Squire, with even



more extras! Includes Enhanced System Readout and MOH.

Light Power Armor

Power Cores

is light and dependable. This is used more often for corporate or governmental defense, since they actually have access to microwave power satellites (and PCs typically don’t).

These provide the power to run a suit of armor. Solar Cells Without a power core, the armor cannot fuel its This is a cheap but often effective power source. force field, defense grid, and many of its options. You may mount up to three power cores on any suit It does not provide much power, and has the disadvantage of not giving any power when the sun is not of combat or power armor. shining. It is often combined with a battery. Batteries are a special case. They store the listed amount of power, which can be drawn off a little Armor Power Cores at a time or all at once. Once empty, they may be Power Weight Cost recharged by a suit’s other power supplies or by an Type external source. Antimatter 125 85 kg 50,000§ Power cores other than Battery, Microwave, and Solar must be resupplied once per month, at a cost equal to ten times the power provided.

Antimatter

Provides plenty of power, but very heavy. When the core is damaged it will explode 20% of the time. This does a level 120 Disint attack to anything within fifty meters, with damage dropping off by half for each 50 meters beyond that. Antimatter fuel can be very difficult to find on less technologically advanced planets.

Battery

150

12 kg

2,000§

Major Fission

60

50 kg

60,000§

Major Fusion

80

60 kg

75,000§

Microwave

50

20 kg

50,000§

Minor Fission

45

30 kg

30,000

Minor Fusion

50

40 kg

45,000§

Solar

20

20 kg

2,500§



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Battery

Dependable and reliable. Can be recharged indefinitely. Each point of power it provides is gone until the batery is recharged. It may be combined with other systems as a backup or for additional power, and can quickly be recharged by other sources when the armor is not in use.

Fission

Relatively dependable cores, with an unfortunate tendency to release dangerous amounts of radiation when damaged.

Fusion

Probably the best all-around power core. It is dependable, has no tendencies toward mass destruction when damaged, and provides a more than reasonable amount of power. Minor Fusion cores are the most popular because of their low weight and more reasonable cost.

Microwave Reciever

This is good power source on a major industrialized planet. It gets its power from orbital satellites. It

What is Xenite? Xenite is one of a series of extremely heavy stable elements, discovered by humanity in the late 27th century. Xenite does appear naturally, and is known to have played an important part in the early history of the Inuueliting. In fact, the Inuuel Pool of Radiance is composed primarily of Xenite. The atomic number of Xenite is 114. Xenite has the peculiar property of storing and conducting Lording, which makes is why it is used in the manufacture of Enhancement Suits. No other element is known to do this and still be stronger than steel. Certain kinds of carbon and gold can store and conduct Lording, but none have the same strength. Currently most stocks of Xenite and Xenite mines are owned by Ægis Corp.

Page 209 Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

A suit bonds with its wearer. Nobody else may use the suit so long as the wearer lives, and in the case of his or her death, the suit must be reset before taking a new owner. This process takes two days at the proper facilities and is quite costly.



Cost / point 200§ 1,500§ 500§



Weight 2 kg per point 10 kg (total) 5 kg (total)



Power None 1/point 1/5 points



Item AV DG FF



Customized Armor



Below is the cost to custom-build your own armor. Start with one of the existing suits, and add on AV, FF, and DG until you have what you want (or run out of money). These same costs cannot be used to improve an existing suit of armor! Armor in 592 is Powers of All Enhancement Suits a sophisticated combination of interrelated systems, and simply slapping some steel plates on the outside When damaged, an Enhancement Suit regenerwill not make it protect more effectively. Increasing AV, DG, or FF requires rebuilding that pat of the ar- ates itself. It is nearly impossible to destroy an one, as mor entirely, paying the full cost for the new rating. even a single crystal will eventually reform. In such an extreme case, reformation would take weeks, Converting a non-powered suit to power armor possibly months. The pieces which are knocked off costs one thousand sections (1000§) for every kilo- eventually decay and turn into lead. gram of the suit’s weight. It adds 50 kg to the final A Enhancement Suit doubles its wearer’s weight of the suit, and uses one point of Power for every 20 kg (counting the mass just added and the Strength. mass of any added protection below and any accesXenite is capable of drawing on the Lording, but sories). may not focus it. Thus the suit was designed to allow Only Power Armor can have AV over 15. AV the wearer to make use of the excess energy. Each can never go over 30. DG cannot go over 25, and suit provides a certain number of Spell Points, which FF cannot be raised above 100. Defense Grids and are available to the wearer. Force Fields can only be mounted on Power Armor. Due to the symbiotic link, the wearer senses the suit as if it were a natural part of his own body. Thus, the suit feels and reacts like a second skin.



The Enhancement Suit is the most recent addition to armor technology. The secret to the suit is an unusual metal known as Xenite, found only on certain planets, whose locations and names are closely guarded secrets. The metal is partially alive, and it forms a symbiotic link with it’s wearer. It feeds off of latent brain activity and emotional “vibes”. In exchange, it offers superior protection and enhances its wearer’s normal abilities. The result is an armor of unmatched power. Xenite armor also provides power for all on-board systems by drawing directly on Lording energy, and this power supply is effectively inexhaustible. It can also drive a number of powerful effects of which normal armor is incapable.



Most armor has to be custom-built for the owner. Very few species (only Humans and Inuuel) can purchase the above armor right off the rack. All other species need to have their armor built especially for them. Because of this, most armor is custom built for the owner anyway. Even Humans and Inuuel have their armor custom-tailored to their individual fighting styles and combat preferences.

Enhancement Suits



Customized Armor Construction

Magus

An “entry-level” enhancement suit, Magus is the cheapest ES and the least structurally sound. However, it is nonetheless capable of taking a direct hit from most rocket systems and not having a scratch. Additionally, Magus is particularly good at pulling in extra Lording for it’s wearer. Includes 35,000§ worth of extras and mounted weaponry, of the buyer’s choice.

Whirlwind

Specter

A dream come true for ninjas, operatives, and other stealthy types. The Specter is not only very protective, but it carries a state-of-the-art cloaking device. When activated, Specter is undetectable by most normal means, granting a 20-point bonus to Stealth rolls. The cloaking device is also capable of mimicking 50 different forms, 30 of them programmable by the user. Carries 50,000§ in buyer-chosen options.

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Doppleganger



is coupled with powerful offensive capabilities for a terrifying combat suit. The suit is completely immune to electrical attacks. In fact, lightning damage will heal the force field generator on a point-forpoint basis! (Up to its maximum amount, of course.) The wearer is also capable of hurling a lightning bolt once a round for damage level 30 Disint attack, at a range of half a kilometer. 100,000§ worth of customization rounds out your suit.

There is nothing better for close combat. Whirlwind hyper-accelerates the wearer’s reactions, resulting in a +3 agility and double attacks. In melee, it quite literally looks like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. With 130,000§ sections of extra equipment integral to the suit, there should be little a character can’t handle.

Thrasher

A suit designed for intense fire fights, Thrasher utilizes advanced systems to link all weapon systems mounted in it to the user’s nervous system. The result is that up to eight armor-mounted weapons may be firelinked together and fired simultaneously. See page 106 for firelink rules. A quarter-million sections help you start to equip the suit to inflict some serious damage!

The amazing shapeshifting suit! Doppleganger has a semi-malleable surface that allows it to imitate the appearance of all known modern armors. Additionally, when it is purchased, the user selects a single fully-functional alternate shape which Doppleganger can take. This shape is limited only in that it may be no larger than the suit normally is Armageddon — motorcycles, large dogs, and servant droids are all The most powerful protection technology ever legitimate choices. When possible the normal functions of the suit will still be accessible. 150,000§ produced! Armageddon Suits are cus-tom made for discerning buyers. The buyer may select two worth of built-in equipment is included. of the “powers” from other ES’s (Specter’s cloaker, Thrasher’s targeting, etc.) that are included in the Thor Armageddon Suit. Add in half a million sections of This is a suit that the ancient god of thunder cutting edge options and weapons, and you have the would be proud to own. Extremely good protection ultimate war machine!

Enhancement Suits Name

Armor Value

Defense Grid

Force Field Spell Points Weight

Cost

Magus

30

25

75

200

30 kg

2,000,000§

Specter

32

27

85

150

40 kg

3,000,000§

Doppleganger

37

29

100

160

100 kg

4,000,000§

Thor

35

29

100

120

70 kg

5,000,000§

Whirlwind

36

28

90

100

43 kg

7,000,000§

Thrasher

38

30

110

110

95 kg

7,000,000§

Armageddon

40

35

175

150

130 kg

20,000,000§



Options



Armor options are devices that are added to armor to make them more useful under certain circumstances. This can include any number of things — environmental modifications, weapons, movement, sensors, etc.



Some modifications use up a certain amount of power while in use. Items with a Power rating may only be mounted on powered armor.



Remember that many species must pay more for armor. Armor options do not cost extra for those species or Ultramercs with similar penalties.



Environmental Modifications Air Tanks

Each holds 1 hour of air

2 kg

-

500§

Auto Clean

Keeps the armor clean with sonics

3 kg

1

5000§

Camo Paint

Gives +5 bonus to Stealth rolls in the apropriate environment.

-

-

100§

Camo Unit

Gives +15 to Stealth rolls in all environments

7 kg

5

400,000§

EM Shielding

This shielding will help to prevent a EM attack. Each point will act as Armor Value against any Blunt EM attack.

1 kg per point

-

4,000§ per point

Environmental Containment

Allows user to survive in space, underwater, or on 1 kg toxic planets

-

1000§

Gills

Allows user to breath underwater indefinitely

1 kg

1

4,000§

5 kg

3

250,000§

20

1,000,000 §

Solar Shields

Allows armor to survive inside of a star! Includes 15 kg both Environmental Containment and Heavy Radiation Shielding.

Missiles Warhead Type

Range

Damage

Blast Radius

Cost

Plasma

400 meters

30 Disint

20 meters

5,000§

Explosive

350 meters

25 Blunt

15 meters

2,500§

Antimatter

350 meters

45 Disint

300 meters

10,000§

Smoke

450 meters

Smoke

300 meters

500§

Biological

400 meters

Disease

250 meters

1,000§ +

Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

Heavy Radiation When combined with Environmental ContainShielding ment allows user to survive on high radiation planets or in nuclear areas.



Power Cost

Page 211

Weight



Effect



Type

Sensors Type

Effect

Range

Weight Power

Cost

Active Sonar

Allows user to detect objects in liquids.

5 miles

1.5 kg 2

10,000§

Advanced Status Monitor

Gives +5 to any medical rolls made to Self help the user. Also can administer Blood Stoppage Patches and Rejuvination Patches instantly at the user’s request.

1 kg

1

15,000§

Basic Computer

Speed 8, Power 8, Flow 1, Memory 20, Self includes a few basic programs. Can interface with other components.

1 kg

1

500§

Enhanced System Allows user to switch power between Armor Readout options

1 kg

1

20,000§

MOH

Vision equal to ultramerc cybernetic eyes

1 kg

1

5,000§

Passive Sonar

Allows user to detect loud objects in 2 miles liquids

1 kg

1

5,000§

Radar

Tracks up to 100 targets simultaneously

2 kg

5

25,000§

Sonic Filtration

Filters sound in order to listen to specific 200 m sounds or conversations

1 kg

1

2,000§

Sonic Amplifier

A very sensitive microphone

1 kg

2

1,500§

Terrain Imaging

Allows accurate mapping of terrain and As per 2 kg surroundings when combined with Radar or Radar or sonar. Allows attacks outside the character’s Sonar visual range, up to 3x weapon range.

2

35,000§

X-Ray Imager

Allows user to see through substances less 50 m dense then lead.

3

40,000§

Varies

50 miles

1 mile

1 kg

Page 212

Effect

Speed

Weight Power Cost

Aquatic Propulsion

Allows the user to move freely underwater

50

15 kg

12

8,000§

Climbing Unit

Allows user to climb any surface via mono- 15 molecular hooks

2 kg

-

25,000§

In-line Skates

Allows for faster movement in paved areas. 40

2 kg

-

1,000§

Jump Boosters

Allows user to jump incredible distances, 100 m but not fly. leap

5 kg

10

1,500§

Jetpack

Allows flight. Boosters in backpack.

25 kg

15

5,000§

Mini-Jet Flight System

Allows flight. Small boosters in feet, chest 200 and back

4 kg

16

50,000§

Skis

Skis.

3 kg

-

3,000§



Type

Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

Movement

200

40

Personal Enhancement Type

Effect

Power

Cost

Loudspeaker

Extremely loud (up to 150 db)

1

8,000§

Strength Boost

Adds to the character’s strength while in armor.

1 per point

5,000§ per point



Weapons Effect

Damage

Range

Weight

Power Cost

Bladed Armor

Armor is covered in blades or spikes

3 Piercing

-

2Kg.

-

2,000§

Explosive Arm Small rockets are mounted on the arm. 17 Blunt Rockets The maximum number per arm is the user’s Size.

100 meters

2Kg.

-

700§ each

Chaff

Allows the user to forfiet an action to destroy any incoming missile or rocket.

-

4Kg. each

-

100§ each

Grapple Gun

Allows user to grapple to objects or 2 Piercing people. Test strength is 2 tons

100 m

2Kg.

1

500§

Grenade Web

Allows user to mount up to 30 grenades on chest. Magnetic clamps for easy access.

-

0.5Kg.

-

45§

Mega Rack

Allows up to 30 missiles to be mounted. Missile Missiles can be of any type

Missile

30Kg.

3

45,000§

Mine Layer

The mine layer holds 5 mines. The 30 Blunt mines can be set to proximity or contact. Proximity will hit any target within 2 meters

5 m radius

35Kg.

1

10,000§ plus 2,000§ per mine



Missile Rack

Allows up to 16 explosive missiles to be by missile mounted. Can only hold Explosive or smoke missiles.

Missile

20Kg.

2

30,000§



Self Destruct

A last ditch attempt. Has timer with up 150 Disint to 2 hrs on it.

50 m radius

2Kg.

2

50,000§

Weapon Mount

Magnetic holster for a weapon.

-

1Kg.

1

200§

Zap Generator

This device electrifies the armor. Anyone 15 EM touching the surface takes damage.

-

6Kg.

10

8,000§



Type



-

Page 213

Here’s a question for you: Where did your character get all those nifty weapons? Sure, you can probably buy a low-grade laser pistol or gauss rifle at a gun shop in the city. Maybe some higher-grade stuff at a trade show or military-surplus. However, that K-120 Pulverizer™ Gatling Laser — where exactly does one buy that sort of thing? It’s probably illegal to ship it by mail, it’s not something that most countries will let someone sell, and it’s quite expensive to boot. Where did it come from? Weapons’R’Us? Most characters will get their weapons and armor (and other high-grade equipment) through their employers. If you work for GT, they can get almost anything for you. Freelance characters will have to pick it up “on the job” - that is, steal it from other people or buy it from their temporary employers. Characters who are more of the adventuring variety, with no stable employers, will have to go looting after they get in a fight, or will have to stay with the lower-end stuff. Either that, or they can start their own military, and order it directly from Armageddon or Ægis.

Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

Weapons, Armor, and the Corner Store

Cybernetics Ever since humankind has learned that some wounds would not heal he has dreamed of replacing missing parts. The simplest would be akin to the peg leg. For most sentient beings, as their knowledge of the universe increased, so did the sophistication of that species’ cybernetics. With the dawn of biomedical sciences and electrical engineering came the possibility of blending a being’s nervous systems with a computer. In the galaxy today this is the most common form of cybernetics.



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Page 214

In the most technologically advanced places cybernetics are not a necessity. Genetech can graft a fully living limb or organ to a host individual with miraculous results. Even more common than limb grafting is limb regeneration. Using a complex series of electro-chemical reactions, a modern medical facility can transform one kind of cell into another kind. Previously dead cells become new, rapidly growing ones, and in time the patient grows a new, fully functional limb. The process is painless and takes a few hours. More time is spent in recuperation, building up lost muscle strength. Cybernetics are no longer a necessity, but are now a convenience and a powerful tool. Through cybernetics it is literally possible for a complete wimp to be transformed into a super-human juggernaut overnight.

Military Cyber vs. Civilian Cyber All of the cyberware described in the Valence main book is considered to be military-grade cybernetics. Most people will never see military-grade cyber available for purchase on the open market, but they will see civiliangrade cyberware. What’s the difference? Military cyberware can reboot. Both types of cyberware will shut down when hit with an electromagnetic pulse — i.e., when they take EM damage. Military cyberware will come back online in a few minutes. Civilian cyberware won’t. Civilian cyber will never come back online until it is checked out by a doctor and some simple surgery is performed. It’s also about ten times cheaper than military cyberware. In game terms: anyone with military cyberware who is hit with EM damage is disabled for a number of minutes equal to the damage level. Blunt EM damage ignores all types of armor, but can be stopped by a force field, defense grid, or armor with the “EM Shielding” accessory.

Reconstructions

The old saying, “When it looks too good to be true, it probably is,” holds true here. With all the advantages that cybernetics presents it also has its drawbacks. Electromagnetic waves and pulses can cause problems for the unprepared character. Cybernetic systems don’t heal the way that bone and muscle do, and can’t even be fixed by Duelists. Surgery is necessary to repair any break or, more frightening to some, any bend.

These skeletal reconstructions are very similar to the titanium bone structure which can be found in many Ultramercs. Reconstruction does not make the character any stronger or faster, but it will make him or her more durable. Each reconstruction gives the character +1 to Stamina. They also allow the character to ignore effects which indicate that a particular part of the body has been “destroyed” (though “useless” results still apply).

The cybernetic modifications on the following pages are the most common ones available. There are others but these are either rare or not as useful. In the tables below items marked with an asterisk require some kind of reconstruction before the enhancement may be taken. Weapons require that the location of the weapon have reconstruction. Movements and accessories require that the legs and spine have reconstruction.

If the parts and surgery are available at the same place (a good hospital, for instance), the cost of surgery is reduced by 50%. Otherwise the doctors will insist on double-checking the parts. Getting cheap cybernetics or surgery, or not checking over your parts, is an extremely bad idea.



Arm

Ribs and Spine



Cost: 200,000§ parts, 300,000§ surgery A head reconstruction involves replacing the bones in the head (including the jaw) with a composite non-magnetic metal. Any head damage that Hips kills the character is assumed to have destroyed the Cost: 100,000§ parts, 100,000§ surgery artificial skull, not the matter inside. Unless special This is used more for medical reasons then enprecautions or weapons are used by the attacker, hancement. It replaces both hips, and is very poputhe character’s brain will most likely survive to be lar amongst elderly Armageddon execs. cloned.



unconscious and in need of serious medical attention within the hour, but has not been immediately killed.

Head



Cybernetic Accessories



Cost: 100,000§ parts, 100,000§ surgery Cost: 200,000§ parts, 300,000§ surgery The arms are typically rebuilt for enhancement Rib reconstruction is used to replace damaged purposes, or in case of particularly malignant canribs or to protect the heart and lungs. The spine is cer. typically replaced at the same time. If the character suffers damage to the torso that would instantly kill him or her, it destroys the ribs or spine instead, leaving the internal organs intact. The character is

Parts Cost Surgery Cost

Defense Grid Generator

The character may have a defense grid linked to his force field (see below). The max strength of the grid is 25.

10,000§

2,000§



Mechanization Adds to Strength. Max Strength is 8 without full reconstruction or titanium bones. With titanium bones or full reconstruction it may go as high as 15.

2,000§

2,500§



Personal Force The character has a built in force field generator. The Field strength of the field may not exceed 50.

3,000§

1,750§

Reflexes*

Each level of reflex enhancement adds one action per round 50,000§ to a maximum of four more actions (max of 10 actions).

40,000§

Subdermal Armor

Puts plates beneath the skin. Each time this is bought the character’s Armor Value improves by one. Max level 20.

10,000§



Effect

Page 215

Type

4,000§

Type

Effect

Max. Speed

Parts Cost Surgery Cost

Aquatic Propulsion*

Allows the user to move freely underwater

50 m

80,000§

110,000§

Climbing Unit

Allows user to climb any surface via mono-molecular hooks

15 m

250,000§

400,000§

Enhanced Speed

This may be combined with any locomotion type. It adds +1/+2/+1 to the locomotion type it is applied to it may be purchased up to five times (+5/+10/+5).

-

50,000§ 75,000§ each time each time

Jump Boosters*

Allows user to jump incredible distances, but not fly.

100 m leap

35,000§

40,000§

Mini-Jet Flight System*

Allows flight. Small boosters in feet, chest and back.

200 m

500,000§

600,000§

Valence Main Rulebook: Cybernetics

Cybernetic Movement

Leg

Cost: 125,000§ parts, 125,000§ surgery Legs are generally rebuilt for the same reason that arms are. They are very important for movement enhancements, and any leg-based movement enhacement will require rebuilt legs. It’s no fun to shatter your ankles every time your jump boosters kick in.

Wings

Cost: 230,000§ parts, 200,000§ surgery Wings are not usually replaced, but there are sometimes medical reasons to do so. Reconstructed wings are also required for anyone (except an Archangel) who wants to build other cybernetic enhancements into their wings.



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Cybernetic Weapons Weapon

Damage

Range

Effect

Parts Cost

Chainsaw Arm*

18 Slashing

-

A big monofilament chainsaw. 50,000§ It may be mounted on the forearm, or may be used in place of a hand. There is no cost difference, but if a hand is lost then take Dex -4 and App -4

75,000§

Chest Saw*

15 Slashing

-

A bear hug does damage. 75,000§ Tiny saws in the chest do the damage. Ick.

75,000§

Elbow Spike*

Str+4 Piercing

-

Retractable spikes in the elbow. 50,000§

45,000§

Finger Blades

Str+3 Piercing

-

Blades are concealed in the 12,000§ finger tips. They retract or emerge at will.

20,000§

Forearm Harpoon*

10 Piercing

20 m

On a hit that does damage the 45,000§ target is entangled and may be reeled in. Can be used as a grappling hook.

70,000§

Forearm Drill* 15 Piercing

-

A long drill that is retractable in 35,000§ the forearm.

50,000§

Full Claws*

Str+5 Piercing

-

Large retractable claws 25,000§ concealed in the forearm.

30,000§

Heel Spike*

Str + 6 Piercing

-

Similar to the elbow spike.

60,000§

Implanted Energy Weapon

Weapon Damage Varies

The character has had an energy 12,000§ weapon built into his body. + cost of Such weapons are usually built weapon into the arm, but may be built into the leg, shoulder, or chest.

80,000§

Implanted Melee Weapon

Weapon Damage -

Some characters have melee 5,000§ weapons built into their bodies. Considered barbaric by most societies.

2000§

Knee Spike*

Str + 5 Piercing

-

Similar to the elbow spike.

53,000§

Razor Boomerang

Str + 7 Slashing

50 m

A large energized blade that 100,000§ has the ability to return when launched. It takes two seconds to come back.

70,000§

60,000§

Surgery Cost

80,000§



Cybernetics and “Humanity”

Some games consider cybernetics to be “dehumnizing,” that they somehow remove part of someone’s essential being. Valence makes no such assumptions. Even if we put aside the fact that most people in the galaxy have no desire to be Humans, saying that cybernetics remove part of someone’s humanity is like saying that a prosthetic leg is evil and wrong. It’s not; it’s just a replacement.



Cybernetic Sensors and Communication



Range

Parts Cost Surgery Cost

Active Sonar

Allows user to detect objects in liquids.

5 miles

15,000§

100,000§

Advanced Status Gives +5 to medical diagnosis performed on Self Monitor this character

20,000§

350,000§

Basic Communicator

The character has radio, Infrared, and cell phone reception/transmission capabilities

50 Miles

2,500§

500§

Basic Computer

Speed 8, Power 8, Flow 1, Memory 20, includes a few basic programs. Can interface with other components.

Self

500§

1000§

Computer Link

The character can link to a computer an self receive data from it. The character does not need peripheral devices to perceive data. All data is superimposed into correct sense.

250§

50§

Cybernetic Ears

Identical to Ultramerc Cybernetic Ears (see page xx)

n/a

55,000§

8,000§

Cybernetic Eyes

Vision equal to Ultramerc Cybernetic Eyes (see page 73)

Varies

58,000§

10,000§

Passive Sonar

Allows user to detect objects in liquids

2 miles

7,000§

7500§

Radar

Tracks up to 100 targets simultaneously

50 miles

25,000§

35,000§

Tachyon Communicator

The character has tachyon reception and transmission capabilities.

25 LY

10,000§

12,000§

Terrain Imaging

Allows accurate mapping of terrain and surroundings when combined with radar or sonar.

Radar/ Sonar Range

35,000§

20,000§

X-Ray Imaging

Allows user to see through substances less dense then lead.

50 m

40,000§

12,000§



Effect



Weapon



However, there must definitely be something wrong in the head with any character who buys the Chest Saw or Chainsaw Arm cybernetic weapons. A cybernetic forearm drill is understandable if you’re a carpenter; a giant saw in your chest so you can bear-hug someone to death is just sick.

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GM Advice This chapter is here to give novice Game Masters a few pointers as to how to run a game, and to give experienced GM’s a bit of an inside look into why we did things the way we did. If you’re a Player instead of a GM, don’t feel bad about looking through this section. There are no “spoilers” here, unless your GM is using some of our pre-generated NPCs later on. This section is separated because most Players won’t need to know anything about how to run the game, not for secrecy. For secret info that only the GM should know, check out the Little Book of Metaplot on our website.

Beginnings Getting the Party Together



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(and keeping them that way)

Getting your heroes together starts before the first game session, during character creation. If someone wants their character to have a Major Phobia of Budetug, and someone else wants to play a Budetug, one of those ideas will have to go. There’s no way the two could be together in one party. On the other hand, someone with a hatred of Budetug might be forced to work with one anyway. Life’s like that. When your players create their characters, beware of things that make the group less feasible, as well as those that might tear the group apart. If you want to run a war story, you better tell everyone, because otherwise you might end up with more Merchants and Diplomats than you wanted. If it’s a more social game, a Ninja will be left out of the action. Telling your players what kind of game you’re running is important to making the group more cohesive. Once you have your (nearly) ideal group of characters, the first session should bring them together. The old traditional “you meet in a tavern on a cold windy night” might be cliché, but once you realize that it is cliché, you can use it that way. It’s a good way to start off a tongue-in-cheek game.

Other ways to bring characters together include: • Draft them all into the military. • Have one of the wealthier characters hire the others to accompany him on a journey. • Have them all survive the same disaster; they’ll probably want to investigate it. • Have them all captured by the same people. The PC’s wake up in a room together, with no idea where they are and who else is there. Of course, you need a good backstory as to why all these disparate people were brought together... • Have them all blackmailed by the same person who hires them. • Each of the characters is investigating the same occurrence, and they run into each other. • Tell each of the characters that he already knows one or two others. Getting them together is just a matter of a friend calling a friend. There are some additional suggestions in the “plot seeds” section later on. No matter how you do it, you need some way to bring the characters together within the first session or two. Unless, that is, you start off by saying, “you already know each other.” You could start by informing the characters that they’ve worked together before, and when a bad situation comes up they’re used to relying on each other. This method requires the most pre-game work in character creation. You may need to tell everyone how they originally met — whether they met through one of the aforementioned ways or some other method — or you may just leave the explanation for later and tell them, “what’s important now is that you’re together, not how you got there.” Keeping the party together is a relatively simple matter of making them all interested in the same thing, and finding some way to settle in-game personality conflicts. If there are out-of-game personality conflicts, well, there’s not much we can do to help with that.

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things happen. Change is important, inevitable, and First, sometimes the winner of a confrontation not always for the better. It’s up to your characters to will be clear from the outset. If your players are heavsee that it does come out for the better as often as ily armored and wielding weapons with a pulse ratpossible. ing, and they run into unarmored and lightly armed opposition, you know who’s going to win. Likewise,



Culture clash. Every culture in the galaxy is starkly different from the others. In this day and age, Out of darkness comes the light, but the bright- no one recruits people into their culture by sitting on est light casts the darkest shadows. Nothing in the fence or being a sideliner. The smarter cultures Valence is good or evil forever. There are, in the will intentionally try to make themselves different, so Valence universe right now, some things which are that they stand out from the crowd and don’t get hit totally and utterly evil, and others which are com- with a case of mistaken identity. pletely devoted to helping others and selflessness. Some of the minor themes you may wish to The evil things will not be evil forever, and the good ones have not always been that way, and will not investigate are: Exploration. Many species and cultures have a always be that way in the future. It’s important to remember that all living beings have the seeds for powerful urge to know what’s over the next horizon, both great evil and great good inside themselves. to find new worlds and interesting phenomena. The effects of technology. The Valence universe The Budetug Empire was created out of a good is somewhat familiar because the technology there desire (to be free), eventually became corrupt and decrepit, and the Budetug Core Culture (the remnant is used much in the same way as technology on 21st of that empire) now is one of the forces for good in century Earth. That’s going to change eventually. Strength in numbers, and the power of teamthe galaxy. Eventually it will become evil and good again by turn — it may take thousands or millions of work. This is actually a theme in almost all role-playyears, but that’s the way of all things in the Valence ing games. That’s why there is a “party of adventurers” or a “pack of creatures” or what have you in all universe. RPGs: people working together can be much more Freedom is everything. The Budetug rebelled effective than people working separately. against Inuueliting slavers. The Demons revolted against their jailors, the Human Empire. The Archangels fought even the stubborn Budetug to a Combat Pacing and Drama standstill for the right to govern their own planet. Freedom and independence are important to evCombat has the potential to be the slowest part eryone (even if no one can truly be independent of of any RPG. Deciding who to attack, whether to others), and the urge for freedom is one of the forces dodge, who to help out, etc. takes up a lot of time. that drives our galaxy. We’ve all seen combats which supposedly lasted Change the world, or someone else will change thirty seconds of game time going for an hour of it for you. Never be afraid to do something that up- real time or more. Here are some ideas for speeding sets the status quo, because that’s the only way that things up.



Role-playing games can be played in may ways, from the hack-and-slash style of dungeon crawling to very social and convoluted court games. It is our aim in Valence to allow you to play in any style that your Game Master is willing to use. However, there are a few themes running through what we’ve written that you may notice. We hope that these will help to shape your games.



The Themes of Valence



The Storyline

Culture and corporation hand in hand. GT, Aegis, and Armageddon all started as just normal companies. Each of them found a “corporate ethic” that appealed to many people, and now they employ entire planets. Culture doesn’t have to be based on physical proximity, physical appearance, or heritage. Sometimes, especially for a young culture, it’s enough to find an idea that everyone agrees in. As the company’s profits increase, so the culture’s population grows. As the population becomes happier, the company runs better. Not everyone realizes that they’re a wheel in the great machine, but it certainly impacts their lives.

if the party’s Diplomat and Merchant are ambushed However, you need to know your group well beby some guy in an enhancement suit, they have fore dealing with things like this. Some people aren’t three choices: talk their way out, run, or lose. very comfortable with sensitive issues. For example, when confronted with a gay romance in the game, In these situations, you may not even want to roll some people will be sickened, others will think it’s any dice. unusual, some will cheer, and still others will hardly blink. It’s the same way with some groups and racial Of course, your players might not like it when or religious issues. you don’t even give them a chance, but let’s face it — if they have no chance to begin with, rolling the As always, tact is the key. If you think your group dice and losing will just be more frustrating. If they can handle it, more power to you. If nothing else, come up with an interesting way of getting out of the dealing with sensitive issues will make your game situation, and you think it will work, let them go for more realistic. it — but let them know they’re feeling overwhelmed too. As a final note, we just want to make sure that you know that Valent Games does not condone realIf it’s important for the plot for the PC’s to get life prejudice against any group, regardless of their captured by ninjas, make sure you send enough race, gender, sexual preference, religion, or whatof the right ninjas, well-equipped. If it’s clear that have-you. It may make for a good story in the game, they’re going to lose, a lot of players will realize that but outside of the game it’s a sign of ignorance, and this really just is a part of the plot, nothing they can not very nice either. do about it, and eventually it will be their turn to beat on the ninjas.

Using the Metaplot



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These techniques are best used sparingly. Valence is not a diceless system, nor is it meant to be. If your PC’s waste or are wasted by everyone they encounter, they might feel that some of the more interesting parts of the game are falling by the wayside. The key here is to be flexible. Be ready for your PC’s to come up with something weird that will wipe out dozens of ninjas, because that’s what PC’s do. If you have combats that don’t involve the characters, think about what the outcome will be. If it’s part of the plot, then just describe the battle the way you think it should be. If the combat could go either way and your plot would still be intact, then by all means roll the dice and see what comes out. You don’t need to roll for every single attack and defense, either. One of the best GM’s I had simply rolled once each round for each side, added in skill, and told us what happened.

Dealing with Sensitive Issues There are three issues which many traditional RPG’s stay away from: sexuality, religion, and race. Rather than trying to avoid these issues in your game, we have a different suggestion: deal with them headon. They’re some of the most important issues in the world today, and to avoid them would be to ignore some really great roleplaying opportunities.

A metaplot is a story told across many separate stories. Valence, while not possessed of a strong metaplot, does have one. The basic story of the Empire, its Fall, the rise of Genetech, and the joining of GT and the Coalition through Project Endeavour is our metaplot. There will be more of it as Andromeda is explored, and there’s also the Archangels’ and Dark Beings’ prophesied threat on the horizon. There are two basic approaches to dealing with metaplot. First, you could ignore it. Set your campaign in a world of your own creation. Don’t buy Andromeda when it comes out, don’t worry about the Idunok or the Dark Beings, and just run your own world. There’s nothing wrong with this. You could do this because you don’t like our plot, because you think you can do better, or just for a change of pace. Second, you could have your campaign be at the very heart of the metaplot. This will require either buying the Little Book of Metaplot (a future supplement), or developing more of the plot on your own. This is a truly epic game. Your characters can and should end up right in the middle of everything, with their choices dictating the fate of millions. This is what Valence is all about, at least for us: a world where the characters have the opportunity to change everything.



Using the Major NPCs

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Later in this book is a list of non-player characters, designed to give some of the feel of the Valence universe and to be a resource to you, the GM. Some of them (the Monk, the Father) are real movers and shakers across the galaxy. Others (Windrider, Grey Man) are there as plot elements and to give a bit more flavor and possibility. Still others (Chris Schmo) are there to use as generic people when your group Certain parts of the metaplot can be altered decides to haul off and attack the security guards. without too much trouble. For instance, the Threat Here are some suggestions as to how to use these can be pushed farther away in time, so that there’s characters. more time to explore Andromeda. You could decide The movers and shakers may never be encounthat you want to have the players investigate Earth intered by the characters. However, their every action stead, which is a perfectly viable thing to do. Maybe Project Endeavour runs into a snag and completes will have important repercussions, so it goes without sometime after your PC’s explore Earth. Maybe it saying that the characters will feel their effects. goes off on time anyway, and right in the middle of When the Father visits an enclave of Archangels, their exploits on Earth your PC’s hear about a need everyone notices — and wonders why. When the for brave heroes in Andromeda. Moving these events Monk hacks something online, everyone gathers to around in time is the simplest way to muck with the witness the aftereffects. While the characters should rarely, if ever, interact with these people, they can metaplot. serve as the “living legends” whose heights the Unless you’re going to ignore it entirely, how- characters may aspire to. NPC’s at this level can also ever, certain parts of the metaplot are almost writ- make good allies and sponsors (or very nasty recurten in stone. The ancient connection between the ring enemies!) for the party as a whole. Archangels and the Dark Beings of Andromeda is the Below that lofty height lies every other NPC. best example. Remove this link and you lose a lot of the feeling of Valence. It’s up to you as to what stays Many of them will have goals that the PC’s could help them reach, and all of them have something and what doesn’t — after all, it’s your game. they could give the PC’s in return. In essence, they are The Little Book of Metaplot is a separate book, adventure hooks. If your campaign centers around which we prefer to spreading out the metaplot across the Demons in any way, Grey Man is an ideal NPC all of our supplements. Naturally some of the sup- to use because of his relation to the Demons and his plements (like Andromeda) will be quite important if mercenary nature. NPC’s at this level can also make you intend to follow the metaplot, but you can also for a good recurring enemy for one member of the party, or, if they stay hidden behind their goons, for use them without caring about the metaplot at all. the party as a whole. One piece of metaplot we should mention here Then there are NPC’s designed only as templates. is the Endeavour Project. In short, it is a plan to creChris Schmo is literally your average human who ate a massive starship that can reach Andromeda. More impressively, it can reach Andromeda in a happens to work as a security guard. Not the best single jump, thanks to its souped-up tesseract drive in the world, not the worst by far; just your average and three cybernetically linked pilots. Many planets’ person. If you ever need some stats fast, try looking resources are being poured into this project from at these templates. both the Coalition and Genetech, and it figures big into the Andromeda supplement. In fact, in a way, this project is why there will be an Andromeda supplement at all! The ship itself, still incomplete, is hidden in a darkened nebula and will remain there until it is ready for its first test runs.



These are extremes, of course. You can swing back and forth to some extent, or can try to ride a middle path. The difficult part there is that once your players realize what’s going on, they’ll probably want to get right into the thick of things. No one likes to be left on the sidelines. If you ignore the metaplot, we suggest you ignore it completely. Don’t have the newspaper feature a brave group of adventurers who saved the day unless it’s your brave group of adventurers!

other items should be red herrings — false clues that the characters might pick up on, but which will only get them into trouble. You can stick with just headEver notice that any time someone opens up lines, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you could write a portal to another dimension in the movies, it’s a a small article. This also lets you keep track of the dimension of ultimate evil? current date in the game, if that’s important to you.

Sometimes it’s Nice Out

And it’s always supposedly because evil is inherently more interesting than good. “Things wouldn’t be interesting without evil around,” people say. Well, we don’t really buy that one. Pure evil is just as boring as pure good. Eternal night is no better or worse than eternal day.



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In short, evil is not what makes your campaign cool and interesting. Nor is good. It’s the conflict between them that’s important — the tension of different beliefs, the temptation to change sides, and the rewards each has to offer.

Another effective technique is to create your own secret list of what these events really mean. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiation in a game of Valence, usually driven by megacorps and governments. The sidebar below contains a sample “newspaper,” complete with the secret GM’s notes in parenthesis.

Winging It

There comes a time in every GM’s career, more often sooner than later, when the party wants to do Remember that there can always be tension be- something completely unexpected. Something that tween two good factions, or two evil ones. Even peo- would totally change the plot of the game, and might ple with the same basic beliefs don’t necessarily get take it in new and interesting directions. Something along. Look at all the myriad branches of Christianity — almost all have the same beliefs and goals, but The Daily Blab there are reasons they’re not wholly united. Despite Tuesday, March 14th, 592 their divisions, though, there’s little doubt that one church would help support another in times of need. Front-page news: Just because people disagree doesn’t mean one is • Tierkreis Titans win World Cup! (This is good and the other evil, or even that one is right and a general interest item — there’s no real the other wrong. meaning behind it.) • Evidence of Pollution Near Local Genetics Valence is a game in which evil is real. There Firm (Fallout from the group’s last successful are people out there who are capital-E EVIL, who mission attacking a GT subsidiary.) are irredeemable and can only be stopped by being • Fire Guts Apartment Complex, Police imprisoned or destroyed. Likewise, there are the inSuspect Arson (Foreshadowing for the corruptible, who will make the world a better place group’s next adventure: a runaway Titan.) no matter how hard it is for them. Don’t think, just because true good and evil exist, that they must be Inside: the focus for every game you run. • Stock reports: Ægis is up, GT is up, Armageddon is down. Grain shortage. (Always handy for the Merchant in the Weekly News group.) • A “Have You Seen This Boy?” picture. (The One Game Master technique which has been picture is of the aforementioned Titan.) used to great effect in live-action RPG’s is that of • More detail on pollution story; another the “daily” newspaper. The basic idea is that at the company brought in to clean up. (The beginning of every session, the characters are given other company is also a GT affiliate; the a list of events that they know about. characters might want to check to see whether this is a clean-up or a cover-up.) Some of these can be related to what the PC’s • Local millionaire dies tragically in boating have done in the past — perhaps a police writeup accident. (A red herring — it was just an on their latest exploits, or an article of praise for their accident.) negotiation efforts. Other items can be foreshadowing and hints for where the epic is going next. Still



which is in character for all of them, and would any hero points at all during the last game, 1 addimake for a good story. What should you do? tional point for any kind of heroism during the game, 2 points for endangering your own life in the defense Go with it. Wing it. of others, 3 points for a heroic action that saved a PC or major NPC, 5 points for completing a mission, There’s nothing much we can say about this, ex- and 20 points for completing a whole epic. cept that both planning and improvisation are needed to run a good epic. Without either one, it won’t Character Death be as good. If you’re not used to it, try your hand at improvisation some time — you might discover you Occasionally characters do die, whether by accihave a better Creativity score than you thought. dent, Player choice, or just plain stupidity (“Hey, let’s charge the Ogre with the plasma cannon, maybe he’ll get intimidated!”). Hopefully the last will be less common. If a Player decides to have his or her character die a noble death or sacrifice him/herself for the group, you should probably allow it. It’s often a sign that the Player can’t think of much to do with the character and needs a fresh one. Don’t feel bad Experience Points and Hero Points about bringing that character back as an NPC later Handing out experience points is one of two big (“Ha ha! You only thought I fell to my death!”). ways to reward player-characters (the other being How often characters die is, to some extent, up cold hard cash). Remember not to over-reward them. If you give out too many experience points, your to the Game Master. You pick the level of opposition characters’ skills will skyrocket, making them grand they face, you decide what weapons and armor they masters overnight. If you hand out too few, they’ll get can find, and you can occasionally fudge dice rolls annoyed at you for being so stingy. The only time you to keep the PCs alive. should give out very little XP on purpose is when a Players should be reminded that, while some player hasn’t been attending the game. characters in Valence are pretty sturdy, others defiFor a good balance, we suggest the following nitely are not. A Caractingessen or Ogre can take a awards. These are per person, not per group, though massive number of wounds without falling down, some of them apply to group goals: 2 points for and anything that doesn’t kill a Duelist outright will showing up. 2 points for self-sacrifice. Note that probably be healed in a minute or two. Conversely, this doesn’t have to be physical — if you give up all Inuueliting and Sa’crontor are quite fragile and won’t your money to a good cause, that’s a sacrifice too. stand up for long if they end up bleeding. Players 2 points for any action that saved someone’s life. 2 should know whether their characters are combative points for good roleplaying. 4 points for completing types or not, and should know to keep non-combat a single mission. Partial success does not mean fewer characters out of the fray points — you learn just as much from failure as from When a character dies the Player should be alsuccess, after all. Finally, give everyone at least 20 lowed to bring in a new character as soon as it makes points for completing a whole epic. sense. Maybe he or she can flesh out an important Additionally, have the whole group vote for the NPC who’s been following the party for a while. Mercenary or government-sponsored groups can be player who deserves each of these: assigned a special liaison. Independent groups can go out and recruit someone who just happens to be 1 point to the person who roleplayed the best. the new character. To put the new character at the 1 point to whoever came up with the best idea. 1 point to the most daring person (1 point bonus same power level as the old ones you should assign either additional XP or Background points. XP are if they actually succeed). more suited to a mercenary or spy-type game, while You should also give out hero points every game. Background points are more suited to a political We suggest awarding 1 point for showing up but not game. doing anything heroic, 1 more point for spending

Endings

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Game Mechanics

Using the Attributes

Valence has eleven attributes, which may be more than you’re used to dealing with. This lets us There are a few ideas and comments we had for split up the broad realm of human talent into a lot which there was no obvious location. They’ve been of very specific capabilities. Some games just have a put here. few broad categories, and while it works for them, it doesn’t work for us.



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Hired Goons

If you’re confused as to when to call for a stat check, or what certain stats are used for, here are Though it’s not very nice, a lot of cinematic some examples for you: games involve the idea of cannon fodder. If you want to have cannon fodder in your game, here are Example #1: A Riddle Contest some rules which will speed up combat when your Let’s say that your players have gotten their group of highly trained characters encounters Gang characters involved in a riddle contest. Let’s also say of Goons #2587. that you want to have this based on how well the characters answer riddles, not how well the players First, check the species of the goons and find answer riddles, so this should probably be based on their Stamina modifier. Multiply by ten. For humans, stat checks. Speed matters, and of course getting with a base stamina of +4, this number would come the right answer matters. Mental speed is covered out to a 40. This is the total amount of damage which by Creativity, so the stat checks should be done in you need to do in order to take out this goon. If your Creativity order. If you think the riddles call more weapon has a pulse rating, multiply damage you do for canonical answers and memorization, call for by the pulse rating. Don’t worry about wound levels a Knowledge check. If you think they’re more like — it’s not worth keeping track of 15 wound levels for logic puzzles, call for an Intelligence check. each guy when all you’re really worried about is how fast the PC’s will mow through them. Example #2: The Decathlon This time it’s a sporting event. Obviously a lot of Example: Joe the PC is up against three unnamed this will be determined by the characters’ Athletics Budetug goons who are really only there to slow skills rather than by statistics: things like Running him down. The GM decides that they have an armor and Swimming will come in pretty handy. You would rating of 10, and the above method means that Joe probably want to call for skill checks, and whoever needs to deal 50 levels of damage to each one in makes the highest check wins. However, you should order to take them down. If Joe has an assault laser probably also call for Stamina checks. After all, a dewith damage rating 25 and pulse rating 2, he’ll do at cathlon can be pretty draining, and not everyone has least 30 points of damage each time he hits one of the juice to finish. If someone fails the Stamina check them. you might want to allow a Mental Endurance check as well to see if the character’s mind overpowers the Oh, and assume that unnamed goons don’t failing body and carries it to victory. bother to actively dodge. Just use their passive dodge value. After all, they’re trying to damage the characExample #3: A Costume Party ter, and dodging would take away from that. In a traditional Inuuel social event, the characters are invited to a costume party. The goal is to Is this realistic? Of course not. No one trains guess who’s who without peeking under the masks. their goons that badly in real life. However, this is If the characters are unfamiliar with the situation, appropriate for campaigns that want to have the PC’s Knowledge rolls are probably called for, to see if be significantly better armed, better armored, and the characters remember who is who in the first especially better trained than their opposition. This place! After that, however, you should rely on the is also appropriate for any game where the main character’s Charisma to talk the information out of villain throws dozens of visored troops at his opposisomeone without having them realize it. Rolling tion and says things like “before I kill you...” Charisma checks for the characters and for an average person at the party will let you know how well your group did in this little contest.

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The “graded success” route only works when the character attempting the skill check has a Professional level of skill. By using this method, you are effec-



The plot route is to set the difficulty at the level you desire. Perhaps there are unforeseen circumstances that make the bridge harder or easier to build than usual — soft riverbanks make things harder, a free supply of building materials makes it easier, etc. Set the difficulty at whatever makes sense for your plot, and move on. If the actions are unimportant, having no real impact in the game then just don’t bother with a roll! A Professional level of skill means that the character could do this for a living. If it’s not too horribly important whether the bridge works, or if the players really need the bridge in order to get farther in the campaign, then tell them, “Ok, you work on making it, and in a little while you’re done. On to the next part.”



In cases like this, you will want to take one of two routes: the plot route and the graded success On the other hand, a lower-powered game can’t route. necessarily be created just by starting with fewer background points. You’ll have to reduce the number The plot route works anytime the character’s ac- of skill points as well. Reducing to half the number tions would either a: severely impact the plot, or b: of background and skill points should create a charare totally unimportant. acter who’s just ready to start out



The skill descriptions in Valence are pretty bare, primarily to save space. You may be wondering how high the target number should really be for certain tasks. For instance, let’s say a character with Engineering skill wants to build a short bridge. You, not being a civil engineer, have no idea whether that’s hard or not. What should the target number be?

If you want a higher-powered game, where the characters start out as the movers and shakers of the galaxy, the easiest way is to increase the number of background points you give the characters. You may also want to let them buy more than one Walk of Life, to indicate years of experience and help fill out their backstory some more. Tripling a character’s background points will let them start with twice as many skill points and another major advantage, or give them a dozen good contacts, or make them a millionaire, putting them on par with the best in their field.



Setting Target Numbers



By default, Valence characters are quite proficient at what they do. They’re not the galaxy’s best, but they’re definitely good enough to make a living, Reminder: the standard target number for any and they have a few advantages to help make things go their way. stat check is a 12.



High- or Low-Power Games



tively saying, “Your character has enough skill to complete this task. The better you roll, the better it will come out, but you have little chance of failure.” In the case of the bridge, only another Mechanical Engineer would really notice how well the bridge is built. To everyone else, it’s just a bridge.



Example #4: Your Senses In playtests many people have asked specifically about Visualization. The idea here is that your character’s senses will let you hear something, see something, smell something, etc. Your Visualization score lets you know more about what you’re dealing with and where it is. For instance, a Valorian would hear a thumping noise. With a good Visualization check, the Val would know that it’s a human heart, located down the hallway and around the corner, and whether the person is excited or not.

9. The game takes place (or at least starts) at a galactic meeting-place. A good example would be the Coalition Senate space station during the days of the Human Empire. Some characters can This section gives dozens of adventure ideas to be diplomats, some can be guards, others are help spark your creativity. They are arranged into secretaries or staff (or spies posing as the same). categories of culture and adventure type.

Plot Seeds



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Getting the Team Together

10. The PCs make up the majority of a planetary exploration team, either freelance or working for a particular culture.

1. Your team is composed of mercenaries, all working for the same company. This can 11. Not expecting to run into anyone else, the characters all bust into a bad guy’s headquarters work even if not everyone is a Soldier class; at the same time. Hilarity ensues. mercenaries still need repairmen and magi, after all. A Diplomat or Merchant could be in charge 12. All the characters should have died in the same of the business end. accident, but didn’t. It’s time to find out what’s going on here. 2. Many cultures (especially the Coalition) will hire local experts on a short-term basis to handle local problems. Your characters are 13. All of the PCs have found out about what’s happening on Old Earth or the Endeavour Project those experts, brought together by the same job (or some major piece of your own overarching without knowing each other beforehand. plot), and discover each other while searching for a common answer. 3. All the characters have been friends since childhood or school, and while they’ve taken different paths since then, those paths cross later 14. All the characters receive an anonymous letter (written on actual paper) from a mysterious in life. stranger, who asks them to meet him/her in a bar. The bar then explodes. Whether you want the 4. The PCs all witnessed the same strange event, PCs in the bar at the time depends on whether and are trying to put the pieces together and you want the plot to be directed against them, or understand what they’ve seen. against some relatively innocent 3rd party that they can assist. 5. The characters have been contacted by the enigmatic Monk (see page xx) and brought 15. Everyone in the group is after the same piece together for a mission of great importance. of famous treasure. This will make for a very adversarial game, but once in a while those can 6. All the PCs are being blackmailed by same be fun. person. This kind of game could easily start with “Let’s kill this guy who thinks he can blackmail us,” so have something ready for when this 16. One of the PCs (or possibly an NPC who’s always around) is very important to someone. The other inevitable event occurs. PCs are all hired to either protect this person or spy her. 7. The PCs have been working on parts of the same project for months or even years, and are only now meeting each other for the first time. There Generic Plot Seeds will need to be some event that brings them together, even if it’s as simple as a corporate 1. The team is tasked with retaking a planet from restructuring. another culture. This is a very broad plot seed, suitable for a long-running campaign. The means 8. The characters are all members of same blackavailable to the PCs will vary from culture to ops team. This works especially well if there culture, and the appropriate method will depend are Ultramercs in the party, since GT hires out on the planet and its citizens. Ultramercs for exactly these kinds of missions.

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9. An increase in immorality and crime on a 1. A strain of vitamin-enriched weeds have gone particular planet implies that GT or Armageddon berserk, overrunning a city indoors and out. It’s may be moving in on it. Go check out the not dangerous, per se, but it is very annoying situation and, if necessary, stop them. and bad for business. Did someone do this on purpose? 10. Someone is flooding the core worlds with fake Coalition ID cards — very good ones. 2. The team is sent to work on the Endeavour The higher-ups suspect that someone in the project, though they may not know what Population Tracking Office has been either they’re really working for at first. Transporting bribed, blackmailed, or replaced. starship parts, finding qualified personnel (and



Coalition Plot Seeds



8. Bait & Switch: The MacGuffin you have is the 8. The old Imperial Shipyards have been held by wrong one. Someone’s stolen it from under your bandits and outlaws for too long. It’s time to nose. Go steal it back. go in there and clean up. Alternatively, for a different starting point, the Shipyards have been 9. The [insert ruling body] is considering a successfully assaulted by bandits who now need particular course of action in the next sector to be removed. This kind of mission calls for a over. Information must be gathered, and your great deal of stealth and negotiation — anyone team has been chosen for the job. in charge of the Shipyards can bring some pretty heavy armaments to bear on anyone they notice coming in.



7. First Contact with a new minor species. This 7. Ægis seems quite interested in Old Earth, with kind of game should be relatively rare; adding more shipments to that system than are really dozens of new species who are just now coming necessary. Terra System is supposed to be a safe to maturity will really change the feel of the zone with no culture dominating. Find out what Valence universe. they’re up to.



2. In a mission similar to the previous one, go convincing them to join up), and other such take over a planet. This is a good campaign for operations will be common. propaganda-based characters, and for games that skip weeks or months between sessions. 3. On a similar note, the team is sent to remove Combat-oriented characters will need to be in enemies of the Endeavour Project. Again, the charge of some pretty heavy ordinance to be team may not even know about the project at useful in this kind of game. game start — just that Mr. So-and-so needs to be removed. 3. Retrieve/steal the MacGuffin from Location X. A MacGuffin is simply any important plot object: a 4. There’s been an increase in crime in City piece of new technology, an important person, a X. Go decrease it. There are two versions of message, etc. this: the organized crime version (possibly an Armageddon plot to take over the planet), and 4. Guard the MacGuffin. the disorganized version (which could have many possible causes). 5. Create a MacGuffin. For example, you could gather parts for better tesser drive, steal diagrams 5. Aid the Renaissance against GT. Bring them cash to build fast-maturing I.T.s, or other such and weapons, aid them with your skills, etc.. things. This will quickly become a “Guard the MacGuffin” game as soon as anyone outside 6. The old Imperial Senate library, which contains discovers what’s going on. some of the Empire’s most important and secret records, has been broken into. The Coalition’s 6. Explore a newly-discovered life-bearing planet, safety depends in part on that information not or perhaps one that isn’t life-bearing but has spreading. Stop the thieves from escaping with some interesting features nonetheless. the information they find.

11. A warlord from the Tertiary sectors (between the Core and the Quadrants) has set her sights on a 13. With the Coalition shutting down so many planet that is considering joining the Coalition. warlords near the Core, they’ve been moving Protect them and there’s no way they’ll refuse. outwards into the galaxy at large. Someone should really go take a mallet to those warlords’ heads. This works particularly well as an Genetech Plot Seeds Ultramerc plot. 1. Genetech runs on fads. Your characters are reporters, technical staff, and bodyguards. Go out to visit other cultures and “mine” their traditions for new fads 2. 3. 4.

5.



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6.

Renaissance Plot Seeds

Warning: the Renaissance isn’t really very nice. They’re fighting the “good fight” against GT, an orgaCoalition propaganda is working on Planet X. nization that really needs to be taken down a notch, Go fix that. but their methods can be quite extreme and the “terrorist” label isn’t completely incorrect. Renaissance activity is increasing on Planet X. Go fix that. 1. Bomb GT’s _____, where the blank can be filled in with Ultramerc facility, starship, trade route, The Renaissance’s actions are annoyingly civilians, space station, or an entire planet (using effective, and the higher-ups know that the a gravatic warhead). Coalition is behind at least part of it. Turnabout is fair play: go out and start a Renaissance-type 2. Sabotage or spy on that same _____ from above. group in the Coalition Good old-fashioned industrial espionage can be a lot of fun. Work with the Endeavour project (or against it, depending on what your boss thinks of it) 3. Thanks to some industrial espionage, your Renaissance cell found out about the Endeavour One of the media outlets on Planet Y has started project. Now what? Do you rethink your view broadcasting actual news instead of distracting of GT, or try to stand in the project’s way lest GT blather and propaganda. That will have to stop. corrupt another galaxy?

7. Collect new genes from a newly discovered lifebearing planet. 8. Retrieve a stolen Ultramerc. 9. Bring in a rogue Ultramerc. The team going on this mission will absolutely need to have one nonUM member, since GT doesn’t trust Ultramercs enough to show them how to administer loyalty drugs.

4. Lie low amongst some GT loyalists. Perhaps you’re trapped on a slow starship and need to wait things out until you get to the planet, but there are so many opportunities to sow chaos... Great for a one-shot.

Genetechnologies Sample Fads

For when you can’t think one up on short notice, here’s a list of 20 Genetech fads. Just roll one up (but 10. Check on a Starshielding or Planetary Shielding be sure never to reuse it!). Remember that each fad malfunction in System X. Chances are good it will come with a million variations, so feel free to was caused by sabotage, so it’s just a question of add your own twists. who’s behind it. 1. Clothing that displays animated sheet music for any tunes playing in the vicinity. 11. GT has acquired a new planet in a dangerous, war-torn sector. Your team is dispatched to install 2. Shimmering metal clothing that clings to the arms planetary shielding for this planet. and legs, mimicking the look of cybernetics. 12. A planet has started realizing how badly GT manipulates people, and is trying to spread the word. Go quiet them down.



Ægis Plot Seeds

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15. Pets. Living, robotic, or virtual, it makes no difference as long as you can show it around to 6. Ægis spends far too much each year on Xenite and antimatter. Go out into the galaxy and seek your friends. independent sources of these.



anything on time today. Very relaxed feel. This will severely annoy anyone who’s not in on the 5. Ægis is training a number of counter-black-ops teams for fast response. When an invading blackfad, as GT citizens miss meetings and deadlines ops team attempts industrial espionage, it’s your for no good reason. job to stop them.



12. Ancestor worship. Most people won’t really 3. The Ægis Traveler’s Society is looking for competent explorers and adventurers to help know what they’re doing, nor have any deep explore the edges of the galaxy. Sign up today! emotional attachment to the process. It just happens to be “in” today. 4. Your team is tasked with infiltrating another culture’s power structure — not just their 13. Home security systems. Everyone wants the best population, but the ruling class. This will be one they can possibly get. Even teenagers will be a very social game, and combat-oriented buying better door lock encryption. characters will have to hold the aggressive tendencies back a lot. 14. Ogre-style time sense: no one cares if they do



10. Maglev shoes that allow people to skate across 2. Your characters are a long-running, deep-cover the ground. spy group, working in another culture’s common populace. You’re primarily in place to observe 11. Telecommuting is today’s fad: no one’s actually and report... at least, until something goes coming to work, but they might be sending in wrong. One member of the team gets his or her holographic personas of themselves to talk to cover blown. Do you try to rescue them? Do you other peoples’ e-mail programs. Other cultures run for safety? You’re in danger either way.... will find interaction with GT difficult today.



1. Your team is assigned to guard a shipment of Xenite coming from the Inuuel Empire. Pirates 9. Hair with special microbotic “implants” that and buccaneers alike may try to take it from you make it wave in the breeze even when there’s no (the difference: buccaneers are sponsored by wind. another government...)

16. Mood rings.



8. High heels and platform shoes, the taller the better.



3. Earrings with tiny laser diodes that display psychedelic patterns on the ground around 17. Opposite day. An oldie but goodie: anything wearers. people say today will be the opposite of what they mean. Some misunderstandings may not be 4. Old-style operator telephones that attach to untangled for several days afterwards. the head, complete with tiny earphone and mouthpiece, in a multitude of colors. 18. Portable music boxes that play mood-themed music for everyone wearing them. 5. Business clothing for everyone, even kids. 19. Hair doused with a chemical that burns very 6. A yo-yo like ball that you can learn to do tricks slowly, at very low temperature, so that everyone with. has flaming hair without being in pain. Different additives alter the color and intensity. 7. Clothing that flashes advertisements for your favorite stores (based on info downloaded from 20. A cat fetish: cat-eye contacts, fake ears and tails, your credit account). May leave some people quick-grown whiskers, striped body paint, etc. rather embarrassed.

7. An R&D Independent Thinker (see page xx) 7. Things are getting a bit too complacent on a breaks loose on the Lattice. particular planet. People aren’t producing as well as they used to, and it looks really peaceful. 8. Your characters are an R&D team... or perhaps Go rile things up. their testing crew (read: guinea pigs). Every week is a new lab accident (or perhaps just a dangerous 8. One or two of the people on the team are success). This goes well with #5 above, as part of Cage Wrestlers, and everyone else acts as their the team can play lab security and the rest can bodyguards, promotional staff, accountant, and play researchers and guinea pigs. so forth. Makes for a rather amusing game. 9. A promising R&D prototype has been stolen by 9. Big Boss just died — fell down a flight of stairs freelance operatives working for an unknown onto some bullets — and the other families are culture. Go get it back from them. jockeying for position. Who’s going to be the next Big Boss? Can they actually keep Armageddon 10. Ægis’ R&D department is so large because they together, or will it splinter into a dozen factions? recruit from everywhere in the galaxy, and pay quite well indeed. Your job is to find scientists 10. You’re working hard to keep your planet one of and researchers, offer them a job, and protect the the few democratic ones in Arm space, and now until they reach Ægis space. the big guys are breathing down your neck about going back to the Boss system. Can you keep them away?

Armageddon Plot Seeds



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1. There are allegations of cheating in a recent Cage Wrestling match. Someone died. Go investigate.

11. Malfunction at the antimatter generation facility. Need we say more?

Inuuel Empire Plot Seeds 2. There have been several mining accidents recently in an asteroid belt in System Z. It could be sabotage, it could be careless work, or it 1. One of the princes/princesses has suffered could be two families starting a blood feud. No a horrible fall recently, and is recovering at matter what, it needs to stop. home. He/she has little memory of the event. Is someone looking to advance their place in the 3. A promising group of asteroids have been succession? discovered, and they’re ripe for mining. The problem? They’re in someone else’s star system. 2. A letter from the Xenite mines indicates that Go start an illicit mining operation: tesseract in, some suspicious individuals have been sighted grab the comets or asteroids, mine them as fast lurking about. Find out who these people are as you can, and tesser into other system with the and get them to go away. goods. Characters in this game will probably have a bunch of goons backing them up. 3. A group of Nesti have decided they want to join the Empire. While they seem serious, and would 4. Some uppity workers on Planet Y think they have make very good allies, they are... somewhat the right to insurance and fair pay. Go show uncouth, to put it mildly. Get them to shape up. them what we think of uppity people. 4. Someone is manufacturing contact lenses, which 5. Your boss has a serious problem with another are illegal in the Empire. They allow people to one. Assassinate this wiseguy and cover it up. seem as if they have different eye colors, which breaks the tradition of the Eye-Dying Ceremony 6. Ægis just created a piece of technology that (one can theoretically identify an Inuuel’s family could revolutionize weapons manufacturing (or by his or her eye color). Many in the court are so our spy in the place says). We can’t let them calling for this person’s head. hone in on Armageddon’s turf. Go swipe the prototype. 5. An expansionist planet claims to have discovered a weapon that will make the Inuuel Empire feared and powerful across the stars again. Are



they right, or are they being deceived? If they’re right, should anyone actually follow through on 6. No one knows how the Caractingessen imploded this? the star Vociferous Prime thousands of years ago, wining their final victory over the Budetug. All 6. A group of Danlec who live in a canyon nearby the Caract archmagi who knew the spell were are concerned that some new technology your there when it took effect, and lost their lives in planet has imported may be detrimental to the the process. Suddenly the star has reappeared, Inuuel empire. Having failed to convince people “unfolding” from the warped area of space to throw it away, they’re going around destroying around it, and millions of Budetug and Caracts it. from an older time are back. The Budetug must be worked back into a new society, and the 7. The war games honoring Miklar’halien are Caracts... well, some of them know the master about to begin. Will your characters participate spell that destroyed a whole star system (or at or watch? Who will win? All the Silke are quite least hid it away for over two thousand years)! enthusiastic about his, and will at least be What should be done here? reading about it in the newspapers. And what’s a war game without some foul play? 7. Portenthar is finally “cooling down” (radioactively speaking) and becoming more hospitable. Many 8. Rumors are spreading of a group called the tourists of other species are coming to visit. Your Al’nav Roshen (see page xx for the original group job is to be a security guard on the first visit, and of that name). What are these people up to? make sure that no spies sneak through.



Budetug Core Plot Seeds

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1. The Core Consensus has totally flipped out, 1. Rumor has it that a warlord has set her sights ordering military movements against the Budetug on your planet. The commune needs volunteers homeworld of Portenthar. Did this happen by for two phases of the operation: scouting the accident or did someone trigger it? Worse, is warlord’s capabilities before her fleet arrives, this somehow actually a correct interpretation and defending the planet once it does. of people’s wishes? How can the Budetug homeworlds be saved? 2. Your commune shares its planet with a small colony of Demons, who have been pretty nice 2. A defecting geneticist from Genetech is coming about sharing the planet with you. Unfortunately, in on the next starship. Safeguard him until he one of them is about to have children. She laid can reach Portenthar. 20,000 eggs, and the Demons will need a lot more space soon. Can you find a good place for 3. While out hunting in a game reserve, one of them and prevent armed conflict between your the Core Consensus’ programmers disappears. people and theirs? Did she run away on purpose? After all, the job is quite stressful. Is this foul play, and if so, by 3. One of your planets’ trading partners hasn’t sent who? a shipment for a long time, and is not responding to communications. Find out what happened. 4. One of the immortalist subcultures seems to have succeeded! Now this is worth investigating, 4. One of the people your commune ostracized for though they may not want anyone else to find various crimes is back — with some friends and out about it... some heavy weaponry. Kick him back off the planet. 5. A runaway stumbles across your group. He’s clearly been an outcast because of his birth 5. Some of the local elders seem to have problems “defects” (a different carapace color and determining where the commune’s resources asymmetrical pincers, one larger than the other). need to be allocated. Do they have a different He’s young, and it’s hard to say whether he’s agenda? A different viewpoint? Do they know serious about his parents wanting to kill him, or something you don’t? If so, why are they keeping whether he’s just exaggerating. What to do? it secret?



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5. While prospecting on a newly discovered planet, 6. Genetech is paying a visit, and not for their usual your team comes across a deposit of Xenite. On reasons (GT often tries to subvert and recruit the up side, you’ll probably be rich soon. On the communal planets). They suspect that your down side, everyone in the galaxy wants this planet is harboring Demons. If you don’t turn stuff, and most of them have no problem killing them over within the week, they’re going to hit you for it. your planet with a gravatic missile. There’ll be nothing left but a tiny black hole orbiting your 6. Someone from the Ægis Traveler’s Society has star. You have to save your home, one way or contacted you in the hopes of getting a ride to another. the next planet over. Halfway through the trip (while you’re in deep space waiting for the tesser 7. One of your friends wants to find out who his drive to recharge), you find out his credentials birth parents were. A good adventure for a highly are bogus. What is this person really up to? social group of PCs. 7. A Duelist is talking to you with this sob story about how an “evil archmage” needs to be Freelancer Plot Seeds stopped before she destroys this Lord’s home in the Lording Dimension. It’s all a bunch of mystic These are plot seeds designed for completely crap to you, but it pays well. mixed groups, where the balance doesn’t lean towards one particular culture. Many of these plots 8. One of your friends is starting a microcorporation, assume that your characters are the standard band of independent from the big guys. He needs two starfaring adventurers, complete with starship. things: some startup funds, and some protection (both legal and physical) from the megacorps. 1. The obvious plot seed: one of the cultures hires The payoff could be pretty nice. your group to take care of one of the tasks mentioned above. The Coalition is a very likely 9. You find a little lost Inuuel kid on the streets and employer, since this is part of their policy. take him in. Once you check him over, his eye color indicates he’s part of the royal family... but 2. You need cash — after all, maintaining a starship you’re nowhere near the Inuuel empire. Did he isn’t cheap. So you’re carrying a package full of manage to run away from kidnappers? What are precious stones to a collector on the outskirts of you in the middle of? the galaxy. As it turns out, these gems are highly radioactive. Did your seller know this? Does 10. A genetic researcher your group has helped your buyer? Did someone set you up? out in the past has found a way to give Nesti 3. Your starship uses a myriad of microbotic assistants for self-repair purposes. Recently they’ve been doing things a bit strangely — not always worse, but not the standard way either. Close examination shows that they’ve started developing an Independent Thinker (see page xx) in their processing core! This could be a problem, and not just for your ship — there are moral implications here too. Simply turn it off and you’ve killed a sentient life form. What to do? 4. Someone out there hates you. You were just minding your own business and suddenly there are assassins and ninjas after you. What did you do? Who did you piss off? How can you explain that it’s not your fault?

improved intelligence (at the cost of some of their physical capacity). This could revolutionize the galaxy! But not everyone likes a revolution, and many people want to see this suppressed.

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Keep in mind that while the TL of a system may correspond to a historical period on old Earth, there is no way to tell what kind of society these planets will have developed. Just because a world has 1950s technology it doesn’t necessarily have 1950s culture! Also, some rare worlds have strange combinations of TL, resulting in a 4/1 organic-based culture or a 1/4 computerized society.



In the long term such actions have led to a fragmented galaxy, split by power and money. Some systems have enough natural resources to encourage a heavy trading network and maintain a high status of wealth and thus a good deal of technology. Less fortunate systems, especially ones that were young colonies when the Empire fell, have found themselves without either the resources to provide for trade or the infrastructure to exploit those resources. Many of these outer colonies have resorted to using



Technology and Economics



older forms of technology that can be supported by the local people instead of relying on trade. Some of the inner systems have also fallen by the technological wayside because their resources were long ago taxed. Without an influx of new resources to their factories and manufacturing plants these systems are This section is almost part of the GM Advice no longer viable trade entities. section, but not quite. These are a few things that, frankly, we weren’t sure where to put. They add a bit Tech Levels of detail and interest to the world, but not everyone needs to know them, and they might never come For the purpose of simplification we have chosen into play in your game. Hopefully they’ll give you a to apply a “tech level” label to all systems in the gallittle bit of inspiration. axy, denoting the general level of a system or planets’ technology. There are two facets to tech levels (or TLs), in Valence: organic tech and inorganic tech. Economics Organic tech includes, but is not limited to: non-meAfter the fall of the Great Human Empire two chanical medical technologies, the ability to merge major factors worked to tear apart the economic cybernetics and living tissue, surgery, and DNA fabric of the galaxy. The first of these was a disrup- manipulation. Inorganic tech includes, but is not tion of interplanetary and cross system trade routes limited to: the ability to produce weapons, armor, by pirates and bandits. Constant attacks from these and computers, advanced infrastructure construcgroups forced merchants to travel only the safer, tion techniques, the creation of cybernetics, and escorted routes and neglect the outer colonies. As a nanotechnologies. These levels are always classified result, many outer colonies became isolated, either by the notation “TL X/Y” where X is organic tech and participating in trade infrequently or growing com- Y is inorganic tech. pletely self-reliant and cut off from the rest of the The tech level of a planet denotes its general galaxy. level of technology and helps in determining the A second major disruption of trade arose as price and availability of goods and services there, new governments began to rise from the anarchistic but it says nothing about resources. Obviously a tesremains of the Empire. Individual rulers and groups seract drive would not be available at a planet that wanted to use revenues from trade to bolster their doesn’t even have enough resources to make an auclaims and power. Merchants wanted to continue tomobile! One must keep in mind that the nature of the free trade policies of the Empire. Eventually most the economic “reversal” on many planets has made differences came to conclusion as the merchants it possible to find a tesseract-capable starship on a agreed to pay small fees. Some systems were cut off TL 1/1 planet, though rather unlikely (and it would completely from trade routes, however, as their gov- probably blow the minds of all of that system’s inernments refused to comply with the merchants on habitants if they found it.) trade agreements. Others (such as the Communals) The tech level in the galaxy before the fall of the were voluntarily removed from the trade and comEmpire was roughly 2/4, and for the sake of game munication networks and remain today as self-sustaining entities or belong to small multi-system trade simplicity that is still considered the base tech level for most planets. alliances.

Organic Tech Levels Tech Level Zero: The TL 0/X classification is used to describe cultures which have only a rudimentary knowledge of agriculture and domestication. Their knowledge is roughly comparable to pre-1800s organic knowledge. They know nothing of germs or virii, and cannot perform surgery. Tech Level One: TL 1/X worlds are defined by their low organic knowledge. These worlds can produce good agricultural goods and domesticate animals, and they have rudimentary medical knowledge. TL 1/X worlds have a basic ability to manipulate DNA and genes, assuming they have the necessary Lording or inorganic skills.



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Tech Level Two: TL 2/X was the average organic TL in the galaxy at the time of the Human Empire. TL 2/X worlds are still the most common, and this is the base organic tech level used in the galaxy. These worlds are capable of merging computer and cybernetics technologies with living tissue with the ability to insert matrix-jacks into Interface Knights and increasingly manipulate DNA. TL 2/X worlds are able to mesh DNA to a limited extent to create new species or species hybrids, but the failure rate is high and this science is not yet well understood. Note: All listed organic prices are considered to be “base” TL 2/X prices. Tech Level Three: TL 3/X worlds have an excellent understanding of life systems and processes. They are capable, to a limited degree, of manipulating global systems like climate and weather. With the corresponding inorganic TL these systems can create cybernetically enhanced beings like UltraMercs with a moderate to high success rate. Tech Level Four: Worlds with at TL 4/X rating have mastered the combination of inorganic technology and organic technology to produce seamless beings with a high degree of success. They can produce beings from “scratch” using DNA modules. TL 4/X worlds are most significant in their ability to use the Lording to modify life systems and processes. This enables societies without inorganic tech to still excel in high-compexity organic tech, and extends the capabilities of worlds with comparable inorganic TLs. There are few to none of these worlds in the Milky Way; even Genetech is lucky to have a single TL-4 technique mastered, let alone the whole Tech Level.

Tech Level Five: The TL 5/X category is reserved for only the most advanced organic worlds. These worlds are capable of manipulating organic material using the Lording and can change DNA at will. They have the ability to “construct” symbionts and fuse organic and inorganic materials with no noticeable failure rate. The understanding at TL 5/X worlds of the inter dependencies of living systems and beings gives them advantages when dealing with group effects on population and species manipulations. Given sufficient time and resources, a TL 5/X rated group can terraform planets and moons. There are none of these worlds in the Milky Way.

Inorganic Tech Levels Tech Level Zero: The TL X/0 classification refers to a pre-mechanical society where tool use is limited at best. Tech Level One: TL X/1 planets fall generally correspond to the Earth time period before the Industrial revolution. Most people work with hand tools and simple machinery, as more complex tools are not widely available. In some of the larger metropolitan areas some machinery is used, and occasionally an “artifact” of high-technology may still be found. Tech Level Two: TL X/2 systems generally have enough infrastructure to support machinery, early computers, and air flight, but they are distinguished by their lack of space flight capabilities. A loose correspondence in the history of Earth is the 20th century. Some of these systems may be on the verge of developing starships capable of traveling within their own system, but these ships would be rudimentary at best. Tech Level Three: TL X/3 systems have advanced computing capabilities and generally have the ability to manufacture starships and basic TGD drives. Some have orbiting space stations and may have societies that span multiple planets within a single system. Most TL X/3 systems are in contact with outside forces on a semi-regular basis, but they do not have the resources or capabilities to produce the powerful tesseract drives they would need for more permanent communication and trade. The entire galaxy fell under this category for most of the Inuuel and Budetug Empires. Tech Level Four: TL X/4 systems are the current “average” in the galaxy, comprised of high levels of computing technology, powerful alloys, and most

± 4

Tech Level difference of 2 (i.e. a hatchet on a TL-3/3 planet):

± 7

Tech Level difference of 3 (i.e. a starship on a TL-5/1 planet):

± 10

Tech Level difference of 4 or more:

GM’s call

Importation expense (1-5 systems away):

+1

Importation expense (6-10 systems):

+2

Importation expense (11-20 systems):

+3

Importation expense (21-35 systems):

+4

Importation expense (35+ systems):

GM’s call

High local resource availability:

-3

Med local resource availability:

-2

Low local resource availability:

-1



Agricultural goods: (see importation expenses, local resource availability)



Please note that these rules can also be used to adjust the prices of goods and services on TL 2/4 planets as well.

Tech Level difference of 1 (i.e. a tesseract drive on TL-1/1 planets, a microwave on a TL-3/2 planet):



For the sake of game speed during a campaign a GM may want to use the base prices listed in the Equipment section as actual costs. However, for those who desire more realism, a system has been devised to determine the price of goods and services on planets whose TL differs from the usual 2/4. We encourage GMs to take advantage of this system when time permits to enhance gameplay and add depth to campaigns.

Price Modifiers

Tech Level Five: TL X/5 worlds are the cutting edge in inorganic technology. This specification includes the research conducted at facilities like the Ægis Research Park. Few systems are considered TL X/5; this rating is typically given only to select areas on an otherwise TL X/4 planet.



importantly the ability to manufacture or procure tesseract drives. These systems generally have much higher populations and the resources or services needed to maintain galactic communications and healthy trade. Note: All listed inorganic prices are considered to be “base” TL X/4 prices.

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Tech Level Abnormalities

Likewise, other pieces of equipment (such as gauss pistols and laser rifles) represent older technologies, used simply because they have become cheap and efficient. There’s no reason a planet at TL-3 inorganic couldn’t build a laser rifle on par with one found in 592, though it might chew through ammunition more quickly due to inefficiencies.

Valence Main Rulebook: GM Advice

Some pieces of Valence technology are really TL-5 inorganic or TL-3 organic created by total geniuses. Starshielding and Ultramercs are both good examples. Very few people actually understand how these technologies work, and they represent significantly more powerful science than one can normally find.



If the modifier found on the table is -15 (or more), the product can be found at 1/5x base cost or less. -10 to -14: 1/4x base cost -6 to -9: 1/3x base cost -4 or -5: 1/2x base cost -3: 2/3x base cost -2: 4/5x base cost -1: 9/10x base cost 0: Base cost +1: 1/4x base cost + base cost +2: 1/2x base cost + base cost +3: 2/3x base cost + base cost +4 or +5: 2x base cost +6 to +9: 3x base cost +10 to +14: 5x base cost +15 or more: 10x base cost or GM discretion

days she also likes to keep involved on the Lattice, and keep tabs on groups of heroes who have the potential to improve the galaxy. She has a certain amount of cowardice (she calls it prudence) and preThese characters are included for the GM who fers not to do things herself, but has no qualms about wants to have a few pre-made NPCs to throw at their helping out those she feels are just and right. players. Not all of them are really important; some While she has worked unseen for most of huare just regular old people or simply interesting man history, she’s been slipping recently. Many rather than important. Two of them, the first two, are world-shaking, and make excellent patrons, allies, people on the Lattice worship her in a fanboyish way, considering her to be a sort of oracle and guru. or enemies for groups of experienced PCs. She does nothing to quash these rumors; after all, they’re pretty much correct. The Monk is the most knowledgeable and (probably) most talented of all The Monk Interface Knights. Immortal Human Enigma

Important NPCs

The Monk is does not follow any specific reliClasses: The Monk has been a Bounty Hunter gion, but she does believe in a higher power. and an Operative, and is now an Interface Knight. Culture: The Monk identifies herself as a member of the Human Galactic Empire, a culture now quite defunct.

The Father Immortal Archangel Leader



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Attributes: The Monk’s Knowledge is off the Class: Paladin charts, simply due to her age and the amount of trivia she’s picked up. Her Charisma is also relatively Culture: The Father is a member of an older culhigh, due to her understanding of the “human conditure than most other Archangels can now remember. tion.” Lording and Strength are relatively low, but the He is not so much a member of any modern culture Monk is pretty competent all-around. as he defines the Archangel homeworld culture. Major Skills: The Monk has at least a 15 in Attributes: Lording is the Father’s best attribute, all Leadership, Medical, Professional, Street, and followed by Stamina and then Charisma. His other Miscellaneous skills. She’s been around a long time. Her Computer skills are all at least 25. She attributes are above average (they have to be if he’s has enough combat skills to stay alive, but not much survived for so long). more. Major Skills: The Father is a grandmaster of all Combat and Lording skills. His Complexity skill, in Appearance: While she has not been seen in person for many years, the Monk is a silver-haired particular, is at least 50. Assume that he has all other blue-eyed human female who otherwise looks about skills at 6 or more. forty years old.

Appearance: The Father is a tall, strong Archangel with a regal bearing about him. He inspires respect Character Notes: Since her “creation” thirty thousand years ago, the Monk has been many things. in all who see him. She has been a hunter, a wanderer, a businessman, Character Notes: The Father is the oldest of the a spy, an artist, a computer programmer, and yes, a monk. Right now she is an Interface Knight. She has Archangels. He is one hundred million years old. been more influential behind the scenes of human Experience is too mild a word for what this man history than any other person, alive or dead. She has has. been an advisor to many different societies, and was His goals are split into two categories: those for involved in first contact efforts with the Inuueliting. his species, and those for all others. His first loyalty Her goals have always included finding out who is to his own species — he will exert himself to his enhanced her and granted her immortality. These utmost to insure that the Archangel species survives



Noobor Maltek’Inuueliting Head of GT’s Genetics Division Class: Previously a Bio Doc, now a Diplomat.

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Major Skills: Chris Schmo has some Professionallevel Combat skills, and assorted skills from Miscellaneous, Athletics, and Street categories.



Attributes: Chris is an average human.



Culture: Works in any culture.



Class: No Class



Chris Schmo Average Human Security Guard



Culture: Genetechnologies Pop, born and bred. His second set of goals pertains to the galaxy at large, and to a lesser extent to the rest of the uniAttributes: Noobor’s Charisma and Dexterity are verse. He has directed the Archangels to watch over both good, and his Intelligence is above average. Her the other species, to insure that law and order prevail Visualization and Mental Endurance are atrocious. as much as possible through the galaxy. Major Skills: She is a Grand Master of all The Father has surrounded himself with other Leadership and Street skills, has all Medical skills at elder Archangels, the ones who remember what 15 or more, and certain Engineering skills at about happened so long ago and who he can trust. Some 11. She knows some basic self-defense. were even involved in casting the ritual which transformed the Archangels. They are responsible Appearance: About four foot eleven, with silfor keeping the true history of the Archangels from ver-blue hair and eyes. The more you piss her off, the “youth” of their species. No one who was born the more she smiles. She is 621 years old, so she is since the appearance of the Inuueliting has been told showing some signs of aging, but Genetech immorabout what happened. However, if there is one thing tality treatment helps. the Father has learned in his millennia of leading the Archangels, it is that the younger generations Character Notes: Noobor is one of Genetech’s should not be discounted. He will always listen to better-known division heads. She took over the posicomplaints, and consider a response, though he may tion fourteen years ago, and has survived numerous not choose (or even be able) to do anything about attempts to remove her from it. them. Her primary goal as division head is to absorb The Father doesn’t act from the shadows the the Ultramerc department into her own. She disapway the Monk does. He shows up in person to talk proves of its current direction, and most especially of to younger Archangels who need his guidance the Project Endeavour. In more personal notes, she has most. He directs his species from the front lines, not always hoped that her children would follow in her the sidelines. His presence rallies, reinforces, and in- footsteps, and is trying to foster interest in biology in spires every person he talks to. Though many people her great great grandson (currently twenty years old). have suggested that he make a bid for the Archangels She has little opportunity to practice her medical to have an Empire of their own, he has no desire to skills, having to spend more time in the boardroom repeat the past. Their has been enough death with- than in research. out his causing more. The Father knows any Lording powers that you need him to know in the game, including ones that can level mountains. His body is permeated with nanotech cybernetics. In short, this guy should not be attacked in the first place, but if he is, he will win.



and thrives. In addition, under no circumstances will he ever allow his species or any other to commit genocide. There’s a bit of detail on him in the Little Book of Metaplot which explains the “official” reason for this, but you can of course make up your own reason.

Appearance: Five foot nine and looks good in a uniform. About thirty-five years old.

Grey Man Sa’crontor Anarchist

Character Notes: Chris the Security Guard has Class: Thief no better ambitions than to someday become Head of Security. Chris pretty much took this job because Culture: Technically part of Genetech, though it pays well. After all, it’s not cheap to pay for your kids education and to take care of an aging great- he identifies himself more with the Renaissance grandmother. Attributes: Grey Man’s Charisma, Creativity, and Chris is our generic human security guard (Chris Agility are uniformly above average. He concentratcan be Christopher or Christine), with everyday cares ed on these at the expense of his Lording, Strength and Stamina. and concerns, and no ambition above a better job.

Windsweeper Great Caractingessen Opera Singer Class: Diplomat

Major Skills: Grey Man is a Master of most Street skills, and is also familiar with many Espionage and Computer skills. His favored weapon is a laser rifle, and his martial arts skills are exceptional. He knows a few Leadership skills.

Appearance: A thin, grey snakeman with a tattoo of the anarchy symbol on the back of his cobra-like Attributes: Windsweeper’s Stamina is excellent, hood. since she sometimes sings while flying for almost Character Notes: Grey Man is a semi-famous an hour. Like most Gess her Mental Endurance and anarchist philosopher. He is known throughout the Dexterity are rock-bottom. Lattice as co-founder of the Bollux Alliance, a techMajor Skills: Windsweeper has a 23 in Singing, nologically oriented wing of the Renaissance. Very plus various Miscellaneous, Professional, and Street profit-oriented, Grey Man is always looking to make skills at reasonable levels. She also knows Flame a deal or trade for information or interesting goods. Generation and Airwalk as Lording powers, among He has a special taste for Lording artifacts. others, but few that would be useful outside a perWhat is not well-known about him is that he formance. aided the Demons in the Fall, and still knows where Appearance: Jungle green skin and bright gold many of them are. He wouldn’t want to betray any of them, but would be willing to give out their location eyes. Her tail fades to a midnight blue. to people he trusts — for a price. Character Notes: Windsweeper is a famous opera singer from Necrontor. Her story has been made Ecto Gammut into a low-quality independent film (much like a Valorian Long-term Investor made-for-TV movie), but what she really wants more than anything else is to be immortalized on the big Class: Merchant screen.



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Culture: part Ægis, part Caract species culture.

Culture: Ægis now, Valorian homeworlds before Other than her dreams of movie stardom, she wants to continue making money and to entertain the Fall and the creation of Ægis’ culture. many people. She is violent, confident, and occaAttributes: Ecto’s most important attribute is sionally acts stuck-up but usually reigns herself in and apologizes. After all, she knows that egotism is Knowledge, but Intelligence and Visualization aren’t far behind. Like most Valorians, his Lording score is not the mark of a true star. rock-bottom, and he’s not very physically fit.



Culture: Armageddon (specifically, the In short, Ecto is an excellent master villain for characters who are on the road to changing the Organization) galaxy. Attributes: The Razor is a more or less typical Archangel in terms of statistics. Her Stamina, Chinché Creativity, and Agility are a bit above average.



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Attributes: Chinché is in the sunset of its life, but Appearance: A “slim” (for an Archangel), dark retains the powerful Strength and Mental Endurance blue set of full plate mail, with particularly sharp of a Nesti warrior. Its Charisma has been increasing wings. slowly for the past few years, and it is very bright... but only for a Nesti. Character Notes: The Razor is one of the galaxy’s better-known assassins — primarily because no one Major Skills: Chinché still retains much of its old expected an Archangel to be capable of being an fighting knowledge, though it doesn’t quite have the assassin. flexibility it used to. Leadership and Lording skills figure big into its life now, with a few old Street skills It is true that no Archangel can lie, and this apstill coming into play. plies to The Razor as well. Most Archangels also have a strict code of honor, and this definitely does not Appearance: Five feet of red and gold tendrils in apply. The Razor was captured and twisted by The a humanoid shape, just like most Nesti. Organization (a major criminal cartel) to implant a new set of loyalties. Now, instead of fighting to make Character Notes: Chinché was once a mighty the galaxy more peaceful, she is a hired killer. warrior seventy years ago. It was the commander of a group which ripped through Jungsai Sector, If anyone manages to capture her and undo the generally terrorizing the populace and doing the Organization’s conditioning (both of which would things that minor warlords do. While most of the



Culture: Armageddon

Major Skills: Espionage and Combat skills are The Razor’s best, with several at Master level, followed by Street skills and some Miscellaneous ones to help her fit in.



Class: Fury



Nesti Elder



Major Skills: Many Professional skills at Master. group stayed at this profession until they got killed, Some Miscellaneous, Leadership, and Street skills at Chinché was called back to the Nesti homeworld good levels. No combat skills. by his own elders to advise the next generation of warriors. Appearance: Copper-veined grey skin with copper antennae Chinché is wise for a Nesti — that is to say, it has good battle sense, but little other sense. It believes Character Notes: A very long-term thinker with in tough love, hard work, and the idea that might more money than you can shake a stick at, Ecto has makes right (which is so often true in 592). been around for eight hundred years so far. He owns shares in all the megacorps, and owns two microcorThese days Chinché is really starting to feel stiff porations outright. and knows the end is coming. It looks forward to joining itself with the walls of the local training comEcto lost half of his money in the Fall, and is in plex, and becoming an everlasting part of the Nesti no hurry to see that happen again. Therefore, he will community. actively work against anyone who tried to change the galactic status quo. His morals are strong — he The Razor will not enslave, torture, or kill, nor will he order Archangel Assassin his lackeys to do so — but he has no qualms with financially ruining someone or using scare tactics, Class: Assassin and some of his lackeys may get over-zealous.

be difficult feats!), the entire Organization might just He is motivated primarily by his honor and his fall to one person. great feelings of loyalty towards his adopted homelands. When not in the courts, he can usually be found championing various causes amongst the noDeu Rao Dai’Inuueliting bility. He has little thought for the “common” people Inuueliting Courtesan (non-Innueliting in the Empire), but is never rude or neglectful to anyone. Class: Paladin Deu has the capacity to be a great resource for Culture: Inuueliting Empire characters who meet him. His massive charisma and influence could move a nation, but his low Attributes: Deu’s Agility and Dexterity are his Creativity means that he probably won’t come up highest attributes by far, exceeding most trained with any ideas on his own. Inuuel warriors. His Stamina doesn’t rise above the Inuuel average, though, and he’s not very creative.



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Major Skills: Deu’s Sword and Martial Arts skills are at least master level. He has several other combat skills and many Leadership skills. His Lording skills are rather minimal for a Paladin.

Hentar Troll Teenager

Class: none yet. Hentar is a Duelist.

Culture: Coalition Appearance: The very image of a proper, courtly, beautiful Inuueliting courtesan — tall and strong, Attributes: Hentar is slightly below average, as it with blue-and-purple wings. He is always well- is still growing up. dressed, even when wearing his armor. Major Skills: Duelist skills at 10+, with a small Character Notes: Deu is probably the best- dash of Miscellaneous and Combat skills. Hentar is, known and most capable warrior on his planet. in general, rather inexperienced. While he isn’t part of the Inuueliting Empire’s army, he does fight the occasional courtly duel. Until Deu Appearance: With blue-green skin with tiger-like arrived on the scene, these duels were fought with yellow streaks and purple eyes, Hentar is a typically an ancient, honed technique that was totally useless ugly member of the Troll species. It conscientiously in a real battle. Used to a different world entirely, wears its fiber suit to protect others. It is important to Deu brought his knowledge to New Cygnus and remember that Hentar, like all Trolls, is asexual, and cleaned house. words like “her” and “him” don’t really apply. Moreover, he won these matches honorably, catching the eye of the queen! He has been appointed “protector of the realm,” and is occasionally called upon to fight duels with outsiders who have a gripe with the Inuuel Empire and wish to resolve their disputes in that way. While his Lording skills are stunted compared to most traditional Inuueliting, Deu carries something which evens the odds — a sword of pure Xenite! This ancient Lording relic, once a massive armblade, has been sharpened and nicked so much over the centuries that it now resembles a wakizashi. It has just one power — the user may use his Parry score against any incoming Lording attack, whether directed or area-effect. Deu has been known to emerge totally unscathed from a rain of deadly plasma.

Character Notes: In a word: Impressionable. Hentar is essentially a teenage runaway, with one parent alcoholic and the other dead. Hentar needs parent figures badly, and all the more because of its tremendous potential as a Duelist. If the party accepts and helps Hentar, they will have a strong ally. If, on the other hand, the party is gruff and unhelpful, Hentar will probably end up working for someone who pretends to be nice — most likely the group’s enemies! Hentar is best played as a gullible, earnest young Troll, believing whatever people say until someone points out the mistake (or starts laughing). However, unlike many characters, Hentar will actually change over the course of a campaign. Hentar will never be smart, but it will learn from its mistakes.



Class: Bio Doc

Classes: Space Jockey, Merchant

Culture: Budetug Core

Culture: Ægis



Miri Hallan Captain



Iriantuka Budetug Geneticist



Attributes: Iriantuka has the excellent Knowledge Attributes: Miri’s experience has increased her and Charisma that mark Bio Docs, but suffers in the Knowledge and Mental Endurance, as well as her areas of Agility and Lording. Charisma. She’s still not any brighter than most Halla, and spends most of her time in a chair, so her Major Skills: Genetic Engineering at Grand physical attributes are not outstanding. Master level, all other Medical skills at Master. Various Science, Engineering, and Professional Major Skills: Leadership and Street skills at near skills. Master level, followed by some Pilot, Military, and Lording skills. Appearance: A typical pale grey Budetug, with shimmering orange eyes. She is often draped with a Appearance: Greyish-brown, wrinkly skin with white cloth with many slits in it, which is her equiva- green eyes, and bald. Miri wears the uniform of the lent of a lab coat. Ægis corporate fleet.

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Character Notes: Iriantuka is a well-known Character Notes: After many different tours of Budetug geneticist who has been courted by duty with mercenary companies and megacorps, Genetech for many years now. She, however, likes Miri has taken employment with Ægis Corp. She’s to be just where she is now. taken a great deal of care to find employers with good morals — hard to do when you need to pay off Iriantuka works for a small biotech company the debt on a Patrol-class starship. producing symbiotes — small creatures who live in harmony with a larger “host” and provide some Miri has as many allies as enemies; her fellow benefits. Her greatest goal is to create an intelligent, employees love her good sense of humor, excelliving creature which can act as a moral guide for lence on the job, and her many stories. Her former people without one — a sort of “instant rehabilita- employers, however, would rather that she didn’t run tion” for certain kinds of criminals. So far her at- around with their secrets! And right now she’s got tempts have all failed, but that’s not unusual for one monster secret... symbiote research. Miri knows about Ægis’ Earth Division opShe has a great respect for Archangels and their erations, as she transports atmospheric probes down code. She has been able to perform a few post-mor- below Earth’s cloud cover. She knows there are still tem examinations on Archangel corpses, and be- people alive on Earth. Whether she can bear to keep lieves she is on the verge of determining the source this secret, or will choose to betray the first honof their inability to lie. est employers she’s found, keeps her up at night. Characters investigating Earth should run into Miri early in the game, and they could be a big influence on her choice.