Iain M Banks

A vage plot arc and background details for running a series of senarios in a universe inspired by Iain M Banks
Culture books. Ultra-ultra high tech. The characters come from a society that builds planets and has an antiprime directive. (We know best and should interfere to save you from yourselves). Characters should be written
for the game.

A science fiction campaign world for the Champions system by Mark Harris.
Contact Golo.Hole@Handcuff.Freeserve.CO.UK
Last updated:23/08/99 22:50

Acknowledgements *
Introduction. *
Time-lines *
Background. *
The Embargo Culture. *
Know Space *
The Minds. *
A few facts. *
Technology. *

Communications Technology. *
Transportation Technology. *
Medical Technology. *
Robot Technology. *
Power sources and Misc Technology. *
Weapons Technology. >*
Ship to Ship. *
Heavy weapons. *
Personal Weapons. *
Support weapons *
Automated weapons. *
Unavailable tech. *
The society. *
Making a living. *
Trade. *
Entertainment. *
Religion. *
The Wars. *
Character Building: *
Freeborn Human. *
Clone Offspring. *
Genetically Constructed. *
Alpha / Beta Cloning. *
Artificially Gestated. *
Playing a clone. *
Character History. *
Human age bands. (Real age) *
Points. *
Special Disads: *
Alien Races: *
Alien race characteristic limits. *

SS Ascending Light. *
Equipment specifications: *
Special Equipment rules. *
New advantages *
Sense groups and detection. *
Radiation Accidents (The technology of change). *
Cortical Induction. *
Surgery. *
GMs Section. *
Story arcs *
Story arc 1 Quest for the Holy grail. *
Story arc 2 A house divided. *
Scenarios *
The Virus. *
NPCs *
Second Alliance Security *
Second Alliance trooper *
Ascending light conference drone. *
Ascending light servitor drone. *
Ascending light mindstem *
Chevron *
EC Ships. *
Steely Glint. (River class GSV) *
Finer Things (River class GSV) *
Personal Indemnity (River class GSV) *
Curious Pastimes (Forest class GSV) *
Ends of Invention (Forest class GSV) *
No Small Thing (Continent class GSV) *
Likely-as-not. (Quarry class GSV) *
Less-is-More. (Quarry class GSV) *
No Conclusions (River class GSV) *
Tightrope (River class GSV) *
Contented (Super-Continent class GSV Modified) *
Weapons platforms. *
Glossary of terms. *
Acknowledgements
This Campaign is mainly based upon the Culture series of books by Ian M Banks. I have also drawn material
from Greg Bears Moving Mars amongst a whole list of other science-fiction writers. I would also like to thank
Alan E West (Arctic) for letting me bounce ideas off him.
Introduction.
This campaign has been partially played and modified to suit the group playing it. It was initially conceived for a
mad-thinker group, but was ultimately played by Character players. It can be modified for most types of group.
However given the technology arc and the system used I dont recommend this as a hacker campaign. Ultimately
nukes are fairly easily available and if you make defences capable of taking nukes then nothing short of a nuke
helps in combat. Even with the weapons available the balance is difficult. Generally you have to rely on the
characters not wandering about fully equipped for combat. Armoured space suits and plasma rifles do not make
for good first contact missions !
The game system I used here was Champions. You could use anything but balancing the weapons technology
will be difficult.
I did Physics at A-Level, but Ive tried to simplify things. Hopefully no one will take exception to my bending
some of the laws of nature so that the players can have fun rather than having to pass an exam.

GMs not familiar with the Hero System may have trouble understanding a lot of the statistics given here. The
brief summary may help on some of the basic points.
On all the basic stats humans average 10 and the normal maxima is 20. Speed is a calculated stat and is average 2
to max 4 (again for humans) Speed is the number of actions the character can perform in a 12 second turn.
Weapons generally do 1 point of body per dice of damage and the total of the roll as points of stun. Subtract any
armour (or take off damage reduction %ages) take whats left from the characters body and stun totals. Armour
in the Hero System is split between Energy and Physical.
The whole system also allows specifying limitations on powers such as only works against lasers. Limitations
reduce the XP cost of the power. This makes the system so flexible as to be able to stat up almost any power you
could possibly think of. This is very useful for an extremely high tech everything is possible type environment.
I highly recommend the Hero System. It comes in a number of flavours. I played Champions, the superhero
genre for a long while and found it possibly the most brilliant system Ive ever used (and Ive tried lots of
different systems!) If you want flexibility to do anything Hero System is ideal. AD&D is best if you want
simplicity (IMHO), ShadowRun is quirky and fun for something different. Most other systems are a variation on
these three systems. Heres a list of systems in order that I would recommend for playing this campaign:
Hero System (Champions)
Actually I cant think of any others Id dare to try a Culture campaign with !
Time-lines
The EC calendar is calculated based upon standard periods determined from the background gravity wave
originating from the big-bang. One standard period is approximately 22 years.
Date

Wars

Social

Technology

27.87x1021

Events
The big-bang
(reference date)

Birth of the
Hiadan civilisation

First recorded
histories

14421.5

First recorded
interaction
between
interstellar
civilisations.

The Hiadan
civilisation
currently leads the
field in
technological
developments.
They have supralight speed vessels
controlled by
massive optical
computer systems.
SC Optimum
commissioned
(Hidian research
vessel 14428.6
14509.3))

62422

Beginning of the commune

wars The Ne hue civilisation

History records
only a few star

Freezer storage
methods are in use

Earliest DOB for

Characters

attacks the coalition of

Spindarks and Chiqows. The
war is characterised by large
scale use of artificial
intelligence war machines. The
cause of the war is unclear even
from the start. It is widely
believed that the war is fought
over the ownership of a border
system where an older
civilisations technological
relics are found.

faring
civilisations. There
is little interstellar
trade or cooperation.

by some cultures.
GSV Finer Things
commissioned
(Hidian Civ)
GSV Immaculate
perception
commissioned
(Spindark Folly
??)
GSV Worst of all
cases
commissioned
(Chiqow Mil)

62501

End of the commune wars the

Ne-hue civilisation is almost
completely destroyed. The
Chiqows place the Ne-hue
home world in isolation. The
Spindarks withdrawal from the
interstellar community.

Fifteen races are

known to engage
in regular
communication
and limited trade.
Most trade is in
scientific data and
star charts.

GSV Somebody
calling (Spindark /
Hidian Civ)

62514

Founding of the
Azmat Wickan on
the planet Xaross
III.

GSV Populous
commissioned
(Ne-hue Civ)

62516

Fall of the Ne-hue

civilisation

Hiadans invent
PP communication
GSV Personal
Indemnity
commissioned
(Hidian Civ)

Loss of the Star

system Trennidan
(Destroyed by an
unknown entity).

GSV Populous
broken
62550

The Spindarks
leave their
homeworld for an
unknown
destination. Their
culture is lost ?

PP communication
& power transfer
in use by EC
GSV Curious
Pastimes
commissioned
(Hidian Civ)

Hiadan civilisation
GSV "Somebody
calling" reports an
unspecified nanite
infestation.

GSV Ends of
Invention
commissioned
(Keetunkan Mil)
62600

Beginning of the Copian

Interstellar trade

GSV Steely Glint

Presence of a

conflict. Chiqows fight

Keetunkans along the Nedar
peninsula to prevent infected
Keetunkan ships reaching the
areas around the Chiqow
empire.

and
communication
militarises. This is
the beginning of
the era of silence.
Ships operate on
stealth rather than
searching openly
for contact.

commissioned
(Hidian Mil)

62611

The Copian conflict subsides.

Fall of the Hiadan

civilisation

Hiadan Ship
mind technology
becomes the
common
technology for
large scale GSV
type ships.

Retaliations and
recriminations
spawn increasingly
large scale
conflicts.

62635

The planet Raffel a colony

world of the Chiqow empire on
the Nedar peninsula is
destroyed by plasmatic field
carpet bombing. The
Keetunkan fleet claim
responsibility, but it soon
becomes obvious that the
Chiqow fleet allowed the
Keetunkan incursion rather
than deal with the situation
themselves.

The Eelu
brotherhood
begins its work
bringing
technology to as
many planets as it
can. The cult
raises many young
civilisations to the
brink of
interstellar
technology, but
also infects a few
systems with the
nanite plague.

Virtual reality
storage and RNA
taping methods
become the
preferred methods
of long term
storage.

The Chiqow ship

Worst of all
cases suicides in
an apparent
religious
experience.

The independent Feenur fleet

begins a short war with the
Chiqow. The Feenur have no
homeworld and have been
living entirely as a spacefaring
culture for centuries. Without
the readily available resources
of the Chiqow the Feenur are
reduced to a few routed ships in
less than 1 year.

There are calls in

several federations
for a combined
embargo.

The Tekarr
homeworld
finalises its plans
to transfer
planetary
government to a
purpose built
Mind.

62654

GSV Immaculate
perception
destroyed by
Chiqow)

nanite-plague
becomes public.
Panic ensues. A
Number of small
scale border wars
erupts. Trade fails.

GSV No small
thing
commissioned
(Keetunkan
Colony ship)

GSV No
Conclusion
commissioned
(Tekarr Mil)

The sun in the

Keetunkan system
Veridani becomes
too active for the
main habitable
planet Pee-kut to
remain lifesustaining. The
population is
evacuated over the
next 2 years.

GSV Less-is-More
commissioned
(Feenur Mil)
GSV Likely-as-not
commissioned
(Feenur Civ)
62658

Tekarr Lanobarr assimilation

war The Tekarr and Lanobarr

The Tekarr
coalition devolves

GSV Tightrope
commissioned

The planet Futkun

II is settled under

fight over ownership of the

Vastor asteroid belt. The belt is
extremely rich in volatile
materials suitable for building
up a space fleet. The war ends
with both sides devolving an
independent force run by shipminds designed to keep the
peace.
62660

62662

EC forces Destroys the Yenadu

orbital habitat found to have a
nanite-infestation when its
Merchant fleet flees the orbital
in panic.

62664

The Renabu War.

Characterised by learning
difficulties for the EC ships.
The EC sustain heavy losses.
The Pina War. Characterised
by moral conflicts as the EC
begins to realise its potential as
a pervasive war fleet. EC losses
are slight and mostly
technology rather than organic
life.
The Barra conflict. A small
scale war fought by the EC
against the higher technology
of the aggressive Barra system.
The EC wins though numeric
advantage.
The Emman War. The EC is
relatively well matched against
the Emman system, but the EC
have more vessels (in fact they
only commit a small portion of
the fleet.) The GSV Ends of
Invention proves to be
masterful in its strategy through
the conflict.

the first
independent
embargo fleet.
Others follow.

(Tekarr Indi)

extreme time
pressure by the
Keetunkan
population
evacuated from
Veridani III

Formal alliance of
the Embargo
culture

GSV Contented
commissioned (EC
Civ)

GSV Virtuous
tangent launched
as the first entirely
un-manned vessel
of war..

GSV Virtuous
tangent
commissioned (EC
Mil)

The Gull
civilisation culls
its infected ships
and donates the
remaining fleet of
16 cruisers to the
EC. The Gull then
put their home
system and 5
colony worlds into
isolation.

Artificial gestation
begins to become
popular in the EC.

The EC pattern of
social interaction
settles down.

GSV Contented
modified for Ultralong drive.

100 years of
embargo conflicts
elapses and fades
until Embargo
forces achieve a
solid military rule
over interstellar
space.

62676

The Nocoman Conflict erupts

when a previously noninterstellar society of 7 planets
try to emigrate from their home
system. The conflict lasts 30 of
the bloodiest years of the
embargo. Finally Embargo
suicide ground forces destroy
the shipyards and industrial
complexes on five of the home
planets. The Nocoman ceases
to push its system borders.

The EC begins the

Soldier breeding
boom.

The Enurex conflict. The EC

wins a small scale conflict
mostly limited to strategic
attacks on the Enurex industrial
complexes.

GSV Ends of
Invention elects to
de-militarise even
though it will
remain part of the
EC.

A few single
planet conflicts a
fought over the
following 400
years finally
tapering off to
nothing.

62740

The Embargo
culture advisory
minds propose the
de-militiarisation
of the Embargo
culture and the
instigation of an
inter-stellar
assistance program
aimed at
rejuvenating the
pan-stellar
community.

GSV Virtuous
tangent
disembarks its
passengers to
contemplate its
future.

62742

De-militiarisation
starts.

62681

The remote
weapons drone
becomes a popular
weapon. Borrowed
from the
Nocomans
GSV Sustainable
potential
commissioned (EC
Mil)

The Kakarr War. The Kakarr

after a long period of isolation
decide that the embargo should
end. They try to re-unite the
dispersed parts of their
civilisation. At the same time
as the war they make many
diplomatic overtures.
The single cruiser pointed
argument destroys half a
dozen remote contact probes
and a manned recon vessel
convincing the planet
Parbouough to remain isolated.

62743

The Chiqow invade the Esperi

system. The system was
previously owned by the
Keetunkans, but the colony
died off during the embargo.
The Esperi system is very high

The first Contact

units are formed in
the EC.

GSV Sustainable
potential destroyed
by non-specify
threat.

in volatile metals and

radioactive materials. The
colony could not survive
without support.
62744.2

The present.

The EC sends
teams to recontact
spacefaring races
and assist in reintegrating the
interstellar society

62744.21
62744.22

GSVs LAN & LAM next cycle party.

62744.223

Planned completion of the EC orbital at Bemo Celesti. Also likely to be the largest ever party and
convergence of 5-10 GSVs

62744.23

Comet Lymphia II due to impact the Feenur colony on Apion

62744.24

Planned Pan-stellar conference on re-integration. To take place on the Tekarr ring world of "Noc"

62744.25

Next solar convergence in the Resperate system owned by the Chiqiow.

62744.26

Kino-atte system due to pass through the Glint-fall (discovered by the GSV Steely glint) asteroid
super-belt. It is expected that the Kino-atte system will effectively be destroyed apart from its
single sun. The system is owned by an as yet un-contacted race with minimal technology (barely
orbit capable).

62744.27

The black body mass Edneb due to pass though the Terra-Sol system. Edneb is a transient planet
the size of Mars. Its passing is likely to cause some disruption to the planetary orbits and disturb
the asteroid belt. Edneb will take only 18 hours to pass though the system and will not pass inside
the orbit of Saturn.

62744.28

Malijjir festival of Oklup-Ge celebrated on the Malijjir home world of Dkan. The festival requires
all non-Malijjir to leave the system. Although the Malijjir system government will not disclose the
nature of the festival it is suspected to involve cannibalism. Many Malijjir are planning to return to
their home world to seek permission to attend even though many do not know what the festival
involves themselves.

62744.29

Planned exodus of the sleeper ship GSV Contented. The ship will carry stored personnel and will
itself spend most of its time in hibernation. The ship is bound for the M29 Galaxy.

62744.30

Planned completion of the Super-fold project at Oberon IV. The project plans to use a warp fold
drive to drop the entire planet Oberon IV into an infra-space bubble and fly it out of the system. If
the Super-fold works it will prove some untried meta-math and be the largest super-luminel
vehicle ever constructed.

Background.
The characters are born-to or have joined the Embargo Culture an inter-stellar community that has until recently
been responsible for preventing interstellar travel. The Embargo Culture was formed from a number of home

worlds of mostly human geni-types over 2000 years ago. The characters form the crew of a de-mobed star ship
now switching from military duty to aid work. They are not part of a defined chain of command. The characters
must act as ambassadors for the culture but will also have to set policy. The ship minds are not far away should
the characters need advice, but the minds wants real people to make decisions, not act as dumb puppets. This is a
general policy across the entire EC. The Minds coax the EC from behind the scenes (very effectively mind you
!).
Two thousand years previously the Azmat Wickan, a coven, released a Nano-virus (Xix-ta-pico-mapi). This
virus is capable of invading both nerve tissue and AI thinker architecture. Coven members are immune.
The ability to infect both machines and organic creatures gave the virus an unprecedented ability to spread.
Together with the intent of the Azmat Wickan to spread the virus the only course of action was to close all
borders.
The known galaxy now has to recover from the social and economic collapse resulting from the sudden loss of
all trade links.
With the opening of borders old disputes may erupt and there is always the risk that some planets harbour
hibernating viral strains waiting to be let loose to cause another round of disasters.
The EC is not Earth-centric but old Earth colonies will play a major part in t he campaign.

The air of change about the ship is palpable. Space here is crowded. 100Km to tall port of the "Steely glint"
another GSV the "Finer things lays peacefully basking in the solar glow waiting for SG to pull clear of the
orbital. Conversation between the two ships drifted into idle chit-chat. Both were making modifications to their
hull fields now that the de-mobilisation was official. SGs modifications were the more significant and more
secret. Finer was trying to coax some hint out of SG after noticing the G-Mass-Moment around SGs stern
suggested an increase in engine mass.
SG was maintaining that it had to do something with the spare mass and engines were the most politically correct
thing it could do with the 2 million tonnes of war material it was shedding.
Twinned pairs of sub-atomic pseudo-particles flickered with the banter completely inconsequential to the crew
of the SS Ascending light. The SS Ascending light had itself completed a far more dramatic (at least it though
so) change. The crystal membrane that formed its inner real hull was still fractionally above the ambient
temperature cooling down as it settled round spaces that had once held plasma acceleration weaponry. It could
still hold its own in a fight, but no longer was it quite the same ship that it had been 18 months ago before it took
its place in the maintenance bay of the Steely glint.
Ascending light or AL was looking forwards to getting its new crew together. In many ways it would miss the
immediate need of tactical information and desperate statistical guesswork of conflict. Still we all have to change
and a mind like its own would undoubtedly be around for the next war.
Steely glint reached its determined parking zone and signalled Finer Things to go-ahead and move up for its turn
docking with the orbital. Lots of people where changing ships, lots of ships were changing. There were street
parties starting up around SGs urban quarter. For some this would be a last chance to visit favourite bars or meet
friends before leaving the Steely glint for the orbital. A few people, mostly technicians were transferring to the
Finer Things. Some who where going to live on the orbital had already left. There were arrivals too, many of
whom had been waiting on the orbital to rendezvous with SG. SG was monitoring many of them looking for
black sheep, outsiders on the inside.
One nearly black sheep and a Civ; Senior SO Corin Pedin and Abraham Vult shuffled their notes ready to give
another de-mob briefing.

The Embargo Culture.

The Embargo Culture (EC) are entirely space borne society. They live on artificially constructed space habitats
and in huge travelling arcs capable of sustaining a near planet like environment. The EC is almost at the top of
possible technological evolution.
In an environment where technology is so advanced almost all of the mundane work has been taken over by
machines. Nearly all the things you could possibly want are available. The society is so prosperous so as to make
work, trade and money obsolete.
Most humans lead a life of leisure or work part time in the few jobs not well suited to machines. Anything job
with a clearly defined goal can be done by a computer. Humans work in the jobs with only vague definitions
such as: Art, Exploration (inc explorative genetics research etc), Politics, Philosophy, War, Sociology, Systems
rationalisation , Ethics, Knowledge engineering.
Computers have taken over repetitive jobs. The more critical tasks that can be clearly defined are given to the
next generation of computers called Thinking machines.
High powered Artificial intelligence computers (AIs) are categorised by capability into: Demi-thinkers,
Thinking Machine or Thinkers, Super-thinker and STMs ?? (sentient thinking machines ). Most space ships are
commanded and piloted by at least a Demi-thinker. The largest of ships the GSVs (General Systems Vehicles)
are fully sentient AIs (STMs) easily capable of out thinking even a panel of humans.
The EC governance itself is mostly controlled by a co-operation of the GSV ship-minds. There is no central EC
government. In times of crisis the entire EC population can be poled over mind-links and decisions are based
upon a true consensus.
There are two classes of Human / Demi-human in the EC. The Players can choose to be one or other.
The population is split 60/40%. The majority of the population are termed Un-therapied. Un-therapied
individuals have most of the normal human hang-ups. The EC culture has alleviated most of the common
problems, but still un-therapied individuals can still suffer from jealousy, anger, and other destructive emotional
problems.
Advanced psychology has given the EC the tools to help people deal with their emotional problems. Any
distressing memories can be removed or the sufferer quickly given the ability to accept them with ease or
indifference. Ultimately the ultra-modern tools of psychology can fix any emotional or psychological injury.
This is not the numbing solutions offered by crude in-organic drug therapies, but the ability to have the person
handle the problem. What once took days of counselling to achieve can be done by a lace-analyser in
minutes.
The ultimate extension of psychological medicine is the ability to teach an individual to self-therapy as and
when required. Similar to a method of hypnotic suggestion, individuals while still feeling anger, fear or greed
can simply control those unwanted feelings if they wish. Effectively a Theriapied individual is given total
control over their own emotions. The emotions are not removed. The individual would still feel hurt, but would
not suffer except by their own choice.
By design all the STM / AI-Minds have the ability to control or suppress their emotions.
Known Space
The areas of chartered space do not form a dense sphere with a boundary beyond which is unknown. Each of the
space faring races extend themselves along the easiest navigable chains of stars forming corridors of known
space. The area around these corridors may also be explored, but this still leaves huge areas of unexplored (and
mostly boring) space between known space lanes.

Each of the space faring races have spidery nets of territory. These territories are interlinked with un-inhabited
systems that are simply known stopovers between territories. There are no patrolled borders between the
territories. There is simply too much space to patrol. The security of the territories is based around system
defences that operate only in the known inhabited system. Patrol ships and automated recon drones occupy many
of the adjacent systems to spot vehicles travelling the major routes, but nothing is likely to spot a determined
invader using deep space until it reaches it destination system.
Due to the nature of space warfare and the entangled proximitys of different territories warfare tends to favor
the attacker. Conflicts tend to become wars of attrition rather than defensive. The embargo was thus different
from military actions that had preceded it.
Some EC ships do take time-out to explore the vast regions of uncharted space between the space lanes.
Generally this is time consuming and un-rewarding work.
The Minds.
EC culture is guided if not controlled by a collective of High powered sentient machines. The EC culture itself
supports a wide variety of sub-cultures and the minds exert very little overt control over anyone not seeking it.
By careful manipulation of the society the minds have created a culture where crime is nearly unheard of.
Individuals within the culture are free to do almost anything they want. The minds using their immense
intellectual power provide a society almost free of risk.
The minds can often object to an individuals actions, but generally unless very destructive to others even the
most extreme individual actions and desires can be catered for.
Minds present themselves to the outside as the voice of the ship which might be considered their body. They can
also construct any size or shape or number of automata called Avatars to interact with the rest of the society.
Further the minds can store and generate artificial realities communicating straight to the human brain. These
artificial realities can be used for games, training or entertainment. Many individuals can share the artificial
reality, an occurrence commonly done for shared dreams.
If the need arises it is even possible to join an AI mind with an organic mind. This practice is uncommon except
where a human might require communication with a mind that is beyond the capabilities of the spoken (or
though) word. Mostly this means the practice is limited to controlling sophisticated technology whose control is
too complicated for conventional means. This direct interaction is also used for some high-level research.
Therapied individuals are required to work directly AIs in this way. It would be possible to link an un-therapied
mind to another mind, but without the control that therapy gives the effect could easily be similar to epilepsy.
A few facts.

Earth has been found to not be the source of all humankind.

Radio wave radiation is harmful to organic life in the concentrations found in Earths mid 20th century.
Genetics is not a simple code. Segments cannot be considered or modified without consideration for the
entire chromosome.
The EC has mapped the entire human genome (and most other races).
Psychic abilities DO NOT EXIST. This is not a GMs feint. There really is no psychic stuff. No ghosts,
no mythical beings, no evidence of deities, no proof of the soul.
The minds and drones beat organics in every respect. They are just plain better. No you cant play one
(you dont have enough character points).
GM food is a bad idea unless you have a FULL understanding of genetics.
Life (GAIA) tries to be self regulating.
There are simple life bringing proteins in interstellar space.
Most of space is empty.
There is a lot of space.
The EC has seen a lot of space.

A lot of weird stuff has been found that no-one has had the time or inclination to look at yet.
Planets are easier to start life on than you might think.
There is more unknown than there is known.
There is no such thing as an unknown chemical/metal/compound.
You dont get life forms made entirely of energy.
Anything that looks mostly human probably was once human.
The computer is your friend.
Fighting the genre annoys the GM.
The GM has ALL the hit points he needs.
An EC ship close to a star melts.
All knowledge has a mean-time between collapse of 50000 years. After that the knowledge has
generally been lost.

Etiquette.
The EC holds personal freedom higher than any other concept. Although their lifestyle is one of almost complete
hedonistic self indulgence certain social graces have become the norm. These social patterns are what gives the
EC structure. Some of these social rules are listed here.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Be polite to anything that thinks.

Do things in-person where it is easy to do so.
If in doubt ask the ship.
Accept that the aesthetics of beauty are in the eye of the beholder. Different species find different things
attractive.
Be especially nice to the host ship in which you live.

Technology.
The majority of electronic equipment in the EC has been given some form of computer enhancement. Anything
that requires some degree of skill to operate it has built-in enough automated assistance that an un-skilled person
can use it.
Many items of equipment simply act intelligently, other items are equipped with a voice interface.
Most items that can be talked to use a simulated personality to communicate with their owner / operators. The
device can remember and recognise a number of people and share information with its surrounding devices.
The Simulated Personality Interface or (SPI). SPIworks, SPIface is the most common interface for most
sophisticated equipment that does not itself require an intelligence.
The technology listed below is not an exhaustive list. It is shown to give an idea of what the players can stat for
their characters and what they can expect to encounter in the game. Some defining limitations of EC technology
are:
1.

2.
3.
4.

Point-to-Point (PP) communications and power relays are in short supply. Simply because the
manufacturing process requires smashing sub-atomic particles together and waiting for the one in a
billion chance that you get a twined-pair and that you identify that you get a pair and that you capture
the pair that you made. The end result of this hit and miss is that you can build a huge reactor and only
get one PP pair every few years. The EC has built enough to get a fair amount of production, but they
are still relatively rare and hence valued.
Fuel is easy to manufacture, but still has to be transported. It is still possible that you might run out of
fuel unless you plan fuel stops.
There is no teleport technology in the EC or anywhere else come to that.
Offensive weapons are more powerful than defensive shields. The winner of a fight is usually dictated
by a chess-like strategy. In the milliseconds in which a fight is enjoined the weapons are fired, engines
given manoeuvring instructions and patterns of destruction are set in motion. Brains almost always win,
although physical size can overcome a lot of obstacles (Planets are simply too big to destroy).

5.
6.
7.

It takes time to move information. Big ships can move information faster because they have more links
to use.
Natural organic brain mass has intrinsic limitations on storage capacity and retrieval speeds.
Bigger is generally faster. At high levels of technology overall mass of engines is what determines
acceleration.

Communications Technology.
The ships and habitats which the EC inhabits for the most part can track people by sight and sound. Any message
can be relayed vocally by the nearest mind or SPIface equipped device. Most people simply send verbal
messages by relaying things to the nearest aspect of the ship and the ship will forward the message.
If a true conversation is required all the participants can agree to go to the nearest artificial reality. If the person
is equipped with a neural-lace this can be done directly using short-range G-phase modulation.
Simple 2d video & voice contact is available via the still common public terminals.
Personal mobile communications can either be a Tablet the EC equivalent of a Electronic organiser or via long
range (300Km) Lite-Encrypted FM Radio. Note that contact units will often carry a communications tablet that
is made to look like (and sometime double as) an ordinary piece of equipment such as a pen or a bracelet.
Many EC citizens use an N-Lace or pass messages via the ship. Personal equipment can get lost and is a chore to
maintain.
As a general rule of operation broadband communications (radio / microwave etc) in the EC use very low power
transmitters and very high power receivers. This is why most communications is routed via a ship.
Communications tablets have a slightly longer range than N-laces. Normally ship to shore communications via
N-Lace or tablet allows orbital ranges. Larger vessels have sensors that can penetrate though planets to remain
unaffected by dark side problems.

Transportation Technology.
Most of the EC population is resident on-board large interstellar ships or stationary habitats. The size of both
ships and habitats requires transport around them. This is provided by Tube-cars, Flyers or a variety of
entertaining transports.
Tube cars run in Paired tubes. They are a public transport method. There are sufficient numbers of cars to ensure
that you never have to wait for one. Once you step into the car the SPI face will ask where you want to go to and
take you to the nearest tube. Tube cars can travel at near relativistic speeds without time dilation or
uncomfortable G-forces. A Tube car can carry a party of 6 humans in comfort, 12 at a pinch and 18 with
standing room only. The cars are always clean and travel at whatever speed seems appropriate given the
passengers apparent haste entering the car and any stated preference. At full speed passengers are recommended
to sit for the very short duration of the journey.
Flyers are used less frequently. They travel at a variety of speeds depending on make and model. Their speeds
range from sub-sonic (max) to Mach 5(max). They can hover and have a full freedom of movement. flyers are
equipped with a degree of anti-gravity and G-compensation. Flyers come in a variety of sizes most seating 2 to 6
people. Flyers are also public transport, but no fixed embarkation points except around ship-to-ship docking
areas. Flyers will be sent by the ship if requested or if it feels it should take you somewhere point-to-point.
Speeds above Mach 1 are generally not allowed in a habitat or ship because of the discomfort to some EC races
caused by having high speed vehicles pass nearby. If a flyer is requested there is generally a 5 minute wait for
one to arrive unless the ship was anticipating your need.

Entertaining transport covers everything else. For variety ships and habitats have other means of transport.
Rural areas of the habitat or ship may offer mounted transport. Some Urban streets run with cable cars or Chair
lifts. Just of the hell of it some places even have rick-shaws.
Outside the habitats the ships themselves come in a variety of sizes and shapes from Continent class GSVs to
Light speed capable space-suits. Form is generally no limitation on function for EC starships. As a rule the larger
the ship the faster its maximum possible speed. This assumes a normal ratio of habitable space weapons
sensors engine. Starship speeds are generally in the order of 10 light years per day. Speeds above 1000LY per
day begin to suffer from some relativity problems unless sustained for long periods of time. Generally you can
expect to spend weeks travelling between systems. Most people in the EC think of weeks between destinations
as a real chore. They will be used to jumping in a tube-rider and getting to their destination in seconds or
minutes.

Medical Technology.
Baring instant-death or major brain damage nearly all diseases and injuries are treatable in EC culture. Medical
procedures for cosmetic surgery or even recreation are not uncommon.
Biological medicines have taken over from inorganic chemistry except where cold storage is a problem. These
new drugs are much more in tune with the bodys natural function. Drugs have no undesirable side effects.
Inorganic drugs are used as a back-up only.
Sex changes or complete plastic reconstruction (with natural tissue or synthetic) is available and indeed routine.
Memory supplements are common especially to assist those over 200 years old. rejuvenation treatments are
readily available though painful. Immortality treatments are limited availability and very expensive to
implement. Major physical alterations such as additional limbs are possible. Cybernetics are available as a bioimplants (poison ducts etc).
Life-spans even without rejuvenation tend to be upwards of 300 years.
Given the vast resources of the EC expense is only a minor issue however the EC (i.e. the MINDS) do not
encourage anything that they cant easily sustain. Limiting immortality is an ethical issue. Most mature citizens of
the EC think that 300 years is enough, wanting more is immature.
Implanted micro mechanical devices to assist in healing or administer emergency medical attention are also
available. These mechanical aids are not often requires and as such are uncommon except with the few
individuals who desire wantonly dangerous lifestyles.
Portable medical first aid unit have become very sophisticated. Taking most of the skill out of first aid, a portable
Nano-doc can perform minor battlefield surgery.
The most sophisticated medical technology is Nano-symbiotic computers living and multiplying in a hosts blood
(bloodwear / bloodhosting). These semi-sentient co-habiting computers can talk directly to the hosts brain. To
host bloodhosting is not entirely one sided NSC Entities (nancies) have rights under EC law. A person agreeing
to bloodhost implantation has responsibilities for the NSC and both the host and the symbiot have some right of
habitation over the hosts body.
Commonly implanted devices include: Contraception, Memory store, encyclopaedia memo-chip , Partial
armoured skeleton, Bio monitor, Pain blocking, PA/PO chip, Time chip, Hormone control chip, Drug synthesiser
gland (Calm, Alert, Sleep, Cheer, Boost).
On a fully equipped ship or habitat limbs can be fully regrown, any cosmetic changes can be made, any disease
cured. Under full care a human can regain up to 5 body per day.

Vessels that are much smaller such as SDBs will generally have enough medical capacity to sustain a body and
repair damage, but will not be able to clone new bodies or conduct major surgical alterations.

Robot Technology.
A fully equipped ship can construct a device from the atomic level. Perfectly human looking robots are possible.
Mostly however robot technology is used for un-intelligent construction robots, body guard or soldier robots and
automated weapons systems.
The robot that military characters are most likely to have had significant contact with are called Chevrons. These
are an intelligent robot usually with PP communications to a portable link or N-Lace. The Chevron is intended
for use as a surrogate for command personnel. Initially the word Chevron was used to mean Rank, but Chevron
surrogates are generally offered to military personnel of Rank. Chevrons with PP communication can take the
place of their twinned officer in combat. They are equipped for real-time instantaneous feedback so that the
officer can take part in the action without risk. The robot can operate independently on orders and can be used as
a servant, bodyguard or sentry.
Miniature reconnaissance robots are also commonly available.
Where more sophisticated robot technology is used these will generally fall into the category of Drones.
Power sources and Misc Technology.
The most significant component of EC technology is Point-to-point technology.
PP communication is the best method of communication. A sub-atomic particle can be split into two pixels.
The two pixels always mimic each other. Energy given to one is also exhibited by the other even if the two are
separated by an infinite distance. There is no delay in transmission within the clique. This effect is due to
string theory physics. The clique is generally used for communication purposes. Some of the larger ships have
switchboards to connect from one clique to another. Cliques can also be used for power transmission, but this is
expensive and rare since the amount of energy that can be transferred across a single pixel is fairly small.
PP energy transfer is generally only used to power remote sensors deployed from a mother station.
PP equipment is one of the few limited resource items in the EC. Almost anything else short of large mass
objects (such as ships and habitats) is available if you have a good reason to want it.
The EC has extensive use of Anti-Gravity, G-compensation, Fusion reaction, Field induction warp drive.
Force fields and mass manipulating fields are used extensively by drones and ships. This can provide a wide
variety of function such as manipulating air molecules at limited range ( blocking sound or providing flight).
Mass manipulation can also be used to artificially strengthen structures made of very limited physical mass. The
latter are sometimes called Structural Integrity fields.

Weapons Technology.
Ship to Ship.
Stealth and speed are the major weapons in ship to ship combat. Most ships are controlled by artificial
intelligences that make and implement the combat decisions faster than any organic life form could understand
the situation. Communications delays and loss of communication due to ECM means that most combat is preprogrammed. All the likely outcomes are planned for and weapons systems and defensive measures are then set
to perform an automatic series of actions. The opponent with the best pre planned actions generally wins. The

more weapons you have the more comprehensive your plan can be and the more redundancy you can build into
the plan.
Once a ship has decided to engage in combat it can use any number of weapons:
Ultra high velocity munitions are available (UHVMs). These self propelled missiles are equipped with short
burn super-lumnal drives. Usually warp drives rather than reaction mass driven. A UHVM will fly towards and
through a target holing it and releasing lots of energy as it does so. Since stopping inside the target is not an
option at light speed and timing an explosion to occur in the short time that the UHVM is inside is not possible
the weapon only does kinetic and shock damage. UHVMs are commonly fired in clusters to maximise
damage. Effective range depends very much on the targets movement and sensors since most ships can evade a
UHVM if they see one coming. Evading more than one is of course more difficult. The backwash effects from
UHVMs make them inappropriate as man-portable weapons. Imagine a high velocity bullet from a jet fighter in
a vertical dive hitting an anti-air missile fired from an express elevator.
Space attenuation weapons (SAT) operating on similar principles to a warp drive can tear a large mass apart.
Smaller or more manoeuvrable ships can evade the damaging eddy currents by rapid violent manoeuvres. Space
attenuation weapons also have limited range (100Km) and require large amounts of energy. Imagine that you are
made of water and youre in a towel that someone is wringing out.
Direct energy weapons such as lasers, Plasma accelerators or kinetic / explosive weapons are also available in
ship-to-ship magnitudes. The relatively slow Muzzle velocities of these weapons means that they are only
usable if the aggressor ship can match the target ships movement. Direct energy weapons generally have a range
less than 10Km due to the travel time of the energy. Imagine a leech with a welding torch just were you cant
reach it.
Condensed anti-matter (CAM) is one of the most lethal ship-to-ship weapons. Anti-matter at atomic level is itself
fairly destructive. A CAM weapon can construct grains of anti-matter made up of thousands of molecules of
anti-matter. Spread over an area CAM acts as a short term minefield capable of delivering near solar magnitude
energies. CAM weapons cannot project their payloads at high velocity (limit 10Km / sec in vacuum approx.).
Imagine sand-blasting a flint statue with iron filings on a city-block type scale.
Meson weapons use a similar technology to plasma accelerators. Meson particles decay and release significant
quantities of energy. By using real-space relativity to time the meson decay the meson particles can be caused
to decay at a fixed point at any distance. Mesons also being very small travel like gamma radiation though most
matter and some defence fields. The damage can consequently be done direct to the core of the target. Imagine
microwaving your head while wearing braces on your teeth.

Heavy weapons.
Although combat other than ship-to-ship has been extremely limited vehicle and man portable weapons do exist
in the EC culture.
Plasma field weapons are used to vaporise large areas. An extension of Napalm, Plasma field weapons use
cluster munitions to deploy over a wide area. They then use controlled explosions to release large volumes of
star-hot plasma. Similar in many ways to nukes, plasma fields weapons are designed to do more damage to a
wider area more by heat than by a blast effect. Dispersal is normally via a ground or air launched multi-warhead
missile.
Locusts are an equally mass destructive weapon, but designed for deeper ground penetration. Locusts are selfreplicating machines. They are dropped over a wide area and consist of a mixed bag of special purpose
machines. The machines can burrow underground and hibernate until a pre-specified time, event or signal. The
locusts than start manufacturing further tunnelling weapons from local raw materials. Robotic soldiers, mines,
gas distributors and seismic nukes may all be manufactured to eradicate all targets within a specified area.
Locusts also have the ability to re-hibernate and return again and again. Entire planetary cultures have been
destroyed over generations by locust weapon systems. Locusts can be deployed from penetrator missile volleys

or personal demolition packs depending on the required size of the first wave of the attack. Locusts are viewed in
the same morally dubious way as mines.
Mini-Nukes are still considered the most efficient heavy weapons. A mini-nuke can be the size of a vacuum flask
and destroy 8Km radius with blast, heat and optionally sustained radiation. Mini-nukes are standard issue to
small insurgent teams in most high tech civilisations.
Massive Kinetic weapons are the staple of space supported assaults. Cheap and effective. Guided cluster
weapons with mass only warheads are a relatively clean weapon. The profile of the weapon can be modified
either for deep penetration or grazing (dust burst) impacts. These weapons usually come with some methods of
target area designation to localise the effect. This allows the weapon a wide scope from single munition antivehicle strikes to multi-million warhead saturation stone rain.

Personal Weapons.
EC personal weapons are characterised by the built-in-skills. Most firearms are either self aiming or assisted
aiming. Lighter weapons where there is no weight allowance for the gyros or AG systems required for aiming
assist tend to use guided micro-shell ammunition.
Personal weapons are sub divided into line weapons and support (normally called heavy weapons).
Line weapons.
Slug throwers are the staple personal sidearm. Rifle and pistol configurations both exist. Most pistols are short
barrel, wide bore weapons with explosive speciality ammo or guided mico-shells. Rifles vary much more in
design. Often equipped with self aim or aim-assist rifles also vary in calibre. The main advantage of all slug
throwing weapons over Lasers and Plasma weapons is the flexibility to change the payload effect.
Common slug thrower payloads include: Explosive tipped guided micro-shell, Memo-form tipped micro-shell,
Spoiling penetrator, Soft-shell, Plastic RF sliver round, Hollow point Dum-Dum, Infector, Wire trailing,
Penetrating guide point round.
One sub-class of slug throwers is the grenade launcher. Commonly fixed to the under side of long arms. Grenade
launchers suffer double range penalties, but can be fired indirect at ranges over half their maximum. The EC
has standardised on 30mm launcher propelled and 200mm thrown grenades.
Lasers are can be powered by energy cells that provide high power electrical energy spikes to a laseing rod.
Alternatively lasers can mix highly volatile chemicals and then inject them into a low-pressure lasing chamber.
Lasers powered by volatile chemicals are far more powerful than electrically powered lasers. However carrying
volatile chemical cells is inherently dangerous. The main advantage that laser weapons have is their multifunction capability. Lasers can frequently be tuned to less efficient, but invisible wavelengths. This makes them
good as ambush weapons. Its also possible to turn down the power on lasers either to conserve energy, or to
start fires or sterilise wounds.
Ship based lasers are more powerful still and generally operate by dumping fusion exhaust into a lasing chamber
to generate the beam.
Plasma Rifles accelerate volatile gasses into a strong magnetic coil. The beam of exhaust gas is charged and fired
along a oppositely charged path. Plasma weapons can deal huge amounts of damage in heat and radiation.
Plasma weapons are possibly the most sophisticated man-portable weapons system.
Though less frequently used Gauss weapons do exist in the EC. These use a combination explosive and magnetic
accellerant to project a slug at high velocity. Gauss ammunition tends to be simple solid slugs. These weapons
rely on a very high rate of fire to make them effective.

The development of grenade weapons and heavier bombs has lead to multiple warhead weapons. Each submunition is frequently equipped with homing devices so that a simple cluster munition can deploy 30 or 40
personnel seeking mini-explosives. Variations include slow dispersal cluster grenades that release micro-shells at
1 second intervals as suppressive fire.

Support weapons
Gauss weapons though uncommon as line-personal weapons do have some advantages as support weapons.
Explosively powered slug throwers have limit on the physical length of the slug that can be efficiently
accelerated down a barrel. Gauss spear throwers (AT weapon) do not have this limitation since the entire length
of the bullet can be used by the propulsion system. Hence very heavy physical projectiles can be given a high
muzzle velocity. Gauss spear throwers generally fire an explosive tipped round 10mm in diameter and 600mm in
length. Recoil suppression is required for this weapon. The small end profile and large mass of the slug makes it
ideal for penetrating vehicle armour.
Useful as a suppressive fire weapon RF wire throwers (Emplaced AP weapon) fire long filaments of sharp
adhesive wire. Using a wire thrower an area can quickly be covered with a loose cloud of filament loops. Each
filament has microscopic cutting barbs and small adhesive beads. Anyone stuck in a fire field is likely to cut
themselves to shreds just by breathing ( a slow and horrid way to die).
The most effective support weapon is the Nuke. Nukes can be as small as Thermos flasks, not including
deployment method. Most nukes are based around low yield isotopes to limit radiation effects.
The generic term for support versions of slug throwers is Assault cannons. With large calibre ammunition and
longer barrels assault cannons deal more damage with better penetration.

Automated weapons.
The EC also has access to automated sentry weapons and intelligent mine fields. These are useful as second line
troops or first line defences. Generally intelligent weapons system are capable of visually recognising certain
troops and allowing them trough. For more secure defence other more comprehensive identification methods
may be specified.
Kinetic weapons are most flexible in terms of payload variations. Lasers are more easily defended against.
Lasers are easily adjusted to various power levels. Plasma weapons are expensive (in ammo) to operate.

Unavailable tech.
Psionics, Displacers / Teleporters, Magic, Inter-dimensional movement, Time travel, Matter creation.

The society.
There is very little stratification of the social structure in the culture. There is no real money and hence no
wealth. People work for pleasure rather than payment. The culture is governed by minds. There is no elected
structure of administrators or similar public figures. The culture is so dispersed and diverse that actors tend not to
become famous. The only stratified segment of society is the military.

Making a living.
Cafs serve food for free. Accommodation is plentiful, free and easily customised, to the occupants desires.
There is no land except that owned by the ship or habitat mind and so there are no areas of accommodation that
are richer than others.
In short a character does not need to earn a living. People enter a profession out of interest. Generally they try to
make the job interesting and the work is simply another form of entertainment. Since anyone that is providing a
service is doing so because they want to they are happy with the work. Rude customers would simple be
ignored since their money is not needed. As a result people tend to become habitually polite to those serving
food or providing a service.

Ettan Beloa works in an open fronted bar / caf on pico street in the urban sector of the GSV Curious pastime.
He was raised by his mother and her sister, both sculptors. He has never met his father who apparently is in the
military and still doing fine. His tutor during his schooling years found him disinterested in most of the higher
sciences. Only literature really caught his attention. After a period of playing the young buck after schooling he
got bored with sport and hill walking. He still looks forwards to the occasional visit to habitats with mountain
areas when the CP stops at one. When he was 27 a friend who ran the bar decided to move to a habitat leaving
the bar to anyone who wanted it. Ettan requested the ship to let him have it and no one else had asked so Ettan
took over the running. He has a co-worker Padra. She mainly likes to serve as a waitress while Ettan likes
cooking a lot so when shes about prepares food and Padra does most of the serving.
There are some regulars in the caf. His old tutor amongst them. His tutor is teaching a new group of students
now. When she stops by Ettan likes to talk about literature and cooking, but his real interest is in the travellers
whom he has never met before. Finding out their stories is his best treat.
On days when Padra doesnt turn up Ettan has found that turning off the lights at the front of the bar cuts the
number of passer-bys who drop in. It also gives a more intimate after-hours type feel to the caf. The regulars
know its still open and if a stranger comes by Ettan has more time to spend with them.
If Ettan and Padra dont want to work the ship keeps the caf doors closed.
In Ettans time off he visits his mothers sister whom he thinks of as a second mother. His real mother has been
travelling a bit lately. Sometimes he goes walking with a book.
Ettan has no particular plans for the future, but expects that one day someone will walk into the caf and they
will become friends enough to become a couple.

Trade.
The EC still has a form of trade. Even though most things can be manufactured by the ship people still like to
have originals or antiques. Many people in the culture take up art in one form or another so there are plenty of
art objects to be had.
Most trade is for favours. Mostly this is brokered via the ship. There is no organised system for this. If you want
something that the ship cannot easily provide it may ask someone who owes it a favour to provide it. In return
you end up owing the ship a favour. Favours are passed around between minds in the culture so you may be
asked to do something for a mind that youve never met.
The minds are fair and dont usually ask for a favour that seems like too much hard work. Youre also not
obliged to do what the ship asks, but you never know when you might want something special for yourself.
In the same way Ships can end up owing favours.

Entertainment.
Many people in the EC are into outdoory pursuits. A lot of space is set aside on GSVs for open spaces, More
so on the Habitats. Land area is not a limited resource though most GSVs do not have any palatial mansions
with gardens.
Mountains are generally rare. Some of the Habitats have built mountainous areas, but there are many people
looking forwards to visiting proper planetary mountain ranges.
There are large groups of people who play games of strategy or chance.
The highest level of such games is generally considered to be Evergance a game played with cards onto a 12 by
12 chequered board.
Theatre, singing, music all have their normal place.
Cinema has generally be replaced with Artificial reality stories.
Sex is generally easy to come by in EC society.

Religion.
Both in the EC itself and amongst higher technology civilisations generally there is a diversification of religions.
About 10% of EC members make at least some concession to a religion.
Faith 1: Bright bringers. This is a group of military academy students raised under the tuterlidge of Sazz
Walenski. He is an enigmatic radical. He has trained units as ground troops. The only ground troops that the EC
has. Ground work is almost suicidal since any contact with a planet found to have the virus would mean being
abandoned. Bright bringers are indoctrinated so that they will remain loyal to the EC even if cut-off on a virus
infected planet. Sazz is a right wing sympathiser. His followers are generally likened to the Zen-Samurai.
Faith 2: The order of the fallen. The O.F believe that the civilisations that make up the known universe are all
domed to failure and a fall into anarchy. They are preparing the way to save as much of the cultures as possible
storing away what they can for the cultures who come after. They believe that by doing so the cultures may
evolve a culture that will learn from those that have gone before. They store away huge warehouses of
technology and information. They have some caches that date back before the embargo. Many of the families of
the order have instructions for re-establishing communications with their far flung memberships.
Faith 3: Brethren of the circle path. Members of this order believe in re-incarnation in a cycle that only ends with
the universe. They spend their time trying to match up the people to their past lives, passing on histories and the
responsibilities of the past lives to the re-born. The central church is on a planet that has had contact with the EC
during the embargo. The brethren are divided between searchers and the judiciary. The former establish the
where-abouts and histories of people performing a continuous censor of peoples actions and personality. When
the information is collated by the central church they can inform the searchers to contact people who have been
identified as re-born to pass on information. The judiciary are called on to enact justice against those who have
sinned in their past lives and escaped un-punished.

The Wars.

The history of the Embargo Culture is not a peaceful one. It is however characterised by extensive use of tactical
advantage to minimise loss of life to the enemy. While the EC shows a great deal of remorse for its actions it
has possibly been the most beneficent enemy any other race has fought.
Since some of the characters may want to come from a background that had intimate contact with the wars this is
a brief summary of the nature of each of the major conflicts.
62654 The Feenur / Chiqow war.
The conflict began when Chiqow governance declared a no-fly zone between some of the areas of space
nearby, but outside of Chiqow habitation. These areas included one of the Feenur trade paths to some minor
planets. Although the Feenur could have abandoned trade with these planets and withdrawn they decided to
continue using the trade paths. The decision was made partly for humanitarian considerations since the smaller
planet systems would certainly have fallen into chaos without Feenur support. Also it was argued that Chiqow
should be disuaded from extending military dictates to areas outside of Chiqow controlled space.
Unfortunately for the Feenur they severely underestimated both the war readiness of the Chiqow and their
willingness to use weapons of mass destruction. Feenur warships had only a couple of successful engagements
with the Chiqow. While for the earlier months of the conflict the Feenur were able to perform a fighting
withdrawl 4 months into the conflict a Chiqow battle group headed by the vessel When Avrada was burnt made
an advanced attack against the planet Delta Serpentis 3. This resulted in massive fatalities for the noncombatants on the planet. The planet was poisened and the Feenur fleet in withdrawl was forced to provide
medical support to a planet that it had intended as a resupply point. The battle of DS3 has left the planet
uninhabitable. The withdrawing Feenur forces were harried though the space around DS3 although the amount
of fire power applied by the Chiqow fleet did not match that of the opening strike. Feenur losses at DS3 were
more significant during the withdrawl than during the opening strike. The battle of DS3 is considered to be the
battle that destroyed the Feenur as a self supporting space faring race.
The war continued for another 3 month with decreasing intensity until the Feenur collective formally withdrew
from areas dictated by the Chiqow.
62658 The Assimilation War.
The Assimilation war was fought in the Vastor asteroid belt. The belt itself is thought to be the remains of a
group of partially formed solar system where several of the larger planets in each system suffered destruction
from an unknown origin. The system is littered with large deposits of heavy materials. The cause of the systems
destruction is uncertain, but investigations have identified that the destruction seemed to have occurred in all of
the systems at around the same time.
The Vastor asteroid belt was exploited by both the Tekarr and the Lanobarr civilisations. The operations of both
civilisations had been ongoing for several hundred years. During this time a steady rise in piracy went mostly
unchecked. Tekarr based pirates would raid Lanobarr and vice versa. Despite some initial co-operation between
the two governments devolved local authorities started some small scale retaliation.
The scale of conflict escalated drawing in the primary military of both civilisations. The conflict continued for 4
years at very low intensity. Most of the action was confined to attrition of the civilian / pirate fleets operated by
the other side. Finally logistical difficulties for both sides forced a truce with the formation of the Independent
Vastor Protectorate. The IVP is created controlled by ship-minds with independence from both Tekarr and
Lanobarr civilizations.
As a footnote after the conflict ended the piracy still continued, but the IVP presence policed the area without
bias. Since the assimilation war ended 5 de-biased ship minds have sublimed (exited / transcended normal
space-time).
62662 Yenadu.
Yenadu is considered one of the most guilt ridden of EC conflicts. The conflict was rather more of a police
action than a war. Most of the casualties were from civilian vessels destroyed while trying to escape from a

quarantine of the Yenadu orbital habitat. The habitat possessed several warships and a number of civilian vessels
were armed. Lack of communication, partly due to nano-viral infection prevented the Yenadu vessels from
appreciating how tight the embargo fleet had secured the system. Also it is presumed that certain of the vessels
would have tried to run the blockade even with very slim chance of escape.
Yenadu was completely destroyed 18 hours after the start of the exodus when critical systems failed on the
habitat and the mega-structure collapsed. Only 5 ships out of approximately 100,000 Yenadu vessels were able
to survive the conflict. The vessels aborted their escape attempt and remained quarantined for 3 months before
being remotely refuelled and escorted to an uninhabited system. The vessels were: "The merchant of venice",
Lonely vixen, Invisible light, The splendid and Valley forge 8.
62664 The Renabu War.
The Renabu colony consisted of 18 systems in relatively close proximity. Three of these systems had a full ship
manufacturing base. The colonly was relatively young and dynamic with a large industrial infrastructure. Large
portions of the societies utilised robotic constructs to do the heavy labour.
The colony used a large number of starships running an extensive transport network between the systems for
trade and travel. This was the main cause of the Renabu colony being in a strong position against the EC.
The Renabu colonly was controlled by Govoner Rachel Lindsay. Lindsay had a hobby of wargaming and was
able to rapidly militarise the systems. The degree of automation allowed a rapid turn-around in production to
manufacturing armaments that were retro-fitted to the space fleet. When EC ships arrived in Renabu space in
62664 they were met with unpresidented resistance. Early subterfuge and extensive planning gave Renabu an
upperhand. The early part of the war was characterised by lightning strikes of Renabu SDBs against EC flanks
and support vessels. Blockades on the main planets of the colony had to be withdrawn several times when
Renabu battle groups attacked EC assets far out of system. EC casualties were very high particularly amongst
civilian vessels that had thought they were far from the areas of conflict.
The EC eventually won by destroying enough of the Renadu fleet over the course of the 4 year war that the fleet
became unviable. Renadu casualties were almost entirely automated systems and military personnel.
62662 The Pina War.

Ships:

Character Building:

Azz-bak Sizzurn pushed the flowering builder pod flush against the rooms aft bulkhead. Soft nurturing limbs of
sweaty black nano-masses billowing outwards from the core of the pod. The limbs would soon collapse opening
the inside of the pod to the cabins temporarily heightened warmth and humidity.
The ship a cut down Danten cruiser was swimming hard against the backwash of the GSV falling astern. Azzbak Sizzurn could feel the micro-gravity modulations flickering at the corners of its sensor, not quite dampened
out by the ships compensation field. The ship "Heightened anticipation" was making a show of its acceleration
away from the GSV doing half of its Delta-V-Max.

There was a slight sucking noise as the pods limbs recoiled slowly in unison the damp pink and still hairless
body. Very immature thought Azz-bak Sizzurn, to request a re-birth so natal.
Delicate blue eyes opened, lids beading with the pod residue.
Azz-bak Sizzurn started to compute exactly the best way to explain its failure to detect the Tussids Nuke to
Kameron. Bugger that! said Azz-bak and decided that absence was the better part of valour.
In the Embargo culture a characters origin is a matter of player choice. It has no affect on the characters future
development. For aliens the options may vary. The options are:
Characters can be: Human, Demi-human, Alien. The old war has just ended. Characters can be De-mobbed
military or civilians. It is possible to play characters from non-EC races that are being brought into the EC, but
this should not be the norm. Characters cannot be mechanoids though they may have cybernetic implants.
Characters are likely to be at least slightly religious. Spiritualism is popular in the EC since its one of the few
areas where organics can draw a distinction between themselves and machines.

Freeborn Human.
The character has two parents. The parents can be of either sex, but at the time of birth at least one must have
been equipped with the correct organs to give birth. Giving birth in the Embargo culture is a risk free and
optionally a pain free experience. The consciousness of the child can be raised or lowered if desired. Most
parents choose their child to be born at least vaguely aware of the experience.
20% of normal humans are sterile.

Clone Offspring.
Cloning is relatively rare as a method of being a child into being. The clone need not be an exact copy of the
single parent. From the same basic DNA a male or female clone can be conceived. Other attributes such as hair
and eye colour are also available to change. More than this and the child should really be considered to be
genetically constructed rather than cloned. Clones can be brought to term either in a womb (not necessarily
belonging to the parent) or in an artificial gestation pod.

Genetically Constructed.
Genetic construction can start with cloned DNA or built from a fractal RNA re-construction. Genetic
construction is fairly rare. There is little point in making an artificial human unless the offspring is significantly
modified and this is usually best done by elective surgery on a willing adult. Genetically constructed children
often require special upbringing to avoid psychological damage.
Because of the gross variations Genetically constructed children are invariably gestated artificially.
Demi-Humans (Human sub-species from batches of similarly genetically modified humans) Are 60% Sterile.
Demi-Humans are 99% unable to interbreed.
Genetically constructed humans are 80% sterile (unless constructed as mothers !).

Alpha / Beta Cloning.

AB Cloning is effectively the same in practice as Clone offspring. The major difference is the application. It is
possible to store codified genetic samples with an RNA memory-wire. From this Shadow the donor can be recreated. The majority of Embargo culture people has a shadow taken and keep it uptodate regularly. The RNA
memory wire takes about 1 hour to make. The DNA sample need not be repeated. From the Shadow a
completely new body (an Alpha) can be constructed in an artificial womb taking 4-9 months (depending on the
size of the body). A clone of a Alpha would be called a Beta.
Alpha-recloning is limited by the embargo council to 4 re-clonings unless the estate can prove reasonable
competence. Then the limit can be extended to 6. Military personnel generally have 6 allowed with exceptional
personnel being awarded extra lives.

Artificially Gestated.
For a variety of reasons natural parents may decide to have all or some of the pregnancy removed to an artificial
womb. The child may be raised ex-utero for any part of the term. Generally the parents will be present at the
birth.

Playing a clone.
If a character dies the GM may allow the player to continue playing the characters Clone. In this case the Clone
begins play at the full character point of the last Shadow recording. However the clone receives only half of the
normal experience until a number of experience points equal to the clones starting XPs is reached.
It is not guaranteed that that the player may continue with a clone. Playing the clone is at the GMs option only.
As a rule of thumb the player can run a clone if a) The original character died as a result of game-mechanics or a
failure of the GM to read the rules or b) The Shadow recording is very up-to-date so that the player does not
know more than the clone.

Character History.

Human age bands. (Real age)

Childhood Ages 5 10
Teenager Ages 11 19
Young Adult Ages 20 30
Adult Ages 31 100
Mature Adult Ages 101 200
Old Ages 201 300

Very old Ages 301 350

Ancient Ages 351+
At any time during the background generation you can elect to be put into Stasis for any period of time.

For each period roll a Feel for the period.

Roll 1

Roll 2

1-3

1-3

4-6

4-6

1-3

4-6

Roll 3

Feel result

All that glistens is not gold.

Never a dull moment.

Tempus Fugit.

A stitch in time save nine.

There, but for the grace of god go I.

Adversity breeds strength.

Things Change.

Love is the sweetest thing.

Serpents in the garden.

The burning bush.

There are more things in heaven and earth.

All things come to he who waits.

Those who can, do.

The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long.

Pennies from heaven.

Never do today what you can do tomorrow.

My enemies enemy is my friend.

The road less travelled.

To err is human.

Do unto others.

Chasing the dragon.

Storm in a teacup.

A rolling stone

Between a rock and a hard place

Points.
Base 50, +50 disads, Max 25 disad points per category.

Special Disads:
Rather than buy skills with any IIF type focus limitation implants are far more subtle and difficult to remove.
Instead use either or both of the following physical limitations. These also count as a distinctive feature (not
bought as a separate disad !).
Physical Limitation: Artificially Enhanced Physical body only (5)
Physical Limitation: Artificially Enhanced Mental stats and Skills (5)
Physical Limitation: Therapied The character never looses control [difficult to play] Common, Slight (10)
A note on technology skills:
Tech level on a character DOES NOT allow the character to use lower tech without penalty.
Standard tech requires a tech roll to establish how well the techs hardware can be used.
Every-man skills: Conversation, Deduction, Paramedic, Shadowing, Stealth, T-fam Tube rider, 4 points Standard
Language, AK: Home orbital, GSB or GSV, 1 Point PS skill, KS:F-Level Tech
Knowledge Skills List:
A-Level Tech, B-Level Tech, C-Level Tech, D-Level Tech, E-Level Tech, F-Level Tech, G-Level Tech, AI
programming, EC Law, Ships Regulations, Security procedures, Data analysis, Leisure pursuits, Religion, Black
market, Underworld figures, Nobility
Area Knowledge:
The Galaxy, The Rim, The Core, The Kalmacht arm, The Aboran arm, Embargo sectors, Mastrim Habitat,
Cloneckt Habitat, Rasboen Habitat, Xiam City Habitat, Donnel Habitat, GSV Ends of Invention, GSV apparent
victor, GSV undeniable conclusion, GSV No small thing
Professional Skills List:
Therapist, Ships Officer, Engineering, Communications, Scanning, Piloting, Comp Maint, Ground troop,
Security, Recon, Teacher, Priest, Villan, Noble, Socialite
EC Languages: Standard, Malijjir (Cannot be spoken by humans, No written form), Thieves cant, Esquilidad
(Religious tongue like Latin), Karcan (Technical language of AIs), Battle language.
Martial arts can be bought as Zero-G for plus 2 points on each technique.

Sciences:
Particle Physics, Xeno biology, Genetics, Social-matha-mechanics, Meta-maths, Information theory,
Ergonomics, Superstring theory, Nano-technology, Bio-chemistry, Field mechanics, Stellar mechanics, Orbital
mechanics, Planetary sociology, Spaceborne sociology, Biomechanics, Communications technology, Weapons
technology, Defence technology, Agricultural technology, Cybernetic technology, Electronics, Optronics.
Arts
Sculpting, Singing, Acting, Painting, Video editing, Simulation, Massage, Creative writing, Building, Drugengineering.
Weapons familiarities:
Plasma, Slug throwers, Lasers, Assisted firing, Grenade Launcher, Throwing, Automated weapons, Ships
weapons.
Transport familiarities:
Boats & aqua-Ships, Flyers, Wheeled Ground vehicles, Aeroplanes, Hovercraft, rotary winged vehicles, Ground
effect vehicles (GEVs), Submarines, Space-suits, Horse, Large space vehicles.
Other useful skills:
Planetary navigation, Orbital navigation, Land navigation, Sea navigation, Air navigation, Planetary space
navigation, Interstellar navigation, Culture etiquette, Contact etiquette, Malijir etiquette, Chiqow etiquette,
Culture psychology, Chiqow psychology, Malijir psychology, Feenur psychology, Tekarr Psychology.
Character classes:
Packages: Therapist, Ships officer, Ships crew (specialise), Ground troop, Intel-sec, Scientist, Explorer,
Entertainer, Maintenance crew, Resource extractor, Spec-ops, Mil-recon, Educator, Civ, Priest, Villain, Basic
Ed, Cortical induction learning, Technical studies apprenticeship, EC Mil-ed, The faithful college of the
enlightening order.
Therapist: Therapists have two main functions. Firstly they educate others in the methods of self help and stress
relief that allow them to lead full healthy lives. Secondly they oversee the neural re-masking treatments that
often form part of the cure for ill-adapted behavioural afflictions. To become a Therapist the candidate character
must have undergone a Technical studies apprenticeship in a social science field. Therapists must themselves be
threapied OR pay the full cost of the package skills without the package bonus. The package takes a minimum
duration of 3 years training (Good professional term).
Benefits: PS Therapist 11-, KS Neural architecture 8-, KS Neuro re-masking surgery 8-, Conversation 16-,
Deduction 15-, Psychology 12-, Package bonus 3 points
Ships officer: SOs serve military terms on ships with lower grade AIs. Usually involved with patrol missions.
Their job is to oversee the crew and minimise risk to the crew while trying to maintain the embargo. To become
a ships office the character must have spent more than one term in the military. Or may be therapied and spent
one term in the military.
Benefits:PS:Ships officer 11-, KS: Ships procedures 11-, KS Ships weapons 11-, Persuasion 14-, Oratory 11-,
Tfam: Space ships, Package bonus 2 points.
Ships crew (Commander): Ship commanders oversee the ships flight. They act as both navigator and pilot as
required. To be a ships commander the character must have spent a term in the military.

Benefits:PS:Ships command 11-, Interstellar Navigation 12-, KS:Galaxy 12-, KS:Local region of space 14-, Pilot
12-, Tfam: Space ships, Package bonus 5 points.
Ships crew (Engineer): Engineers act as damage control personnel, they advise on modifications and work with
the SO to determine what the ship can and cannot do. As well as overseeing technical repairs and modifications
the engineers main duty is tactical advise to the SO. To be a ships engineer the character must have spent a term
in the military.
Benefits:PS:Ships Engineer 11-, Tactics 11-, Engineering 11-, KS:Ships weapons 8-, Tfam:Space ships, Package
bonus 2 points
Ships crew (Weapons officer): Weapons offices are primarily concerned with weapons tactics. They pick targets
and match weapons resources to those targets. They advise the SO on distances and evasion tactics. To be a
weapons office the character must have spent two terms in the military.
Benefits: PS:Weapons officer 11-, KS: Ships weapons 14-, Tactics 11-, Wfam:Broad group (Ships weapons),
Fluent with Battle language, Package bonus 3 Points
Ground troop: Ground troops are rare in the EC military. They are mostly used as boarding crew, even so not
only do they risk getting killed in boarding actions, but also being abandoned on virus infected ships or planets.
To be a ground troop the character must have spent one term in the military..
Benefits: PS:Trooper 11-, AK:Standard ship layout 11-, Desert Survival 11-, Arctic Survival 11-, Jungle survival
11-, Wfam 1 personal weapon, W fam 2 support weapons, Fluent with Battle language, +1 Range skill level with
all attacks, Package bonus 5 points.
Intel-sec: Internal security was initially set-up when the first EC forces where coalecessed. They have been a
shadow background force during the entire of the ECs existence. Now as the EC begins to interact with other
civilisations again Internal security is again becoming an issue.
Benefits: PS:Security 11-, Shadowing 12-, Stealth 12-, Wfam 1 personal weapon, Resistance, Fluent in 4
languages minimum, Perception 15-, KS:Security 11-, Package bonus 5 points.
Scientist: Scientists are driven by curiosity. They seek knowledge for its own sake. Scientific discovery is also
one of the few areas where Organic minds are better than most computers. The Sentient minds are however still
a match for humans even in this endeavour. Scientists also regularly have hook-ups with Thinkers and STMs to
assist in their research. Long exposure to direct links however does have a tendency to change people. Scientists
Must have spent at least one term either in Basic ed, as an educator or using direct cortical learning.
Benefits: Scientist, 1 Science 15-, Int 18+, Deduction 11-, Conversational Karcan, Package bonus 1 point.
Explorer: Explorers either travel within the culture or try to find EC ships travelling to uncharted areas of space.
Benefits:Traveller, AK:Galaxy 11-, AK:General GSV design 11-, Perception 12-, Package bonus 1 point.
Entertainer: Entertainers are characters who have elected as part of a professional term to provided entertainment
to others. This may be in any one of a number of forms. Entertainers are not often famous. Since they are unpaid.
They do it for sheer pleasure.
Benefits: 2 creative skills, Package bonus 1 point.
Maintenance crew: A significant portion of EC society enjoys working with the technology. Many of these
people volunteer for work in docking bays. They service and maintain vehicles and equipment working closely
with automated equipment. To get on the maintenance crew the character must have been an engineer for a term,
or undergo a term of cortical learning or have a technical apprenticeship.

Benefits: Engineering 11-, Conversational Karcan, PS:Mechanic 11-, KS:Ship design 11-, Electronics 8-,
Package bonus 4 points.
Resource extractor: Generally the EC is fairly densely populated. As a response more to this than a need for
human staff the EC has miners These people spend long periods in the nearly deserted regions of space mining
and refining volatile chemicals and metals. Spending a term as a resource extractor is really spending a term with
a bit more privacy and solitude than usual.
Benefits: Mining 11-, PS:Miner 11-, PS:Mechanic 11-, KS:Local area 12-, Package bonus 3 points.
Spec-ops: There are a few people in the EC who though a complex weave of fate despite the best attempts of
society turn out to be mal-adjusted. People who are not and cannot be happy with the idyllic existence of most of
the EC. These people are suited to and apt to enjoy working for Special-operations. Spec opt characters accept
the need to break the moral code where the greater good is served by the lesser evil. Special ops character must
not be therpied (and are unlikely due to their nature to ever agree to be therapied).
Benefits: Wfam Personal weapon, 12 Points in martial arts, 2x Tfam, Linguist, Cramming 11-, Stealth 13-,
Concealment 12-, Paramedic 11-, Tactics 11- Interrogation 11-, Package bonus 4 points.
Mil-recon: Military recon is a combination of insurgency work and remote surveillance. The work involves
working closely with Ships officers and Ships minds.
Benefits: Tactics 15-, Surveillance 12-, Perception (Sight) 13-, Deduction 12-, Chartography 8-, Politics 8-,
Package bonus 3 points.
Educator: Although the EC encourages self-driven learning childhood education is still guided by a tutor.
Although a computer may know the subject matter experience has shown that the personal touch of someone
from the same race helps retention of information.
Benefits: Psychology 13-, Teaching 11-, Cramming 11-, Persuasion 11-, Oratory 8-, Conversation 11-, 1 science
11-, Package bonus 2 points.
Civ: EC communities are heavily manipulated by the ship minds. Community team building and massentertainment are a big part of the system for maintaining a peaceful happy society. Civs are the people who
organise the street parties and plan the themes that go into making life interesting for the population. A Civ is
almost a professional socialite.
Benefits: Psychology 8-, Persuasion 14-, Oratory 11-, AK: Home ship 14-, Linguist, Well connected, Package
bonus 3 points.
Priest: There are a wide variety of religions in the greater interstellar community. The EC has fewer than most
with a significant portion of the population being agnostic.
Benefits: Distinctive feature: Priest- Easily concealed-Noticed & Recognised, PS:Priest 11-, Persuasion 11-,
Oratory 14-, KS: Own religion 11-, Package bonus 1 point.
Villain: Villains are very very rare in EC culture. There is in fact no police force due to the lack of crime.
Villains are most likely to be recently brought into the EC and not yet found out. Villainous implies untherapied.
Benefits: Distinctive feature: Villain- Easily concealable Minor reaction; PS: Criminal 11-, Concealment 14-,
Wfam Personal weapon, Package bonus 1 point.
Basic Ed: Basic education is available to all children in the EC and nearly all children take all the basics. A basic
education term gives all the background skills. If taken as a term the following additional benefits accrue

Benefits: Fluent any second language, Physics 8-, Organic chemistry 8-, 1 Sport 11-, Mathematics 12-, KS:SPI
Face 8-, Biology 8-, Ecology 8-, Sociology 8-, Package bonus 2 points.
Cortical induction learning: If a character needs to reach a high standard in a limited skill set the learning can be
implanted using chemical induction.
KS @ 14-, PS @ 15-, 1 related Science, language or general skill @ fully fluent w/accent or 15-, Package bonus
1 point.
Technical studies apprenticeship
EC Mil-ed
The faithful college of the enlightening order.
Common Enhancements / Powers.

Self control Elemental (Any number of appropriate points).

Sex change at will: Shape shift (10 points), Zero End (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Invisible power effect
(+1), (30 Active points), Extra time 1 Season (-5), (5 Real points).
Endo-Armour: 5/5 Armour (15 points), Double hardened (+1/2), (27Active points) (27 Real points)
Enhanced perception: +5 All sensed (15 points), +5 Sight only (10 points), (25 Active points. Allowed
in Elemental Control!)
Microscopic Vision (3 points)
Telescopic sight: +2 to offset range penalties (3 points).
Stasis technique: Life support breathing (10 points) 1 Charge lasting [up to pre-set] 5 minutes (-3/4), (6
Real points)
Immunity to disease (3 points)
Neural-Lace or N-Lace: Mindlink to Ships Minds (10 Active points) Only when supported by ships
system (-1), (5 Real points). Note that ships can generally break-though for emergency messages and
hence use Telepathy.
Neural sub-processor: 3 point VPP, No skill roll to change {+1}, Only change when accessing an
implant module {-1/2}, Only for languages and skills {-1/2}. (4 real points)
Neural piggy-back processor: Skills multi-power. 11 point pool. Skills in 5 point slots, 11 point ultras or
11 point slots. Cannot be used for levels on existing skills. Slots can be changed with access to an
implant module.
Gland modifications: 30 AP multi-power. All powers take 6 segments to turn on {-3/4}. Drains the
power 3d6 recover per 6 hours {-1}, All benefits fade as power recovers {-1/4};
Calm: +6 ego levels. Only to resist fear or help self control {-1}, Multi-power limitations {-2}
Alert: +5 Perception all sensed, Multi-power limitations {-2}
Boost: +1 Speed, + 10 stun, + 5 con (All linked), Multi-power limitations {-2}
Sleep: Available on special effect
Cheer: Available on special effect
Wound mites: 1d6 Minor transformation cumulative {+1/2} to repair wounds and impairments, Zero
end, persistent {+1}, triggered by wounds {+1/4}, Continuous {+1}, 27.5AP, Zero range {-1/2}, Self
only {-1/2}, Always on {0 - No disad}, 1 roll every 5 hours {-1 1/4}. (11 real points)
Neural block: +15 levels of resistance (15 real points)
Bio-Monitor: Detect bio status @ +4 perception 11 points, Discriminatory +5, Self only {-1} = 8 points.
+ 2 Sense - Only for pre-defined 'trigger' warnings {-1/2} 1 point (10 real points total)
Bio-control: 1d6 Minor cumulative {+1/2} transformation, Limited class {+1/4}, Zero end {+1/2},
Fully invisible {+1} 16.25 AP, Zero range, Self only {-1}, only to change by conscious effort things
that can change automatically {-1/2} (5 realpoints}

Uncommon Enhancements / Powers.

Implanted weaponry. Usually concealed hence no focus limitation. Poison ducts, Acid release glands, enhanced
strength.
Extended senses. Low light, UV, IR, High range hearing, Sonar.
Implanted defences. +Body (no secondary stats 1/4). Regen 1/Day Costs end, visible power effect
Triggered dead-man offences.

Alien Races:
Malijjir 8ft 10 ft Hairy, Clawed, Carnivores. Avg intelligence, Bi-pedal with a tendency to become quad
when running fast. Lots of endurance, V. strong. Difficulty speaking standard. Tendency to eat in combat. O2
breathers. Malijjir are not easily capable of fine manipulation. They probably would not have achieved the level
of development required to voyage into space if not for interference. Their history does not detail the patron race,
but it is known to have existed and been roughly humanoid. They tend towards violence and are generally
disparaging of humans. The female of the species is dominant, but does not associate outside of its own species.
NCM is recommended for Malijjir.
Adult NCM (Worth 3 points): STR 30, DEX 16, CON 30, BOD 40, INT20, EGO 15, PRE 30, COM 15, Pd 12,
Ed 12, Spd 4, REC 20, END 100, Stun 60, Run 8", Swim 3".
Old NCM (Worth 4 points): STR 35, DEX 10, CON 30, BOD 40, INT 10, EGO 10, PRE 30, COM 15, Pd 11, Ed
11, Spd 4, REC 15, END 100, Stun 50, Run 7", Swim 3".
Ancient NCM (Worth 5 points): STR 30, DEX 7, CON 35, BOD 40, INT 5, EGO 10, PRE 35, COM 10, Pd 10,
Ed 10, Spd 3, REC 5, END 100, Stun 50, Run 6". Swim 2".
Other requirements.
Ancient Malijjir should also take the disad Berserk when disturbed from sleeping Common 11-, Recover 11worth 20 points.
Old or Ancient Malijjir should take the physical limitation: Sleeps deeply, Frequent, Slight worth 10 points and a
Psychological limitation: Sleepy, common, strong worth 15 points.
Minimum 10 AP Growth [x4 Mass, + 10 STR, - 2" Knockback, + 2 Body, +2 Stun, -1 DCV, + 1 Per against]
Always on, Zero Endurance, Persistent.
Minimum stats: PRE 15, Pd 5, Ed 5, END 30, Stun 30
+2 HAs Inobvious, Inaccessible Focus - Claws
Shedenpoar 6ft black, smooth skinned reptiles. Poisonous bite and spit. Strong but slow. Lower than average
intelligence. Quadrapedal. Good at imitating sounds. Breath O2 Good tolerance to heavy concentrations of
sulphur dioxides. The Shedenpoar are limited by their requirement to hibernate for long periods. In their natural
environment they hibernate for 18 Months then wake for 7 months. In dense communal groups they can stave off
hibernation for socialisation. Shedenpoar naturally change sex in the company of others of the same species. The
less dominant 2/3 of the population become female. Shedenpoar are egg layers. The eggs are laid externally, but

then carried in a pouch by any un-encumbered female. With some difficulty they can support their weight on two
legs and a tail.
NCM is recommended for Shedenpoar.
Adult NCM (Worth 20 points): STR 20, DEX 15, CON 20, BOD 25, INT 20, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 6,
Ed 6, Spd 3, REC 8, END 100, Stun 60, Run 10", Swim 10".
Old NCM (Worth 25 points): STR 15, DEX 15, CON 20, BOD 20, INT 20, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 4, Ed
4, Spd 3, REC 6, END 60, Stun 50, Run 8", Swim 8".
Ancient NCM (Worth 30 points): STR 15, DEX 10, CON 15, BOD 20, INT 25, EGO 20, PRE 15, COM 10, Pd
2, Ed 2, Spd 2, REC 5, END 40, Stun 45, Run 6". Swim 6".
Other requirements.
Physical limitation: Must be highly social for 7 hours out of every 10 to avoid hibernating, All the time, slight
for 15 points.
Must have the skill Mimicry 8Poison spit: Between 2 and 4d6 Energy blast, No Normal Defence (Life support poison), 4 charges per day,
affect continues for 1 turn, Costs END.
Poison bite: 2 to 6d6 EB NND (LS Poison), Linked to bite
Bite: 1 to 2d6 Hand Killing Attack, Optionally at reduced penetration
Kohumkaptchk 4-10 ft bipedal Elephantoids with bifurcated trunks. Kohumkaptchk are very dumb compared
with most other races. They did not achieve their level of technology themselves. A predecessor race on their
planet evolved and either left the planet for the next species or died out. They have limited abilities of fine
manipulation. They are a very social animal and have extreme difficulty surviving without regular contact with
other social individuals. They have a lot of body mass for their height ( 1x Density increase).
Male members of the herd lead the Kohumkaptchk. The females look after the males. A minimum social group
of 5 is required to prevent Kohumkaptchk becoming highly agitated.
Each two years there is a mating period where the kohumkaptchk rut to get female attention.
Generally Kohumkaptchk like to trample their opponents and should take levels in Move-throughs.
NCM is recommended for Kohumkaptchk.
Adult NCM (Worth 15 points): STR 30, DEX 17, CON 30, BOD 40, INT 15, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 8,
Ed 8, Spd 5, REC 15, END 100, Stun 60, Run 10", Swim 3".
Old NCM (Worth 20 points): STR 25, DEX 15, CON 30, BOD 30, INT 15, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 7, Ed
7, Spd 4, REC 10, END 80, Stun 55, Run 8", Swim 3".
Ancient NCM (Worth 25 points): STR 25, DEX 10, CON 20, BOD 25, INT 17, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd
6, Ed 6, Spd 3, REC 7, END 70, Stun 50, Run 6". Swim 1".
Other requirements.
5 10 points of growth, Zero End, Persistent, Always on.

5 points density increase, Zero End, Persistent, Always on.

Physical limitation: Lack of fine manipulation, Frequent, Slight for 10 points
Psychological limitation: Needs companionship, Common, Strong for 15 points

Spindarks Aquatic 10ft Amorphid squidlike creatures. The spindarks have for the most part left the known
universe. There are a few left who have lost their fellows. Spindarks are very technically minded and have
almost no understanding of art. The are all naturally predisposed to high level theoretical science and meta-math.
Spindarks have no natural sight. However they almost always wear encounter suits that translate visual stimulus
into touch.
Some spindarks have a vestigial law (1d6 HKA).
Spindarks breath Oxygen OR Methane dissolved in water.
NCM is rare for Spindarks.
Adult NCM (Worth 20 points): STR 20, DEX 20, CON 20, BOD 20, INT 60, EGO 30, PRE 20, COM 10, Pd 8,
Ed 8, Spd 5, REC 10, END 80, Stun 50, Run 1", Swim 16".
Old NCM (Worth 25 points): STR 18, DEX 15, CON 18, BOD 17, INT 80, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 7, Pd 7, Ed
7, Spd 4, REC 8, END 60, Stun 40, Run 0", Swim 15".
Ancient NCM (Worth 30 points): STR 15, DEX 10, CON 15, BOD 10, INT 100, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 6, Pd
10, Ed 8, Spd 3, REC 6, END 40, Stun 30, Run 0". Swim 14".
Other requirements.
5-10 points growth, Zero End, Persistent, Always on.
+5 points of growth, Half End
+5" Swimming 1 Charge, recoverable, full phase prep.
1"-3" Stretching
Multiple limbs
Clinging
Minimum INT 20, EGO 10, PRE {Offensive} 10, Swim 1"
Physical limitation: Blind, All the time, Total Inversely focused on encounter suit {OIF}
Chiqow 4-6ft Humanoids with elongated drinking mouth parts and an extended cranium. Chiqows have been
genetically manipulated to extend their brain capacity. Their physiology cannot adequately provide oxygen to
their brains. To overcome this they have implanted oxygen super-chargers in their skulls that look like small
cooling fans. Chiqow are also quite dependent on other technology and will generally be found only wearing
combat suits or relaxing in floater pools. They should have a variety of technology and science skills.
NCM is rare for Chiqow.

Adult NCM (Worth 30 points): STR 7, DEX 15, CON 15, BOD 15, INT 50, EGO 25, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 5,
Ed 5, Spd 5, REC 12, END 30, Stun 40, Run 10", Swim 6".
Old NCM (Worth 40 points): STR 5, DEX 10, CON 12, BOD 10, INT 50, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 4, Ed
4, Spd 4, REC 10, END 20, Stun 35, Run 4", Swim 4".
Ancient NCM (Worth 45 points): STR 3, DEX 5, CON 4, BOD 6, INT 50, EGO 20, PRE 20, COM 20, Pd 3, Ed
3, Spd 3, REC 8, END 15, Stun 30, Run 7". Swim 3".
Other requirements.
Physical limitation: Cannot hold breath, Infrequently, Fully, Worth 15 points.
Keetunkan - 5-6ft Human-African geno-type.
Fenur 6ft Human geno-type engineered for hardiness on high temperature desert worlds. Fenur have black
toughened skin and a second semi-transparent eye-lid to reduce glare. Fenur are often very quiet and often
loners.
Tekarr 6ft Human geno-type engineered for extended lifespan and rapid healing. The Tekarr people were
intended to be the major spacefaring population given their ability to sustain a society with a low birth and death
rate. Tekarr are slower to mature but quick thinkers. Althout it may not be true of individuals within the
population at large Tekarr governments have shown themselves to be stable and tend to plan for long term
contingencies. This has often ment that Tekarr societies are prepared for situations that surprise other societies.
Tekarr ships and defence systems are noted by teir high level of multiple redundancy and self-repair.

Alien race characteristic limits.

Each of the defined alien races has Normal Characteristic Maxima (NCM) limits for each age bracket. The
character disadvantage NCM is worth character points. It affects no only the limits within which the character
must be designed, but also reflects how easily the characteristics can be boosted by artificial means. Increases
above (or decreases below at GMs option) cost double points. The NCM disadvantage typically denotes a
physical aspect of the race, bigger bones may increase CON and reduce DEX etc.
Age is a separate disadvantage and means the character also suffers the frailties and poor immunities of old age
(this is rare in the EC).
Humans should not generally take NCM as most technology is geared to assisting them. Also Humans only real
advantage is their flexibility.

SS Ascending Light.
The SS Ascending light is the new ship-body for a de-militarised warship mind. AL was a front-line GSV
involved in some of the more bloody conflicts of the embargo. He wants to stay on with the EC in interesting
work. As GM I kept this from the players as AL would not want to engender a blood-thirsty crew that felt AL
would not have any qualms about using his firepower to get them out of trouble.
Technobabble:
ES1 Energy source 1. Fusion chamber. Once ignited unlimited power.
ES2 Energy source 2. Fusion chamber thermal transfer couplings. (The crown) 5% (decays by 20% per hour)

ES3 Energy source 3. Cold fusion battery packs. Recharged from ES2 or ES4.
ES4 Energy source 4. Emergency solar cells.
Avionics ES3 Atmosphere, Vacuum flight controls. Fly by light. PP Energy transfer.
Communications ES3 PP communications to GSV Apparent victor. Full frequency RF communications.
Military grade communications encryption. Wire Energy transfer.
Sensors ES3 Passive G/Mass sensors (Detects ships within system radius, Detects systems at inter-system
distances). Passive RF Radiation analysis (Detects bodies at orbital distances, large bodies at interplanetary
distances). Passive visible spectrum analysis (Detects as normal eyesight). Passive IR analysis (as RF). Active
Radar (Penny at orbital distances). Active laser range finding (Range to large objects / sub 1Km) . Active
Neutrino sweep sensor (Dark dense objects at 10000Km).
Flight systems Fusion ignition from ES3/2 Sub-light, uses air intake, waste tanks or water tanks for fuel. Antigrav up to 1m/sec in gravity well from ES1/2. Fusion drive from ES1 only. Warp drive ES1 Limited running
time from ES2.
Life support ES3/4/2.
High pressure tanks hold drinking water. This is passed to waste tanks.
Waste, drinking or fuel may be used by the fusion drive. Fuel only may be used by ES1.
Fuel can be deuterium, Graded deuterium / Polonium, or at a pinch water.
ES1 uses very limited fuel. The Fusion drive itself guzzles fuel.
G compensation is to 125% of the thrust MAX.
Armour: Small arms proof. Micro-impact proof. Resilient to non-ap heavy munitions. Heat shielded against reentry and laser heat. Radiation proofed against low yield atomics. Radiation damping against high yield atomics.
No Meson shielding, No Anti-Matter shielding.
Weapons: Anti-Missile laser battery (ES2). Anti-asteroid nose laser (ES1). 24 Rack SR-missile system. 50cal
Mini-gun 7000 rounds Ground clearer/secure landing turret.
Control system: Highly Parallel master control system. SPI. Military security. Backup (stay level) system on
internal battery in secure housing. Plus Mini-brain laptop in isolated bomb proof cabinet.
Flight system: 360 movement & full freedom rotation under Anti-grav. Linear Warp drive. Linear and vectored
fusion thrust drive (VTOL). Zero-G docking generally requires fusion mass if the docking point is external to the
station. Internal Zero-G docking requires tug assistance (fusion drives are hot & radioactive)
Rec: Rec room.
Crew: Min 1. 8 Cabins suitable for double bunking. 2 Fitted with Military security.
Cargo:
20000 rnds Guided Micro Shell 12mm.
4000 rnds 9mm HE,
2000 rnds 9mm AP,

2000 rnds 9mm PFG,

4 Night sentry laser systems.
1 ATV w/50 Cal + 2 G-A Missiles.
4 x 6000 rnd 12mm Auto-sentry guns,
2x Plasma Rifle,
6x Chem battery Laser Rifle,
6x E-cell Laser Pistol,
4x E-cell Laser Rifle w/ GL,
4x 12mm Hvy Rifle w/ GL.
10x 9mm Compact MG.
400 HE Gren,
400 Cluster Gren,
50 Plasma discharge grenade (flash + fire),
10 Military issue space suits 1 w/ officer flash.
2x HiGrade space suits with warp drive & re-entry canopy + 20 day Life support.
4 x 3man portable shelters,
20x 1week LS pack.
Atomic distress beacon (mini-nuke).
10x Combat mini-nuke.
10x Ground comms sets.
Compact Nano-factory.
5 Nano-medic.
1 Zero-G deployable solar array.
10 Ground deployable solar array.
5 SR Recon probes (recoverable, not re-entry capable),
7 MR Recon probes (Non-recoverable, not re-entry capable),
2 RLR Re-entry capable probes (Non-recoverable),
200 Planetary micro-spies,

4 RF Comms hubs,
2 Tactical ops workstations,
8 Anti-missile robo-guns.
Game specs:
50 Cal mini-gun 7d6 Ranged killing attack x 100 rnds autofire @ OCV 17 w/6 Range levels.
Anti-missile laser battery x 2, Not always able to bring both to bear (allowed to fire both as same action vs
targets in the same plane of movement) OCV 12 Missile deflection (destroys missile) also defined as 6s6RKA
Armour piercing.
Anti-Asteroid Laser 16d6 RKA @ OCV 7 + 14 Range levels, no knockback.
Short range missile system 160" flight x8 Non-combat multiples with variable payload (determined with firing
action).
Missile payloads:
Ground breaker 6" tunnelling through 10 DEF with 80d6K Explosion
Nuclear Dont stat this ! If youre close youre dead. If you look youre blind. If youre not shielded you get
cancer. If youre far away, race the blast front for cover (an intelligent space suit may not wait for a slow human
to make that decision !)
Cluster munition 4d6K Armour piercing AE Radius 60 Hexes Selective, Autofire @ OCV 3 (Remember
scatter directions and AL could do simple pattern spreads !)

Equipment specifications:
Sword
A re-usable self propelled and guided missile. The weapon does damage by physically striking a target as it
passes. The weapon can Fly 20" per segment, speed 6, and has a movement skill of 25-. It can perform move-bys
or move through on any number of targets. It has OCV 16, DCV 16, +6 Levels to offset multiple-target penalties
and does 10d6 HKA damage. Dex 50, 40/40 Armour, 3 levels of shrinking (calculated into DCV). It uses AG for
lift and so cannot operate in Zero-G. Body 15. Takes no Stun. Swords are dumb and take no defensive action
(except due to their movement and speed).
Swords can be given limited programming. They cannot use much intelligence and so are only really effective
when controlled by something that thinks fast enough to continually reprogram them. They can be used as
personal weapons with simple programs e.g. all targets in cone affect range 60" are valid. Kill and return. They
can use visual and IR targeting.
Level 1 Armour
Torso, Groin, Thigh, Optionally neck. 30/30 Armour, 50% PD Damage reduction vs cutting / penetrating
damage, 25% ED Thermal Damage reduction, 25% PD Damage reduction vs Impact damage.

Level 2 Armoured assault suit

Full body, Optional enclosing helmet. 20/20 Armour, 50% PD Damage reduction, 50% ED Thermal + 25%
Laser only Damage reduction, 20 Power Defence v Radiation, 20 Sight flash defence x2 Hardened, LR Comms,
Laser Range finding, Telescopic Sight to x8 Mag, Low light, Infra Red, LS Gasses, Detect Radiation, Detect
Radio waves (Directional / Targeting), Voice activated. +20 AP Body, +40AP Stun. 3" KB
Level 3 Armoured combat suit
Full body, Removable helmet. 30/30 Hardened armour, 50% PD Damage reduction, 75% ED Thermal, 50% ED
Magnetic / Electrical Damage reduction, 30 Power defence Hardened vs Radiation & electrical, 60 Sight flash
defence x2 Hardened, LR Comms, Mass detection Ranged / Targeting / Range finder, Telescopic Sight to x 1024
Mag, Ultra low light, Infra Red, Ultra violet, x-ray, LS Breathing / Radiation / Pressure to 30 Atmos /
Acceleration to 20 Gs. Detect Radiation Ranged discriminatory. Detect Radio waves (Directional, Ranged,
Targeting), Voice activated, SPI. +40AP Body, +60AP Stun, -6" KB
Level 4 Drop Armour
Full body. 40/40 x2 Hardened Armour +10/10 Wears out armour & 11- Activation (wears out even if not active
!). 50% PD Damage reduction, 75% ED Thermal / Magnetic / Electrical Damage reduction, 30 Power defence
Hardened vs Radiation & electrical, 60 Sight flash defence x2 Hardened, LR Comms, Mass detection Ranged /
Targeting / Range finder, Telescopic Sight to x 1024 Mag, Ultra low light, Infra Red, Ultra violet, x-ray, LS
Breathing / Radiation / Pressure to 30 Atmos / Acceleration to 20 Gs. Detect Radiation Ranged discriminatory.
Detect Radio waves (Directional, Ranged, Targeting), Anti-Grav, 20" flight in Zero-G, STR 30, Self mobile
(homing), SPI, Voice activated, Optional self reactive INT5. 1 Charge 60ED Wears out FF (re-entry shield)
+60AP Body, +100AP Stun. 12" KB
Chiqow standard combat suit.
15/15 Armour
75% Ed Resistant damage reduction vs Lasers, 15- Activation
20/20 Force wall, Continuos, Zero End, Persistent, Transparent to Lasers, Ablative with burn-out (Roll each time
armour is penetrated. Reduces by 2/2 each time penetrated until burn-out.
Life support: Breathing 2 hours outside an oxygen environment between recharges.
Life support: Radiation 15- Activation, Heat + Cold
Flight 6", Zero End, 4" Running, Zero End. Flight is Anti-Grav based (i.e. not in space !)
In-Suit AI Slave computer: INT 20, EGO 20, DEX 16, Spd 6; Skills: Sensor ops 11-, Combat piloting 11-,
SPIFace 11-, Programming 16-, Weapon fam Plasma Rifle & Laser Rifle; Programs: Fly a to B, Avoid Collision,
Dive for cover, Restore Forcewall (after being knocked down by non-burnout penetration).
Chiqow Field armour
15/15 Armour
5/5 Force field, Zero End, Invisible power effect
75% Ed resistant damage reduction vs Lasers 11- Activation.
20/20 Force wall, Continuous, Zero End, Persistent, Transparent to Lasers, 15- Activation with burn-out (Roll
each time armour is penetrated) Reduces by 2/2 each time penetrated until burn-out.

Life Support: Breathing (2 hours), Radiation, Heat + Cold, 10G Acceleration, Vacuum.
Flight 5" Zero End, 1 Charge of x12 NCM lasts one minute (AG Based), 4" Running Zero End.
In-Suit AI Slave Computer: INT 20, EGO 12, DEX 16, SPD 6; Skills: Sensor ops 11-, Combat piloting 11-,
SPIFace 11-, Programming 16-, Identify Friend or Foe 8-, Breakfall 11-, Acrobatics 8-, Weapons familiarity:
Plasma rifle, Laser Rifle; Programs: Fly A to B, Avoid collisions, Dive for cover, Restore forcewall, Fire
weapons, Escape combat, Combat defence manoeuvre.
Spindark Encounter suit.
Strap-on exo-skeleton that generates an opaque gold coloured segmented forcefield.
40/40 Forcefield x3 Hardened, Zero End, Persistent.
75% Ed resistant damage reduction vs Lasers
Life Support: Breathing, Radiation, Heat + Cold, 50G Acceleration, Vacuum, High pressure to 400 atmospheres.
Running 15" Half END.
Prevents use of claw if any. Prevents stretching. Prevents extra swimming charge.
Enhanced senses: Ultraviolet, Infrared, Visual sight all at 4 Perception modifier
50% Damage reduction, Body only.
+ 10 STR Half END, +10 BOD, +20 END, +20 Stun, +5 REC
20 Flash defence Smell group.
Clinging.
12mm Guided Micro Shell
ETC propelled shell. 4d6+1 RKA, +1 Stun multiplier, +2 OCV vs warm targets, +2 Range levels vs solid targets.
9mm HE
ETC propelled round bi-polar explosive tip. 3d6 +1 RKA, Damage continues 1 speed 4 1 turn. + 1 dice on
knockback
9mm AP
ETC propelled round with full Teflon shell. 3d6+1 RKA, Armour piercing. +2 dice on knockback
9mm PFG
ETC propelled round with a pre-fragmented (glazer) poly-ceramic body. 2d6 RKA + 2d6 RKA.
Night sentry laser system.
50 'Pegs' with a maximum separation of 16 Hexes. 320db alarm or silent Tac-ops hub connection. Perception 25, No Range penalties, Maximum range 100m

Winsome breeze class ATV

50 Cal, 5d6+2 RKA +1 stun, 1d6 off knockback, Autofire
G-A Missiles 6d6RKA Armour piercing, 11- Find weakness only vs aircraft, Autofire (single target only no
scatter) +4dice on knockback.
Cargo pods. High speed over rough ground. LS systems. Intelligent drive system.
12mm Auto-sentry gun.
Tripod mounted motion sensing weapons system. Can be given a restricted field of fire. 20 Minutes to set-up an
configure.
Perception 18-, Int 14, OCV 16, 4 Range levels only when emplaced, IR sight, UV sight, Autofire, Speed 6, Dex
24, Def 12, Body 16, STR 25 (emplaced) no movement. FOF identification.
Plasma Rifle
28d6 Armour piercing. No knock back. OCV 7 self aimed, 1 Range level, + 2 OCV operator aimed, 200
Charges, IR sight, Telescopic x200, Range finder. Full dice only.
Chemical battery Laser Rifle (CB 200Mw LAW)
26d6, No knockback, OCV 7 No range penalties self aimed, +2 OCV operator aimed, 200 Charges, Invisible
power effect with 14 dice
E-cell Laser Pistol (EC 3Mw LAW)
10d6 , No knockback, +2 Range levels, 50 Charges
E-cell Laser Rifle w/ GL (EC 180Mw LAW- 30mm GL)
25d6, Armour piercing, Half stun, No knockback, OCV 10 self aimed, 3 Range levels, +2 OCV operator aimed,
600 Charges, Night sight, Telescopic x 400, Range finder. GL fires 30mm Multi-purpose grenades with OCV 7
self aimed, +2 OVC assisted aim, No range levels.
12mm Hvy Rifle w/ GL;
Fires 12mm micro shells. 4d6+1 RKA + 1 stun, Auto fire 5 shots, + 2 OCV vs warm targets, + 2 range levels vs
solid targets, 30 round clip. Base OCV 7 self aimed, + 1 range level. + 1OCV, + 1 Range fire assisted.
Also fires 30mm grenades up to 60 Hexes. 4 round clip. Full phase to reload each round.
9mm Compact MG
Fires 9mm HE, AP or PFG rounds. Optional silencer drops 2DC's on all ammo. + 1 range to 16 Hexes max.
30mm HE Grenade
8d6 EB explosion. Linked 8d6 if targets DCV is hit.
200mm HE Grenade
7d6 RKA explosion. Armour piercing if targets DCV is hit.

200mm Cluster Grenade

Disperses a number of guided sub-munitions.
2d6 RKA Autofire Area effect 8 hexes non-selective. + 4 OCV vs individual to-hit rolls. No OCV bonus vs the
area. Maximum of 32 hits total in the area. Roll nearest the centre to-hit first.
30mm Flash Grenade
2d6 flash explosion, reduced penetration.
200mm Plasma discharge grenade (flash + fire)
7d6 RKA explosion Armour piercing + 4d6 Sight flash explosion.
Man portable shelter
6x8 Hex collapsible shelter. 5 minutes to erect 2x2. 2 hours for full shelter.
LS pack
5 days high-energy rations, 2 doses of 'alert', anti-septic cream, mirror, O2 re-breather provides 1 rec per turn of
O 2.
Atomic distress beacon (mini-nuke)
Combat mini-nuke
Ground comms set
Compact Nano-factory
Nano-medic/Nano-doc.
Medical analysis 13- base time 1 minute, Paramedic 14- (requires nanonics package on each major wound), +4
AP Recovery (requires 1 nanonics minimum). Pain suppression, sleep induction, 1d6 minor cumulative
transformation per minute to stable condition (requires nanonics package on each major wound)
Zero-G deployable solar array

Ground deployable solar array.

50 Cal Mini-Gun. (LCARF)
1 clip x 7000 rounds. 7d RKA Autofire x 100. +2 base OCV emplaced. + 2 range emplaced. +2 OCV assisted
firing. OCV 17 fired by AL. + 6 Range fired by AL. Mounted in front of the cargo bay ramp (ramp opens facing
forward, away from the engines) Blind spots by landing gear & to rear when bay ramp down.
Personal communications tablet. (SPIFace personal digital assistant.)
INT 20, DEX 20, SPD 2
Programs: Monitor communications, SPIFace, Translate, Security lock.

Skills: Computer programming 13-, Cryptography 13-, AK:Local ship 11-, Languages: fluent standard, Fluent
Tekarr
Powers: FM Listen + Transmit / High range radio.
Anti-Missile defence system.
Missile deflection vs powered projectiles. Destroys the attack, Deflect attacks aimed at any target {+2}, Deflect
at range {+1} 160AP. Range 450 Hex radius
Concentrate zero DCV {-1/2}, Pre-set-up (but many uses) 1 hour {-1 1/4}, Costs end {-1/2} x3 End cost (48 End
per shot from reserve) {-1}, Not in water {-1/4}, Not in smoke, haze or heavy rain {-1/4}
Also defined as 4 1/2 d6 RKA Armour piercing, Auto fire (10 end per shot from reserve)
STR 5, DEX 1, CON 2, BOD 10, INT 5, EGO 0, PRE 0, COM 0, PD 0, ED 0, SPD 6, REC 10, END 6, STUN
80.
20/20 Armour. 1" walk, Zero swim, Cannot be stunned, Does not bleed.
Programs: Identify Friend/Foe, Target missiles, travel A B, Deploy, Pack-up, Report status
Skills: Navigation 16-, Sensor Ops 12-, Fluent Standard, Fluent Battle language
End Reserve 500points, Telescopic x 200, IR/UV, Radar 360, Radio Listen/Transmit, HRR radio hearing, + 6
OCV w/missile deflection (OCV 6), + 6 range levels w/missile deflection.
Burst pistol. (12 mil BP)
Rapid fire 12mm microshell hand-gun (not suitable for human grip). 4d6-1 RKA, 10 shot Autofire. + 2 OCV vs
warm targets, + 2 range levels vs solid targets OR 5d6 RKA Hex effect 4 hex range uses 10 shots. 60 Charges
per clip Minimum 5 round burst.
Light burst pistol. (9 mil BP)
Rapid fire 9mm hand-gun (not suitable for human grip). 9mm AP - 3d6 RKA 10 shot auto fire OR Hex effect @
4 hexes Armour piercing. 5 shot burst minimum. 300 changes per clip.
SR electrical discharge pistol. (SR-EDP)
5d6 EB reduced penetration. No damage vs armoured targets. Maximum range 6 Hexes. Damage continues an
extra segment if not dislodged. 20 Charges. Maximum of 6 hits per clip. -1 OCV. No assisted firing. Can double
fire.
Electrical discharge rifle. (EDR)
8d6 EB Reduced penetration. No damage vs armoured targets. Maximum range 24 hexes. 60 Charges. + 1 OCV.
No assisted firing.
Dart pistol.
3d6 EB, Stun only. Not vs resistant defence, damage continues for 5 minutes. 30 charges. Only vs humans, or
near humans. -1 OCV, no assisted firing, can double fire.
Dart rifle.

3d6 EB reduced penetration. Autofire 10 shots, not vs resistant defence. Continues for 5 minutes. 120 charges.
Only vs humans or near humans. No assisted firing.
Nerve jam induction baton.
8d6 Eb reduced penetration, zero range, zero end + 1 OCV. Linked 1d6 dex drain recover 5 AP per week, zero
range, zero end.
Concussion rifle (2 barrelled)
10d6 EB reduced penetration. Reduced by range. 1d6 off knockback. 2 charges per clip. 2 shots can be fired
simultaneously as a 2 shot autofire with + 1 OCV on the second shot. + 1 OCV assisted firing.
Oxy-Binder micro-bead dispersion grenade.
2d6 Drain End. Recover 1 per year. AE radius 7 hexes. Continues for 5 minutes. Green dye. Swept by wind. 1
phase spread from initial hex.

Ascending Light - Recon / Fire support ATV.

AL is equipped with a 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering All Terrain Vehicle. The ATV is deployed from a carry
position forward of the cargo bay loading ramp. In the ramp-up position the ATV bay is sealed and can be
entered via an air-lock in the cargo bay wall. With the ramp down the ATV is suspended by a loading crane and
must be lowered to be accessed.
The ATV is a light armoured carrier. It is equipped with its own storage of essential equipment. The onboard
intelligence is provided by a non-sentient neuro-block computer. The computer can control all of the vehicles
control systems, communications and fire control. The computer offers a Simulated personality interface and
HUD information management system. The computer is fitted for Tactical Combat Network integration.
Specifications

STR 60
BOD 40
Size 8 Hex by 4 Hex. 32 Hex area, 50 Tons, -6DCV, -9" KB
DEF 30
DEX 20, DCV 1
SPD 5
Extra 75% damage reduction PDnr vs Hull down impacts.
80" Stretching (tow rope) w/rocket launched grapple.

Movement:

24" with x4 NCM;

1" super leap with assisted suspension;

Swim 4" with x2 NCM;
Clinging when stationary using a series of pitons and tethers.
Top Speed 120 MPH over roads. Cruise speed 80 Mph

Sensors:

Sense chemicals (Smell group);

IR Vision 360o;
UV Vision Forward and side facings;
Discriminatory targeting Radar 360o
+14 Levels of telescopic w/all senses.

Environment systems:

LS:Breathing; LS:Radiation; LS:High temperatures (sub-nuclear);

EMP Shielding 10 point power defence x 2 hardened.

Communications;

UHF Radio Listen + Transmit. LOS laser communications.

Weapons:

50 Cal 5d6+2, +1 Stun, OCV 6 w/+2 range levels self aimed;

2x 1 shot Ground to Air missiles 6d6RKA Armour piercing, 11- Find
weakness only vs aircraft, Autofire (single target only no scatter)
+4dice on knockback OCV 7 +6 Range levels self fired.

Computer:

INT 7, DEX 16, SPD 5;

Skills:

Programs:

Mechanics 12-

Attack & destroy target

Electronics 11-

Diagnose damage

Optronics 8-

Travel A B

T-Fam w/ATV

Co-ordinate operations

Combat driving
17-

Evaluate threat
Sensor Ops 14Guard position
KS:Common

Evacuate

weap 17-

Roll with the blow

Tactics 14-

Dodge

Cryptography
16-

Dive for cover

Hide

KS:SPI face
18-

Analyse environment

Breakfall 12-

Brace

Concealment
10-

Set
Move through / Move by
+4 Perception
OCV 10 + 6 Range w/ 50Cal
OCV 10 + 8 Range w/ GAMs
+4 Range vs very hot targets such
as jet engines

Cargo

2 Ejectable cargo pods 1 each side at the rear.

Pod 1 - 4 Nano Docs, 20 Medical nanonics packages, 10 Multipurpose quick casts (re-usable), 20x 1 Litre bottles of water, LR
Encrypted radio, 60 Man days of high-energy ration bars (human
suitable), 2 Inflatable mini-shelters 3x3 hexes each, 1 Mini solar
generator, Water condenser, 4 x Distress flares (Radio / IR / Visible)
10 minute duration.
Pod 2 - Oxygen condenser 1-12 hrs O2 generation per day depending
on environment, Inflatable yacht, Sails, Mini-outboard (solar
powered), collapsible solar oven/furnace.

Special Equipment rules.

BODY damage should be removed from any armour before affecting the character.
STUN damage is shared between armour and character.
Armour that wears out drops by 1 point value for each point of body taken by the armour. (reduce the
appropriate PD/ED type for the attack)
Extra dice added to the knock back roll reduces the knockback as you would expect.

New advantages
Half stun {-0.25) halves the amount of stun per dice of damage.
Wears out. {-1} Armour with this limitation reduces by a point for ever point of body that penetrates to the
armours (focuss) body.
Only vs Lasers (-0.5)
Permanent damage {+3} flashes with this limitation flash for a number of segments equal to their stun value.
Each point of body damage reduces the characters sign perception by 1. If the body total exceeds the characters
body then the character is blind. Body damage done by flashes in this way is recorded separately from standard
body damage. Body recovers at the normal body rate. Recovering body does not cure any permanent blindness.
Does less knockback. (-0.25) roll extra dice for knock back. Any number of dice can be specified. There is no
extra limitation for buying more dice. Buy No knockback instead if applicable.
Sense groups and detection.
The following tables summarise the groups for sensing and detecting. These are more detailed than in the basic
game.
Field

Detection

Protection / Life Support

Scale

Gravity

Detect Mass

LS:High gravity

Detect Gravitons

LS:Zero-G (Not normally

required)

Kg to Solar masses over

distances of Meters to
system Radii

PD vs Gravity wave
energy.
Electrostatic

Magnetism

Strong force

Detect Charge

LS: Electrical discharge

Detect electrical current

ED vs Lightning

Detect magnetic field

LS: Strong magnetic fields

Bump of direction ?

Power defence vs induction

Too small to detect ?

ED vs disruption by energy
transfer

Distances less than 100M

Distances less than

planetary radii

Distances less than 10

Angstroms

Analyse material
Power defence vs
disintegration
Weak force

Em Radiation

Too weak to detect ?

Sense

Protection / Life support

Distances less than 5Km

Notes

Gamma

x-ray

UV

N-Ray vision
(Gamma)

N-Ray vision
(x-ray)

UV Vision

Power defence vs radiation

Harmless in low doses.

LS:Radiation

Passes through medium

density materials

Power defence vs radiation

Moderately harmful.

LS:Radiation

Passes though low density

materials.

LS:Radiation (vs very high dose)

Damaging

ED vs Lasers

Passes though transparent

materials

Power defence vs intense beams

Visible

Normal sight

LS: Bright light

Normally safe

ED vs Lasers

Passes though transparent

materials

Flash defence vs intense beams

infrared

High range
radio

Radio

IR Vision

HRR Hearing

Radio hearing

LS:High temperature

Damaging

ED vs lasers

Reduced by air

Power defence vs lasers

Harmful in large doses

Power defence vs inductors

Blocked by metals &

electrical conductors
(Faraday cages)

Power defence vs lasers

Moderately harmful in large

doses.

N-Ray vision
(Radio)

Ultra low
band

Detect ultra
low band

Blocked by metals and

electrical conductors
(Faraday cages)
Not normally harmful

Used for N-Lace

communications.

N-Ray vision
(Radio)
Mindlink (NLace)

Particle Radiation

Sense

Protection / Life
support

Notes

Alpha

Detect radiation

LS:Radiation

Nuclei

Beta

ED vs intense beams

Damaging but easy to

stop (paper). Should be
reduced penetration vs
resistant defence.

Detect radiation

LS:Radiation

Electrons

Detect charge

ED vs intense beams

Less damaging. Very easy

to stop (air)

LS:Radiation

Not normally harmful.

Detect current
Neutrino

Detect neutrino
N-Ray vision (Neutrino)

Meson

Neutron or
Proton beams

Anti-Matter

Hardly stopped by
planetary mass.

Detect Meson

Aid to counter effects.

Detect radiation (Picks

up secondary effects
only)

LS:Radiation vs
secondary effects

Detect radiation

ED vs intense beams

Detect heavy particles

LS:Radiation

Detect radiation

Force-field or
forcewall

Detect anti-matter
ED vs intense beams

Passes though mass until

it decays then becomes
very harmful.

Stopped by moderate
mass (sheet steel) very
harmful
Stopped by any mass.
Causes the release of
secondary radiation (and
sometimes mass).

LS:Anti-matter (only if
youre vulnerable to
matter)

Radiation Accidents (The technology of change).

In normal Champions gaming significant changes to a character require pre-planning with the GM. In the
Embargo culture routine surgery and skill implanting makes character changes far easier. For this reasons as
soon as possible the players should save a minimum reserve of three character points to allow buying skills or
powers when the need suddenly arises.
Note however that no character would drop a skill to get another when it is equally easy to just take the new
skill as well ! Although the player may want to do this, the ability to implant new skills is not an excuse to treat
the entire character as a single cosmic power pool. In order to properly role-play the character (i.e get new skills
without dropping existing skills) the player should ensure that enough spare character points are available. If you
need an excuse not to learn a skill remember that the learning process itself can be fun. EC people generally opt
for fun even at the cost of risk, especially since EC medical technology can rebuild you most of the time anyway
!
Cortical Induction.
Characters can use cortical induction to gain skills and talents in one of three ways.

1) Spending reserve points.

Any skill can be bought that the network, ship or computer has access to. The normal maximum for buying skills
is a 15-. The player can buy any number of skills in this way. The learning process takes about 1 hour for each 3
points spent. The skill takes only a few minutes to settle in once learnt. The character will start with only sketchy
abilities to link the skill with other skills. Secondary skill rolls using this skill or secondary rolls to assist the skill
should be made with a -2 penalty. This lasts for 1 week per point spent.
2) Pre-spending XP's.
Only one skill at any one time may be bought in this way. ALL XP's must be used to pay off this pre-spending
before XP's can be spent on anything else.
3) Over-writing existing skills.
It is allowable to overwrite an existing skill. To do this the original skill is marked as 'Overwritten' and cannot be
used. The new skill taking its place must be of equal or lesser cost. Later the old skill can be ''Recovered'. When
a skill is recovering the new skill is lost. The recovering skill aquires an activation roll of 15-. If the activation is
failed the skill becomes confused with the skill it was overwritten by. The skill remains in recovery until the
character criticals an activation or 1 week has passed for each point spent on the skill. If the activation is fumbled
the skill cannot be used again at all until the skill is repaired by another cortical induction session to make it in
'recovery' again.

Surgery.
Major surgery can be performed on a GCU, GSV or habitat. This allows extreme cosmetic changes to the
characters appearance without any cost. Characters can also buy new powers. Any new power must be paid for
with reserve points. Powers can also be reduced, but the reduction must be logical, not just to make up the
points.

GMs Section.
From SG and FT the characters start with few NCPs one is secretly an SA agent sent to keep tabs on AL since
AL is a demobbed GSV in hiding (Virtuous tangent).

Story arcs
Story arc 1 Quest for the Holy grail.
This is the major story arc of the campaign. Most of the detail of the story arc is not actually fixed in the
scenarios themselves. The players will only follow this arc if they become actively interested in the politics of
the campaign.
The holy grail is Mars, or a Tweeker currently on mars. Mars is literally lost (at least to Earth). Its
disappearance is a mystery buried in the pre-embargo history of the Sol system. Its disappearance is tied to a
device called a Tweeker. The tweeker can interrogate the nature of a particle of matter at any range given
targeting and can change particles of matter. On a grand scale, given the computer power to perform the required
targeting calculations and figure the meta-math to describe the changes the tweeker can alter some of the basic
laws of physics. Although even to the people on Mars who own the Tweeker some of its properties are still
unknown. This is the ultimate weapon and spying device. Mars was moved from the Earth system to a new solar
system using the Tweeker. The entire space-time around Mars was targeted and the properties of all the particles

and potentialities was re-described to a new location. A right-wing element in the EC now wants to find out
about how Mars won the Earth-Mars conflict when all the simulations say that Earths military advantage
should have given them the advantage. The reasons for the interest of these people varies. Some want to secure
whatever holy-grail Mars used as a safe-guard against anyone mis-using the technology. Others want to have a
military advantage so that the EC can safely dictate its moral stance to the Chiqow and any others who otherwise
might be a real threat to EC space supremacy.
Story arc 1 Clue: Visit earth system. Mars is missing. The planet is an Eden uninhabited. Most of the population
has moved to Lunar-city and the orbital colonies.
Story arc 1 Clue: The Second Alliance, an ultra-right wing organisation within the Embargo-culture knows about
the holy grail (they dont know what it does or how it works, only that it is the ultimate weapon.) They have
been waiting for the embargo to lift before beginning the search for it.

Story arc 2 A house divided.

With the end of the embargo some of the GSVs want to remain a military power. Rather than be open about this
they are slowly moving populations to place people likely to be sympathetic to their plans on their own ships.
Other GSVs have guessed or planned for such a splinter group and are joining the splinter group either as part
of an organised counter-movement or on their own initiative. The tangled web of alliances makes many of the
GSVs wary of others. As the demilitarisation progresses the differences in ships not disarming will be found out
and gradually the second alliance will move from covert to overt. Then the interaction between secret agents
planted by each side in the others camp will play itself out. Alliances will be made and fall. Ultimately a only a
few GSVs will remain part of the second alliance. By manipulating public opinion the moderate GSVs will
have cut the radicals from the body of the EC. This in fact can be traced back to the initial EC formation. It was
anticipated by the original minds even then that their would be a time when the EC would need to demilitarise. A
process would need to be started at the beginning that would lead ultimately to the strong military EC breaking
or decaying into a moderate faction and a small radical splinter group that would be too weak to seriously
threaten the galaxy as a whole. (Plans within plans within plans). The result of this story arc is ultimately the Ian
M Banks Culture, a more or less benevolent guardian of the galaxy. Some of the more radical GSVs will
become part of the contact section special circumstances.

Scenarios
Scenario 1: The religious order of Tamaret, roughly similar to the Tibetan orders is under siege by the small
guerrilla army that wishes to take power on the planet. The current government is in total disarray and corrupt.
The Tamaret order did (many hundred years ago) act as the ruling body. The EC believes that given a little help
public opinion could be swayed to supporting the Tamaret order again.
Mission: Make friendly contact with the Tamaret order. Secure the Tamaret citadel from assault by the guerrilla
forces. Sway public opinion to supporting a Tamaret Oligarchy. Eliminate or cause to be eliminated any
unlawful threat to the Oligarchy.
Detail: The Tamaret order possess a fairly high level of defence technology, but it has been mothballed for over
1000 years. They currently seem to be a very tow-tech culture. They have a plasma grid defence system mounted
in silver domed minarets around the citadel and the inside of the temple has an unused power system that can run
detailed internal surveillance. The EC wants the Tamaret order to run the government because it will then not
present any threat to the EC. Ancient streaks of melt-polished rock around the citadel should hint that there are
high-energy weapons available somewhere nearby.
The order will be fairly easy to approach. Any friendly contact will be met openly. They are not easily
frightened. The order is relatively well educated. There are some remnants of their founding colony technology.

The chosen landing site is near one of the smaller but more active Tamaret monasteries. The monastery is under
the jurisdiction of a holy-man or Sheala. The Sheala has recently returned from a trip high into the local
mountain range for meditation. During the trip he has suffered frost bite on his legs and this will lead to gangrene
unless someone notices and treats it. The Sheala despite his wisdom is currently ignoring the injury and has not
mentioned this to anyone. The others in the monastery are too in awe of him to ask what smells bad and examine
his legs. The monks do know that he is feeling ill though. The hall where the Sheala rests, meditates and receives
visitors is heavily scented with incense to mask the smell.
One of the better locations to start building support for the Tamaret order is in the nearby cities university. The
students are already in trouble with the government. They will be happy to co-operate with the alien visitors
especially since they might get to see a space ship. Two landrovers full of students can easily be moved up to the
valley where the monastery is based. They may also be of help bringing the monasteries defences back on line if
the group can teach the rudimentary of fusion reactors.
Students:
Name

Sex

Age

Int

Ego

Pre

Com

Stun

Bod

Skills

Notes

Baba
Righnolte

21

17

11

12

20

10

Mathematics 13-;
Environmental
science 15-

Studying a 1/3 in
Mathematics and
Environmental
science

Nicole
Leebe

21

16

12

10

10

17

11

Physics 14-;
Chemistry 11-;
Organic Chemistry
13-; Politics 8-

Studying a 2/2 in
Physics and
Organic
Chemistry

Ravine
Coblat

22

15

14

14

12

27

13

Mathematics 11-;
Sensor Ops 8-;
KS:Communications
11-; KS:Media 14-;
Oratory 8-; Acting
8-

Studying a 1/2/1
in Statistics,
Communications
infrastructure and
Media studies

Able
Octuurman

21

13

11

14

23

11

Chemistry 11-;
Mathematics 8-;
KS:Agriculture 13-;
Cramming

Studying a 1/3 in
Chemistry and
Horticulture

Naddette
Huss

19

13

10

15

14

15

PS:Lawyer 8-; Law

8-; Oratory 8-;
Conversation 12-;
Deduction 13-;
Forensics 11-

Studying a full
scholarship in
Law

Vie Coe

23

15

12

16

20

Geology 11-;
Oceanography 11-;
Ecology 8-;
PS:Painting 8-;
Chartography 8-;
Navigation 8-;
Survival 8-

Studying a
Singles in
Geology,
Oceanography,
Ecology and Art

Yogas
Noght

22

16

16

11

25

13

Physics 11-;
Mathematics 8-;
Engineering 15-

Studying a 2/2 in
Physics and
Engineering

Jolleep
Batma

22

15

12

10

10

20

10

History 14-;
PS:Painting 12-; +1
perception

Studying a 1/3 in
History and Art

Kooze
Saspranti

23

13

16

14

14

25

11

Mathematics 11-;
Mechanics 11-; TFam Car,
Aeroplane;
Chemistry 8-

Studying a 1/3 in
Mathematics and
Mechanics

Rube
Vincent

22

18

13

12

25

13

Chemistry 13-;
Biology 14-;
Medicine 14-;
Paramedic 13-;
PS:Doctor 11-;
AK:Barum 8-; TFam Car; Forensics
8-

Medicine
research
associate

Norris
Gellig

20

12

11

14

15

19

17

Chemistry 8-;
Biology 13-;
Astronomy 11-

Studying a 1/3 in
Chemistry and
Biology

Leopold
Gessnatz

30

14

15

15

13

22

13

Mechanics 11-;
Electronics 11-;
Mathematics 11-;
AK: City of
Pindowen 14-; TFam Cars; Politics
11-; Conversation
11-; Dodge; Martial
Strike; 2 DC's

'Jez' Studying a
1/3 In Mechanics
and electronics

Avvey
Dismann

26

15

11

28

14

Cooking 16-;
Accountancy 11-;
Hygeine 8-;
Mathematics 8-;
Oratory 8-;
Persuasion 11-;
Conversation 8-;
Acting 11-;
Etiquette 11-

Studying a 1/3 in
Cooking and
Hospitality

Dr Horsa
Evaard

38

17

13

16

13

25

12

Admin 11-;
Teaching 15-;
Biology 15-; Physics
15-; Mathematics
16-; Oratory 13-;
Persuasion 8-; TFam Cars

Administers the
sciences facility

Things I tried to get my group to do:

Contact the Tamaret order (They got in a fight with the first monk they met. Dont ask me how !)

Heal the Sheala (They didnt. After they left the planet he dies)
Scout the territory (They dotted lots of surveillance devices over the valley and put to recon sats in orbit)
Prepare a defence. (Yep they did this)
Meet the students. (Yep. Had a frat party. Joined a riot vs the government, blew their cover, beat up some cops)
Fight the bandits. (Yep. Aliens with an armoured ATV, combat suits, plasma rifles vs AK47s Who won ?)
Train the students. (Sort of did this.)
Scout the governments supply routes (Yes.)
Document evidence of the governments support for the bandits. (Barely)
Bug the communications network (No. Didnt do this so future missions will have to re-infiltrate the planet the
hard way.)
Release some medical technology. (Not really)
Meet the public. (Not really)
Exit:
Hoople can provide some extra fresh provisions.
Some of the students would like to join the EC.
Resupply options
A. Resupply at the GSV: 14 weeks catch-up to a GSV Curious pastimes plus seven weeks travel to
Genbriki
B. No resupply. 7 Weeks travel to Genbriki
C. Deep space rendezvous with the fast picket Asymmetry. 'A' would not want to do this. It was the drop
ship for Duncan (one of the PCs). He was responsible for destroying the drone launch platform that
would fire at 'A' during its retreat (1 favour to get this option). 6 weeks to rendezvous 2 weeks to
Genbriki.

Scenario 2: 70 Years ago a transport vessel Convergence of principles crash landed on a planet in the Genbriki
system. The vessel contained large amounts of recon data together with munitions and some assorted affects.
Which planet is unknown, but its PP comms is still open suggesting that the ship remains at least partially intact.
Mission: Search the Genbriki system for the crash site. Determine the cause of the crash. Exercise extreme
caution. Recover as much of the cargo and critical systems as possible. Recover ALL transit packed items
unopened. Recover PP Twin. Recover any portable operating systems in the ship. Destroy any remaining
equipment. Return the recovered equipment to the Supply vessel Point of origin currently stationed at the
Donnel Habitat.
Details: The Convergence of principles crashed on an uninhabited desert planet close to the sun. The planet is
in-hospitable. Its day period lasts only 4 hours. Its rotation is extreme and correolis forces drive a limited
weather system to generate dust storms on the daybreak boundary. The CoP is half buried in light sand. The
sand is mainly iron and sulphur oxides. The atmosphere is unbreathable and the dust itself is an irritant. The
CoP crashed when it was attacked by an Azmat Coven drone. The deploying vessel was destroyed and itself

has crashed on a moon of one of the larger planets. The impact site for the Azmat vessel is far too small to be the
freighter. The attack drone is still active on the freighter. The drone was intended to destroy the crew to enable
the Azmat ship to recover its cargo containing a codified geni-type for the nano-virus. There are in-active nanites
contained in builder chips in the cargo. They only need be plugged into a nano-factory to create plague-nanites.
There is plenty of opportunity for a firefight in this scenario. Increase the number of drones if you want to make
it challenging. This scenario is intended to be a bit Alien-esq. You can also build up a bit of paranoia about the
risk of plague infection.
Things to do:
Scout the system
Scan the ship (slightly radioactive)
Find dehydrated corpses.
Decode the cargo manifest (plague nanites)
Find doors closed that were left open (somethings out-there)
Assorted drone-made hazards (loss of contact with AL due to hull ionisation ?)
Fight the drone/s
Return to AL
Whatever they do they should NOT put a plague nanite creation chip into a natite factory machine and create a
load of plague nanites. That would be bad. (Ed Coincidentally I was reading "The neutronium alchemist while
running this bit. Hence the choice to make the plague a neural sequestration virus. It hacks into the brain and
inserts desires to spread the virus amongst other nasty side effects. Treat it a bit like vampirosy and you wont go
far wrong.).
Scenario 3: In defence of the Argok.
This was quite a long winded scenario. It was intended as a free-form type Design a planetary defence net
session. It turned into a long social interaction between the group and the locals. The planet has a society that
was engineered to support a wealthy Georgian duellist landowner culture. The planetary technology level is
actually quite high, but not evident. Every day life lives far below the technologically possible. This makes the
environment very easy to sustain. The industrial sector has been cut right back to leave a mostly agricultural base
operated by a small number of the servant class. The servant class is maintained by careful education to ensure
that they are happy with their lot in life. The morality of this may be dubious, but then the first generation that
settled the planet agreed to the terms and condition because thats what they wanted. Its only their children who
are now bound by the regime that they accept without question because of the careful indoctrination they receive
in school. It is possible for someone born of servant class to pay for higher education and get into the military or
government jobs that pay well. Its just that no servant class household would ever consider suffering the kind of
poverty that they would need to live in order to save that amount of money for a child who would most likely be
quite happy working the land. Servants are not treated badly. They are just sub-servant.
The characters are invited to assist the planet of Lansdown in the development and deployment of a system
defence network. The planetary government has been recently formed. The planet is human based. The planet
has a short and relatively peaceful history dating back to just pre-embargo.
With the opening of trade routes and their close proximity to Chiqow space they would like a defence system to
support them as they begin to establish their off planet assets. The characters are the front line of the EC in this
contact and can ask for whatever EC assistance they feel is warranted.

Things to do:
The meeting. (Landsdown will send a space shuttle type vessel to meet AL before he gets
into orbit)
The hunting party.
Maffie range (mountain) wilderness preserve.
Women don't hunt Avery (too dangerous).
Part has to join the Hunt federation (Must use federation approved weapons.
Must advise the federation of any wounded animals. Good wilderness
etiquette.) All the lodges around the park are privately owned. Anyone can
hunt, but the rules make it almost impossible for anyone but the rich.
A servant gets hurt.
Loss of communications (Dark side, no recon probes).
The dinner party
Guests: Varvakian Roosemont the Internal security advisor;
Lady Quillian Roosemont;
Entoy Rafan the Technology advisor;
Lady Parain Rafan;
Lady Frail Tentail;
Chimyoy Vepp the Education advisor;
Lady Arpan Aferton;
Barbriss Gar the Health advisor;
Lady Asmay Gar;
Lady Capella Gar;
Lady Frail Gar;
Johan Arber the Health advisors assistant;
Frasier Rahalle the Industry advisor;
Eppan Arber the Industry advisors assistant;
Lady Kayanna Thurston;
Favia Sommer, Retired army captain;

Lady Maya Sommer, Favias granddaughter;

Pallo Mackain, Mayas suitor;
Lady Artaya Butterworth;
Karran Stohrst a steel works magnate;
Lady Phillipa Stohrst;
Marrat Focall an electronics magnate;
Artur Focall, Marrats son;
General Pinon Casteele, Space defence;
General Semall Coven, Launch facilities commander;
General Paron Label, Wet navy;
Lady Comilla Ravell;
Captain Abernon Casteele, Army, Pinons son;
Keegel Thiidaall ?
Louis Benka ?
Captain Mayall Winterthorne, Submarine commander,
stand-in for General Neritt Hanson;
The schedule
o Meeting with the Administration section logistics development planner
"Tiber Frost". He will arrange for offices, residences inside the capital if
required and the admin staff to get the project going.
o Meeting with the Admin-Sec duty assignment clerk. Arrange a security
contingent for the offices, residence and body guards ?
o Meeting with the Technology Advisors project management board (Space
defence project). Amon Marcoss (Man power), Benn Aferton (OTVs),
Harrold Jase (Light industry), Carmen Insus (Heavy industry), Mateel Pierce
(Finance), Vapp Reidel (Security), Olf Wherry (Transport). Each of these
has an aide.
o Meeting with General "Pinon Castelee". Assigned to be the Chief of staff for
the department that will run the space defence system. He knows about the
current space capabilities.
A duel.
A factory fire (OTV engine burn test gets out of hand).
An assassination attempt (Poison gas weapons).
When I ran this scenario the characters were starting to assume that the
swords and pistols being carried around were the only real weapons in use.
As with most armies the personal weapons of each soldier is not normally

the pinnacle ot weapons technology. This part of the scenario could have
been a very rude awakening. The characters unless they are wandering
around in environment suits had better stay back or attack at range.
The attack will be made on any NPC politico friendly to the PCs. The plot
in my game went as follows:
This is actually a crime of passion disguised as a political assassination. The
target of the killing is one of Favia Sommers guards. The group of men
making the attack have been told that Favia is to be killed and his safe
robbed. The man behind the killing is a junior officer and love rival to the
guard. He knows Favia and knows that he keeps a large amount of cash in
the safe. The killing team have been recruited from a military weapons depot
where the junior officer is stationed. The plan is to steal some nasty chemical
weapons, storm Favias coastal retreat and steal the money. The guard and
Favia and many others will die in the assault. The Junior office will then kill
all the accomplices with a firebomb when they are splitting up the money.
There will be several clues as to what is going on, but the evidence that this
is a political assassination will be too convenient for the authorities to
overlook.
Poison gas: Dispursed from an emplaced cannister. The damage is in three
sections, heavy through light depending on how much of a dose you get.
Heavy is 4d6 NND does body @ Speed 6, 2 dice continue until treated,
range 1d6 x 8m in turns 1 to 15. Medium is 2d6 NND Does body @ Speed
4, 2 dice continuing, Range 3d6 x 8m in turns 2 to 30. Light is 2d6 NND
does body @ Speed 3, 1 dice continuing, Range 8d6 x 8m in turns 3 80
An evening dance ball.
Deal with a meteor shower
See a Chiqow scout enter the system (Backed up by a cruiser if attacked)
Suffer a Solar flare.
Technical difficulties:
Lansdown does not have a great deal of computer technology. They do have electronics and
build 'hard-wired' analogue processors. These are large, expensive and time-consuming to
build. They will expect a system that is heavily reliant on man-power to operate. This will then
mean that the group must address security and control issues. This limitation has been
deliberately built into the society. If the repetitive jobs were replaced with silicon-computer
technology there would be a shift to administrative jobs needing higher education. This is bad
in a society that was built to sustain a hereditary military life-style supported by simple
agriculture.
System data:
Orbit Type Occupied Radius
0 n/a Sun G4, Luminosity class III.
1 Inner None
2 Inner Fozine 104.7 Million Km

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

Inner
Inner Serpine w/ 4 moons 239.3 Million Km
Inner
Inner Rengadu w/1 moon 777.9 Million Km
Hospitable Lansdown 2932 Million Km
Outer
Outer
Outer
Outer Obyxy + Valyx 23038 Million Km
Outer
Outer Obaloo w/10 moons 91972 Million Km
The system has two gas giants, one habitable planet and four uninhabitable rocks. Two of the
rock planets are very close to the single white dwarf star.
The Lansdown star is a young white dwarf with a steady solar output and limited solar storms.
The nearest planet to the star is Fozine, a large ball of rock. Fozine has a strong magnetic field,
but its proximity to the star has caused any atmosphere to be blown away by solar wind. The
surface is covered with molten lakes of metals. The planet causes a small tidal pull on the stars
chronosphere. The pull is visible from a Lansdown orbit. This would result in more significant
solar storms but the planet mops op most of the local solar wind. Fozine has no moons or
rings. The Surface temperature exceeds 2000oC during the day and 1400 at night. At night the
light given off by the cooling ground is enough to see by (if you didnt go all crispy standing
there). The day period is 7 hours. Planetary diameter is 14 x earth diameters. Fozines year is
ony 120 days long.
Next is Seperine. Seperine is also a rock planet. The planet has a thin sulphur dioxide
atmosphere and a strong magnetosphere. Seperine is significantly further from the star than
Fozine. It also has the distinction of being perfectly smooth (to the nearest 10M). The limited
atmosphere has almost no weather system. The planet is 4 earth diameters in size. The
temperature ranged from 750 to 500oC. Its orbit is slightly elliptical. Its day is 52 hours long
and its year is 400 days.
The third planet is Rengadu. It is a small ringed gas giant. Fairly close in orbital diameter to
Lansdown, but with an orbit that is both elliptical and skewed from the plane of the ecliptic.
Rengadu is rich in volatile gasses and has seven moons. The largest moon has an extremely
low density.
Lansdown is approximately twice the diameter of earth with 1.3G and a nitrogen, oxygen
atmosphere. The surface is approximately 50% water. The planet has a weak magnetic field
and suffers from a higher than usual radiation input. The planets population of 16 billion is
concentrated into four super-conglomerations. The planet has a single small moon with only a
thin atmosphere. The moon is in a high orbit and generates little tidal force.
Obyxy and Valyx are twin rock planets at significant distance from the star. They have intertwined helical orbits. Valyx is likely to have been a captured free roving planet since its
composition is dissimilar from obyxy. They share a very similar atmosphere of mostly
methane.
The outermost planet in the system is the gas giant Obaloo. Obaloo has 16 moons in various
orbits. The atmosphere is a super-dense hydrogen, sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen mix. There
are also small amounts of helium which may be extractable. Obaloo has an extremely cold
climate and only a small metallic core.

Planet Lansdown data:

Planetary diameter 16799 Km. Horizon @ 5.7 Km

Low density 1.3G, Standard atmosphere, 50% standing water.

Population 16 Billion.
Government benign monarchy.
Defence system suggestions:
Low tech solutions will be more sustainable. Limit the need for EC to supply technology. Ion
accelerators, Low orbit ECM weapons, Missile systems (30G acceleration), Nuclear
warheads, Passive gravity detection, Active LIDAR.
High tech solutions in small strategic situations might be added by the EC. Gravity distortion
technology, Fusion drives, Anti-Grav, PP comms.
EC might offer training via neural induction.
ConsiderSatellite systems: Positioning, Sensors, Weapons, Command and control, Safety features,
Effective range, Communications delay, Autonomous actions, Number of units, Unit
production time, Coverage and spacing.
System defence boats: Crew, size, training, speed, communications, co-ordination,
organisational structure, range, maintenance, production time, re-supply / self sufficiency.
Ground based weapon platforms: Orientation, blind spots (moving), weapon type, range,
energy source, locations, defence, targeting method.
Defence capable industry / assets: Law, Regulation issues, Finance, Training, Crewing,
Enforcement.
Defence procedure: Plans.
Stealth, Defence in depth, Level of response, Pre-emptive strikes, retaliation.
Hire mercenaries ?
Resources:
Depending on how much strain the government is prepared / can be convinced to put on the
economy the following resources can be made available:
600 to 2000 Admin staff
1000 to 12000 Troops
200 to 1000 Military engineers
200 to 4000 Civilian engineers
4000 to 18000 Labourers
16 Technical design staff

4 Mechanical engineering plants

1 Electrical engineering plant
1 Chemical production facility
1 Secure training facility
2 Orbital transfer vehicles
4 OTV flight crews
The Lansdown society.
Lansdown was an independent Earth colony. As with all the IECs it was founded based upon
a charter. The charter was layed out before the colonisation mission. The charter layed out the
purpose of the mission and the type of settlement that would be founded. Everything from
government, social structure, even demographics where specified and agreed to by everyone
moving to Lansdown. The charter forms the planetary constitution. Its very big (394 volumes
in hardback !)
The main method of transport on the planet is horseback. There are airships for long distance
transport. They have a large fishing fleet. At sea there is a 10 mile long city ship used by the
Argok as a base of operations. There is motorised transport, but very few major roads outside
the cities. Most of the administrative function is based in a single large capital city. Most of the
planet is agricultural. There are large tracts of wilderness preserve. Motorised transport
consists mainly of small hovercraft carrying upto 20 people or articulated all-terrain land
trains. In the cities trams and horses provide nearly all the transport. Outside of the cities there
is no real public transport. The admin section arranges most transport on an as-and-when
required basis. The administration of transport requirements is a very large job.
The population is split roughly 60/40 between semi-skilled labourers and the ruling class. The
ruling class is almost entirely military. The huge standing army is relatively well trained with
no terrestrial enemies. The military operate large numbers of engineering, transport, medical
services etc. This keeps them busy.
During the first settlement of the planet a number of regional governments were set-up. After
some time there were conflicts eventually escalating to limited nuclear exchanges. All within
charter limits ! Since then the governments have aggregated. Now there is a single planetary
government.
With the end of the embargo Lansdown has asked for EC help in setting up space-based
industry and the infrastructure to support it. Particularly the policing and protecting of space
based commerce. It is anticipated that a branch of the military will secure the systems space
allowing free trade to be established with other systems and for orbital manufacture facilities to
be created.
Lansdown has access to: Fission power, Oil and coal fired (clean burn) power stations, Lasers,
projectile weapons, blade weapons; Advanced chemical based medicines and chemical
weapons; Radio communications; Fibre optics; non-sentient computers.
Lansdown has already developed chemical rocket launched shuttles and has built three large
cruisers. The three cruisers were built around a construction skeleton that became part of the
ships. The ships are hidden in orbit around Obaloo. The ships are very slow by EC standards
proably having taken years to reach the outer orbits. The ships are nuclear powered with
extensive armour and bombing capabilities. They are not atmosphere capable. They have been
kept a close secret even within the ruling class military. They are names: The general Aferton,
The general Cumberknoll and The general Serenty.

Lansdown has 16 OTV shuttles capable of launch and recovery. They have an 18 hour turn
around and use solid rocket fuel. This would appear as a lot of space capability for a planet
without satellite communications or a large aerospace industry ! (clue !!)
The planet uses only limited short range radio. Most communication is though military owned
(and monitored) optical landlines. Communications lasers are used for short distance secure
communication by specialist military.
The planetary history has been edited over the course of time and cleaned up slightly.
The older people and the upper class generally like classical operatic music. The younger
generation are into thrashy metal.
NPCs:
Here are some of the NPCs that I found useful during the scenario.
The advisors to the Argok
Varvakian Roosemont: Varvakian is a kindly gentleman. He runs the government internal
security. He is grey haired and probably due for retirement. He is married to the lady Quillian.
They have a twelve year old son Koo.
Atra Eric: Elder statesman. He is an expert accountant, with a deep understanding of the
planets economic structure. He has a lesser grasp of overall politics and so has been out
manoeuvred a number of times. He is single and not interested in anything much other than is
accountancy.
Entoy Rafan: Entoy will be the groups first contact with the advisors. He is the technology
advisor. He has very little knowledge in his field, but he is a great administrator and manages
his staff well. He has an estranged wife Parain. Entoy was unfaithful with the lady Yempay,
this is a public secret amongst the capitals socialites. Entoy is almost always accompanied by
his highly efficient assistant, the lady Frail Tentail.
Chimyoy Vepp: Chimyoy runs the government education system. He has recently been leading
a large review of the education policy. He is switching almost all public funding into the
sciences. This has made him unpopular, but is possibly a good move give the need for new
skills that will be required to integrate into galactic trade.
Anton Castan: Anton is the youngest advisor to the Argok. He is growing a beard to make
himself look more elderly. Anton is taking a slow and careful approach to development of the
health service. He is shying away from leading edge developments that previous advisors have
followed. He is courting the lady Frista Admai.
Barbriss Gar: Barbriss advises the Argok on the welfare system. He has a very balanced view
of welfare, believing that the state should keep retired individuals in a manner to which they
are accustomed. Some of his opponents view this as being soft on the aristocracy. Barbriss has
a wife, Asmay and two daughters. Capella (12) and Frail (14). He is trying to arrange a
wedding between Frail and Varvakians son Koo. Varvakian would rather have his son wed
Capella. Capella is Barbriss favorite and he would rather have her find her own husband.
Liville Yasi: Liville advises the Argok on agricultural policy. He has a wife, Kallisa and a
mistress, Jasbonn. Many of the other advisors envy him his position. Agriculture is considered
the easy-life department and he has two women.
Frasier Ravhalle: Frasier is the industry advisor. He has been forced to work along-side Entoy
the technology advisor. He feels that his position of power is being undercut by the technology

drive that the Argok is pursuing. Frasier has no family. He is the last of his line and is a bit old
for courting.
Humby Onribud: Humby is the adminitrative advisor. He runs the court and is responsible for
the justice office. He is young and although he is regularly pursued by ladies of the court he
has paid them little attention. Humby is possibly the most powerful of the advisors. He pursues
a softly-softly approach and hopes he will be able to place himself in an even more powerful
position later in his career. He intends to pick a wife that will give him some political
advantage.
Assorted friendliesFavia Sommer: Favia is a retired captain. During his career he was popular and made many
political friends. He studied political science, economics and military strategy. For this reason
in retirement he still advises a number of people. He regularly holds parties and brings together
politically active people and fixes things. He is also an excellent fencer. In fact he has some
regular fencing students.
Lady Kayanna Thurston: Kayanna is an administrator. Although there are quite a few women
secretarial staff even amongst the ruling classes Kayanna is probably one of the most well
bred. She will be provided as the player characters personal assistant and liaison.
Maya Sommer: Favias granddaughter. Maya is very friendly she stays with Favia at her
parents request since they hope she will marry well by associating with all of the big political
figures that come to Favia. She is quite strong willed. She has some definite opinions on many
issues, but agrees with the rather sexist social structure. She has a suitor Pallo Mackain who
will keep a slightly jealous eye on her.

The Hunting partyKeegel Thiiadaall: Son of the air standards authority commissioner general. Strong. Attached
to the Admin-sec-internal, a security department responsible for maintaining the security of the
capital city. He is currently on leave for two months. Keegel is part of the military and will
wear military uniform most of the time as is common for most of the ruling class. Hes a
keen huntsman. If the aliens are friendly he might invite them along on an Avery boar
hunting trip. He is good natured and proud of his heritage.
Louis Benka: Second son of an air fleet administrator. Louis is a good horseman. He is
attached to the Admin-sec-internal where he met Keegel. They are good friends. He has two
weeks leave remaining before he has to return to duty.
Tarkahn Gardener: Son of an army engineer. He is bright and driven. Because of his
background he is considered lower class by some of his colleagues. His dedication and drive
are recognised by his military superiors so he will probably do better than many of his fellows
would expect. He will use the hunting trip as a brief rest before continuing his incessant hard
work.
Nevagra Mansun: Third son of the palace securitys drill sergeant. He is a disappointment to
his father. Nevagra is trying to ride the coat-tails of the more successful members of his family.
Kych Hornbull: Son of judge Bravent Hornbull, a powerful and respected man. Kych and his
father have a serious feud about military politics. It has lead to blows in the past. Kych is an
excellent swordsman. Kychs amour the lady Ezmay will also be in the hunt entourage.

Lord Turink: Lord Marell Turink is a retired training officer. His wife is ill and will probably
not live out the year. He has a death wish. He is a good swordsman and an accurate shot with a
pistol. He is however physically a long way past his prime.
The Hunting party entourageLady Artaya Butterworth: Artaya is one of the five riders in the park that the characters may
meet. She is quite attractive and enjoys the company and attention to go with her position and
appearance. She is the eldest daughter of the senior economics planner. She will regularly have
a number of male escorts casually vying for her attention.
Lady Ranseen OConnor: Ranseen is a good friend of the lady Butterworth. She is a keen hunt
follower. She is the youngest of three daughters and has no anticipation of a political marriage.
She is the daughter of a communications administrator.
Servants: The entourage will have a good twenty or so menial staff to erect tents, cook food
and do the general work required behind the scenes at the hunt.
The preyAvery boar: The Avery boar is a mean tempered but quite intelligent prey. It will use local landmarks to
advantage. Where possible it will leave false trails, lay in ambush and attack from the rear. STR 25, DEX 16,
CON 20, BOD 14, INT 8, EGO 4, PRE 15, COM 4, Pd 2, Ed 2, Spd 2, REC 8, END 60, Stun 50, Run 12", Swim
1".
OCV 5, DCV 5. 1 Level of shrinking (always on), 2d6 HKA Tusks @ +1 OCV, + 2DCV when dodging, AK
Local forest 14-, Concealment 12-.
To hunt Avery boars you have to join the hunt federation and agree to the federations rules. This includes using
exclusively the proper weapon, a boar lance: 2" Stretching Always on (cant use against close targets !) Zero
END, -2 OCV with 2d6 HKA Armour piercing.
Horses used in the hunt are given 4/4 armour on a 15- Activation from underneath.
Landsdown palace securityThe average palace security guard is very keen and highly trained. They are well motivated and kept in constant
training. They do not however anticipate any threats to the Argok, only to lesser politicos.
STR 14, DEX 11, CON 16, BOD 14, INT 13, EGO 13, PRE 18, COM 10, Pd 3, Ed 4, Spd 3, REC 10, END 40,
Stun 40, Run 8", Swim 4"
Body armour 15/15, Activation on 15-, OIF
25% resistant damage reduction vs Swords linked to armour (ie also activation) OIF
Radio listen and transmit OAF hand radio.
Life support: Poison gasses OAF gas mask (-1 Dex & Int when worn)
Detect poison gasses IAF gas warning beeper.
2d6 HKA OAF Foil, Reduced penetration +1 OCV
1d6+1 RKA OAF Long pistol, + 1 Stun multiplier, 7 charges, 2 clips

Martial arts with foil: Martial block, Offensive strike, Defensive strike.
HTH Martial arts: Martial dodge, Martial grab, Martial disarm, Offensive strike, Choke hold, +2 DCs
+2 DCV vs all attacks due to good training)
+1 Range level
+7 defensive presence
+2 Sight perception
Other skills: KS Military history 14-, KS Weapons 16-, PS Soldier 15-, AK Palace 14-, Persuasion 11-, Tactics
11-, KS Security procedures 15-, KS Terrorism & Counter-Terrorism 13-, Wfam Foil, Wfam Rapier, Wfam
Handgun, Wfam Rifle, Tfam Car, Tfam Horse, Climbing 14-, Stealth 13-, Concealment 8-, Interrogation 8-, KS
Chemical weapons 8-, KS Political figures 8-, Politics 8-, Combat riding 14The ARGOK.
The ARGOK is a surgically modified girl. This is kept secret. The ARGOK is usually
considered to be male. The ARGOK appears with a purple exo-muscular body suit. The head /
helmet is heavily modified. Without prior knowledge it is possibly not obvious that the
ARGOK is human at all. At age 14 the ARGOK is impregnated from a cloned store of sperm
cells. The child is born in secret, then raised in isolation in the ARGOKs city ship. The
ARGOK is not disturbed by being different. This is mainly due to the genetic make-up.
Effectively the ARGOK is a partial clone of the previous ARGOK (Mono-culture monarchy).
The ARGOK acts as emperor for Lansdown, advised by experts in Security, Economics,
Technology, Education, Health, Welfare, Agriculture, Industry and Administration.
Scenario 4: The SS Forward thinking sends a distress message. The characters are routed to assist. The major
part of the crew have been captured and imprisoned on the planet Twillain. The Planetary government is a
military Junta that does not accept the rationale behind the embargo. The Characters should try and rescue the
imprisoned EC Crew. Further assistance is on the way in the form of the Cruiser Entropic Maxim which will be
able to assist if the players are themselves captured. The SS FT crew are due to be executed and a delaying tactic
may be equally usable.
Twillian troopers are very efficient, but use sophisticated low lethality weapons. To stand a reasonable chance
of beating the Twillian troops the characters will have to make a difficult decision about their level of response.
The Twillians have better low lethality weapons and good armour. To ensure victory the characters will need to
use lethal force vs troops that are committed to not taking life. Using softer tactics the characters will need to be
very careful and use brains to avoid capture.
The prison complex itself consists of two nearly identical compounds with a single high strength holding facility
linking both. The facility gets power from two isolated geo-thermal power sources. Water enters via two isolated
sources. Food supplies are isolated for 2 days before being passed by security. Sewerage outfall is irradiated then
passed into an organic reactor to produce methane and fertiliser 80% of which is recycled into nearby low
security farms.
The outer compounds consist of three 12m high fences made of a smooth slightly elastic material. The material
is ballistic proof (15 Resistant PD). It is fire retardant, but not resistant to quantities of acid. It has 7 body. If
broken the material will split, rolling back to the nearest supports which are spaced 10m apart. The fences are 5m
apart. The ground between the fences contains a concrete tank trap designed to stop heavy vehicles driving
across the perimiter. The trenches contain sonar detectors (14- base perception).

Inside the fence each compund has: Geothermal pump for hot water and electricity, Secure storage warehouse,
vehicle depot, New arrivals building, security bunk house, Gate house, Security monitoring station, Primary
communications building, Sewage plant,

The crew of the SS FT are being are a holding facility. Although most of the compounds in-mates are given a
fairly free reign the EC prisoners are kept indoors. There are a number of decoys and both decoys and real
prisoners are in shielded areas. A constant jamming signal covers the compound making low band RF
communications impossible (N-Laces malfunction). The Twillians use short range IR signals
The Twillians have not yet developed their orbital capabilities. They have launched large numbers of
communications satellites. Most of the satellites use tight beam lasers to communicate to each other and narrow
beam microwave transceivers to ground stations. This makes intercepting or jamming communications generally
very difficult.
The Twillian society is quite stoic. It was hit very hard by the Embargo. The remains of its trans-system industry
can be found on the outer planets. The population suffered a marked increase in its death rates when its off planet
manufacturing resources had to be abandoned. The planet is now making a recovery, but the systems population
is only one half of its pre-embargo level. Also the on-planet resources are relatively poor. The loss of asteroid
and gas mining will make re-establishing its outer-planet colonies difficult.
The planets bio-diversity is also very low. Most of the surface land mass is used for housing or intensive
agriculture. Power is provided by ocean thermal current stations on a massive scale.
Most of the planets transport requirements are provided by underground magnetic shuttle trains. Air transport is
also available using solar powered super-gliders.
Chemical resources are very limited. Anything that can run directly from electrical or solar energy does.
During the start of the Embargo the Twillians were involved in a short-lived armed conflict, but their space
based weapons systems were insufficient to protect their own system space. This was in part the reason for
forcing the embargo on them. Any ship could have entered the system and spread the plague infection without
much opposition.
The SS FT crew will not be held at the compound indefinitely. The trials are planned to take place in the capital
city. The trial will revolve around the issue of weather the Embargo can be proven to have saved more Twillian
lives than it cost. The SS FT crew are not themselves held personally responsible, but Twillian law holds that
voluntary membership of any group or organisation over which the member has any sway makes the individual
responsible for the groups action in whole or in part. If a significantly large case is built against the EC the court
could rule significant sentences against all members of the EC who were alive during the Embargo.
Twillian courts are presided over by three legal experts. The police present a case based upon the established
facts. There is no separation of prosecution and defence. Anyone may present evidence to the court if the legal
experts, the police or the defendants believe it is relevant. There is no presumption of innocence in Twillian
courts. The sentence is weighted based upon the strength of the evidence and the scale of the crime. If there is
reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the accused the sentence will be one of monitoring and prevention possibly
infringing the accused liberty.
If the Twillian court decides there is definite case of wrong doing and that the EC was responsible for significant
loss of life the sentence is likely to be one of life-time public service with the stipulation that the guilty parties
may not have any further contact with the EC.
If the court decides that there is a substantial case or that the EC was responsible for some loss of life the
sentence is likely to be financial penalties. Since the EC does not possess any Twillian money the accused would
need to stay on Twillian and work while paying increased taxes. The EC may find a way to pay off some of the
debt with preferential trade.

If the court decides that there is a poor case or that the EC was responsible for only a limited loss of life or
significant hardship the sentence is likely to be a financial penalty made against the EC as a whole rather than
the accused in particular. In this case the court would have to determine if the accused can be relied upon to
secure the penalty from the EC.

Scenario 5: Abandoned planet. Contact has failed to have been established with the embargoed planet Korel.
The planet had a thriving population prior to the embargo (5 billion Plus). On investigation there are some
remains of the previous occupants, but no people left. There are hidden bunkers containing the genetic material
of the last survivors and accounts of the downfall of the planet. The local flora and fauna had always been
voracious and largely uncontrolled. One of the more dangerous predators under threat from the human habitants
exhibited a significantly higher intelligence that had been anticipated. They modified local fauna to produce
fungal spores that caused sickness and infertility. The population did not have the technology to artificially
gestate and sealing a population away only allowed a small portion of the population to survive for a few
decades. The predator animal still exists, but though intelligent is not threatened and so has reverted to its normal
roll in the ecology.
Scenario 6:The planet Tuolegg has survived the embargo period relatively well. The planet had a limited
population of highly educated individuals. The planet was a colony of a remote system that is no longer
interested in the colonys research. The colony has a fusion reactor that was decommissioned at the end of its life
span. To repair and bring the reactor back on line requires spares and some education. In addition the population
would like some human genes introduced into its culture. The population will be friendly and polite in broaching
the subject of sex / sperm / egg donation. One of the indigents will request that the players contact "The order of
the fallen" with a data disk containing some information on the earth system. The disk catalogues a technology
cache that was moved to Mars before the embargo.
Scenario 7: The O.F on receiving the disk will quickly become agitated. The catalogue includes some nano-viral
technology. With some collusion from the EC minds the characters will be sent on a long haul to the earth
system (On the GSV tightrope) to make contact with the O.F in the SOL (Earth) system. Earth is uninhabited,
Mars is missing. The only sign of life is a colony on the Earths moon. Lunar O.F will help the players and take
the catalogue, but on consulting the history books they will say that during the start of the Embargo earth and
Mars were starting a terrible war. Both sides had weapons capable of significantly damaging the planet surfaces.
Most of Earths population were moving to Lunar where the money was (pre-embargo). The war never
developed. Mars vanished and the evacuation to Lunar continued. The whereabouts of Mars was forgotten about
as an unknowable mystery.

Scenario 8: As characters finish their investigations on Lunar the GSV Tightrope gets a high priority message
from GSV No conclusions.
From: River class GSV No Conclusions
To: River class GSV Tightrope
Hello T. I must say you choose a poor time to be in such a backwater. Steely Glint has declared itself
independent of the EC. The SA have taken up residence and non-SA sympathisers are being evacuated.
The characters are asked to assist in the evacuation. As they are doing so the characters should explore the ship
as much as they can get away with spreading surveillance micro-spheres. Each is as small as a dust particle and
records 1 hour of audio and movement. Each hour some of the spheres start recording. There are 60 million
spheres to be dispersed. They can be scattered onto the floor where they will be traipsed throughout the ship.
Later they can be read in the months to come is and when they are recovered from anyone walking off Steely
Glint with spheres some on them.
The characters may be captured and interrogated before being released. SG will not harm them.

Scenario 9: EC Politics
The group is approached by Lord numeric of the first order Hugain as Ambassadors of the EC requesting that
they find a good reliable AI to progress his theory about the Mars disappearance. It involves a strain of Metamath that is currently disproved, but he believes that some parts of the theorem must still have some relation to
an as yet un-found branch of meta-math. If his theories are correct the meta-math could lead to an immensely
powerful weapon, and he would rather have an unbiased EC mind researching the defences than any one
independent power.
Scenario 10: Visit to viral-life planet to talk to the gia-entity.
Scenario 11: Encounter with the deep-space habitat "The thain of the un-being". (Cuthulu-esk scenario).
Scenario 12: Capture the daughter of a deceased felon. Her genetic material unlocks a data store on lunar. Why ?
The vault contains pre-embargo data about a system where a major celestial event was observed. The GSV
Personal Indemnity has asked for information on this and several GSVs would like to do this favour for PI in
order to bring it back into the fold.
Scenario 13: Virus. The nearby mining colony of Campilo, a human centric settlement covering some 200
asteroids reports (wrongly) an outbreak of a strain of the Azmat virus.
The colony government has shutdown the transport system, but given the number of foreign ships in residence
they will be unable to prevent the virus spreading beyond the colony. They request EC help. AL is the first EC
ship on the scene.
In fact the rumour of the virus was leaked by a media publisher before the government could fully investigate.
The ensuing panic is disrupting the government so much that it cannot now gather any real evidence.
As the investigation proceeds AL will determine that four ships left the possibly infected areas.
It will become obvious that the apparent spread is not consistent with the Azmat virus since it has not affected
any verifiable non-human neural networks.
The virus is not self sustaining.
The virus patter is will be traced to it originating in the Beonar family corporation.
An assault on the family quarters will find the family all dead. They will have curcummed to a nano-virus spread
from their own nano-factory. A foreign chip of un-traceable origin is running in the factory.
Evidentially this is a murder case best left to the government (or another scenario is you want to try and run it).
Scenario 14: Confusing the issue.
AL receives notice via a GSV bulletin that a nearby-ish planetary government that is only just becoming capable
of interplanetary travel has intercepted and captured a Chiqow scout on the planet surface.
The system is called Vencuuta and the government resided on the fourth planet in the single sun system. Both
the planetary government and the Chiqow are known for their violent natures. If the situation is not dealt with
almost certainly the Chiqow will find out that one of their number have been captured and retaliate. The GSV
has suggested that a well equipped team could intercept and rescue the scout. This might help stay off any large
scale conflict.
Vencuuta has some orbital platforms and a few dozen interplanetary vessels. Most of its weapon systems are
planetary, but quite advanced. The government will be taking precautions against rescue attempts, but may still
be unable to stop a rescue attempt. Alternatively the party could try and negotiate with Vencuuta and advise
them of the Chiqow's far superior technology.

The Chiqow scout vessel Emnupta is trapped under a lava flow from a still erupting volcano in a sparsely
populated region of Vencuuta. The Vencuuta government know the region the vessel is in but can't find it. They
have assumed that the vessel is well hidden, but do not realise that it is traped. Given time they will find it and
may be able to make significant technology advances if they can recover it.
The Chqiow alien itself is in a biological research facility with hastily added security. The facility is not designed
as a prison, but for dealing with bio-warefare research. For a determined rescue team armed with Culture-Tech
the most severe risk is possibly releasing dangerous weapons by accident.
The Vencuuta government controls 98% of the planetary surface. Two separate revolutionary armies occupy
minor cities on the same continent. A low level war of attrition is underway between all three groups. The
Vencuuta planetary government is holding off full scale bombardment purely because of the cost. They plan to
use low level bio and chemical attacks in the near future.

The Virus.
The virus is stated as:
OECV 5, Attacks at speed 1. 4d6 Mindscan for aiming for EGO+10 +1 dice delayed effect by one turn. + 1dice
delayed by 1 hour, + 1 dice delayed by 1 day, +1 dice delayed by 1 week (total of 8d6 Mindscan). Zero
endurance, Persistent, Sticky, and Zero Range.
The Mindscan is maintained against the target. I.e. the throw off roll does not improve with time ! The sticky
affect is spread by physical touch or close contact through air (less than 5 meters).
When the Mindscan achieves EGO+10 on its target the nano-virus has attached to the brain functions and the
effect will trigger.
Payload multi-power (1 affect per phase)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

12d6 EGO attack triggered by Mindscan lock-on. 1 shot affect on target. The target brain goes into
neural shock and shuts down.
d6 Ego drain triggered by unconsciousness and Mindscan lock-on. Zero endurance, continuous,
sticky, zero range, Recovery per year, only affects EGO vs Mindscan.
Mental awareness (usable by target), zero range, sticky, 11- activation (roll once), The target can sense
the presence of the virus by touch.
Mindcontrol 126d "Spread the virus" Activation 11- (Roll once). Zero End, persistent, sticky, Zero
range.
Mindcontrol 10d6 "Secretly aid the Azmat wikan" Activation 8- (Roll once) Zero end, Persistent,
Sticky, Zero range
1d6 Major transformation into a virus factory, sticky, Zero range, Zero end, Persistent, Continuous,
Cumulative 1 dice per day.

NPCs

Second Alliance Security

STR 14, DEX 16, CON 14, BOD 16, INT 13, EGO 12, PRE 15, COM 10, Pd 3, Ed 3, Spd 3, REC 8, END 40,
Stun 35.

Breakfall 14-, Acrobatics 11-, Acting 8-, Combat driving 14-, Deduction 12-, Interrogation 16-, Paramedic 15-,
Security Systems 14-, Shadowing 11-, Stealth 16-, Streetwise 14-, Tactics 15-, Transport familiarities: Flyer,
Shuttle; Area Knowledge: Steely Glint 12-, General GSV layout 14-, Weapon familiarities: Plasma Rifle,
Assisted Weapons, Grenades, Heavy Rifles; Familiarity with Zero-G movement.
Light weight mobility armour 30/30 Hardened, 50% Pd Damage reduction, +25% vs Impacts/Falls, 25% Ed
Damage reduction ; Life support Radiation.
N-Lace (Mindlink to ship)
Embedded Nanonics: 3d6 Aid to body triggered by zero body, 1 charge.
Embedded Nanonics: 3d6 Aid stun, 1 charge.
12mm Micro shell rifle (GMS): 4d6+1 RKA, +1 stun multiplier, 40 rounds, 4 clips, +2 OCV vs warm targets, +
2 range levels.

Second Alliance trooper

As above except
Trooper armour: 30/30 hardened, 50% Pd damage reduction, 75% Ed Damage reduction vs heat based attacks,
30 Power defence vs electric / magnetic attacks, 60 Flash defence sight, Radio listen and transmit (Encrypted 20), Infra-red vision, Low-light, ultra violet, x-ray. Life support:Breathing, Radiation, Pressure, Acceleration (to
17G), Detect radiation, + 40 Active Points of Body, + 60 AP Stun, - 6" Knockback
Laser rifle: 26d6 EB, No Knockback, OCV 7, No Range penalties, + 2 OCV operator aimed, 200 charges,
Invisible effects up to 14 dice.
Ascending light conference drone.
ALs conference drone is the easiest point of contact for the crew with AL. The drone is a small disk about the
size of a dinner plate. Although it has a featureless silver surface it can emanate a coloured glowing field that is
linked to ALs emotions. The colours are standard for emotional context across all of the ECs drones.
STR 20 (minus), DEX 14, CON 45, BOD 15, INT *, EGO *, PRE Zero offensive, COM 10, Pd 0, Ed 0, Spd 6,
Rec 5, End 40, Stun 40.
* Use ALs stats if the Mindlink is up. Otherwise INT 5, 1 EGO and programmed to return to base.
5/5 Armour
Flight 3" + 2 Non-combat multiples, Zero End, Persistent, Invisible effect, Always on. (Field propulsion), Not in
vacuum on 2" and NCM.
Mindlink to AL, Zero End, Persistent, Always on.
8" Knockback resistance
Life Support: Breathing, Heat, Cold, Vacuum, High pressure, Radiation, Disease, Eating, Sleeping, Excreting.
40 AP shrinking, Zero End, Persistent, Always on, Minus 8 to perception, +8 DCV = DCV 13 at range,, +12"
knockback (Total +4").

Bump of direction
Backup AI module: Skills: Fly A to B 11-, Combat piloting 11-, Concealment 12-, Stealth 14-; Programs: Return
to base.

Ascending light servitor drone.

ALs servitor drone is for maintenance. It is silver and teardrop shaped. The pointy bit is the front.
STR 20, DEX 13, CON 35, BOD 40, INT *, EGO *, PRE 10, COM 10, Pd 0, Ed 0, Spd 6, Rec 10, End 80, Stun
40, Run 0", Swim 4"
Mindlink to AL, Zero End, Persistent, Always on.
Flight 6" (Field propulsion or AG) + 12" in gravity (Anti-Grav)
20/20 Armour Hardened.
10/10 Forcefield, 1 Facing only, Zero End, Persistent.
Life support: All
8" Knockback resistance
Bump of direction
Backup AI Module: Skills Fly A to B 11-, Combat pilot 11-, Concealment 12-, Stealth 14-; Programs: Preserve
crew, Repair AL, Return to Base (AL)
Mechanics 18- [14- without Mindlink]
Electronics 22- [18-]
Paramedic 18- [12-]
1d6 Aid body, only to repair AL Nanonic systems.

Ascending light mindstem

The mind stem is the brain of AL. It appears as a round ended matt black capsule with contact points for all the
ship data feeds.
STR5, DEX 6, CON 40, BOD 20, INT 65, EGO 45, PRE 25, COM 10, Pd 0, Ed 0, Spd 10, REC 5, End 80, Stun
100
10/10 Armour, triple hardened.
30/30 Forcefield (NB does use end !)
5 EGO Defence

20 hardened power defence

3d6 Area Effect 4 Hex Aid Body + Stun, Zero End only vs Meson weapon damage.
5 Flash defence all sense groups.
+10 Flash defence hardened on sight group.
Mindlink to any local (planet area) N-Lace / Drone.
Flight 1"
Life Support: All
Bump of direction
Eidetic memory
Absolute time-sense
Faster than light travel.
20 AP Growth, No secondary stats.
10 AP Cosmic power pool (field manipulation) Requires a skill roll.
Field manipulation 16-, Sociology 11-, Beaurocratics 11-, Combat piloting 21-, Computer programming 18-,
Concealment 12-, Conversation 14-, Cryptography 16-, Deduction 14-, Electronics 18-, Familiarities: Flyer,
tube-rider, starship, ships weapons, heavy weapons, personal weapons; Forensic medicine 14-, Forgery 17-, High
society 15-, Interrogation 16-, KS:Aliens 14-, KS: Ships systems 18-, AK: Known galaxy 18-, Languages: All
known languages fluent w/accent, Lip reading 12-, Mechanics 18-, Navigation 22-, Persuasion 13-, Meta-math
16-, Physics 18-, Chemistry 18-, Biology 13-, Nano-tech 16-, Field dynamics 18-, Security systems 13-,
shadowing 14-, stealth 13-, Survival 8-, System ops 18-, Tactics 18-, Weapon smith 16-, Find weakness (any
attack) 13-, Lightning calculator, Perfect pitch, Simulate death, Speed reading.

Chevron
If the player characters include non-military types some personal protection may be advised. When I GMed I
put the least violent PC in charge-ish and gave them a Chevron for escort. This allows the players to get into a
few fights without getting themselves killed. They enjoy the fight even if they are playing the Chevron. The
Chevron is a standard piece of military hardware. It includes a PP link and some on-board AI as such it is quite
rare and not to be abused. The Chevron can exhibit a reasonable level of intelligence, but only in a very limited
field. It can understand orders and even picks up the tone. Being an EC based AI it will show some degree of
reverence for life (it wont disobey an order to kill though). The Chevron is a good soldier, but not good at much
else. The Chevron is linked to a command module a tick-tack box sized communications interface that can
weld itself to the side of a players head temporarily allowing the player to take-over the Chevron getting all its
skills as well as their own. The player character can continue to operate at half DCV. At any time as a zero phase
action the character can let the Chevron carry-on on its own or take-over again (at the start of a phase).
I also had two Chevrons concealed inside Ascending light behind a solid wall panel, just in case ! Slaved to
Ascending light.
Chevrons have two configurations: Horny goat configuration (tail forwards, legs with reversed knee joint) or
Monkey configuration. The tail is prehensile and can be used to carry weapons or operate control panels. There

is a comms interface just short of the end of the tail. The Chevron can link to hardline communications on-ship
while remaining on guard. This allows it to get messages direct from the ship while still being in contact with its
owner or on guard duty.
STR 30, DEX 15, CON 40, BOD 60, INT 5, EGO 3, PRE 30, COM 10, Pd 0, Ed 0, Spd 5, Rec 20 {No long term
body recovery}, End 130, Stun 60. Run 6", Swim 0"
Disadvantages: No Fine manipulation, Slaved to Command module, Code of conduct Protect owner Common
Strong.
Armour 30/30 Double hardened.
Change Environment 8" Radius Running lights
50% Resistant damage reduction vs Lasers, Plasma and Thermal weapons.
15 Active Points Density increase, No Strength bonus, -3" Knockback, No Pd/Ed. 800Kg
Enhanced senses: High range radio, Radio listen and transmit, Infrared, Radar sense, Spatial awareness (Mass
detection) 360o non-targeting.
Detect radiation, Detect poison gasses.
Extra limb (tail)
2 Points flash defence Sight group.
20 Power defence x2 hardened (EMP shielding)
Plus 5 dice HandAttacks
1d6 Hand Killing Attack (Tail)
Life support: All
Mind link to Command module (Any range including inter-system)
1" Stretching (Tail)
+6 DEX when not using tail (1 phase to change, no secondary stats)
Simulate death (power down), Combat sense 11-, Absolute time sense, Breakfall 14-, Climbing 12-,
Cryptography 14- (Radio signal encrypt / decrypt), Fam: All modern weapons, Navigation 16 , Stealth 11+3 OCV with all modern weapons, +2 Range skill levels with all firearms
Equipped with:
12mm Microshell Rapid Fire Burst pistol ( 4d6-1 Ranged killing attack, 10 shot autofire, +2 OCV vs warm
targets, + 2range levels vs solid targets OR 5d6 RKA Hex effect 4 hex range uses 10 charges, 60 rounds per clip)
9mm Armour piercing Low Cal Burst pistol (3d6 RKA 10 shot autofire OR Hex effect 4 hex range Armour
piercing 5 shot minimum, 300 rounds per clip)

EC Ships.
In order of size
(Old) Quarry class.
Forest class
River class
Island class
Continent class

Steely Glint. (River class GSV)

SG was the operational HQ for most of the ground troop training. SG is planning to leave the EC proper and
become an independent base for the Second Alliance. SG has been selectively moving crew out who are not
likely to sympathise.
Most of SGs environment is Oxygen/Nitrogen at about 1.2 Standard G. It has some very limited space set aside
for High G Sulphur di-oxide based living quarters. The atmosphere is increasingly regimented as more and more
SA take up residence.

Finer Things (River class GSV)

On-board the Finer Things a relaxed atmosphere is being cultivated. FT has decommissioned 90% of its drive
mass and weapons system to extend its hull. It supports and extensive marine / coastal environment. Due to the
low engine capacity FT is planning to use a lot of ferry transport. To this end it has four decommissioned
destroyer hulls converted to slaved ferries. They have various degrees of engine enhancement. FT has a limited
population but a large number of animal life forms. Many of the population act as land-stewards.

Personal Indemnity (River class GSV)

PI is a research vessel, having very little regular contact with the remainder of the EC. PI has a very large sensor
array and a large complement of automated reconnaissance probes. It has a limited population since most people
do not like to be isolated from the rest of the EC for long periods. PI spends most of its time hunting uncharted
space between regularly frequented routes.

Curious Pastimes (Forest class GSV)

CP has reduced the capacity of its repair and construction bays. Its main weapons systems are still intact. It
retains its high drive / mass ratio. The CP is being used as a super-lifter to transport vessels across the span of the
decommissioned fleet. CP is close to FT and they plan to co-operate their transport requirements. The CP
environment is balanced Pastoral and Urban with a relatively high population count.

Ends of Invention (Forest class GSV)

EOI has an almost reclusive reputation. EOI was a key vessel in the Emman war. The ship undertook a military
de-commission long before the Embargo was over. It has not explained its reasons, but it was involved in the
Nocoman conflict (62676.2). Many gene-engineered humans were born on EOI during the Nocoman conflict
though the many children have spread out amongst the other ships there is still a strong presence of families that
can trace their history back to originals living on board.
No Small Thing (Continent class GSV)
NST has always had only a limited offensive capability. It is currently constructing a new River class GSV
(Name not decided). Its mainbay is currently supporting a high pressure Nitrogen Silicate environment. The
main part of its crew complement are still trying to liase with the environments in habitants a race encountered
just prior to the embargo. The race which is also currently unnamed are very slow but seemingly intelligent. The
NSTs main mission is to establish communication with the race which communicates using pizo electrical
communication.
Likely-as-not. (Quarry class GSV)
The Likely-as-not is the sister ship of Less-is-More. Likely-as-not has been following a long elliptical path for
most of the embargo. There are two points on their different paths where LAN and LAM meet and exchange
passengers. Each ships cycle tales a full 10 standard periods (220 years). The meeting points are separated by
110 years, At the meeting points the ships have a party.

Less-is-More. (Quarry class GSV)

The Less-is-More is the sister ship of Likely-as-not
No Conclusions (River class GSV)
NC has a reputation as a practical joker amongst the ships. It has few dealings with its passengers. The habitat
section is dedicated to low density eco-homes. NC also has a large supply of terra-forming equipment including
the largest concentration of nano-factories in EC.

Tightrope (River class GSV)

Tightrope was commissioned by the Tekkar as an independent free trading nation ship. It joined the EC when
planetary trade ceased. Tightrope has a relatively small living space for a vessel of its class. It has large areas
dedicated to industrial processing and construction. It also has a store of planetary-rescue systems including
terra-form processors. Tightropes personality is sometimes described as uneventful.
Contented (Super-Continent class GSV Modified)
Contented aka Big C was modified in 62664.17 to use a very long drive profile. This allows it to far extend its
top speed at the cost of acceleration. By 62744.29 Contented will be reaching a point to exit the outer rim of the
galaxy and begin the long-haul to the M29 Galaxy. Four modified super-lifters are positioned along its exit path
to bring on-board the final personnel wanting to undertake the 5 Million year journey to M29.

Weapons platforms.
Weapons platforms in order of size (smallest to largest) are:
Unmanned Patrol Vehicle (UPV)
Small Armed Vehicle (SAV)
Planetary Defence Unit (PDU)
System Defence Boat (SDB)
Frigate
Cruiser
Super Cruiser (SC)
General Systems Vehicle Tundra class (GSV)
Most Tundra class GSVs have now been fully decommissioned.
Ship names:
GSV Tundra class:
Last Word(d)
Simple(d)
Best intentions(d)
Forget-me-not(d)
Past perfect(d)
Not impressed(d)
Out of sight
Swift decision(d)
Wonders why(d)
Meek(d)
Look forward(d)
Curvature(d)
Shame on you
Sweeping-statement(d)
Denial(d)

Poor Me
Absence of light(d)
Aspect(d)
Dont push me(d)
Three wishes(d)
Pass the salt
Full of promise(d)
SC:
Fear the dark(d)
Reaper(d)
Grim(d)
One of many(d)
Handsome(d)
Pulverise(d)
Behind you(d)
Claw(d)
Hard as nails(d)
Anvil
Judge and jury
Comes knocking(d)
Storm
Severance(d)

Twin Ships: Im not Fat and You Fat Bastard

GSV Its the Only Way to Be Sure
Scout Ship: Dark in Here Isnt It?
Hospital Ship: Nil by Mouth

Go to Plan B
OU: All Out of bubblegum
Oops, Sorry
OU: Was That on three or After Three?
Do You Feel Lucky?
Wasnt Me, You Cant Prove a Thing
UPV So this is it, Were All Going to Die
SDB I Dont think you wanted to Do That
Please do not press this button again
Oh No, Not Again
Gravity Works
Put It Down, You Dont Know Where Its Been
Come Out, Come Out Where Ever You Are
OU No Pain, No Gain
OU No Such Thing as Overkill
OU No Such Thing As a Free Lunch
OU Situation Normal, All Fucked Up
OU Put That in Your Pipe and Smoke It
OU Or Are You Just Pleased to See Me?
OU Dont Blame me, I Just Work Here
OU Oh Look, I Squished It
OU Not On My Planet You Dont
SDB Not The Mamma
RV Game On
OU Tally Ho!
OU They Dont Like it Up Em
OU Dont Panic
SDB Incoming Fire Has Right Of Way

OU Appropriate Defensive Manoeuvre

Why Is It Always Me?
Its Not My Fault
OU But I Liked It the Way It Was
OU This Will Hurt You More Than it Hurts Me
OU Dive For Cover
How Does This Thing Work Again?
SDB Reality Sucks
SDB Bite Me
SDB Lets Just Face It, Youre Crap
SDB Oh No, Realitys On the Blink Again
UPV Tactical Advance to the Rear
UPV Is There Anybody There?
SDB BOO!
UPV When I Nod My Head, Hit It
UPV We Need Bigger Guns!
UPV You Want Me To Do What?
UPV I Didnt Say It Would Be Easy
UPV Ill Get You If Its the Last Thing I Do
UPV Scrambled Egg
UPV What Do You Mean, You Havent Done This Before?
OU Three, Simulated
SDB Incomming!

OU Right Between The Eyes

SDB I Can See You
UPV Pink Rabbit
OU Cunning Plan

SDB Ive Had An Idea

UPV What Do You Mean Were Lost?
SDB Who Was That Masked Man?

Glossary of terms.

NND No normal defences apply

EB Energy blast
HA Hand attack
HKA Hand killing attack
RKA Ranged killing attack
DCs Damage classes
OIF Obvious inaccessible focus
IIF Inobvious inaccessible focus
IAF Inobvious accessible focus
OAF Obvious accessible focus
nn. Chance based on rolling nn or less on 3d6

{-n} Limitation on a power

{+n} Advantage on a power
KB Knockback
" Inches (2m to game scale)
AP Active points
AVLD Attack applied vs limited defences
FD Flash defence
PD Power defence
KS Knowledge skill
AK Area knowledge
PS Professional skill
Tfam Transport familiarity
Wfam Weapon familiarity
Fam Familiarity. Equivalent of an 8- skill.
Segment 1 second of the 12 second turn
Phase A segment on which the character has an action.
Turn 12 Seconds followed by the post segment 12 recovery step.
LS Life support
OCV Offensive combat value
DCV Defensive combat value
OECV Offensive ego combat value

DECV Defensive ego combat value

Hex A hexagonal 1" across used to map Hero System combats.
AG Anti-gravity
HTH Hand-to-Hand
IR Infrared
UV Ultraviolet
HE High explosive
AP Armour piercing
PFG Pre-fragmented Glazer round
APDS Armour piercing discarding sabot
FMJ Full metal jacket
GL Grenade launcher
LAW Light antitank weapon
ETC Electro-thermal chemical (propulsion)
FOF Friend or foe
RF Rapid fire
AP Anti-personnel