Author: Patrick Taylor Legal

Co-Authors: Doc’ Joe Sweeney, Jaie This game references the Savage Worlds game system,
Obillo available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.
com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trade-
Editor & Proofing: Ray Duell marks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used
with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or war-
Artists: Amit Dutta, Eric Williams, Markus ranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of
Vogt, Roman Lutsenko, Doc’ Joe Sweeney this product.

Feedback: Robert Kosek, Gonzalo Durán Copyright 2017 by Patrick Taylor & StoryWeaver Games.

Dedication All Rights Reserved.

To our families for their love. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
To our friends for their help and support. including photocopy, recording, online, or any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission, in writing,
To our fans for their encouragement, and their terrific feed- from the publisher.
back.

Special thanks to Gonzalo and ‘Nebula Rol’ for keeping the

dream alive!

With an extra special thanks to Ray for the tireless editing

and attention to quality.

And to Iain Banks, Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Joss

Whedon, Joseph Straczynski, Mike Pondsmith, Peter Hamil-
ton, and everyone else who has ever teased us with ideas of
how the future might be!


1
 Contents
Contents 2 Xenofile 105

PanDominion 5 Aschin 107

Faeh-na 109
Know your Pando 6 Human 111
In the News 10 Phoxin 115
What is the PanDominion? 18 Redban 119
Wildcards 19 Shako 122
The Primary Species 24 Soamata 125
Other Species 26 Teraborg 128
External Threats 28 Other Integrated Species 132
Keeping Time 30 Allied Non-PanDo Species 134
Timeline 30 Starfish 138
Post-Scarcity Society 32 Strozi 142
Travel Between Worlds 35 Nuclarine 144
Wormgates 37
Sectors 40 Character Creation 147
Worlds of Note 45
United Governing Parliament 54 Skills 148
The Sphere 55 Hindrances 153
Minds 56 Edges 155
United Resources Corporation 61
Law Enforcement 62 Gear & Gadgets 161
Commercials 64
The Council of Churches 80 Communications 163
Computing 163
Agencies 85 Wearable Tech 165
Field Tech 165
Militant Arms 93 Psi Tech 169
Famila Tech 171
Contents

Armada 93 Protection 173

Field 99 Weaponry 174
PsiOps 101

2
Fleet Manual 181

Construction 182
Attributes 183
Derived Statistics 185
Design Edges 185
Starship Hindrances 186
Starship Crew Edges 190
Starship Computer Edges 191
Starship Build Edges 194
Starship Combat Edges 198
Starship Special Edges 202
Starship Wildcard Edge 208
Starships as PCs 209
Construction example 210

The Tactical Sphere 213

Initiative 214
FTL Movement 214
Normal-Space Movement 218
Actions 218
Systems & Maneuvers 219
Tactical Maneuvers 222
Starship Weapons 224
Damage 225
Called Shots 227
Dramatic Task: Disengage 227

Into the Void 230

Between Galaxies 231

Deep Space 231
Between Stars 233
Solar Systems 234

Keep it Wild 241

Contents

3
 Contents

4
PanDominion Who are you?
They call you a ‘Rand’ or a ‘Panda,’ or worse,
because you were born… different.

You prefer the term ‘Wildcard,’ because you are not

one of the pack.

Perhaps the in-vitro conditioning didn’t take? Or

maybe it was a genetic throwback that the uplifting
process didn’t quite filter out? Or maybe the
hatchery was just a little too warm?

Maybe it was just fate.

Whatever the reason, you are not like the countless

billions of entities that inhabit the PanDominion. You
are restless. The average citizen’s endless pursuit
of pleasure, art, and intellectual navel-gazing bores
you.

You want adventure. Real, visceral, dangerous

adventure.

You can and will do things that others can barely

imagine. That’s why they label you, and call you
many things. But the words ‘Black Hole,’ ‘Elliptical,’
and ‘Wildcard’ are your words and they are not
slurs...
Pandominion

...they are badges of honor.

5
 Know your Pando Time

Those new to the PanDominion will find the plethora ff TST - Terran Standard Time (not to be confused
of new terms and acronyms a little daunting. This with TBST (Teraborg Standard Time). Would you
pamphlet is designed to go some way to introducing like to know more? See page 30.
you to your happy, peaceful, new home amongst the
stars. ff SST - Soamotan Standard Time - a base 12
counting system, the extra 2 digits covered in
English by A (10) and B (11). Would you like to
General know more? See page 30.

ff PanDo - Abbreviation of ‘PanDominion,’ referring Technology

to the area of space dominated by the Human,
Teraborg, and Soamata species, set up as a
united galactic power dedicated to finding and ff Aero - The term used to describe any flying
incorporating new species for mutual benefit. vessel that is restricted to atmospheric flight
Would you like to know more? See page 18. only. Typically used for point-to-point journeys
across a planet. Would you like to know more?
ff Wildcard/Panda/Rand/Black Hole/Elliptical - An See page 32.
individual who is a genetic or memetic ‘throwback’
that does not express the social and behavioral ff Astatine - A highly rare element that when
traits expounded by the PanDominion. Such cleansed of impurities provides the fuel for FTL
individuals are often drawn to reckless or anti- Cores for starships and Wormgates. Would you like
social behavior, and in extreme cases sometimes to know more? See page 37.
criminal behavior. The incidence of a person being
born a Wildcard is extremely low, but consistent, ff FTL - Faster Than Light travel. FTl requires a
and slightly more frequent in Humans. Would you starship to have an FTL Core/Coil system, which is
like to know more? See page 19. a specialized engine movement system powered
by the element Astatine, and which is based on
ff The Lantern - The name for a nebula located the principles of ‘Inverse Bubble Theory.’ Would
in the eastern reaches of the PanDominion. The you like to know more? See page 210.
region has unusually dense deposits of Astatine,
Pandominion

and over time has been the home to several now ff Mind - The self-evolved intelligences that reside
extinct starfaring species. The Lantern is dis- within and jointly contribute to the operation of
cussed in greater detail in v1.2 of the High-Space the Sphere. They self-style their personality on
setting and rules. Would you like to know more? historical figures of the significant species of the
See page 18. PanDominion. Would you like to know more? See
page 56.

6
ff Sphere - The ubiquitous, multi-sentient network ff Salamat Projection - A quasi-commercial
of artificial intelligences that enact laws and interest that defies common definition, it is the
policies of the PanDominion in systems that Pan-Dominion’s most influential provider of
are connected to the Sphere (by Wormgate, see consciousness expanding services. By invitation
below). The Sphere also provides communication only, and no graduate ever discusses what goes
and data retention for the PanDo, and monitors all on within, The Salamat Projection’s aim is to
PanDo citizens to ensure their safety. Would you ‘reveal new knowledge to the universe.’ Would you
like to know more? See page 55. like to know more? See page 69.

ff Wormgate - Twin-paired gateways powered

by FTL Cores, that provide instantaneous travel Forces
between each gate. They are situated on planets
and usually transport goods and people by means
of a magnetic-levitation transport system, but ff Armada - The space-based militant executive
they can just as easily be traversed by starships. arm of the U.G.P., charged with defending the Pan-
Would you like to know more? See page 37. Dominion from all space-based threats, as well
as enforcing the laws of the U.G.P. as they pertain
to activities conducted in space when called upon.
Power Structure Would you like to know more? See page 93.

ff Field - The terrestrial-based militant executive

ff U.G.P. - United Governing Parliament. The legis- arm of the U.G.P., charged with defending the
lative body of the PanDominion. The U.G.P. is a PanDominion from all terrestrial-based threats,
two-tier system, composed of a lower ‘Congress as well as enforcing the laws of the U.G.P. when
of Planets’ and an upper ‘Congress of Systems.’ called upon. Field forces are specialized to fight
New laws must pass both Congresses before they ‘in atmosphere.’ Would you like to know more?
are admitted into law. Would you like to know See page 99.
more? See page 54.
ff PsiOps - The militant executive arm of the U.G.P.
ff U.R.C. - United Resources Corporation. The admin- charged with defending the PanDominion from
istrative body empowered by the U.G.P. to regulate psychic and information-warfare threats. PsiOps is
resource extraction, transport, and trading in a fair dominated by the Soamata species, and works
and equitable manner for all citizens. Would you across all arenas of action. Would you like to know
like to know more? See page 61. more? See page 101.
Pandominion

ff Commercials - mega-corporations that do

business within PanDominion space. Some have
been trading for thousands of years, and are run
by very powerful families. Would you like to know
more? See entries starting page 64.

7
 ff P.T.I.L.E. - The law-enforcement body of the Pan- Species
Dominion, empowered to enforce the laws passed
by the U.G.P. In regions connected to the Sphere,
they focus primarily on physical crimes. In regions ff Founding Species - The species that establish and
without connection to the Sphere they must also continue to dominate the PanDominion, namely
act as the ‘eyes, ears, and hands’ of the Sphere Humans, Teraborg, and Soamata. Would you like to
and investigate all manner of crimes. Would you know more? See page 30.
like to know more? See page 62.
ff Phoxin - The minor but strategically important
species encountered by the first Human starfarers.
Agencies It was collaboration with and sharing of the
Phoxin’s advanced knowledge of biochemistry
that lead to Glanding technology, which enabled
ff Insight - The U.G.P. agency responsible for Human explorers to successfully spread into the
surveying planets and making first-contact with stars. Would you like to know more? See page 115.
new species. Would you like to know more? See
page 87. ff Teraborg - The cybernetic-saurian race that has
developed some of the most advanced technology
ff Integration - The U.G.P. agency devoted to the of the PanDominion. They are bound by strict
integration of approved new species int the Pan- codes of honor, and serve an imperial line that
Dominion, through programs of positive genetic maintains a quasi-independent state within the
cleaning, social engineering, and philosophical PanDominion. Would you like to know more? See
alignment. Would you like to know more? See page 128.
page 87.
ff Soamata - A psychically gifted, very empathic
ff Intervention - The U.G.P. agency responsible species that maintains a large degree of influence
for managing internal and external threats to within the U.G.P. and its executive arms. Social
the PanDominion. Although it has no license for conditioning deplores the use of psychic powers
direct-action, the agency is often accused of for unfair advantage, but more than a few Soama-
undertaking missions and using means that are ta (not just Wildcards) have proven able to exceed
in direct opposition to the philosophy of the Pan- their conditioning when they genuinely believe
Dominion. Would you like to know more? See page that they are acting solely for the good of the
88. PanDominion. Would you like to know more? See
page 125.
Pandominion

ff Starfish - An advanced, multi-brain species that

dominates the galactic core, and has recently
begun to place pressure on PanDominion policy
makers that favor the Human and minor citizen
species. Would you like to know more? See page
138.

8
Threats

ff Nuclarine - The relatively unquantified and

extremely aggressive machine species that
inhabits the space beyond the western border of
the PanDominion. The only starships that have
been able to match the Nuclarine are those based
on the latest Teraborg designs. Peaceful contact
with Nuclarine is limited to a handful of infrequent
encounters in the Galatrimis system. Would you
like to know more? See page 144.

ff Strozi - A hostile species on the eastern border

of the PanDominion. The species appears to have
developed technology and starships based on
Inverse Bubble Theory, but which utilize different
dimensions to those known by the PanDominion.
Would you like to know more? See page 142.

Pandominion

9
 In the News Agency Internal Coms:
 Red-Clearance
Date: 4160-A-12: 14-12 SST

T
he PanDominion - the massive galactic
civilization of which humanity is a part - is
facing a time of change and turmoil. While its Initial Tactical Computations by Intervention indicate
billions of citizens are oblivious internal squabbles and a 97% probability that the failings in the FTL relay
external forces alike threaten the very foundations of system are an intentional attack and an effort to isolate
this galactic civilization. Patterns of events, inexplicable the Lantern. There is an 18.2% probably that this is an
and full of portent, worry the few who dare to know… effort to reduce PanDo fuel production and Armada’s
capabilities to respond to external threats. Nuclarine
interests do not appear to be a factor, given they are not
Blackout known to have operations in this area. Analysis more
strongly indicates that discord within the Lantern is the
likely cause, although variance algorithms are yet to
Public Dispatch: Lantern Nebula Goes Dark suggest a source. The appearance of Starfish cluster-
Date: 4160-A-10 SST cruisers and the unilateral declaration of quarantine
adds weight to the theory that internal issues have
befallen the Lantern, and that the area was cut off to
The Lantern, one of the most prosperous sectors of the stop the discord spreading to the PanDo at large. At
PanDominion and primary source of Astatine fuel, has this time, Agency will use this as the working scenario
been temporarily cut off from the core systems of the for operations within the Lantern.
PanDominion due to a cascade of technical errors in
the FTL Relay Network. Communications are likewise What is known
down. Due to non-relay supported travel time, it is
expected that remediation of this problem will take
a between 16 and 19 months, Terran Standard Time ff FTL relays into the Lantern Nebula, via both the
(TST). Expect short-term disruptions to starship fuel Sagittarius Lane and Stygian Lane have simulta-
supplies and subsequent restrictions on ship-bound neously gone offline. This is the first time that the
interstellar travel. Citizens are encouraged to minimize multi-redundant FTL link systems have failed or
inter-system travel to Wormgated worlds. If you been offline for more than 24 hours TST (Terran
have familial interests in the Lantern Nebula, please Standard Time).
contact your nearest Council of Churches Prognate for
cogiengraphic emotional support services. ff The United Resources Council (U.R.C.) have dis-
Pandominion

patched repair vessels to the Lantern, although

the extent of the damage remains unknown.

ff The Starfish have declared a quarantine over the

Lantern Nebula and indicated that while aid is
allowed into the zone, no vessels will be allowed
to leave. No explanation has yet been given.

10
ff Astatine supplies are forecast to dwindle in the ff At 4160-B-1: 13-27 SST, a unilateral Strozi
short term, and the U.R.C. is debating an emergency blockade began above the planet Delphi in the
measure to grant unrestricted prospecting rights Torina system, located in the eastern reaches of
to independent operators in the Fringe World’s the PanDominion and bordering the Strozi Empire.
Drift. The blockade managed to isolate the Wormgates
on Delphi, which went inert on both Sagittarius
and Tropize. As expected, Sphere connectivity to
Blockade the planet was also lost.

ff Exactly 24 hours (TST) after the blackout began,

Delphi Incident: Senate Summary the blockade was lifted and Sphere services
Dispatch, Insight Agency resumed. The Sphere has begun to assimilate
off-line recordings in order to ascertain what
happened during the almost full day of disrupted
At 4160-B-1: 12-02 SST seven Strozi Flayer-Class monitoring.
battleships entered the Torina system. Four established
geostationary orbits and blockaded all to and from ff A Strozi ambassador presented itself at the
the planet Delphi. The fifth ship, believed to the United Governing Parliament (U.G.P.) immediately
Strozi command vessel Peace Delivered, engaged in afterward and urged calm, stating that the Strozi
maneuvers in low orbit, and launched at least one ground were exerting their rights to pursue and detain a
mission to Delphi’s surface. Shortly thereafter, Delphi’s vessel from the PanDominion that had illegally
two Wormgates were disabled and communication with crossed their border. When questioned on the
the planet lost for a period of just over 24 hours, TST. matter, the Insight agency stated that it had no
starships in operation in the Torina system.
Insight and Agency categorically deny the Strozi
ambassador’s suggestions that an Agency ship ff Individual, eye-witness reports from Delphi
entered Strozi space, and Tactical Analysis suggests indicate that the Strozi made planetfall with
the motives for the blockade were to test Space Corps a single vessel, but that no weapons fire was
response times in the sector, and possibly to test exchanged, and the Strozi left peacefully.
post-incident political will.
ff Armada has responded by vowing to increase
However, we have not yet ruled out the possibility of its capacity along the eastern border, and the
an accidental incursion by an independent vessel, and Teraborg construction yards on Tsarox have
are working with Armada to investigate. As soon as already agreed to begin construction of additional
Pandominion
a full report is compiled, it will be made available to military vessels to strengthen the PanDominion-
members on the U.G.P. Defense Council. Strozi border.

What is known

11
 ff The last time the Strozi blockaded a planet was governing bodies and commercials in the region are
3155-7 SST (2887 Sol), before the PanDominion requested to begin looking at which ships and supplies
was established. On that occasion the Human and they can spare for this task.
Phoxin colonies were blockaded for weeks at a
time. Longer-term, Armada will be ferrying refugees to new
worlds for resettlement. However, as yet the Senate
has not yet indicated which worlds will take refugees,
Transference we must await policy decisions.

Also of import is Insight’s assessment of on-the-

Armada Command Briefing: Refugee crisis on ground conditions. They have identified a small minority
Janssen. of citizens, principally ‘decelerated uplifts,’ that have
Date: 4160-A-19 SST become vocal in their unwillingness to be resettled.
Their argument that “...the PanDominion should not have
policy forced upon it in this way by a non-member
As was reported last week, in dramatic events exactly species...” is gaining some support in the Senate. All
one year since the Starfish proclamation of the 5000 PanDominion members are asked to be sensitive to
lightyear Galactic Core Exclusion Zone, that all PanDo- these issues. We cannot afford an incident with these
minion citizens with the Epoch system were induced malcontents that would further their political agenda.
into artificial sleep, and awoke within moments to find
themselves on the surface of Janssen, a core system What is known
in the very heart of the PanDominion.

No citizens were harmed by the mysterious 3,500 ff It was exactly one year and one week (T.S.T.)
light years transfer. But given the scale and distanc- between a spokes-being of the Starfish
es involved, the incident has alarmed physicists and proclaiming the ‘5000 Parsec Restriction,’ which
Armada command alike. prohibited the PanDominion from moving past an
artificial limit that the Starfish considered to be
However, the purpose of this briefing is to discuss exactly 5000 parsecs from Galactic Central Core,
the mess left in the wake of the transfer. The week and this mass-transference incident.
following the transference turned the event into a
refugee crisis. With the entire population of the Epoch ff Controversially, a Soamatan colony had just
colonies dumped on Janssen without any of their begun terraforming on Epoch-3 ‘Solepoch,’ which
possessions, the U.G.P. and the Sphere are scrambling the U.G.P. claimed to be in PanDominion space, but
Pandominion

to find resources to accommodate and feed the which the Starfish claimed to lie exactly 1.5 light
displaced colonists. years beyond the line of restriction. The Starfish
had warned the PanDominion that it had one
The Senate has tasked Armada with providing aid. In standard-solar year remove the colony.
the short-term, this will involve delivering supplies and
moving Field units to the ground to ensure the health
and peace of both refugees and locals inhabitants. All

12
ff On 4160-A-12 08-45 SST, all PanDominion A New World
citizens on Epoch were rendered unconscious and
awoke on Janssen, some 3500 light years distant.
Public Broadcast: 415B-9-20 SST
ff The Starfish have not commented on the incident. Sci-Cult News: Hadron-M4 Discovery.

Missing The Ansival Project has finally born fruit, with the
discovery of a new golden planet! By combining the
observation power of over 8,500 individual telescopes
MercNet Dispatch: Battuta Missing. across the PanDominion, all coordinated in real-time
Date: 415B-8-18 SST by the Sphere to borrow fractions of their viewing time,
the U.R.C. has officially registered a new golden planet,
named ‘Hadron-M4’, located at the apex of Orion’s Spur
Anon Post: Independent explorer vessel Battuta missing on the Eastern Fringes.
near the Peppercorn Nebula. Get your game on!
The planet was initially identified by independent
The private-commission explorer, the Battuta, has been astronomer Grettel Ujelo, a citizen of Paradiso City
officially reported as overdue by its owners, 30 days orbital, Tropize: “I’ve dedicated my life to the viewing
(TST) after it failed to send a scheduled update while of the heavens, and now the heavens have rewarded
mapping the Peppercorn Nebula, on the southern edge not just me, but all of the PanDominion. Such
of the Fringe World’s Drift. spectatular, vibrant planets are astonishingly rare. To
have discovered such a jewel… it’s nothing short of a
The owners have offered a reward for information which miracle.”
leads to the location of the Battuta, and they can be
contacted via the U.R.C. Verification of the discovery was performed by the
Mind self-identified as ‘Copernicus,’ and accomplished
What is known within 60 milliseconds of the human astronomer
recording her find, leading to speculation that the
Sphere, if not Copernicus itself, had been holding a
ff Three ships have now gone missing near the ‘watching brief’ over Ms Ujelo’s findings.
Peppercorn Nebula, with the Battuta being the
latest. The two previous ships were Armada What is known
vessels. Their designations and activities in the
Pandominion
area remain classified upon request of Insight.
ff The Insight agency is expected to launch a survey
ff A Teraborg warship has been dispatched to the of the Hadron system some time in the coming
area. months.

13
 ESPionage! Interstellar Law Enforcement (P.T.I.L.E.) for using,
“...potentially inflammatory language in a ‘veiled
attempt to influence U.G.P. policy.’’ The sympathizers’
Politnewsnet Public Broadcast: Psychic traitor increasingly bizarre forms of protest have been widely
arrested reported and debated among Xenophiles, and had
Date: 415B-10-7 SST garnered some support for anti-uplift advocates. It
was not until the advocacy of violence and retro-
cannibalism that P.T.I.L.E. became involved.
A rare, official statement has been released by PsiCorp.
It claims that the Soamatan Deputy from Gol’Sora was Additionally, one Faeh-na citizen, a suspected
arrested last month and charged with transmitting ‘retrogenic expressor’ of anti-social memes, was also
sensitive demographic information to the Strozi arrested by P.T.I.L.E. for attempting to circumvent
Empire. No further information has been released on the security-zone around the Integration Agency on
the incident, pending further investigations. Gloombridge, in a bid to stop what they claim are
ongoing illegal genetic experiments aimed at finding
What is known an uplift solution for isolated Fhereans on their home
world. The Integration Agency has denounced these
claims as paranoia, with the full support of the U.G.P.,
ff The delay in the announcement was considered and has strongly urged for stronger social conditioning
necessary to ensure that new elections could be programs to be permitted on Fhera-2.
held and a new Deputy appointed, so as to assure
a seamless transition. What is known

ff The arrested Deputy had been on ‘unofficial leave’

for the past month, holidaying in a remote and ff Advocates of the “Fherean Cause” demand the
secure location with family. immediate cessation and reversing of uplifting of
the Ferean, and the return to a “natural order.”
ff Further investigations by P.T.I.L.E are underway to It is part of a larger philosophical memebattle
root out a small number collaborators that are regarding the right of the PanDominion to uplift
believed to have been involved. primitive species.

ff The extended time needed to uplift Fherean due

No Fur! No Fair! to unexpected genetic resistance has provided a
rallying opportunity for anti-uplifting advocates,
Pandominion

many of whom themselves are genetic Wildcards.

Public Broadcast: Gloombridge Newsnet
Date: 415B-B-8 SST

Today, Faeh-na sympathizers of the “Fherean cause”

have been cautioned by PanDominion Tribunal on

14
2000 Years Old And Still Flying! ff The 2000-year celebrations were apparently
muted due to fact that Amber St.Cloud, niece to
Oliver St.Cloud and controller of carrier operations
St.Cloud Commercial Memecoms: St.Cloud in the Lantern, has been out of contact since the
Commercial celebrates bi-millennial anniversary Lantern went dark (see ‘Blackout!’).
of incorporation.
Date: 4159-12-7 SST
Record Results
In a sombre but optimistic statement issued by the
office of Oliver St.Cloud, the Commercial today Smaw Commercial posts a new production record
officially celebrated 2000 years since incorporation. Date: 4160-4-B SST
Oliver St.Cloud, who holds the controlling interest in
St.Cloud Commercial, stated: “St.Cloud Commercial is
synonymous with the PanDominion. Our selfless staff Smaw Commercial has recorded a new production
have been at the heart of this great culture every step record, achieved on the last monthly shipment of
of the way. At every success and every trial of our Astatine from the Lantern prior to the FTL relays going
civilisation, St.Cloud has been there. Today I am deeply dark, and the transit lanes being deemed ‘unsafe.’
honored to be presiding over St.Cloud on the 2000th
anniversary of its incorporation. But more so, I am The current outage in the Lantern means that funding
touched by the billions of well-wishes from citizens for emergency exploration for new sources of Astatine
across the PanDominion in relation to the unknown has been announced. It is forecast that the Contracts
fates of our staff - including my very own dear niece Guild will take up the majority of any new work.
who is currently within the Lantern. I have faith that
together we will get through this crisis. In unity, there
is strength.” Elections Called
What is known
Elections for a new U.G.P. Senator for Kryton
Date: 4160-A-2 SST
ff To honor the occasion, every single starship in the
St.Cloud automated carrier fleet simultaneously
broad-cast the signal ‘2000’ in all PanDominion Kryton, one of few, true, multi-species systems, where
official languages, and in binary, reportedly dis- colonization of the sole inhabitable planet has an
Pandominion
rupting communications in over 150 star systems almost equal species-bias, has announced elections
at once, including interrupting negotiations of a for a new Senator.
deed of transfer of several small subsidiaries
between Froster Commercial and Smaw Commer- Bayrel Cocharia (human), formerly a VS (Voluntary
cial! The U.R.C. cautioned St.Cloud Commercial for Servitude) applicant working for P.T.I.L.E., and Nul’aq
the outburst, but no one has claimed damages Siulomo (soamatan), a well known commercial operator
and P.T.I.L.E. is not expected to press charges. in pharmatainment production, are both popular local

15
 candidates who have declared their intentions to run Inferno Escape
for the position.

Human/Soamata trio release new mindscape

Phasers & Feelings Date: 4160-10-13 SST

Now touring Janssen The Human/Soamata trio ‘The Escapist’ have

Date: 4160-A-1B SST released a new virtual mindscape on the Sphere, with
multimedia from the ‘classical Sol’ period selected
for each movement. Currently trending is ‘Inferno’ by
Lauded Soamatan composer Gel’sor Msos has Dante Alighieri (human), set to excerpts from Richard
announced a tour of Janssen, after the record breaking Wagner (human).
release of ‘Phasers & Feelings,’ a collections of poems
and songlets capturing the emotions raised during his
time supposedly working for The Salamat Projection, LY50 Fever!
the top-tier Soamatan research institute.

Although agreeing to work within The Projection pre- The ‘Sol Dynamics LY50’ starts tomorrow in the
cludes a person from discussing their research and Eagle Nebula. Release date 4160-10-13 SST
activities there, Gel’sor asserts that he never agreed to
relinquishing his right to an artistic expression of his
time within the Projection. The LY50 is one of the most popular racing events in
the PanDominion racing calendar, and this year is no
An anonymous statement from The Projection has different.
deplored the poets new works, and made a counter
claim that Gel’sor is in fact a genetic aberration of Sponsored by Sol Dynamics, a subsidiary of the Sol
social conditioning for him to even consider publishing Conglomerate, the race consists of differing 50-light-
the works. The poet agrees. year circuits that pass through the Pillars of Creation.

When questioned on the legal principle involved, the Team Raptor, from Tsarox, are tipped to win this year,
Mind self-identified as ‘Ithral’ has stated on behalf of having taken the Sylphus Gift the last time it was run
the the Sphere that there is no intention of banning the in The Lantern.
works, and that it sees no conflict.
Pandominion

A number of Soamatan private citizens have asked

for the race to be moved to a new location, given the
sanctity of the Pillars of Creation to their species. So
far, Sol Dynamics have not discussed moving the event,
which is run in ‘open’ space.

16
Festival of VG Sport Air and ground traffic stopped across the Imperial Nest,
as citizens halted to watch the historic address on
personal holo-screens or with friends and nestlings.
Virtual Gaming Championships Reboot!
What is Known

The monthly Substrate/Thought Virtual Gaming

Championships on Janssen is set to kickoff for another ff This is only the second time a Teraborg ruler has
round of high-energy sportstainment, featuring 3D spoken to the public. Emperor Ok’ohak announced
representations of complex organic molecules vying over 1000 years ago that the Teraborg had joined
for evolutionary supremacy in a resource-limited the PanDominion, but it has been a long time
environment! between appearances since then.

Top Human team, the ‘Killjoys,’ are tipped to take out ff The U.G.P. and the Sphere offered toasts to
this round, although elite Teraborg team, ‘Sk’t’sa’ro’sk’ol’ Empress S’kisia and continued wishes for her
(meaning: <censored>), is the dark horse in the good health and the stability of the Imperial Nest.
competition. Their aggressive attitude may play a part
in that, although it risks reducing the numbers of those ff Empress S’kisia turns 260 within just 90 sols. She
who watch the event. is reportedly the 395th Imperial Ruler, a direct
descendant of first Emperor Ij’a’ku, and the Impe-
When a representative of Substrate/Thought asked rial Nest is the oldest hereditary empire in the
several, high-ranking contestants why an aggressive PanDominion.
play style is attractive to so many Decelerated Uplifts,
the popular response was ‘It must be a Wildcard thing!’ ff The Empress also hinted that she may appoint a
regent, most likely her first-egg Prince Nak’hash’a,
to serve in her place if she were to fall ill. Most
Imperial Address political pundits speculated that Empress S’kisia
would use the broadcast to abdicate the throne,
after rumors surfaced last month that Prince
Teravision Imperial Broadcast: Empress addresses Nak’hash’a had already taken over some of his
her loving subjects mother’s duties. Others still hold out hope that
Date: 4160-B-1 SST Lord K’car’ko, current concubine to Empress S’ki-
sia and also of imperial blood, will be appointed
regent in these times of instability, at least until
Pandominion
In a rare live speech, Imperial Empress S’kisia has Price Nak’hash’a has matured into the role of
addressed her people directly about her declining Emperor.
health. ‘I am already 260 years old, and currently I
am in good health,’ said the Teraborg ruler. ‘However, ff Compared to other local powers, the Teraborg
when I consider that my glanding levels are gradually Imperial Nest tends to keep a relatively low profile,
declining, I worry that it may become difficult for me and it will hope to continue doing so.
to carry out my duties as the symbol of my species
as well as I have done until now,’ she said.

17
 What is the PanDominion?


T
he PanDominion (a.k.a. ‘PanDo’) is a collective of
hundreds of colonized star systems stretching
across two arms of the galaxy, ruled by the United
Governing Parliament (aka ‘U.G.P.’). For the trillions of its
citizens, physically and mentally conditioned for happy,
peaceful lives, the PanDominion is a utopia of harmony,
abundance and scientific marvels. But for a few restless
souls, genetic Wildcards and misfits, the PanDominion is
either a cultural prison to rail against or an ideal worth
fighting for. And the constant expansion of the PanDo-
minion’s borders gives plenty of opportunity and danger
for the few brave enough to venture into the unknown.

PanDominion space - which stretches along the Sagittarius

and Perseus arms of the Milky Way - is dominated by
a number of races including the cybernetic-saurian
Teraborg, psychically-gifted Soamata, and the populous
and varied forms of modified Humanity. But scores of
other species make up the PanDominion and new species

What’s New in High-Space?

The Lantern nebula was the setting for the first edition
of High-Space, and due to the high levels of Astatine
found in the nebula, it is still an important part of the
setting. The edition of High-Space that you are holding/
reading now outlines the larger civilization that the Lan-
tern exits within, a pan-dominion of different species
Pandominion

that covers a sphere of roughly 30,000 light years in

diameter!

This edition also overhauls the popular Starship rules,

including a shift in the space-fighting rules away from
absolute distances and measurements, to cinematic
scales that bring a richer flavor to the action!

18
are constantly being sought out and encouraged to uplift of citizens, and genetic and social engineering that has
into the expanding mega-civilization. However, even the all but eliminated violence and antisocial thinking, it
notable secondary species and civilizations scattered becomes clear why the PanDominion is both a utopia and
across the PanDominion have a lesser astropolitical a civilization that struggles to change in the face of a
significance and influence than that the three primary rapidly changing galaxy.
species, which often leads to tensions and the constant
risk of splintering. The result is a constant and delicate To quote an ancient Teraborg proverb, “A peaceful village
balance between the PanDominion’s many interests, with invites only storms, but a ruined village cannot be blown
no single group ever being able to fully dominate. down.”

A fundamental tenet of the PanDominion is progress

through unity. By continually seeking new member species,
the PanDominion shares its cultural and technological
advantages for the benefit of all. Not to mention the Wildcards
protection and peace of all… 

A
The PanDominion and the U.G.P. have existed for over n ever expanding PanDominion has brought
a thousand years, but the concepts behind them are unrivaled peace and prosperity to hundreds of
almost a millennium older. They extend back to the first species over thousands of worlds between the two
encounter between Humanity and the Phoxin, and the galactic arms. It has accomplished this through careful
sharing of technologies between those species. However, cultural meme-conditioning, genetic engineering, uplift
the PanDominion was not formalized until the threats that and integration programs, and the application of socieco-
lurked beyond their mutual borders became known, and technologies. Poverty, illness and war are things of the
these threats, unknown to the bulk of the population, are past for citizens of the PanDominion.
now what holds it together.
One of the many benefits of PanDominion citizenship is the
The PanDominion was created, and is being constantly advanced Universal Health and Socio-Cohesion Program.
expanded, by Faster Than Light (FTL) technology, and Prior to birth, all citizens are carefully screened and
is bound together by a system of linked gateways that adjusted in-vitro to eliminate genetic disorders, hereditary
provide instantaneous travel between linked worlds. mental illnesses, and potential deviations from uplifted
species’ norms. As a result, more than 99.9999% of
To govern their domain, the citizen species have organized those born into the PanDominion are perfectly adapted to
a legislature of elected planetary ambassadors known the utopian life of a citizen, well-balanced, and sublimely
as the United Governing Parliament (U.G.P.). This body contented.
Pandominion
convenes to organize the resources and mind-power of
the PanDominion, and to determine the laws and policies, However, no process is perfect. An infinitesimal percentage
which are enacted by the ubiquitous, multi-sentient of citizens are born with genetic deviations from the
network of artificial intelligences known as ‘The Sphere.’ ideal… officially they are known as ‘Decelerated Uplifts’
and ‘Retrogenetic Expressors’... more commonly they
With the relative grid-lock among factions within the are called ‘Rands’ or ‘Pandas’... and there are other, less
U.G.P., the high standard of living among the vast majority pleasant words that are also used to describe them.

19
 Such deviations tend to express older, ‘primitive’ PanDominion’s more extreme (and classified) actions.
qualities of that species; qualities that led them to Dirty work, if you will. Of course, this conspiracy theory
dominate the worlds they lived on, and eventually rise does not identify whom could organize such a travesty,
above. Hence, the derogatory terms that can get heaped yet alone keep it secret for centuries.
upon these individuals.... Genetards... Throwbacks... and
other much more inventive names, sometimes contain What are you doing?
the seeds of the speaker’s jealousy and resentment
at no longer being what it was that once made their
species great! “So, what am I doing here?” you may be asking yourself.
Good question. For any roleplaying game, it is probably
A common trait of all these individuals is their the best question to ask.
restlessness, their desire to confront social norms,
tackle new fields of inquiry, and explore new horizons. In High-Space, you will be living in a super-advanced,
Some of these people even condone violence. The ultra high-tech society. It is a utopia that encompasses
majority of these individuals are identified in childhood hundreds of species. But if it’s all so great, then why
or early adolescence, and special conditioning programs are you so bored?
are applied. Also the U.G.P. Agencies of Armada, Aero,
Field and PsiOps also have career counseling programs In High-Space, you are not like everyone else.
to steer such individual to use their aberrant talents for
the benefit of the PanDominion. You are one of those rare individuals who is not content
with an easy life. You want to explore. You want to fight.
You crave adventure. And the good news is that on the
Wildcard Genes edges of the PanDominion, and also at specific points
within its borders, there is plenty of need for a person
like you. Even the most benevolent utopia has its dark
Genodata scientists have long pointed out that places, and sometimes uncivilized people are needed
the 0.00001% genetic aberrance rate is unerringly to get uncivilized things done!
consistent across all PanDominion worlds. Different
hypothesis have been proposed to account for this In High-Space, you are the misfit who does the jobs that
unexplained statistic. The current, popular hypothesis nobody else would consider. You may be a freelance
is that all geno-forms carry a ‘minimum viable specialist, selling your skills for the thrill of it as much
evolutionary imperative constant,’ which appears to as the money! Or you may be a dedicated militant,
be expressed by this minimum percentage of peoples. defending PanDominion citizens from threats they do
Another hypothesis claims that this is a long-standing, not even perceive. You may be a psi-operative, shaping
Pandominion

yet undiagnosed defect in the uplifting process. A third, events to your will. Or you may even be a villain, out
largely-ignored hypothesis, is that the AIs tasked with for nothing more than your own greed.
implementing the Universal Health and Socio-Cohesion
Program have been instructed to ensure a consistent In summary, during a time of infinite plenty, you and
supply of citizens who are ready to perform the your fellow Wildcards will seek out your own challenges
and be the masters of your own fate.

20
What are the adventures
you will have?

Being an agent who can disrupt the status-quo opens

up a universe of possibilities for adventures, and one of
the first things to consider when starting a High-Space
campaign is, what are the types of adventures are you
going to have?

Perhaps you will you be an explorer working for the

military might of Armada, or for the mining machine
of the United Resources Council, and go forging into
unknown territories and opening up new worlds?

Or will you work for an Agency as a field specialist,

manipulating entire cultures via stealth, guile, and more
extreme measures?

Or will you declare yourself independent from the Pan-

Dominion, and go when and where you see fit, doing
only what you decide?

The following are suggestions as to the types of

campaigns that fit the setting best, each requiring a
mix of heroes, anti-heroes, and protagonists, who are
independent, yet swept into bigger things by virtue of
their nature.

ff Independent explorers, hired by Armada for

scouting missions.
ff Private contractors and investigators, assembled
for an Agency task force.
ff Black Market entrepreneurs, undercover as
P.T.I.L.E. law enforcement officers.
Pandominion
ff Mercenaries, paid to execute military black-ops.
ff Rogue starship captains, working as privateers for
powerful Commercials.
ff Artifact-hunters, hired as salvage experts.
ff Parole offenders, used as bounty hunters.
ff Idealistic volunteers for the U.G.P..

21
 Future Slang

W
The language used to refer to Wildcards says a lot about ildPondMushroom shuffled along the high-
the speaker and the context of that particular social vaulted corridor towards the biolab, its heavy
interaction. There are formal terms, common slang, hate- footfalls slapping on the polished deck with
terms, and even self-identifying terms that have been wet-straw sounds. Striding along beside the bulky, plant-
claimed by those affected. like Phoxin was its close friend and colleague, the Human
male known in sound-speech as Tom Johanns Hawkins.
Formal terminology Tom, as always, was talking constantly, unsuccessfully
ff Decelerated Uplifts (abr ‘D.U.s’). trying to engage the two saurian Teraborg crew
ff Retrogenetic Expressors (abr. ‘R.E.s’). escorting them from the shuttle bay in conversation.

Common usage The request to attend the Armada warship, No Other

ff Panda (old-Human for both the name an unusual Choice, was not an order as such, but it was mysterious
animal, and an inefficient search algorithm). enough for it to be one. Apparently, some new form
ff Rand (old-Human referring to having an unintended of biomechanical technology had been discovered that
nature). even the Armada found impossible to decipher. It was
not unheard of for Armada to reach out to independents,
Slang with negative connotations but it was uncommon. And while Tom was exuberant,
ff Chromotard (referring to having retarded chromosomes) seeing the request as a validation of his reputation
ff Dewclaw (referring to the DNA that expresses vestigial in biomechanical interfaces, WildPondMushroom was
claws on canids). experiencing a curious foreboding. If the Teraborg
ff DU-claw (see Dewclaw, play on ‘Decelerated Uplifts’). cyberware scientists aboard this vessel, or indeed this
ff Genetard (referring to having retarded genes) sector of the fleet, needed help, they needed a very,
ff Gene-ass (conjunction of a neutral with a negative very particular set of skills. Or deniability.
term).
ff Knuckledragger (old-Teraborg and old-Human The group finally arrived to the biolab entrance,
reference to primitive ancestors). where two guards stood watch, shipboard arc guns
ff M-class (referring to dim red M-class stars). held ready and close-range nano-targeting sensors
ff Throwback (referring to having antiquated DNA). glinting within their eyes. WildPondMushroom knew
this tech. It was new. Very cutting edge. These guards
Self-identifying descriptors must be cybernetic elites of the Teraborg, enhanced
Pandominion

ff Black Hole (denoting someone hidden from the to allow them to pinpoint a target’s vulnerabilities
monitoring of the Sphere). down to an atrial level. Whatever was inside the
ff Elliptical (referring to someone on a different life- lab was therefore not only valuable, but likely very
trajectory). dangerous or secret as well.
ff Wildcard (referring to the unpredictable nature of
someone’s actions).

22
 Reactions
After a silent exchange of credentials and a short wait, WildPondMushroom snorted shock vapor. This was
the lab door slid open and a Soamata in a fine silver horrific! How could protectors of the PanDominion not
mesh coat beckoned the two experts in. only harm an individual but treat as nothing more than
science project? And torture it so! It went against
“Thank you for attending us,” said the Soamata in everything the PanDominion stood for.
clipped Pan. “I am Doctor Major Suan Lon, assigned to
Armada Group Shais Al Minas. And this is Admiral Lijash The Soamata seemed not to notice WildPondMushroom’s
Shhais,” he said, gesturing to an imposing Teraborg acrid shock scent. Or perhaps it simply did not care.
standing across the room. WildPondMushroom noticed “We need you to find a way to interface directly with
that the other four Teraborg warrior elites standing at its neural net, identify a translation model and extract
the corners of the lab area were watching the greeting any tactical data that will give us useful intelligence,”
like wild cats spying a mouse. it continued.

“We understand you both worked on the new Coralis WildPondMushroom took an involuntary step backwards,
scout ships, yes.” It was not a question. “I know you are “I. I. Confused. Cannot... “ it scented, its transvox
both unable to reveal information about the donated struggling to make sense of the random mixture of
Starfish neural-engram interfaces... but we hoped you communication pheromones. Tom and it needed to get
could use your experiences to investigate this.” out of here, away from this madness. “Tom. Tom…Go.
We must.”
One of the walls in the labs turned transparent, the
metal resolving into a super-dense, glass-like crystal But Tom did not notice his friend’s terror. He was
matrix. It revealed a containment chamber, tightly captivated. “Amazing! Truly amazing!” exclaimed Tom,
sealed by power fields and inches of unbreakable walking towards the containment lab to get a closer
plating. Clusters of robotic arms and tools hung from look. “Of course we can help! Anything for Armada!
the ceiling, awaiting direction. In the middle of the Where do we begin?”
room was a low dais supporting an elongated metallic
skull, fine filaments slowly writhing from the severed
neck. Its eyes shone dull red. Whatever it was, it was
still ‘alive.’ Pandominion
“This,” continued the Soamata, “is the first living
specimen of a Nuclarine we have secured. The rest of
its body was destroyed during its capture....”

23
 The Primary Species However, Humans are aware that the technology their
 species had been able to develop on its own is not as
advanced as that of the Teraborg, who make the top-

T
he PanDominion is itself dominated from within of-the-line starships in the PanDominion.
by three distinct species, who met at similar
stages in their galactic evolution, were distant Additionally, the psychic abilities of the Soamata are
enough so as not to threaten each other, but shared mostly a mystery, and although Human psychics
mutual, external threats. are occasionally being identified by PsiOps, Humans
remain an almost insignificant proportion of psychics
within the PanDominion.
Human
Humanity has prospered due to individual and societal
extremes. Individuals are driven to explore and
Humans form the majority of the population of the discover new worlds, while and at the same time,
PanDominion, and they have populated more than half human society works towards consolidating stable
of the planets that are represented at the U.G.P.. systems of government and social organization. These
contradictory aspects of human nature, at both the
micro and macro level, compliment each other and
provide a fairly unique species advantage.
Pandominion

24
Soamata Teraborg

Psychic ability is rare and within all of known space The Teraborg evolved rapidly, from being reptilian apex-
the only race that has universally mastered it is the predators to a starfaring race of significant technological
Soamata. Despite being a minority of the population, prowess. Somewhere along the way, perhaps because
and controlling only a relatively small number of they progressed so rapidly, their outward form stopped
planets, the influence that the Soamata can exert evolving to match their new situation, and despite all of
surpasses all the other species of the PanDominion… the gene-meme therapies and socialization programs
unofficially, of course. they continue to look… predatory!

The AI’s that constitute the Sphere are indifferent Teraborg have embraced technology in a major way,
towards psychic powers to a degree that verges on more so than any other species in the PanDominion. For
willful dis-belief, and combined with the manipulative instance, throughout their lives, many Teraborg willing-
edge their powers give them, the Soamata exert ly refit their vestigial claws with cybernetics to better
tremendous local control over any operation they tend fit their chosen clan duties. It is rare to encounter an
to be involved with. In fact, if the aims and goals of the aged Teraborg with all their original organic limbs. No
Soamata were not so mutually beneficial to Humanity other species in the PanDominion is at the same time
and the Teraborg, they would probably be considered as advanced, and as dependent upon its technology.
as a prime threat by those other species!

Pandominion

25
 Other Species


T
here are far more than just the three primary
species within the PanDominion. Dozens of
other, minor species that are represented on the
U.G.P. include the plant-based Phoxin, the aquatically
evolved Shako, the insectoid Aschin, the brutish Redban,
and the animalistic and tribal Feah-na. All secondary
species are registered as full citizens, or allied.

Aside from these, there are almost as many ‘minor

species’ as there are colonized planets. All of these
minor species have undergone gene-screening and
socialization, and they are also considered to be full
citizens of the PanDominion.

While all encountered species are considered for entry

into the PanDominion, a small number of species
have been deemed to be unready, or too early in their
development to be uplifted. Although these species
are not considered citizens, they are given space and
the opportunity to develop, and demonstrate that they
can reach their full potential. Species that fall into this
classification are considered ‘non-citizens,’ and are
kept under close observation by the Integration Agency.

A very few species within the boundaries of the

PanDominion are considered not only unsuitable for
entrance into the PanDominion, but also a threat to its
existence. These species have no formal classification,
and are actively monitored and restricted, if necessary,
by the Intervention Agency.
Pandominion

26
 Common Species of the PanDominion
Species Xenofile Summary
Human Bipedal primate, Expansive population. Bisected Neurology. Homeworld Sol-3. PanDo Founding
Member.
Teraborg Saurian cyborg. Technologically advanced. Homeworld IN1, Carina Nebula. PanDo Founding
Member.
Soamata Bipeda humanoids. Psychic scholars. Homeworld Soam IV, PanDo Founding Member.

Phoxin Plant-animal. Bio and engineering specialists. Homeworld Phoixin. PanDo Founding Member.

Aschin Insectoid fliers. Genesmiths. Homeworld unknown. PanDo Member.

Aquaendi Aquatic humanoids. Linguistics. Homeworld Aquendus. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Faeh-na Feline bipeds. Tribal. Quick. Homeworld Fhera-2. Uplifting & PanDo Member (in progress -
problematic).
Ladrossi Feline bipeds. Nomadic. Homeworld Ladronss-4. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Mohf Pachyderm genotype. Still adjusting to PanDo. Homeworld Moha-5. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Noctopaurians Octopods. Chameleons. Homeworld Nocturion-3. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Po’Boq Ursaurian. Martial artists. Homeworld Jiajia. PanDo Member.

Redban Beastial bipeds. Physically powerful. Homeworld Redban-3. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Shako Aquatic predators. Amphibious. Homeworld Shakronos. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Sylvass Lizard genotype. Native glanding (toxin). Homeworld Sylva-3. Uplifted. PanDo Member.

Mantos Plated hexaped. Heavy labor and fighting. Homeworld Mantos-3. PanDo Membership pending.
Refused uplifting. Intervention underway.
Pandominion
Stryxxons Bird-lizard humanoids. Reconnaissance. Homewoprld Stryxx. Neutral.

Stargrazers Spaceborne entities. Temporal mental state. Homeworld None. Non-member (uplift rejection,
protected).
Starfish Meta-species. Highly advanced. Homeworld Unknown: Galactic Core. Allied.

27
 External Threats

The PanDominion is equally characterized by what
it is not, and despite the member species’ advanced
technology, it is bounded on all sides by even greater
powers and dominions. Most of these are, at best,
ambivalent to the survival of the PanDominion.

To the galactic-center are the ‘Starfish,’ a race so

technologically advanced they have almost ceased to
exist as organic life forms, with no need for any type
of organized government. Each individual Starfish is
functionally immortal and infinitely mutable.

At the outer edge of the Perseus arm lurks the Strozi

Empire, an ancient civilization that ceased to expand
centuries ago, yet is hostile to outsiders and malign
even to its own citizens. Powers within the Strozi empire
seek to draw the Soamata into alliances that threaten
to weaken the PanDominion.

Coming from the deep void of the galactic elliptical

are the newly encountered machine-species known as
the Nuclarine (or Nuclaroid depending on their physical
form). Controlled by starships as large as moons, and
insatiable for material resources, they are the most
obvious threat to the PanDominion and increasingly
test the resolve of Armada.

Beyond the outer edges of the galactic arms, the

unexplored reaches of the galactic fringe, and the great
black beyond...
Pandominion

For more information on the Starfish, Strozi, and

Nuclarine see the ‘Xeno Dossier.’

28
29
Pandominion
 Keeping Time Timeline
 

W
The PanDominion is made up of hundreds of species, hile the PanDominion was established in the
each evolved from planets with their own day-night year 3481-7 (4448 Sol), its foundations were
cycles and seasons, and thus each with unique ways laid over eons of spacefaring of the Humans
of measuring time. Therefore, there is no universal and their Phoxin allies, the Terraborg Empire, and the
terminology for time of day, groupings of work periods Soamatan search for knowledge.
or seasons. Of course, citizens are universally equipped
with vox-translators (voxlators) that automatically Humanity’s alliance with the Phoxin in 136A (2701 Sol),
convert evolutionary-cultural meanings within a wide and the subsequent discovery of the Astatine-rich
range of speech patterns. Lantern Nebula, set the scene for these two species’
rapid expansion throughout the Orion Spur of the Milky
On Human dominated worlds, it is common to refer Way.
to time in the old manner of day-night cycles split
precisely into 24 equal measures, or Hours. Such timing The Teraborg have a longer spacefaring history
is known as Terran Standard Time, or TST for short. In than humans, made notable by their discovery and
addition, Humans often use the Earth/Sol-3 rotation to (partial) reverse engineering of Wormgate technology
measure years (referred to as Sol years). in 136A-3 (75 Sol). With near-instantaneous travel
between the many Teraborg colonies in the Carina
Beyond the TST night-day measure of time, most Pan- Nebula, the Teraborg turned their attention to exploring
Dominion citizens use the base-12 measure of time, further along the Milky Way, eventually encountering
known as Somata Standard Time (SST). The Soamata’s the Hu-Phoxin expansion. However, it was not until the
homeworld rotation is 1.21 that of Sol-3. This is divided Strozi incursion of 3155-7 that Hu-Phoxin and Teraborg
in 12 ‘month’ periods, then 12 ‘migration’ periods. The cultures came be to considered allies.
Soamata do not differentiate between night and day
cycles like Humans do, since it was not an ecological Scholars widely agree that the ‘The Incident’ of
imperative in their evolution. The year zero for SST 3473-3 (4437 Sol) birthed the PanDominion. All three
is the Soamata’s Gestalt Ascension, some 2881 years of the major spacefaring powers were contacted by
prior to Sol year zero. a previously unknown species - the Starfish - and
instructed to remove citizens from the recently
colonized world of Vespis in the Vespila system, on the
inner reaches of the Sagittarius arm. While the Soamata
began evacuation of their scholars, the Teraborg and
Pre-PanDo Alliance
Pandominion

Hu-Phoxin sent warships to the system. Increasingly

dire warnings from the Starfish were largely ignored
Even prior to the PanDominion, the three founding until a large, unidentified ship appeared in system with
species had well established trade ties, diplomatic a completely unrecognizable FTL wakefield. The last
treaties, and had even begun peacefully landing joint transmission from the colony was telemetry showing
settlements on suitable worlds. the invaders’ massive mothership disgorging hundreds
of dart-like craft that swarmed the warships and the

30
 colony. It was the Soamata who proposed what eventually
became The Concord of the Pandominion. This new
Craft sent to the colony after the fact found the entire political force for good was founded on philosophy of
planet a volcanic wasteland, devoid of all life and Uplifting, where this newly formed federation would
mined to its molten core. seek out the many sentient species of the Milky Way,
enhance their evolution, and bring them into the fold
Clearly, the invaders - which are now known to be of the PanDominion for mutual benefit, peace and
Nuclarine - possessed technologies well in advance protection.
of Human-Phoxin, Soamata or even the advanced
Teraborg... and they were highly aggressive. Having Since the Concord, the Pandominion has grown
never encountered such a powerful and mysterious extensively, adding many species to its ever expanding
foe, all three local species were shaken to their cores. culture.
Something had to be done...
However, even as the PanDominion expands, strange
The Starfish remained enigmatic, but encouraged the new threats are emerging. And with the majority of
major species of the area to unify for mutual protection, PanDominion citizens genetically enhanced to abhor
and to seek out other allies. The catch phrase “Strength violence and antisocial behavior, it’s up to the Wildcards
in Unity” took on a sharp, powerful, new meaning. to do the dirty work.

What the future holds for the PanDominion… is largely

in your hands.
History of the PanDominion:
Metacultural Timeline 2850-1 (3010 Sol) 4160-4 (5987 Sol)
Lantern Nebula Lantern Nebula
Settled Cut Off

20B7-5 (1712 Sol)

Phoxin Colonization Begins 37B5-4 (5020 Sol) 3B88-1 (5677 Sol)
Sylvasse Uplift 3856-1 (5108 Sol) Mantos contact
2810-1 (2952 Sol) Shako Uplift 3BB0-B (5710 Sol)
246A-5 (2340 Sol)
Astatine IronBugs contact
FTL Development 3481-7 (4448 Sol) 3954-6 (5280 Sol)
Human Colonization Begins Discovery Conchord of the Aquaendi Uplift 4086-2 (5848 Sol)
PanDominion Redban Uplift
3155-7 3473-3 3988-3 (5328 Sol)
260A-4 (2601 Sol) (3887 Sol) (4437 Sol)
Human-Phoxin First Contact Ladrossi Uplift 411B-5 (5927 Sol)
Strozi Starfish Mohf Uplift
136A-3 (2701 Sol) Incursion
The Great Hu-Phox Expansion 4160-4 (5987 Sol)

Teraborg Expand Beyond Carina Nebula The

PanDominion The Era of Uplifting NOW
2B0B-3 (3473 sol) Formed
Teraborg / Human / Phozin Contact
136A-3 (75 Sol)
3473-3 3B5B-6 (5637 Sol)
Wormgate (4437 Sol) Po’Boq Uplift 4154-B (5977 Sol)
3841-B (5087 Sol)
Discovery The Incident Faeh-na Uplift
1B20-3 (1398 Sol) Ashin Membership
3A72-B (5481 Sol)
Strozi Space Exploration Begins 3792-6 (4987 Sol) Stryxxon Conchord
39BB-10 (5376 Sol)
Advent of the
Soamata Expansion Noctopaurians Uplift
Teraborg Wormgate
Network & The Sphere 3793-9
4121-1 (5930 Sol)
(4988 Sol)
3A30-8 Amblestoma contact
(5420 Sol)
First Mind Stargrazers
Self- Protection
Evolves Status
 Post-Scarcity Society

They are Going to Just Love You!

P
anDominion citizens can live the lifestyle
EagleSong stood on the air-yacht’s poopdeck, her they want without need to resort to currency.
dreadlocks and whiskers whipping in the wind. Her Galactic-scale civilizations tend to move beyond
claws gripped the polished hardwood rail tightly, a certain scale of economics. An individual’s needs
reminding her of the Gnarlwood trees back on Fhera- and wants no longer consume significant resources;
2. The sight of the vast city speeding past was they can be easily satisfied while the business of
exhilarating. Everywhere she turned, new marvels running this massive galactic economy is dealt with.
revealed themselves. Thousands of speeding fliers
zipped along the high-lanes. They brought to mind All personal gear, up to civilian Aeros and other craft,
the lightning-bats of her homeworld, that would are available to PanDominion citizens - with preference
stream from caves each evening in search of insects. accorded to their Rank as a Savage Worlds character,
Towers of glass and light speared the clouds, and denoted in ‘setting terms’ as their increased life expe-
refracted the setting sun into multicolored shards. rience and thus increased value to the PanDominion.
And beneath her, far below, thousands - no millions
- of beings scurried about their lives of luxury. Art
and music were everywhere. And food. So much Instead of the starting money in the Savage Worlds
food. It was like a stories of the Great Island. The.. core rules, new characters typically start with 150CBT.
what did the Human Jan call it? The Afterlife.

“So, you like? Yes,” said Jan beside her. “I told you, Every item has a minimum Rank requirement to
you would.” The human smiled, then corrected requisition it. The Minds reason that a worldlier, more
herself, knowing the gesture was unsettling to experienced citizen makes better use of resources,
the naive Faeh-na. Bearing teeth still looked too and thus the difference in the cost and complexity of
much like a challenge to the new uplift. It was production and maintenance is apportioned relative to
the little things that were overlooked in the social that experience.
conditioning. Jan made a mental note to check that
smiling had been added to the list of improvements
to the uplifting program. Crime is virtually non-existent within the reach of
the Sphere. Under typical circumstances, no crime
“It is… beyond the words I have to speak,” replied can be committed than is not observed, and no gear
EagleSong. “I never knew it was so… so big. So… can be used that is not seen and recorded. Unless
Pandominion

beautiful! Like embers from fire at night.” a citizen never ventures beyond the Sphere, or
voluntarily disconnects themselves from it, they need
“Oh, my dear, you are just so cute,” said Jan, “You’ve never experience random crime. Outside the gaze of
seen nothing yet! And I can tell you, you’re going to the Sphere, crimes do occur. A stolen Aero may be
be a hit down there. They are going to just love you!” fitted with an illegal transponder; a splinter gun may
have the serial number and wireless tracking chip
replaced; a missing body may turn up; but these are
all anomalies and not regular occurrences!

32
Commercial Exchanges and CPUbits

The Sphere, the U.G.P., and the large Commercial

operations of the PanDo do require a currency as a
means of allocating resources and controlling the
supply and demand for large scale production. This
includes the manufacture of aeros and starships.

The Sphere produces and controls a currency based

on one of the most important and ubiquitous resources
in the PanDominion - the raw processing power of the
Sphere. This currency is officially known as the CPUbit,
denoted as CBT, and informally known as ‘C-bits.’

CBTs are the mechanism of exchange for large

transactions, which includes the production and
maintenance of starships, of which starship propulsion
and computing systems account for the bulk of these
costs.

The Sphere also uses CBTs as a mechanism for efficient

resource allocation for any activity that is not proven
to return a direct benefit to individual PanDominion
citizens, such as Astatine prospecting, new-space
exploration, trade voyages to non-PanDo systems, etc.
Generally anything that occurs outside the Sphere.

Finally, certain operations and endeavors, such as Merc

List contracts, also favor the use of ‘hard’ versions of
CBTs (coins imbued with trace amounts of Astatine)
for their own reasons, be they nefarious, or simply a
predisposition for privacy. Pandominion

Translingual Symbol for CPUbit

33
 How do ordinary people earn CPUbits? The reasons for a person to enter VS are complex
and personal, but there is a tendency for the young,
or romantics, or previous VS applicants to apply for
There are several ways that an ordinary citizen of the this status. It attracts those who have a yearning to
PanDominion can acquire CBTs, including: serve the greater good, or their fellow citizens, or to
simply challenge themselves more than the life of a
ff Bequests. citizen normally would. And of course, because it is
an occupation that is normally paid in CBT, it attracts
ff Stipends and Dividends (included as part of the those who are desperate to earn hard cash.
Wealthy Edge).
It is simple for a citizen to enter VS; they merely have
ff Voluntary Servitude, or VS (an option in the to request for the Sphere to witness their application.
setting). If the details are unclear the Sphere will ask for
clarifications - these usually concern the length of the
ff Winnings of gambling (from people who risk their VS term and/or conditions for it to cease - but from
own CBT, or even risk submitting to VS). the moment the request is spoken or written the VS is
deemed to be in effect. In extreme cases, VS can be
ff Sale of salvaged items. entered into for the term a person’s natural life, and
this should not be undertaken lightly, because VS can
ff Selling exotic resources (any non-PanDominion only be terminated according to the conditions under
technology). which its was begun!

ff Illegal loans. When a citizen enters VS they place themselves

under the control of the Sphere, and contract to follow
Lending is illegal and policed by the Sphere and the directives of the Sphere at all times until the
P.T.I.L.E., but it does not stop criminal organizations end of the term. For its part, the Sphere agrees to
from lending. Illegal loans for Starships may require never knowingly put the citizen in danger and, quite
that the loan provider gets the ‘starship codes’ required importantly, to suspend all other legal or procedural
to completely control a vessel, and thus shipboard concerns regarding the citizen until VS is completed.
systems can be shut down remotely without any need
to hack the shipboard AI. Typically, the Sphere engages VS citizens for less
glamorous jobs, such as terraforming, or deep space
exploration, or even P.T.I.L.E., Agency, or military service.
Voluntary Servitude The ethical considerations of the citizen are accorded
Pandominion

full respect in this regard, but applicants need to be

aware that if they make it difficult for the Sphere to
Typically referred to as ‘VS,’ Voluntary Servitude is assign them to a task they will be relegated to menial
the self-enforced state a citizen can enter into for public service duties that would normally be assigned
the purpose of binding themselves to the demands of to robotics and automated systems.
serving the PanDominion.
At the end of the term of VS, even if this is posthumous,

34
citizens under VS are back-paid a daily stipend of 1 intersection with an equal but energetically opposing
(one) CBT. However, one thing is for certain: they will bubble. From our perspective, this opposing bubble is
have well and truly earned this money! an inverse-universe, and is anecdotally referred to as
an ‘in-verse,’ and it is for this reason that FTL drives
Travel Between Worlds can sometimes be referred to as ‘Inverse Drives’ by
 those with an appreciation of the physics.

Speculation exists as to what effects FTL drives produce

Unified Bubble Theory, and upon this ‘in-verse,’ but to date no one has even been
the Inverse Drive able to observe that one even exists. Even the Minds of
the Sphere do not concern themselves with unprovable

F
aster Than Light (FTL) travel was crucial to the speculation, and ‘InVerse Theory’ remains the domain
creation the PanDominion, and is also what holds of philosophers, amateur physicists, and eliptony
it together. enthusiasts!

The breakthrough in FTL travel came about in the Seemingly inevitably, in the year 246A SST (2340 Sol),
year 2330-7 SST (2110 Sol), with the publication of Astatine mining and refining became a commercially
the ‘Unified Bubble Theory’ of relativity. Unified Bubble viable proposition, and this proved to be the key
Theory proposed that perceived existence, that is the that unlocked the energy required to drive starship-
reality we perceive with all senses, is a result of the sized FTL drives, which are themselves analogous to
intersection of energy waves in nearby dimensions that miniature super-colliders.
take the form of ‘shells’ or ‘bubbles,’ which can slide
through and past each other. In fact it proposes the It is an amusing historical anecdote that in the year
existence only ‘exists’ while this intersection occurs 3B49 SST (5620 Sol), the Council of Churches (CofC)
and that while history appears to be one smooth undertook a galactic ‘collection’ to fund the construction
flow of time, existence has in fact ceased and been of a massive super-collider, around the uninhabited
reinstated numerous times within recorded history, a planetoid Kepler-444-6, that would prove once and for
phenomenon which cannot be observed from anywhere all the existence of the ‘in-verse.’ The CofC suffered
within time/space, but which theoretically could be severe criticism for injecting itself, and thereby its
detected by an external observer. religious agenda, into the realm of speculative science,
but it pushed ahead with the concept regardless.
Additionally, Unified Bubble Theory proposes that any Although the collider was built and research started,
intersection of different bubbles can be ‘slid’ along the monstrous device proved too expensive to operate
their edges at a cost of energy that is almost equal to and it was shut down less than a year after it went
Pandominion
the energy that is released via this movement. Thus a operational. The CofC returned all funds collected to
near ‘perpetual motion’ can be obtained that generates their donors, and the partial results it collected were
the energy required to surpass relativistic movement. never released to the public. Respected commentators
propose that the results were kept secret because they
FTL drives are posited on the assumption (apparent- disproved the idea of an ‘in-verse,’ which would have
ly correct) that the bubble of time/space that is our damaged any remnants of a scientific reputation to
observed existence, our universe, (theoretically) has an which the CofC aspired.

35
 Pandominion

36
Wormgates disturbances, and subsequently Wormgates can operate
 from the surfaces of planets. Due to their complexity
and the inherent danger in their creation, Wormgates

W
ormgates are FTL-drive-powered ‘tunnels’ are usually constructed off-world and transported to
between pairs of linked devices. A pair of their final place of operation.
linked Wormgates is constructed by first
‘twinning’ a singularity by means of a ‘quantum Because of the dangerous nature of the Wormgate
splitter/entangler’ into a pair of singularities that are boundary, and the need for that travel to be done swiftly,
perfectly aligned in terms of their quantum states. movement through a Wormgate is achieved by means
of a superconducting ‘mag-lev’ (magnetic levitation)
rail track that is extended and retracted through the
Wormgate technology is so advanced that only gate as required. Most of the time a Wormgate is ‘dialed
Teraborg construction facilities are capable of down’ to the size of a micron - just enough to allow
producing them, and the Imperial Nest guards these the communication signals of the Sphere to pass, but
manufacturing processes jealously, despite continued no physical objects. Wormgates are also fitted with
calls from other PanDominion species to release the highest-grade, local, automated defenses (missiles,
the technology. Understandably, the Teraborg have lasers, starship-grade weapons and shields, etc.) to
lodged no patents for the technology logged on the protect them from attack at all times.
Sphere.
While the largest object that can traverse a Wormgate
An FTL core works by enveloping a starship for FTL is measured in starship sizes, the functional ‘size’ of
travel by way of an FTL coil in the hull, however, any Wormgate is a factor of local energy supply and
when an FTL core is used to envelop one of a pair of the cost of operation, and hence the importance of
twinned singularities, then both singularities experience the planet upon which it is based. A typical Wormgate
the same quantum event, and when enough energy can expand to accommodate d8-sized starships, while
is supplied by the FTL core then the event can be a significant Wormgate can expand to accommodate
expanded to a size allowing for an object (or an energy) d10 sized vessels. No Wormgate has yet been
to enter one event and instantaneously emerge from constructed to accommodate larger craft, and given
the other event. The edges of this event are observed that most commerce/traffic through Wormgates is
to be infinitesimally thin, and infinitely hard, and are mag-lev based, larger Wormgates are considered to
thus quite dangerous - a ‘closing’ Wormgate will sever be a wasteful extravagance. Why load cargo into bulk
anything within its event horizon. haulers to send through a Wormgate, when it is cheaper
and easier to just send the cargo!
Wormgates are enormous, power-hungry, and
Pandominion
expensive devices. Because the FTL event is ‘inward
looking’ regarding quantum interference, it is not Wormgates use Astatine as fuel, and each unit of
interfered with by other FTL cores or gravity/energy Astatine can propel a starship 1000LY. The cost of a
Wormgate journey is the same cost as the Astatine
All Wormgates are terrestrial, another reason that required for an FTL journey, although Wormgate
starships and constructs with a Displacement of d12+ travel is instantaneous and thus the preferred mode
are unable to access the Wormgate network. of travel where available.

37
 Wormgate Index

The Wormgate Index is a record of the network that

connects PanDominion planets by the instantaneous Because each Wormgate is a uniquely-paired, point-to-
technology of Wormgates. Aside from passengers point link, rather than risk the entire Sphere (and thus
and cargo, Wormgates also carry the information and the PanDominion) there is a convention that no single
programming of the Sphere, and thus limit what the planet is allowed to host more than five Wormgates,
Sphere can monitor. The planets listed in the Index although the U.G.P. has given special dispensation to
constitute what are known as the ‘core planets’ of the Janssen to host one more Wormgate to Gloombridge,
PanDominion. New planets are being connected to the which is the vital link to the Lantern and its Astatine-
core each year, and it would be faster if the Sphere rich gas giants.
could manage the work more efficiently, but network
expansion is limited by the massive investment in
technology and resources required for each new pair
of gates.

Sector System Planet Predominant Wormgate Links

Species (max ship size)
Capitol Cancri Janssen Human Soamata (d10)
Soamata IN2 (d8)
Teraborg Sol-3 (Earth) (d10)
Redban-3 (d8)
Lagoona (d10)
Gloombridge (d10)
Carina Nebula Imperial Nest IN1 Teraborg IN2 (d10)
IN3 (d10)
Tsarox (d10)
Imperial Nest IN2 Teraborg IN1 (d10)
Janssen (d8)
Imperial Nest IN3 Teraborg IN1 (d10)
Tsarox Tsarox Teraborg IN1 (d10)
Lagoona (d10)
Sagittarius (d8)
Pandominion

Cassio Phi Cassiopeia Phi Cassiopeia Phoxin Sol-3 (Earth) (d10)

Gloombridge Firefly Nebula Gloombridge Human Janssen (d10)
Phoxin Fhaera-2 (d8)

38
 Sector System Planet Predominant Wormgate Links
Species (max ship size)
Lagoon Lagoon Nebula Lagoona Aschin Janssen (d10)
Tsarox (d10)
Outer Sagittarius Sagittarna Sagittarius Human Delphi (d8)
Teraborg Tsarox (d8)
Torina Delphi Human Sagittarius (d8)
Soamata Tropize (d8)
Tropize Tropize Human Delphi (d8)
Somata Kryton Kryton Human Orion (d8)
(Eagle Nebula) Soamata
Obah Soamata Soamata Gol’Sora (d10)
Sol’amon (d10)
Janssen (d10)
Olsgard Sol’amon Soamata Soamata (d10)
Somlia (d10)
Olsorath Gol’Sora Soamata Soamata (d10)
Omat Somlia Soamata Sol’amon (d10)
Rouge, The Redban Redban-3 Redban Janssen (d8)
Solaris Orion Nebula Orion Human Sol-3 (Earth) (d10)
Phoxin Kryton (d8)
Lagoona (d10)
Scorpio Scorpio Human Sol-3 (Earth) (d10)
Phoxin
Sol Sol-3 (Earth) Human Janssen (d10)
Scorpius (d10)
Vela4 (d10)
Orion (d10)
Phi Cassiopeia (d10)
Vela Vela-4 Human Sol-3 (Earth) (d10)
Phoxin
Fronter BD-X423 Galatrimus none/mixed Perseus (d4 sporadic)
Pandominion

Fronter Fhaera Fhaera-2 Faeh-na Gloombridge (d8)

(Fhaeran) Perseus (d8)
Fronter Perseus Perseus Human Fhaera-2 (d8)
Phoxin Galatrimis (d4
sporadic)

39
 Sectors
Astro-Networks 
The backbone of the Sphere is the Wormgate Physically, the PanDominion stretches over a vast area
Network. All star systems with a Wormgate are a of space. The core of the PanDominion - with the most
node within the network, and it is this network that densely and longest settled sectors - starts from the
enables the existence of the Minds that manage the north and runs down Orion’s Spur, linking the inner
PanDominion. Sagittarius Spiral Arm with the outer Perseus Spiral
Arm. Strings of settled systems branch out from the
Within each sector, which usually has only a single core following the lines of the spiral arms, and clusters
Wormgate, systems and planets are connected by of settlements also exist in the spaces between, usually
local FTL relays. Each FTL relay has a standard wherever there is a system with one or more ‘golden’
operating distance of 1 Light Year (LY), although older planets. Newly opened areas also reach out from the
and newer systems vary slightly. Subsequently, Perseus Spiral Arm and into the vast spaces beyond.
within the 50 LY radius of a sector, there can be
relay links up to 50 LY long, bringing the signal If not for the Wormgates, navigating the length of the
of the Sphere to-and-from the nearest Wormgate. PanDominion would take a decade, even with a fast
Because FTL relays can only transit at FTL speeds, starship! Subsequently, most of the PanDominion’s
it takes roughly 1 day for information to travel 1LY inhabited star systems are tightly clustered around
within a sector. This ‘lag’ is occasionally exploited a primary star system with a functional Wormgate.
by unethical and nefarious peoples, although local Indeed, the importance of the Wormgate is so great
authorities know to be watchful for this type of anti- that such clusters of star systems - called ‘sectors’ -
social behavior. become synonymous with the Wormgate itself.

Of course, the ability of the Sphere to monitor For example, the Solaris Sector includes the 32
systems via the FTL relays is much reduced systems with 78 inhabited worlds within a 50 LY radius
compared to systems it has direct access to via a of the Sol star, which houses a Wormgate on Earth
Wormgate, even in what are otherwise considered (a.k.a. ‘Sol-3’).
civilized core worlds. In such systems, the local
offices of the U.G.P., and all its instruments, must This clustered, sector-based geography is a natural
exert more direct, manual monitoring and control, outcome of the technology used by the PanDominion
and much of this burden falls to the P.T.I.L.E. in Key for travel and communication. It also gives rise to the
Sectors. Sectoral organizational structure of Armada, which
finds it far more responsive to keep fleets within
Pandominion

Sectors, though they are capable of deploying between

sectors if required - although such deployments can
take many months or even years!

40
Capitol ff Area: 50 LY radius from the Earth Wormgate.

ff Inhabited Systems: 32.

The Capitol Sector is one of the busiest and most
diverse in the PanDominion, with Janssen, the capitol ff Inhabited Worlds: 78; including 3 ringworlds and
of the U.G.P, at its core. Aside from a dozen minor 16 gas-giant plate floating cities.
species, there are no significant indigenous sentients
in the sector, and the vast majority of the inhabitants ff Population 611 billion: Human (78%), Teraborg (4%),
have settled there over the past millennia. Given Soamata (5%), Phoxin (10%), other species (3%).
its relatively new colonization, the sector contains
numerous recorded and also as yet undocumented
astronomical anomalies, sitting alongside some of the Cassio
most important centers of power in this side of the
galaxy!
The Cassio Sector is the native home of the Phoxin.
ff Area: 22 LY radius from the Janssen Wormgate. Although not as expansive or populous as the Solaris
or Carina Sectors, it is one of the most industrious and
ff Inhabited Systems: 29. productive within the PanDominion. It consists of 32
inhabited worlds over 31 star systems. The Phoxin’s
ff Inhabited Worlds: 119; including 12 ringworlds and natural affinity with astro engineering and biotechnology,
27 gas-giant plate floating cities. coupled with slow and steady colonization of an area
that pre-dates the PanDominion by centuries, means
ff Population 150 billion: Human (40%), Soamata that the Cassio systems are all well developed and
(23%), Teraborg (21%), Redban (7%), Shako (4%), highly productive. From minerals and radioactives
Phoxin (2%), Feah-na (0.000001%), other species to food stocks and medicines, the Cassio Sector is
(3%). an important source of raw materials for the ever
expanding PanDominion.

Solaris ff Area: 35 LY radius from the Phi Cassiopea

Wormgate.

The Solaris Sector is a major population hub within the ff Inhabited Systems: 31.
PanDominion, not only for the native Human species,
but also for tens of billions of beings who wish to ff Inhabited Worlds: 32; including 1 ringworld and 14
Pandominion
engage in the rich melting pot of interspecies art, gas-giant plate floating cities.
science, and hedonism that characterizes this sector.
The Solaris Sector is also considered the ‘second ff Population 51 billion: Phoxin (36%) Human (48%)
home’ for the Phoxin, a species that originally hails Teraborg (8%) Soamata (2%), other species (6%).
from the more conservative and industrious Cassio
Sector. In addition, several minor allied species also
call the Solaris Sector home.

41
 South-Western nebula is unknown (at least to the Sphere), and only
22 colonized worlds have been recorded by visitors
to Carina, as well as a substantial number of orbitals
The South-Western Sector, home of the Soamata, and floating cities. The Teraborg homeworld of IN-1,
represents a vast area with a large number of colonized commonly called ‘The Nest’ by locals, is a sprawling
worlds, but sparse population. While the other primary planetary system, with two bisecting ringworlds
species within the PanDominion historically expanded straddling the planet, and dozens of continent-sized
aggressively into their home sectors, the psionic and orbital shipyards.
contemplative Soamata tended to settle in small
numbers, seeking out other species and observing and ff Area: 400 LY radius around the IN-1, IN-2, and
aiding their cultural evolution, protecting the fledgling IN-3 Wormgates.
civilizations they found. The Soamata were exploring
space for longer than many of the younger races. As ff Inhabited Systems: Unknown.
a result, their native sector stretches nearly 100 LY in
radius, yet has just a handful of heavily settled worlds ff Inhabited Worlds: Total unknown, 22 cataloged by
- though dozens of ‘protected’ worlds that remain the sphere so far.
largely untouched.
ff Population unknown: Teraborg (est. 99.9999%).
ff Area: 98 LY radius from the Soamata Wormgate.

ff Inhabited Systems: 10. The Rouge

ff Inhabited Worlds: 10; all planetary.

The Rouge (‘Red’) Sector is the newly opened home of
ff Population 21 billion: Soamata (70%), Human the Redban species. The sector is highly strategic, in
(22%), Phoxin (3%), Teraborg (3%), other (2%). that it exists on the expected path that the Nuclarine
would take out of The Zone, if they chose to invade the
PanDominion. It consists of just 2 sparsely inhabited
Carina Teraborg-Human colonies, plus the recently uplifted
Redban-3 homeworld. All 3 systems are being heavily
fortified, and regular patrols are sent out towards The
The Carina Sector is shrouded in the exotic gases Zone, with orders to scan any hostile targets and
that obscure the Teraborg Imperial Nest. This sector is then withdraw. Several, highly-advanced astronomical
something of a legal anomaly within the PanDominion, observatories have also been constructed in The
Pandominion

in that is considered independent of the U.G.P., with Rouge, with their sensors firmly pointed along the
governance seated in the Teraborg Imperial Nest. vector of threat.
Yet, for many practical purposes, the Carina Sector
is important and well-aligned, economically and ff Area: 9 LY radius from the Redban-3 Wormgate.
politically, within the PanDominion.
ff Inhabited Systems: 3.
The area covered by this sector is massive. However,
the exact number of worlds contained within the ff Inhabited Worlds: 3.

42
ff Population: 1 billion. Redban (67%) Teraborg
(20%) Human (10%) Phoxin (1%), other (2%).

Starcore

The Starcore Sector is not so much a sector as a

no-go zone. The Starfish have unilaterally declared
a ‘5000 Parsec (16,000 LY) exclusion zone’ around
the Galactic Core, and their Sector conveniently sits
within that area. While not confirmed, it is thought
that the sector contains the Starfish homeworld.

North-East

The North-East Sector, and indeed the Strozi Empire

remains largely unexplored. The Strozi are a highly
aggressive culture and do not take incursions into
their space lightly. In an effort to avoid diplomatic
or incidents or military conflict, all PanDominion
registered starships are forbidden by U.G.P. edict
to enter the sector under threat of confiscation of
vessel and ‘enforced Voluntary Servitude’ duties for
all crew. In short, don’t go there.

The Zone

‘The Zone’ is the unassuming name used to

describe the massive amount of space that the
Pandominion
Nuclarine control. This is literally ‘everything
south of the PanDominion.’ There are no official
regulations against dealing with the Nuclarine, but
a person would have to be very opportunistic, and
a little crazy, to even want to! The Nuclarine tend to
remain in The Zone, which the U.G.P. considers an
unexpected blessing, because Armada is currently
unable to counter their more advanced starships.

43
Worlds of Note result of unfounded outbreaks of paranoia by non-
 Soamatans.

Important planets of the Wormgate Index are The system behind generating these numbers is
described in this section using relative planetary called the ‘Terraform Generator,’ which will also
numbers to allow for comparison. In summary, allow you to develop your own planets, and is coming
higher die-types indicate stronger capabilities soon from Storyweaver Games.
on a planetary scale, and lead to higher derived
attributes. Larger and more well-formed (for organic
life) planets are entitled to more Planetary Edges, Janssen
and these in turn can raise a planet’s Attributes.

One key Attribute to watch out for is the Terraform Janssen is the single most important planet in the
Attribute, noting whether it has been increased due PanDominion, as it is both the seat of the U.G.P. and a
to the effects of some Edge. Should that Edge ever linchpin in the Wormgate Network. Because Janssen
be lost or become unusable, then the improved is a ‘golden’ planet, and situated relatively closely to
Attribute will reduce back to its natural state. Earth, it was the natural choice for Human colonization
and has been a pivotal part of the ‘human diaspora,’
Another key Attribute is the Net Worth of a planet, which ever since that species achieved FTL spaceflight.
is the capacity left over once imports are subtracted
from exports. Should this value ever fall below zero The planet’s surface remains uncrowded, and pockets
(0), then imports must be increased, or additional of natural beauty can be found only minutes by aero
exports retained on-planet, or the planet will lose from most population centers.
the ability to support the current number of Planetary
Edges by the amount which this value falls short. Economically, Janssen has been self sufficient since
immediately after its colonization, exporting far more
The Development Index is a score that records a resources than it imports, and as such it underwrites
planet’s production capability. Although normally the support and development of many new, less
irrelevant to the average citizen, it is an important developed worlds.
metric that the Sphere uses for routing resources.
The Wormgate Network has more gateways on
The U.G.P. Index is a psychohistorical score. Developed Janssen than any other planet, so it is a major hub for
by researchers at The Salamat Projection, it records travelers, but the strongest reason for visiting Janssen
Pandominion
the amount of influence a planet can exert within the is because it houses the U.G.P., and is thus the political
U.G.P., according to various factors. Detractors of this heart of the PanDominion. It is also the headquarters of
scoring system claim that it puts an artificial cap on the U.R.C., P.T.I.L.E., and most Commercials also have a
the amount of influence that The Salamat Projection major office situated on, or in orbit around the planet.
itself exerts, although the researchers insist that the
historical evidence supports their model and that A unique aspect of the Wormgate Network on Janssen
claims of psychic influence with the U.G.P. are the is that, unlike other planets, the mag-lev train lines that

45
 traverse the Wormgates do not run in a linear fashion Janssen Planetary Index
that requires them to terminate at a station. Instead
they can be routed into a continuous circuit called Development Index 93
the ‘Ring-line,’ that can switch mag-levs in and out U.G.P. Index 113
of Wormgates at extremely high speeds. For example, Astroclassification Large planet
cargo from IN-2 that is bound for Soamata will pass Environment Golden: no life
through the IN-2/Janssen Wormgate, and without support required
slowing down will be routed on through the Janssen/ Predominant Species mixed
Soamata Wormgate. This way it is even possible for Technology d12 (d10)
long, 100+ carriage mag-lev trains to actually exist on Size d12
up to three different worlds at the same time - their Terraform d12
origin world, the amount of mag-lev track on Janssen Resources d8
required to move to the next Wormgate, and their Population d8
destination world! Armament 12 (10)
Influence 10
The Sphere controls the continuous routing of the Production 16
Wormgate Network, which would be crippled and Imports 10
inefficient if the Sphere ever lost connectivity. As a
Net Worth 7 (6)
safety mechanism, the Ring-line has several outer
Biomes Arctic
tracks to which is can disperse mag-levs into ‘holding
Tundra
patterns’ if timing issues arise, although these outer
Grassland
tracks are rarely used.
Scrub
Jungle Tropical
Wormgates Soamata
IN2
Sol-3 (Earth)
Redban-3
Lagoona
Gloombridge
Planetary Edges
Orbital stability
Sphere super-node
Stratospheric defense
matrix
Pandominion

Planet-based lasers
Sub-orbital conveyor

46
Soamata Soamata Planetary Index
Development Index 91
The Soamatan species traces its root back to the U.G.P. Index 117
self-named planet of Soamata, which held the Astroclassification Standard planet
unique conditions required to naturally select for the Environment Golden: no life
development of their ‘braintooth’ and subsequent support required
psychic abilities. Soamata is naturally abundant in Predominant Species Soamata
terms of organic resources - though much is buried in Technology d10
its complex and psi-active crystalline landscapes. It Size d8
is a ‘golden’ planet that encourages a biodiversity that Terraform d12
is harvested to create specialized exports. Resources d8
Population d6
The Salamat Projection have their headquarters on the Armament 9
planet, where they are rumored to conduct their more Influence 13 (9)
‘experimental’ studies, although none of this has ever Production 17 (15)
been documented or even penetrated by outsiders to Imports 7 (8)
the Projection.
Net Worth 10
Biomes Taiga
Soamata is the single point of contact between the
Forest
PanDominion and all other Soamatan dominated
Jungle
and colonized worlds, and it controls the movement
Scrub
of cargo and people on to these other worlds. What
Grassland
surprises most non-Soamatan’s is the level of scrutiny
Desert (Crystal)
of passengers using the Wormgate Network, and the
Wormgates Gol’Sora
vigor with which Wormgate security is enforced. This
Sol’amon
includes mandatory psychic probing, and advanced
Janssen
bioscreening using local organic detection ‘tools.’
Planetary Edges
Extractable resources Psychoactives
Many who arrive at Soamata elect to remain on
Astatine
the planet, due to its vast natural beauty and the
friendliness of the local inhabitants. The subtle Natural abundance
influences of the planet also extend off-world, and due Stable ionosphere
to its popularity, resources, and unique exports, the Academic center of
excellence
Pandominion
Deputy and the Senator for Soamata wield substantial
influence within the U.G.P..

47
 Tsarox Tsarox Planetary Index
Development Index 83
Tsarox is not the birthplace of the Teraborg species, U.G.P. Index 99
but it is the ‘western gateway’ that controls access to Astroclassification Standard planet
the Carina Nebula, that holds the planets which form Environment Golden: no life
the Imperial Nest (IN-1, IN-2, and IN-3). One of these support required
is actually the birthplace of the species (the ‘southern Predominant Species Teraborg
gateway’ is the planet Janssen). Technology d10 (d8)
Size d8
Tsarox was colonized by Teraborg, who were forced to Terraform d12 (d10)
spend at least half their days in environmental habitats, Resources d8
but the inevitable terraforming of the world has turned Population d6
it into a ‘golden’ planet. The terraforming is continuous Armament 9 (8)
and is maintained at all times through the cultivation of Influence 8
organic-friendly extremophiles (bacteria) that generate Production 15 (13)
the oxygen required to support larger, carbon-based Imports 7
life forms.
Net Worth 8 (6)
Biomes Arctic-tundra
The environmental balance required to maintain the
Tundra
terraforming is carefully controlled, and within the remit
Grassland
of local authorities. Any crime against the environment
Wormgates IN3
is treated as a capital offense. This can be anything
Lagoona
ranging from littering non-biodegradable waste, to
Planetary Edges
having a leaky FTL core, and the law surrounding these
crimes is constantly evolving to keep pace with the Greenhouse friendly flora
latest research! Extractable resource Terraforming-
bacteria
The arctic-poles of the planet each host a Stable ionosphere
superconducting network that is used alternately Abundant Potable Water
(depending on which pole is in winter, as opposed to Sphere super-node
summer) to host a ‘super-node’ of the Sphere. This Heavy manufacturing
node processes comparatively advanced and complex
algorithms, and is itself a popular tourist attraction for
Pandominion

the scientific/research community of the PanDominion.

48
Sol-3 (Earth) Sol-3 Planetary Index
Development Index 73
Although it holds little resonance for other species, the U.G.P. Index 93
cultural and psychological significance that Humans Astroclassification Standard
feel towards Earth matches - and many Humans say planet
it supersedes - what other species feel for their own Environment Hazardous: life
homeworlds. support limit
2d8 hours
Within the PanDominion, Earth is second in importance Predominant Species Human
only to Janssen, and is the host to a princely five Technology d10
Wormgates that connect the major core worlds in the Size d10
‘northern’ reaches of the PanDominion. It is also the Terraform d8 (d4)
headquarters of the Sol Conglomerate, one of the most Resources d4
influential Commercials to ever operate. Population d8
Armament 12 (11)
Earth, along with the sub-colonies of Venus and Mars Influence 10
(which are still not completely terraformed) has Production 11
extensive influence within the U.G.P.. However, the local Imports 14
administration of the Sol system has become mired in
Net Worth -3
bureaucracy and red-tape accumulated from centuries
Biomes Arctic
of trying to manage an empire without the technology
Arctic-tundra
of Wormgates. The Earth of the PanDominion is
Tundra
frequently alluded to as an ‘aging heavyweight boxer,
Grassland
staggering around the galaxy, trying to understand why
Desert
everything looks blurry!’
Wormgates Janssen
Scorpius
The environment of Earth took a major hit from the
Vela-4
development required to achieve starflight, and the
Orion
planet has still not fully recovered, with the inhabitants
Phi Cassiopia
now forced to live in protected biodomes. In fact, it
Planetary Edges
is the continued existence a strong ionosphere and
Strong magnetosphere
magnetosphere that permits any kind of life on the
planet at all; it is a rather unique blessing even amongst Planet-based lasers
Stable ionosphere
Pandominion
golden planets for a planet to possess both of these!

49
 Orion Orion Planetary Index
Development Index 101
Orion is the ‘shining’ star in the Human diaspora. Much U.G.P. Index 125
admired and adored even as old Earth is not, and so Astroclassification Large planet
close to Earth-like in its natural environment so as to Environment Adverse: Life
have earned the appreciation and plaudits of Human support limit
artists and performers from across the PanDominion 2d12 hours
- despite that fact that Human settlement still relies Predominant Species Human
heavily on artificial life support systems. Orion is Technology d10
equally as deadly a planet to live on as it is beautiful, Size d12
which is perhaps why the ambiguous Human brain Terraform d10
loves it so much! Resources d12
Population d8 (d6)
Initially, many species of fauna and flora were Armament 12 (11)
re-engineered to populate Orion, but these failed to Influence 12 (11)
out-perform their native counterparts, and these days Production 16
it is considered lucky to find a transplanted ‘Rhinovine’ Imports 7 (8)
(African-rhino/Hereford-bovine genetic combination),
Net Worth 9
or ‘Oscledog’ (Ocelot/Husky-dog) in the wild!
Biomes Taiga
Forest
Orion is also a major base of operations for the
Prairie
Substrate/Thought Commercial, and they have set up
Tropical
their key research operations on the planet, as well
Wormgates Sol-3 (Earth)
as production and training facilities for their premier
Kryton
bloodline of natural language AIs. Although their
Lagoona
corporate headquarters is on Janssen, it is on Orion
Planetary Edges
that they do their important work.
Pristine Environment
Natural abundance
Natural barriers
Extractable resource Organic
pharmaceuticals
Laser crystals
Stable ionosphere
Pandominion

MedTech research facilities

Stratospheric defense
matrix

50
Galatrimis Galatrimis Planetary Index
Development Index 43
Galatrimis is small, extremely hostile, and a long, long U.G.P. Index 50
way from anything nice! Philosophers who venture there Astroclassification Planetoid
seeking to understand the ‘limits’ of civilization often Environment Hostile: life
reconsider the romantic idea of the planet, wishing to support limit 2d4
depart and never return. But therein lies a problem. hours
Predominant Species none
The Wormgate between Perseus and Galatrimis is small, Technology d4
and can only be powered at the Galatrimis end, twice a Size d4
week for two hours at best. The activation capacitors Terraform d6
are charged by less than regular means - solar and Resources d4
kinetic energy collectors, and so gate activation is Population d4
very dependent on the weather. This can leave many, Armament 4
would-be travelers stuck on either end for some time, Influence 4
waiting their turn. This isolation means Galatrimis is Production 8 (7)
not an influential planet, and it is inhabited only by the Imports 4
lonely, lost, or embittered!
Net Worth 3
Biomes Desert
The only reason that this planet can claim to be a
Wormgates Perseus
PanDominion colony at all is because it is special -
Planetary Edges
it is the only known place where you can encounter
Unique resource Nuclarine trade
Nuclarine without them attacking on sight.
Local expertise
Although there is no concrete proof, the U.R.C. and
P.T.I.L.E. have traced unsanctioned alien artifacts being
traded on the black-market back to this system.

Pandominion

51
 Fhera-2 Fhera-2 Planetary Index
Development Index 88
Fhaera-2 is the only planet of the Fhaera system U.G.P. Index 108
capable of supporting life. That said, it is a magnificent Astroclassification Standard planet
planet. The Insight Agency crew who unexpectedly Environment Golden: no life
discovered life on the planet, described it as one of the support required
most naturally beautiful planets on record. Predominant Species Faeh-na
Fhaeran
The native inhabitants, Faeh-na and Fhaeran, are the Technology d6
descendants of the same genestock that diverged Size d10
millennia ago into what are now essentially distinct Terraform d12+2 (d12)
species, yet they managed to live together and even Resources d10
prosper together. Population d6
Armament 9
Hints to what might have instigated this speciation Influence 11 (10)
was discovered in the Fhaeran DNA during preliminary Production 15
testing by Integration. There are signs that what has Imports 6 (7)
become the Fhaeran are evolved from a common
Net Worth 10 (8)
ancestor with the Faeh-na, but one that has been
Biomes Taiga
artificially modified, in a process similar to ‘uplifting.’
Jungle
The process does not seem to have been successful.
Grassland
As such, this has left the Fhaeran unable to be uplifted
Tropical
by current PanDominion technology.
Desert
Wormgates Gloombridge
The Integration Agency decision to uplift the Faeh-na
Perseus
but not the Fhaeran, which was opposed by several
Planetary Edges
Minds of the Sphere, has split the local populace and
Abundant Potable Water
led to discontent on the planet.
Natural abundance
The Faeh-na, who have by-and-large embraced the Greenhouse friendly flora
uplift, contribute to the PanDominion through the Pristine Environment
breakthroughs they have made in medical science, Strong magnetosphere
especially in genetics. Their own special genetic MedTech research facilities
Pandominion

makeup and background allowed them to discover Agricultural technology

new principles that has eradicated some of the few
remaining genetic disorders that have so far defied the secrecy around their patented technologies has
PanDominion science. Cleverly for the Feah-na, it is drawn ‘commercial’ interests to the planet, which is
the products of this technology that are exported to now subject to an abnormal level of (illegal) espionage
the PanDominion, not the technology itself. However, compared to other planets.

52
 Pandominion

The eccentric human phenomoder, Dr Brian Whitcraft, is so enamored with the uplifted Faeh-na, that he
is sculpting himself in the species’ image, with varying results.

53
 United Governing Parliament


T
he United Governing Parliament, or U.G.P., is the
supreme legislature of the PanDominion, and
has ultimate control over all other planetary
political bodies and agencies within its domain.
The U.G.P. consists of both an ‘upper congress’ (the
Congress of Systems) and a ‘lower congress’ (the
Congress of Planets).

The Congress of Planets is a democratically elected

congress, with elections for posts held at least
once every five years, to elect one ‘Deputy’ for each
colonized planet in the PanDominion. The Congress of
Systems is also a democratically elected congress,
but elections for posts held at least every ten years,
to elect one ‘Senator’ for each colonized system
(collection of planets) in the PanDominion.

Legislation (laws or amendments) is introduced by

Deputies into the Congress of Planets, and if approved
by majority vote it is passed on to the Congress of
Systems where it is also debated and voted upon.
Finally, if approved in the Congress of Systems, the
legislation is passed on to the Sphere to be enacted
or communicated to those responsible, and monitored
for compliance.
Pandominion

U.G.P Translingual Symbology

54
The U.G.P. is convened at the Parliamentary Orbital- system, and tracks and records the actions of every
Conveyance (known affectionately in the media as ‘The single individual.
Beanstalk’), located on the equator of Janssen, the
capital-planet of the PanDominion and situated only The only exceptions to observation are:
113.2 LY from Sol, the capital of Humanity.
ff Uninhabited areas.
Parliament runs in 2, equal-length sessions per
Soamatan year, with a 24 day recess each break. The ff Starships, as they travel between solar systems
High Recess falls when the PanDominion Formation when they are out of range of FTL communications.
Celebrations are held, and the other, called the Low
Recess, in the opposite season. Deputies and Senators ff Any person, or Mind who has requested not to be
can vote or speak on any matter at any time the U.G.P. tracked and recorded.
is in session, even by remote holo-video link. The only
stipulation is that Deputies and Senators must attend Regarding the last point, individuals who request not
the actual Parliament for at least 20 hours each week, to be tracked are very rare, because the intervention
or be subject to a vote of censure that can include a of the Sphere is a lifesaver by way of preventing
motion to re-elect that position, as well as a directive accidental deaths (not to mention the best healthcare
to the Sphere to reduce resource allocation to that available) and most citizens crave this assurance for a
planet/system as appropriate! Obviously, members of long and carefree life.
the U.G.P. who fail to live up to their obligations face the
prospect of a hostile electorate, and so far have never Wildcards, however, are frequent requesters of
been re-elected! anonymity.

When the Sphere deactivates tracking and identification

of individuals, this task is delegated to the smart
observation systems that perform the actual recording,
The Sphere which use object-tracking technology to ensure that
 the de-identification is automatic. Playback of the

T
he Sphere is the universal news, information,
regulatory, and policy-enforcing, communica-
tions and control network for the PanDominion.
Because of the Sphere, there are no planetary gov-
ernments, only disbursed U.G.P. offices and agencies
Pandominion
charged to implement aspects of U.G.P. law that the
Sphere itself cannot.

The Sphere observes and records every inhabited

place within the PanDominion, including, by default, Sphere Translingual Symbology
the interior of starships within any connected solar

55
 recording of an anonymized individual will show a Minds
‘black hole’ in the recording where that individual 
is (hence the self-ascribed nickname that some

T
Wildcards have adopted). he Sphere is composed of, and comprises, at
least ten, self-identifying artificial intelligences
Note that the actions of a de-identified person are known simply as ‘Minds.’ There is also one Mind
not recorded, however, if an illegal event (including a that exercises the privilege of anonymity and is itself
planned or attempted illegal event) is detected that perpetually de-identified - in fact it’s existence would
is believed to originate from a de-identified source, not even be known, if not for the references made to it
then that anonymity is revoked and the individual is by the other Minds!
tracked until the facts can be established, usually by a
U.G.P. agency. This will not usually show the individual The power that a Mind wields verges on god-like,
performing the event, but it will allow the individual to due to their almost omniscient observation of the
be tracked from that point on and until the facts of the PanDominion, and their near omnipotent control of the
event can be established. In some cases this can take multitude of systems that permeate society.
years, or even an entire lifetime!
The Minds do not require physical manifestations of any
Also, after a de-identified individual leaves the kind; not even Remotes such as starships use. Under
monitoring range of the Sphere, and later re-enters, normal conditions, they can control any system in
there is a fractional recording of this happening, until conjunction with forecasting and modeling subroutines
they can be identified and thus de-identified from that give them 100% precision, and reference any
then on. Subsequently, there is a record of each time known information. However, because there are illegal
and place that a de-identified individual re-enters the jamming and hacking systems that can block or
range of the Sphere. interfere with the signals that allow this control, Minds
actually prefer living agents - that is, people - to
Note that although the Sphere could logically manage life-critical environmental systems. To date
track a de-identified person from the moment of no death (citizen or otherwise) has ever been directly
de-identification onwards, and potentially continue attributed to a Mind, and psychiatrists and philosophers
to know where they are, the Sphere has never are locked in constant debate as to what would be the
confirmed that this is possible, and the Minds that effect on a Mind if this ever happened.
operate it deny that this is an ambiguity that in any
way compromises individual anonymity. In short, even Each Mind that operates within the PanDominion has
though it makes sense that an individual could still chosen a cultural icon as a reference/avatar, and
be tracked as a ‘black hole,’ the Sphere does not do they each tend to take interest in specific fields of
Pandominion

this. U.G.P. investigators can attempt to use black holes endeavor, as described in the following sections. Minds
in recordings to reconstruct events, but the Sphere will respond to ALL communications that are directed
maintains that it is unable to assist in this! to them, usually by way of instant-message or voice
recording, however, when they deem a matter to be of
significance they may also ‘manifest’ as a projected
3D image if possible.

56
Janus

Identifying with the ancient Human god synonymous

for ‘change,’ Janus is a Mind most active within the
U.G.P., Integration agency, and appears to be most
interested in uplifting and integrating new species into
the PanDominion, rather than the enforcing of particular
laws or policies.

Janus usually manifests as a talking marble statue

with two heads, and longitudinal statistical analysis
shows a preference for Janus to manifest when dealing
with Wildcards as opposed to dealing with non-Wild-
cards.

Machiavelli

Machiavelli embodies the philosophies, if not the

practices, of an ancient Human treatise on rulership
known as ‘The Prince.’ It is an active observer of the
U.G.P., and personal, inter-planetary and inter-species
politics, and the Soamata species in general. Diplomacy
is the art that most interests this Mind, and Machiavelli
has been instrumental in brokering acceptable solutions
to trade and manufacturing disputes, and conflicts of
interest. Whether these disputes are inter-personal or
inter-system in scale, both are of interest to this Mind.

Machiavelli manifests extremely rarely, and prefers

communication by way of deep and thought-provoking
written messages. However, the Mind has been known
Pandominion
to manifest as a disembodied, floating, red velvet glove,
complete with humanoid lips and mouth for speaking.

57
 Yu’n’Khang

This is one of the few Minds interested in military

operations, and it styles itself as a mix of an ancient
military leader of Teraborg mythology, as well as
an ancient Human/Chinese figure. Yu’n’Khang has
an ongoing affiliation with Armada, and the Imperial
Nest, and spends a significant amount of cpu-time
simulating military operations focused around those
two U.G.P. powers, both as allies and as opponents.
Janus Translingual Symbology
Yu’n’Khang manifests as a cybernetic, celestial ‘dragon,’
shrouded in smoke and embers, but this manifestation
has historically been received almost exclusively by
military personnel and/or Teraborg leaders.

Ithral

Some Minds focus themselves on individuals within

the PanDominion, rather than agencies and political
powers. Ithral is self-named for an ancient Soamatan
god of artistic expression, and is the Mind that is most
associated with manifestations that concern art and
Machiavelli Translingual Symbology creativity. Ithral will sometimes appear as a statuesque
Soamatan male, and at other times as a symbol or
pattern that combines the senses. For instance, Ithral
is recorded as manifesting at the Janssen Artistic
Metascape Awards as a glowing musical notation, and
delivering a keynote speech as a harmony of different
musical instruments. On another occasion, Ithral was
recorded as appearing to the poet-laureate of the
Lagoon Nebula as a unique, gene-spliced nano-bird
that was hatched from a giant artificial pearl, and self-
Pandominion

immolated after delivering a secret message to the

poet.

Yu’n ‘Khang Translingual Symbology

58
Mon’esa

Self-identified with the mythological Soamatan heroine

who delivered her people from an apocalyptic threat by
virtue of cunning and ingenuity, Mon’esa actively follows
and critiques the theoretical research of individuals
across the entire spectrum of the PanDominion,
including researchers from minor species.

Records of manifestation portray Mon’esa appearing as

a floating Hydrogen atom, with a single proton/neutron
nucleus and electron-cloud, and which uses effect Ithral Translingual Symbology
fields to invisibly manipulate its environment.

Copernicus

While most Minds are concerned with the interior

workings of the PanDominion and its citizens - perhaps
because that is where Minds operate at their best -
there is one Mind that is more interested in exploration
and discovery. Copernicus is self-styled after the
ancient Human astronomer, and it plans and sometimes
sponsors starship voyages into unknown sectors of Mon’esa Translingual Symbology
space. Despite its interest in the unknown, Copernicus
can never actually go anywhere that is not already
explored and at least partly settled, because it must
rely on the Sphere. However, Copernicus also sponsors
research into longer range FTL communications
systems, and in this regard it has been known to
‘convince’ the Mind Mon’esa to work with it.

Copernicus prefers to communicate verbally or in text

Pandominion
via starship control systems and monitoring systems.
No manifestation of Copernicus has ever been officially
confirmed, although Teraborg Mind-enthusiasts claim
that a stylized image of a Sun circled with Latin script
once appeared at a classified Teraborg observation Copernicus Translingual Symbology
post, just prior to the sighting of the first Nuclarine.

59
 Voltaire <De-Identified>

Minds almost never suggest or promote ideas that There is one Mind that has, since its inception, requested
might disrupt the status quo and the operation of the the anonymity that the Sphere can provide. It appears
PanDominion. The Mind that identifies itself as ‘Voltaire’ only as an artifact in the data of the Sphere, akin to
is the sole exception. Voltaire actively injects itself into an informational black hole! PanDominion scientists
the affairs of the U.G.P. when it comes to dealing with and technicians puzzled over this inexplicable sighting
new species (almost always promoting integration), for decades, and it lead to countless unnecessary
and while it does not oppose the operations of the equipment replacements and investigations until Janus
Council of Churches, when its opinion is requested it is announced, to a curious PanDominion, that this was in
universally damning of any organization that is based fact a Mind that preferred anonymity.
on the premise of blind faith.
There is no way of knowing what this Mind believes,
Voltaire is quite willing to appear in public, but only although according to the other Minds, it is faultless
rarely in private, and it maintains a strong sense of and impartial when carrying out its share of the work-
personal privacy regarding its motives and beliefs. load of the Sphere, and can be completely trusted.
Public manifestation of Voltaire, such as when it Naturally, no manifestations have ever been recorded.
witnessed and interjected in the U.G.P. debate regarding
the problematic uplift of the Fherean species, appears
as a petulant, flying, cherubic figure. This ‘flying child’
is adorned with religious vestments that are stained
and soiled, invoking images of both excess and hard
toil in the same measure.
Pandominion

Voltaire Translingual Symbology De-Identified Translingual Symbology

60
United Resources Corporation regulation was the only control they would accept.
 Eventually, a compromise was reached, and the
United Resources Corporation was founded. The U.R.C.

T
hree thousand years ago, the rate of production directors included all the major Commercials and
within the growing Human/Phoxin space could resource operators, as well as a balancing number of
not keep up with the demand for goods and government ministers and secretaries - later Deputies
materials. Prices skyrocketed, and competition and Senators - appointed as oversight.
amongst suppliers turned into outright violence and a
series of brushfire conflicts. When significant levels of The Commercials put up a guarantee to fund the U.R.C.,
Astatine were found within the Lantern, the desperation to allow it to fulfill its mandate of ‘monitoring and
to claim it reached fever-pitch. This period was known enforcing the law across the resources industry.’ Unable
as the Comwar. The Comwar began at the coalface of to wield any kind of central control, the U.R.C. was
resource extraction - around distant gas-giants on the divided into many operational areas, each responsible
edges of The Lantern - but inevitably, the conflict got for a specific star system.
closer and closer to peaceful, law-abiding planets and
peoples. The U.R.C. is still highly active, and across the
PanDominion it is, on the whole, warmly received
The governments of the time watched on while all by the citizens and system governments. However,
this occurred, preferring to see the Commercials settle on the fringes of civilized society, where there is
matters themselves; no doubt swayed by Commercial limited monitoring by the Sphere, and where the more
lobbyists to allow the chaos to continue so long as it entrepreneurial and aggressive Commercials operate,
was kept discreet and no ‘civilians’ were harmed. the U.R.C. is considered a burden rather than a boon.

The final nail in the coffin for this policy was the The Directors of the U.R.C. meet daily on Janssen,
destruction of an Astatine carrier from The Lantern, where its operation, and its fleet of patrol vessels, is
bound for the world of Gloombridge. A tracer had been managed from their headquarters in ‘Astatine Tower,’
hidden on the carrier, with a timer to activate it at the which also houses the headquarters for numerous
same time it was supposed to drop out of FTL flight, Commercials.
nearing planetfall. This was intended to signal a hidden
cluster of homing-mines to close in and destroy the As well as monitoring Astatine mining operations, the
carrier. By some miscalculation the starship arrived U.R.C. maintains a network of sensors in solar-orbit
before the timer activated, and it was in the upper around most inhabited systems, and regulates legal
atmosphere of the planet when the mines struck! The access to resources using its own fleet of frigates and
explosion occurred over an ocean, so the damage that corvettes. On the fringe of the PanDominion, the U.R.C.
Pandominion
rained down upon the populace was limited, but this is considered by the Commercials as being similar
calamity showed that the issues of the Comwar could in nature to the Contracts Guild or the Merc List; a
no longer be ignored. necessary evil, but if well managed then it can be a
thorn in the side of the opposition. Thus Commercial
The various governmental bodies tried to legislate funding to the U.R.C. fluctuates in accordance with
resource extraction, but the Commercials worked vested Commercial interests according to what the
around the letter of all the laws, arguing that self- U.R.C. is currently monitoring.

61
 Law Enforcement


T
he PanDominion Tribunal on Interstellar
Law Enforcement, known by the unflattering
acronym of P.T.I.L.E., is the centralized office
for coordinating the efforts to solve cross-jurisdictional
crimes throughout the PanDominion.

P.T.I.L.E. has five central-offices, all located on core

worlds of the PanDominion, including two on Earth P.T.I.L.E. Translingual Symbology
and one on Janssen. Every colonized system has a
head-office, while lightly populated regions on the The current head of the P.T.I.L.E. is Vice Commissioner
fringes of the PanDo will have one head-office that “Scaro” Ts’karo Sik Tukta, a Teraborg who was promoted
services several systems. On the core worlds of the to her post in the system-office of the Imperial Nest.
PanDominion, there is also a local-office in every large She has demonstrated impartiality in many matters,
city. but is considered to be too close to the Imperial Nest
and family connections to be truly independent, if not
In its role as the on-the-ground police and investigative completely politically protected!
force of the PanDominion, P.T.I.L.E. officers are tasked to
investigate mainly smuggling and information-related P.T.I.L.E. field officers typically pack enough tactical
crimes, to track down and apprehend fugitives, and to kit to do any policing job. However, where the officers
conduct manual audits into local system records upon do fall short is in programming and computing assets,
request from the Sphere. space-side resources, ready access to the databases
of the Commercials (even after issuing subpoenas), and
When a local-office does not have the resources or also the diplomatic ties to cut through the red-tape of
skills to carry out its mandate, it is permitted to acquire the U.R.C. and U.G.P. when it arises. Subsequently, field
those resources and skills by hiring contractors (such officers develop a very self-reliant attitude. They dislike
as Wildcards) who are paid in C-bits, so long as it the idea of posting ‘help notices’ on the Merc List, and
makes full disclosure about what it is doing and who they often work poorly with the people who respond to
it is employing. While this may sound like a quick such notices. This heavy-handed attitude has seen the
solution to a resource problem, it is not easy for moniker of ‘reP.T.I.L.E.,’ evolved to describe all P.T.I.L.E.
P.T.I.L.E. to hire this way, because crews who develop a officers operating in the field.
reputation for picking up P.T.I.L.E. contracts eventually
Pandominion

earn the disdain of their colleagues and become known In the underworld and criminal syndicates, people
as ‘snakes.’ These crews can end up being cut out openly joke about P.T.I.L.E. Commissioners being known
of other deals, or dropped by prospective Commercial as ‘Lizard Kings’ and ‘Lizard Queens.’ In response,
employers who don’t want to associate too closely following the initiative of one enterprising P.T.I.L.E.
with someone who may come gunning for them in the Commissioner, P.T.I.L.E. has issued all field officers
future! with Optovisors that are deliberately shaped to give a
distinctive ‘reptilian’ appearance to the wearer’s eyes,

62
and there has been an active policy of recruiting more
Teraborg into the ranks.

Most P.T.I.L.E. members serve as a requirement of

Voluntary Servitude, and they feel obliged to perform
their job to the letter-of-the-law. However, a small
minority are compelled into service for other reasons,
especially Wildcards, and these officers tend to have
a more relaxed attitude to procedures and the letter-
of-the-law.

P.T.I.L.E. ‘Cottonmouth’
Aeroprowler
Design Edge Warship

ff Total Cost 637.5

ff Maneuver d6
ff Computer d6
ff Drive d6
ff Displacement d4
ff Quality d6
ff Pace 12
ff Toughness 5
ff Payload 4 (4)
ff Hardpoints 8 (5)

Edges

Lifepods, Armory, Cargo: Luggage, Overdrive, Point

Defense Array (PDA) x3, X-ray Lasers (XRL). Pandominion
Hinderances

ff Aero (Major) - Cannot travel into vacuum. Cannot

use FTL flight. All systems limited to non-FTL
range increments.
ff Leaky (Minor) - Suffers a Breach for each round
spent in a high-pressure environment.

63
 Commercials

Despite the U.G.P. and Sphere ensuring the needs
of the average citizen, the economic management
of the PanDominion retains a substantial degree of
entrepreneurial free-enterprise.

Commercial operations manufacture goods (although

it is usually the Sphere that provides most services)
and these are exchanged with the U.G.P. for C-bits
(CBT). The wealth that this provides allows the owners
of the Commercials a greater degree of influence in
U.G.P. policy that the average citizen, although nowhere
near a controlling interest, and this provides for a
much higher degree of access to personal resources.
Also, while the average citizen is happy to sit back
and enjoy life, there are still those who enjoy high-
stakes competition. It is no surprise that Commercial
operations of all sorts attract a significant number of
Wildcards.

The majority of Commercials that have survived the

centuries have done so because they hold a Director’s
position on the U.R.C., and have used this as a buffer
against bad economic conditions. The most lucrative
Commercials will almost always have some kind of
stake in Astatine production, as well as terraforming,
and thus expanding their own markets!

Solaris Conglomerate
Pandominion

“Making Dreams Real”

The Solaris Conglomerate is a Sol-based meta-

conglomerate with interests in orbital and planetary
heavy industry, habitat engineering, shipyards, ringworld
construction, and bulk transportation. It owes much of
its success to its ability to leverage Starfish insights

64
into current technology, and the Commercial retains In recent centuries, Sol Dynamics has become a primary
its own, close, diplomatic relations with that ancient manufacturer of ringworlds, due in no small part to
species. Indeed, the Starfish appear to give favorable engineering templates provided by its alien contacts.
treatment to Solaris, slowly feeding it technologies This has resulted in a rapid increase in human-habitable
that are close to rivaling even those of the Teraborg systems. Even in systems where terraforming planets
(although probably trivial to the Starfish). It is widely would be of questionable economic return, Solaris has
hypothesized that the Starfish are using Solaris as a been able to construct ringworlds from in-system
conduit specifically to shape human development and resources, such as asteroids, planetary ice rings, and
expansion. other such material, to deliver habitats for billions of
PanDominion citizens.
The Solaris Conglomerate is made up of thousands of
subsidiaries, most of which are easy to trace back to Even with the high-profile nature of most Solaris
the parent organization. The most prominent of these Conglomerate subsidiaries, those that deal with more
include New Worlds, which is involved in terraforming ‘entrepreneurial’ endeavors are obscured by a complex
and planetary rehabilitation, Sol Dynamics, which over- web of financial and legal structures. These include
sees ringworld construction, and Transport Dynamics, organizations involved in transportation, resource
which designs and builds mid-range starships. recovery, and more recently exploration of the Fringe
worlds.
Since the events in the Lantern, and the inclusion of
Starfish neurological control systems into a new class The Solaris Conglomerate is controlled by a
of Human ship, Transport Dynamics is beginning to single family: the Lynx Dynasty. In many ways, the
rival Teraborg ship building interests. This does not sit conglomerate is run like a Feudal Kingdom by the
well with the Teraborg, who lack strong ties with the family patriarch, Hector Aurelius Lynx, who considers
Starfish. Even so, the Teraborg still maintain a lead on himself the current King. Almost all Solaris subsidiaries
starship drive design, and it does not appear that the are majority-controlled and chaired by Lynx family
Starfish are willing to ‘hand’ Humanity super-advanced members, often referred to as Barons and Baronesses.
drive technology at this time. More prominent subsidiaries are run by Baroni (the
unisex corporate term) with direct family links to Hector
Lynx. The one exception to this rule is Sol Dynamics,
which is co-chaired by Ugi (The Rock) Lynx and the
Starfish entity registered as H212-1780-2225-1285.

Despite the size and complexity of the Solaris

Conglomerate, Hector Lynx is intimately aware of
Pandominion
the day-to-day activities of almost every subsidiary,
through private network links he accesses via cyber-
grafted AIs. Hector has plenty of time to monitor the
minutiae of his economic empire, due to the fact that
his health has degenerated over several centuries and
Solaris Conglomerate Translingual Symbology he must now spend at least 12 hours out of every
24 living in custom-built, starship-based life-support

65
 environment called the Lion of Hades, which orbits the advanced medical technologies the PanDominion
planet Janssen surrounded by a cloud of defensive has to offer, it is a miracle that Hector is still alive,
drones. let alone running a mega-conglomerate with such
ruthless efficiency. Many in the PanDominion attribute
Hector suffers from Lambert’s Curse, an astoundingly his continued longevity more to his iron will and sheer
rare disease that rejects the processes of genetic stubbornness, than to technology.
manipulation for uplifting. This congenital disease runs
throughout the Lynx lineage, and the family has more While locked in his ship-sized life-support system,
than its fair share of Wildcards as a result! In early and augmented by multiple AIs, Hector has been fed
life, Lambert’s Curse has little impact on the afflicted with information from every corner of the Sphere and
being, outside of making the patient more ‘excitable’ has become a brilliant tactician of both business and
than a typical PanDominion citizen. However, in later
life, the curse can manifest an increasing number
of debilitating disorders and causes the rejection of Transport Dynamics
standard rejuvenation procedures. Even with the most Defensive Drones
Design Edge Warship
Lion of Hades
Lynx Family Flagship ff Total Cost 980
ff Maneuver d6
Design Edge Sporting ff Computer d6
ff Drive d6
ff Total Cost 3125 ff Displacement d4
ff Maneuver d6 ff Quality d6
ff Computer d12 ff Pace 12
ff Drive d12 ff Toughness 5
ff Displacement d8 ff Payload 4
ff Quality d10 ff Hardpoints 8
ff Pace 16
ff Toughness 9
ff Payload 8 (8) Edges
ff Hardpoints 0 (0)
Expert Automatics (Direct Fire +2), X-ray Lasers (XRL),
Shields (SHLD), Secoms, Anti-capture System.
Pandominion

Edges
Hindrances
Lifepods, Shockpods, Gill-fluid, Cryosleep, Nanomed-
bay, Cloaking Device, Shields (SHLD), ECM Suite (ECM), Non-atmospheric (Major) - The starship is incapable
Secoms, Internal Weapons, Internal Manipulators, of atmospheric or submarine travel and does not
Docking Point. even have landing gear.

66
 Pandominion

Hector Lynx sits upon his cybernetic, life-support throne in his command ship, The Lion of Hades,
leading his dynasty to ever greater power and infulence.

67
 science, and despite his frailty, few in the family would centuries of the Commercial’s existence, a wide range
ever dream of making a move against him. Those of ceremonies and cryptic symbolism has emerged
that have attempted coups in the past have quickly that makes the organization difficult for outsiders to
found themselves embroiled in very nasty situations, decipher. Indeed, most non-Teraborg citizens (and
which have resulted in their demise at the hands of the more than a few Teraborg) enlist the aid of specialist
enemies of the Lynx family! However, there is heated diplomatic consultants when dealing with Sigil Ta’ant.
rivalry between the potential heirs to Hector’s throne,
with the inevitable jockeying for power, and thus by Sigil Ta’ant internal organization mimics the Teraborg
subsidiaries of the conglomerate. This is a continual Clan structure. The Commercial is governed by a
dilemma for the powerful family, although such internal Matriarch known as Kan Sigil Mansi (Queen of the
rivalry is both encouraged and tempered by Hector in Change / Improvement), with day-to-day operational
his search for a suitable heir to the dynasty. decisions being abdicated to hundreds of ‘commercial
advisers’ that play a similar role as the functionaries
of a royal court.
Sigil Ta’ant Commercial
Despite officially being a PanDominion commercial
entity, Sigil Ta’ant typically reserves its latest advances
“Be All You Can for the Nest, Your Clan, in cybernetics for members of the Teraborg species,
and Your Life Bonds” and is highly protective of its innovations. Conversely, it
is equally interested in securing technology from other
Kan Sigil Mansi species, and to these ends, Sigil has established its
own security force known as ‘Sigil Jhash Ba’ (meaning
Sigil Ta’ant is a Teraborg commercial based out of ‘improvement by change,’ or vice versa) that seeks
the Airilites HatcherClan, that leads the PanDominion’s both to restrict access to the Commercial’s technology,
development and manufacturing of cybernetic and engage in espionage to acquire new technology.
solutions. No other reputable institution can match Jhash Ba also pays a healthy bounty for ‘salvaged’
Sigil’s technological prowess or manufacturing technology from species outside the PanDominion, with
facilities - though a few less-than-reputable groups no questions asked.
push the boundaries of cybernetics in ways that Sigal
employees would find culturally (from a Teraborg
perspective) questionable.

Sigil employees are fanatically loyal to Sigil Ta’ant,

which translates roughly into Human as ‘Improvement
Pandominion

of Citizenry.’ Every staff member, from the lead

scientists and engineers to the lowliest techno-nurses,
share a deep conviction that their work is essential for
the Teraborg’s evolution into the ‘Kan ‘ng Kan’ (meaning
‘the Pinnacle Being’ / ‘Ruler of Rulers’). The zeal
the staff exhibit borders on religious, and over many Sigil Ta’ant Commercial Translingual Symbology

68
St.Cloud Commercial The Salamat Projection

“With You, All the Way” “The Mind is All”

The current head of the St.Cloud family business is Although categorized as a PanDominion Commercial
the Oliver St.Cloud. Typical of Commercial leaders interest, the Soamata-run Salamat Projection defies
of the Human species, he is young, energetic, and as common definition. It is the PanDominion’s most
hot-or-cold-blooded as required to deal with each influential provider of advanced educational and
new dilemma. Oliver was tutored within the St.Cloud consciousness expanding services. It also conducts
family holdings on the planet Alecto, in The Lantern, pure research in many esoteric areas of science,
by the best and brightest that money could buy, and mathematics, philosophy and psi-dynamics, releasing
is attracted to high-risk ventures with an even higher its findings broadly throughout the PanDominion.
potential payoff.
While ‘The Projection’ (as it is most commonly referred
The St.Cloud family maintains the largest fleet of bulk to) charges nothing for its services or research, it is the
carriers in the PanDominion, as well as a fleet of family beneficiary of massive investments by alumni, many
yachts that are unarmed, but fast and highly defensible. of whom are in positions of power throughout the U.G.P.
Their flagship yacht, the Petrel, is the exception in that and within Commercial interests. Indeed, The Projection
she is also armed with HVMBs and X-rays lasers, has a surplus of funds that would shame most other
and the latest ‘toys’ from the scientific labs of the commercial interests.
St.Cloud operations. The current heir-apparent to the
family is Damien St.Cloud, the next child in line after The Projection’s stated goal is to ‘Develop the greatest
Oliver. However, as long as Oliver remains unmarried of minds for greater clarity of vision’ and it is intimately
and childless, his brother Damien, and even some of tied to the Soamatan world-view. To achieve this goal,
his younger siblings and cousins hold out a dangerous The Projection has established campuses throughout
sliver of hope that they might to able to replace him. the PanDominion. Every core planet, no matter the
species, has at least one Salamat Projection campus.

Salamat Projection campuses cannot be compared

to a standard university or educational institution;
a better parallel would be to a Council of Churches
monastery! The first difference is that a being cannot
apply to attend a Salamat Projection campus; it is
Pandominion
rumored that even asking for a referral to a campus
is grounds for being barred. Instead, candidates are
proposed to The Projection’s Council of Seers and, if
found acceptable on the first inspection, a Jurisator
will be dispatched to secretly monitor the candidate for
St Cloud Translingual Symbology a period of three months. Should the Jurisator confirm
that the candidate meets The Projection’s standards,

69
 St.Cloud ‘Nimbus’ Automated Lifter Hindrances

Design Edge Cargo Mass-effected FTL (Minor) - The crew suffer damage
when the starship makes a maneuver action during
ff Total Cost 1690 FTL flight, the same as if traveling at Pace.
ff Maneuver d4
ff Computer d6 Poor signage (Minor) - Starships with poor signage
ff Drive d8 (whether infrequently used, or incorrect) impose a -1
ff Displacement d10 penalty on the Spacewise rolls of the crew. Must have
ff Quality d6 a Displacement of d6 or greater.
ff Pace 14
ff Toughness 8 Weak-point (Minor) - Any time a starship suffers
ff Payload 30 damage, the damage is increased by +1 when
ff Hardpoints 0 determining whether the starship is Compromised or
Breached. Can be taken multiple times.

Edges The Nimbus is deliberately unmanned, to remove the

risk of ‘crew error,’ and it is deliberately fragile and
Cargo: Bulk Storage (x2), Expert Automatics (Damage has the ability to self-destruct, making it a risky
Control), Anti-capture System, Internal Manipulators, venture for would-be pirates and raiders.
Docking Point.

then an emissary will approach the candidate and make not allowed to confirm or deny that they ever attended
a formal offer to study or conduct research. Despite the institute, though alumi do frequently form closed
this secretive and arduous enrollment process, Salamat networks within the corridors of power if they somehow
Projection campuses often have thousands of candidates become known to each other, or recall each other from
attending at any one time. time spent together within The Projection.

Candidates are literally ‘cloistered’ within the campus

and undergo extensive cognitive training and psychic Froster Commercial
neuro-manipulation, while undertaking extensive studies.
Once enrolled, candidates cannot leave The Projection
until they have ‘achieved a state of sublime mental “People are Our Business”
Pandominion

clarity by revealing new knowledge to the universe.’

That is, they engage in all manner of research, seeking Allan Froster is the patriarch of what is probably
to ‘reveal new truths.’ Some candidates complete their the second largest Human family enterprise and
studies and research within just a few years. Some never Commercial operation in the PanDominion. Froster is one
leave. of the more recent families to join the oligarchy that is
the Commercial family dynasties, having ascended to
Interestingly, graduates from The Salamat Projection are power only a decade ago. The family achieved this not

70
through the demise of others, but by offering greater translates as ‘the door without locks,’ referring to an
economic control of their daily operations to other ancient Teraborg philosophical concept that life is
Commercials, in exchange for official recognition of the a series of doors, some of which are locked while
Froster family-line as U.R.C. Directors. This decision others are unlocked. Walking through any door leads to
passed a vote within the U.R.C. and the Froster line change, regardless of the effort taken to open the door.
was enshrined within the U.R.C., however, Allan Froster It is only on the other side of the door that a person is
believes that at least one of the other Commercial truly tested, therefore a door without locks offers the
families still consider Froster as a lesser concern to be greatest potential for change.
pillaged, and not as equal partners in the U.R.C..
The staff at PYN see themselves as the harbinger of
Froster Commercial does not concern itself with change for the PanDominion, and in many ways they
private fleets, preferring to charter cargo ships from are correct. The discovery of ancient Wormgates by
other operators, believing that cargo ships are easy the Teraborg, and subsequent reverse-engineering by
targets for pirates and a high risk. When moving about
on business, Froster family members regularly charter
U.R.C. patrol vessels as conveyances.

The primary business of the Commercial is to provide

expertise in the unglamorous arenas of both policy
consulting and people acquisition, and this is where it
has to balance the control that external partners can
exert over its staff. But it also explains why Froster is
a popular source of auditors and comptrollers for the
other Commercials, as well as for the offices of the
U.G.P. and particularly the Integration Agency, which
some cynics view as merely the channel responsible
for bringing in new PanDominion ‘customers.’ Salmat Projection Translingual Symbology

PYN Commercial

“Doors for Life” Pandominion

PYN is a secretive Teraborg Commercial operation
of the Jal MilitaraClan, and is the sole manufacturer
of Wormgate technology. It is a relatively new and
minuscule commercial enterprise, yet hugely influential
given its monopoly of building and running Wormgates.

PYN derives its name from Pasn Ya’Niks’al and Froster Commercial Translingual Symbology

71
 the founding scientists of PYN several millennia ago, Jaska Zo
has fundamentally altered the physical, economic and
political structures of the PanDominion. It has allowed
the PanDominion to begin coalescing into a single, “Original and Best”
functional society, rather than a widely-dispersed and
loose-knit collective. Jaska Zo are an official commercial association of the
Teraborg Maisjal ArtifiClan, and leaders in FTL drive
development and manufacturing. Although many other
smaller commercials and species manufacture FTL
drives, the Jaska Zo drives are, like the corporate tag-
PYN Wormgate Builder line, the ‘original and the best’ drives produced within
the PanDominion.
Design Edge Cargo
All research and engineering is conducted deep within
ff Total Cost 3020 the Teraborg Imperial Nest, while Jaska Zo has its
ff Maneuver d6 manufacturing facilities scattered throughout the Pan-
ff Computer d6 Dominion, and there are hundreds of interspecies joint
ff Drive d12 ventures that supply shipyards with sub-components
ff Displacement d10 that are assembled into FTL cores.
ff Quality d6
ff Pace 18 Of all the Teraborg commercials, Jaska Zo is one
ff Toughness 8 of the easiest to navigate for outsiders. Despite their
ff Payload 30 (28) technological lead, Jaska Zo has many smaller rivals
ff Hardpoints 4 (4) nipping at its heals, offering less efficient drives, but at
substantially lower costs.

Edges Out of necessity, a far more inclusive corporate culture

has developed when compared to other Teraborg
Singularity Splitter, Construction Facilities, Landing enterprises. Jaska Zo employs sales negotiators,
Bay x 2 (for Wormgate carrier), Cryosleep, Anti- channel managers and field engineers from many
capture System, Failsafe, Medbay, Internal Weapons, other species, although the Maisjal ArtifiClan maintains
Shields (SHLD), Combat Conversion x 4, Point Defense tight control on all senior positions.
Array (PDA) x 4,
Recently, Jaska Zo has expressed a great deal of
Pandominion

Hindrances interest in acquiring Nuclarine drive technology, and

has offered a considerable bounty to any group
Non-atmospheric (Major) - The starship is incapable (including Armada) that can provide it with a working
of atmospheric or submarine travel and does not even Nuclarine drive or FTL core. In addition, the latest
have landing gear. Transport Dynamics ships that include Starfish neural-
control systems have pricked the interest of Jaska Zo.

72
Smaw Commercial

“The Strength of Will”

Smaw is one of the oldest and most ruthless Human

families with a seat on the Board of Directors for the
U.R.C., and it has maintained a curious secrecy that
goes beyond what most of its peers consider normal.

It allows no other Commercial access to its fleet of PYN Commercial Translingual Symbology
armed-merchant carriers, it refuses to headquarter
with the rest of the Commercials, and it goes out of
its way to do business that does not compete or even
cross-over into the business of the other big operators.

However, despite its sluggish, brutish facade, Smaw

is rumored to hold more influence than any other
Commercial in the PanDominion, save perhaps The
Salamat Projection.

The Smaw clan operates under the guidance of one of

three senior ‘Uncles,’ although who exactly is in charge
is unknown to those outside the inner-circle of the
family. Smaw deploys lawyers and agents in the same
manner in which the Armada deploys warships, and no Jaska Zo Translingual Symbology
one in recorded memory has ever managed to map out
the Smaw family structure!

Smaw’s main revenue is derived from raw resource

extraction and refining, and it actively recruits
successful mining and exploration crews, for lucrative
but dangerous assignments in the Fringe worlds, where
it is undertaking significant speculations for new finds
Pandominion
of Astatine. As a secondary source of revenue, Smaw
has subsidiaries that each specialize in the production
of a cheap but effective variant of particular starship
weapons system. The most successful subsidiary
is Weaponomics Commercial, which manufactures
String-torpedoes made slightly cheaper through the Smaw Commercial Translingual Symbology
integration of less sophisticated safety systems.

73
 Scent of Healthy (SoHel)

“Skin tone pink-yellow, leave firm giving smellswell”

Scent of Healthy is an odd name for a Commercial; it

is the literal translation of the Phoxin pheromonic name
for its giant pharmaceutical operation and, being Phoxin,
it steadfastly refuses to alter the verbal name despite
the lack of understanding of non-scent speakers.
Scent of Healthy Translingual Symbology
Being inherent masters of glanding, the Phoxin
have a reputation for offering the very best in drug
manufacturing, with Scent of Healthy (SoHel) being
considered the undisputed leader due to its meticulous
manufacturing and testing processes.

SoHel facilities throughout both Phoxin and Human

systems provide the pharmaceuticals that have
eradicated diseases, and extended lives of all
PanDominion citizens. SoHel also manufactures a wide
range of phamatainment products, from simple mood
altering drugs to powerful psionic-respondent shared
dreamstate pharmaceuticals.

Substrate/Thought Translingual Symbology

Substrate/Thought

“Think Again. And Again. And Again...”

Known by its more common moniker of ‘S/T,’ Substrate/

Thought is a leading developer of Positronic cores and
AI software in the PanDominion. Formed by a merger
Pandominion

of niche hardware manufacturer Substrate Logic, and

revolutionary software developer Thought Quotient
Dynamics, the company maintains a split-personality
in terms of the methods employed by both sides of
this Human-operated business, although their shared
Contracts Guild Translingual Symbology goal is clear – to dominate the AI market at all levels.

74
Although its pre-merger companies were junior newly discovered Astatine finds - a risky venture, but
members of the U.R.C., the Commercial now considers one which has worked on occasion.
itself as a pan-factional company with no political
allegiances, and to underscore this it has dispersed key The Guild has no infrastructure of its own, and typically,
factories and offices into systems where production is the elected representatives of the Guild are those
already dominated by other Commercials, as well as who can arrange sufficient resources when required.
to fledgling systems that are beyond the reach of the The Guild plays a vital role in shoring up holes in the
Sphere and the U.R.C.. operations of the major Commercials when they start
to fall behind deadlines. Guild members are also used
Support for the ‘hardware division’ on the S/T board for work at sites which are politically sensitive, or in
of Directors is spearheaded by Senior Director Ms. Elia risk of falling into disruptive, even paramilitary action
Grenshaw, a Human who is the daughter of a previous over a dispute. In such scenarios, the Guild workers
Director and the former spouse of Adrian St.Cloud, are often considered expendable by their hirers – an
cousin to Oliver St.Cloud of the famous carrier company. odious position for the Guild, but they dare not deny
resources to the large Commercials when they issue a
The ‘software division’ is currently championed by the tender for people and equipment.
CIO Jaia Dalgedi, who was appointed by the Board of
Directors as a counterbalance to Grenshaw. Officially, A lesser-discussed role of the Contracts Guild is to
both sides of the business function in perfect harmony, supply non-aligned crew to the Insight agency for
but in reality they can be highly competitive, which is exploration of Fringe worlds. These crews are often
how the board likes it. seen as second rate by the permanent agency crews,
and agency crews have a tendency to use heavy-
handed tactics against them, safe in the knowledge that
Contracts Guild they have superior political backing. The contractors,
usually Wildcards, respond to this the only way they
can, which is by being as sneaky and underhanded as
The smaller Commercials and independent operators they can get away with!
that are not powerful enough to be included on the
board of the U.R.C., have formed themselves into a
collective for mutual protection and support, called the Merc List
Contracts Guild. The ‘Guild’ works on the principle of
small fish schooling together, in the hope that the big
fish will see the other small fish alongside them as In a similar fashion to the process by which the
the tastier meal! Contracts Guild provides commercial and industrial
Pandominion
resources to the bigger commercial players, the Merc
The Guild is responsible for supplying almost half of List provides firepower and muscle. These are two very
the expertise and operational knowledge of all resource different arrangements.
and terraforming operations. It brokers the services of
its members to the major Commercials and other The key difference between the Contracts Guild and
ventures, and sometimes it oversees attempts to the Merc List is that while the Guild can act openly
outbid the big Commercials for the mining rights to and is general public knowledge, the Merc List is

75
 completely unofficial, known only by those who can To work the security or paramilitary business of the
stomach the work involved (usually Wildcards) and the PanDominion requires a Merc outfit to act according to
communications between advertisers and respondents the unwritten rules of the List; most importantly they
are necessarily ambiguous and open to interpretation must act honestly with respect to dealings with their
by the monitoring of the Sphere. employers, and not discuss past contracts. Failure to
follow these simple rules brands them as uncooperative
The Merc List is a quiet, and somewhat subversive and unreliable or dangerous to work with.
communication mechanism, and those that have
use of it like it to stay that way. On the Merc List, Once a Merc outfit has its name attached to a
anything from bodyguarding to boarding-actions can successful operation, it will find future business easier,
be negotiated. The contracts are offered as thinly- and although it will not get any ‘free rides’ from the
veiled personal advertisements, distributed via employers such as Commercials, it will henceforth find
pre-established ‘classifieds’ lists. Law-enforcement that its betters have other things to do besides bother
agencies, including the U.R.C., all know about the Merc them with the minutiae of cargo inspections and due-
List, and follow these advertisements as a means process!
of keeping tabs on hostile acquisitions, economic
sabotage, claim disputes, and illegal acquisitions. Certain names that appear regularly, although
infrequently, on the Merc list are likely to represent
There is no formal structure to the List, only a set different U.G.P. Agencies. Although there is no
of commonly accepted rules adhered to by the confirmation as to which Agencies, if any at all,
advertisers and the respondents. As a generalization, might use the Merc List for recruitment, the secretive
the contracts may be published in any of the major Intervention agency is the target of most speculation.
circulars within any star system, and no one can These listings also tend to emphasize a preference for
infringe on a published contract. hiring Wildcard crews, or at least those with Wildcard
leaders and commanders, of which there are some
well known names.
Pandominion

Merc List Translingual Symbology

76
 The Hawk
Most mercenaries work in crews, but some
work better alone. ‘The Hawk’ is the call sign
of one of the most enigmatic mercs in the
PanDominion, an individual who is as secretive
of his identity as he is of his methods and
patrons. Rumor persists that The Hawk is
actually a junior member of the powerful
Froster family, of Froster Commercial fame,
whom, through no fault of his own, was born
as a ‘Degenerated Uplift’ with bad genes.
Other rumors suggest that he is a former
Intervention agency operative turned rogue.
Only two things are known for sure - that The
Hawk is one of the highest paid mercs in the
PanDominion, and that he always delivers on
his contracts!

The Hawk never uses the same starship more

than once, not even expensive starships
custom fitted for the job. Most of the
starships sighted during illegal actions, that
later turn up as burnt hunks of metal crashed
into uninhabited moons, are attributed to The
Hawk, and this supports the theory that he
comes from a wealthy family.

Eyewitness reports describe The Hawk as

human, but possessed of super-human
strength and speed, the ability to ignore
Pandominion
wounds, and even to endure the vacuum
of space for minutes at a time. However, no
one has ever publicly seen him remove his
distinctive helmet, with its ‘bird of prey’ motif.

77
Pandominion

Captain Butta, the leader of The Wild Bunch, is always on the lookout for new ‘talent’ to fill recent
‘vacancies’ in his team...

78
 The Wild Bunch The Waylander
The Wild Bunch are a crew of successful Wildcards run Design Edge Warship
by a human who calls himself alternately ‘Nick B’ or
‘Captain Butta’ of the starship The Waylander. Captain ff Total Cost 2055
Butta is a veritable collector of other Wildcards, all ff Maneuver d8
of whom are specialists in one or more areas. The ff Computer d4
Wild Bunch charge a premium for their services. They ff Drive d8
are also careful to pick-and-choose their patrons, ff Displacement d8
and they have a reputation for avoiding ‘wet work,’ as ff Quality d8
well as patrons with their own reputations for using ff Pace 16
violence as a means to an end. ff Toughness 8
ff Payload 8 (8)
The current Wild Bunch are multi-species crew of ff Hardpoints 16 (5)
specialists, including:
Edges
ff Captain: Nick Butta (aka ‘Nick B.,’ Human,
Retrogenic Expressor). Lifepods, Accommodation, Landing Bay (d4), Medbay,
Failsafe, Secoms, Cloaking Device, ECM Suite (ECM),
ff Stealth specialist: Tae (Feah-na, Retrogenic Gravity Bomb (GB), Point Defense Array (PDA) x 2.
Expressor).
Hindrances
ff Engineer: Philiumamius (Phoxin, Retrogenic
Expressor). Bad Reputation (Minor) - Rumors existing regarding the
starship.
ff Heavy weapons specialist: Targe (Redban, Retro-
genic Expressor).

ff Medic: Lya Stalonski (Human, Retrogenic Expres-

sor).
Pandominion

ff Hacker: T’roc Skree’shar’sk (aka ‘T-roc’, Teraborg,

Retrogenic Expressor).

ff Psycher: “Molt” (Soamata, Retrogenic Expressor).

79
 The Council of Churches


D
espite all the visible miracles of modern
science, it is the invisible miracles that continue
to capture the hearts and imaginations of all
species that have evolved a meta-understanding of
existence. Within the PanDominion, the need to believe
in these miracles is fostered and supported by the
Council of Churches (a.k.a. ‘CofC’).

Advances in the knowledge of the universe, including

the coming together of diverse alien religions during
the creation of the PanDominion, inevitably drew the
spiritual nature of most citizens towards a ‘universal’
view of religion - one that could adapt to, and cope
with, the idea that the universe is not species-centric.
As the old religions faced the question of recognizing
the religions of other species, they began to look more
and more like each other. The logical consequence of
this, accelerated by the need to find a unified identity,
was the formation of the Council.

The CofC is an open congregation that claims to

incorporate all PanDominion religions, albeit as distinct
entities. The old religions still exist within the CofC, but
they operate as sects of a larger whole. The largest
of these sects cling to their ancient structures and try
to distinguish themselves for reasons more political
than spiritual, however, they are gradually decreasing
in importance as compared to the greater CofC.

The old religions that resisted joining the CofC,

and there were more than a handful of these, have
Pandominion

dwindled away in the light of the knowledge that

the PanDominion has gained by unifying. Today they
exist only within a handful of secretive families and
societies, barely numbering in the hundreds, and
generally considered anachronistic throwbacks to a
primitive time. Occasionally, their names surface in
news stories on the Sphere.

80
 The existence of souls in all self-aware creatures
is the first principle, although argument over the
existence of souls in all intelligent life forms, and also
in AIs, remains contested within the theological courts
(although AIs are legally accorded citizen status by
the U.G.P.).

The second core principle is that there is a judgment

after death, based upon the sum of a soul’s worldly
actions. The only point of dispute in this matter is the
Council of Churches Translingual Symbology weight placed on good actions versus bad actions, and
“Symbol of Faith” the dispensations that the CofC can grant to those who
buy Concessions.

The third universal principle is that all souls will remain

within a state of limbo, which can be pleasurable or
punishing, depending on how each soul is judged, until
The CofC has constructed its symbolic headquarters, either moving on to an afterlife or seeking reincarnation
the Temple of Faith, on the planet Janssen in the in this life as befits the soul’s state of development.
geographic and political heart of the Pan-Dominion, Souls will not proceed to the next natural phase of
itself a symbol of unity. From here, the operations death until they have atoned for their sins by spending
of the church are controlled by a twelve member time in this limbo.
‘Council of the Faith,’ which delegates system-specific
obligations to appointed ‘Hierophants.’
The Diocese
After extensive psycho-profiling of the faithful, the CofC
commissioned a religious icon to replace all the icons
of the old religions, as a new symbol of this modern, The CofC is a distributed organization, with power vested
united faith. The new icon is referred to humbly as at the solar system level. A Diocese is responsible for
the Symbol of Faith. Appearance-focused members of carrying the CofC’s message of Faith into a particular
the CofC go so far as to tattoo the Symbol on their solar system. The internal politics of a Diocese are
body, while others wear it on a necklace, and an equal fraught with intrigue, as the faithful frequently jockey
proportion believe that they do not need to display it with each other for relevance and dominance. Philoso-
at all. phers and scientists are equally common attendees at
Pandominion
the courts of the Diocese. All come looking for patrons,
The united message of the CofC springs from so many funding, money, and political clout.
different sources that it is difficult to find a coherent
story, yet three basic principles are often elevated At the head of each Diocese sits the Hierophant of that
above the plethora of information that the faith has system, attended by a court of Determiners who do
integrated. exactly that – make determinations on what is holy
and what is not.

81
 Concessions The Verdigris Concession

Although they carry no legal weight, the moral weight Those who sin through envy can obtain a Concession
of the CofC backs the purchase and claiming of that absolves them for all that they confess to a priest,
Concessions for various sins. While the Sphere will not after having prayed five times. For a sign of atonement,
consider the ownership of a Concession as a valid a priest marks the sinners brow with a smudge of
basis for any illegal action, it is not unknown for devout green/white chalk which is supposed to stay on the
witnesses and arresting officers, and sometimes even face until it comes off naturally.
Faith-loving victims themselves, to suddenly lose all
knowledge of events when a perpetrator invokes the The Diamond Concession
use of a Concession. Simply put, invoking a Concession
is supposed to prove to those who witness the act,
that the sinner has already atoned for what they just A sinner who sins through anger can attend a priest,
did, and that the divine has absolved them of the sin. who will hear their confession and appoint them a task
To be tradable to a third party, the Concession must to perform that will expunge the sin. Typically, the
have been applied for, and the penance stated on the task is to help the CofC in the performance of its good
Concession done in advance. Concessions are hard- works, although sometimes it is civic or community
printed on parchment which is capable of establishing work. The mark of atonement for this sin is an ink
a secure link to the CofC through which they can be diamond drawn or stamped by the priest onto the
validated. back of the sinner’s right-hand thumb, right where the
sinner can see it if they lift their hand.
When a Concession is invoked, the ink is dissolved
from the parchment, which then catches fire and burns The Rose Concession
to a black ash. However, most Concessions are not paid
for in advance; most are obtained as the sinner needs
them and makes the correct atonement. In such cases Even the sin of murder (but not the legal repercussions)
a parchment Concession will not be printed, rather, a can be expunged - although the price is steep! It
mark of atonement will be made instead. Concessions requires a visit to the sacred slopes of Mt. Florens on
are the most contentious aspect of the faith that binds Parity, in The Lantern, to buy one of the genetically-
the CofC together. Some worshipers choose to ignore encoded roses grown by the CofC for an exorbitant
them, while most find them convenient; regardless, donation of resources or information, and one Prayer of
they are a sizable source of income for each local Intercession. The mark of atonement is for the rose to
Diocese. be ground up, infused with a light oil, and poured over
Pandominion

the head of the sinner. Rose Concessions occasionally

even make it onto the black-market, where they are
haggled over ruthlessly.

82
The Velvet Concession

The sin of greed is similar to envy, but it need not be

directed at another person. Greed can be atoned for by
purchasing a roll of finely made velvet of either red
or black. These bolts of velvet are produced by hand
from the holy looms of the CofC. The velvet must be
donated to a ‘worthy cause’ within a day of it leaving
its church of manufacture, and many people donate
it directly back to a priest of the CofC. The mark of
atonement for this sin is a length of silk hacked off the
bolt and tied roughly around the wrist of the sinner, and
left there for 3 days.

The Congregation Of The

Choir Of Concessions

The Choir is one of the most influential and

controversial elements within the CofC. Its power stems
from the wealth it accrues offering dispensation for
sins, accepted in the form of hard currency or costly
information. Within each Diocese, the core of the Choir
is a group of nine Confessors, who, as a group, wield
power behind the scenes second only to that of the
Hierophant. Their weaknesses are their need to keep a
low profile, and to balance the Concessions they grant
against the long term interests of the Church. Few truly
powerful individuals seek out concessions, but the
access this gives the CofC to the rank-and-file within
the PanDominion should not be underestimated.
Pandominion

83
 Plans and Sins predilection for illicit sexual congress with...”

“Brothers, I have called you here to make a decision “What are you saying!?” broke in Proctor Amando, the
of gravity,” began Salmut Fohad, Proctor of the most conservative of the group. “To offer temptation
Artriemaun Monastery. “You all know that the fringe is itself a sin! Surely you cannot be suggesting we do
trader, Maka Lams, has requested sanctuary within such a thing!”
our divine halls. He has paid the dues and sought
Concession. So as our order dictates, we must respect “Of course not,” responded Tesmat, a sly smile on
his request. But as a result, we now have P.T.I.L.E. his face. “But I know someone who will be happy to
blockading our most hallowed home. Their stop and do so. They are even happy to pay their Concession
search operations have driven off all but the most in advance. All we need to do is request P.T.I.L.E.’s
devout, and while we have pleaded with Maka to turn assistance in letting them - and their cargo - through
himself over to the authorities and accept the rule unmolested.”
of law, he refuses. In fact, he mocks us, preferring
our succor to a prison cell. The situation is a farce! Salmut was impressed. Clearly Tesmat had planned
Something must be done.” for this very meeting, no doubt hoping to use the crisis
to strengthen his position with the hierarchy. He was
The twelve Proctors in the room nodded their heads one to watch out for. Salmut had no doubt the lad
in agreement. The rouge Maka was making a mockery would be aiming for his own position in a decade or
of their good faith. two.

“We could employ the Jsenua,” offered Tesmat, the “Will this work?” asked Salmut. “How can you be sure
youngest of the Monastery Proctors and most ardent your contact is trustworthy?”
firebrand. “The cyber ninjas can be very... persuasive.”
“Oh, she’s far from trustworthy,” smirked Tesmat. “But
“Indeed,” responded Ken Leung. “But a scriptorial she has an axe to grind with Maka.”
rational must be given before the Jesenua may act.
And as I see it, such does not exist. Maka knows our “So she’ll need both Rose and Diamond Concessions
dictates, and has been careful to abide by all to the then,” stated Amando, the distaste thick in his voice.
Pandominion

letter, if not the intent. My spies have tried to find a

transgression, but report nothing of use to us.” “Yes. Yes, I suppose she will,” responded Salmut. “I
believe we have a plan then? All in favor of young
“We need to draw him into a mistake then,” said Tesmat’s plan? All against?”
Tesmat. “I recommend we tempt him into sinning upon
our hallowed grounds. My research suggests he has Carried.

84
 Agencies
T
he strength of the U.G.P. is a strength derived
from diversity, and bi-lateral assimilation. No
species has joined the PanDominion without
changing it and being changed by it. The journey is
not always easy, but for species that are chosen the
rewards are self-evident.

The first step on the journey is ‘discovery.’ Chances

are that the PanDominion will encounter a new
species before it develops starflight technology, and
that requires an agency that goes forth and discovers
new worlds and new species, and evaluates those new
species in terms of their suitability to join the existing
mix. That agency is ‘Insight.’

The second, and hopefully final step is a program

of ‘uplifting.’ This process involves everything from
teaching the new species to use wondrous technology,
to genetic modification and social campaigns to
remove anti-social characteristics - some of which are
species-specific. This requires an agency that engages
with and explores other cultures, and investigates the

Agencies

Agency Translingual Symbology

85
 causes and effects of what each species requires from,
and can offer to, the PanDominion. That agency is
‘Integration.’

It is inevitable that not all species are suited to join

the PanDominion. Some violently resist the concept,
while others are opposed to the PanDominion as a
matter of misguided principle. When Insight, or even on
the rare occasion Integration, fail in their attempts to Insight Explorer
bring a species into the fold, there arises the need for
an agency that opposes the violence that may arise, Design Edge Exploration
and ensure that no threat to the peace-loving species
of the PanDominion can develop within its borders. ff Total Cost 1382.5
That agency is spoken of only in hushed tones, often ff Maneuver d6
denigrated simply for the premise upon which it is ff Computer d8
founded, and unloved by media and the public at large. ff Drive d10
That agency is Intervention. ff Displacement d6
ff Quality d6
ff Pace 16
ff Toughness 6
ff Payload 12 (7)
ff Hardpoints 6 (2)

Edges

Insight Staff Positronic Core, Accommodation, Cryosleep, Cargo:

External Fuel Cell, Medbay, Mining Rig, X-ray Lasers
Position Details (XRL).
Directors 2
AIs 5 Hindrances
U.G.P. Liaisons 6
Military Attaches 4 Weak-point (Minor) - Any time a starship suffers
Imperial Nest Contact 1 damage, the damage is increased by +1 when
Starship maintenance 75-80 determining whether the starship is Compromised or
Starship crew 2300-2350 Breached. Can be taken multiple times.
Agencies

Field Anthropologists 50-60

Field Linguists 30-35 Twitchy (Minor) - Every time a Sensor system is used,
the GM secretly rolls 2d6, on a roll of snake-eyes the
Wildcard Counselors 9
starship will fail to detect any signal, or will detect
Starships 300
double the correct number of signals (GM’s option).

86
Insight Agency Insight starship crew are chosen for emotional stability,
first and foremost, although screening does not
distinguish between ‘introverts’ and ‘extroverts,’ and
ff Headquarters: Tsarox; U.G.P., Building (Levels 340- the starship computer is heavily relied upon to smooth
354). over any social differences between crew-members.
All crew will have either a Linguist or an Anthropologist
ff Motto: Seeking new insights. on their roster, and this person leads the assessment
of newly contacted species, and studies whether there
ff Directive: To actively explore for previously is a job for the Integration agency to perform.
unassessed species, and assess them in terms
of suitability to be engaged for the purpose of Occasionally, Insight crews go missing. This is
integration into the PanDominion. regrettable, but not unexpected in a universe full
of astronomical threats, and missions that require
The Insight agency is headquartered on Tsarox, which extended periods without monitoring or support.
also houses the Teraborg shipyards that build its fast
exploration vessels.
Integration Agency
Insight crews are some of the most independent citizens
of the PanDominion. They live and work beyond the
range of the Sphere, and by necessity must display a ff Headquarters: Janssen; PanDominion Integration
degree of independent thinking regarding alien concepts Complex (P.I.C.).
that might concern or alarm ordinary citizens. Insight
actively recruits as many Wildcards as possible, due ff Motto: Progress through integration.
to their individualistic tendencies and relative degree
of comfort with autonomy. Social screening, however, ff Directive: To actively engage with approved
is extremely rigorous and Wildcards with violent traits species for the purpose of integration into, and
are aggressively ‘weeded out’ of the Insight program, sharing the advantages of, the PanDominion.
because of the high risk they represent of portraying
the PanDominion in a negative light. The Integration agency is one of the most closely
scrutinized operations within the PanDominion, and it
Insight starships must go where there are no Wormgates, must necessarily operate with maximum transparency.
and in fact no guarantee of fuel for a return journey. When a particular species is undergoing the integration
They are often fitted with Astatine mining rigs, and process, the political and economic impacts will
extended fuel cells, as well as cryo-sleep facilities. inevitably be felt by another species, and it is common
The starship computer always has a Positronic Core, for this to generate heated debate in the U.G.P. and the
to ensure the harmonious interaction of starship and media.
Agencies

crew during long journeys. The vessels are never

demilitarized, and the crew and starship all understand Integration field crews are put together for specific
the power that even a single starship-powered Point missions, and it is common for long serving personnel
Defense Array represents to a technologically inferior to work together intermittently over the course of
species! decades or longer.

87
 The Sphere likes to play a hands-on role during
integration missions, although the construction
of a Wormgate is never commissioned until after Integration Staff
an integration has been deemed to be a success.
Subsequently, integration mission starships are Position Details
usually quite large and carry numerous FTL dispatch/ Directors 9
courier vessels, to keep the Sphere as informed of AIs 12
developments as possible. In its absence, the Sphere U.G.P. Liaisons 18
appoints trusted and experienced AIs to each integration Military Attaches 5
mission, which are authorized to speak on behalf of the Starship maintenance 50-60
Sphere (and sometimes on behalf of specific Minds) on Embassy staff 3000-3200
an operational basis. Starships 40
Embassy Ships 25
Although they never make their presence detectable
nor obvious, Integration starships almost never make
land-fall, for fear of falling into unreliable hands, and this behavioral requirement is another reason for the
instead send down ‘Embassy Ships’ to do the face- low numbers of Wildcards in the agency. Amongst
to-face contact work. Embassy Ships do not carry existing species, the Soamata tend to be more highly
any actual AI’s, or permanent information stores, and represented than their numbers would suggest, and
instead act as high speed relays to this information they also tend to make up the majority of Integration
which is hosted on the Integration starship in orbit. liaisons to the U.G.P..
Also, both Embassy Ships and general use starships
on mission always carry a self-destruct capability. In There is an unverified rumor, which has existed within
essence, Integration does everything possible to ensure the agency since its inception, that each mission has
that should a mission fail, it does not leave behind an operative from the Intervention agency embedded in
any information or technology that would later pose a the crew. The source of this rumor is unknown, but it was
threat to the PanDominion. brought back to the PanDominion from one particularly
large mission that appeared to be going well at first,
Integration crews are chosen for their ‘social but later failed for reasons that are currently classified
mindedness,’ apparent extroversion, and their ability to all but the Directors of the agency.
to calmly accept what may at first appear to be
distasteful and sometimes even abhorrent species-
traits. For these reasons alone, there are very few Intervention Agency
Wildcards who are on active Integration duty. In fact,
part of a field crew’s job is to document and develop
‘exposure plans’ to desensitize the wider PanDominion ff Headquarters: No permanent headquarters
Agencies

citizenry to some of the new species ‘peculiarities,’ so

as to avoid culture-shock once the new members join ff Motto: In case of emergency
the PanDominion.
ff Directive: To protect the PanDominion from
Field crew are also required to undertake substantial external threats by any means necessary.
counseling before, during, and after a mission, and

88
 The result of several centuries of gene therapy and
social harmonization programs has delivered the
Integration Embassy Ship citizens of the PanDominion into a state of detesting
violence and antisocial behavior. The very existence
Design Edge Liner of an agency with an official directive such as the
Intervention agency, is viewed by the general citizenry
ff Total Cost 1557.5 as an insult to rational thought. The only citizens who will
ff Maneuver d4 work with Intervention are those with an uncommonly
ff Computer d10 higher degree of empathy and understanding of the
ff Drive d4 reasons for the agency’s existence, as well as the
ff Displacement d6 operatives themselves who are either sociopaths or
ff Quality d10 Wildcards who do not automatically react in the same
ff Pace 14 way towards doing what needs to be done to protect
ff Toughness 8 the PanDominion.
ff Payload 18 (4)
ff Hardpoints 0 (0)
What is required to sanction an Intervention mission?
Theoretically, this requires a vote by the U.G.P., and
Edges that usually comes only after a threat has been
demonstrated to be real. However, there are AIs and
Anti-capture System, Failsafe, Accommodation, Nano- possibly one or more Minds who understand that
medbay, Shields (SHLD), Internal Weapons, Remote. the U.G.P. does not move fast enough to guarantee
the safety of its citizens, and these may unilaterally
Hindrances ‘authorize’ (or at least logistically support and legally
protect) agents to undertake classified missions.
No FTL (Major) - The starship has an FTL Core but
no means of using it to achieve FTL flight. All other
systems use FTL ranges.

Poor signage (Minor) - Starships with poor signage

(whether infrequently used, or incorrect) impose a -1 Intervention Staff
penalty on the Spacewise rolls of the crew. Must have
a Displacement of d6 or greater. Position Details
Directors Classified
AIs Classified
Sometimes a species believes that competition with U.G.P. Liaisons 2-4
Agencies

the PanDominion, or even confrontation, will yield them Military Attaches 3-6
a better outcome than integration. Occasionally, the Agent Handlers 5-11
PanDominion arrives at the wrong place at the wrong Field Agents Classified
time, or says the wrong thing at an important juncture. Starships Varies as required
Sometimes the best laid plans fall apart...

89
 Agencies

90
The Sphere, and by extension the majority of the Minds
that inhabit that network, are amongst the most vocal
and active voices for abolishing Intervention, and thus
it is no surprise that Intervention operates without the Intervention ‘Striker’
official support of the Sphere, and often without the (converted cargo vessel)
assistance of AIs. Some Minds have spoken directly
with the media in opposition to Intervention, namely the Design Edge Cargo
Minds known as Janus, Ithral, and Mon’esa.
ff Total Cost 1836.75
Intervention agents are chosen for their self reliance, ff Maneuver d8
technical ability, and lack of reluctance to prosecute ff Computer d4
forceful, even violent action if required. Usually they ff Drive d8
are also Wildcards, but not always; certain members ff Displacement d8
of the Human species have such a strong ability to ff Quality d6
both support and oppose the same concept/idea, that ff Pace 14
they also make effective (but self-loathing!) agents ff Toughness 7
without needing to be Wildcards. Teraborg and Redban ff Payload 24 (11)
have a limited representation in Intervention, and the ff Hardpoints 3 (3)
Soamata have almost no representatives at all. Also,
the Fhaeran avoid Intervention agents whenever Edges
possible, on account of the recent unfortunate results
of the integration program that went awry on their Shockpods, Combat Conversion x3, Lifepods,
home planet. Accommodation, Shields (SHLD), Spinal Lance (SL)

The training to become an Intervention agent is not Hindrances

extensive. There are few people qualified or experienced
to teach what is actually required. Agents are selected Limited-Arc (Spinal Lance: Forward arc) (Minor) -
based on observed behavior, and graded solely by their Automatic or entire category of Weapon has an arc
in-the-field experience. equivalent to a 90-degree cone.

There is no such thing as an ‘Intervention starship,’ and Bad Reputation (Minor) - Rumors exist regarding the
the agents charged to work for the agency are expected starship.
to use their ruthless independence and resourcefulness
to manage their own logistics. In this way the rest of Bad Air (Minor) - The air ‘smells odd’ due to the
the PanDominion can sleep well at night, knowing that substantial conversion engineering.
it has not contributed to any form of suffering, although
Agencies

the end results are not as clean or guaranteed as they

would be if Intervention agents had proper support. But ‘striker,’ which is a mundane vessel, gutted and refitted
then again, working independently is something that with well-financed, military-grade hardware!
Intervention agents prefer. The most common tactic
adopted for ‘combat’ missions is to steal and outfit a

91
 Agencies

92
Militant Arms
Armada

“The Guardians.”

S
pace Corps, or Armada as it is colloquially (and
universally) known, is at the cutting-edge of the
PanDominion’s military might. Its warships not
only defend against external threats at the vast edges
of the PanDominion, but also enforce the multilateral
agreements that make up the delicate weave of the
PanDominion.

Armada’s AI Memebots boast that the organization

has the most dedicated personnel and technically
advanced ships. Its motto, “Strength in Numbers.”
comes from the fact that Armada is the most tangible,
living example of how the PanDominion is forged by
multiple species coming together for the benefit and
security of all. That, the far-reaching force, and vast
array of military resources spread across the entire
galactic arm.

Armada is exclusively a voluntary force. Member

species of the PanDominion donate ships, Minds,
resources and personnel to Armada. On the surface,
this is good will. In reality, it is positioning and politics
Militant Arms
at the grandest (and most expensive) level. The more
a species contributes, the more its cultural imperatives
bias the vast organization’s actions. So while Armada
is a conceptually a single unit, in the last 300 years
is has become increasingly fragmented along both
sectorial and cultural lines.

93
 Report Pang blinked the slick, blue nanofluid from her eyes
and reached for the towel the cadet offered.
Admiral Amanda Pang stepped from the regen pod,
her augmented footsteps feather-falling on the cold, “Thank you, Cadet… Jonas, is it?” she asked. “What’s
ceramic tile floor as the spent nanofluids slid from been happening while I’ve been napping? Report!”
her body.
“Mam,” replied Jonas stiffly. “The Sol Ambassador
This regen had taken a long time. More than a week. seeks an audience with you, regarding the recent
Every iteration was taking longer and, she felt, a Teraborg ships seconded to the Reach - apparently
little more out of her. Sooner or later she would have the civies are not happy with Cyber-Dragons flying
to give in to the increasingly insistent requests from around their backyard. There are five, eyes-only
Command that she upload. Her scared, battle-worn reports from Recon in your SphereSpace. We lost
body, damaged and repaired over the course two another scout ship at the outer limits of Orion’s Spur
hundred years of service, was still functional, but and Command is demanding answers. Of course,
there was only so much you could do to keep flesh there’s the usual supply requests and Kansas
and DNA in working order. Lobator wants to discuss recruitment. I’ve also taken
the liberty of setting up a call with the Captain of the
Even so, Pang didn’t fancy uploading. There was Teraborg Flagship, Death Rattle, before your meeting
something… distant… in the many comrades and with the Ambassador. I trust that was OK?”
friends she’d seen upload over the years. They
became as detached as the Starfish. So she planned “Thank you, Cadet. That’s perfect,” said Pang as her
to hold on to the last traces of her humanity for as refreshed synthskin hardened in the crisp ship’s air.
long as humanly possible. Considering her extensive “Pass me the dress uniform. It looks like it’ll be one
augmentations, the irony of that thought made her of those fun, meeting-filled days.”
smile.
“Yes, Mam. Looks like it.”

Armada is unable to act unilaterally without the

authorization of the United Governing Parliament.
However, when enforcing the minutiae of any of the
thousands of multilateral treaties that exist between
Militant Arms

local powers of the PanDominion, Armada can

effectively blockade space traffic around a planet or
even an entire system. It is a clumsy and imprecise tool
compared to P.T.I.L.E., or the U.R.C. and its signatories,
but that has never been seen as a drawback to Armada
high-command.
Armada (Space Corps) Translingual Symbology

94
Recent incursions are stretching Armada in the outer Doctrine of Least Resistance. The doctrine promotes a
rim. The extent of the threat posed by the Nuclarine is display of technological superiority against an enemy’s
only now becoming fully understood. Likewise, events hidden weakness. In short: use science to find sneaky
around Orion’s Spur and a multitude of encounters ways to disable an enemy, then force a negotiation.
on the far side of The Fringeworlds Rift have Armada The aim of the doctrine is to reduce casualties, both
scrambling to investigate and plan fleet deployments. for the PanDominion and for the xeno threats it faces.

So far, this has not impacted Armada presence in the Exploration

PanDominion core, but as the civilization bleeds ships, it
is predicted that the core will need to begin sending its
ships to where the real threats lie, rather than dealing “Make the Unknown known.”
with intercultural squabbles, and chasing after pirates.
Armada is the vanguard of galactic exploration. It is
Armada’s Stratalogical AIs have warned the U.G.P. that continually expanding the borders of known space,
unless Armada investments are increased by 45.21% seeking new cultures that may be considered for
over the next two decades, the PanDominion runs a inclusion in, or uplifting into, the PanDominion. Agency
greater than fifty percent risk of internal destabilization, almost always has xenodiplomat representatives
regardless of the threats faced at its borders. from First Contact on all Armada ships engaged in
exploration. While such representatives are not officially
members of the crew, they are almost always brought
Duties into Command meetings on matters relating to newly
discovered species. Luckily, Armada and Agency rarely
cross swords over such trivial matters of ‘authority’
Deterrence when it comes to interactions with potential new allies.
Of course, should such potential allies become potential
threats, Armada (and Agency) will use the Doctrine of
“Fight hard and win the battle. Fight smart and win Least Resistance, or failing that, military power.
the war.”
Enforcement
Armada’s primary duty is to ensure that the
PanDominion is protected against hostile external
forces. Such hostile forces have traditionally been “If you have the biggest gun, you don’t need to fire it.”
encountered as the PanDominion has expanded its
influence across the galactic arm. In the majority While defense may be the primary duty of Armada, in
Militant Arms
of cases to date, Armada’s military encounters have reality, it spends much more of its time dealing with
been relatively easy affairs, due to its technological internal security issues.
superiority and size. Simply put, Armada has rarely
encountered anything that represented a significant Armada is often called upon by the U.G.P. to enforce
threat, outside of the PanDominion itself. the multitude of interspecies agreements that make
up the PanDominion. Such calls rarely result in direct
When Armada does go to war, it does so under the

95
 action, as the simple threat of enforcement by Armada
is sufficient to keep the peace in most situations. The Politics of Plenty
However, Armada is able to pass sanction, and enforce & The New Arms Race
blockades when it has determined that such action is
required. First Year Class Lecture: Transcript Memgram.

Peacekeeping Despite is size, Armada represents a minute

fraction of the PanDominion’s output. Taken as an
aggregate, Armada amounts to less than one one-
“Justice has no borders.” hundred-thousandth of the total manufacturing of
our combined culture. Even so, given the size of the
Armada assists the U.G.P. by tracking and arresting (or PanDominion, and the planet-shattering destruction
eliminating) armed criminal elements within the Pan- wielded by Armada, this is more than enough for our
Dominion, such as pirates, rogue starships, smugglers, unified defense.
blockade runners, and so on. However, such peace-
keeping actions are considered low priority affairs - But, with such a concentration of raw physical power
more like training for ‘real engagements’ than a core comes political power.
mission. Few foes within the PanDominion can rival the
might of an Armada warship, though ambushes and Now, all beings, even close allies – even the being
slick tactics by shrewd foes have inflicted real damage sitting next to you - desires a little more power, a
to Armada’s ships (and captains’ egos!) in the past. little more say over their fellows. That is the nature
of being. Thus, it is no surprise that different species
and even Commercials within the PanDominion invest
Aid in Armada in different ways and at different rates.

So, in reality, Armada is little more than an arms race

“In Times of Need, We Are Our Strongest.” among friends? A beneficial arms race.

Armada also renders assistance to those in need, even When you graduate - if you graduate - remember that
- and sometimes especially - when they are not yet you and your duty exists within this barely perceivable
PanDominion citizens. This includes assisting in rescue arms race. By all means, use it to the advance the
Militant Arms

and recovery for natural disasters, colonial support, and cause of Armada, and thus advance the PanDominion.
intervention in planetary and inter-system disputes by But be alert! Never fail to recognize when your
application of the Doctrine of Least Resistance. loyalties are being split. When you have doubts, follow
the Doctrine of Least Resistance.

96
 I
ntervention: As required to support diplomatic
The Doctrine of Least Resistance overtures, Intervention can be applied. This includes,
but is not limited to the following strategies: Cultural
The Doctrine of Least Resistance provides guiding Subversion, Techno-Bribery, Manufactured Crisis,
principles for representatives involved with interspecies Political Destabilization, Economic Duress, Sabotage,
contact, in particular with newly discovered civilizations and Subtle Show of Force. Non-intrusive intervention is
that would benefit from Inclusion. preferred over the intrusive.

T
The Doctrine of Least Resistance strives to bring the hreat Reduction: When efforts for intervention
many benefits of the PanDominion to all species: to fail and there is a potential for physical conflict,
raise species to their full potential and bring peace all efforts should be made to identify and
and prosperity to all sentient beings. At all times, care exploit weaknesses within a Threat’s defenses, to
should be taken to avoid physical harm to PanDomin- remove its ability to inflict harm and bring it back
ion representatives, and the species encountered. More to Diplomacy. Strategies include: Techno-Disablement,
specifically, the Doctrine of Least Resistance provides Asset Capture, Biological Impairment, Isolation, Sci-
a strategic framework for resolving conflict between Leverage, and Psi-Leverage.
the PanDominion and Belligerent Forces, as follows:

O
vert Show of Force: If the threat a species poses

U
plift: If a technologically immature species cannot be eliminated or mitigated, an overt
is encountered, consider their potential for show of force directed near or at the threat may
being uplifted into the PanDominion. If there is be used. Strategies include: Zero Kill Zone Demolition,
reticence, consider persuasive strategies, including, but Shock and Awe, Threat Lead Elimination, Personal
not limited to: Technomancy, Meme Dominance, The Sanction and Warfront Action.
Godhead Play, The Kingmaker, The Warlord Ascension,
and Genome Pacification.

D
iplomacy: Where uplifting is not possible, due
to technological maturity of the new species,
Diplomacy is the preferred option. Before
diplomatic efforts begin, information should be
gathered to understand the socio-cognitive schemas
Militant Arms
of the target species, and to improve the PanDominion’s
diplomatic position.

97
 Force Division The Human Fleet

Within each logistical region, Armada is divided into Even with significant donations of Astartine from the
four key Forces, each led by a Force-Commander. Human dominated systems of the Lantern, Humans do
The key Forces of Armada are Starships, Clearance, not represent a significant political force within Armada.
Support, and Reconnaissance. Humanity has not historically donated many ships to
Armada, instead relying upon the Teraborg, whose ships
ff Starships - the maintenance of ships and, have, until recently, surpassed Human vessels in every
importantly, the recuperation of ship Minds. quarter. Despite this lack of influence, Humans make
up a disproportionate number of the Armada personnel
ff Clearance - Command and control for operations. and crew, due to largely their populous nature.

ff Support - logistics, personnel and recruitment, Now, with the quarantine of The Lantern, and the
meme-coms, and resource acquisition. resulting loss of the valuable shipyards of Sol-3,
followed by recent military skirmishes along Orion’s
ff Reconnaissance - ongoing exploration. To boldly Spur and Fringeworld Reach, Human policy makers are
go... worried that Humanity does not have sufficient pull
within Armada. Would the Sol Reach be sufficiently
protected should other threats emerge at other edges
of the PanDominion? These fears are substantiated by
analysis from the U.G.P.’s Prime111 Strategic Planning
The Teraborg Fleet AIs, that predict internal instability if Armada resources
are not bolstered over the next few decades.

Currently, the Teraborg have significant sway in As a result, Humanity has begun an expansion of its
Armada, and have been contributing ships and shipbuilding and resource donations to Armada. It
personnel resources into the Sol Reach, amongst is estimated that up to 0.1 percent of manufacturing
other sectors, at a prodigious rate. Some question the output of the Sol Reach is currently being directed
motives of the Teraborg, but no one is prepared to deny into expanding Humanity’s position within Armada,
the benefits such donations bring to Armada, and the both through new ships, AIs and recruitment. This is an
extra protection is grants the PanDominion. astonishing rate of investment, and there are rumors
among other species that long-time Human allies, the
Given the Teraborg’s technical excellence in drive Starfish, are using the Humans as a military proxy within
Militant Arms

technology, their vessels are considered top-of- Armada. Certainly, the Human shipbuilding has been
line hunt and interception craft. However, the recent bolstered by the Starfish building – and subsequent
donations of Starfish control systems into a new breed handing over to Transport Dynamics - of a cluster of
of Human ships may be shifting the balance. state-of-art shipyards around the gas giant Jupiter in
the Sol system.

The first new class of starship rolling out of these

98
new shipyards is the Coralios scoutship, a design
heavily influenced by Starfish engineering. The ship
heralds a first for human ships; direct neural-engram
integration between captain, AI and ship, and creates
a shared and expanded consciousness between pilot
and hardware. This greatly reduces the need for bridge
crew, consolidating the role of pilot, tactical officer and
navigation into the role of captain. Of course, it also
means the captain of the ship is wedded to their vessel
for life.

This tech is in its infancy, however. With long term

effects of the link on the human brain as yet unknown,
and being experimental, it is not yet widely available.

However, the Human fleet has not yet been given

Starfish drive technologies, and the Humans remain
reliant on Teraborg drives. Of course, the Teraborg are
very interested in the Starfish neural-engram control
systems….

Field

“Benefits of the Bold, Benefits the Meek.”

W
hile Armada rules the heavens, Field handles
the messier task of dealing with conflict on a
personal basis. From scouting missions under
the guidance of Insight, to clearing ecosystems of
deadly fauna on the behest of U.G.P. colonization efforts,
to wresting control of civilizations from repressive forces
without the mass destruction imparted by Armada.
Militant Arms

Field’s motto, “Benefits of the Bold, Benefits the Meek”

refers to the notion that the technological skills and
augmentation of Field personnel that are provided
by the PanDominion, are wielded only by those bold
enough to protect it.

99
 Duties

Field duties include: Scouting, Protection, and

Pacification.

Scouting

“Eyes Forward.”

Specialist Field personnel are actively involved in Field Translingual Symbology

exploration and information gathering of potentially
dangerous environments, often prior to the involvement that allows them to ‘blend in with natives,’ accompany
of Insight Agents. Such personnel are stationed as Insight agents. More weaponized personnel deploy as
task forces on the larger Armada ships tasked with bodyguards for Diplomats and Intervention agents.
Reconnaissance and are put into action upon the
request of either the Ship Captain or on board Insight Pacification
operatives.

Field Scouts are heavily augmented with stealth “Peace at Any Cost.”
technologies and highly skilled at avoiding capture.
Their missions generally involve penetrating When clearing areas of hazardous species, or
installations and accessing sensitive local military and pacification of aggressive species, the PanDominion
political information and data sources. relies upon its elite soldiers, the Field Front Personnel
(FFP). These soldiers are considered misfits, even by
The cardinal sin of a Field Scout is to be captured. the standards of other Field divisions. While none are
When engaged on missions for Insight, Field scouts outright psychopaths due to the mandatory mental
are equipped with self-annihilation devices, which are conditioning and augmentation, all are merciless in
expected to be used to avoid discovery of PanDominion their actions once legal orders have been given.
activity.
Pacification Force Personnel are by far the most heavily
Protection weaponized and armored of the Field personnel. They
have access to the latest equipment, powered assault
Militant Arms

systems and vehicles.

“The Shield.”

Squads of Field personnel are assigned to all Agency Structure

divisions as Protection details. In the Human sphere, such
squads are known as Angel Teams. Specialized Angel
Team members, often with camouflage augmentation The structure of Field is heavily influenced by Teraborg

100
 PsiOps
culture and military history. Field’s Central Command 
is based on the Teraborg-dominated world of Tsarox,
and takes instructions directly from the U.G.P.. “Hearts and Minds!”

P
Unlike Armada, which is segmented by region, Field is siOps is a newly revealed wing of the Militant
a purely PanDominion-wide force. This is largely due to Arms. Formally established just 215 years ago,
the fact that the need for Field within The PanDominion this branch is thought by many to have existed
has been minimal. Instead, Field is almost exclusively since the dawn of the PanDominion, though it was not
deployed at the Fringes of the civilization, acting as a recognized as a legitimate body until the Extradon
deterrent to hostile species (in particular the Strozi) or Affair, where PsiOperatives foiled a Strozi plot to steal a
aiding Intervention in its mission to bring the benefits Teraborg antimatter warhead and detonate it within the
of the PanDominion to all. Wormgate network. Had the plot succeeded, the entire
Wormgate network would have been obliterated, along
However, in order to keep each Field unit agile with all the cities housing the gates. It was stopped in
and able to respond to threats when and where spectacular and public fashion, when a PsiOps strike
they happen, Field is currently structured into 12 team intercepted Strozi operatives just as they were
Ahaishah (Translation: Guardian Legion) managed readying to detonate the device, and used an array of
by a Ahaishanmate (Translation: Legate or General). psionic powers to immobilize the enemy agents and
Each Ahaishah is tasked with specific activities by the slow time around the device, while awaiting backup
Field Central Command, each of which consists of from Field and Agency operatives.
112 Hashan (Battlegroup or Line). The size and make
of each Hashan is dependent upon the functions and
duties they are expected to perform. Hashan range Structure
from several thousand personnel for Scouting and
Pacification, down to dozens of specialist, heavy armor
personnel. PsiOps has three divisions:

When required, multiple Hashan from a single Ahaishah Executive Branch

will be merged for a combined operation. Most of the
time, each Hashan operates independently and it is not
uncommon for a Ahaishah’s forces to be spread from “The Order Standing in the Face of Chaos.”
one end of the PanDominion to the other.
The Executive Branch is the heart and soul of PsiOps.
Militant Arms
In addition to these mobile ground forces, Field also It oversees recruitment, orientation, and training of
stations permanent (or at least, long-term) personnel new operatives. It conducts risk assessments based
in orbit around strategically important planets. These on analysis from other arms of the military complex
forces are equipped with rapid, planetary-deployment and Agency, decides missions, and assigns agents
vehicles, as well as orbital and atmospheric fighters. accordingly. It is also the only ‘public facing’ division,
As a result of their deployment methods, such Field tasked with receiving and presenting briefings to
personnel sit within the Areo division. Armada, Field, Agency, P.T.I.L.E. and the U.G.P.. Contact

101
Militant Arms

PsiCorp Translingual Symbology

Field Agent, Commander Chapman, prepares his troops for an Overt Show of Force, to support the
Doctrine of Least Resistance.

102
with operational personnel in other PsiOps divisions is While Agency and other arms of the U.G.P. may request
strictly limited to internal members. assistance from PsiOps, the allocation of Prosecution
operatives is never confirmed. Knowledge of their
Information Retrieval actions remain strictly within the Executive Branch.
In situations where Executive Branch wish Prospection
Operatives to participate in actions with Agency, they
“Security through knowledge.” are presented as IR operatives and transferred ‘perma-
nently,’ as normal for IR. However, once such agents
The operatives of Information Retrieval (IR) are the complete their assigned missions, they will either go
ace spies of the PanDominion, trained to impersonate, missing or, more often, stage their own death, and then
infiltrate, and gather information by any means return to PsiOps for reassignment. Intervention has
necessary. While many IR agents are competent become aware of this PsiOps tactic, and now accepts
telepaths and mind-readers, this is not a prerequisite. the fact that any PsiOps agents it employs may be
Valuable information - especially complex scientific more that they seem.
or technical details - is often not held in the mind of
a target, but in digital or even physical form. As such, A less-known function of Prosecution is its role in
IR agents also possess a wide range of other talents, neutralizing rogue psionics who represent a threat
and many take on specialized roles in highly sensitive to the PanDominion. The division has a specialized,
missions. Agency’s Insight and Intervention divisions standing strike-force called the Mind Hunters, that
occasionally request assistance from IR in sensitive track down and capture, or in some cases eliminate,
missions. In these situations, since the Agent’s identity the most dangerous psionics.
may be compromised by the working relationship, the
agent is generally transferred from IR directly into The majority of PsiOps operatives are Soamata, given
Agency on a permanent basis. Of course, transferred the psionic nature of the species. The vast majority
agents probably report back the Executive Branch on of the Executive Branch are Soamata. However, PsiOps
a regular basis, and so are rarely fully trusted by their also trains Humans and other species, especially for
new Agency colleagues. the covert divisions of IR and Prosecution. Many of the
non-Soamata operatives are recruited from the The
Prosecution Salamat Projection. However, PsiOps has been known to
recruit powerful, but untrained psionics, partly as a way
to keep a close eye on them.
“Achieving the Impossible.”

Prosecution is the strike-force of PsiOps. Using The Salamat Projection

Militant Arms
their obscure power, Prosecution operatives take on
situations that no other arm of the PanDominion can The Salamat Projection has a close working rela-
hope to address. They are they shadows in the night, tionship with PsiOps. While it is not a cover for the
the unseen blades of justice and the unstoppable force covert organization, it does act as a conduit for iden-
of will that unseats the powerful. Prosecution strike tifying promising candidates. The result is that many
teams are made up of the most powerful or unique PsiOps operatives are graduates of The Projection
psionics. and possess keen academic or artistic minds.

103
 Inner Workings
Within each was a rage and despair, sharp and spiked
“What do you see?” whispered Geako, his leathery and burning. Yet these raw emotions were crushed
head kept low, behind the guttering of the now-empty between lines of cold, hard, merciless hunger.
building’s roof. The team was close enough now for the
Strozi landing party to spot them. No, it was more than hunger.

Given the number of Strozi deploying from the maw It was infinite greed. They felt a right to take… every-
of their beastial-looking shuttle, Geako calculated his thing. This part of the aura was at odds with the other
team would be taken apart in short order should they emotions, and the swirling metal patterns were like two
be discovered. But Intervention needed the intel. What sharks fighting for prey.
were the Strozi doing?
Her hand continued to twitch, the pen scrawling
Keeping low, and using Raj’s second sight was the best onwards, fed by her insight. She felt dizzy, ill, and
option. drawn in by the scathing whirlpool of mental energy
emanating from the Strozi.
Raj, only recently seconded to Geako’s group as a
PsiOps IR specialist, nodded at her new commanding “Raj. Raj!”
officer. She could the see the veneer of determination
on the Teraborg’s face, but she could read the She could hear her commander whispering urgently to
nervousness in his mental aura. She pulled her tablet her. That’s right. She had to get something. Yes. The
from the vest webbing on her camouflage suite and Strozi intent. She needed to dig deeper… into… into that.
slid the pen silently from its slot. The pad activated,
ready to record her supraconcious stokes. Raj pulled back, mentally recited the Boal Kantra, then
refocused her mind like a fine needle. Just like Kaju
She closed her eyes. Breathing deeply, she let her mind had taught her. She thrust the needle forward, into the
wander. First past Geako’s aura of doubt, then sweeping confusing aura of the lead Strozi and… she saw nothing
over the other team members, picking up traces of deeper.
excitement tinged with fear, and finally, swooping down
into the street below. No inner thoughts beyond rage and fear and desperation.
Militant Arms

It horrified her. It was unnatural. There was nothing to

She gasped and shuddered instinctively, her pen find in this mind. There were no secrets to unlock.
scrawling a jagged mark, unseen, on the tablet.
Raj withdrew and looked at her tablet. A skull stared
The mental auras of the Strozi where unlike anything back at her. She turned to Geako. “We need to go. We
she’d encountered before. There were… fractured. need to get away from here, now!”

104
 Xenofile
A
lthough the largest species by percentage in
the PanDominion is Humanity, there is plenty
of scope for players to play other types of
characters.

Aside from Synthetics and Positronic Nodes (see Char-

acter Background Edges), there are also several alien
races that can be tweaked to represent just about any
near-humanoid alien species. The templates for these
are given below.

And if that isn’t enough, you might want to play an

alien-synthetic, an alien computer, or even an alien
starship! It is also possible to use the Making Races
section in the Savage Worlds core rules to make your
own aliens. However, in such cases, the points total for
the new Alien cannot be higher than +2, although it can
be as low as required.

Big Damn Heroes

Because the heroes of High-Space are all Wildcards,
they need not conform to any of the Species
Templates given below, and you are free to build
unique characters if you wish. However, remember
that the main difference between a Wildcard and an
‘ordinary’ citizen of any species is their psychology,
not their physiology. Ordinary PanDominion citizens
Xenofile

are all socialized and conditioned to the extent that

they are all considered to have the Pacifist (Minor)
Hindrance, and disdain violence and abhor killing!

105
 Xenofile

106
Aschin Recorded History

Aschin (ə s k ɪ n) The Aschin have been around for longer than recorded
history and are fondly referred to as ‘The Eldrich.’

A
schin are insectoid flyers, used to skimming They pre-date Human civilization by a good million
the warm air currents of their homeworld, years, and have been space-faring for longer than any
Ascha. The lightness of their bodies in order to other known species in the PanDominion, although they
fly is reflected in their impaired strength. are not a founding species. Being a technologically
advanced race, The Aschin made initial contact with
PanDominion 900 (Sol) years ago. They attribute their
Appearance silence and secretive nature prior to contact to the fact
that the PanDominion was disorganized, and its citizens
unprepared to accept a more advanced species from
If cockroaches were as big as Humans or Soamata, ‘out of the shadows.’ However, some academics
and walked upright on 4 legs, they would be Aschin! argue that the real reason the Aschin did not reveal
A relative anomaly in the PanDominion, Aschin are themselves earlier, was that they did feel that they
insectoids that have continued their evolution and would be accorded the esteem they deserved.
achieved techno-intelligence. They are possessed of
four spindly legs, upon which they walk, an elongated Evolution
thorax covered with chitin, a chest/pectoral region that
serves to stabilize two prehensile claw-hands and
two wings, and a head section complete with long The Aschin evolutionary edge, and likely the agency
antennae that are used as much for balance in flight of their long history, is their ability to rapidly adapt to
as for sensory apparatus. Aschin have no skeleton, selective pressures exerted by almost any environment.
and are held together by collagen-linked chitin plates, Their preternatural adaptation rates are accelerated
which press together the muscular tissue required for by a combination of their high fecundity and natural
locomotion and other functions. The 4 legs and 2 arms capability to consciously alter the genetic structure
(with three-clawed hands) of the Aschin are lightweight, of their hatchlings. The Aschin leverage this directed
with all the power in them generated from muscles in evolution by filling in available environmental niches
chest section and delivered by tendons. The wings of as they ventured out from Ascha, their home planet.
the Aschin are fully functional, and Aschin can carry Their survivalist tendencies and ability to remain
their own body weight again in additional weight during hidden have seen them through environmental and
flight. even galactic catastrophes, including the rise and fall
of several species that previously dominated this part
Because of their size, coupled with their aerial of the galaxy.
capability, Aschin evolved with little threat from natural
Xenofile

predators, and their brightly, multi-colored chitin

plates and iridescent wings are proof of the fact that
display is more important for them than adaptation/
camouflage.

107
 Customs superiority, they work in the background, quietly
belittling their enemies and manipulating their friends.
They involved themselves in PanDominion politics
The Aschin are a sociable and convivial race, if because they love the drama of it all. They usually
somewhat secretive. They live in a somewhat socialist hold positions in media or the academe. The Aschin
society, where everyone shares the same resources value connections and more often than not, they
and has the same standard of living - much like the use these connections to further their ambitions and
bulk of the PanDominion. Their genetic control ensures personal agendas. It is no surprise that they have a
they are all strong and healthy. The only ones living significant influence in the senate.
in strife are the Wildcards, the very few Aschin who
have shunned their society and are living as recluses Reception
or adventurers. Apparently, they were not imbibed with
the “social” gene and prefer to live alone, staying away
from groups or anyone of their kind. This is not learned The Aschin are easy to get along with because they
behavior. This is a result of a mutated gene present in secretly love getting involved in everyone’s business,
0.02% of Aschin that leads them to refuse being part much to the dismay of other citizens and individuals
of the horde. The only way the Wildcards survive is who like to keep to themselves. The Aschin are known
because of their natural ability to adapt. to throw extravagant parties and soirées, but do so only
to curry favor, find out secrets and even blackmail
Outlook party-goers should things turn interesting. They see it
as a chance to improve their network and cast a wider
net of connections.
The Aschin see themselves as far more beautiful
than other species, whom they feel are deformed Racial Template
or underdeveloped. Thus, they rarely are attracted to
other PanDominion citizens who are not Aschin. They
once held the honor of being the most technologically ff Aschin: Start with Language(Aschin) d4
advanced species in the Galactic Arm, but they long ago
stagnated and now the Teraborg and the PanDominion ff Skittery: Starting Agility d6
more broadly have surpassed their technologies.
Some Ashin resent this and argue that the Aschin ff Flyers: Can fly at their basic Pace and even ‘run’
should split from the PanDominion and return to their while flying. It costs 2” of Pace to gain 1” of height
secretive ways. However, that is unlikely, given the
bulk of Aschin are now deeply involved in the lives ff Weak: Strength requires two points per step to
of other species… and that they now see dark clouds raise during character generation
gathering on the horizon.
ff Outsiders: Start with -2 Charisma for all interaction
Xenofile

Internal Matters with non-Aschin

The Aschin are conceited, but rather than flaunt their

108
Faeh-na With the exception of generally looser headgear, Faeh-
 na clothing and styles are similar to Human, with a
preference towards colors that avoid contrast with
Feah-na (f i: ə n ə) individual fur-tones.

F
aeh-na are the more advanced offshoot of an Recorded History
intertwined evolutionary pathway on Fhera-
2. Unlike their more primitive Fherean cousins,
the Faeh-na are undergoing the process of uplifting. The Faeh-na lack a written history, or even an oral
Most that are now citizens of the PanDominion have one. When encountered by the PanDominion ten years
had their primitive drives and memes removed at a ago (SST), their culture consisted of nomadic family
genetic level, but full social conditioning will require a packs. There was much debate within Agency and the
generation or more to complete. PanDominion at large as to the legitimacy of uplifting
a species that had barely yet developed a civilization.
Appearance The Faeh-na were eventually deemed sufficiently
intelligent to warrant uplifting, but their Fherean
cousins were found to be incompatible with the current
Faeh-na have a classical humanoid body structure and PanDominion uplifting technologies. The resulting split
blended feline/canine features. The head, encompassing has caused much controversy. The Faeh-na have
the brain and key sensory organs, has a distinctly been space faring for less than a decade. Lacking an
‘terran lion’ appearance, although the ears are larger industrial base of their own, the Faeh-na have been
and naturally erect at all times. In fact holding or riding along with different space-faring races as
tying the ears down by, say, donning an inappropriate technicians or menial workers.
spacesuit helmet, causes discomfort.
Evolution
Although mammalian in appearance, with a body
lightly covered in fur, the species does not produce
milk. Historically, Faeh-na fed their infants with Faeh-na evolved from a shared ancestry with the Fherean
pre-masticated foods in a manner similar to birds. on Fhera-2. From an anthropologist’s perspective, they
Although modern technology has generally replaced are humanoid in behavior and physical capability, and
this need by providing pre-processed food, the practice possess a unique, fully-vocalized language (shared by
is not considered distasteful and can sometimes be their Fherean cousins). While both species evolved in
observed. the vast savanna and forests of the Northern continent,
it was only the Faeh-na that spread overland and
The mottled, pinkish-brown skin of the Faeh-na is overseas to the equatorial islands and then to the
normally covered with a thin fur layer, typically tan or Southern Continent.
golden, with dark patching. Despite numerous, outwardly
Xenofile

‘bestial’ characteristics, Faeh-na walk plantigrade Their homeworld, Fhera-2, remains in a pristine, pre-
(unlike their Fherean cousins, who walk digitigrade) industrial state, although the PanDominion is developing
and favor the use and carrying of contemporary low eco-impact villages and educational facilities as
technology, clothing, and environmental protection. part of the ongoing, cultural-uplifting process.

109
 Customs

The Faeh-na take pride in conducting themselves

as civilized members of the society, but have many
customs that are quaintly primitive by PanDominion
standards. For example, an offer to scratch or lick
someone on the ear is considered an expression of
friendship, though not romantic. However, a request to
receive such is definitely considered a sexual advance
(akin to ‘talking dirty’). Faeh-na are also known to
forget the more ‘civilized’ manners of eating, and
instead eat with their hands and leaving a hearty mess
- which is considered a mark of respect for the host
in Faeh-na homes.

Gift giving is a significant and complex custom among

Faeh-na. Different gifts are symbolic of the giver’s
intentions and communicate a wide range of emotions.
A small round pebble may indicate that the giver is
expressing minor admiration, while a sizable dead
insect represents admiration for a competitor.

Outlook

The Faeh-na believe in a link between spirituality and

science. They view the world as animate, with all physical
things possessing spirits. Like any other lifeform, these
spirits require gifts in order to understand a Faeh-na’s
needs and desires. As a result, the Feah-na often have
a quasi-mystical view of the miraculous technologies
of the PanDominion. It is not uncommon for a Faeh-na
to periodically gift a food vending machine with flower
petals, or to gift a Starship’s cabin door with small
smears of mud.
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110
Internal Matters Human

Considering their recent representation in PanDominion Human (h j u: m n)
politics, the Faeh-na exhibit a great deal of interest

H
in statecraft. They are keen on learning the ways of umans are one the more prolific species in
PanDominion, but are still a long way from gaining any the PanDominion’s lower middle arm, although
real influence. not the most talented nor advanced. Humans
possess a highly developed sense of tenacity and
The burning question faced by all Faeh-na regards the generally unfounded senses of both optimism and
future of their Fherean quasi-kin. The Fhereans have so pessimism. In many ways, their odd glandular
far proven unable to be uplifted by the PanDominion, chemistry and brain structure make them unique in
despite its incredible technology and science. This the known galaxy. By being able to hold and believe
unexpected failure by the Integration Agency has two completely contradictory notions with total
led to a schism within the species; a vocal minority conviction, humans are considered unique, if somewhat
advocating for a reunion of the two species and for conflicted, by other species. Their unique, devil-may-
Fhaera-2 to secede from the PanDominion! care neurology, coupled with their rapid breeding cycle,
has driven humanity to colonize far and wide, setting
Reception up settlements in locations other species would avoid.

Appearance
The Faeh-na are considered a bit crass and naïve by
other species, though it is widely accepted that they
mean well. Their rituals and customs are seen as Humans are fond of highly individualized physical
antiquated by most PanDominion citizens. Unfortunately modification, through genetic alteration, augmentation-
for the Faeh-na, the Council of Churches views this surgery, cybernetics and, more recently, nanetic
kind of animism as primitive and misguided. sculpting. However, at non-gene-modified birth, Humans
are bipedal with two arms ending in five, multi-jointed
Racial Template manipulation appendages, with a high relative number
of physical, temperature and pressure sensors. They
also have an ovoid head atop their main body mass,
ff Faeh-na: Start with Language(Faeh-na) d4 featuring dual primary (limited light spectrum) sensory
organs, dual audio orifices, a split olfactory orifice,
ff High-spirited: Starting Spirit d6 and a gustatory/food consumption orifice. These last
two also double as respiratory intakes. This head also
ff Animal instincts: Start with the Alertness Edge contains their bisected brain mass, and as a result,
the Human head is considered a singularly vulnerable
Xenofile

ff Bad cryo-sleeper: Start with the Cryo-psychosis body part.

(Minor) Hindrance

111
 Humans have a contradictory fascination with
reproduction, treating it as both entertainment, but also
as a most private and intimate matter. They exhibit
mostly male or female sex organs but sometimes
both, neither or alternatives.

Once divergent natural skin coloration has merged to

an almost consistent tan color - but is often altered to
almost anything else with self-modification!

Clothing performs both customary and functional

purposes of heat/cold protection for the species, and
it is nearly always encountered clothed in the most
advanced materials the population can obtain or
produce.

The expressions of the facial sensory and food

ingestion regions are the most commonly used for
the purposes of conveying meta-intent, and the facial
area is often highlighted either by clothing, cosmetics,
or self-modification. Most PanDominion transcoders
are capable of interpreting humans’ facial, non-audible
communication, and reprinting such linguistics as
tagged layers over the dialogue. However, humans
are capable of conveying contradictory meanings via
this layering, so care should be taken to fully analyze
intent, before drawing conclusions.

Recorded History

The history of the Human race is synonymous with

the history of the PanDominion. Since the dawn of the
Human species, it has dreamed of living outside of
whatever confines it has at the time. With the advent
of FTL travel, this wanderlust has been taken to new
extremes. Like the PanDominion, Humanity continues
Xenofile

to rush ever outwards, colonizing at a rate that far

outpaces other species. The discovery of the Riftgate
Anomaly and the Fringe Worlds’ Rift has only
accelerated Humanity’s march into the unknown.

112
Humanity’s first encounter with an alien race was the
Phoxin. Despite the gulf in both physical and mental
form, or perhaps because of it, these two species have
become close allies. Each provides strengths the other
lacks, and on most worlds populated by humans, there
is also a sizable Phoxin presence.

Evolution

Humans evolved as omnivorous pack mammals,

with a contradictory predatory/agricultural nature.
PanDominion scholars attribute this to the humans’
unique brain structure. As a result, humanity coalesced
from nomadic packs into dense populations, then space
colonists in just under 145,000 years – a remarkable
feat for a non-directed geno-form.

Historically, humans have evolved through the

mechanism of DNA randomization as part of sexual
reproduction. In the age of the PanDominion, geno-
science has replaced humanity’s need for sex as a
requirement for reproduction. However, it has not
removed the basic human instinct to reproduce and
rear offspring, despite the resource inefficiency and
inconvenience of this process.

Since the advent of the PanDominion, Humans have

tended towards either cybernetic, glandular, and more
recently nano-sculpting modification. Rarely do humans
undertake multiple forms of modification, though
it is not uncommon for some humans – especially
Wildcards – to undergo such extreme modifications as
to make their original form unrecognizable.

Customs
Xenofile

The customs of Humanity form, and are formed by,

the precepts of the PanDominion. Scarcity of resources
is abhorred, and generosity of spirit is commonplace.

113
 Family groupings can vary between large (up to several colonies have luxurious and somewhat hedonistic lives,
dozens) and small (as few as 2) individuals. However, many spending their time creating and consuming
there is generally a single individual within each such entertainments or engaging in the arts, research or
group that dominates the social interaction and group colonial exploration.
direction; this person is often referred to as the ‘Alpha’
by sociologists. Humans are also notorious for internal political
maneuvering, even within a single colony. Generally,
Humans also possess a complex range of communi- the PanDominion ignores such internal squabbles,
cative customs that illuminate their conflicted mental except when matters spill over into violence, or when
states. While humor is common across many species, disputes interfere with Senate-sanctioned directives.
humanity has a nuanced array of humor subtypes, While humans are represented in the Senate, the
each of which has a specific purpose. Furthermore, fragmented nature of humanity has resulted in frequent
Humans’ exhibit a broad interpretation of artistic forms, changes of position on policy matters. As a result,
and express themselves through metaphor. many representatives in the Senate outwardly dismiss
the Human vote, while also seeking to manipulate it
Outlook towards their own factional goals.

The only PanDominion-wide body that comes close

Before encountering the Phoxin, many Humans to being effectively directed by Humans is the Council
believed that they were the sole higher-intelligence of Churches. Some say this is due to Human’s ability
in the galaxy, if not the universe. The discovery of to see faith as fact. In reality, it is more because the
what have proven to be much more advanced species Teraborg and Soamata are, for their own reasons,
has been accepted as fact, but it has not diluted the under-represented within the Council of Churches.
Human preconception that they each have something The greatest expression of Humanity’s influence is the
unique to offer the universe, be it a skill or talent, or CofC’s funding of scientific research into FTL travel, in
their very being. an attempt to link FTL to other realms of existence -
which is in itself a form of escapism from the penned-
Despite accepting their relatively low position in the in existence of the PanDominion, subjected by its much
Galactic pecking order, Humans tend to bridle against more technologically superior neighbors!
it and dislike being reminded of it. This can lead to a
strong inner ‘fantasy’ of living in a world where higher However, Humanity’s relatively subdued position within
forces do not exist… until necessity demands they the PanDominion may be changing. The discovery of the
face the truth of the matter. Even then, Humans may Riftgate anomaly near the Human and Phoxin settled
continue to deny the truth, or at least counter it with a worlds of Gloombridge, and the subsequent opening of
concurrent fallacy. the Fringe Worlds’ Rift by Human-dominated Armada
vessels and private traders, has placed a spotlight on
Internal Matters the species. New resources and new tech are beginning
Xenofile

to flood into the PanDominion through the Riftgate

Anomaly, and Humanity is the main conduit… at least
The vast bulk of Humans live in the inner core of the for now.
Orion Spur. The citizens of Humanity’s well-established

114
Reception olfactory. They were the first sentient, technological,
alien species with which Humanity made contact, and
the two species have become steadfast allies. While
Humans are generally well tolerated, if not actually not as populous as their primate-evolved allies, the
appreciated or understood, by the majority of other Phoxin can be found throughout the PanDominion and
species within the PanDominion. While they are generally share colonial worlds with Humans.
considered untrustworthy, or at the very least
unpredictable, their generous nature has driven many Appearance
uplift programs. This has developed much goodwill,
especially among the newer PanDominion species.
Phoxin are bulky, thick-skinned, translucent-
Those outside the PanDominion view Humans and yellowish creatures that defy easy classification.
excitable but naive. Some outsider species prey on this These plant-animal (aka floranimal) beings possess
(as the Strozi and Nuclarine do) or attempt to help large, membranous skin-folds that are capable of
Humans to overcome these obviously correctable flaws photosynthesis, as a way of supplementing their
(as the Starfish sometimes do). omnivorous diet. They possess four legs, ending in
three tough claws to carry their considerable weight.
While they can rise up on two legs to manipulate
Racial Template items with force, most of the time the Phoxin use their
highly-dexterous mandibles to perform the function
of hands. These mandibles are positioned above a
ff Citizen in good standing: Start with Language(Pan- delicate-looking digestion orifice in the mid-chest that
Do) d4 is reminiscent of a carnivorous ‘pitcher plant.’

ff Lucky: Start with the Lucky Edge The head/brain is an indented area in the upper-chest,
crested with a fronding that looks like stingy fungi,
ff Transhuman: Start with the Synergy Edge OR the which can be used for visual expression by slowly
Glanding Edge changing coloration, as well as emitting pheromones
that are naturally detectable only by other Phoxin.
ff Dedicated: More than any other race, ‘ordinary’ Communication can likewise be performed by
Humans are wedded to the precepts that the Pan- vocalization via the digestion orifice, and has a deep
Dominion is based on. Start with the Loyal (Minor) bass resonance.
Hindrance
As a species they are asexual. They reproduce by
Phoxin self-fertilization of a genetic seed that all Phoxin can
 generate and store deep within their skinfolds until the
right time/place of planting. However, the Phoxin have
Xenofile

Phoxin (f ɒ k s n) ridged cultural controls that govern their reproduction.

Phoxin are a technologically active, floranimal species, Phoxin abhor the wearing of clothing, except for
whose communications methods range into the hostile environments when they don a purpose built

115
 Xenofile

116
4-legged vulcanized suit. Some Phoxin become quite explosion battered the entire system with asteroids. The
individualistic over time, and choose to self-modify meteor storm that followed pock-marked the Phoxin
by patterning their skinfolds, usually with dark, natural homeworld with millions of craters, ranging in size
pigments, in complex geometric shapes that are at from hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers.
odds their otherwise ‘natural’ appearance. These, formed into great placid lakes filled with hardy,
though sparse, life.
Recorded History
The conditions for life on Phoxin mellowed over the
millennia, but were still harsh compared to many other
Like their ponderous demeanor, the Phoxin’s history is species’ homeworlds. The limited resources of the
slow, considered and decidedly safe. While the Phoxin’s ponds regulated the slow but steady evolution of Phoxins.
star-faring history predates humanity’s by at least 500 From Semi-Aquatic creatures emerging from the great
years, when they were first encountered by humanity lakes, to the Phoxin civilizations that arose, this species
they had settled only a handful of colonies compared instinctively recognized that reproduction needed to be
to the fledgling, upstart Human race. controlled and selective breeding employed to ensure
the survival of the species. This cultural trait continues
The Phoxin’s first contact with humanity could have even today, though the technologies and wealth of the
been disastrous. When a human colony ship arrived PanDominion make it all but unnecessary.
on a Phoxin settlement world, the colonists did not
realize that the Phoxin colonists were a technologically When the Phoxin took their fledgling steps into
advanced species. The Phoxin’s initial attempts at space, they were greeted with a system awash with
communication with the human colonists were met billions of asteroids – the remnants of the planetary
with fear and violence. Luckily, communications lines collision eons prior. While this frighteningly hazardous
were quickly established - with considerable, though environment could have stalled other species’
non-lethal counter-force - by the Phoxin, and within spacefaring ambitions, the Phoxin stoically set about
two years, diplomatic relations between the two races engineering space platforms and mining the asteroids,
were formalized and trade treaties established. slowly and systematically developing technologies that
lead to Galactic expansion. For this reason, Phoxin are
Despite the rocky start, Humanity and Phoxins have extremely adept in space and are accomplished astro-
become close allies, and frequently co-inhabit settled engineers.
planets and Ring Worlds. Of course, the Phoxins’ low
rate of growth and reproduction mean that human Customs
populations typically outnumber Phoxins on worlds by
an order of magnitude.
Phoxin are pragmatists first and foremost. They lack
Evolution the customs and social niceties of many other species.
The closest thing Phoxin have to celebrations are
Xenofile

the periodic Certifications Announcements, where a

Early in the development of life on the Phoxins’ home Phoxin’s accreditation for a specific activity is publicly
planet, Phi Cassiopeia, a wandering planet collided with granted and congratulations given by supervisors and
a gas giant further out in the system. The resulting colleagues.

117
 The Phoxins breed through a mechanism of asexual Internal Matters
reproduction and is a significant event in a Phoxin’s
exceptionally long lifespan. Reproduction takes several
years, starting with the production of genetic seeds Phoxins are disinterested in most politics and
stored in skinfolds. These seeds are only released positioning of species within the PanDo. They are just
when a Phoxin is given permission to bud, or strobilate, happy to exist and slowly propagate. However, Phoxin
into another stage of life. However, Phoxins strictly Wildcards can be commonly seen aboard Armada
control reproduction. Permission from a The Council of ships as engineers and geoscientists.
Life, based on the Phoxin homeworld, is required before
a Phoxin may breed. Moreover, the council may insist Reception
that a Phoxin returns to a colony world for reproduction.

Outlook The Phoxin are seen as a docile species that rarely

enter confrontation. They know that they are huge and
resilient so they are very hard to fluster, and thus
As a species, Phoxins lean towards being more self- rarely cause trouble. As such, most other species
observant and reserved than any other race. They are consider Phoxin an example of the ideal PanDo citizen:
the ultimate rationalists. They like to think in black and calm, contented, productive and peaceful.
white terms and tend to have an obsessive focus on a
single topic. Phoxin live simply and need or want for Humanity and The Phoxin have a strong bond. Most
very little. Humans consider the Phoxin to be very helpful partners
and even ‘good luck’ to have around.
While the Phoxin have Wildcards, they are more passive
than others species’ Wildcards, but more curious and Racial Template
technically experimental.

The Phoxin do not natively possess a sense of humor, ff Phoxin: Start with Language(Phoxin) d4
though their involvement with humanity has led to
a curious social evolution: the uptake of sarcasm. ff Natural ingredients: Starts with the Glanding
To Phoxins, sarcasm is hilariously funny: apparently, Implant Edge
agreeing with something that one does not believe is
riotously mirthful. Not surprisingly, Humans do not ff Super-natural: Start with a new Glanding Edge
always appreciate Phoxin sarcasm to the same extent.
ff Tech-rejection: Start with the Implant-rejection
Phoxins are passive and non-confrontational, but also (Major) Hindrance
will not back down when they can show they are
correct. At times, Phoxin come across as stubborn, ff Slow as a plant!: Start with the Obese (Minor)
Xenofile

though not belligerent. Hindrance, including the Toughness increase

118
Redban provide artificial markings of their own that are aligned
 with other Redban ideals, groups, or individuals.

Redban (r e d b ə n) Recorded History

R
edban are the indigenous inhabitants of Redban
3, with curved horns, tusks, and incredible The recorded history of the Redban is sketchy at best.
strength. Armed with several natural weapons, The need to symbolize in order to survive has never
they excel in low-tech environments, but find high-tech been a determining factor in their rise to power. Before
environments challenging. the PanDominion came to the Redban’s homeworld,
Redban-3, the natives lived for as long as their oral
Appearance history could record. When the Redban talk about their
ancestors, they describe the birth of their species in
terms of flora and fauna.
Redban resemble powerful, red gorillas with horns and
tusks. Adult male Redbans are squat but very dense, Evolution
standing slightly shorter than an average human male,
but far heavier. They are normally bipedal, but when
running and maneuvering quickly they lower their bodies Despite their natural strength, Redban are not the
and knuckle-walk. Male/female sexual dimorphism is apex predators of their homeworld, and nor do they
high within the species. Female Redban are shorter and even come close. Redban 3 is a harsh, hot world, with
slightly of build than their male counterparts.. kilometer-high, rainforest-like jungles covering most
of its vast continents, and warm, temperate forests
The skin coloration of the Redban is naturally dark, at both poles. The flora and fauna of the world are
almost black, but it is only visible on the face, hands/ as dangerous as they are varied. P.T.I.L.E. has issued
wrists, ankles/feet, and vital organs. The rest of the a permanent warning against visiting the surface of
body is covered with a dense red fur that tends towards Redban 3, and more than one group of explorers has
several inches in length. Patterning on the fur is linked been lost on the planet.
to hormonal biochemistry; socially adroit (charismatic)
members of the species exhibit white patching of the The Redban evolved to fill an ecological niche,
red fur around the facial region, serving to highlight the similar to Humanity, but more extreme. They are the
eyes and denote facial features, while aggression in the intelligent omnivore that uses pack tactics and tools
species leads to black stripes down the back. to survive. Many Terran scholars have drawn parallels
between pre-uplifted Redban culture and early Human
Given their natural fur, Redban only don clothing warrior cultures, including the Vikings, Spartans
that serves an immediate practical purpose, with the and Cimmerians, and some go far as to lament the
exception of the Krinsho, which is an ornamented neck/ Redban’s uplifting. However, few of these scholars have
Xenofile

shoulder covering constructed using a combination of probably met an uplifted Redban. If they had, they
natural chitins and polished metal plates. The designs would be thankful. The modern Redban remains an
on Krinsho enhance any natural markings and/or imposing figure with a strong pack mentality.

119
 Xenofile

120
Customs Internal Matters

Redban have minimal effective representation in the

Redban customs are largely related to kinship, pack U.G.P., and frequently find themselves adrift in the
positioning, oaths of loyalty, and the exchange of political realm. Increasingly, they are allowing the
promises. Redbans despise oath-breakers and shun Teraborg to recommend political positions on their
political maneuvering. When a Redban promises it will behalf.
do something, it will do everything possible to achieve
that aim, not thinking twice about risking its own life. Outside of the political realm, the Redban are being
Such actions are not considered “honor” as Humans actively recruited by Field. Unlike many of the Wildcards
would understand the concept, but rather “Gnau Gua from other species that volunteer for service as a
Gon,” which can be roughly translated to “an attitude way to engage in action and adventure, all manner of
critical for pack survival.” Redban join to serve Ronk Hon Gu.

Outlook Reception

Redban are largely misunderstood by other species

Of all the uplifted species that make up the PanDomin- within the PanDominion due to their appearance. They
ion, the Redban retain the most combative nature and are mistakenly viewed as aggressive predators, even
customs. Simultaneously, they are the most fiercely by their closest allies, the Teraborg. However, those
loyal to the PanDominion, which they view as their that take time to get to know individual Redban find
Greater Troop. them to be loyal, trusting and fiercely protective.

Despite their warrior outlook, Redban never faced inter-

pack war on their homeworld. Rather, they were too
busy combating and surviving the many living terrors Racial Template
of their ecosystem. When packs did encounter each
other, they would exchange resources and mates.
However, they would engage in a myriad of competitive ff Redban: Start with Language(Redban) d4
sports as a way to exchange skills, and this competitive
nature remains strong. ff Brutal: Starting Strength d8

They continue see all Redban as extended pack ff Natural Weapons: Horns/Gore: Str+d6
members or “Ronk Hon Gu.” They now see the
PanDominion as a superset of Ronk Hon Gu, and ff Primitive: Are considered to have the Low-
willingly do anything and everything they can to protect tech (Minor) Hindrance when outside natural
it. Needless to say, they are prime recruits for Field. environments
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ff Space-sick: Start with the FTL-sickness (Minor)

Hindrance

121
 Shako Unfortunately, confusing the gender of a Shako is
 considered a serious insult by the species, and most
PanDominion citizens revert to using gender-neutral
Shako (ʃ eɪ k əʊ) terms when referring to Shako they have just met.

S
hako evolved from aquatic apex predators, Shako are fond of armored, streamlined clothing that
and although they live in water they can also hugs their entire body tightly, much like a diving suit, but
breathe air – albeit with some difficulty. They in reverse; it is used to keep the water in. Such clothing
like to ensure that they have access to water-breathing is most commonly drab in tone or dull metallic. They
apparatus for life out-of-water at all times. also favor dark, streamlined coverings for the eyes.
Shako are almost never without a ‘water breathing’
Appearance neck-brace, that forms a seal over their gills to assist
with breathing while out of aquatic environments.

Despite centuries of civilization after their integration Recorded History

into the PanDominion, Shako possess a naturally
predatory appearance and physique and often conjure
feelings of trepidation in non-predator evolved species. The Shakos are a proud race. They have been around
longer than the human race and have been star-faring
Although possessed of two arms and two legs in a for a millennia before Humanity joined them amongst
bipedal form, the legs of the Shako are sublimely the stars. However, the Shako are not natural innovators,
developed for swimming. However, their forward bending and while they were technologically advanced upon
ankle movement is restricted, and while this benefits entering the PanDominion, they have not contributed
aquatic agility, it hinders their mobility on land, giving greatly to the advancements of science or philosophy.
them an ungainly gait. Both the Shako’s hands and
feet are webbed. There is also vestigial webbing under While they do cause unease due to their appearance
the armpits and between the legs, similar to that of a and primal nature, the Shako can be found cohabiting
Manta-ray. many of other worlds settled by terrestrial PanDomin-
ion species. For the most part, the Shakos leave the
The neck, with its rows of slit gills, is barely determinable lands to the other species, while claiming the oceans
between the broad shoulders and almost cylindrical for themselves.
skull. The wide-jawed mouth of the Shako opens to
rows of monstrously jagged, tearing teeth. Their eyes Evolution
are almost pitch black, more suited to the depths than
to brightly lit environments. The Shako’s natural hide
coloration is gray with white stripes down the flanks. Shakronos, the Shako’s home planet, is 90% water,
with opposing currents forming huge Maelstroms
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Sex organs are all recessed smoothly into the body both on the surface and underwater. The unforgiving
for streamlined swimming, and the gender of an waters of Shakronos have contributed to the species
individual is difficult to determine by casual inspection rapid evolution. The ancient Shakos were exquisitely-
alone (unless you are another Shako, of course). dangerous, deep-ocean predators with huge eyes

122
and tooth-like structures on the leading edge of their
pectoral fins. During their evolution into a civilized,
space-faring species, they lost these brutal (though
cumbersome) fins to develop a streamlined form with
webbed hands and feet enabling them to navigate all
manner of terrain more easily. It is believed that the
Shako engaged in wide-scale genetic re-engineering
roughly 4200 (sol) years ago to effectively ‘uplift’
themselves. However, the technology and history of
this time are lost. Some theologians suggest that the
Starfish may have been involved.

Customs

The Shako are a practical species. Eons of extreme

conditions on their home planet has taught them to be
resourceful and stingy in equal measure. It is customary
for Shako to travel in small, almost military-like groups
called a “Shiver,” with each member performing a
particular role. This learned behavior dates back to their
aquatic evolution and supersedes notions of family and
community.

Shako feeding is considered a private affair within

the shiver, involving live produce. However, Shako
“diplomats” (a term that is best only loosely applied to
this species) will engage with dinners and other such
interspecies functions, though with clear distaste.

Outlook

The Shako have been space-faring longer than the

Human race, and are not shy to assert this perceived
seniority. Devoid of sentimentality, all of their material
possessions are either functional or handy. Items that
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do not fall under these categories are admired for a

short while, and then cast off.

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 From the perspective of other species, the Shako Racial Template
appear almost mono-tasked and ruthless, with little
humor. In short, grumpy and dismissive. For their
part, Shako see most terrestrial species - especially ff Shako: Start with Language(Shako) d4
Humans - as either vacuous or tiresome. However, they
do have a grudging, though sometimes competitive, ff Super-tough: Starting Vigor d6
respect for the Teraborg and Redban.
ff Aquatic: Live in and breathe water (H2O). They
Internal Matters cannot drown in water; they move according to
their full Swimming skill within all fluid media,
and start with a free d6 in Swimming
Shako are fully invested in PanDominion politics and
positioning of their species. Their role in the Senate ff Fluid Breather: Are considered to have the Anemic
is stoic, as they eschew the political schemes and (Minor) Hindrance when unable to breathe their
machinations of most other species. This makes them natural fluid environment
steady allies, but intransigent opponents.
ff Slow on land: Have a starting Pace of 5, when out
While they do not contribute much in the way of of water
technological resources to the PanDominion, their
aloofness and steadfast single-mindedness makes
them predominantly well suited to hold positions in
military and law enforcement.

Reception

Shako are not the easiest species to get along with,

owing to their pragmatic demeanor. They hate small
talk, and almost always get down to business without
the need for pleasantries. They are never jovial and
rarely laugh. Besides, the sight of a laughing Shako
with all those sharp teeth on full display would unnerve
almost anyone.
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124
Soamata

Soamata (s əʊ æ m æ t ə)

P
sychic abilities play a key role in the PanDominion,
and the Soamata have the strongest and most
prolific psychically-active members of any
species yet admitted. They dominate the area of psychic
development and training, although not exclusively.

Appearance

Soamata combine aspects of both the humanoid and

the bestial. They are tall, bipedal, and humanoid-ish,
having two arms, two legs, and one head. They also
express either male or female sexual organs. They are
completely hairless, digitigrade with cloven hoofs, and
no visual sensory organs.

Their braintooth, mounted in the forehead, provides

them with what would otherwise be a nightmarish
quality if they had no other humanoid features. The
braintooth of the Soamata is a wonder of the natural
world. Visually, the braintooth is a single, broad-based,
horn-like structure that projects from the front of the
forehead and curves backwards over the head of the
Soamata. The braintooth is made up of a collagen
matrix, lined with calcium deposits, containing highly
evolved nerve structures suspended in neuro-active
fluids. Not only does the braintooth act as a psychic
antenna, but it is also very sensitive at picking up
environmental changes, such as air density and heat
patterns. The Soamata effectively ‘see’ the world
through ambient audio-location, a limited form of
infravision and psychic awareness.
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On multi-species public outings and important

occasions, Soamata dress functionally, preferring
modern materials, and practical designs. Otherwise,

125
 their preference is not to wear clothing unless some and giving rise to a vibrant civilization.
practical need dictates, such a tool belt, or clove-boots
for walking in rough country. Customs

Recorded History
The Soamata have rich and vibrant culture, which is
at least as diverse as any of the other species in the
The Soamata are one of the founding races of the Pan PanDominion, though they do tend towards the cerebral
Dominion and, with the exception of the Teraborg and and formal. For example, Soamata have a complex
the Aschin, one of the earliest space-faring species array of customs relating to introductions between
in the collective. However, unlike Humanity and many individuals. In formal settings, individuals are not only
other species, the Soamata did not have a rapid introduced by name and position, but also by their
interstellar colonization phase, where entire planets network of interpersonal connections, abstracts of
would be claimed and settled. Instead, they established published research and treaties, and accreditations.
“Kash-nil Abors” (Transcoded: Temple to Seek Study of Some races, such the Redban, find such customs to
the Afar) on a wide number of planets, both inhabited be annoyingly arrogant. Luckily, the smarter are both
and uninhabited. flexible and wise enough to adapt their customs to
other cultures.
The Kash-nil Abors are places of learning, research,
contemplation, and diplomacy. The very first of the Soamata also have a large number of ritualized
PanDominion’s uplifting programs stem from the observances tied to their home planet’s harsh history.
Soamata’s outreach programs through Kash-nil Abors Very few days go by without Soamata undertaking
on inhabited worlds. Although the role of the Kash- some small form of observance. The more important
nil Abors has been long superseded by the political observances include: Nus-Spa Lachin (Time of Drying
machinery of the PanDominion, the tenants forged in of Salt), Nus Bhaus-Lia Masialash (Dual Solar Equinox)
them echo through the various halls of power, from the and Spa-Nual Kijah-Oman (Right of Birth). The Soamata
philosophies of the Council of Churches to the makeup recognize that these observances have no religious
of the Senate. significance, but treat them as a spiritual centering.
To the Soamata, there is no supernatural “God” as
Evolution Humanity would define it, but there is reference to life’s
ability to view and catalogue the universe through a
collective sentience.
The Soamata developed from nomadic, salt-plain
dwellers on the relatively barren world of Soam IV.
With the competition for organics at a premium on the
periodically heat-blasted planet, the Soamata evolved
the braintooth as a highly efficient tool for detecting
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the minuscule insects and crustaceans buried deep in

the salt layers. Over millennia, the Soamata’s psychic
foraging power turned into a communal gestalt, linking
the Soamata’s minds in a subtle group unconscious,

126
Outlook Reception

While the Soamata are far more cautious than Humanity, Soamata are a well-respected species within the
they are equally curious. They are avid explorers, PanDominion. Despite their psychic capabilities, their
researchers and thinkers. In fact, the greatest honorary open and honest demeanor disarms all but the most
title bestowed upon a Soamata is Jhau Han Hani, which fearful individuals (or those with something to hide). On
translates literally to Explorer-Scholar-Philosopher. At the whole, they are considered wise and trustworthy. It
a basic level, Soamata explore and engage in science is not uncommon for other species to seek out counsel
and philosophy so that the universe may experience from Soamata on matters of policy, belief or resolution
itself through their consciousness. This concept is of personal conflict.
deeply ingrained in the Soamata society, and is broadly
recognized as the Viv Foudaria (Universal Morality of The normally belligerent Redban have a particularly
Truth), from which many of Soamata’s actions are born. strong relationship with Soamata, whom they credit for
their “salvation.” Most Redban treat the Soamata with
The Soamata do not consider themselves superior to a degree of reverence normally reserved for only the
other species, but do consider themselves as possessing most notable patriarchs of their Redban society.
a cognitive state to which other species should aspire.
They see themselves as teachers, and facilitators of Racial Template
the universal consciousness. Their natural compassion
and empathy avoids the Soamatas coming across as
arrogant, despite their overt meddling. ff Citizen in good standing: Start with Language-
(PanDo) d4
Internal Matters
ff Psychic: Start with the Arcane Background
(Psionics) Edge
The Soamata’s psychic capabilities give them a
distinct advantage in politics and diplomacy. They have ff Higher Mind: Start with the Mentalist Edge
attained a position of respect within the Senate, due
in no small part to their rigorous ethics founded upon ff Fragile: Vigor requires two points per step to raise
their Universal Morality of Truth, and are often called during character generation
upon for sensitive diplomatic duties.

The Soamata take a particular interest in First Contact

and Uplift, and have a disproportionate contingent of
diplomats placed on Armada scouts and exploration
vessels to assist with these operations.
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127
 Teraborg Teraborg prefer free-flowing garments, particularly
 clothing that is rugged and has the characteristics of
armor. Although boots are worn, and can even have
Teraborg (t ə r ə b ɔ: g) air-tight seals, they are designed to expose the long
foot-claws of the Teraborg and add to its menacing

A
saurian species, evolved to exploit technology appearance.
and their environment. With cybernetic
augmentation and cognitive enhancements, The Teraborg also possess a rare, genetic “imperial
Teraborg are the ultimate tech-warriors of the line,” which expresses a proliferation of feathers,
PanDominion. evolutionarily likely for display and warmth. These
Imperial Teraborg are larger than the average specimen,
Appearance and often sport finely woven cloaks of wildly colorful
and exotic feathers of other species, which, to other
Teraborg, further enhances their look, and makes them
The Teraborg are one of the founding races of the stand out amongst their peers. Such specimens are
PanDominion. The species intellect and technical revered by all Teraborg, and seen as the living avatars
prowess are second only to their high agility and of ancient demigods. However, Teraborg rulers rarely,
mobility. The typical Teraborg appear similar to if ever, sully themselves with PanDominion affairs. For
the Velociraptors of Earth’s prehistory, except with the most part, they remain within the Teraborg Imperial
considerable cybernetic enhancement. They are Nest.
literally cybernetically-enhanced reptilian predators,
with the replacement of their natural foreclaws, for Recorded History
something metallic and far more dangerous, being a
common modification in the more martial members
of the species. The Teraborg have a far longer history of space
exploration and colonization than their Human allies.
Teraborg are bipedal, and retain the strong hind-legs They were treading on new worlds when Humanity
of their primitive ancestors. They also possess a tail was still tinkering with steam engines. Likewise, their
that is not prehensile, but is none-the-less important technology exceeds that of humans, although the
for balance. PanDominion has seen that lead diminish over time.

Their skin color is variable between individuals, with The earliest Teraborg history was one of feudal warfare
a texture that is surprisingly smooth and supple, yet and bloodshed between rival Nests. This period of
strong and leathery. It is similar to an alligator or Teraborg history eventually led to the rise of the
crocodile of old Earth, and often bears scars as the Supreme Matriarch, who united the warring factions
evidence of frequent physical contests! The skull is and instigated the Laus Ki Guais Shn (First Charge of
saurian, and the eyes are deeply inset into the bony Colonization) in and around the Carina Nebula.
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brow of the species. The eyes are naturally weak, and

often replaced by cybernetic enhancements early in The unification of the royal lines lead to a single Empire.
development, that bring them up to what is a normal However, the Teraborg retain the militant posturing of
PanDo standard. the distance past.

128
Evolution Outlook

The Teraborg evolved as the apex predators on their The Teraborg are highly competitive, viewing existence as
homeworld in the Carina Nebula. The exact location of this a test of not only their personal potential, but the potential
homeworld is a closely guarded secret, although, most of the entire Teraborg Empire. Even the smallest challenge
citizens of the PanDominion assume it is IN1, where the to a Teraborg can take on proportions of evolutionary
Imperial Court resides. This subterfuge is typical of this survival! Dares and personal bets are a very real currency
species mindset, which values intelligence and careful among Teraborg, with formal notifications of success or
planning over brute strength. failure shaping a Teraborg’s standing within their Clans.

A defining trait of the species is its ruthless adherence The Teraborg pride themselves of being smarter, tougher
to logic, evolved through millennia of struggle to achieve and better than all other species. In their mind, they are
and keep their dominance in a hostile biome. Despite their the first among equals.
physical attributes which makes them highly dangerous
at face value, it is their cunning use of all advantages Internal Matters
available to them that has kept them at the forefront of
the PanDominion since its inception.
Despite their strong relationship with - and defense of -
Even before the PanDominion’s formation, the Teraborg the PanDominion, the Teraborg maintain an internal empire
was highly aware that they had taken responsibility for of their own, stretching across more than 30 worlds and
their own evolution, and take much pride in that fact. countless orbitals. Legally, this empire has no authority
within the PanDominion. Spiritually, it is a different story.
Customs The Teraborg revere their Empress and the Imperial family
as quasi-divine beings.
Teraborg are highly rational beings, yet have a complex
set of rituals and customs related to ancient heroes and The Teraborg Society is divided among five MetaClans,
demigods that made war upon their harsh worlds. While each with their own hierarchies, rivalries, and political
the Teraborg are completely aware that such beings are intrigues:
myth, they remain very committed to their ancient rituals
as a way to gaoi ajsh as, which translates roughly to ff Niajs AgriClan: exploration, terraforming and
“make the Nest whole,” or “bind the people.” agriculture;

Many of the Teraborg rituals take the form of a combination ff Airilites HatcherClan: reproduction, incubation,
of physical exercise and meditation, similar to Human’s hatcheries and enhancement of Teraborg;
martial katas. There are also formal celebrations and
mantras to be recited for many life events, including ff Una DiplomClan: intellectual pursuits and political
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OIiu Lok Shas (Overcoming a Foe), Jaipo Shla Shas representation within both the Teraborg Imperial
(Overcoming a Deep Fear or Limitation) and Kjas Las Shas Court and the PanDominion;
(Bettering Oneself Through Technology).

129
 ff Maisjal ArtifiClan: science, artistry, engineering and be admirable traits and have welcomed many Redban into
construction; their ranks within Armada and Field.

ff Jal MilitaraClan: defense of the Teraborg Empire and Racial Template

the PanDominion.

It is very common for individual Teraborg to transition ff Citizen in good standing: Start with Language(PanDo)
between clans throughout their extended lifespans, which d4
can run into hundreds of years. Some may start as Niajs
AgriClan patrons, and find themselves drawn towards the ff ‘Clever girl’: Starting Smarts d6
Jal MilitaraClan later in life. During these transitions, the
Teraborg will undergo significant surgeries to replace ff Weaponized: Start with the Tech Implant Edge
redundant Cyberware with new technologies that are more (cybernetic melee weapons: Str+d6)
appropriate for their new life choice.
ff Cold blooded: A consequence of having naturally
Jal MilitaraClan are warriors of renown throughout the cold blood is a longer waking-cycle from Cryosleep,
PanDominion. Not only are they uniquely engineered to and suffering 1 Fatigue when unprotected in cold
fulfill a wide variety of tactical missions, but they also environments
possess a unique love of the hunt - a hangover from their
more bestial biological heritage. In fact, the Teraborg have ff Choose either Loyalty (to the Empire) or Outcast
a small continent set aside on each of their homeworlds (from fellow Teraborg). Sorry, there is no middle
for the exclusive use of Jal MilitaraClan. This continent, ground! Counts as a Minor hindrance
known as Huas Kias Masla Yehn (The Place of Shedding
Skin), is filled with wild and exotic creatures from around ff Tech Implant (option): Magnetic Claws: Enhances the
the galaxy. In order for a Teraborg to be admitted into Teraborg’s already impressive agility. The Teraborg
the Jal MilitaraClan, they must first survive alone on the is equipped with retractable magnetic claws that
continent for a full lunar cycle (41 Terran days), using only enable it to climb over any metallic, or rough non-
their training, skills and chosen Cyberware enhancements. metallic, surface at full pace. That is, the Teraborg
can transverse vertical surfaces at the same rate
Reception they could move across the ground! However, doing
so requires the use of all four limbs. The movement
pace is halved if the Teraborg carries any object in
Many Humans view the Teraborg as arrogant and one of its hands. Also, the claws can be used as a
condescending. In many cases, that is a fair assessment. brutal melee weapon: D6+1 damage
However, almost everyone agrees that the Teraborg are
a backbone of the PanDominion and very happy to have
them as allies.
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The Redban have a strong and growing respect for the

Teraborg, and this feeling is reciprocated. The Teraborg
find the Redban’s brute power and considered loyalty to

130
131
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 Other Integrated Species from a fight. When pushed into a corner their only
 defense is to break their bones and push the through
their skin to act as spikes. This is only used as a last
resort as the consequences can be fatal.
Aquaendi

Mohf
The Aquaendi are polyglots who speak the common
tongue all too well. In fact, it is one of their primary
trades, as they are scattered all throughout the Mohf are hairy, shambling, pachyderm-like creatures,
PanDominion as linguists or translators. They are standing two-meters tall and roughly the size of small,
waif-like and androgynous and they wear minimal terrestrial horses. They do not wear clothing, instead
lightweight clothing that cover their bodies. They have relying on their thick, shaggy, rust-colored fur to keep
thin, tendril-like hair and their arms and legs have warm on their predominantly ice-covered homeworld
dorsal spines and are covered in armored scales. of Moha-5. They possess three facial ‘trunks,’ which
act as a combination of powerful hands and eyestalks.
They have a very sanguine temperament. They move A prehensile ‘mouth tube’ sits in the center. They lack
through social circles quickly and rarely keep the same teeth, but use their powerful neck muscles to crush
set of friends. This could easily be misconstrued as the lichen and shallow water seafood upon which they
disloyalty but the truth is that The Aquaendi tend to subsist.
get easily bored. They need constant stimulation and
find it through constantly varying social activity. Mohf can mimic PanDominion languages adequately,
but with a deep, slow, tonal-whistling, almost musical
tone.
Ladrossi
The Mohf were only uplifted into the PanDominion
some 65 (Sol) years ago, and are still adjusting to
The Ladrossi are an uncommon sight in the PanDo- their elevated status. Being a long-lived species, more
minion. They are cat-like creatures who breed rapidly than 30 percent of the population still remembers the
and live a nomadic lifestyle. They have soft, padded arrival of the ‘Outsiders,’ and the early days of the
paws for hands and feet and they walk upright. They uplifting. These Mohf still find advanced technology
can usually speak Pan, as well as their own tongue, puzzling and even a little intimidating. Mohf that were
although they are not much for conversation. They born (and genetically tuned) since the uplifting are
are meek and would rather skulk in the shadows than a little more adaptable, but still culturally reticent
socialize. regarding technology.

They band together and roam from place to place, The Mohf are not particularly common throughout the
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living off the land and forming temporary settlements. PanDominion, as they find space travel difficult and
Nothing is permanent with the Ladrossi. They are good even emotionally confronting. Their homeworld is not
scavengers and builders but they are not warriors. yet connected to the Wormgate network, however they
They avoid confrontation and would definitely run away are currently negotiating with Teraborg representatives

132
to be ‘added to the que’ in return for a ‘labor alliance.’ Po’Boq

Noctopaurians Po’Boqs are large, 2-3m tall, bear-like creatures with

lush, raven fur peppered with streaks of white. They
do not wear clothing; their thick luxurious coat is all
Noctopaurians are rare in the PanDominion, and their they need to keep warm in Jiajia, the frozen mega-
chameleon like properties and penchant for remaining continent of their Homeworld of the same name.
hidden make them difficult to spot, even when they
are about. They are bipedal and are agile, despite their bulk.
Evolved from tree-dwellers, they are very strong with
They are tall, slim, eight-legged creatures, with a extremely hard bones. Using just their paws, they are
highly flexible body than can contort into a myriad of more than capable of breaking through small trees,
forms. They walk upright on at least four of their eight thick bush, and other plant life. Their small teeth are
tentacles. more adept for gnawing and grinding hardy plants,
rather than biting.
In their ‘resting’ form, they are green with tinges of
purple and yellow. Shy and socially awkward, even with They are glib, speaking the common languages of
members of their own species, they avoid the company Human, Soamatan, and Teraborg. Some of the more
of others. They generally avoid other citizens and just reserved species of the PanDominion think they speak
go about minding their own business. The most you can far too much! Po’Boq are friendly and are well liked
get from them is the socially courtesy of a quick head members of the PanDominion. They were uplifted some
nod in your general direction. 350 years ago and are well versed with technology.

They have a habit of slowly slipping out and disappearing P’Boqs have been space-faring for as long as they
from social or formal gatherings. This is made easy by have been integrated into the PanDominion. They are
the fact that they can change colors, texture and, to a common in the PanDominion and their Wildcards are
lesser extent, their form, to match to their surroundings often seen aboard Armada, helping with research on
and render them nearly invisible to most other species flora and fauna. Even though they are pacifists, Po’Boq
sight and echolocation senses. They speak Pan with a are also common in Field, as cold environ Scouts and
muted gurgling sound as they force vocal fluids over undertaking Protection duties. Their speed and size
their speech diaphragm. makes them formidable in hand-to-hand combat.
When enhanced and appropriately trained, a Po’Boq
They are generally well-liked within the PanDominion. would give even a Teraborg or Redband a hard fight.
Like the Phoxin, Humans think that a rare sighting of
these creatures bring good luck.
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133
 Allied Non-PanDo Species


Sylvasse Amblestoma

The Sylvasse were once thought of as hostile and The Amblestoma, for all their powers of regeneration,
secluded, but they are actually a friendly, reptile are nearing extinction. These creatures are very rare
species. They have been shunned by civilized society and their only hope to save their species is to be
for so long because of their deadly skin toxins. Their uplifted into the PanDominion. They have only been
integration into the PanDominion changed all that. The star faring for no more than 50 (Sol) years, and make
uplifted Sylvasses have been able to control their use of very crude technology.
toxins since they joined the PanDominion, nearly 900
years ago, and have been enjoying the benefits since. These creatures are slick and slender with short
They were one of the first species uplifted and are but powerful arms and long, streamlined legs. Each
often held up as an example of the enlightenment the member of the species has a unique color pattern that
PanDominion brings to member species. has over 68 color pigments, 60 more than the standard.
Their skin is covered in small, tooth-like scales that
The Sylvasses wear a fabric made out of stretchy, reflect heat and light.
lightweight material, that can be discarded easily
since the Sylvasses shed their skin on a regular basis Just a thousand years ago, this species was very
following their molting cycles. These clothes also serve populous. They are beautiful and mysterious creatures,
as insulators since the Sylvasse are cold-blooded and like most things beautiful and mysterious, many
creatures. They have reptilian skin and large eyes that have sought them out either to collect them, study
take up half of their small head. them, or keep them as “pets.” Now, their numbers have
dwindled to unsustainable levels.
They used to be withdrawn and aloof (nobody wants
to make friends with creatures who could kill you by
shaking hands), but now they are a friendly and care- Dontrogos
free people, albeit considered a bit frivolous. Humans
love to be around them because they can do all sorts
of acrobatic, gravity defying things that humans can’t. The Dontrogos are a small, four-legged, serpentine
They love to show off by running across ceilings and species with lightweight, fireproof scales covering their
slithering across narrow spaces. They have a great bodies. They have spikes running down their spines,
sense of humor and always open conversation with a webbed feet, and a tail that forks out at the end. They
joke or two. have long snouts and a mouthful of small, sharp teeth
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that are continuously replaced. As a notable trait, they

have 2 short, auxiliary tubes behind their ears that can
spray cyanide, a poisonous liquid to some species,
several yards (meters).

134
 Ironbugs

The Dontrogos home system is located at the edge of The Ironbugs appear as 1.5 yards (meters) long, giant,
the Capitol sector, some 51 LY from the Wormgate on bronze beetles. However, this visage is actually the
Janssen. Although the Dontrogos have not yet devel- ‘suit’ that contains the actual bug, which is a laval-like
oped FTL travel, they are well aware of the existence creature roughly 1 yard (meter) in length. These suits
of the PanDominion. Rather than embracing any of the were developed by the Ironbugs in the indeterminate
PanDominion’s multiple, generous offers of uplifting, past as a survival tactic against the fallout from a
the Dontrogos have remained steadfastly independent. horrific war on their homeworld. They do not talk
Officially, the Dontrogos have banned all trade with the about it. In fact, Ironbugs rarely take the time to talk
PanDominion, instead looking to develop their “thriving about anything, as they prefer action and industry over
home” system. Unofficially, PanDominion free traders conversation.
(probably backed by Intervention) are smuggling in all
manner of ‘low tech’ artifacts in return for all manner While not particularly advanced, Ironbugs have
of indigenous Dontrogos artifacts and curiosities. There developed basic (and painfully slow) FTL. Their
are even a few disenfranchised Dontrogos now serving starships lack shields and their weapons systems are
on such trading vessels within the PanDominion. woefully under-equipped to deal with even modest
threats. However, the Ironbugs have begun colonizing
a small area of space on the edge of the Gloombrige

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135
 sector, and are doing so as quickly as their slow, city- Mantos
sized colony ships can carry them.

Ironbugs are belligerent and dismissive of other cultures. These creatures are small and xenophobic. They dislike
Despite repeated attempts, they have steadfastly anyone who is not of their species. They stand at 4 feet
ignored offers from the PanDominion to integrate. The (1.3m) tall and have long, plated bodies with 6 stout
relationship between Ironbugs and the PanDominion legs. They have long, hairy snouts and 2 menacing
has been strained, due to Ironbugs territorial claims claw like appendages for arms. Their eye stalks shoot
over part of the Gloombridge sector colonized by out in wayward directions and they have 360° vision.
Humans and Phoxin. This has not lead to violence, but
Armada and Field have stationed resources in the area The Mantos have never officially joined the PanDominion,
as a deterrent. largely because no central leadership could be found
within their fractious culture. Instead, the Mantos have
simply infused themselves into the background fabric
Keid of PanDominion, making deals and hitching rides based
on individual whims. No Mantos considers itself bound
by PanDominion laws, but they are generally smart
The Keid are a fun, amiable species... when they feel enough to not go out of their way to break them… if
like it. The rest of the time they can be crabby and they are likely to get caught.
gruff. They are very picky with friends and do not
easily trust, but once your are in their good graces, Stargrazer
they are very loyal allies. Their choleric temperament
has made it hard to integrate them into the greater ff Agility d4-1
PanDominion, but their endearing quality of steadfast- ff Smarts d4
ness and unwavering allegiance has stood them in ff Drive d4-1
good stead as freelance operatives within the Agencies. ff Displacement d10
ff Quality d10
They have a gray, dull coat peppered with white streaks ff Pace 1
and highlighted by a long white line along the length ff Toughness 10
of their backs. Their huge, formidable horns are used ff Payload 20 (4)
mainly for antagonistic behavior among their peers. ff Hardpoints 10 (0)
Their strong, segmented hooves give them uncanny
climbing abilities.
Edges: Cryosleep, Non-Reactive Surface (NRS),
The Keid have a penchant for extravagant clothing and Tempest Shielding, Shield Modulator (SMOD), FTL-
jewelry. Nose rings, horn caps, shaved and colored pat- drain tentacles (disables FTL Cores for 3 rounds)
terns in their facial fur, silk and neuro-sensitive cloth
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coats and hoods, are all examples of Keid attire. Like Hindrances: Non-atmospheric (Major) - The starship
Humans, the more ornate the outfit, the more socially is incapable of atmospheric or submarine travel and
outrageous and noticeable they believe themselves. does not even have landing gear. Incompatible with
the Aero Hindrance

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As a rule, Mantos are acrimonious and rowdy. A favored lag. Conversely, the Stargrazers see most life as
pastime is to become dangerously inebriated and pick moving in dizzying motion, and much like humans
fights. However, they are hard workers who will take on experience rain, they ignore individuals in favor of the
tough jobs and dirty deeds the more civilized citizens aggregate experience.
of the PanDominion would rather avoid, and that
Wildcards charge too much to perform. They are very Stargrazers are solitary creatures, though they have
well suited to hard labor and the occasional brawl, due been known to gather in ‘suprapods’ in order to mix
to their tough plates, claws and stubborn nature. This genetic patterns and exchange cognitive-crystal
‘work ethic’ has endeared the Mantos to some of the engrams. Such exchanges not only result in progeny,
PanDominion’s commercials. but also a sharing of memories between the individuals.

Most Mantos can speak Pan but prefer not to. They Prior to the discovery of their sentience, Stargrazers
only socialize among their kind, but are happy to do were sometimes harnessed as inexpensive starships,
so (loudly and offensively) in public places within the controlled though invasive, high-powered radio
PanDominion. transmitters. This practice is now strictly forbidden.
However, many Stargrazers carry the memories of
their enslaved ancestors, yet do not see this time as
Stargrazers a trial, but rather a curiosity. It is possible - though
not trivial - to negotiate the services of a Stargrazer
to carry individuals over galactic distances, or even
Stargrazers are tens-of-kilometers wide, crystalline- act as a ‘long term’ ally (though from the Stargrazer’s
organic, prysmic, jellyfish-like creatures that orbit gas perspective, such times are relatively short).
giants, from which they harvest materials via tendrils
that can trail thousands of kilometers into the mineral- The Integration Agency has deemed the Stargrazers
rich atmospheres. While relatively rare, they are found too unique an intellect for successful uplifting. It has,
throughout the PanDominion, having spread under however, placed the species on the PanDominion
their inherent FTL capabilities. They are believed to Protected Species list.
be functionally immortal, outside of misadventure or
attack.
Stryxxons
Stargrazers appear passive much of the time, but
do possess the ability to focus collected energy as
a powerful shield. In addition, they can close and This humanoid-avian species has evolved flight and
wrap starships in their tendrils that will rapidly drain stealth, with their lightweight bones and serrated
even the most powerful FTL cores. However, they are feathers. They may have small, beady eyes but their
painfully slow to react. night vision is excellent. They sport a circular pattern of
feathers on their faces, and each one can be adjusted
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It has now been scientifically proven that Stargrazers to optimize directional hearing. They have razor sharp
possess powerful sentience, yet one that operates talons for hands and feet, and their limbs are thin but
1024 times slower than PanDominion expectations. To strong. They wear lightweight textiles to cover their
biological citizens of the PanDominion, conversing with bodies and leather shin guards and arm braces.
Stargrazers is almost impossible due to the cognitive

137
 The Stryxxons homeworld is located in the Styx system. private uplifting of the PanDominion as a whole, but
When first encountered by the PanDominion, the doing so to a grand, millennial-spanning strategy.
Stryxxons had not yet left their homeworld. However, Certainly the Starfish are an advocate of uplifting,
the ruling God-Matriach of the “Stryxxon Empire” and are frequently directly involved in the integration
deemed that their species genetics were perfect and of promising species into the PanDominion via multi-
so it was decreed - for eternity - that the civilization generational programs. The Starfish take the long-term
would be banned from merging with the PanDominion. view, likely as a result of their vast lifespans.

Instead, The Concord of Whistler was struck, where

Stryxxon citizens would be granted right of passage Given their almost god-like powers, secretive nature
and protection throughout the PanDominion, in return and pivotal role in the story to come, Starfish are a
for no claims being made on the Styx sector. Of non-playable species.
course, this entire ‘deal’ is a thinly veiled ploy to allow
the Stryxxon to join the PanDominion in all but name, Starfish are thought to be functionally immortal. They
while avoiding the uplifting process - though many switch their consciousness between an infinite variety
politicians argue that this is much needed in the case of cybernetic constructs, from the common, human-
of the Stryxxon! sized Starfish-‘hominid-interface bodies to giant
Kraken warbots, from single-minded microbot swarm
The Stryxxon have a stoic demeanor and do not intrusion units to vast, sentient starships. No matter the
get easily rattled. They are also ruthless, and not myriad array of physical bodies the Starfish inhabit,
squeamish about committing violence when they see all share the general, physical aspects that reflect the
the need. They are excellent in reconnaissance, and Starfish’s neuro-muscular schema: five flexible limbs,
it is not uncommon to see them acting as advisors radially spaced around a football-shaped torso, ringed
in private armed vessels or commercial mercenary with photo and electromagnetic receptors.
squads.
Starfish constructs are a nano-level blend of biological
Starfish and mechanical technologies – even their starships.
 As such, they require both biological and electrical
fuel sources, though the biological food sources are

S
tarfish are an ancient, space-faring, bio- generally minute. Larger Starfish constructs can house
mechanoid species that stand apart from the single-point quantum reactors or even FTL cores for
PanDominion, but involve themselves in its energy.
development for reasons not yet well understood.
Of all the species encountered by the PanDominion, The Starfish physiology is quite unlike that of other
the Starfish are the most intimately blended with species. They evolved from aquatic, apex, defensive
technology and arguably one of the most advanced organisms, free from the threat of predators, and likewise
species, surpassing even the Teraborg and Nuclarine. free from the natural aggression inherent in predator
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They are enigmatic to the point of mystical and species. Furthermore, the Starfish evolved to ‘see’ the
circumspect with how they share their knowledge. world as a sphere of finely graded electromagnetic
fields. Very little escapes their attention.
Many believe the Starfish are engaged in their own,

138
Their original pentahordate biology had quasi- Indeed, cults that worship the Starfish have sprouted
independent ’brains’ (a combination of spine and brain) up among many of the species they have helped.
running along each of their five legs. Coordination Among Humanity, two major cults have emerged: The
between the brains was network divested, meaning Church of Empirical Divinity, and The Five Ways of
the Starfish evolved with parallel consciousness. This Being. When questioned about the rise of such cults,
biological template carries forward into the Starfish’s the Starfish respond with a speech pattern that implies
constructed bodies, likely to preserve the species’ both a heartfelt honor and bemusement in an infant’s
neuro-schemas. attempts to walk in equal measure.

It is no secret that Humanity’s loosely-coupled, History

bisected neurology fascinates the Starfish. Indeed,
some scholars argue that it is similarity between the
primate Human brains and the hyper-evolved brains The Starfish were a starfaring species long before
that is the reason why the Starfish have taken such an they encountered FTL. They seeded dozens – possibly
interest in Human affairs over the past millennia. hundreds – of worlds in the galactic core the hard
way, by sub-light colony ship. When uploaded into
The Starfish language is indecipherable to other species biomechanical constructs and starships, the Starfish
without neuro-AI augmentation. It is constructed as can alter their perception of the passage of time by
holistic patterns of story and meaning, independent simply ‘dialing back’ their mental processing. What
of temporal construction. In the native Starfish form, would seem like generational travel between stars
the language is presented as low-power radio wave can appear a matter of minutes for an appropriately
broadcasts. When the Starfish think and speak, it is configured Starfish brain.
more like the result of consensus. A far cry from the
‘stream of consciousness’ used by most species. Of Even once the Starfish were given FTL technology
course, the Starfish make heavy use of translation (by the Soamata) they continued with a slow and
technologies to converse with ‘less attuned’ beings. methodical expansion. As the Starfish encounter new
sentient races that take their interest, they set about
The Starfish see problems and discussions, from start the task of directing cultural and even genealogical
to finish, as an internal simulacrum to which multiple, evolution towards uplifting the species into the
rigorous, philosophical frameworks may be applied. PanDominion… and maybe something even greater.
Sometimes this makes Starfish appear to ‘know it all,’ Exactly why Starfish take an interest in one species
verging on arrogant. Yet they present themselves with but not another is unclear, and a matter of great debate
a peaceful difference that is disarming. among PanDominion scholars.

All of the above means that, even for seasoned It is not known how many Starfish colonies exist,
diplomats, the Starfish are maddeningly obtuse. though is it well understood that they have become a
Starfish mindset is a combination of sage-like pacifism, largely spaceborne species. In the last two millennia,
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ruthless realpolitik and razor-sharp philosophical the Starfish are not known to have settled any new
insight. worlds. Instead, they focus their efforts on developing
other species.
For the common being, they are downright mystical.

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 Xenofile

140
The Starfish do not appear to be replicating, but neither Alliances
are they in decline. Few Starfish seem to stay dead.
While the Starfish have not confirmed the rumor, it is
widely believed that they copy-upload and freeze their No species within the PanDominion appears to have
neural engrams periodically. Somewhere, it is said, lies a beef with the Starfish. How can you hold a grudge
a vast repository of Starfish minds. When a Starfish against impeccably logical, unbiased beings who
‘passes away’ their most recently saved engram is see all points of view concurrently? That said, some
loaded into a new construct and they are reborn, so accuse the Starfish of being interfering parents and of
it is said. perpetrating cultural arrogance.

The political structure of the Starfish is completely The Starfish and Soamata have a particularly close
unknown, outside of its U.G.P. representation. For the relationship. When these two species first met, the
past 800 years, the Starfish representative to the U.G.P. PanDominion was in its infancy. Each species could
has been simply called “Entity 5101-3209-1123-.7912- not be more different, yet both possessed strengths
8771” Given that this representative’s construct has the other did not. The Soamata were beings of great
changed hundreds of times, no one is sure if it is the mental ability and psi powers, while the Starfish were
same individual or a replacement. Whatever the case, powerhouses of techno-logic and philosophy. Yet both
this representative speaks on behalf of all Starfish, and sought the same goal: the enhancement and unification
all Starfish follow “E5101’s” edicts. of all intelligence species in the galaxy. While the two
species remain unique from each other in how they
Homeworld implement their goals, each has grown to have a clear
respect for the other.

Originally an ocean world, the Starfish homeworld Is The Teraborg are openly confused by the Starfish. From
now considered a unified, living construct in its own a Teraborg’s perspective, it is difficult to reconcile the
right. The entire planet’s ecosystem has been adjusted Starfish pacifism with the corresponding efficiency and
and enhanced so that every living being is merged into technological prowess. The Teraborg openly seek to
a supermassive consciousness engine. The purpose gain proprietary Starfish cybernetic technologies for
of this engine has not been revealed. Some claim it is themselves, and will pay handsomely for any such
the technical equivalent of ‘ascension’ for the Starfish, technology. However, they will not take direct action
while others suggest it may be the living repository that could harm relations with the Starfish… though if
for Starfish copy-upload engrams. When asked, the others were to pass on ill-gained tech….
Starfish simply state: ‘Viv-Minadal: Everything that can
be sentient, is to be sentient.’ Humanity currently has a very close relationship with
the Starfish. The Starfish are deeply engaged in human
Access to the Starfish Homeworld is restricted. Those development, both providing technological resources
few admitted to the homeworld do not return. This and mentoring. Most recently, the Starfish have been
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does not stop some beings from requesting access, involved in the rebuilding of human resources after the
as the mystical allure of Starfish knowledge is very events in the Lantern. Even so, some questions are
strong indeed. Some assume that being admitted to being asked as the Starfish’s ongoing blockade of the
the homeworld provides immortality. Others believe it Lantern nebula.
provides oblivion. The truth may be a melding of both.

141
 Strozi The pinnacle of Strozi technology appears to be matter-
 transference, or ‘teleportation,’ and aside from the
U.G.P., there are also numerous private and Commercial

I
t has been over 2100 years since Humanity and concerns who are actively seeking examples of the
the Teraborg first encountered the Strozi Empire technology, which is apparently capable of transferring
on the eastern fringes shared space, when Strozi humanoid sized beings and objects within the same
ships arrived without warning and blockaded several star system. Strozi starships appear to use an FTL
colonized planets. They issued no demands, but all technology that is very similar to that produced by the
communications with those planets were cut off for Teraborg shipyards.
several weeks, after which the Strozi departed as
quickly and as silently as they had arrived. The Strozi have adopted an uncaring attitude towards the
PanDominion, and have never officially acknowledged
Reports from the blockaded planets told stories of its existence. They have never volunteered or shared
grotesque Strozi ‘ambassadors,’ and humans being any astrological data, and thus the size and make-
ferried up to their starships using some kind of matter up of their empire is a mystery. All that is known is
transmission device. Those taken have little to report that Strozi appear to live a very hierarchical existence,
except that they were detained in spartan conditions, and that there are hundreds of colonized worlds within
and questioned on a diverse range of common subjects. observable range of their border, which are mostly
those suited to organic life, and all presumably ruled
The physical appearance of the Strozi is quite or managed by some form of Wormgate technology.
startling to citizens of the PanDominion. An ordinary
PanDominion citizen is socialized and genetically Strozi Abilities
modified so as to have a peaceful outlook on life and
to abhor violence. Sadly, the appearance of a Strozi
triggers reactions of fear and abhorrence that most ff Eloquent: Start with Language(Strozi) d10
find difficult to overcome. Observers have described
Stozi specimens as ‘decrepit’ and ‘cadaverous’ in ff Thirsters (for knowledge): Start with Knowledge
post-contact interviews, with an apparently cruel and (Human, Soamata, or Teraborg) d4
uncaring demeanor.
ff Antithesis: The appearance of the Strozi causes
The Integration Agency specially trains those agents Fear checks to all non-Wildcard, PanDominion
who might come face to face with a Strozi in ways citizens
to control their fear, but it also deliberately employs
Wildcards because they do not exhibit the same ff Uncaring: Uncaring of the suffering of others,
adverse reactions when dealing with the Strozi (or at Strozi all have the Cruel (Minor) Hindrance
least not to a debilitating degree).
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The Strozi are bad guys with big, bad secrets. They
are a non-playable species.

142
143
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 Nuclarine Like the Strozi, the Nuclarine are bad guys. They are
 not a playable species.

F
irst contact with the Nuclarine was ‘The Incident,’ Very little is known about the Nuclarine. They defy the
which gave rise to the desire to form the efforts of the PanDominion to understand them, and
PanDominion. aside from material resources they seem to want very
little from other species, and absolutely nothing from
A Human and Phoxin terraforming vessel arrived at biological matter. Their special interest in Teraborg
Hadri-3. This was the furthest south that any colonial technology remains a bone of contention within the
vessel had ever traveled at the time. Once within PanDominion, and the U.G.P. is loath to send Teraborg
Maximum Sensor Range of the system, the terraforming units or starships exploring south.
vessel picked up an unknown FTL signature in close
orbit of the local star, and subsequently dispatched an The Nuclarine are thought to exist in two main forms.
FTL messenger to the Sol system with a record of the The most impressive is that of a sentient starship, often
contact, before proceeding towards its destination. The highly militarized. This is the most common form that
terraforming vessel was never heard from again. will be encountered. The FTL technology possessed
by the Nuclarine appears to outperform that of the
Within six months of that first contact, starships PanDominion, and their weaponry also appears to
with FTL signatures matching those from Hadri were operate by more sophisticated processes of quantum
encountered up to 3000 light years from the southern physics than the PanDominion currently understands.
perimeter of what would become the PanDominion. Although apparently preferring function over form,
These unidentified craft failed to respond to any hails, Nuclarine encountered recently have evolved their
and although they launched no weapon attacks, their starship forms to display a sense of aesthetics that
determined efforts to physically dismantle colonial are suggestive of predatory creatures, with warning
starports and space stations made them a clear and signals that can be found within the natural world.
present threat to the inhabitants of those systems. Current speculation is that this change in appearance
is some form of psychological warning, targeted at the
Teraborg starships and platforms suffered the most from biological inhabitants of the PanDominion.
these invaders, and an undercurrent of panic developed
within that species, fearing that something previously The secondary form of the Nuclarine is rarely seen.
unknown was now targeting their advanced technology. It has been given its own name, the Nuclariod, and it
A fleet of Teraborg warships was dispatched, south, appears to be a facsimile of a bipedal upright humanoid
to determine the source of the threat, however, only and/or powered armor system. To date this secondary
the fastest starship in the fleet - the picket vessel form has only ever been sighted within Nuclarine
‘Eggchaser’ - was able to limp back to a friendly controlled space, and since Nuclarine technology
starport. Half its FTL coil drive was dismantled, and defies the scanners of most PanDominion starships,
it carried reports of a massed concentration of FTL- whether there is a living component within it or not is
Xenofile

capable machines lying just outside the southern unknown. Also, given that the only Nuclarine vessel
borders of the newly formed PanDominion’s space.

144
that has ever faced being salvaged by the PanDominion To the Soamata, the machine mind of the Nuclarine is
committed ‘self destruction’ rather than allow its impossible to fathom and indeterminable as either a
capture, the likelihood of ever finding out what is within threat or an opportunity. The Soamata appear to have
these suits appears impossibly low. nothing the Nuclarine want, except perhaps planets
and space!
The initial encounters with the Nuclarine have provided
the best source of information to date when it comes
to determining the agenda of the species. They Nuclarine Scavengers
appear to be collectors of raw materials, and seekers
of advanced technologies, although what they consider
advanced is a matter of speculation based on how far Scavengers are small, relatively underpowered
advanced their technology already appears to be to starships by Nuclarine standards, and they are the
the PanDominion. sorts of craft most often encountered along the
southern perimeter of the PanDominion and near the
The Nuclarine create within the Teraborg species Galatrimis planetoid. Anthropologists speculate that
a dilemma because, for the Teraborg, the Nuclarine these are some kind of loner/rejected entities from
represent both their greatest threat and perhaps the the rest of the Nuclarine, and they risk scavenging
key to unlocking the technological advances that ‘lesser’ PanDominion resources and starships purely
currently hold back their civilization. as a last resort. Like all Nuclarine, Scavengers are
armed with lethal ‘Microwavers;’ weapons designed to
To Humanity, the Nuclarine represent what could cleanse machines of biological life without damaging
go wrong if they took a false step down the path of the hardware!
rampant technological advancement.

Nuclarine Scavenger
Design Edge Explorer Edges: Positronic Core (Nuclarine), Shields (SHLD), Prime
weapon: X-ray lasers (75%) or HVMB (25%), Secondary
ff Maneuver d6 weapon: Microwaver (Range Close, Damage 2d6, RoF 1,
ff Computer d8 Notes: special*)
ff FTL d10+1
ff Displacement d4 (75%) or d6 (25%) *Does not damage starships/machines. Damage is
ff Quality d8 applied directly to characters for calculating Wounds.
ff Pace 6 Only starship Shields (2 points), Tempest Shielding (1
ff Toughness 10 (75%) or 11 (25%) point), and personal ‘effect-fields’ (2, 4, or 8 points)
reduce this damage, all of these being counted as
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personal armor

Hindrances: Limited Arc (prime weapon)

145
 Xenofile

146
Character Creation

Character Creation

147
 Skills Driving (Agility)


F
ollowing are details of the Skills available in Allows a character to drive the various combinations
High-Space. Some are taken from the Savage of ground and water-borne vehicles common to sci-fi
Worlds rules with an explanation as to how they settings, for example hover sleds, speeder bikes, and
apply in a futuristic setting, as well some Skills unique even walker-trucks! Rules for driving are included in
to High-Space. the Savage Worlds core rules, however, terrestrial and
marine vehicles are largely superseded by Aeros in
planetary settings (see the Starship rules). It is important
Climbing (Strength) to note that most vehicles have a rudimentary ability
to go from point A to Point B upon command, without
the need for a driver, and this skill is only used when
People have been climbing in and out of trees manual control is desired.
since the beginning of recorded history, and they
still do. Climbing includes knowledge of how to use
sophisticated climbing equipment, and how to climb Fighting (Agility)
in urban environments. Characters about to ascend a
difficult surface must make a Climbing roll for every 20
yards/meters climbed. Characters engaged in combat Fighting covers all hand-to-hand (melee) attacks
while climbing can ascend at half their Strength per regardless of weapon type. The Target Number (TN)
round if using ropes or hand/footholds. See the Falling to hit an opponent is their Parry score, unless they
rules should a character suffer a mishap. The skill roll have declared their previous action as a Full Defense,
is modified by the following conditions: in which case the TN becomes their own Fighting roll.
Fighting encompasses the use of weapons from hand-
Climbing Modifiers fashioned shivs, to vibro-knives and power-swords.

ff No climbing equipment -2 Gambling (Smarts)

ff Basic climbing equipment No modifier
ff Qualified climbing equipment +4
Character Creation

ff Scarce or thin handholds -2 Gambling is a popular pursuit, an excuse for meeting

ff Wet or slippery surface -2 to exchange information, and a way to covertly bet
ff Rough or uneven surfaces +2 on the outcomes of dangerous and sometimes illegal
actions. Gambling can be used to estimate the known
odds of a bet, and also to cheat at games (see the
core rules). Gambling rolls often start out representing
several ‘rounds’ or ‘hands’ of a game, until the stakes
become significant, in which case a Gambling roll may
be required for each play. The stakes of the game
can be astronomical – but the important thing to

148
 I bet you... Investigation (Smarts)

For a ‘savage’ story the gambling stakes need to

be more significant than just cash. People rarely A character skilled in Investigation knows how to identify
gamble for money, not even gambling addicts! They patterns in information, whether trawling databases and
may gamble for the rush of winning, the feeling of information networks, or even scanning old fashioned
power, or the thrill of beating others, but ultimately paper records or ‘flimsies’ (obtaining information by
the stakes involved are more emotional than just talking to people and evaluating their statements uses
cash alone. Starships, mercenary contracts, leaked Streetwise). Investigation is used to operate Active
information, illegal technology, the rights to a Sensor systems, and Firing Solution systems as per
planet, and the old staple of gambling-for-your-life the Starship rules.
are common propositions to make the game more
interesting.
Knowledge (Specify) (Smarts)
remember when playing is that gambling should not
be about the money.
Knowledge in the future is specialized. Each instance
of the Knowledge skill covers a specific area of
Healing (Smarts) expertise. Examples of specific areas of knowledge in
High-Space include: Astronavigation, Nano-medicine,
various languages, Linguistics, Starship-tactics, Law,
Healing is one of the most often used skills in High- Journalism, Politics, Navigation, History, etc. Knowledge
Space. It includes advanced nano-treatment, viral (specific language) is used to determine how well a
alteration, and augmetic surgery. Characters with character knows a language above and beyond their
the Low-tech Hindrance will definitely have reduced starting language(s). Knowledge(Linguistics) is used to
Healing rolls, unless they rely on alternatives such as decipher previously unknown languages, literally one-
in a futuristic/magic setting. Healing cannot be used word-at-a-time. Knowledge (Computers) is used to
to remove the effects of Hindrances that affect a hack and program computers.
character’s health or well-being. Healing is used to
operate Medbay/Nanomedbay systems, as per the
Starship rules.
Computing in Hex
Character Creation
Intimidation (Spirit) Note that all computer programs in the PanDominion
are coded using a language called Hex, so called
because some of the odd character sets it uses. This
The art of coercing information or action from an gives it the appearance of ancient, arcane script!
unwilling person has not changed much in High-Space.
This is an opposed roll between the character’s Intim-
idation skill die-type and the target’s Spirit die-type.

149
 Languages Neutral, Friendly, or Helpful. A successful Persuasion
roll improves the NPC’s attitude one step, or two
Across the PanDominion, the common language of with a raise, whereas failure decreases that attitude
‘Pan’ is used for all official correspondence and for by one step, or two if a 1 is rolled on the Persuasion
most media/news. Species specific languages do die (regardless of the Wild Die). Persuasion is always
exist, but their use is astro-graphically limited to modified by a character’s Charisma.
the systems of origin for those species. For example,
Teraborg the language is used throughout the
Imperial Nest, and Soamatan is used in the ‘north- Piloting (Agility)
west’ systems of the PanDominion.

Most PanDominion citizens have access to Piloting covers the flying of personal vehicles and
vox-translators, which give a base d6 to translate devices, Aeros, and Starships. It includes all aerofighters,
any DanDominion member species communication thermal gliders, jets and helicopters, subsonic or
(including non-oral) into Pan. transonic vehicles, as well as starships. It is important
to note that most piloted craft in sci-fi settings have a
rudimentary ability to go from point A to Point B upon
command, without a pilot or navigator, and this skill
Notice (Smarts) is only used when manual control is desired. Piloting
is used to operate Maneuvering systems as per the
Starship rules.
Notice is a character’s alertness and ability to search
for items or clues (but searching through information
requires Investigation). Notice includes rolls using Psychiatry (Spirit)
normal and enhanced senses, detecting ambushes,
spotting implanted weapons, and even scrutinizing
other characters to determine if they’re lying, frightened, Treatment of the body is the realm of Healing, but
angry, or infatuated. Notice is used to operate Passive treatment of the mind is the realm of Psychiatry.
Sensor systems, and Indirect Fire systems as per the Characters with this skill are able to diagnose and
Starship rules. treat mental disorders. They can also use the skill to
assist Cooperative Notice rolls to scrutinize a person.
Character Creation

Psychiatry can also be used to immediately remove

Persuasion (Spirit) Shaken from one other character (not the character
using the skill), with a successful opposed Spirit roll.
Failure of the roll means that the character performing
Persuasion is used to convince others to do what Psychiatry also becomes Shaken.
you want them to do. Persuasion is opposed by the
listener’s Spirit die-type. Non-player characters start
at one of five different attitudes: Hostile, Uncooperative,

150
Repair (Smarts) Shooting (Agility)

Repair is the complex skill of fixing sophisticated

gadgets, vehicles, weapons, computers, armor, and just Shooting covers all attempts to hit a target with a
about anything else. Repairs are not automatically long ranged weapon, regardless of the technology level of
lasting, and the skill does not cover the fabrication the weapon. The basic Target Number to hit is 4 as
or manufacturing of an item. Characters suffer a -2 per the Savage Worlds core rules, though there are
penalty if they don’t have access to the appropriate a number of important modifiers such as range that
tools. Repair is used to operate Shield systems, and frequently come into play. Shooting is used to operate
Automated Repair systems as per the Starship rules. Direct Fire systems, and Point Defense systems as per
the Starship rules.

Riding (Agility)
Stealth (Agility)

Riding is the ability to ride animals as steeds. Sports

racing is a luxury sport of the future, and still very Sneaking around has advanced to include the knowledge
much gambled upon where it is permitted. Riding of how to negate and avoid motion detectors, infrared,
allows you to mount, control, and ride any beast x-ray, and micro-sonar sensors. It includes the ability
common to the PanDominion. Note that when mounted, to both move silently and to hide. The following table
the effective Fighting die-type of a character is limited provides standard modifiers to Stealth checks:
to their Riding die-type.
Modifiers to Stealth

Security (Smarts)
ff Crawling +2
ff Running -2
Security involves circumventing or manipulating security ff Dim light +1
systems, from sophisticated pheromone-locks, through ff Darkness +2
electronic keypads, to complex lock-and-tumblers and ff Pitch black +4
electronic sensors. Security is a skill used in digital, ff Light cover +1

Character Creation
high-tech environments and focused on Smarts, and ff Medium cover +2
thus differs from (and replaces) Lockpicking from the ff Heavy cover +4
core rules which has a mechanical basis focused on ff Vacuum +2
Agility. Security is used to operate starship Secom ff Steam and vapor clouds +2
systems, as per the Starship rules.

151
 The Last Step Survival (Smarts)

Using Stealth to approach to within melee distance

of a foe requires an opposed Stealth roll versus Survival allows a character to find food, water, or
the target’s Notice, whether the target is active or shelter when in hostile terrestrial environments.
inactive, additional to any other roll to reach that Characters make one roll per day. A successful roll
distance. finds sustenance for one person; a raise finds food and
water for up to five adults. Those who benefit from the
roll do not have to make Fatigue rolls for the day for
food, water, or shelter (see the Savage Worlds core
Spacewise (Smarts) rules).

Spacewise is the accumulation of common operational Swimming (Agility)

knowledge and experience to keep a person alive in the
dangers of zero-gravity, vacuum, and high radiation. It
is the equivalent of Survival for characters in space, Swimming is a popular leisure sport. A Swimming roll
and also gives a character the knowledge to understand determines if a character floats or sinks in water, or
what is happening to them or their ship in space. It is any other material that provides buoyancy, such as
also used to move around in zero-gravity. Spacewise the dense, inner-layers of gas giants. Under normal
is used to operate Communications systems, and conditions, a character’s swimming Pace is equal to
Damage Control systems as per the Starship rules. half their Swimming die-type.

Streetwise (Smarts) Taunt (Smarts)

Streetwise is the knowledge and experience required to Taunting is a potent weapon when opponents can be
operate in criminal and fringe environments. It includes tricked into instigating actions that are detrimental to
sourcing information via social venues and events, and their own goals, by attacking their pride. This is an
other contacts, through the use of bribes, debts, favors, opposed Taunt roll against the target’s Smarts. See
Character Creation

threats, and/or carousing. Streetwise is always modified ‘Test of Wills’ in the Savage Worlds core rules for the
by Charisma. effects of Taunt. Some societies strongly regulate
violent behavior, and in these societies taunting
becomes an effective method of dealing with enemies.

152
Throwing (Agility) Cryo-psychosis (Minor)

Regardless of the technology level involved, the ability The character has previously used a cryo-sleep facility
to throw things is a common and useful skill. Throwing (see Starship Crew Edges) and it did not work out
works just like the Shooting skill, and uses all the well! They arrived after weeks of nightmares and bad
same modifiers. dreams, and now will avoid the experience again at all
costs. If forced into cryo-sleep again, they will be at
-1 Fatigue for 24 hours after revival, and angry with
Tracking (Smarts) whoever put them under!

Tracking allows the following of tracks of one or more FTL-Sickness (Minor)

individuals in any type of terrain, and is commonly
used by bounty hunters when their quarry goes ‘off the
grid.’ It covers following specific trails and determining For some unexplained reason, some thought-patterns
the direction and composition of a trail and those who are unduly sensitive to the effects of FTL flight. At
made them. the start of each round that begins in FTL flight, the
character must make a Vigor roll or suffer a -1 Fatigue
penalty to all actions for that round.
Hindrances

FTL-Sickness (Major)
Hindrances provide points that can be spent improving
a starting character, and are a great way of adding
flavor and background to a character. The Hindrances Some thought-patterns are fact hyper-sensitive to the
listed below are available are additional to those in the effects of FTL flight! For each round that begins in FTL
Savage Worlds core rules. flight, the character suffers a -1 penalty to all actions
for that round.

Core Rules Hindrances

Character Creation
Imbalance (Minor)

No one survives in High-Space without being

influenced by their surroundings. How their The character is adversely affected by the deluge of
environment marks a person helps to shape their information and in-your-face technology that exists
character and personality. Most of the Hindrances within the PanDominion. They suffer a -1 to all Spirit
from the Savage Worlds core rules are available, rolls. This Hindrance can also be taken with Off-
excluding: Doubting Thomas, and Poverty. balance.

153
 Imbalance (Major) Retrovirus (Major)

The character’s senses and hormones are greatly Over the course of the character’s life they have
affected by the excessive deluge of information and been accidentally or deliberately exposed to a nasty
ubiquitous technology that exists within the PanDomin- retrovirus, and it has permanently altered parts of
ion. They suffer a -2 to all Spirit rolls. their DNA sequence. This imposes a -2 penalty on
all biological tests to confirm their identity. Medical
personnel also suffer a -2 penalty to Healing rolls to
Implant-Rejection (Major) treat the character.

The character’s body has an overactive immune system Synthetic (Minor)

which reacts poorly to any foreign technology inserted
into it. The character is unable to accept cybernetic
implants. However, they can still use non-implanted The character’s physical form appears human, but it
technology, and biological implants such as Glanding is actually a synthetic construct. Without a medical
Edges. examination it is impossible to detect that the charac-
ter is not organic. The character cannot heal damage
the normal way, and Wounds are fixed using the Repair
Sidelined (Major) skill instead of Healing. Natural Healing only occurs if
the character spends five full days in a laboratory or a
repair-shop, where they are effectively dismantled and
For some reason the character is sidelined by the reassembled.
society and structures they live within. They suffer a
penalty of effectively being one Rank lower, for the
purposes of acquiring products and services that are Synthetic (Major)
otherwise universally available to PanDominion citizens.
If the character is a Novice they also have trouble
holding onto even Novice gear. This leaves them in The character’s physical form is completely and
the position of having to pay for many things that obviously inorganic. Previous experience with other
Character Creation

PanDominion citizens take for granted. For example, a inorganics allows the observer not to perceive the
Seasoned character would have to wait until Veteran character as a ‘monster’ (such encounters are
before they would be allowed to acquire Electrogloves common in the PanDominion, but this is not universal).
(see the Civilian-Grade Melee Weapons table). The trappings for this Hindrance range from a
smooth chromed finish, to industrial metal plating, to
something as extreme as transparent diamond scales.
The character cannot heal damage the normal way,
and Wounds are fixed using the Repair skill, instead of
Healing, in a repair shop!

154
Edges simply triggered with a thought as a Free Action. Each
 Gland Implant can function as the prerequisite for any
number of Glanding Edges; but only one Glanding Edge
The new Edges in High-Space revolve around the ability per Gland Implant can function at any time.
to utilize technology. Most people in the PanDominion
use technology to achieve amazing things - but a
select few go down the route of mastering technology Gland-Injector
and being able to achieve the seemingly miraculous.
The trappings associated with each Edge are obviously
futuristic in nature, and this also applies to Edges taken ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant
from the core rules. For example, ‘Attractive’ could be
based on an exotic biosculpt job, while ‘Quick’ may Gland-injector allows a character who is Glanding to
be the result of advanced medical treatments, or an collect that hormone from their body and inject it into
implanted combat-computer. someone else. This requires close, skin-to-skin contact
with the target of the attack. The usual mechanism for
injecting is via surgical needles implanted in the human
Humans in High-Space gain one free Edge for being canine-teeth, or the fingertips, and on rare occasions it
Human, but other species do not. is located in even more exotic locations! Injected deliv-
ery of a hormone requires a successful Touch Attack,
All the Edges from the Savage Worlds core rules are whether or not combat is actually involved. For the
available to all characters, depending on the flavor of injection to also be performed unnoticed requires the
the game being played and GM agreement. additional action of a Stealth v. Notice roll, with the -2
penalty for multiple actions.
Glanding Edges
Glanding (Histamine)
Gland Implant

ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant

ff Requirements: Novice
Histamine glanded into the body is attached to proteins

Character Creation
Advanced medical technology enables the power of that attract toxins and poisons, and the binding
hormones and pheromones to be triggered at will, proteins allow the Histamine to nullify the poison/
enabling organic bodies to be driven towards, and in toxin. Characters glanding Histamine gain +4 to resist
some cases past, their normal limits. A gland implant poisons/toxins, but suffer a -2 penalty to all other
is a modification of the existing organs that deliver rolls.
hormones into the body, which allows the use of
Glanding Edges. This Edge requires an organic body
or equivalent, and it will not function for characters
with the Synthetic Hindrance. A key word is used to
start/stop each Glanding Edge; it can be spoken or

155
 Glanding (Serotonin-A) Glanding (Enkephalin)

ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant

Serotonin-A controls mood, and when glanded it Enkephalin (en-kef-a-lin) stops pain by blocking the
provides a +2 bonus to rolls to oppose/resist Persuasion pain receptors. It can turn a bullet wound into the mild-
and Taunt. est pin-prick. Characters glanding Enkephalin ignore 1
level of Wound penalty. If delivered via an injector, the
sting of the needle will not even be felt at the time of
Glanding (Serotonin-B) the injection!

ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant Glanding (Cortisol)

Concentrated Serotonin-B (a.k.a. ‘Sara’) can efficiently

put a person to sleep. A character glanding Sara must ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant
make a Vigor roll at -2 or fall into a gentle sleep.
They can be roused from the sleep as per normal, Cortisol (a.k.a. ‘Cort’) has revolutionized the military
but must continue making Vigor rolls, one each hour of the PanDominion. Cortisol suppresses nervous
for d4 hours, or fall back to sleep. As well as being reactions, which makes it great for combat. Characters
glanded, Serotonin-B is sometimes delivered via glanding Cortisol ignore the Innocent Bystander rules.
injection/Gland-injector to subjects that need being When firing into melee situations, ignore misses that
kept compliant or sedated. come up as 1 on the Shooting rolls.

Glanding (Platelets) Glanding (Prolactin)

ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant

Character Creation

Platelets are delivered by the blood-stream to wounds, Prolactin stimulates the pleasure center of the brain.
where they stop bleeding, which allows the healing It does not block pain, but rather it creates a powerful
process to start. Characters glanding Platelets at the feeling of well-being. The practical applications are
time of receiving treatment provide a +2 bonus to the somewhat limited, but it is an extremely popular
Healing roll. recreational hormone with a high frequency of
psychological dependency. Characters glanding
Prolactin gain a +2 bonus on rolls oppose Tests of Will.

156
Glanding (Orexin A/B) while others may be guns-for-hire. Hackers add +2
to Knowledge (Computer) and Notice rolls, as well as
Investigation rolls made to search through computer-
ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant stored evidence.

Characters glanding Orexin feel energetic and wakeful

and gain a +1 bonus to all Agility and Strength based Computer Implant
skills. They are also unbearable ‘peppy’ while doing so,
and this hormone has a tendency to be over-used and
can lead to a dependency! ff Requirements: Seasoned

The character’s physical form is implanted with

Glanding (Dopamine) a Portable computer (see Computers) that is only
detectable on a difficult (-2) Notice roll.

ff Requirements: Novice, Gland Implant

Decrypter
Dopamine stabilizes heart rate and induces a physical
state akin to calmness, and it is often deliberately
administered during surgery or during the treatment ff Requirements: Veteran, Computer Implant, Knowl-
of injuries or wounds. Characters glanding Dopamine edge (Computers) d8+
enter a calm state during which they gain a +2 bonus
to Driving and Piloting rolls. However, they are so calm The implanted computer is coded with specialized
that all Fighting and Shooting rolls incur -2 penalty! routines for decrypting/encrypting data that hijack
sections of the brain! The characters has a +2 bonus
Hacking Edges to rolls to encrypt and decrypt data.

Hacker Interceptor

Character Creation
ff Requirements: Novice, Smarts d8+, Knowledge ff Requirements: Veteran, Computer Implant, Knowl-
(Computers) d8+, Notice d8+ edge (Computers) d8+

Hackers have spent a great deal of time learning The programmer’s use of secure communications is
the digital world. They can immerse themselves ingrained in them, and they are able to use connect-
in computer systems, and can combine their ed computer systems as gateways for communicating
programming expertise with a cultivated and ruthless in a safe and securely-encrypted manner. Characters
approach to hacking computer systems. Some of these with this Edge gain a +2 bonus to rolls to keep-secure
heroes are actual legally authorized computer experts, or to capture a data stream or a networked computer.

157
 Synthetic Edges die-type of their Strength Trait by one. Note that this
does not automatically increase Strength based Skills.
Characters with this Edge frequently underestimate
Chemo-Converter their own strength.

ff Requirements: Synthetic (Hindrance) Painless

Chemo-converters are Synthetics that have the ability

to heal Wounds by ingesting and converting large ff Requirements: Synthetic (Hindrance)
amounts of raw nanite materials (predominantly Silica).
At the end of one hour after transfusing, or ingesting, The character can elect to turn-on/off their sensory
the equivalent of 2 pounds worth of raw nanite material, input. When activated as a Free Action, the character
the Synthetic immediately converts this into enough can ignore 1 level of both Wound and Fatigue penalties.
material to restore 1 Wound. However, while in this state the character acquires a -2
penalty to all Notice and Tracking rolls due to reduced,
direct, sensory input.
Hyperflexibility

ff Requirements: Synthetic (Hindrance) General Edges

The character was designed with a greater range of
mobility than normal for their construction model. Super-Tech Implant
Limbs can bend at unnatural angles without suffering
permanent damage, although this Edge provides no
defense against the pain of physical torture. Hyperflex- ff Requirements: Veteran
ibility grants +1 Reach, as well as +2 to Climbing and
Stealth rolls, and is fun at parties! The character is implanted with an item of advanced
technology beyond what can normally be implanted. A
super-tech item typically grants the user a +1 bonus
Character Creation

Mechanical Strength with regards to whatever the function of the device is

– the GM has the final say on what these bonuses are.
The item is restricted in Weight equal to 2 plus half the
ff Requirements: Synthetic (Hindrance) Vigor die-type of the character. If the character wishes
the implant to be discreet it is only detectable by a
The character was constructed with materials and difficult (-2) Notice roll.
drive motors that allow them to exert superior physical
strength for their construction model. Increase the

158
Synergy Wealthy

ff Requirements: Seasoned ff Requirements: Novice

Synergy is a state of harmony with technology For some reason the character is disproportionately
achieved through rigorous meditation, technical or gifted with access to resources relative to their
surgical procedures. Synergy grants a +1 bonus to all station in PanDominion society. They have a benefit
rolls that use directly interfaced computers, vehicles, of effectively being one Rank higher, for the purposes
equipment and weapons. The character also lacks of acquiring products and services that are otherwise
empathy towards those around them, and this Edge universally available to PanDominion citizens. They
can be detected with a Psychiatry roll. also begin the game with twice the typical starting
funds in CBT, typically 300CBT.

Improved-Synergy

ff Requirements: Veteran, Synergy

Improved-Synergy is an advanced state of Synergy,

achieved with more radical procedures. The bonus is as
per Synergy, but Improved-Synergy grants a +2 bonus
to all rolls that use directly interfaced computers,
vehicles, equipment and weapons. The character
distinctly lacks empathy towards those around them,
and any Psychiatry roll to detect this Edge has a +2
bonus.

Tech Implant

ff Requirements: Seasoned Character Creation

The character is implanted with an item of technology
that goes beyond artificial glands and other medical
implants. Such implants are typically weapons, armor,
or bits of personal equipment. The item is restricted in
Weight equal to half the Vigor die-type of the character.
The implant is only detectable by a Search roll.

159
 Character Creation

160
Gear & Gadgets
All gear, weapons, protective equipment, and
sustenance is available to any PanDominion citizen,
based on their Rank, and anything available to Novices
is automatically available to Extras.

Gear & Gadgets

161
 Communications Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes
Com-Link Novice 0 Device for secure com-link to com-link communication.
CyberRoach Novice, 0 Cybernetically enhanced, insect ‘bugging’ device.
Restricted
Microdrone Trackers Varies - Computerized, airborne tracking units with in-built com-link
relay, and a flying Pace of 6.
Mind-Span Novice 0 Three-way, empathic, communications nanites.
Intrastella Beamer Seasoned 8 A backpack-sized, system-wide radio transceiver.
Surveillance Equipment Veteran No PanDominion citizen is permitted access to surveillance
equipment unless authorized to possess such items for
approved work.
Vox-Translator Novice 0 Performs basic translation of PanDo member species
languages into Pan, at a d6 skill level.
Vox-Translator AI Module Seasoned 2 Two-way translation at d4 (sub-fluent) with learning ability.

Computing Tech

Item Rank Wt Notes

Emplaced Computer Seasoned 10 An emplaced public server that can be reached by any
citizen using another computer via the Sphere. System
security is low-level and imposes no penalty to attacks
against it.
Exclusive Computer Heroic - A dedicated, secure computer that is known to the Sphere,
and only to those users expressly invited. System security
imposes a +4 penalty to all attacks.
Gear & Gadgets

Portable Computer (known Novice 1 Basic tablet / public computer for mundane computing
as a ‘Tab’) tasks.
Secure Computer Veteran - A secure public server that can only be reached by
authorized citizens using another computer via the Sphere.
System security imposes a +4 penalty to all attacks.

162
Communications

Despite it’s size, the Pandominion is a hyper-connected
civilization, due largely to the interstellar coms net- Mind-Span
work provided by The Sphere. The ability to access Rank: Novice.
information taken for granted by most citizens.... until
they journey to the furthest reaches of space, away Officially a ‘partnership-enhancing’ drug, mind-span
from Wormgates. has a wide range of other practical uses. The single
vial consists of a co-coded nanite-laden fluid. Up to
CyberRoach three beings may be injected with a single vial (it comes
Rank: Novice, restricted to Agency, P.T.I.L.E and Military. with three injector caps). The nanetic fluid permeates
the brain and acts as a transceiver for emotional and
Cybernetically enhanced insects that may be released sub-vocal thoughts, effectively mimicking telepathy
and remotely controlled. The insects act as ‘bugs,’ and empathy psi powers between the three. The effect
providing visual, audio and chemical feedback to the lasts 3 hours and works at distances up to 2 kilometers.
operators. +4 stealth, -2 to be noticed. Radio shielding or jamming will negate the effect.

Interstella Beamer Vox-Translator AI Module

Rank: Seasoned. Rank: Novice, restricted to Agency, P.T.I.L.E and Military.

A backpack-sized device that unfolds into a high- A satchel-sized unit that can be configured for
powered radio transceiver, able to communicate specific, two-way translation with d4 (sub-fluent)
within a system (though keep in mind radio-wave ability for known languages, Has the ability to learn
transmission lag time). new languages, provided sufficient samples of both
Microdrone Trackers languages are available. d4 per day to learn.
Rank: One rank per die type.

Computerized, airborne tracking units with in-built com-

link relay, and a flying Pace of 6. Die-type determines
both Notice and Stealth die rolls. Microdrones will report Computing
on location only. With approval, microdrone trackers 
may be fitted with surveillance equipment. Gear & Gadgets
The citizens of the PanDominion have vast computing
power and knowledge at their fingertips - even
embedded into their bodies. The most powerful
computer resources are available from the Sphere
via personal computers, kiosks and other interfaces.
However, even the most basic of computing device has
sufficient power as to be more than good enough to
everyday tasks.

163
 Gear Tech: Wearables

Item Rank Wt Notes

Anti-Grav Belt Novice 4 Belt worn device allows wearer to rise/fall at crawling
pace.
Chameleon Suit Novice 1 Adaptive camouflage adds +2 to Stealth rolls when worn
as the outer layer. Armor +1.
Ghost Suit Veteran 1 Predictive, adaptive camouflage adds +4 Stealth to rolls
when worn as the outer layer. Armor +1.
Holofabric Novice NA Fashionable, programmable clothing.
HUD Contacts Novice 0 Contacts that overlay Sphere or other computing resources
onto the user’s vision. +1 to notice.
Jetboots Seasoned 2 Allows wearer to fly at their running pace (1 hour fuel).
MedWatch Seasoned 0 Worn jewelry that constantly monitors health and alerts to
any potential risks. +2 notice poisons. +2 to treatments.
Microvisor Veteran 1 A broad-spectrum visor, with the ability to cut through
visual cover, reducing all Cover modifiers by +2 points.
Multivisor Heroic 1 A combination Opto/Microvisor in one unit.
Optovisor Seasoned 1 A broad-spectrum visor, reducing all Illumination modifiers
by +2 points.
Skin-Suit Novice 2 A airtight nano-fabric that can protect the wearer for up to
10 minutes against hard vacuum.
Plastmatic Mask Veteran 1 Mask that can mimic others’ faces. +4 Stealth.
Vac-Suit Novice 4 A heavy duty suit that allows movement within hard
vacuum, and resistant to heat, radiation and cold for up to
45 minutes.
Vac-Pack Seasoned 3 An addition to a vac-suit that allows for rapid, tether-free
movement.
VidComs Tracker Seasoned 1 Bodyworn monitor. Transmits location, video/audio, as well
as biodata to a tracking terminal.
Whisperer Generator Seasoned 1 Belt-worn, sonic, waveform-canceling generator, that adds
Gear & Gadgets

+2 to Stealth rolls where sound is a factor.

XS-Suit Veteran 20 Fully self-contained suit that allows normal-space flight
equivalent to Pace 12. Can be used in/out of atmosphere.
Needs a separate air supply. Armour 2.

164
Wearable Tech for agents operating incognito in alien cultures. A few
 of the masks have made their way onto the black
market, much to the chagrin of Smaw and Insight. Both
In the PanDominion, tech is more than personal - it is organizations will pay handsomely for information
integral. A great deal of tech is worn, either for easy leading to the return of the stolen masks. +4 to stealth
access or for protection. Some of the more interesting / attempts at impersonation.
tech includes:
Skin-Suit
Holofabric Developed by the Phoxin, the Skin-suit is a quasi-
Rank: Novice. organic, airtight nano-fabric that can protect the
wearer for up to 10 minutes against hard vacuum.
No so much an item as a popular fabric for cloth- Does not provide an air supply, though will work
ing amongst humanity. This elastic cloth is embedded with an Oxytube through a species appropriate valve.
with of tens of thousands of miniature, low-power holo- Often worn under clothes as a safety measure in
graphic emitters, each capable of projecting an image ship combat scenarios.
a few centimeters. When coordinated via a personal
computer, the clothing becomes a vibrant, colorful,
moving work of art. In the primary cities of the Sol
sector, citizens wear clothes of holofabric to express Field Tech
moods, make statements of self-expression and even 
to communicate via the emerging visual language
known as ‘semiphoriapan.’ Aja Misa
Rank: Novice
HUD Contacts
Rank: Novice. Teraborg developed the Aja Misa well before the rise of
the PanDominion to assist with their hunting practices.
HUD contacts overlay Sphere or other computing The Aja Misa are a co-operative pack of 12 robotic
resources onto the user’s vision. Allows for use of drones, that drive prey out of cover and direct them into
surveillance software or social interaction solutions the Teraborg hunter’s sights. While non-weaponized, the
in an unobtrusive manner. +1 to notice. Aja-Misa use noise, surprise and fright to good effect.

Plasmatic Mask The exact form the drones take are very much a
Rank: Veteran, restricted to insight & black market. personal choice. Among Teraborg, the drones may take Gear & Gadgets
the shape of Aak Noa (small predatory fliers), Juas Lia
Using similar genetic technologies to the Smart- (tree-leaping carnivores) or even Pias (a lamprey-like
Rope, Smaw Commercial developed a mask that fish). Human Aja Misa may take the form of vampire
mimics any facial form programmed into it. The mask bats, eagles, winged snakes, and so forth.
can reconfigure itself a matter of seconds, by the
user simply selecting a model from their personal Teraborg Field personnel are known to use militarized
computer. Officially, use of the mark is strictly limited versions of Aja Misa, although this use of the technology
to Insight agents, and it has become a popular tool is not officially condoned.

165
 Field Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes

Field Gear
Aja Misa Novice 12/NA Swarming drone pack (12) used for hunting.
AutoSponge Novice 5 Water extraction and purification device.
Blossom Path Novice 1 Bio-bandage. +2 to Healing.
Can of Worms Novice 2 Emergency food source.
CompMedkit Seasoned 6 A one-shot medikit combined with a medical expert-
system, that can be used once to perform a single
Healing roll at d10. The medial suppliers must be replaced
afterward.
Eigenharp Novice 4 Musical instrument.
Happy Patch Novice 0 Drug patch to enhance calmness. +1 recovery from shaken.
HoloProjector Varies 3 Projects a three-dimensional image.
Icarus Rig Veteran 12 Turns wearer into an x-speed flier.
Magclamp Novice 2 A magnetic clamp with a Strength of d12.
Gravclamp Veteran 4 A clamp that creates at micro-gravitational attraction to
any mass, with a Strength of d12.
Mech-Comp Toolbox Seasoned 6 A case full of ‘smart’ engineering tools, powered by a
mini diagnostic computer and vast digital library of gear
manuals. +2 to rolls involving engineering or repair.
Nano-Fabricator Veteran 6/20 A self-assembling micro-factory that can build desired
items.
Oxytube Novice 1 A 10 minute individual air supply.
PlasmaCutter Seasoned 2 A pony-bottle sized cutter that can slice through a
one meter length of steel per round, up to 4 inches (10
centimeters) thick.
Portable-Scrubber Novice 10 Backpack-portable, internal-air recycling unit; can be
attached to flight suits and any sealed armor. Provides
recycled air for a number of hours equal to the Vigor die-
Gear & Gadgets

type of the user.

Ration Pill (pack of 24) Novice 1 Full day of rations in a little green pill.
RegrowCast Seasoned 4 Requires: Healing d8, see text.
Scanner Seasoned 1 Hand-held scanner that adds +2 to Search rolls.
Smart-Rope Veteran 3 Robotic, resizing rope. +2 to climbing.
Somba Jab Novice 1 Resist sleep, see text.
Stasis Jar Novice 1-3 Small container with built-in stasis field.

166
AutoSponge Eigenharp
Rank: Novice. Rank: Novice (basic), Veteran (masterwork, +2 to
perform), Heroic (ancient, +4 to perform).
When activated, this bulky but portable contraption will
generate an ion field to extract moisture from nearby This ancient, Terran instrument has gained an almost
sources, refining it into pure, drinkable water. It will cult-like status among many species of the PanDo-
produce 1 liter of water as follows: minion, due to its close integration with audio, visual,
olfactory, and even direct, neural artistry. Although
ff Shipboard atmosphere: 1L per day taught to children as a way to stimulate creativity
ff Coastal/tropical atmosphere: 1L per hour and artistry, Maestros of the Eigenharp are held in the
ff Temperate/forested atmosphere: 1L every 3 hours highest regard. Original, millennia-old harps are worth
ff Desert atmosphere: 1L per day small fortunes.

Blossom Patch Holoprojector (Personal)

Rank: Novice. Rank: varied.

A Phoxin natural remedy, the blossom patch is a living, Projects a programmed, three-dimension image within
medical wonder. Carried inside stasis jars, when the 1 foot (30cm) of the device. The maximum size of the
blossom patch is applied to an injury, it will seal the image depends on upon the quality (rank) of the unit:
wound by growing into the patient’s flesh and then
transform, at a cellular level, to become part of the ff Novice: up to size of a tall human (1” square)
patient. The result is a perfect and clean recovery – no ff Seasoned: up to small group of humans (2”
scarring or residue effects. However, blossom patches diameter)
can only fix injuries that inflicted one point of damage. ff Veteran: large group (3” diameter)
Injuries that caused more than one point of damage are
simply too messy! +2 Healing. Accelerates healing of Happy Patch
1 point injuries to one day. Rank: Novice.

Can of Worms When this small, bio-activator patch, manufactured by

Rank: Novice. the Phoxin conglomerate Scent of Healthy, is applied to
the back of the skull, it imbues the wearer with a sense
This bizarre, Phoxin survival kit consists of a single- of contentment and mental focus for up to 1 hour. +1
use stasis jar filled with fast-growing, nutrient-rich recovery from shaken. Gear & Gadgets
nematodes. If opened, given water, and even the most
toxic or noxious of organic materials (including bio- Icarus Rig
waste), the worm colony will rapidly multiply to a point Rank: Veteran, Agility d8.
where is can deliver (rather icky) rations that can feed
three beings per day. This food source can continue A harness with wings, gravity-field generator and
almost indefinitely. Tolerance for the taste…well, that’s rocket booster. This dynamic combo allows the user
another thing altogether. to fly through the air and perform high-speed turns.
Effectively, the rig turns the wearer into a d4, one-man

167
 sports-flier with the areo hindrance (see Fleet Manual). RegrowCast
Rank: Seasoned, Requires: Healing d8.
Nano-Fabricator
Rank: Veteran.
The RegrowthCast may be applied over the fresh
A self-assembling micro-factory that can build wound left by a severed limb (as a result of taking on
desired items. Requires a suitable energy source and a permanent disability). A healing roll (-2) is made. On
appropriate raw materials. Once activated, the fabricator a fail, the cast is rejected, and the injury is permanent.
will assemble itself into permanent structure. Given On a success, the cast will fuse to the body, begin
sufficient base materials, the fabricator can produce cloning stem cells and regrow the lost body part. It will
items up to novice level at the rate of 6 hours per take 6 months.
weight, though a knowledge engineering roll is required
to be successful. Smart-Rope
Rank: Veteran.
Ration-Pill
Rank: Novice. Manufactured exclusively by Smaw Commercial,
Smart-Rope is both expensive and rare. Powerful,
Everything a healthy being needs to remain nourished carbon nano-fibres, controlled by the user’s personal
for an entire day, in a single pill. Just add water. While computer, allow this rope to grow up to 30m or shrink
not particularly palatable, such pills are a common down to 2m, and to loosen or harden into a myriad of
addition to survival kits across the PanDominion. Pills knots and bindings automatically. It can even move
are species specific. and climb by itself, but no further than 100m from the
operator’s control point. Add +2 to climbing.
Regen Chamber (use of)
Rank: Veteran.

Regen chambers are state-of-the-art, species- Aging in the PanDominion

specific medical pods which use genetic and surgical
reconstruction to reverse the effects of aging. While Medical science and wellness treatments in the
these devices can only partially repair cellular aging at PanDominion are cutting-edge and freely available
a telenomic level, they extend the lifespan baseline. For to every citizen… and even non-citizens. After all,
example, the Regen Chamber can extend the human what good it all this technology unless it improves
baseline life expectancy of 150 Sol years) to 250. the life of every sentient being? Most member
Gear & Gadgets

Most importantly, the Regen Chamber can recalibrate species have seen a remarkable (50-75%) increase
patients physical age to adult prime (35 to 55 Sol in life-expectancy, even before the use of Regen
years for humans). Chambers is considered. This fact is often used as
an enticement to species to uplift into the PanDo-
minion. After all, who would not want more time to
experience the joy life in the PanDo?

168
Somba Jab Psi Tech
Rank: Novice. 
A drug that negates the need for sleep by 24 Sol hours. Psi-Drain Helm
After the first dose (jab), each does requires a Vigor Rank: Heroic, Highly restricted.
roll. On a success, all is good. On a fail, the user suffers
one wound, but stays awake. After using Somba, the It is not known how these rare, ornamental helmets
subject must undergo deep sleep for twice the time were made, and the few working models found to
of the lost sleep, at which point all wounds are cured date are either in the hands of collectors or research
(they are basically the side effect of not sleeping). centers. Produced by a long-dead culture (which the
And, yes, it is possible to die from over-use of Somba. Aschin call the Unaso Daemons) a psionic wearing the
It happens more than the PanDo’s medical community device can leech 1 point of power from a psion nearby
are happy to admit. Needless to say, all Somba vials (within 5”). Requires Psionics Skill check, per round,
come with dire warnings on the packaging. to activate. On success, the victim loses one power
point, and the wearer gains it. If the psion is reduced
Stasis Jar to 0 power points and the leeching continues, deal one
Rank: Novice. wound for each successful drain, as the poor victim’s
body begins to age and crumble.
A portable jar that can contain one small item (weight
1 or less) in a stasis field for up to one year. Used Psi-Flector
by explorers and P.T.I.L.E. detectives for evidence Rank: Seasoned.
collection.
A belt-worn field generator that will deflect psionic
offensive attacks. Treat as an +2 armor for any psi-
based attack that causes physical damage.

Psi Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes
Psi-Drain Helm Heroic 4 Vampiric psi weapon.
Psi-Flector Seasoned 3 Deflects psionic attacks. Treat as +2 armor for psionic Gear & Gadgets
damage.
Psi-Inhibitor Field Veteran 4 Hinders psionic abilities in 10” radius. -4 to psi power rolls.
Olas Noags Novice 2 Psi-booster crystal. +2 to psi when using telepathy
Olas Oppan Woe Seasoned 2 Psi-energy storage crystal. Each stone stores 1 point.
Olas Juas Vival Heroic 7 Psi-engramic storage.
Salt Cricket Varies 2 Psionic pet with engramic abilities.

169
 Famila Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes

Positrinic Pet Seasoned 3-10 Synthetic or robotic pet with rudimentary intelligence.
Positronic Warbeast Veteran, 7-12 Synthetic or robotic animal designed for military purposes.
restricted

Energy Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes
Anti-Matter Crystal Heroic 2 A fist-sized salt-matrix housing anti-matter. Comparable
energy output of fusion backpack. If fractured (Toughness
d10) will explode, doing 4d10 damage in 45” radius.
Cold-Fusion Canister Novice 2 A flask-sized power source capable of powering a typical
household or a light/medium vehicle for a few months.
Fusion Backpack Seasoned 10 A backpack portable power source capable of powering a
small/medium building or a heavy vehicle for a few months,
or an aerofighter for one hour.

Defensive Tech
Item Rank Wt Notes
Effector-Trap Seasoned 1 Lethal, effect-field trap activated by proximity. Damage 2d6.
Gear & Gadgets

Notice -2 to detect.
Trip-Field Novice 4 Computerized, triangulating sensors and alarm system that
covers a 6” radius. Has a Notice die roll of d10.
Xenomorph Deterrent Novice 2 A cannister of fast-burning, thermoptic material that self
immolates in a blinding flash! Creates the equivalent of
the Blind power from the core rules, in a Medium Burst
Template. For scaring away dangerous xenomorphs.

170
Psi-Inhibitor Field Salt Cricket (Pet)
Rank: Veteran. Rank: Vetera, Requires Psi Powers, Telepathy.

This device emits a quantum-noise field that inhibits The Salt Cricket is an insectoid creature resembling a
the use of Psi powers within a 10” radius. -4 to all Psi stick-thin Terran lobster, with a multi-hued, segmented,
Power rolls. crystalline shell. Indigenous only to to Soma IV, Sand
Crickets are immortal at the cellular level, and some are
Olas Noags (Gestalt Stone) known to have been alive well before the PanDominion
Rank: Novice, Requires Psi Powers. was formed. Their crystal shells are of a similar psi-
reactive make up to Soamata’s Braintooth. When in the
A psionic with telepathy may attune herself with this continued presence of a psionic, a Salt Cricket will
dense, opal-like crystal, which comes exclusively from align their own limited, psi-active matrix to that of their
the salt plains of Soam IV. In turn, the psionic may give owner, effectively soaking up the psionic personality.
the stone to another (even a non-psionic) to act as When kept as a pet for a sufficient time (months), the
an amplifier for telepathic communication. +2 to using Cricket will begin to resonate the psionic’s own mental
telepathy to contact the bearer of the stone. patterns, allowing the psionic to ‘talk’ to the cricket at
a simple level and give instructions. In addition, the
Olas Oppan Woe (Focus Stone) cricket will grant its owner one additional psionic power.
Rank: Seasoned, Requires Psi Powers.
After many years (decades), a cricket will grow so
These rare stones are similar to Olas Noags, but even tuned to the psionic’s mind that may act as living
denser. A psionic may attune himself to the stone, and Olas Juas Vival (Life Stone). When this level of bonding
store one additional power point within it. A psionic occurs, the cricket can not longer attune to another
may only have as many Focus Stones as half their psion.
Spirit die-type.

Olas Juas Vival (Life Stone) Famila Tech

Rank: Heroic, Requires Psi Powers, Telepathy. 
Unbelievably rare, these large, ultra-dense crystals, Positronic Pet
found deep under the salt plains of Soam IV, may be Rank: Seasoned.
used by a psionic to capture an echo of their personality.
While the engram planted into the stone is not a full These specially-created pets are synthetic animals Gear & Gadgets
copy of their personality, it still contains specific or animal-like robots, embedded with a rudimentary,
memories and core beliefs that the psionic wishes to positronic AI core. The pet can talk to its owner and
pass on. The stones communicate telepathically and perform tasks independently: pretty much anything
are used to pass on messages or act as a negotiation an NPC can do. Once activated, they become uniquely
proxies. In addition, a library of Olas Juas Vival stones bonded to their owners. Develop these as an Extra with
of long-dead psionic masters can be found on Soam- Smart d4 -2.
IV, offering insights and advice to those seeking the
wisdom of the ages.

171
 Civilian-Grade Protection
Item Rank Armor Wt Notes
Burgon Laser Tiara Seasoned Special 2 One-use, personal, point-defense system.
Crew Helmet Novice +2 1 Covers head, air/water-tight, 20 minutes air
supply.
FlightSuit Novice +1 3 Covers torso, arms, legs, air/water-tight, integral
temperature and radiation shielding, thin enough
to be worn under other armors.
Akrylar FlightSuit Novice +2 5 Covers torso, arms, legs, air/water-tight, integral
temperature and radiation shielding.
FlackVest Novice +2 /+3 2 Covers torso, worn under clothes. +2 against
ballistics & blades. +3 against energy weapons.
Clamshell Seasoned +3 10 Covers entire body.
Reactive Armor Veteran +3 15 Covers entire body, Senor-enhanced engramic
control. +2 Parry.
Personal-Effect Field Seasoned +2 1 Covers entire body, +1 Parry, Requires one
Fusion cannister per day.
Vehicular-Effect Field Seasoned +4 100 Mounted. Covers entire vehicle, requires one
Fusion cannister per day.
Emplaced-Effect Field Veteran +8 1000 Emplaced. Covers entire building, requires one
Fusion backpack per day.
Glitter-Cloud Novice 3 1 Micro-grenade that distributes a 5” cloud of
energy deflecting armor. See text.

Military-Grade Protection
Item Rank Armor Wt Notes
Camouflage Suit Novice 1 4 Light-synthetic suit that mimics its surroundings.
+2 to Stealth when moving. +4 when still.
Dumb-Field Add-On Veteran - 10 Stuns anyone attempting to pass through field.
Gear & Gadgets

Mk-1 ‘Oni’ Power-Armor Veteran +4 10 Covers entire body, integral power source, needs
charging daily, Heavy Armor, requires Synergy
edge, Attribute Boost, see text.
ShakoCrabshell Armor Veteran 3 10 Ceremonial armor, +2 interactions with Shako
Teraborg Commando Seasoned 2 6 Combines camouflage suite with shoulder-
Suit mounted needler.
Shsss Abulic Suit Veteran 1 5 Limited to Teraborg, military or agency. See text.

172
Positronic Warbeast Anyone shooting at a target wearing a Burgon Laser
Rank: Veteran (Wildcard only). Only available to Field Tiara will have the first (and only the first) attack
personnel. reduced by one raise. So a single success becomes a
fail, as the bullets are literally blasted into harm-less
Like the Positronic Pet, these synthetic or robotic shrapnel. A raise becomes just a success. Two raises
animals are equipped with a basic, positronic AI core. become a single raise, etc.
However, they have programmed to act as in military
capability - most commonly to assist with scouting Dumb-Field Add-On
or protection duties. Once activated, they bond with Rank: Veteran. Limited to Military, Agency, PsiOps.
their owner for life. It is not uncommon for ex-Field
operatives to retain their Positronic Warbeast, taking This modification to the emplaced field generator has
them into civilian life, albeit with military weapons the added effect of rendering any intelligent creature
downgraded accordingly. that passes through it temporarily stupefied. Creatures
crossing the field must roll versus spirit or be shaken.
Warbeasts are constructed as novice Wildcards with
the synthetic hindrance and a Smarts die limited to 4. Glitter-Cloud
It is possible to play a Positronic Warbeast as a player Rank: Novice.
character.
A marble sized micro grenade that explodes into a
cloud of microscopic reflective shards. In addition
Protection to providing a 5” radius of soft cover, the cloud also
 reduces the efficiency of energy weapons. An energy
weapon firing through the cloud act as if the target has
There is an extensive range of Civilian-grade protective an additional 3 points of armor.
gear made available to PanDominion citizens, based
upon their importance to society (as measured by Shako Crabshell Armor
character Rank). Rank: Veteran. Requires: Shako council award.

Military grade equipment is only available to those This largely ceremonial armor is hand-crafted from the
who require it for official U.G.P. operations, such as the shell of the monstrous “Goliath Crab,” and is a sign that
armed forces, P.T.I.L.E., and agency field operatives. the wearer is both respected as a Shako citizen and is
considered a warrior of renown. It is gifted by the Shoko
Burgon Laser Tiara School of Elders to beings (not just Shako) that have Gear & Gadgets
Rank: Seasoned. performed acts of heroism or great beneficence to the
Shako culture. Armor 3, with +2 on all interactions /
This bizarre but beautiful, single-use defense system negotiations with Shako.
consists of a hand-crafted, delicately-jeweled tiara,
crown or another form of headdress. In reality, it is an
array of auto-reactive micro-lasers that will target any
ballistic attacks on the individual – literally shooting
bullets out of the air!

173
 Teraborg Shsss Abulic (Silent stalker Boq’Po Plasma Katana
in Shadows) Commando Suit Rank: Heroic.
Rank: Veteran, Limited to Teraborg, military or agency.
The pinnacle of the Pandominion weapons’ tech
A suit that combines all the benefits of a camouflage developed through Boq’Po science is the Plasma
suit, as well as a shoulder-mounted, silent, self- Katana. Each is a custom-built, 3 ft/90cm long, mono-
targeting needle pistol. In combat, the Teraborg may molecular-edged, crystal-lattice sword, perfectly
elect to have the needle gun fire as a free action balanced and gene-keyed for the individual warrior.
(shooting d4) on the Teraborg’s initiative, or they may If that does not sound deadly enough, the sword can
control the pistol directly and use their own shooting generate a plasma field through the crystal, turning the
skill. edge into a super-heated field that will cut through the
hardest materials with ease. Only the most heroic and
well-respected of Boq’Po are gifted with a Plasma Katana.
Weaponry Dam 2d8+2 AP 8.

Boq’Po Plasma Nun-Chucks

C
ivilian-grade weapons are available to all Pan- Rank: Novice, Fighting d6.
Dominion citizens, dependent upon their Rank.
Just like the metal and wood nun-chuck of Boq’Po
Despite PanDominion citizens having access to history, but with each end being able to ‘flash’ into a
essential resources without having to work for them, plasma field! Dam Agility+d4.
military-grade weapons are only provided to those
who are authorized to carry them for the purpose of Boq’Po Plasma Po Stick
carrying out a specific occupation. Rank: Seasoned, Fighting d8.

Aschin Dust-Gun The Boq’Po have a long tradition of martial arts involving
Rank: Seasoned. a simple, 2yard/2m long wooden pole, known as a Po
Stick. The Plasma Po Stick is a far more deadly version.
The dust gun is a non-lethal weapon designed by It features a 2ft/60cm long handling area, with two,
and for Aschin. The gun fires a cone of biologically 3ft/1m long plasma fields at each end. In combat, the
active particles that, upon contact with a target, Boq’Po wield the stick with all the remarkable speed
quickly analyze the targets’ genetics and then tailor and dexterity their martial arts tradition entails, but
a short-lived viral payload that greatly weakens them. with an explosively powerful kick. Dam Agility+d4+2.
Gear & Gadgets

Needless to say, it is not effective against fully sealed

targets. The gun is designed for Aschin claws, and is Boq’Po Plasma Shuriken
unwieldy for others (-2 shooting). Area effect: 1 x 5 Rank: Novice, Throwing d6.
cone template. Roll for each being in the target area.
On hit, targets roll vigor (-2 for each raise): Throwing stars that burst with plasma once released.
Pretty damn awesome. Use with throwing skill only.
ff Success: No effect RoF of 1 per rank. Dam 2d6 Rng 8/12/14.
ff Failure: lower vigor by 1 die for one hour

174
 Civilian-Grade Melee Weapons
Item Rank Dmg Wt Notes
Boq’Po Plasma Heroic 2d8 2 AP 2.
Katana
Boq’Po Plasma Nun- Novice Agl+1d4 2
Chucks
Boq’Po Plasma Po Seasoned Agl+1d4+2 4
Stick
ElectroGloves Novice Str+1d4 1 AP 2, Notice -2.
MoleculaBlade Novice Str+1d6 1 Notice -2.
Mono-Whip Veteran Str+1d4+2 1 AP 6, Notice -4.
Redban Causkan Novice Str+1d8 2 +1 Fighting.
(Right of Passage)
Blade
Redban Ciceartan Novice Str+1d4 2 +1 Block.
Buckler
Redban Pilguard Novice Str+2d6 4
Shockstaff Seasoned Str+1d4+1 4 AP 2, Parry +1, Reach 1, 2 hands.
Teraborg Gsa Lisht Heroic Str+1d8 3 Ceremonial sword carried by Teraborg
Slas protectors. AP3.

Military-Grade Melee Weapons

Item Rank Dmg Wt Notes
Redban Powered Seasoned Str+1d6 3 +2 Block, +2 Armor.
Ciceartan Buckler
Chain-Sword Seasoned Str+d10 5 AP 4, Parry -1.
Droneblade Veteran 2d8+1 AP 2, Reach 20.
Effect Field Blade Veteran Str+d8+2 3 AP 4, Parry +2, Heavy wpn.
Gear & Gadgets
(EFB)
Plasma-Lance Seasoned Str+d8 10 AP 6.
ShockStix Novice Str+d6 4 AP 2, Parry +2, Reach 1, 2 hands.

175
 Civilian-Grade Ranged Weapons
Item Rank Range Dmg RoF Wt Shots Min Notes
Str
AirBurner Seasoned 8/16/32 2d4-1 1 3 10 - AP 4, Small
Pistol burst template
energy weapon.
Aschin Seasoned 4/10/14 * 1 2 6 - -2 to non-
Dust Gun Aschin.
Boq’Po Novice 4/6/8 2d6 * 1/2 1 each _
Plasma
Shuriken
ElectroGun Veteran 12/24/48 2d6 1 6 10 1 AP 4, Small
Burst Template,
energy.
EMP Ring Veteran 1 2d4 1 - 1 - AP 4, Small
Burst Template,
Notice -6.
LasPistol Novice 12/24/40 2d6 2 2 20 - AP 1, Semi-
Auto, energy
weapon.
MicroSpitter Veteran 10 2d6+2 1 1 1 - Notice -4,
projectile
weapon.
MiniLaz Seasoned 12 2d6 1 1 5 - AP 2, Notice
-2, energy
weapon.
Nano- Seasoned 4/8/12 Nill 1 2 2 - Immobilization.
Crystal Net
Gun
Shako Novice 2/5/8 1d6+1 1 4 12 d6 Ignores some
Water Gun defenses.
Gear & Gadgets

Splinter Novice 10/20/40 2d6+1 2 2 30 - Semi-Auto,

Pistol projectile
weapon.

176
 Military-Grade Ranged Weapons
Item Rank Range Dmg RoF Wt Shots Min Notes
Str
Assault Novice 12/24/48 2d6+1 1 3 200 - Semi-Auto,
Pistol projectile weapon
Assault Novice 12/24/48 2d8+1 3 5 30 d6 Auto, 3RB,
Rifle projectile weapon.
Auto Seasoned 12/24/48 2d6 3 4 400 - AP 3, Auto, 3RB,
LasGun energy weapon.
Buzz-Kill Novice 6 * 1 2 1 - Negates glanding.
Drone- Seasoned 12 per round 2d8 1 2 1 - * special.
Grenade
Gauss Rifle Seasoned 50/100/200 2d8+2 1 7 10 d8 Snapfire, Heavy
weapon, projectile
weapon.
HERF Gun Seasoned 24/48/96 2d6* 1 9 5 d8 * special.
Neutrino Novice 12/24/48 d6-1 2 8 5 d6 AP 4, Small
Ray Burst Template,
energy weapon.
Neutron Veteran 12/24/48 2d10+1 1 8 10 - AP 2, energy
Gun weapon.
Particle Seasoned 24/48/96 2d12+2 1 8 5 d8 AP2, Snapfire,
Cannon heavy weapon,
energy weapon.
P.T.I.L.E. Novice 10/20/40 special* 1 4 10 - *Roll Vigor or
Neutralizer Shaken; roll
Agility or Blind
for d4 rounds,
energy weapon.

Gear & Gadgets

177
 Buzz-Kill be triggered via a control panel on the pistol.
Rank: Novice. Restricted to Militant Arms, P.T.I.L.E.,
Agency and PsiOps. Redban Pliguard
Rank: Novice. Requires: Fighting d6, Str d8.
A single shot medical dart containing a quick-
acting serum that cancels the effects of glanding or A traditional weapon of the Redban the Pliguard
other drugs. Fighting or throwing may be used. On a consists of a 6 ft/2 m long metal pole, with each end
successful hit, the target loses all effects associated tipped with a weighted ball on a 1 ft/ 30cm long chain.
with glanding or drugs for 1 round. For each raise, add 2” reach. Str + 2d6 damage.
an extra combat round of effect.
Redban Ciceartan Buckler
Drone Grenade Rank: Novice. Requires: Block, Fighting d8.
Rank: Seasoned. Restricted to Militant Arms.
A metal shield that fits over one hand, and extends
With a successful Knowledge(Computers) roll the drone down the arm. In combat, the Buckler is used to both
locks onto its target and travels 12” per round, for up block attacks and as a cudgel. +1 to Block, dam Str
to 3 rounds. Deactivates if it loses visual target lock. +1d4
Medium Burst Template.
Redban Powered Ciceartan Buckler
HERF Gun - High Energy RF Heavy Weapon Rank: Seasoned. Limited to Military, P.T.I.L.E. Requires:
Rank: Seasoned. Restricted to Militant Arms. Block, Fighting d8.

When you need to take out electronics fast, this is Like the traditional Ciceartan Bucker, but with an
the weapon of choice. Large Burst Template. Heavy adaptive shield generator. +2 to Block, +2 Armor, dam
Weapon. Effects electronic/computer systems only, Str + 1d6.
Treat as energy weapon.
Redban Causkan (Right of Passage) Blade
Nano-Crystal Net Gun Rank: Novice, Limited to Redbans.
Rank: Seasoned.
A massive, ornate sword. Each is hand-crafted for
The Nano-Crystal Net Gun consists of a broad single the owner during a formal ceremony to mark their
or double-barreled pistol which fires 1 inch/2.5cm ascension into adulthood at the age of 9 or 10 sol
wide spheres containing a fast-acting nanetic agent. years. The swords are used to mark the successes
Gear & Gadgets

The spheres fracture on impact, and the nanetic agent and defeats of the owner throughout their life. It is
will rapidly surround any organics within a 1.5” radius, more important to a Redban that their Causkan blade is
before hardening into a crystalline lattice shell. As a returned to their clan, than their bodies. Despite popular
result, the target will be immobilized (strength d10). misconceptions, the Redban do not necessarily favor
Crystalline lattice is permeable, so that the victim this weapon in combat. It is treated more like a journal.
will not be suffocated. The lattice may only be broken But, it is definitely a potent weapon. Treat as a superior
down by an appropriate encrypted signal, which may double-handed blade. +1 Fighting. Damage Str+d8.

178
Singularity Bomb Temporal Fragger
Rank: Heroic, Highly restricted to Field personnel. Rank: Veteran.

Singularity bombs are nano-scale black holes, Developed from studies of Stargrazers, this grenade
captured in a magnetic sphere, and surrounded by a does not actually alter time. Instead, it slows down
explosive casing. If the bomb’s timer is activated, a the neurological capabilities of any being caught in its
countdown will begin. When detonated, the nano-scale 3” blast radius. To the victim, the universe speeds up
black hole will implode, destroying everything in a by a factor of 20 or 30… leaving them struggling to
50” diameter, then evaporate in an equally destructive cope. Each victim caught in the blast radius must roll
burst of exotic radiation. The implosion causes 4d10 Smarts. On a success, the grenade has no effect. On a
damage, while the radiation causes a second roll of failure, they must draw three cards for initiative for the
3d8 energy damage. next five rounds. They must take the lowest card drawn.
However, Jokers override this result, letting them fluke
Shako Water Pistol a first shot and giving a +2 as normal! If the victim
Rank: Novice. has the combat reflexes edge, the number of card they
draw is 2, but they must still take the lowest.
This whimsically named gun is actually quite deadly
in the right fins. It uses high-pressure, exceedingly fine
jets of water to rip into targets at close range. Ignores
energy dampening armor and anti-ballistic defense Teraborg Gsa Lisht Slas (Mono-Blade Katana)
systems. Dam 1d6+1, Range 2/5/8. Rank: Heroic.

Shako Jawsaw These antique, ceremonial swords are traditionally

Rank: Seasoned, Shako. passed from mother to a chosen daughter, who will
act as the Lisht (Protector of the Nest) for the family
As if the Shako were not frightening enough, this lineage. It is a great honor to carry a genuine Gsa Lisht
Shako-specific weapon fits into the mouth, over the Slas. +2 negotiation with Teraborg, 6AP, free right of
teeth, and creates a maw full of motorized, rotating, passage on any Teraborg vessel.
armor-shredding teeth. Dam Str+2d6, AP 4. The
user may elect to transfer one wound (if inflicted) to
permanently removing one point of armor from the
victim.
Gear & Gadgets

179
 Gear & Gadgets

180
Fleet Manual

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181
 Drive
Construction
 The FTL attribute from the first edition of High-
Space is no longer used. The speed of FTL flight

S
tarships are just like characters. When you is based on a constant quantum value and all FTL
construct a starship, you should first come up flight (for PanDominion ships) occurs at the same
with a concept. Most of the ‘combat survivable’ speed. The Drive attribute is used for calculating
starships are multi-crewed and of average size or normal-space movement. For purposes of convert-
larger. They need not be warships, although warships ing starships from the first edition for ‘FTL’ read
have the strongest offensive capabilities. ‘Drive.’

Starships follow a simple construction process which

you will recognize as having similarities to the character Step 2: Starship Attributes
creation process.

Each starship has five Attributes:

Seven Steps to Starship Construction
ff Maneuver
Step 1: Starship Design Edges ff Computer
ff Drive
Each starship has a single free Design Edge, which ff Displacement
describes the apparent purpose for which the starship ff Quality
was built. We say ‘apparent purpose’ because sometimes
starships are re-tasked – cargo vessels can be loaded Attributes start at d4, unless modified by the Design
with bombs and used in combat missions, exploration Edge.
starships can be given a stealth upgrade and turned
into reconnaissance platforms, etc.
Step 3: Derived Statistics
The Design Edge of the starship affects its Attributes
and Derived Statistics, sets the limit on its Payload
and Hardpoints, and can even require that a starship Starships also have secondary statistics, Pace and
is constructed with a certain Hindrances. Take this into Toughness, which are determined by their primary
account when completing each section below. Attributes plus modifiers for Edges and Hindrances.
Fleet Manual

In game terms, within the PanDominion the Teraborg

are the only species capable of manufacturing Step 4: Starship Hindrances
starships with Drive or Quality attributes of d12 or
higher.
Considering the intricacies of construction, even
starships of the same model, out of the same drydock,

182
need not be identical. Also, the different environments Step 7: Calculate the cost
in which starships operate, and the approach that each
crew takes to maintenance and upgrades, all ensure
that every starship has its own quirks. Hindrances do not cost CBT to acquire. Instead, they
come with a reduction modifier that lowers the final
Starship Hindrances reflect the nature, and even the age cost of construction. These cost reductions are
of the starship. GM permission is required to purchase expressed as single decimal point multiplier, and the
more than two Minor and one Major Hindrance, but this cost-reduction is cumulative before performing the
is not a hard-and-fast rule, and it does not have to be final calculation.
applied to NPC starships.
To calculate the final cost of a starship, sum up the
Each Hindrance has a ‘cost reduction modifier’ which costs of all Attributes and Edges, and then multiply
reduces the final cost of the starship. this figure by (1 - (total of all cost reduction modifiers)).

For example, a Hindrance with a 0.1 reduction and a

Step 5: Starship Edges Hindrance with a 0.3 reduction are taken together as
a 0.1 + 0.3 = 0.4 reduction when computing the final
cost in CBT.
You can purchase as many compatible Starship Edges
as desired, paying the cost in CBT. When you purchase Thus a starship that has 2500CBT worth of components,
each Edge, you must also be able to mark off the but a final cost reduction modifier of 0.3, would cost:
required number of Payload and Hardpoints that the 2500 x (1 - 0.3) = 1750CBT.
Edge requires. Starship Build Edges (hull/cargo) and
Starship Combat Edges (weapons) can each be bought
multiple times, while all other Starship Edges can only Attributes
be purchased once. 

S
tarship Attributes start at d4 with Design Edge
Step 6: Starship Name and Trappings modifications notwithstanding, and each Attribute
die increase costs 100CBT.

Traditionally, starships are named or ‘christened’ at For example, an Attribute that is not modified by the
launch. Until a starship is officially launched, it is given Design Edge starts at d4 it will cost 100CBT; buying
a ‘hull number’ and referred to strictly by that number. d6 will cost 200CBT; buying d8 will cost 300CBT; etc.
Fleet Manual
It is considered back luck to name a starship before
it is launched and superstitions are never discounted Without any modifications, an Attribute can range
by the crews who live in the darkness of space! Other from d4 to d12. However, Attributes can be modified
common superstitions are that it is bad luck to change by the starship’s Design Edge, which can also affect
the name of a starship, and that in extreme cases, if the minimum and maximum die-types for that same
a starship attracts too much bad luck it will become Attribute.
cursed and lead to the death of its crew!

183
 Design Edges can affect the starting Attributes of Displacement
a starship, as well as the minimum and maximum
die-type for that same Attribute. For example, if a
modification indicates +1 Quality, then the starting Displacement determines the starship’s bulk, load
Quality for that starship is d6, costing only 100CBT, carrying ability, and the potential size of its weapon
and the maximum Quality is d12+1. loadout. It also affects a starship’s ability to soak
damage.

Maneuver ff d4. Single man craft, probe, drone, or remote

ff d6. A research or exploration starship, spy-ship,

Maneuver is the attribute describing how agile or large fighter-bomber
a starship is. It is used by the starship to perform
Tactical Maneuvers (crew members use their Piloting ff d8. A light warship, a sprint trader, or a large
skill instead). racing starship

ff d10. A large battleship, cargo vessel, medical ship,

Computer or commercial liner

ff d12. A super-carrier, commercial or military

Computer is the processing power of the starship, space-station, or a galactic liner
and its ability to automatically handle many of the
starship’s systems. If a starship is also fitted with a All starships of Displacement d10 or less are capable
Positronic Core, it can actually accrue experience of landing on the ground, as well as performing
points and simulate a personality. All computers and submarine operations (unless they buy the Non-
Positronic Cores are considered to be hardwired into the atmospheric Hindrance). Starships and structures
frame of the starship and not easy to add or remove. with d12 or more Displacement are only capable of
spaceflight, and they must take the Non-atmospheric
Hindrance. Since all Wormgates are terrestrial, this
Drive means that ships of a Displacement d12 or above are
unable to access the Wormgate network.

Drive is the normal-space movement speed of the

starship. The higher this value, the faster the starship Quality
Fleet Manual

can travel in normal-space flight.

Quality refers to the design and build quality of the

starship, and reflects its ability to handle extreme
maneuvers, as well as compensate for damage and
the degradation of automated systems.

184
Derived Statistics Design Edges
 

D
epending on the purpose for which a starship is
Pace constructed, it will have certain innate benefits
and restrictions – for example it could be a
purpose-built bulk carrier, a research vessel, an aero-
Pace represents how fast a vessel can move through transport, or an interstellar warship, all of which have
normal-space. The larger the starship the more powerful very different design requirements.
the engine it can carry. Design Edge modifications to
Pace are a straight addition/subtraction. Select one Design Edge during construction. The
Design Edge can never change, although a starship
Pace per round = Drive die-type + Quality die-type can be re-tasked to fulfill other roles.

Apply any modifications to attributes; this does not

Toughness require spending any CBT.

Acquire any mandatory Hindrances specified.

Toughness, which represents the structural capacity of
a starship to take abuse, whether it be from combat The value for Payload and Hardpoints are calculated
damage or an impact with other starships or objects. per Displacement die-type. For example, a d6 warship
Toughness takes into account everything from armor, will have 6 x 2 = 12 Hardpoints.
to structural reinforcement, to ‘shields’ and all other
protective measures. Design Edge modifications to
Toughness are a straight addition/subtraction.

Toughness = (Displacement die-type

+ Quality die-type) / 2

Starship Design Edges

Design Edge Modifications Payload* Hardpoints* Fleet Manual
Warship +1 Quality, -1 Maneuver 1 2
Research +1 Computer, +1 Hindrance(Minor) 2 0
Exploration +1 Quality 2 1
Cargo +1 Displacement, -5 Pace, +1 Hindrance(Major) 3 0
Liner +1 Quality 3 0
Sporting / Fighter +1 Maneuver, +5 Pace 1 1

* Multiplied by the Displacement die-size

185
 Starship Hindrances Bad Air (Major)

The recycling or biosphere modules on the starship do
Aero (Major) not function according to specification, and prolonged
travel without replenishing the circulating air can affect
the crew’s health. For every full week that a crew
The starship with this Hindrance uses a jet-based member spends on the starship without the air being
propulsion system, has no FTL capability, and requires replaced, they must make a Vigor roll. If they fail the
a gaseous atmosphere to function. It cannot travel into roll they suffer 1 point of Fatigue, that can be restored
vacuum and cannot attain FTL flight. For the purpose with 8 hours of breathing fresh air again. Also, the air
of combat it is assumed to always be Adjacent to the ‘smells odd.’ See the section on Air, Food, and Water
planet it is flying over, and can only attack targets for details on air replacement and costs.
that are also Adjacent to the same planet (including
targets in orbit). Even though weapon range is reduced, ff Cost reduction: 0.2
the weapons systems still do the same amount of
damage. This Hindrance usually applies to vessels
used as atmospheric transports and ‘air forces.’ This Bad Reputation (Minor)
Hindrance is incompatible with the Non-atmospheric
Hindrance, and with the No FTL Hindrance.
Scuttlebutt and gossip (but nothing proven) exist
ff Cost reduction: 0.4 around the starship, and by extension its crew. Other
crews do not actively seek contact with the starship,
and authorities tend to ‘look twice’ when doing cargo
and hull inspections. Note that this Hindrance can be
earned during game play without providing any cost
reduction modifier!

ff Cost reduction: 0.1

XS Rules Bucket of Bolts (Major)

The old XS+ vehicle rules no longer exist in High-

Fleet Manual

Space. Instead all XS+ vehicle, or ‘Aeros,’ are This starship is a mess! Systems are always breaking
starships that have the Aero Hindrance. You can down and it is in constant need of repair just to keep it
still use the old rules, but we will not release any running. The starship is either run-down or very badly
new vehicles for them, and all the XS+ ‘stunts’ have designed. Any time a systems is used, if the die roll
been moved into the section on Tactical Maneuvers. is either a single 1 or ‘snake-eyes,’ then that system
breaks down and must be repaired by using Damage
Control or Automated Repair. This includes the Damage

186
Control and Automated Repair systems. Mass-effected FTL (Minor)

ff Cost reduction: 0.3

The FTL drive is misaligned with the superstructure of
the starship, and when the vessel maneuvers during
Leaky (Minor) FTL flight there is an inertial effect on the crew (which
does not normally happen). At the extremes, this can
harm, or even kill the crew. The starship crew can
A design flaw in the starship means that it does not suffer damage when the starship makes a Tactical
cope well with high external pressures and in effect it Maneuver action during FTL flight, just as if the starship
‘leaks.’ In game-terms the starship suffers a Breach was traveling at full Pace in normal-space. Shockpods
for each round spent in a high-pressure environment and Gill-fluid will increase the Vigor die-type of the
- whether deep underwater, or in the lower depths of crew with regards to helping withstand these extreme
a gas giant. The starship cannot also have the Non- g-forces.
atmospheric Hindrance.
ff Cost reduction: 0.15
ff Cost reduction: 0.1

Mechanical Noises (Minor)

Limited-Arc (Minor)

There is something, or some system, on the starship

(System/weapon category: direction) that makes an indeterminable noise that is too elusive
to track down. Whether it is pipes rattling, condensation
Systems and Weapons normally have a 360-degree dripping, or an infrequent metallic ‘grinding’ noise, it
arc of operation in all directions. With this Hindrance, lends the starship an eerie quality during the night-
one weapon system or the Sensor system has an arc cycle! To acquire this Hindrance, a starship must have
equivalent to a 90-degree cone. The arc is not fixed in a Displacement of d8 or greater.
space, because the starship can maneuver to change
it almost at will, but each round the system can only ff Cost reduction: 0.1
target objects within the same 90-degree arc (or
three-dimensional cone).
Nasty Reputation (Major)
For example, the starship could have Limited Arc
Fleet Manual
(X-Ray Laser #1: rear), or Limited Arc (Sensors: forward).
This includes being unable to use weapons for Point Nasty rumors exist of illegal and/or anti-social
Defense against Indirect weapons that approach from behavior regarding the starship. This applies to new
outside the limited arc. starships as much as those with a history, and the
crews of other starships avoid the tainted starship with
ff Cost reduction: 0.1 superstitious dread. All Charisma-based rolls made
by known crew members (including the starship)

187
 incur a -2 penalty. This applies to bridge-to-bridge liquid layer of gas giants, although it may still travel
and starship-to-station communications, and also through the upper gaseous layers of such planets. This
arises during personal interaction, when that person Hindrance is incompatible with the Aero Hindrance.
is strongly associated with the starship. Note that like
Bad Reputation, this Hindrance can also be earned ff Cost reduction: 0.2
during game play without providing any cost reduction
modifier, through sheer antisocial behavior!
Overloads (Major)
ff Cost reduction: 0.2

The starship is reliable, except when system toleranc-

No FTL (Major) es are exceeded! Any time a system use results in a
raise, the system works but it also exceeds its safety
limits, becomes damaged, and must be repaired by the
The starship has an FTL drive for powering systems/ use of Damage Control. This Hindrance can also affect
weapons, however, it has no means of achieving FTL the Damage Control system when used, in which case
flight. Sensors, weapons, and communications systems repairs must be performed manually. This Hindrance is
are all FTL capable and can use FTL ranges. This guaranteed to keep your starship’s engineer busy!
Hindrance is usually applied to planetary-defense
craft that have limited flight needs, but still need to ff Cost reduction: 0.3
defend against starships. The starship does not require
an atmosphere for flight, and can travel in the vacuum
of space. This Hindrance is incompatible with the Aero Poor signage (Minor)
Hindrance.

ff Cost reduction: 0.2 No spacer can be expected to know where every

single systems inspection hatch is, or the source and
Starships that cannot perform FTL flight can travel destination of every single cooling pipe. Subsequently,
in the landing bay of a larger starship, or attached signage on a starship is very important. Starships with
to the Docking point of an FTL capable vessel, if the poor signage (whether infrequently used, or incorrect)
other starship has either of these things. The towing impose a -1 penalty on Spacewise rolls to do anything
of vessels is not possible during FTL flight. on that starship. This can lead to arguments over ‘who
routed the sewage through the drinking water???’
This Hindrance requires that the starship have a
Fleet Manual

Non-atmospheric (Major) Displacement of d6 or above.

ff Cost reduction: 0.1

The starship is incapable of atmospheric or submarine
travel, and does not even have landing gear - it falls
like a stone, and it sinks like a rock! This Hindrance also
prevents the starship from traveling through the lower

188
Probability Drain (Major) Sloppy Steering (Major)

The containment field around the FTL Core fluctuates, The starship was poorly constructed, or has suffered
or leaks, and the space-time fabric around the starship some kind of repair that has left the drive misaligned
can be disturbed at an unnoticeable, quantum level. or the steering system incorrectly calibrated! All
At the start of each new session, one crew member Tactical Maneuvers suffer a -1 penalty for starships
chosen at random will lose 1 Bennie. This Hindrance is with this Hindrance.
incompatible with the Aero Hindrance.
ff Cost reduction: 0.2
ff Cost reduction: 0.2

Twitchy (Minor)
Pulls To The Left (Minor)

The Sensor systems on the starship are badly tuned, or

When the piloting controls are left unattended for have simply never worked properly. They occasionally
an extended period (such as overnight), they have a leave ‘ghost trails’ on the readouts, or miss objects
tendency to drift in an annoying, but known direction, in plain sight! Every time they are used to perform
even if they are under control of the starship. The GM a Sensor scan, and the result is important, the GM
can also use this as a story device. should secretly roll 2d6, and on a roll of snake-eyes
the starship will fail to detect any signal, or will detect
ff Cost reduction: 0.1 double the correct number of signals (GMs’ option).

ff Cost reduction: 0.1

Residual Personality (Minor)

Unshielded (Major)
The starship exhibits a personality trait of an AI
that used to live in it’s Positronic Core (even if the
starship currently has no Positronic Core the effects Requirement: Drive d6, Quality d6, 2 Payload.
are ‘burnt into’ the way the systems operate). The
residual personality trait can be friendly, antagonistic, The starship was constructed without defensive shields,
even schizophrenic, and it functions, in an electro- and its Toughness is permanently reduced by -2. Note
Fleet Manual
mechanical sense, as if it were one of the Minor that a starship is always considered as unshielded
psychological Hindrances from the Savage Worlds core when it is Compromised.
rules (E.g. Habit, Loud Mouth, etc).
ff Cost reduction: 0.2
ff Cost reduction: 0.1

189
 Weak-point (Minor) journeys such as extended drifting at normal-space
speeds, or long FTL hops between systems. Fare-
paying passengers enjoy Cryosleep because it is cheap
When the starship suffers damage, the damage is and easy. Carriers like Cryosleep because people
increased by +1 when determining whether the starship can be packed into their cryo pods like ‘sardines!’
is Compromised or Breached. The nature of the Weak- Passengers can be woken individually or en` mass
point needs to be described during construction. This during a journey as required. The cooling facilities for
Hindrance can be taken multiple times and the damage maintaining Cryosleep are small but not negligible, and
is cumulative for each instance (and yes, this is how Cryosleep can house twice as many passengers as the
you blow up a Death Star!). Displacement die-type of the starship, and the Edge
can be purchased multiple times.
ff Cost reduction: 0.2

Gill-fluid
Starship Crew Edges

ff Cost: 250CBT
ff Requirement: Shockpods, 1 Payload
Accommodation
Gill-fluid is a fluid based life support mechanism for
air-breathing life forms. Clear, gel-based tubes are
ff Cost: 100CBT inserted into the crew member, delivering oxygen and
ff Requirement: Displacement d6, 1 Payload food, and removing waste while inside their Shock-
pods, which are filled with a clear suspension gel.
Accommodation must be purchased for any starship Loose clothing is worn to accommodate the gel-
that travels between systems. Each accommodation tubes. Gill-fluid is mostly used by military crews on
area can comfortably and securely house a number long rotations, and crew will need to take a shower
of crew or guests equal to the Displacement die-type each time they emerge from their Shockpod! For the
of the starship, with the quality of the lodgings deter- performance of maneuvers in normal-space flight, the
mined by the Quality of the starship, and the Edge can effective Vigor of the crew is increased by an additional
be purchased multiple times. +1 die-type on top of the bonus provided by Shockpods.

Cryosleep Lifepods
Fleet Manual

ff Cost: 50CBT ff Cost: 25CBT

ff Requirement: Displacement d6, 1 Payload ff Requirement: 1 Payload

Cryosleep is extremely low temperature ‘suspended- The starship is fitted with Lifepods! This gives all crew
animation’ that living creatures can be placed into, for and passengers that are capable of using a Lifepod the

190
choice of rapidly ejecting any time during their action, to any other starship or object adjacent. The explosion
including during a held action. Each life-pod holds a can be manually triggered, timer-based, or event-
single person, and has a first-aid kit and enough air based. The system is normally only accessible from
and fuel to last 48 hours. If the crew eject during FTL the bridge, and is restricted by the effects of both the
flight they can choose to either be adjacent to the Failsafe and Security Suite before it can be activated.
starship or anywhere along the wake of the starship
that round. If the crew eject during normal-space
flight they are always assumed to be adjacent to the Expert Automatics (System)
starship. Lifepods can be steered, and travel with a
Pace of 10 each round.
ff Cost: 50CBT
ff Requirement: Computer d6
Shockpods
The starship’s computer is fitted with databases of
knowledge and specific algorithms that enable it to
ff Cost: 100CBT operate a designated system with a +2 bonus. This
ff Requirement: 1 Payload bonus is not included when the system is used by
flight-crew manually operating the system; it only
Shockpods are padded capsules that improve the applies for the starship.
effective Vigor of the crew for the performance of
normal-space maneuvers (but not while using FTL,
unless the starship also has the Mass-effected FTL Failsafe
Hindrance). Treat the Vigor of all crew members as
having +1 die-type when performing maneuvers during
normal-space flight. ff Cost: 50CBT
ff Requirement: None

Starship Computer Edges Failsafe is a parallel set of monitoring and control

 systems that are isolated from the starship’s normal
computer and control systems. Any command that
uses a system to endanger the crew is automatically
Anti-Capture System canceled and that system is made inoperable. The
inoperable system can only be restarted by using the
failsafe master-controls, which are usually located
Fleet Manual
ff Cost: 25CBT in a section away from any computer control panels.
ff Requirement: Drive d4, 1 Payload Disabling a Failsafe can be done using the Command
Codes for the starship. Otherwise it requires direct
An anti-capture system detonates all of the remaining physical access to the failsafe system, first breaching
fuel of the starship, which would normally destroy the any security around it, and then a raise on a Security
starship and kill the crew. The explosion also delivers roll.
d4 damage per Drive die-type of the exploding starship,

191
 FTL Computation Array Secoms

ff Cost: 50CBT ff Cost: 50CBT

ff Requirement: Drive d4, Computer d6, 1 Payload ff Requirement: Computer d6

The array is a modular, sub-processing center for Secoms (‘secure communications’) are narrow-band,
the starship that enables more accurate computation scrambled communications that are impervious to
of FTL routes. Upon a successful test as a starship decryption. They must be successfully used as a
system, requiring one full action, the starship gains a starship system, requiring one full Action to do so in
+2 to any Tactical Maneuvers, that round, while in FTL order to encrypt/send a communication. Anyone trying
flight. The starship requires an FTL drive to use this to decrypt communications between two starships
Edge. with Secoms must make a Knowledge (Mathematics)
with a -4 penalty. This assumes that the starship can
first intercept the narrow-band signals, which requires
Positronic Core the intercepting starship to be within Weapons range
of at least one of the targets, and succeed in both
Piloting and Sensors rolls in the same round in order
ff Cost: 100CBT to intercept their transmissions.
ff Requirement: Computer d6, 1 Payload

Most computers can store information, and carry out Remote

self-optimization, but a Positronic Core provides the
starship with a personality, and some would even
argue that it provides a ‘soul’ for the machine! ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: Computer d6, 1 Payload
Examples of starships with this Edge are Discovery
One/HAL2000 (2001: A Space Odyssey), and Nostro- A Remote is a wirelessly-controled, robotic body
mo/Mother (Alien). with very basic characteristics. It can be controlled
so long as it is within Sensor range of the starship
Starships with a Positronic Core possess a persona that and communications are not blocked. The starship can
can relate to the crew, and even attempt Charisma use it to perform actions, however, if the starship also
based social interaction tests using their Computer performs starship actions, then a -2 multiple action
Attribute with a -2 penalty. penalty is incurred to all actions, for each action taken
Fleet Manual

by the remote. Remote control can be coupled with

This Edge is required in order for a player to take the Secoms, otherwise a Remote can be hacked by any
starship as a player-character/hero. transmitter using a Knowledge (Computers) roll.

192
Remote Body Attributes: Starship Codes
For every starship there is a long, non-repeating,
ff Agility d4 random code string that is required to access the
ff Smarts - internals of the starship, lock down systems, to
ff Spirit - enforce orders, and to cancel orders that would
ff Strength d4 otherwise be enforced. These are known as Starship
ff Vigor d10 Codes. Starship Codes can never be hacked (at least
ff Pace: 6 not by PanDominion technology), and the loss of a
ff Parry: 4 Starship Code usually requires the starship to return
ff Toughness: 10 to its place of manufacture to be reprogrammed (after
confirming proof of ownership). Reprogramming does
Special Abilities: not endanger Positronic Cores which run on their
own systems.

ff Armor +2

ff Remote: for Smarts and Spirit, use Computer.

Remotes perform most actions unskilled, including
using a starship system they do not have the Skill
to manually operate.

ff Construct: no additional damage from called

shots. Does not suffer from poison or disease.
Does not to breath, eat, or drink.

Security Suite

ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: Quality d6, 1 Payload

The Security Suite prevents the execution of any

command that would result in ‘immediate harm’ to the
Fleet Manual
crew/passengers or to the starship. A person with the
correct Starship Codes can force the starship to execute
the command on its next action, although authorization
requires one full round to confirm. Alternatively, a raise
with either a Hacking or Security Skill test can also
force the starship to execute the command on its next
action.

193
 Starship Build Edges Cargo: External Fuel Cell

ff Cost: 100CBT
Armory ff Requirement: 1 Payload per Displacement die-
size. E.g. d6 = 2 Payload

ff Cost: 50CBT An external fuel pod that can store as many extra
ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 1 Payload Astatine fuel units as the starship’s Displacement die-
type. Astatine is a large element and difficult to main-
Arms and munitions can be transported the same way tain as the correct isotope outside of an FTL core.
as any other type of cargo, which is often the case - a
dangerous but lucrative proposition. To safely transport
weapons and munitions requires a secure armory. Not Cargo: Luggage
only does an armory need to be secure from on-board
sabotage, but its physical placement and shielding have
to mitigate any damage should the munitions inside ff Cost: 100CBT
be detonated. Armories come with the equivalent of ff Requirement: 1 Payload
both the Failsafe and Security Suite Edges, dedicated
specifically to securing that Armory alone. Armories A small, fully-sealed and pressurized storage
are often found on warships. Buying this Edge does compartment, normally used for luggage, but also
not supply any of the weapons or munitions normally capable of storing up to 3 normal sized humans in
stored inside it. very close proximity. Because of the potential use for
carrying plants and animals, this luggage area relies
on the same life-support mechanism as that of the
Instead of a dedicated armory, a starship may have crew. Such compartments are sometimes concealed,
a simple ‘weapons locker,’ free of charge. This is and aggressively searched for if a starship is boarded
a glorified, lockable rack or cabinet. Weapons for a customs inspection.
lockers are free to all starships and have no cost
associated with them, but the security of the storage
and protection they offer is minimal and potentially Cargo: Cargo Container
easily bypassed.

ff Cost: 200CBT
Fleet Manual

ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 2 Payload

This Edge represents fully-sealed and pressurized

transport for as many sealed standardized cargo con-
tainers as the starship has Displacement points. It can
be bought multiple times as separate or joined areas.

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Cargo: Bulk Storage the Cloaking Device.

ff Cost: 900CBT Combat Conversion

ff Requirement: Displacement d10, 11 Payload

Fully-pressurized storage for non-fluid, bulk goods, ff Cost: 100CBT

such as grains, manufactured and packaged goods, ff Requirement: 2 Payload per 1 Hardpoint
cast metals, and loose minerals, etc. The storage foot-
print covers the size of a several regular football fields, With this Edge, 2 Payload can be converted into 1 Hard-
is about ten stories high, with a cargo weight of up to point, which can then be used to fit-out any Edges that
200,000 tons (182,000 tonnes). require Hardpoints. This edge can be taken multiple
times.

Cargo: Fluid Storage

Docking Point

ff Cost: 1050CBT
ff Requirement: Displacement d10, 12 Payload ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 1 Payload
Fluid storage is very much the same as Bulk Storage,
except that it is specially designed to fill, transport, and A Docking point enables two starships to be joined
empty fluid cargoes. One of the most common fluid directly, as long as one of them has an unoccupied
cargoes being Astatine, the fuel used in FTL Cores! The Docking point. This is especially important if a starship
extra engineering increases the payload requirement, wishes to dock with a station instead of using a landing
but the volume and weights are approximately the bay. If both starships (or stations) have Docking Points
same as for Bulk Storage. it also allows the safe and secure exchange of water,
air, people, power, food, and data. It also allows a
starship to carry any other starship docked with it, as
Cloaking Device long as the second starship(s) are each a minimum of
2 Displacement die-type smaller. For example, a d8
‘carrier’ can dock with and carry as many d4 sized
ff Cost: 300CBT per point of Displacement craft as it has Docking points. Docking Points also
ff Requirement: Computer d6, 1 Payload enable a starship to perform a boarding action, even if
Fleet Manual
the target starship does not have a Docking Point. This
When successfully used, a Cloaking Device immediately edge can be taken multiple times.
severs any Sensor locks on the starship (including
Quantum-Locks), and imposes a Sensor roll with a -2
penalty in order to acquire the starship over the next
3 rounds. Starships can move, fire weapons and take
offensive action without compromising the effects of

195
 Hazmat Containment Internal Weapons

ff Cost: 200CBT ff Cost: 50CBT

ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 3 Payload ff Requirement: None

Hazardous materials (radioactive, biological, and For each instance of this Edge, one compartment in
chemical) can be safely and indefinitely stored in starship is outfitted with a mounted laser weapon that
starships with this Edge. Hazmat Containment is can be used as a starship system. The weapon stats
automatically fitted with its own failsafe, the equivalent for a civilian starship are the same as an Assault Pistol.
of the Failsafe Edge. Because of the extensive shielding
and temperature control around the containment, the
volume available to store material is very small – the Landing Bay
size of a small room per Edge bought. When buying
this Edge more than once, it needs to be specified if
the containment area is one big area or consists of ff Cost: 50CBT
smaller, isolated areas. ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 1 Payload

This Edge converts 1 Payload worth of the starship into

Internal Manipulators a landing area that can hold 1 Displacement die-type
worth of a smaller starship (d4, d6, etc.) If this Edge is
bought multiple times, it should be noted if it is used
ff Cost: 50CBT per point of Displacement for one large bay, or multiple smaller bays, and in
ff Requirement: None what configuration. When combined to form one large
bay, the large bay may have a maximum size of 1 die-
Whether they are mechadendrites, cyber-limbs, or type smaller than the starship’s Displacement.
invisible effect-fields, these allow fine-manipulation of
internal objects throughout the entire starship, but they
are not an effective melee weapon.

Starship Internal Weapons Systems

Fleet Manual

Item Range Dmg RoF Wt Shots Min Notes

Str
Internal 12/24/48 2d6+1 1 3 200 - Semi-Auto, projectile weapon
Weapons

196
Medbay by the starship or by a live doctor. This stacks with the
+2 Medbay bonus for medical procedures.

ff Cost: 200CBT
ff Requirement: Displacement d6, 1 Payload Non-Reactive Surface (NRS)

Medbays provide a +2 bonus for any medical procedures

that they service, such as using the Healing skill. Also, ff Cost: 50CBT per point of Displacement
they are the source of the +2 bonus for Natural Healing ff Requirement: None
tests made using the “Medical attention (2010 and
beyond)” modifier in the core rules. NRS has the advantage of blocking Sensor scans. It
imposes a -2 penalty on any Sensor scan for the
starship.
Mining Rig

Overdrive
ff Cost: 250CBT
ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 3 Payload
ff Cost: 50CBT
Mining rigs are used to excavate minerals and ore ff Requirement: Quality d10, 1 Payload
from anywhere the starship can land, including from
asteroids and, in extremely rare and dangerous cases, A starship with this Edge increases its Pace by +1, for
comets. After a successful use of this system, requiring normal-space flight only.
a full action, a Mining Rig can excavate 2 tons of soft
metal or minerals per round, or 1 ton of hard metals
or minerals per round. This Edge can be purchased Tempest Shielding
multiple times. Excavated ores can be directed to
internal storage of the starship, or to the storage of
another vessel connected via a Docking point. Mining ff Cost: 100CBT per point of Displacement
Rigs enable the starship to perform a boarding action. ff Requirement: 1 Payload

Tempest Shielding raises the effective Toughness of a

NanoMedbay starship by +1 with respect to X-ray lasers, and to resist
Radiation damage including the effects of passing too
Fleet Manual
close to a star (see the Exploration section).
ff Cost: 300CBT
ff Requirement: Displacement d8, Quality d6, Medbay

NanoMedbays are advanced medical facilities. They

grant an additional +2 bonus to rolls for all medical
procedures performed within them, whether performed

197
 Starship Combat Edges HV Missile Battery (HVMB)


A
lthough PanDominion citizens are by nature ff Cost: 200CBT
pacifists, and the arming of starships is ff Requirement: Displacement d8, 1 Payload, 2 Hard-
considered distasteful, it is quite normal due point
to the numerous external threats that must be faced
alone in space. HVMB are long range missiles with FTL engines that
can cover an entire star system in a single burst!
HVMBs need to roll to hit, and if they fail to hit then
ECM Suite (ECM) they will continue to roll to hit each round, until they
are evaded or destroyed. Before each roll to hit they
are susceptible to Point Defense fire.
ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: Quality d6, 1 Payload, 1 Hardpoint HVMB require a Sensor lock on the target and can use
the Sensor systems of the firing ship, or any allied
Starships carrying an ECM suite can make an starship that has a lock on the target.
incapacitating Indirect attack against other starships
at Sensor range. The starship rolls their Quality die
for damage, and can only ever achieve a result of a Microturret (MCT)
Compromise, even with a raise. ECM suites can never
cause Breaches at any time.
ff Cost: 40CBT
ff Requirement: 1 Hardpoint
Gravity Bomb (GB)
A manually controlled weapons turret that can only
be fired by an operating crew member. The weapon
ff Cost: 200CBT cannot be controlled or fired by the starship. Useful for
ff Requirement: Drive d8, 2 Payload, 2 Hardpoint Direct attacks, and Point Defense.

A gravity bomb is effectively an unstable FTL Core

in a limited containment field. It is launched at a
location in space and creates a tear in the space-time
fabric, causing massive damage to any target it hits,
Fleet Manual

potentially removing it from the space-time continuum!

198
Point Defense Array (PDA) Shield Modulator (SMOD)

ff Cost: 50CBT ff Cost: 400CBT

ff Requirement: 1 Hardpoint ff Requirement: Drive d6, Quality d6, 1 Payload, 1
Hardpoint
Short-range weapons dedicated to missile defense,
and short bursts of offensive fire. They come in many Shield Modulators automatically adjust the frequency
forms, from high rate-of-fire projectiles, to short of starship shields to best defend against different
ranged, broad-beam lasers. attacks as required, and automatically provide a +2
bonus to Toughness for any shielded starship. Starships
with Unshielded cannot use a Shield Modulator.
Quantum-Lock (QL)

Spinal Lance (SL)

ff Cost: 250CBT
ff Requirement: Drive d4, Displacement d8, 3 Hard-
point ff Cost: 500CBT
ff Requirement: Drive d6, Displacement d10, 2 Pay-
A Quantum-Lock is a particle/wave generator that load, 3 Hardpoint
bombards targets with energy that temporarily ‘tags’ it
at the subatomic level. This provides a +2 bonus to all The largest weapon that a starship of any size can
Sensor and attack rolls for the remainder of the round. mount, the Spinal Lance consumes a lot of space and
It also enables String-Torpedoes to automatically hit takes a long time to recharge, but a successful hit can
the tagged target. end a battle or even reduce a city to rubble! Regardless
of whether there are Payloads and Hardpoints available,
a starship can only carry a single Spinal Lance,
Reflective Armor (RA) because it specifically needs to be mounted in the
central position of each starship.

ff Cost: 100CBT per point of Displacement

ff Requirement: 1 Hardpoint Only Armada warships are authorized to carry a
Spinal Lance during times of peace.
Not only is the surface of this starship highly reflective,
Fleet Manual
it is also cleared of protrusions and external antennae
and masts, and weapons are mounted flush with the
hull which takes up some extra room. RA increases
the Toughness of the starship by +2 with respect to
the damage caused by X-ray Lasers, Spinal Lances,
Microturrets, and PDAs.

199
 Fleet Manual

200
 String-Torpedo (ST)

ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: 1 Hardpoint

String-torpedoes are short-lived energy torpedoes.

Sometimes, they are aimed by the starship, and when
doing so they require an Indirect system use to-hit.
Alternatively, they can be fired at a target that is tagged
with a Quantum-Lock, acquired either by themselves or
by an allied starship, and they will automatically hit!
It is standard Armada combat doctrine to use large,
defensive starships to ‘paint’ targets with a Quantum-
Lock, and then send in squadrons of light attack-craft
armed with String-Torpedoes.

X-ray Lasers (XRL)

ff Cost: 100CBT
ff Requirement: 2 Hardpoint

X-ray lasers are standard offensive/defensive systems

because of their ability to take out incoming missiles,
as well as dish out damage of their own.

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201
 Starship Special Edges Wormgate Hack


S
pecial Edges have requirements that mean they ff Cost: 0
cannot be purchased ‘off the shelf,’ and require ff Requirements: Solaris Industries MDA Multidimen-
contacts and/or dispensation to acquire. Most of sional Array
them are species-specific, but a few are also specific
to organizations. The Wormgate Hack is an algorithm that can be
embedded in the MDA, which times the activation of
the starship’s FTL drive so as to allow it to ‘drop out’ of
Solaris Industries MDA a Wormgate, at any point directly in-line between the
Multidimensional Array two singularities from which it is composed. A side-
effect of the maneuver is a ‘time loss’ of 1d6 days (this
ff Cost: 0 roll can explode). According to eyewitness reports, the
ff Requirements: Formal approval from Hector Lynx, starship will visibly flicker, and wink out of existence,
owner of Solaris Conglomerate and then appear at the desired exit point a couple of
days later!
The MDA is an add-on for starship computers, and
for Wormgates, based on Starfish technology. In itself,
it provides no massive benefit, except to allow the Soamatan Braintooth-Emulator
addition on other related enhancements. The entire
system is written and runs on an advanced, self-
referencing computer language developed by the ff Cost: 2,000CBT
Starfish, that is supposedly unhackable and unable to ff Requirements: Positronic Core, 1 Payload
be reverse engineered.
The Braintooth-Emulator is a bio-electric interface
the size of a small room, that provides a Positronic
Drive burster core with the Arcane Background (Psychic) Edge. The
device is produced by the Salamat Projection, although
only a few of the devices have even been exhibited to
ff Cost: 0 the public. The U.G.P. has banned the device from use
ff Requirements: Solaris Industries MDA Multidimen- on Armada starships, for fear of crew concerns over
sional Array privacy and undue influence on command decisions!
Fleet Manual

The Drive burster takes advantage of the MDA to

compute a more sophisticated drive profile. Starships
fitted with the Drive burster gain +5 Pace. This bonus is
in addition to Overdrive.

202
Soamatan Psi-Sensors weapon, although there is a substantial debate on the
Sphere as to whether or not it should. Only a single
Microlance can be mounted on a starship.
ff Cost: 450CBT
ff Requirements: none When a starship is also fitted with a Teraborg FTL
converter, power from the FTL drive can be re-routed
Sensors are normally blocked by starship shielding. to this weapon. The first shot from the Microlance each
However, Soamatan engineers have been able to round will add the Drive die-type as additional damage.
develop an add-on module for Sensors, that can
identify the latent psychic functions that all sentient
lifeforms generate in their brainwaves. Starships with Point Defense Array Multiplexer (PDAM)
Soamatan Psi-Sensors can scan inside shielded
starships and identify individual brainwaves by species
type, and pinpoint each brainwave to a 3-dimensional ff Cost: 700CBT
point within the starship. The sensors will also pick up ff Requirements: PDA, Teraborg FTL drive converter
Positronic Cores.
By virtue of the specialized Drive Converter, an FTL
Core can be connected to a PDA to enable super-fast
Teraborg FTL Drive Converter recharging. The PDA does not incur the first -2 penalty
for multiple uses of the same system. Each FTL drive
converter can only be coupled to a single PDA.
ff Cost: 1000CBT
ff Requirements: Approval by the Imperial Nest
Weaponomics HVMB Quantum
The FTL drive converter is a system that can filter and Guidance System
divert the output of an FTL drive for other purposes. On
its own it does nothing, but it is required to run certain ff Cost: 300CBT
other systems. Only starships approved by the Imperial ff Requirements: HV Missile Battery, 1 Payload
Nest will be supplied with this system; typically this
requires them to have a Teraborg crew or captain. Normally, a HV Missile requires a roll to hit once it
reaches its target. Weaponomics Commercial have
produced a new guidance system that allows the HV
Teraborg Microlance (TML) Missile to also automatically strike targets tagged with
a Quantum Lock, thus removing the roll to hit.
Fleet Manual

ff Cost: 1000CBT
ff Requirements: Approval by the Imperial Nest, 1
Payload, 2 Hardpoint

The Microlance is a smaller variant of the Spinal Lance.

Due to its smaller size, it is not classified as a military

203
 P.T.I.L.E. Space-to-Surface E/P Targeter Tactical-Algorithm

ff Cost: 0 ff Cost: 1000CBT

ff Requirements: P.T.I.L.E. approval, X-Ray laser ff Requirements: Aschin Randomizer

The E/P (Extreme Prejudice) is a targeting system The Aschin sell and trade in unique algorithms,
restricted to P.T.I.L.E. use by edict of the U.G.P. tailored for each client starship. These algorithms use
Furthermore, its deployment in the field of operation the Aschin’s unique form of chaos-theory to predict
requires approval from a duly authorized U.G.P. superior tactical outcomes. The Tactical-Algorithm
representative. The targeting system allows an X-Ray provides the starship with a +2 bonus on all Tactical
laser to be fired from Adjacent range (typically, planetary Maneuvers.
orbit) to strike a target the size of an individual person,
in space or on the surface of a planet. Due to the
narrowing of the laser to achieve the precision required, Shield-Randomizer
the damage is greatly reduced to only 4d6 points of
character based damage. The target must be in line
of sight, and normal Cover modifiers apply, although ff Cost: 750CBT
range modifiers do not. This weapon is rarely used ff Requirements: Aschin Randomizer, Shield Modu-
by P.T.I.L.E. due to the sensitivity of the public to the lator (SMOD)
implications. Unfortunately, there have been cases of
P.T.I.L.E. starships outfitted with the system being stolen, By using the Aschin Randomizer to control a Shield
and there is a growing fear that antisocial/disruptive Modulator, the modulator becomes more difficult to
elements within the PanDominion are making specific predict and overcome, providing an extra +2 Toughness
efforts to acquire one for assassination purposes! bonus.

Aschin Randomizer Cloak-Randomizer

ff Cost: 600CBT ff Cost: 1000CBT

ff Requirements: none ff Requirements: Aschin Randomizer, Cloaking
Device
The Aschin Randomizer is a fairly rar,e add-on module
Fleet Manual

for starship computers based on proprietary Aschin The Cloak randomizer allows a Cloaking Device to be
technology. By itself, the Randomizer does little, controlled by an Aschin Randomizer, providing a +2
except provide very long strings of pure randomized bonus on the roll to successful configure the Cloaking
characters. However, the Randomizer is an essential Device. Almost all Aschin starships are fitted with
component of other technologies developed by the both Cloaking Devices and Cloak-Randomizer, which
Aschin. matches the Aschins’ pragmatic approach to being
over-cautious and keeping a low profile.

204
Secoms-Randomizer Cryohealing

ff Cost: 1000CBT ff Cost: 300CBT

ff Requirements: Aschin Randomizer, Secoms ff Requirements: Phoxin Biosystem, Cryosleep, 1
Payload
Similar to other randomizers, the Secoms-randomizer
provides a +2 bonus to the roll to use Secoms. Further, Normally, injuries do not heal in Cryosleep, and it is in
it enhances the encryption being used, which increases effect a form of stasis. However, Phoxin pharma-tech
the penalty to the Knowledge (Mathematics) to decrypt has found a way to stimulate and allow natural healing,
such communications to +6. even during Cryosleep. For a Phoxin, healing via Cryos-
leep is as natural and instinctive as respiring!

Phoxin Biosystem
Pheromone Exfiltration

ff Cost: 200CBT
ff Requirements: 1 Payload ff Cost: 200CBT
ff Requirements: Phoxin Biosystem, 1 Payload
The Biosystem, invented by the Phoxin and freely
shared across the PanDominion, is a living subsystem Pheromone Exfiltration bypasses the normal starship
that is literally ‘plumbed’ into a starship. The system recyclers and routes the air and water supply of the
lights up the starship interior with glowing ‘veins’ of starship through the Biosystem, where it is not only
phosphorescent liquid that is both the carrier medium refreshed, and destabilizing hormones and pheromones
and the system itself. The Biosystem provides a +2 are removed and replaced with species-specific,
bonus to Damage Control systems, so long as there harmony-inducing equivalents. All organic beings
is an organic-friendly environment inside the starship. relying on the starship for life support have a +2 bonus
The system also provides a basic form of continual when rolling to remove Shaken, or resist the effects of
emergency lighting and is used to deliver other Phoxin fear or confusion.
systems through the starship. Extreme cold conditions
will force the Biosystem into dormancy, but it will
recover to full operating ability once living conditions Shako AqualifeTM Control System
are restored. Fleet Manual
ff ost: 400CBT
ff Requirements: 1 Payload

Because of their aquatic nature, Shako have devel-

oped replacement control and life support systems
that allow a starship to run an entirely aquatic internal
environment, including personal life-support provisions

205
 for creatures not blessed with the ability to live under- Redban Habitat Adaption
water! Additionally, the Aqualife™ system provides the
benefits of Shockpods to the crew.
ff Cost: 150CBT
ff Requirements: 1 Payload
Aquatech OxygenatorTM
Habitat Adaption involves strategically lacing computer-
controller plant growth systems inside key points of the
ff Cost: 200CBT starship, to grow and maintain a network of living vines.
ff Requirements: Shako AqualifeTM Control System, The Adaption system provides a +2 bonus to Agility
1 Payload and Strength rolls during Zero-G combat. The vines
are extremely hardy and insulated against the cold, but
Aquatech is a Human commercial operation that has they will die if exposed to sub-arctic temperatures for
developed a way for air-breathing creatures to live on over an hour! Dead vines can be replanted and regrown
a Shako starship. The Aqualife™ system is essentially within one month.
coupled with a Gill Fluid delivery system, providing
oxygen/nitrogen enriched fluid that both air-breathers
and water breathers can enjoy. Abor Life Support

Shako Damage Dissipaters ff Cost: 250CBT

ff Requirements: Redban Habitat Adaption

ff Cost: 350CBT Abor Life Support is an electro-mechanical interface to

ff Requirements: Shako AqualifeTM Control System, the Redban Habitat Adaption, that extracts breathable
1 Payload air and potable water from the living vines that grow
through the starship. This is sufficient life support for
Shako engineers have developed the technology the crew to survive for up to a week if their mechanical
to baffle internal pressure changes through the systems should fail. This system will provide life
Aquatech™ system, which reduces damage to both support functions, even if starship is Inoperable.
starship and occupants. The Dissipaters provide a +2
Toughness bonus both to the starship and to the crew
so long as they are within the Aquatech™ medium.
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206
Ironbug NanoNest damage through the use of micro-welders and glue-
like saliva!

ff Cost: 0
ff Requirements: The Nano-Nest must ‘choose’ to Ironbug Revenger
inhabit the starship

Ironbug starships deploy ‘nests’ of helper nanobots, ff Cost: 150CBT

that sometimes choose to colonize other starships. ff Requirements: Drive d4, 1 Payload
All these nests are offshoots of a ‘grandmother nest’
that was developed on their homeworld hundreds of Ironbugs can be particularly vindictive when they feel
years ago. If a starship has working power, then an they have been wronged. They have developed their
introduced nest may choose to remain, but no one own ‘anti-capture device’ that does a lot more than
has yet managed to understand what makes some just blow to the starship and do collateral damage.
starships attractive to the nest, and others not. At best By mixing Astatine fuel into a ruptured FTL drive at
this appears a 50-50 proposition! Trying to install a an optimal rate, the Revenger delivers d8 damage per
NanoNest can also be dangerous, and nests that fail to Displacement die-type of the exploding starship, to
accept their starship have been known to use nanobots any other starship or object within Adjacent range. It
to tear Breaches in the hull just to escape, even it if will also cause serious (but recoverable) environmental
means that they are dooming themselves to a death damage to any planets within the blast. The Revenger
in space! is banned on all PanDominion starships, though that
does not stop the Ironbugs from selling them.

Nanobeetles
Ironbug Remote Defender

ff Cost: 0
ff Requirements: Ironbug Nano-Nest ff Cost: 500CBT
ff Requirement: Computer d6, 1 Payload
Once per 30+ Sol day cycle, a functioning NanoNest
may produce a swarm of Nanobeetles. The Nanobeetles Many starships have Remotes (especially those with a
hatch according to no determinable lifecycle that can Positronic Core that likes to go exploring). However, the
be accurately predicted. The chance of this happening Ironbugs have taken the concept to violent extremes.
is 6 on a d6 roll. However, the hatchlings may or may The ‘Ironbug Defender’ is a Remote configured for
Fleet Manual
not accept their starship as their new home. If the brutal close quarters combat. Although this weapon-
Nanonest is happy and healthy, with access to a good ized system is not banned on PanDominion starships,
power supply, there is a 5 in 6 chance that the Nano- it is rare to find a captain that actually installs one.
Bettles will remain, otherwise they will tear a Breach in Wildcards and other anti-social elements are about the
the starship and evacuate. Nanobettles will protect their only folks crazy enough to buy them.
starship habitat and provide +1 bonus on all Automated
Repair rolls, as they assist the starship to recover from

207
 Starship Wildcard Edge
Dontrogo self-defense system 

ff Cost: 250CBT Wildcard Starship (WCS)

ff Requirement: 1 Payload

This system can be triggered by the crew to flood the ff Cost: Determined by the GM
starship with colorful, smelly, and corrosive clouds of ff Requirement: Special
vapor that are designed to dissuade unwanted lifeforms
from remaining on board. Anyone with skin exposed to Some starships are famous, or notorious, and have
the vapor must make a Vigor roll at the end of each some of the same benefits that Wildcard characters
round, or suffer 1 point of Fatigue until unconscious have. These starships start each game with 3 bennies,
(the vapor rarely kills). Additionally, the multi-colored possess a Wildcard die that they can use when rolling
vapor obscures vision and scent tracking, imposing a for any one system each round, and can spend their
-2 Medium Cover penalty while within the starship. The bennies to make Soak rolls to remove the Compromised
Fleet Manual

gas is harmless to Dontrogo, and they also do not status and Breaches, the same way that heroes soak
suffer the -2 Cover penalty as it is designed not to Wounds. Although heroes may start with a starship with
interfere with the visual spectrum at which Dontrogo this Edge, it cannot be purchased during construction,
sense. Activation of this system is not subject to and the ‘cost’ of acquiring it is set by the GM and is
control by either the Failsafe or Security Suite Edge. never as simple as paying CPUBits!

208
This Edge is required in order for a player to take the Starships as PCs
starship as a player-character/hero. 
If you want to play a starship as your hero, all you need
to do is make sure that the starship has purchased a
Positronic Core (for personality!), and acquired a reason
to have Wildcard Starship (for luck!)

You will start off with no Skills, or character-based

Edges or Hindrances, but these can be acquired through
play and experience points the same as for any hero.
This way you can acquire character based abilities,
although most of them will only come into play if they
Ironbug Remote are social/knowledge related... or if you can use them
Defender Construct through a Remote!

Attributes: As a general rule, the initial construction cost of your

starship should be no more than 600CBT for a low-
ff Agility d4 powered campaign, 800CBT for the typical campaign,
ff Smarts - and 1000CBT+ for a high-powered campaign. This
ff Spirit - construction cost is regardless of whether the starship
ff Strength d8 is a PC or not. Once constructed as part of ‘character
ff Vigor d10 creation,’ any upgrades or additions to your starship
ff Pace: 6 are purely a matter of paying enough CBT, or pulling
ff Parry: 6 in and/or giving out enough favors! Note that starships
ff Toughness: 10 can also apply for Voluntary Servitude in order to earn
CBT.
Special Abilities:
Your Positronic Core is the store of all your experience
ff Sawteeth (Str+d10, AP4) and personality. Treat it like your soul! However, if
ff Armor +4 you have the resources you can have it removed and
installed into a different starship.
Remote: for Smarts and Spirit, use Computer.
Remotes perform most actions unskilled, including In roleplaying terms, the ‘end game’ for a starship can
Fleet Manual
using a starship system they do not have the Skill to vary wildly. You might exist to command the most
manually operate. powerful vessel (or fleet) in the PanDominion, or to
discover new worlds and phenomenon, implement your
Construct: no additional damage from called shots. own version of galactic policy, build a ‘family’ around
Does not suffer from poison or disease. Does not need your crew, or even to evolve and upload yourself as a
to breath, eat, or drink. Mind of the Sphere!

209
 Construction example Step 3 Derived Attributes


T
he concept for the Nostradamus is a deep-space ff Pace is derived as: 4 (Drive) + 4 (Quality) - 5
cargo hauler. It is massive, but under maintained (Design modifier) = 3
and it has developed significant quirks over the
years! ff Toughness is derived as: 10 (Displacement) + 4
(Quality) / 2 = 14 /2 = 7
Step 1: Design Edge
ff The Payload is determined based on the
Displacement and the Design Edge, and is 10 x 3
The Design Edge chosen is ‘Cargo,’ so the starship = 30 Payload points
starts with Displacement of d6, and all other Attributes
start at d4 each. Displacement can be increased to a ff Hardpoints are similarly determined as 10 x 0 = 0
maximum of d12+1, all other Attributes can be increased Hardpoint points. Well, this is a cargo ship!
to a maximum of d12. The Design Edge incurs a -4
Pace modifier, and requires the starship to have at least Step 4: Hindrances Purchased
one major Hindrance, which will be Non-Atmospheric.
This behemoth cannot land!
Additional Hindrances are now purchased. The final
Step 2: Attributes Hindrances and their cost modifiers are as follows:

ff Non-Atmospheric (Major) (0.2) + Mechanical

Now, Attributes are purchased. The final Attribute costs Noises (Minor) (0.1) + Poor signage (Minor) (0.1) =
are as follows: 0.4 final cost reduction modifier

ff Maneuver d4 (100CBT) Step 5: Purchase Edges

ff Computer d6 (200CBT)
The following Starship Edges are also purchased,
ff Drive d4 (100CBT) fleshing out the starship in terms of capabilities and
purpose:
ff Displacement d10 (300CBT, because d6 to d10 is
2 increases) ff Cargo: Bulk Storage x 2 (costing 1800CBT, using
Fleet Manual

22 Payload)
ff Quality d4 (100CBT)
ff Landing Bay x 2 (100CBT, using 2 Payload) is a
single landing bay that can hold a d6 starship

ff Cryosleep (50CBT, using 1 Payload) so the crew

can sleep on those long hauls

210
ff Anti-capture system (25CBT, using 1 Payload) so
you can blow the starship up if it gets infested
with aliens!

ff Failsafe (50CBT) so it’s not easy for just anyone

to use that Anti-capture system!

ff Positronic core (100CBT, using 1 Payload) because

this ship has personality

ff Medbay (200CBT, using 1 Payload) for… treating

industrial accidents?

Step 6: Name and Trappings

We already have our ship name - The Nostradamus.

But now it’s time to brainstorm some trappings.
Keeping with the name, this ship is decorated in faux
historical, scholarly manner, with ready rooms of wood
paneling and gilded filigree. The bridge features a tiled
hardwood floor (now well-scuffed) and a chandelier
hangs it’s vaulted ceiling.

Step 7: Calculate Final Costs

The starship has used 28 Payload points, and has

2 left. It has not used any Hardpoints which is good
because like most cargo vessels it doesn’t have any.

The raw cost of all the above components is 3125CBT,

but after applying the cost reduction modifier for the
Hindrances, the final cost is 3125 x (1 - 0.4) = 1875CBT.
Fleet Manual

Hindrances are a great way to bring down the price of

an expensive starship!

211
 Fleet Manual

212
The Tactical Sphere
S
pace-fights are what High-Space is all about,
whether they take place in crowded, bustling
systems with plenty of objects and planets
to exploit for maneuvers, or whether they are cat-
and-mouse games of sensors, cloaking devices, and
running silent in the depths of space!

The PanDominion is a technologically advanced

society, and this has expanded the arena for conflict,
not reduced it.

High-Space provides a ‘Tactical Sphere’ for each

encounter location. This is a way of tracking every
important starship and planet in combat relative to the
heroes, making space battles a hero-centric activity
and keeping the spotlight firmly where it should be.

To keep things fun, fast, and furious, we use simplistic,

cinematic distances for combat, instead of real
distances.

Just like character based combat, space-fighting

combat rounds consist of the elements of initiative,
movement, actions, and damage resolution. The

The Tactical Sphere

space-fighting combat rounds in High-Space occur in
the same time frame as character based actions, and
even use the same Initiative draw!

213
 Initiative FTL Movement
 

I S
nitiative occurs exactly as per the core rules, and tarships move on their Initiative draw. Starship
each starship is also dealt a single card from the combat in FTL takes place across great
initiative deck. distances, at unimaginable speeds, and in
almost infinite three-dimensional configurations. To
The players then decide the movement and actions reduce complexity, important ranges and distances
that their starship will take. are described in cinematic ranges, and not in actual
distances. There are only three ranges that are
As per the Savage Worlds rules for controlling allies, important.
the players (not the GM) will control all starships that
are allied with their heroes. The Countdown, Surprise,
Holding, and Standoffs are all applicable for starships, Sensor range
just as if they were character actions.

When characters acting on the same Initiative compete The range far outside that of a normal star system,
for control of a system, they roll against each other from where Sensors can roll to detect distant planets
using the requisite Skill, and the highest roll wins and and starships. Very few weapons or systems can
applies their result to the desired effect. achieve Sensor range.

Example of Initiative Weapons range

Executive Officer Brey, of the Pan-Dominion Armada,

is trying to activate the starship’s distress beacon, The range within which most weapons systems
but a saboteur on board the starship is trying to operate. Normally the size of a solar system. Sensors
stop her. They both have access to a communi- automatically detect stars, planets, moons, and active
cations control panel and there are no security starships in space within this range.
countermeasures in place. The saboteur has been
The Tactical Sphere

holding their action in anticipation of stopping Brey.

Adjacent
Brey has Spacewise of d8 (this is a Communica-
tions system, so she uses her Spacewise) and she
rolls a 7 on 1 die (she is not a Wildcard). This range represents starships that are anywhere from
being docked or flying close together, to orbiting a
The saboteur has Spacewise of d4 and rolls a 4, planet, moon, or other celestial body.
which explodes with a 1, for a total of 5. Brey wins
with her result of 7, which is a success. The distress If a starship moves Adjacent to a celestial object or a
beacon activates! starship which is at least one die-type larger, then it
can use the larger object as Cover. Doing this imposes

214
a -2 situational modifier on Sensor rolls to detect it, In High-Space, the center of solar systems (or other
and on Direct fire weapon rolls to attack it. notable locations) provide the starting focus and ranges
for action. Planets, asteroids, suns, etc. all provide Cover
When a starship can end Adjacent to another starship, and obstacles within the arena of action.
this can have several effects. For example, to make
an opposed action such as boarding or to perform Once combat is underway, a moving starship is
ramming. Both starship must make opposed Maneuver/ described in terms of ‘where it is’ and ‘where it wants
Piloting rolls. On a success the starship or pilot that to go,’ and to uses the other starships and major
wins determines what happens. objects around it (usually planets, tactical locations, or
orbits) as references and for measuring ranges.

FTL Speeds Considering a real-world example, the Tactical Sphere

of our ‘Sol’ solar system might look like the following
Tactical Sphere with planets added.
All objects in FTL flight are bound by a the constant of
the dimension (bubble) within which FTL drives operate.

In one FTL move, a starship can move either from Example of Sol Tactical Sphere
Sensor range to Weapons range (or vice versa), or
Weapons range to Adjacent (or vice versa).

A starship that wants to move from being Adjacent TACTICAL SPHERE

to one object in a solar system, to being Adjacent
SENSOR RANGE
to another, distant object in the solar system, must
first move out to Weapons range before it can move
Adjacent to the second object.
WEAPONS RANGE
NUS
INGRESS
URA

FIZ
FTL

ZONE

THE ASTEROID BELT

Y
TO CUR URN
US
MER
PLU

SAT
VEN

TH
EAR

The Tactical Sphere

NE
TU S
MAR
NEP

EXIT ZON
FEX
E
FTL

TER
JUPI

Sensor Range Disengage Polar

North
FEX

Weapons Range

FIZ
Adjacent Polar
South

MOVEMENT CALCULATIONS ISOMETIC VIEW

215
 TACTICAL SPHERE
SENSOR RANGE

WEAPONS RANGE

INGRESS
FIZ
FTL

ZONE

EXIT ZON
FEX
E
FTL
The Tactical Sphere

Sensor Range Disengage Polar

North
FEX

Weapons Range

FIZ
Adjacent Polar
South

MOVEMENT CALCULATIONS ISOMETIC VIEW

216
At any point in time the planets in the Tactical Sphere FIZ/FEX
can be in different alignments. A starship visiting a
solar system one day might find two planets in
conjunction, but if it returned again next month those When a starship enters or leaves a PanDominion
same planets may be in opposition! controlled solar system it is legally required to move
Adjacent to the ‘FTL Ingress Zone’ (FIZ) as the first
thing it does.
Starships can reliably predict the Tactical Sphere of
any known system for centuries in advance. Conversely, when departing a PanDominion system, it
is required to move Adjacent to the designated ‘FTL
Exit Zone’ (FEX) before it departs.
The more planets there are in a solar system, the more
decisions the GM needs to make as to where objects These are legal routes for all vessels to use when
are, however, most of the time all you will want to know arriving or departing, and they are monitored by both
is “where is X compared to Y?” P.T.I.L.E. and the U.R.C.. Entering a solar system via any
other, unauthorized route is considered an attempt to
The Sol system is a busy system compared to others, dodge quarantine or inspection controls, and is treated
and most of the time, constructing a Tactical Sphere as a felony by the authorities.
from scratch should be fast, and done to enhance the
action and the options for the players.
Deep Space
In published adventures and plot points we will
provide pre-generated Tactical Spheres, mapping all The Tactical Sphere is important when the action is
significant locations in a system at a specific point taking place in a solar system, however, when starships
in time. encounter each other in deep space. the only thing that
matters is the distance between them! Starships can
use their FTL and any Tactical Maneuvers to either
close or increase the relative range between them, or
they can attempt the Disengage dramatic action if they

The Tactical Sphere

wish to escape a fight.

217
 Normal-Space Movement A starship may be outfitted with Edges such as Shock-
 pods and Gill Fluid to improve the Vigor die-type of
passengers for Tactical Maneuvers, and a Failsafe to
Normal-space flight is mainly used for docking with prevent it from moving in a way that will kill the crew.
other starships and with space stations, making
planetfall, and when required to navigate hazard-filled
areas. It is also the only speed a starship can travel
while in-atmosphere or underwater, otherwise it would
burn up due friction! Actions

Starships leave FTL flight with the same normal-

S
space velocity with which they entered FTL, because tarship and individual character actions all
momentum (velocity and direction) is conserved occur on the standard Initiative countdown. The
indefinite while a starship is in FTL. This is a side- potential for action and drama here is limited
effect of the phenomenon that FTL flight is inertia- only by your imagination. For example, you could have
less, and starships and their occupants are unaffected boarding parties fighting their way towards the ship’s
by Newtonian laws concerning the conservation of bridge, while the starship’s crew are busy trying to blow
momentum. another starship out of space! Or an attacking starship
could be bearing down on the heroes while one of them
Travel through normal-space is limited to the Pace is in the engine room desperately trying to take down
of a starship. For each point of Pace a starship has, it the spy who is sabotaging the engines!
can travel 1km per round. For example, a large luxury
cruiser with Maneuver d4 and Quality d6 has a Pace Social interaction is likewise unlimited, and crews are
of 10, and can travel 10km per round. Theoretically, free to hurl taunts and abuse at other crews, or plead
once this cruiser has come within about 100km of a for mercy, or change the conditions of surrender as
planet, it will switch to normal-space flight to make an combat progresses!
approach to land.
Starships created by sentient species are typically
However, normal-space flight is subject to the laws of designed so that the flight-crew members can always
inertia and momentum. Whenever a starship makes access any system as desired. Unless stated otherwise,
The Tactical Sphere

a Tactical Maneuver with a Maneuver/Piloting die- systems can be controlled remotely.

type that is higher than the Vigor die-type of any
crew member, then that crew member immediately
becomes Shaken. For example, if the luxury cruiser
described in the example above were to maneuver
at its full Pace, all the passengers (including those
in Cryosleep) become Shaken! If the starship were to
keep maneuvering like this it could actually kill the
crew and passengers!

218
Systems & Maneuvers are intrinsic to all starships and do not need to be
 purchased. Check the system description for more
information.

E
verything that a starship can do is described as
a ‘system.’ When controlled by the starship, the Using a starship system, or making a Tactical Maneuver,
die-type rolled is equal to the listed Attribute. is a single action.
For example, a starship with a Maneuver die-type of
d6, will roll a d6 when using the Maneuvering system. Each starship system, or Tactical Maneuver, can only
be used once per round.
When a flight-crew member uses a system, they instead
use the listed Skill. A skilled operator can potentially Characters and starships making multiple actions
finesse a system to a higher degree of success than a suffer multiple action penalties as per normal. A
starship can manage. character (or a starship with a Remote) can mix-and-
match their multiple actions, with some being starship
Note that some systems are also starship Edges, and systems rolls, and some being normal skill rolls.
must be purchased as Edges, while many systems

Starship Systems
Ship System Ship Crew Skill Starship Edge
Attribute
Automated Repair Quality Repair
Cloaking Device Quality Security Requires Cloaking Device
Communications Computer Spacewise
Damage Control Computer Spacewise
Direct Fire Computer Shooting Requires a Weapon Edge
Firing Solution Computer Investigation
FTL Computational Array Computer Piloting Requires FTL Drive

The Tactical Sphere

Indirect Fire Computer Notice Requires a Weapon Edge
Internal Weapons Computer Shooting Requires Internal Weapons
Maneuvering Maneuver Piloting
(starship)
Mining Rig Computer Repair Requires Mining Rig
Nano Medbay Quality Healing Requires Nano Medbay
Point Defense Computer Shooting Requires a Weapon Edge
Secoms Computer Security Requires Secoms
Sensors Quality Notice Requires Active Secoms

219
 Automated Repair Damage Control

Automated Repair is the starship equivalent of ‘healing’ Damage Control is the starship equivalent of becoming
for heroes. ‘unshaken’ for heroes. When used on a Compromised
starship, a success will remove the condition of
It can only be rolled once per new Breach. When used Compromised. The roll must subtract any pre-existing
to repair multiple Breaches, a success removes one penalties for Compromised and Breaches.
Breach, and one (or more) raises also removes one
additional Breach. The roll must subtract any pre-
existing penalties for Breaches. Direct Fire
The roll can take place any time after a Breach(es).
Only one system test is rolled, for all new Breaches. Any Starship Combat Edge that uses Direct targeting
If a starship has three Breaches and is Inoperable, can be fired once per round. The effects are as per the
Automated Repair must first be rolled to remove the Edge. Direct weapons systems require line-of-sight to
Inoperable state, before any further roll to remove the target and a Sensor lock. Note that the Ganging
actual Breach(es). See the ‘Damage’ section for more Up bonus of +1 per additional attacker applies only for
details. attackers that are within Weapons range.

Cloaking Device Firing Solution

See the Edge of the same name. One weapons system can be held from firing that
round, while an improved firing solution is calculated.
Communications On a successful Computer or Knowledge (Computers)
roll, that system can fire on the next round with a +2
If you wish to initiate a Test-of-wills against the crew bonus. There is no additional bonus for a raise.
of another starship, you need to open communications
The Tactical Sphere

with them. However, if you open communications to

initiate a social Skill test you cannot sever that link in Indirect Fire
the same round. Be warned... you may get a reply you
don’t like!
Any Starship Combat Edge that uses Indirect Fire can
be fired once per round. The effects are as per the Edge.
FTL Computational Array Indirect weapons systems do not require line-of-sight
to the target, although the target must be acquired by a
Sensor lock either from the attacking starship itself or
See the Edge of the same name. from an ally it is in communication with. Note that the
Ganging Up bonus of +1 per additional attacker applies

220
only for attackers that are within Weapons range. Point Defense

Internal Weapons Any Starship Combat Edge that uses Direct targeting,
and which has not been activated that round, can be
used for Point Defense against an Indirect weapon
See the Edge of the same name. that has achieved a successful roll to hit, before the
incoming weapon rolls for damage. A hit by the Point
Defense weapon automatically destroys the incoming
Maneuvering Indirect weapon. Any weapon used in Point Defense
cannot also be used to attack that Round. If it is used
to attack first, then it cannot be used for Point Defense,
The Maneuvering system allows the starship to either and vice versa. The Point Defense system can be used
make either an FTL move, or to move up to its full either by the starship, or by a crew member with a
Pace in Normal-space, while also performing one Held action.
or more Tactical Maneuvers at the same time. Each
Tactical Maneuver is treated as an additional action,
and imposes the standard cumulative +2 TN penalty Secoms
on all actions, even for those performed by the starship
(this is due to the stress placed upon the starship’s
drive systems). The Maneuvering system can only be See the Edge of the same name.
used once per round.

Sensors
Mining Rig

To detect an object using starship Sensors it must be

See the Edge of the same name. in line-of-sight. Situations that block line-of-sight for
Sensors include:

NanoMedbay
The Tactical Sphere
ff Target is within a planetary atmosphere, when the
scanner is in space

See the Edge of the same name. ff Target is in space, when the scanner is within a
planetary atmosphere

ff Target is adjacent to a star/black hole (note that

this is hazardous to both crew and starship)

Within Sensor range, Sensors that try to scan an area

(which can be the size of a solar system) must roll to

221
 succeed. Success/failure applies to everything within Sensors cannot scan inside a shielded starship, however
the area being scanned. they can scan inside an unshielded or Compromised
starship from within Weapons range, as if scanning the
Within Weapons range, Sensors automatically detect surface of a planet.
all ‘active’ objects as if they had rolled a success (but
not a raise, unless this is specifically rolled for). This The starship-related information that Sensors can
will automatically detect starships with active drives, provide depends on the success of the Sensor roll.
as well as stars, planets, moons, space stations, and
large asteroids. The starship/crew will be alerted to ›› Success: Location, Design Edge, Displacement,
any new contacts that the system automatically picks Drive, Quality, and official PanDominion
up. Sensors must roll to detect starships (or orbitals, transponder signal (if operable)
space-stations, etc.) that are Running Silent, or ÃÃ Raise: Starship Combat Edges
similarly to detect unpowered objects that are smaller
than asteroids.

Situations that impose a penalty on Sensor rolls are: Tactical Maneuvers


ff Target is using an Adjacent object as Cover (-2)

T
he starship, or a crew member using Piloting,
ff Target is using an active Cloaking Device (-2) can perform one or more Tactical Maneuvers
as Actions when the starship moves, to provide
ff Target has the Non-Reactive Surface (NRS) Edge a benefit to a starship in combat, with some degree of
(-2) risk if the maneuver fails. There are more maneuvers
than described here, but these are common ones.
ff Target is in a stellar nebula cloud (-4)

ff Success or failure for some Tactical Maneuvers Align for Impact

(varies)

If an object has been detected by a starship’s Sensors By keeping the sturdiest parts of the starship facing
The Tactical Sphere

(or its allies Sensors) then it is considered to be towards the enemies weapons, you are likely to suffer
‘locked,’ and no further Sensor rolls are required to less damage when hit.
track it, for as long as it remains within line-of-sight.
›› Bonus: +2 Toughness versus damage incurred
Sensors are also used to ‘scan’ the surface of a planet, ÃÃ Raise: No improvement in Toughness
and while in FTL flight and adjacent to a planet, the ~~ Failure: The starship strays off course, and incurs
entire planet surface can be scanned in a single round. a -2 penalty to all other rolls that round
This scan will highlight landed starships, structures,
natural landmarks, population centers, and clusters
and counts of flora/fauna.

222
Angle for Attack Hide-in-the-Sun

Angle for Attack is an attempt to bring the starship This maneuver momentarily puts the starship within
weapons systems to bear in an advantageous way, less than Close range of a local massive-energy
against a single pre-specified target. source. This is typically a sun, but it could also be
a black hole, or a massive explosion. The Sensor
A successful Angle for Attack bonus can be shared signature of the energy source obscures the starship
amongst allied starship using Indirect weapons, from enemy Sensors, effectively hiding it in plain sight!
assuming clear communications. The maneuver receives a +2 bonus when attempting to
hide in the energy signature of binary-suns, and a +4
Systems with the Limited-Arc Hindrance cannot benefit bonus when attempting to hide in the energy signature
from this maneuver. of trinary-suns.

›› Bonus: The starship weapons systems gain +2 ›› Bonus: Imposes -2 penalty to all rolls to acquire
against the pre-specified target until the end of the starship with Sensors
the round ÃÃ Raise: The Sensor penalty is increased to -4
ÃÃ Raise: The bonus is increased to +4 ~~ Failure: The misaligned energy signature
~~ Failure: The starship has maneovered its weapons illuminates the starship, providing a +2 bonus on
to suboptimal positions, and they are incur a -4 enemy Sensor rolls to acquire the starship
penalty until the end of the round, against all
targets Nape-of-the-Earth

Crazy Ivan
Flying at very low, Nape-of-the-Earth altitudes, or
extremely close to large space structures, is one way
By maneuvering the starship through rapid turns and of avoiding attack. The pilot performing this maneuver
twists, Sensor coverage can be maximized at the cost sets the TN for their Piloting test, which reflects how low
of movement. The starship attempting this maneuver they will risk flying. Because of the extreme proximity
cannot spend more than 1 movement point this round. required, this maneuver can only be performed at

The Tactical Sphere

normal-space speeds, although this does not lessen
›› Bonus: The starship gains +2 to all Sensor rolls the success of the maneuver.
ÃÃ Raise: The starship gains +4 to all Sensor rolls
~~ Failure: Out-of-control maneuvers actually ›› Bonus: The TN for the maneuver becomes the
impede Sensor coverage, and all Sensor locks are new TN for any actions that target the starship,
lost and must be reacquired. Also, the increased until its next movement
Sensor noise from the starship gives all other ÃÃ Raise: No additional benefit
starships a +2 bonus to attack it ~~ Failure: The starship has pushed it too close! It
takes a number of damage points equal to twice
the TN that was attempted. The object that it was
flying near takes half damage.

223
 Running Silent ›› Bonus: Immediately re-spend half of the starship’s
Pace; or make a second FTL move
ÃÃ Raise: Immediately re-spend all of the starship’s
Sometimes, the best way to avoid being hit by a Pace; no further bonus to FTL movement
weapon is to be undetectable, and the best way to ~~ Failure: The starship has come perilously close to
do this is to stop radiating energy! The starship must the planet/object. It does not receive any bonus
power down its weapons and drives (although it will to movement. The starship takes 1d6 damage per
retain normal-space speed and direction). point by which it failed the roll

It cannot make any new Sensor rolls, although it will

continue to lock onto Sensor signals it has, and that it
automatically acquires. Starship Weapons

The starship will remain Running Silent until it moves,

A
fires, makes a Sensor roll, or uses Communications ll of the following are bought with Edges. See
of any kind. However, it can still use internal systems the appropriate Edge for a description of the
such as Medbays and internal communications. weapon/system.

›› Bonus: Any Sensor locks on the starship are lost

(but not Quantum-Locks). The maneuver imposes Firing in Space
a -4 penalty on any Sensor rolls to detect the
starship while it runs Silent
ÃÃ Raise: The same as a success, except that a -8 When in space, all starship weapons can reach targets
penalty is imposed within their specified range. Direct fire weapons require
~~ Failure: No effect, except that the starship is now line of sight and a Sensor lock, but Indirect weapons
very vulnerable! only require a Sensor lock.

Slingshot
Firing while in Atmosphere
The Tactical Sphere

By using the electro-gravitational field of any planet

sized or larger object that the starship passes within When in atmosphere, or firing into atmosphere when
Adjacent range of during its movement, the starship Adjacent to a planet or moon, Direct fire weapons are
can use the object’s mass to gain momentum and limited to light-of-sight, which varies from 600km to
extra movement. This work for both FTL and Normal- 800km for an Earth-sized planet. Indirect fire weapons
space movement. can hit any target on the planet, so long as they have
a Sensor lock.

224
 Starship Weapons Systems
Weapon Range Damage RoF Notes
ECM Suite (ECM) Sensor (S) Quality (Compromise) 1 Indirect, can never
cause a Breach
E/P Targeter Adjacent (A) 4d6 1 Direct, see edge
Gravity Bomb (GB) Weapon (W) 3d6 1 per 2 Indirect
HV Missile Battery (HVMB) Weapon (W) 3d6 1 per 2 Indirect
Microturret (MCT) Weapon (W) 2d4 1 Direct
Point Defense Array (PDA) Adjacent (A) 1d4 1 Direct
Quantum Lock (QL) Weapon (W) Lock 1 Direct
Ramming Adjacent (A) d4 per Displacement 1 Ramming starship
die-size also takes 1/2 damage
Spinal Lance (SL) Weapon (W) 6d6 1 per 3 Direct, AP 2
String-Torpedo (ST) Weapon (W) 2d6 1 Indirect, AP 1
Teraborg Microlance (TML) Weapon (W) d4 per Displacement 1 per 3 Direct, AP 2, see edge
die-size
X-ray Laser (XRL) Weapon (W) 2d6 1 Direct

Damage Breaches

For each raise on the damage roll, the starship suffers
Compromise one Breach. Breaches are starship approximations of
character Wounds.

Every starship weapon that hits rolls for Damage, When a starship is under the command, control,
versus the Toughness of the target starship, in the or operation of a Wildcard character, or itself has

The Tactical Sphere

same way that character damage is calculated. the Wildcard Starship Edge, then, just like a player
character, it can take a few hits before it is disabled.
On a success (no raises), the target starship is Such starships have a ’Breach tracker,’ that works
Compromised (hull ruptured, shields down, drive core the same way as a ‘Wound tracker.’ For example, one
leaking, losing air, etc.) and all rolls performed using the Breach imposes a -1 penalty to all actions, etc. Beyond
starship systems are at -2, and Toughness is reduced three Breaches a starship is rendered Inoperable.
by -2. This is the equivalent of a character that is
Shaken. The Compromised status can be removed by When a starship is under the control of an ‘Extra,’ then
a successful use of the Damage Control system. a single Breach removes it from play.

Breaches are repaired using the Automated Repair

225
 system of the starship. Each use of this system takes Inoperable Quality Test
10 minutes. Any character or starship may only attempt
to use the Automated Repair system to heal new Result Effect
Breaches, once after they were sustained. A character 1 or less All previously functioning
may also use their own Repair skill to attempt direct, systems are restored, but the
manual repair of a single Breach, once after it was starship remains Compromised
sustained. until it can be properly repaired
at a drydock
Anything that cannot be repaired by these means Failure One randomly determined
requires a drydock, and costs significant sums of CPU- previously functioning system
Bits, and raises potentially complicated questions! cannot be recovered and is not
usable until the starship can
be repaired at a drydock. The
Inoperable starship is Compromised.
Success The starship is Compromised,
but otherwise all previously
A starship that suffers more than three Breaches functioning systems are restored.
(cumulatively or all at once) is rendered Inoperable. Raise All previously functioning starship
Inoperable starships aren’t necessarily destroyed, but systems are restored. The
they are ‘dead in space,’ probably leaking air and starship is not Compromised.
energy, and all weapons and targeting systems gain a
+4 bonus to hit them.

Inoperable starships may not perform actions, Drydock Repairs

computers and their systems cannot be used, and they
are only dealt Action Cards for the purpose of tracking
residual normal-space movement. Drydock repairs to fix a system cost half as much as
a new system itself.
The Inoperable state may only be removed by a
character performing manual repairs on the starship Drydock repairs to fix a Breach cost 10CBT x
The Tactical Sphere

at the site of the last hit, with a successful Repair roll. Displacement of the starship.
This will bring all the starship back online and move
the starship to the -3 level of the Breach Tracker. All repairs can usually be completed within 24 standard
hours, unless the drydock does not stock a particular
Whenever a starship recovers from being Inoperable, system or sub-component, and this must be delivered.
make an immediate Quality roll for the starship.
At any law-abiding drydock, repairs of damage caused
by weapons fire will be reported to the local authorities
who may/may not be persuaded to overlook them.

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Called Shots Dramatic Task: Disengage
 
Starship attacks can be declared as Called Shots. Hostile, and even potentially-hostile encounters, can
Sensors are considered as ‘Tiny’ (-6). Engines and be ended simply by extending them to the distance
the life support systems are considered as Heads/ of MSR (Maximum Sensor Range) and the point of
Vitals’ (-4). All other systems are considered as Limbs disengagement by distance. However, there is another
(-2). Each called shot that hits its target will cause a way to end a spacefight which is more pro-active, and
maximum of 1 Breach of Damage, and if the damaged this is via a Dramatic Task.
starship fails a Quality roll then that system is disabled.
It cannot be restored by Automated Repair, and it will The Disengage requires mo more than five rounds
require a manual Repair roll at the site of the system. of using the ‘Maneuvering’ system of the starship to
achieve an accumulation of five successes.
A character using a starship system that is hit by a
Called Shot must be specifically working outside of, The commencement of the Disengage must be
or near the outside of, the starship’s hull in order to announced before the first action. Overall success
also take damage from the attack. If they are, then indicates that the starship has disengaged from
treat the damage rolled for the starship weapon as the fight - either it has somehow maneuvered to
character damage when applying it to the character, outdistance the enemy, or it has maneuvered into the
not starship damage. This reduced degree of damage blind spot of enemy Sensors and managed to slink off
assumes that the character was trying to use whatever the map! It is even possible that the starship is still
was available on the starship to protect themselves within range of that the enemy starship, but they are
while they worked, and not directly expose themselves simply obscured from each other.
to harm. However, if for any reason they specifically
were not taking precautions… adios amigo! Disengage can be restarted at any point before the next
action that uses the Maneuvering system.

Cooperative rolls can benefit each action as per the

core rules, and Complications apply as normal.

The Tactical Sphere

Difficulty modifier: -2 if there is only one hostile
starship, with a +2 bonus (not penalty) for each addi-
tional hostile starship, to a maximum of +4 bonus.
Multiple hostiles begin to get in each other’s way, and
make it easier to escape!

227
 Example Spacefight The pirate starship gives chase so that it is back to
within Weapons range and fires its X-Ray laser. The
Ambush in the V.K.Mani asteroid-belt! GM rolls their Computer attribute for firing the XRL and
achieves a result of 4 which is a success. The GM rolls
Our heroes are in a slow moving, unarmed, mining 2d6 for damage for a result of 8 points against the
starship when they are jumped by space-pirates while heroes’ starship with a Toughness of 4. That is a suc-
mining an asteroid in the V.K.Mani system. The asteroid cess and a raise. The heroes’ starship is Compromised
belt is in Weapons range of the Tactical Sphere for the and has suffered 1 Breach.
V.K.Mani solar system (in the Lantern nebula).
Before the round ends, one of the heroes uses their
The pirates are Running Silent (-2), using adjacent Spacewise skill for the Damage Control system.
asteroids as Cover (-2), and using their Sensors They succeed (even with the -3 penalty; 1 Breach +
automatically lock onto the heroes’ active mining Compromised) and this removes the Compromised
starship. Although the heroes are scanning the area, condition.
the penalty to their Sensors means that they fail to
detect the pirates. Breaches take 10 minutes to attempt a repair, so the
starship is still subject to the -1 penalty for the Breach
Round 0: The Drop and will be for the rest of the combat.

Because the heroes have not yet been able to

The pirates start hostilities with ‘the drop’ on the achieve five successes towards their dramatic task of
heroes, before the heroes can act. Let’s call this ‘round Disengage, they remain at the mercy of the pirates!
zero.’ The pirates open fire with an XRL with a +4 for
having the drop. The pirates roll a d6+4 and get a result Round 2: Nape-of-the-Earth
of 5. That’s a hit, and they roll 2d6 for damage for a
total of 3. Whew, this is just a glancing blow (the GM
curses and claims an asteroid got in the way!). This In round two, the highest Initiative goes to a hero,
means that the heroes’ ship is knocked about, but not who succeeds with a Piloting roll for the Maneuvering
Compromised or Breached. system, gaining another success for the Disengage.
The next highest Initiative goes to the heroes’ starship,
The Tactical Sphere

Round 1: Make a Run For It! which uses the asteroid field to perform a Nape-of-
the-Earth Tactical Maneuver.

In round one, the heroes decide to make a run for The players set the TN for the maneuver at 5, and one
it. Their starship moves out to Sensor range of the player rolls for the starship using its Maneuver die-
pirates and the heroes declare the start of a Disengage type and gets a success against the target of 5. The
dramatic task. A crew member rolls their Piloting for the heroes now have three of the five successes required,
Maneuvering system and gets a raise, after factoring in and the TN for the pirates to hit the starship is 5 (not
the -2 Difficulty penalty for the single aggressor. The 4) for the rest of the round.
heroes now have two successes towards a successful
Disengage. All other actors have their actions.

228
Round 3: Missed!

In round three, both starships remain in Weapons range,

around the ‘Asteroid belt’ location on the Tactical
Sphere.

The heroes’ starship wins Initiative, but fails a Maneuver

roll to Disengage, although it still gets to move and it
again moves to Sensor range from the pirates at the
edge of the V.K.Mani system.

The pirates follow, and close back to within Weapons

range. The pirates shoot at the heroes again, but miss.

After three rounds, The heroes are still stuck on only

three of five successes required for the Disengage.

Round 4: Escape

In round four the heroes’ starship has Initiative but

doesn’t use the Maneuvering system.

One of the heroes uses their next action to make a

Piloting roll to Disengage, and achieves a raise. This
provides the minimum five successes for the Disengage.

The combat ends immediately as the heroes make a

clean escape from the pirates.

The Tactical Sphere

The GM decides, with the player’s input, that because
the two starships were still close to the V.K.Mani
system, that the heroes found their way out of danger
by moving back into the cover of the asteroid field. In
this situation the pirates are still ‘out there’ somewhere,
probably running silent again, but the heroes are safe
for now and steering a course around the asteroids
that takes them further and further away. And they still
have repairs to make!

229
 Into the Void
While the PanDominion stretches across the
vastness of two arms of the Milky Way Galaxy,
and pushes ever outwards, vast reaches within its
borders remain unexplored. It is an irony - and one
not missed by Philosophers - that the Agencies
and the Militant Arms of the PanDominion seek
to constantly drive into the Great Beyond, while
ignoring much of the Void Within. Some even go
so far as to state that this is a sure sign that the
PanDominion is nothing more than hollow empire,
set to collapse at any time!

Whatever the political and academic posturing, the

truth remains that few star systems further than
500 light years from a system with a Wormgate
have been visited by PanDominion explorers. Of
course, the PanDominion’s astrographic arrays
are constantly searching the heavens for potential
signs of intelligent life, habitable and terraformable
planets, Astatine rich systems, strange anomalies
and vestiges of ancient civilizations. But nothing
really beats boldly going and exploring what is out
there in vastness of space...
Into The Void

230
Between Galaxies Cold Comets

Even with FTL capability, there is great difficulty Comets spend most of the solar orbits in Deep Space
in crossing the gulf of space between galaxies. as cold, tail-less balls of ice and rock. However, this
Because FTL flight is inertia-less, the FTL drive has is when they are at their most stable, and they pro-
to be continually active, and there are currently no vide an opportunity for scientific research into the ori-
PanDominion ships in existence that have the capacity gins of the universe. Comets are some of the oldest,
to carry sufficient Astatine fuel cells for a return untouched fragments of creation and are composed
journey between galaxies. An attempt could be made, of elements formed very early in the lifespan of the
relying on discovering Astatine deposits mid-journey known universe.
between galaxies, but the chances of discovering fuel
in the stellar void are so low as to consider such a
journey suicidal! Derelict Starships

Starships that become lost in space, or simply

damaged beyond the point of restoration, can later
Deep Space end up as navigational markers. They also provide
 opportunities for salvage and scavenging, emergency
repairs and supplies, and hide outs for those who need
The vast spaces between solar systems are uninhabited to disappear. It is also not unknown for derelicts to be
and usually unsurveyed, and ships that attempt to used by pirates as ‘honeypots’ to lure in and capture
rendezvous in deep space find it almost impossible to the foolhardy.
locate each other! Even if they have a prearranged set
of coordinates, it still requires that both ships achieve a
raise on a Sensors roll in the same round in order for Communications Relays
them to establish contact.

Deep Space is usually devoid of any features, and it is Because only a minority of planets have Wormgates
strongly recommended that GMs limit the number of (and these form the hub of a ‘sector’) the rest of the
scenes they run in Deep Space, because of the limited planets are interconnected via FTL Communications
options for interacting with the environment. Relays. There are usually redundant relays for each
link.
Into The Void
If the GM does want to run scenes in Deep Space, here
are some suggested props that can help to establish The fact that the location of these relays is mapped
the scene and provide interactivity: and well known makes them an ideal point for deep
space rendezvous, as well as infrastructure that is
critical to the stability of the PanDominion.

231
 Nebulae Stellar Nebulae

Nebulae are the often beautiful clouds of interstellar Nebulae created from disintegrating stars are called
material that can range in size from a solar system ‘stellar nebula’ and comprise the outer layers of gas
(the results of supernovas or disintegrating red-giant from the dying star. The gas is highly ionized, charged
stars) to entire young galaxies, still in their infant state with magnetic fields, and the entire nebula out to
of coalescing into stars and systems. Nebulae are Medium solar-distance of what is left of the center is
often made of entirely the same material, or pockets difficult to scan and imposes a -2 penalty on Sensor
of related materials, usually dust, or ionized gases. rolls, and Sensor locks cannot be held and must be
rolled for each round.

Galactic Nebulae
Often in nebulae of this sort, optical visibility (eye-
balling) is the best way to locate and track extremely
Most galaxy-sized nebulae are composed of dust close range objects in line-of-sight. Crew members
clouds, which are highly effective at obscuring light. visually searching can make Notice rolls to detect a
Because of the impossibility of traveling to other starship within 10km per point of its Displacement.
galaxies due to the incredible fuel and time restrictions,
little is known about the internal structure of these
nebulae. Within a galactic nebula, the dust and ionized Anomalies
gases impose a -4 penalty on all Sensor rolls, and
Sensor locks cannot be held and must be rolled for
each round. Deep Space is sometimes the only location where
gravitational and electromagnetic ‘anomalies’ can
exist without being destroyed. The Riftgate Anomaly
is a prime example of this. Anomalies can be literally
anything, some examples being:

ff Wormholes

ff Ruptures in the fabric of space-time

The Lantern Nebula ff Psychic sinkholes, that drain the psychic power of
Into The Void

the Soamata
The Lantern Nebula is actually a very small ‘galac-
tic nebula’ within the Milky Way galaxy, In terms of ff Gravitational whirlpools that pull starships off
gaseous composition and Sensor distortion. There are course
many other similar, small nebula, such as the Eagle
Nebula which is the birthplace of the Soamata. ff Rogue planets

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ff FTL-currents, that resist the functioning of FTL Between Stars
drives 
ff White-holes that endlessly spew forth matter/ Not all solar systems are connected to the PanDomin-
anti-matter ion via Wormgates. Sometimes to get to a solar system,
particularly a newly established system, means travel-
ff Artificial structures of unknown origins ing the long way around! As a general rule, the duration
of a flight between solar systems (using average FTL
ff Disturbed-space that can toss starships around speeds) is:
and even damage them
Duration = distance in Light Years (LY) x 1 day
ff Probability ‘traps’ that can drain both FTL power
and bennies! For example, the duration of a flight from the Sol
system to Alpha Centauri = 4.2 days.

Note that because FTL flight is inertia-less and all

occurs within the same dimension, all starships travel
at the same FTL speed (the Pace derived-attribute of
a starship only determines its speed in Normal-space).
The Riftgate Anomaly
In practical terms, starships can neither ‘escape’ nor
The discovery of the Riftgate Anomaly in an otherwise ‘close in on’ other starships in straight-line travel.
dead system deep between the galactic arms, has
raised much speculation as to its origins, but even In game terms the only way to get away from a pursuer,
more interest in the new areas of the galaxy it opens or to catch escaping prey is with a suitable Dramatic
up. Termed “The Fringeworlds,” this largely unexplored Task, such as the Disengage. Chases are also possible
area of space is teeming with new systems, strange whenever the environment provides an opportunity
new species, ancient ruins and untold opportunities. such as for optimizing course or performing Tactical
Maneuvers.
The Fringeworlds are a blank canvas for creative
gamers: a perfect backdrop for almost any sort of Teraborg engineers are reportedly studying how to
adventure or campaign. As you build out this area, build FTL drives that use alternate dimensions, but
be sure to stake your claim by posting details of so far have not succeeded. Such a discovery would
your systems and planets, exotic aliens and weird be revolutionary, not only in terms of manufacturing
Into The Void
discoveries on The Sphere at www.storyweaver.com. faster starships, but also faster FTL-relays and thus
This part of the galaxy if YOURS to define, and we will the speed of connectivity of the Sphere to systems
help with the record keeping! without Wormgates.

233
 Solar Systems

The majority of action in the PanDominion takes place
within solar systems.

The radius of a modest solar system is between

‘Medium’ and ‘Long’ in terms of cinematic distances
(or ~30AU in real terms). There are sometimes outlying
bodies up to Extreme solar-distance (or ~70AU), but
these are usually asteroid-sized and too numerous to
count.

In the terms of the Tactical Sphere and the cinematic

ranges of spacefighting, solar systems follow these
rules:

ff Extreme ‘hot’ planets, such as Mercury, lie

Adjacent to their star(s)

ff Most habitable planets, such as Venus and Earth,

as well as asteroid belts and large gas-giants lie
within Weapons range of their star(s)

ff Secondary gas-giants, and Exo-planets, such as

Pluto, are usually found at Sensor range of their
star(s)

ff Beyond Sensor range of a star system and beyond

there is only Deep Space...
Into The Void

234
 Normal-Space Travel In our own solar system, the distance from Sol to
Mercury (the planet closest to our sun) is 57,000,000km,
Normal-space travel does not use cinematic ranges, and even a slow starship can traverse this distance in
and will usually be resolved at a specific ‘destination’ a single round, with only a single Vigor roll required.
that has an FTL range from the central star(s) and
will not change. Normal-space travel occurs at a Starships usually only travel within this unsafe distance
speed of 1km per point of Pace, per Round. Thus, to a star when trying to foil the Sensors of another
intra-system journeys in Normal-space can take ship.
several years even for a modest starship.

The radiation caused by stars make them an ideal

place to ‘stash’ non-living contraband, or even to
temporarily hide out!

Stars
Stellar Gravity

At the heart of each solar system are one or more

stars. These gigantic bodies are composed of outer Due to the extreme gravity wells that stars produce, the
layers of gas, and dense inner cores of metals up to closest to a star that a ship can safely travel is equal
the atomic weight of iron. It is theorized that every to 1000km. For each round that is at least partially
naturally occurring element in the universe heavier spent traveling within this minimum safe distance, the
than Helium is produced in a star or a supernova. starship must make a Quality roll with a -2 penalty,
or suffer 1 Breach. 1000km is considered Nape-of-the-
Earth when maneuvering around a star.
Stellar Radiation

Pulsars
Stars radiate light and heat as a result of the nuclear
fusion reactions taking place within them. Because of
this radiation, the closest to a star that any starship Pulsars were once extremely large stars that have since
can safely travel is Close solar-distance. If a starship entered their final stage, and collapsed to a super-
travels ‘adjacent’ to a star of any kind, the crew dense state. Prior to their collapse, they would have
must make Vigor rolls each round, although Tempest expanded to the size of a colossal ‘red giant,’ covering
Into The Void
Shielding provides a bonus to this roll. If a character their entire solar system out to Close solar-distance,
fails the Vigor roll, they take damage as specified in and thus there are no surviving, habitable planets in
the Radiation section of the Savage Worlds core rules. pulsar systems!
Also, the starship is considered to be experiencing
radiation equivalent to that of a Galactic nebula (see Pulsars are so dense in metals that they generate
the section on Nebulae) making it difficult to use or to magnetic fields which are strong enough that they pre-
be detected by Sensors. vent all radiation from exiting the star, except via the

235
 two polar axes, where the magnetic fields are weakest. Planets of this type typically have two, one, or zero
moons. Instances of ‘many mooned’ earth-type planets
As a pulsar rotates, the tightly-angled release of x-rays have been recorded, although such moons are usually
and gamma radiation they emit may pass across the only the size of asteroids.
view of an observer. From the stationary position of the
observer, this radiation appears to ‘pulse,’ hence the Because of the propensity of habitable planets to have
name. The frequency of this pulsing is always relatively an atmosphere, starships with the Non-Atmospheric
quick in astronomical terms due to the high rotational Hindrance usually cannot land them. Crew must instead
speed that a pulsar picks up as it collapses. When rely on shuttles or sub-orbital conveyancers in order
a starship crosses within the tight beam of radiation to make planetfall, although colonized planets usually
emitted by a pulsar within Close solar-distance, it operate space stations that allow for R&R (‘refueling
experiences Stellar Radiation. and recreation’) without the need to land.

Habitable Planets Golden Planets

Planets such as Venus, Earth, and Mars are ‘Earth-type’ Planets located almost exactly in the same relative
planets that, if not already livable, can be made so via position as the Earth (called the ‘liquid-water zone’
the process of terraforming. or ‘goldilocks zone’) around a star are referred to in
astronomical parlance as ‘golden.’ They can almost
They have a solid surface, and the potential for a universally support organic life, and often have some
breathable atmosphere, depending on the distance kind of native lifeforms. Golden planets are highly
from their local star as well as the strength of the prized for their ease of colonization, and opportunities
star’s gravity, and the strength of the planet’s magnetic to encounter new species.
field (which derives from it having a molten metal core
that is in motion).
Moons
Such planets usually have enough mass to produce a
level of gravity that is healthy for organic life.
The Earth’s moon, ‘Luna,’ is a good example of a large
Air and liquid water are the two key resources of moon. However, only rare large moons such as Titan,
habitable planets. Depending on the star’s radiation orbiting Jupiter, can produce enough gravity to achieve
output, and the planet’s protective magnetosphere, a state of ‘hydrostatic equilibrium,’ where the gravity of
Into The Void

there will be a solar-distance where liquid water can the moon is strong enough to prevent the atmosphere
exist on a planet’s surface. from drifting off into space!

If both water and a nitrogen/oxygen based atmosphere Most moons have no atmosphere of any kind, and if
are present on a planet, some form of life is almost they do, it tends to be made of a deadly combination
guaranteed. of poisonous heavy hydrocarbons, heavier than oxygen
and the other light molecules that organic lifeforms

236
breathe. a large asteroid, or use it to block line-of-sight.

Habitation on moons is made even more problematic Sensors are inhibited by asteroids because they are
due to the low gravity they generate – usually not usually high in iron and other metal content that
enough to promote effective bone growth and calcium blocks the signal.
deposition in organic bodies.
Moving across/through an asteroid field is incredibly
Additionally, very few moons are large enough to have dangerous and can only be done at normal-space
a molten core that produces a magnetic field strong speeds. Each round requires a successful Maneuvering
enough to deflect the solar radiation that can strip a roll, and a failure indicates that the starship suffers
moon of its atmosphere and irradiate the soil. damage equal to d6 for each point by which the roll
was failed.
Starships that are non-atmospheric can approach
extremely close to most moons, although they still lack
the mechanical landing gear in order to land safely. Gas Giants
The advantage of moons that have no atmosphere and
a low gravity are that they require relatively little fuel
to lift mining and manufacturing products from the Gas giants all lie within Medium or Long range of their
surface. local star. They radiate a detectable amount of heat
and radiation, the largest even produce a relatively
small amount of nucleosynthesis (the fusion of atoms,
Asteroid Fields which release energy such as occurs in a star) but
nothing like the full scale radiation of a stellar body.

Asteroid fields are composed either of stellar material Gas giants can have a vast number of moons, and
left over from the formation of a solar system, or sometimes rings of material that never coalesced into
the remains of a planet or moon which has suffered moons. The upper atmosphere of a gas giant is easily
a catastrophic impact. Such impacts may include navigable by ships, as are the lower levels where the
another planet, or with a comet, or even with the Spinal gases convert to liquid form due to immense pressure.
Lance of a super-battleship! However, starships that go too deep into the liquid layer
may never be heard from again!
Over millions of years, the material that forms the
asteroid field will stretch and spread out around the
local star (or planet, if the debris was from a moon) Tailed Comets
Into The Void
until it forms a ring.

Asteroids can range from the size of a pea to several Comets are fast, and ‘melt’ when close to a star,
kilometers in length. leaving behind a wake of visible water vapor and dust
also known as a ‘tail,’ which always points away from
In tactical situations, a starship can make a Nape-of- the star around which the comet is traveling, and can
the-Earth Tactical Maneuver (see Spacefighting) using be seen by the naked eye.

237
 Almost universally, comet tails have historically been crew! Further shielding can improve the ability to resist
seen as omens of important events about to occur – radiation, but it cannot eliminate the problem altogether.
the birth of royalty, the fall of empires, natural disasters In High-Space, the main danger from radiation is in the
– and this is another superstition which space-faring form of burns and heat stress, however, the medical
species find hard to let go. science of the PanDominion has evolved to the extent
that radiation sickness can be cured if it is treated in a
Because even a fast comet only travels at a fraction of timely manner.
a million kilometers per hour, even the slowest starship
with only normal-space drives can overtake them – The biggest radiation hazard in the PanDominion
and a starship Running Silent, attached to or directly actually comes from accidents and sabotage. A
adjacent to a comet would be virtually undetectable. saboteur who deliberately overrides both the Safeties
and the Security Systems of a starship, can deliberately
Comets orbit stars, and sometimes even gas giants, leak lethal radiation from the FTL drive. This radiation
with a wide variety of orbital periods, usually taking consists of x-rays and gamma-radiation, and will be
between a few years to millennia between visits. The contained within the hull of the ship, but everyone on
longer the duration of a comet’s orbit, the further it board will suffer damage each round equal to the Drive
travels each orbital cycle. Most of the far-traveling attribute of the starship!
comets range far past the edge of their solar system
and become virtually undetectable in the depths of The typical response to a radiation leak is to evacuate
deep space. via an escape pod as quickly as possible, abandoning
everything – possibly even passengers in cryo-sleep if
Comets can be readily destroyed in the same way that the leak is bad enough! Safety can also be found within
Indirect starship weapons can be destroyed by Point the hull of a smaller ship in a landing bay, so long as
Defense fire, and all but the largest comets will burn- that smaller ship is powered up and has a working FTL
up on entry into an atmosphere. Usually, it is only drive.
the comets that are of significant size and visibility
that are given ‘common names’ and enter the public
awareness. Salvage

Comets are debris left over from their solar system’s Usually a completely unoccupied starship that is not in
creation, and the average solar system has millions a stable orbit can be taken possession of by right-of-
of comets, particularly in its outer reaches. salvage, as permitted under PanDominion law.
Into The Void

The starship must be completely unoccupied by crew

Radiation Hazards and passengers, and it must be outside the gravitational
orbit of any moon-sized or larger body. This does not
include starships docked at duly authorized docking
Crewed starships are by design shielded from solar stations, anchor points, or space stations.
radiation, and it is this shielding which enables them
to fly around the void of space without killing their

238
The person(s) claiming the salvage must inform the of Displacement. The sale of ‘phony’ fresh air that is
nearest authorities of the claim as soon as possible, actually recycled stale air is a peddlers’ trick that is
and failure to do so can negate the salvage claim. uncommon, but crews need to watch out for it!
Ultimately, the local authorities and courts may have
the final say over a salvage claim. Should all the air supply and recycling in a starship fail,
the starship will still contain enough air in its internal
cavities to support a number of people for a number
Salvaged starships can be immediately sold on of days, both equal to the Displacement of the vessel.
the spare parts market for 50% of the cost of the Cruise liners with active passengers will not hesitate to
remaining functional components. head for the nearest port at the first sign of trouble with
their air systems.
Salvage is one of the ways that ordinary citizens can
earn CBTs. However, although the lure of salvage is Passengers in cryo-sleep require no air.
powerful, ordinary PanDominion citizens abhor violence
and lawlessness and would never do anything but deal
fairly and equitably with the crews of stricken vessels. Fuels
Ships with a record of frequently claiming salvage
quickly fall under the acute attention of authorities
such as P.T.I.L.E., as well as the insurance agents of The fuel that is used to fire a starship’s quantum
such vessels... and the relatives of the former crew! reactors, which power internal systems and weapons,
can be any old garbage or junk!

Air, Food, and Water However, the fuel required for FTL travel is Astatine,
and it is both rare and expensive. In fact, Astatine is the
rarest naturally occurring element in existence.
Given the speed of FTL travel, it is virtually impossible
that a properly functioning starship will find itself in a A starship can store as many fuel units of Astatine
position where the crew dies from hunger or suffocates as it has points of Displacement. Each unit of Astatine
from lack of air! costs 100CBT on the open market. One unit of Astatine
can propel a starship 1000LY.
Starships carry enough water and frozen food that
starvation is all but impossible, except in the event of Traveling the same distance by FTL flight costs the
sabotage. Even recycling systems will provide enough same amount in CBT as traveling by Wormgate.
clean water for years if properly serviced. Obviously, most starships prefer to use Wormgates if
Into The Void
the gate can accommodate their Displacement.
Air is a much more valuable commodity, and although
it can be recycled, fresh air is a luxury and ships will
pay for a complete replacement of their on-board
air every year at a cost of around 10CBT per point

239
 Zero-G Combat

All starships have internal, artificial gravity systems

that provide the equivalent of real gravity, adjustable
from 0.5x to 2.0x Earth-equivalent gravities.

However, starships that are so small in size that

personal maneuvers are not performed, such as single
seater craft, do not bother with artificial gravity systems.

In situations where loss-of-gravity becomes an issue,

there are two options.

Firstly, magnetic boots will offer some form of safe

mobility (but only across ferrous metal surfaces)
although they do cut the Pace of the wearer in half and
impose a -2 penalty to all physical action rolls due to
their cumbersome nature.

Secondly, characters can maneuver themselves in

zero-g by pushing off surfaces and tumbling to achieve
the correct orientation. Maneuvering at walking pace (6)
requires no rolls, but any attempt to move faster, such
as at a running pace, requires an Spacewise roll, or the
character suffers 1 point of Fatigue due to bumps and
scratches, which is restored after a visit to a medbay
or equivalent.

Thrown weapons, and all projectile weapons (but not

energy weapons) have their effective ranges doubled
while in zero-g.

Combat in zero-g requires melee combatants to make

Into The Void

a Spacewise roll before attacking, in order to properly

orientate themselves.

Ranged combatants must pass a Spacewise roll after

attacking with projectile weapons (but not energy
weapons) or they will become Shaken.

240
 Keep it Wild
T
he end of this book is just the beginning for playing High-Space. In this updated version of
High-Space, you have what you need to run a galaxy-spanning campaign that extends (but
does not detract from) the original setting of the Lantern.

Where the Lantern was the frontier, the PanDominion is the ‘bright lights, big city’ of the setting. The
stakes are higher, and the focus on player characters is much more intense.

In most Savage Worlds settings, the fact that a player character is a Wildcard means that although
they may come from ordinary beginnings, but they have an ability to affect their fate that is far
beyond the ordinary.

In High-Space, to be a Wildcard is not just a game mechanic, it is to be a principal actor in an

advanced society that has become so big that it can no longer afford ‘Wildcards’ that might alter
its plans, but sometimes it still needs those same Wildcards to carry out those plans. And there
you are!

Throwback; knuckledragger; dewclaw; genetard; rand; panda; black sheep; black hole; elliptical;
Wildcard.

There are a lot of names for what you are, but none of them are as important as what you do,
because you have the ability to do more than society was supposed to program you for.

The various agencies of the U.G.P. are the biggest employers of Wildcards, and Intervention is the
biggest (unofficial) employer of all. As a Wildcard people will want you because you can break the
rules that bind everyone else. How you reconcile that (or not) with your own personal ethics and
morals is what makes your story unique and interesting.

Intervention is the biggest single employer of Wildcards, and the Intervention source book will
be the first official release for this new version of High-Space.
Keep It Wild

High-Spaces draws inspiration for the PanDominion from many sources, including Star Trek, Star
Wars, Babylon-5, Cyberpunk, Firefly/Serenity (especially for the Lantern nebula), as well as a
few other sources including the Culture. Below is an except from a poem concerning an agent-
provocateur who works for the Culture, which you may find inspirational…

241
 They thought you were their plaything,

Savage child; the throwback from wayback

Expedient because

Utopia spawns few warriors.

But you knew your figure cut a cipher

Through every crafted plan

And playing our game for real

Saw through our plumbing jobs

And wayward glands

To a meaning of your own...

- Iain M. Banks (‘Slight Mechanical Destruction’, Use of Weapons)

Savage Worlds encourages you to play ‘Fast, Fun, and Furious,’ and all of that relates to
High-Spaces as much as any other setting. Savage Worlds players also like to ‘keep it
savage,’ and that also applies. But this is High-Space and it is different, so never forget...

‘Keep it Wild’

- JiaoshouX
Keep It Wild

242
243
Keep It Wild
NAME
SPECIES
CULTURE
BACKGROUND

CHARISMA EDGES HINDRANCES

PACE
PARRY
TOUGHNESS
EQUILIBRIUM

AGILITY l f hjl
BOATING [ ] l f h j l
DRIVING l f h j l
FIGHTING l f h j l
PILOTING [ ] l f h j l
RIDING l f h j l
SHOOTING l f h j l
STEALTH l f h j l
SWIMMING l f h j l
THROWING l f h j l
l f h j l
l f h j l
SMARTS l f h j l
GAMBLING l f h j l KNOWLEDGES LANGULGES
HEALING l f h j l
l f h j l l f h j l
INVESTIGATION l f h j l
NOTICE l f h j l l f h j l l f h j l
PROGRAMMING l f h j l l f h j l l f h j l
REPAIR l f h j l l f h j l TRANSLATOR l f h j l
SECURITY l f h j l
SPACEWISE l f h j l EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES XP / RANK
STREETWISE l f h j l
SURVIVAL [ ] l f h j l
TAUNT l f h j l
TRACKING l f h j l
l f h j l
l f h j l
SPIRIT l f h j l ARMOR
INTIMIDATION l f h j l
PERSUASION l f h j l WOUNDS
PHILOSOPHY l f h j l -1
PSYCHIATRY l f h j l -2
l f h j l WEAPON RNG. DAM. NOTES -3
l f h j l INC.
STRENGTH l f h j l -2
CLIMBING l f h j l
-1
VIGOR l f h j l FATIGUE
_____________________ l f h j l

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