Update!

Just a heads up that stats for both Savage Worlds and Rogue Space are now posted on the Thanos and the Thanosi post. Go check it out HERE.

The last couple of nights, I've seen scanning through some monster books I've picked up and I got the idea to do a few "how would I use them" posts like I did with some D&D creatures back in the day (you can find those posts HERE, HERE, and HERE). It sounds like fun to me and it won't be anything too major or time consuming. Just a little light creative exercise.

Board Game Ideas

I've been working through some ideas on the dungeoneering board game I mentioned a few days ago. Here's what I've got so far:

Characters will be made of Classes and Races. Any race can be of any class. I'm going to start out small so here's the short list of classes and races I'm pondering at the moment:

Classes
Warrior
Cleric
Rogue
Wizard
Ranger

Classes will have certain abilities and weapon/armor restrictions. The abilities will be broken down much like those found in D&D 4E: At-Will for powers that can be used at any time, Encounter for powers that can only be used once per encounter, and Dungeon for power that can only be used once per dungeon. As a character levels up, they gain access to different powers.

Races
Human
Dwarf
Elf
Halfling (although when playing with my son, I'll likely refer to them as "Hobbits")
Dragonfolk
Gnome

Races will grant special bonuses (and possible penalties) to attributes, possible bonus Hit Points, as well as access to special powers.

Attributes
Character attributes will be simple bonuses (or minuses) that affect certain rolls or action checks.
Melee Skill: Denotes how skilled a character is at hand-to-hand combat. Weapon Skills between opponents are compared with the difference between the two being applied to the character's attack roll against Defense.
Ballistic Skill: Denotes how agile a character is as well as their skill with ranged weapons. This bonus applies to the character's Defense.
Strength: This bonus applied to melee damage. Strength bonuses are also applied to Strength checks that may be called for during the course of an adventure.
Mind: This is a measure of how smart and how willful a character is. Mind bonuses are applied to many powers of magic-using classes like Clerics and Wizards; they are also applied to a character's Mental Defense.
Defense: This is a base 10 + Ballistic Skill - any armor caps to BS. A roll equal to or higher than a foe's Defense can cause damage.
Mental Defense: This is a base 10 + Mind + any item modifiers. A roll equal to or higher than a foe's Mental Defense will allow a spell to affect him.
Hit Points: This is a measure of how much damage a character can take before dying.

Leveling
Leveling up is done by earning enough gold to afford training. No XP to track. Leveling up allows the character access to greater powers as well as making dungeons more dangerous and the treasures more valuable and useful.

Perks
I'm thinking of adding a special bonus characters can choose after hitting a certain milestone (after every so many adventures) that will give them a little boost. These will range from weapon specialties to slight bonuses to treasure rolls and the like.

Items
Items will come in Five varieties: Basic for unmagical gear that can be bought in any store in town, Uncommon for magic items with only a single prefix or suffix enchantment (Copper Sword, Helmet of Wisdom, etc.), Rare for magic items with a prefix and a suffix enchantment (Golden Sword of the Bear or Dancing Staff of Fireballs), Unique for items that have static abilities, and Artifacts which can only be discovered by top-tier characters.

That's what I'm thinking so far, but this all might change the further I get into the design process. The next step is to catalog the various monsters I have from the myriad of dungeon games in my collection as they will serve as the base monsters for the characters to fight.

Thanos and the Thanosi

 

The Thanosi were one of the greatest threats to the Prothean Empire over 50,000 years ago. They fought against the Protheans for dominance in the galaxy. The recently awakened Protheans, who lived in a time hundreds of years after the Thanosi were driven to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, still remember the tales they were told as children about their violence and depravity and how their defeat was one of the greatest Prothean accomplishments. Even though the children quelled at the tales of the vile Thanosi, they quickly outgrew the tales like most children do, and the Thanosi became a misty boogeyman relegated to the dark recesses of their memories. 

Who knew that 50,000 years later that both once thought extinct species, Prothean and Thanosi, would once again traverse the stars. 

There is little known about the being that calls himself Thanos and his army of Thanosi warriors. While it is possible that come pockets of Thanosi have survived the eons since their defeat and the rise and fall of the Prothean Empire, it would be an amazing feat of survival in a cosmos so wrought with danger. One tale seems to be the most probable. It is theorized that a Gene-Splicer had discovered either the well-preserved remains of a Thanosi or one that was in stasis much like the Protheans discovered on Eden. A Gene-Splicer would likely be intrigued by such a specimen and would take steps to first create one that would be as close to a "perfect" Thanosi as possible and then perform experiments on its clones from there. At some point Thanos and the other Thanosi would have found an opportunity to rise up and overthrow their keeper. Now, there is no way to know what a Gene-Splicer would do specifically, but the fact that Thanos uses a modified Gene-Splicer craft as his flagship/base of operations that seems to be very possible. 

Thanos, the leader of the Thanosi, is a being that took the name of the chief god of the ancient Thanosi. Like the deity, Thanos is a nihilistic monster that revels in the deaths his minions cause. One of his favorite tactics is to broadcast a message to the inhabitants of his selected target in which he describes their inevitable demise and how they are being harvested for the glory of Death itself. In very few of Thanos' targets, does anyone escape unscathed. While Thanos' targets at first appeared to be random, there appears to be a common thread between the attacks: ancient ruins. The ruins aren't overly significant, however, at least on in any way that is apparent. It's almost as if he is searching for something and cannot find it. 

The Thanosi that carry out Thanos' plans appear to be endless. They are likely clones of of Thanos with various specialties built into their genetic code to make them suitable at various tasks, since Thanos has a Gene-Splicer craft under his command the ability to create clones quickly and efficiently would likely be an easy feat. The Thanosi and their leader are among the most wanted terrorists in the Alpha Quadrant with many stellar nations from the Thuldan Empire to the Galactic Concord to the Tau and Romulan Empires offering very large bounties on information for the capture of these dread beings. The Protheans have commented that Thanos' depravity is even beyond the tales of what there were told as children, and there have been several independent bounty hunter teams made of Protheans that see it as their solemn quest to hunt down and end Thanos and his minions once and for all. 

Thanos is a solidly built humanoid standing around 6'6" feet tall with a heavily muscled frame. His flesh is purple and hairless and he appears to be an older Thanosi specimen with signs of wrinkles and weathering beyond the ridged chins that all Thanosi share. His eyes are a dark red that appear to glow with palpable malice.

Thanosi all look similar to Thanos. The Tanks are large, some standing over seven feet tall, and are powerfully built. They are usually armed with heavy weapons and make up the brunt of the front-line troops in any Thanosi warband. The Wizards have thinner builds with larger craniums easily marking them as the psionic-based forces. The Cy-Drones are warriors outfitted with various cybernetic enhancements used for both close-quarter fighting and cyber-warfare. Finally, the Chameleons are lithe Thanosi that can blend in with their surroundings and are commonly used for reconnaissance and infiltration. All Thanosi to date appear to be male, further leading to the idea that they are all specialized clones of Thanos himself, but there is the possibility that there are many other forms of Thanosi aboard Thanos' starship that have not yet been cataloged.

Savage Worlds Stats

Thanos (WC)
Agility d8, Smarts d12, Spirit d12, Strength d12, Vigor d12
Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d12, Knowledge (Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology) d12, Notice d10, Piloting d8, Shooting d10, Survival d8, Taunt d12
Charisma: -4; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 17 (4)
Hindrances: Arrogant, Bloodthirsty
Edges: Brawny, Fast Healer, Counterattack, Improved Counterattack, Hard to Kill, Harder to Kill, Tactician, Danger Sense, Mighty Blow, Tough As Nails
Gear: Personal Force Field, Disintegrator Pistol (3/6/12; 3d10)
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: Thanos' flesh is thick and tough granting him a +2 bonus to Toughness. 
• Size +1: Thanos is larger than most humans.
• Level-Headed: Thanos acts on the best of two cards. 

Thanosi Tank
Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 19 (8)
Gear: Hard Armor; Tanks will usually be equipped with a Heavy Weapon (missile launchers, miniguns, heavy flamers, etc), one sidearm (laser or disintegration pistol usually), and a melee weapon (usually with either Chain/Vibro or Power upgrade)
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: All Thanosi flesh is thick and tough granting them a +2 bonus to Toughness. 
• Size +2: Tanks are larger than most humans.

Thanosi Wizard

Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Notice d10, Psionics d10
Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 10 (4)
Gear: Body Armor; Wizards rely mostly on their psionic powers, but most arm themselves with a sidearm (usually a laser pistol)
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: All Thanosi flesh is thick and tough granting them a +2 bonus to Toughness. 
• Levitate: Wizards innately use their psionic abilities to float a few inches above the ground and fly at their Pace. 
• Psionics: Wizards have 50 Power Points and have access to most powers, but they tend to focus more on combat-oriented powers (Barrier, Blast, Havoc, etc.). Some Wizards are trained for specific tasks and may have a wide variety of power options. 

Thanosi Cy-Drone

Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Knowledge (Computers) d8, Shooting d8+2
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 17 (8)
Gear: Body Armor; Most Cy-Drones are equipped with a rifle (laser or blaster).
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: All Thanosi flesh is thick and tough granting them a +2 bonus to Toughness. 
• Size +1: Cy-Drones are larger than most humans.
• Cybernetics: Cy-Drones are heavily modified and the modifications can change based on the Cy-Drone's mission. Most all have Armor (2), Cyberjack, Targeting Eyepiece (Trait Bonus, +2 Shooting), and a retractable Melee Weapon (Blade, Str+d6 dmg). 

Thanosi Chameleon

Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Lockpicking d8, Notice d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d10
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 12 (4)
Gear: Personal Force Field, Chameleons tend to travel lightly with only a melee weapon (usually with the Vibro or Energy upgrades) and a sidearm (Gyrojet or Laser), but those on assassination missions may be equipped with a Sniper Rifle or similar weapon.
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: All Thanosi flesh is thick and tough granting them a +2 bonus to Toughness. 
• Chameleon Flesh: Chameleons can blend in with their surroundings, which applies a -4 penalty to the notice rolls of anyone attempting to Notice them. Once they attack, they can be seen easily, but the Chameleon attacks his prey with a -4 penalty to the prey's Parry for that first attack. 
• Quick: Chameleons are extremely fast. They may discard Action Cards of 5 or lower and draw another. They must keep the replacement card, however.
• Wall-Crawler: Chameleons can climb sheer surfaces at pace 6.
• Infravision: Halves penalties for poor light vs. warm targets.

Rogue Space Stats

Thanos

DRM+3; TP H; SZ A; MV Bipedal (30’); AR M; DM M/V; HP 10; SP *

Gear: Force Screen, Laser Pistol

Special: Thanos is very strong and can deal V damage with unarmed attacks. 

Thanosi Tank

DRM+2; TP H; SZ A; MV Bipedal (30’); AR V; DM V; HP 6; SP -

Gear: Combat Armor, Weapons are usually rocket/grenade launchers, Assault Rifles, Flamer Rifles, etc, and they will also carry an energy sword

Thanosi Wizard

DRM+1; TP H; SZ A; MV Levitation (30’); AR L; DM M; HP 3; SP *

Gear: Force Screen, Laser Pistol

Special: Thanosi Wizards have one psionic power. Most have Psychic Blast, but their powers can be tailored to the mission. Their Empathy bonus is +2. 

Thanosi Cy-Drone

DRM+2; TP H; SZ A; MV Bipedal (30’); AR M; DM M; HP 4; SP *

Special: Cy-Drones have the following cybernetic enhancements installed: Brainware, Chest (Armor only with 1 upgrade to M armor), Claws for each arm (+3 dmg), and one arm is also equipped with a Laser Pistol. Further cybernetics can be installed based on the mission. 

Thanosi Chameleon

DRM+2; TP H; SZ A; MV Bipedal (40’) or Wall-Crawler (30'); AR L; DM M/V; HP 4; SP *

Gear: Force Screen, Laser Pistol, Energy Sword

Special: Chameleons can blend in with their surroundings, which applies a -2 penalty to anyone attempting an Acquiring roll to spot them. Chameleons can also climb walls and walk on ceilings like a spider at a rate of 20'

Yes, I am Alive

Things have been really, really quiet around here. What can I say, things have been hectic around here lately. Nothing major or serious, just enough to keep me from the keyboard. A big part of this is that I've been suffering from a bout of burnout/writer's block. I just haven't been able to get off my arse and do much gaming-wise that doesn't involve a video card. However, I'm starting to feel the itch to get back in the swing of things again. No promises, but I hope to be a bit more active.

First off, I've been morphing Marvel Super Heroes for use with the rules in Mutants & Marvels. The conversion is fairly smooth, but since the author, Tom Doolan, has stated that he's working on an update to the system I may hold off a bit before getting too far into that project.

Mythic Space remains on my mind and I have a few posts in various stages of completion, the foremost being one on Thanos and the Thanosi, which I have re-imagined into an ancient foe of the Prothean Empire. I still need to get the stat blocks written up and it should be good to go.

My 6-year old is starting to get into board games. His current favorite is Dungeon, and is constantly asking to play games like Descent and the various D&D Adventure board games. I've been kicking around some ideas for a game that take advantage of my mountains of figures that blends D&D 4E with Warhammer Quest and Heroquest into an easy to run dungeon crawler. I don't have much other than notes...lots of notes since this is an idea that I come back to every so often with some new ideas and I start back from square one...It's definitely a project I need to bump up to the front burner before my boy gets to the point where dad's games are lame! (Hopefully that will never occur!)

A Palette Cleanser

It's been terribly quiet around here for a while, and I apologize for that. I've got a few thins in the hopper that I just can't get myself to give a crap about to finish them. This period of writer's block has been further hampered by work and family obligations as well, so I'm going to cut my losses and shift gears for a while.

Ever since I picked up Mutants and Marvels (and add in that the boys and I have been watching a lot of superhero shows lately) I've been wanting to look back at MSH with Tom Doolan's rules as the focus. I'm going to pick  back up on my massive super-hero database by re-tooling MSH stats to fall in line with the Mutants and Marvels rules. Most characters will essentially be the same, but there will be some changes since damage doesn't work the same.

I'm not giving up on Mythic Space by any means, I just need to let it sit for a bit until I don't feel like I'm just re-hashing the same ideas over and over and over again. I want to write because it's fun, and I just haven't had much fun with it lately.

Farewell to an Icon

I had intended on wrapping up a post about Thanos and the Thanosi tonight, but fate had other plans. Instead, I'm posting a fond farewell to a man that I didn't personally know, but one that had a profound effect on my life. I don't typically feel anything other than a quick "bummer" at the passing of actors/athletes/celebrities, but there are a few out there that do occasionally affect me. The passing of Leonard Nimoy is one.

While my sci-fi teeth were cut on Star Wars, it was Star Trek where they were honed. One of the most endearing characters on the Original Series was that of Spock, the half-breed Vulcan who was Captain Kirk's loyal and trustworthy sidekick. His cold facade hid a truly human heart. To this day I still tear up during the reactor scene in The Wrath of Khan as Spock forces out his heartfelt goodbye to his friend, "I have been - and always shall be - your friend..." is even more poignant now.

I credit Mr. Nimoy along with the rest of the cast and crew of Star Trek for instilling in my a love of science fiction and a desire to see their world become our future. It is with a heavy heart that I, like many of us today, say goodbye to one of the titans of the genre. Rest in Peace.

A'askvarii in Mythic Space

Galaxy: Milky Way
Quadrant: Alpha
Star System: Deneb
Planet: Oerlanii, third from the sun
Type of Government: Benign Anarchy, Member of the Galactic Concord
Level of Technology: Starships capable of Warp 5, little defensive technology

The A'askvarii are an aquatic semi-humanoid species from the planet Oerlanii in the Deneb system. They are a pacifist species, with only rudimentary weapons technology, who despite what they refer to as the Concord's "anti-tentacle sentiments" ingratiated themselves into the Galactic Concord even though they have no real governing body. 

A'askvarii are a very warm and inviting people, despite their somewhat fierce appearance. It is their appearance that kept them from travelling the stars too much until the last 50 standard years. They found early on in their interstellar travels that many humanoid species have a great fear of anything that deviates too far from the humanoid standard of two arms, legs, and a head. Their tentacle arms being the largest deviation from the humanoid standard. Especially after the Illithid Invasion, fears of such beings run higher and stronger than ever. Many A'askvarii felt it was too dangerous to mix with many other species due to their illogical prejudices, and largely kept to themselves. 

When they began to be harassed by Horune pirates that were making the Deneb system something of a waystation on their raids into fringes of the Concord, several groups of A'askvarii knew that they were going to need help, and the Concord was their best bet. It took several months of negotiations, but they were finally admitted into the Concord. However, since the A'askvarii have no central government they do not have a seat in the Senate. Since the A'askvarii don't see the need in governance, they really don't care as long as they can do their part to be useful members of the Concord, if individuals so choose that is. 

A'askvarii culture is one that is centered around peace and independence. They were once slaves of a species that sounds suspiciously like the Thorpids that were recently ousted out of Corvian space. The history of the occupation and time as slaves is sketchy at best, but what is known was that the A'askvarii largely did not resort to violence, but instead went about on a crusade of civil disobedience to make themselves as annoying as possible to their captors. Seeing as how Oerlanii has little in the way of precious resources not in abundance elsewhere in the sector, it was likely that the oppressors simply figured they weren't worth the trouble and left for greener pastures. This adherence to pacifism is one of the key tenets of their culture to this day. They are also fierce individualists, likely a side effect of formerly being a slaved species. This is a large reason why they have never set up a formal government. There are local councils and committees that oversee various issues like infrastructure and the like, and for larger issues some committees band together to talk over issues and make decisions for the planet, but once the work is completed these committees are quickly disbanded and the members go back to their everyday lives. A'askvarii equate governance with the gathering of power and that nearly always leads to violence and a loss of individual rights. That is something they will not allow to happen. 

The decision to join the Concord was one of the most heated debates in A'askvarii culture. To most A'askvarii, the Concord is no less violent and expansion-oriented as the Romulan and Klingon Empires and the Peacekeepers. Add in that many A'askvarii have had bad encounters with several Concord species over their tentacles, and many were not in favor of getting into bed with the Concord. However, the thought of throwing away good A'askvarii lives against pirates that were vastly better armed and skilled at war was just as terrible of a proposition. They have known for a long time that the time would likely come in which they would either have to become a more martial society or ind allies who could fight but were less inclined to impose their will, and so the decision by the "Grand Committee" was made to approach the Concord for admittance. 

So far, the acceptance of the A'askvarii into the Galactic Concord has been largely positive. The increased trade with many Concord members has improved the level of technology on Oerlanii and the Horune pirates were quickly driven out into space by the Concord Navy. The addition of a Concord starport near the fifth planet in the system leaves some with a feeling of disquiet, but few A'askvarii visit the station anyway. Really, the biggest issue has been the prejudices of many Concord species, but the A'askvarii are such a kind people, that any foolish fears are quickly done away with. Many A'askvarii have entered into careers in the Concord bureaucracy to help further drive out some prejudices as well. 

A'askvarii are a humanoid species, but one where the regular two arms are replaced by six tentacles with suction grips on the ends, three tentacles on each side. They are an amphibious species. Their noses consist of two gill slits. Their eyes are large and end and have a complex filtering system that allows them to see in the gloom of their deep marshes as well as protecting their eyes from the brightness of their sun while on land. Their legs come with three toes, all taloned, with the third growing on the back of their heels. Their mouths are filled with needle-sharp teeth, which are very evident as most A'askvarii tend to smile a lot. A'askvarii flesh is rubbery and a mottled green in color for males with females being a more blue-green shade. They mate in much the same way as most humanoid beings, surprisingly enough, but females lay eggs. A'askvarii infants are born able to eat meat, which makes up much of the A'askvarii diet. 

A'askvarii for Savage Worlds
Aquatic: A'askvarii cannot drown in oxygenated liquid and have a free d6 in Swimming. Their Pace in water is equal to their Swimming skill.
Additional Action: Due to their six arms, A'askvarii get one extra non-movement action per round at no multi-action penalty.
All Thumbs: Due to their lack of fingers, A'askvarii being play with the All Thumbs Hindrance. 
Pacifists: A'askvarii are strict pacifists and start play with the Major version of the Pacifist Hindrance. 


A'askvarii for Rogue Space
Archetypes: A'askvarii can be either Scoundrels or Technicians and add +1 to either Acquiring or Empathy. 
Abilities: A'askvarii can breathe both air and water. Due to their lack of fine manipulating digits, they suffer a -1 penalty to all Repair rolls. 
Psionics: A'askvarii can be Espers with Commune and Empath being the most common powers they display. 

Bleh and Ugh...

Another long stretch with nothing, nada, zippo out of me. We've had a run of the plague the last couple of weeks and this time I was not immune. However, with the forecast being cold and crappy this weekend, I foresee being able to put the finishing touches on a couple of Marvel Aliens. Hopefully, that will spur me on to getting back in a regular groove of posting.

Mythic Space Mutants

I've mentioned a few times that for mutant characters I use Darwin's World. I've had to tweak the system so that it works more generically than the post-apocalyptic setting it was designed for. Here's how I'm going about doing that.

First off, the default assumption is that most mutants with be human or near-human as a base. Alien species can have mutations, but in order to make use of the mutations the GM and player must come to a decision as to which default abilities are given up in lieu of the character being a mutant. (At least +2 worth of abilities for each mutation stage.

Mutant characters are broke down into 3 stages. The first stage are the weakest with the most defects with the third stage being the strongest with more major mutations and fewer defects, so no real change from the default found in DW. All mutant characters are considered Outsiders, which fits their background since most come from the worst hellholes in the galaxy. All mutations are determined randomly. The breakdown of mutation levels is the same as that found in DW with Major and Minor Mutations and Defects. I've even put together a table for Neural Mutations.

Speaking of Neural mutations, only the Novice level powers are allowed. Neural mutations do not automatically gain the Psionics Arcane Background, just three rolls to determine their powers and 10 power points. They can purchase the edge and become full psions, but until that point they are unable to advance their powers, and their powers cost +1 extra power point to use. (I tend to use the No Power Points rules for Psionics. In lieu of 10 power points, neural mutants suffer a penalty to their Psionics roll equal to the full cost of the power being activated.)

Why Didn't I Think of That?

I've made it no secret that when it comes to supers rpg's, my heart is set on Marvel Super Heroes. I like just about everything about the system, except for the chart. I've never cared for the chart, but it's always been something that I just put up with and it never really got in the way of running a good game. ICONS makes an effort to simplify the process and at least on the surface feels very MSH-like. However, I'm not a fan of the FATE-based bits and breaking down the action into panels and pages, while thematically great, just doesn't do it for me.

Enter Mutants and Marvels.

Mutants and Marvels is a 45 page rpg that takes it's inspiration from MSH, but tweaks the system into the D20 system for the dice rolling only. It keeps the FASERIP stats. It keeps the rank names. It keeps the Popularity, Karma, and Resources. There's no more chart, there's only some simple addition and subtraction. On it's own, the book is far too light to make the robust heroes and villains that MSH players are used to, but applying the mechanics to the Ultimate Powers Book and the various Gamer's Handbooks to the Marvel Universe (not to mention the mountain of fan-created stats for just about every character in the Marvel Universe) and MSH becomes about as perfect of a supers game as I could want. There will be some tweaks that need to be applied here and there, especially for power specially written for certain characters, but most of those can easily be done on the fly.

This is one of those things that when I read it I thought "Huh. Now why didn't I think of that?" Seriously, I should have thought of that a long time ago. Thanks to Tom Doolan for doing it for me.

Guilty Pleasures

I have a confession to make, I love late-night talk radio. Shows like Coast to Coast AM and Ground Zero are a couple of my favorites. They often delve into realms that no typical radio show would ever dream of touching for fear of appearing, well, unbalanced at least or outright insane at worst. Aliens, Bigfoot sightings, secret cabals, and so forth are constantly given airtime to anyone within the distance of the signal. Oftentimes when I listen to these shows I get the itch to make notes for a Dark Matter campaign I'll likely never run (again) as they are an excellent source of bat-shit insane ideas just begging to be added to a game.

Dark Matter was the first Alternity campaign I ran. From the moment I picked up Alternity, I worked on a space opera setting (much of that material turning into what is now coalescing into Mythic Space), but Dark Matter inspired me to get out from in front of my computer to the table with friends. During this time, X-Files was at the height of popularity and so it was easy to convince some friends to join in for a game. While it only lasted for a handful of sessions, it remains one of the more memorable campaigns I ever GM'ed or played in. I often look at it sitting on the shelf and get the hankering to run it again, and those feelings only get stronger whenever I catch a good episode of late night talk radio.

Tonight's episode of Ground Zero was "Synarchy" from the viewpoint that the world's empires and nations are following the guiding hand of extra-terrestrial or divine beings. "Evidence" was being presented in the form of quotes from people like Winston Churchill, to former Canadian Defense Minister Paul Hellyer, to even Meryl Streep supporting the idea that aliens (or angels and demons) are either working with world leaders or actually are the ones in charge of the world we live in and are behind everything that goes on. While the idea is laughable, these are the makings of a great Dark Matter (or Paranoia for that matter) game.

I'm not likely going to start detailing any such campaign, though I might dust off some of my old notes from my old Dark Matter campaign and post them here. Mythic Space will remain my primary focus, but it's nights like tonight that the ol' gamer ADD really kicks into high gear...

Some (Relatively) Recent Acquisitions

I've been working furiously on getting my core rules for Mythic Space finalized (I just keep finding more things to add and/or tweak), but I wanted to take a little time to tell you about some of my recent purchases.

First off, I realized the other night that I forgot to mention that the final setting book from The Last Parsec KS, Scientorium, was released a while ago. This one might just be my favorite out of the three. The Scientorium is an ancient space station/library of a long dead galaxy-spanning empire. It is a mysterious place full of knowledge, super-tech, and dangers. It's just the kind of place that a good sci-fi exploration game needs. Just like the rest of the Last Parsec line, Scientorium is light on the details, so it is more of set of interconnected plot hooks and adventure ideas than a fully-realized setting. All in all, while The Last Parsec ended up being less of a setting than what I envisioned when I plunked my money down, I'm still happy with the purchase and will find a use for all three books for many years to come. I hope that Pinnacle gives the setting a more detailed look, or at least more of these setting books in the future.

Next up is another Savage Worlds book, but this time for Interface Zero 2.0. Japan: Empire of the Setting Sun details, well, Japan from the Interface Zero setting. There's a lot of stuff backed into these 67 pages. Lots of cultural details and adventure seeds, plus new gear, golemmechs, and threats. If you are a fan of Interface Zero 2.0, or a fan of a dystopian, cyberpunk Japan (which thanks to movies like Akira and the asian-theme-laden Blade Runner is nearly iconic with the cyberpunk genre) then I highly recommend picking up a copy.

Finally, I picked up the system-neutral sci-fi setting Strange Stars by +trey causey from From the Sorcerer's Skull blog (which if you like space opera/sci-fi/sci-fantasy is a blog that you really need to be reading if you're not already). Weighing in at 32 pages, it's a bit pricier than what I like to pay for a pdf of that size, but Trey has put together a great setting that is throwback to games like Star Frontiers (complete with an homage on the cover) and the heyday of late 70's and early 80's sci-fi from movies, TV, and comics. If system-neutral isn't your thing, there is a Fate version and a Stars Without Number version in the works. Plus, there might just be a Savage Worlds version in the works as well. Strange Stars is packed with great material that can serve as the basis for a campaign in the setting to add to your own space opera campaign. I highly recommend checking it out.

The Hirogen

Galaxy: Milky Way
Quadrant: Delta
Star System: Currently Karbaz, Original home system unknown
Planet: New Hirogia, second from sun
Type of Government: Clan-based republic, but currently in a state of societal turmoil
Level of Technology: Starships capable of Warp 9.5 or better and once had a vast communications array, but current levels of science and technology are stagnant. 

The Delta Quadrant is a notoriously dangerous place. It is home to the Borg, houses numerous portals to Fluidic Space (home of the xenophobic Undine), and terrorized by the nigh-unending wars of the Kazon clans just to name a few. However, it appears that one threat from the Delta Quadrant isn't as much of one now. The Hirogen are known throughout many sectors in the Delta Quadrant as a very dangerous and aggressive species of hunters. Much like the Yautja, the Hirogen traverse the stars in search of dangerous prey that they then take grisly trophies from in order to increase both their personal honor and the honor of the clan. The Hunt dominates Hirogen life, but recent event have made it so that they are not the widespread threat that they once were.

The Hirogen are an ancient species by all accounts. There are tales from the legends of many species that talk of beings now known to be Hirogen that visited their worlds thousands of years ago. The Trans-Net was an ancient communication system that allowed the Hirogen to communicate across vast distances. The location of Trans-Net beacons throughout the Delta Quadrant suggest that they once traversed most of the Delta quadrant and into the Alpha and Gamma quadrants as well. Today, however, is a vastly different story.

The introduction of The Hunt into Hirogen society has been the single most damaging thing to happen to the Hirogen. The actual origins of The Hunt are lost to legend, but the legends state that the Hirogen were facing a time of great turmoil and were possibly facing extinction when a great hunter, the Hunter, gave them a purpose again. He told them to hunt the beasts of the cosmos to prove their prowess and superiority so that the Hirogen could once again show the galaxy and beyond that they are the pinnacle of life. The Hirogen spread across the stars hunting the most dangerous prey in the hopes that they can earn enough honor to join the Hunter in the Great Hunt in the afterlife. The idea of the Hunt did propel the Hirogen back into the stars, but it is now leading them back to the cusp of extinction.

The Hunt entails many rituals and rites. The Hirogen must first determine that a target is worthy of being hunted, and only certain creatures are deemed worthy. (Since the Hirogen see other species as being beneath them the highest praise they can bestow upon another species is to call them "worthy of being hunted".) They will study a target for some time, learning all that they can about them. If deemed dangerous enough to grant honor with a kill, they will then take time to determine the right weapon to use to complete the task. Killing prey with a weapon deemed to be not the perfect weapon for the kill could result in a loss of honor. They finally go on the hunt. Once the kill is made, they will take the carcass and soak it in an enzyme bath that will dissolve flesh, muscle, cartilage, and tendons, leaving only the bone. The skull (or whatever is the most recognizable piece of carrion from the creature) is then displayed on the trophy wall. While all of this is going on, a Hirogen hunter will smear paint on their faces, weapons, and armor in different patterns and places throughout the hunt. The meaning of these markings are largely unknown to all except the Hirogen.

The Hunt has been going on for so many generations that no one can truly recall the first hunts with any historical accuracy. To the Hirogen, such things are meaningless, only the Hunt matters. The search for ever more dangerous prey has scattered the species across the Delta Quadrant once again. Until recently, they have been a nomadic species, their homeworld lost from memory during their original expansion across the Delta Quadrant. Most Hirogen starships travel singly, and only have a crew of 20 or more rarely, and most only having a crew of two to five individuals. Hirogen genetics are highly resilient, so rampant in-breeding among their members doesn't have the effect that it appears to have on many other humanoid species, which is likely one of the few reasons there are any Hirogen left at all since ships rarely meet up.

The problem of Hirogen being scattered became an issue that many clan leaders began to discuss after the Undine entered into a war with the Borg about 50 standard years ago. Many Hirogen vessels were caught in the midst of this struggle. They saw the Undine as worthy prey and put a call out to gather the Hirogen fleet. Upon seeing their paltry numbers, several clan leaders began to wonder if the Hunt was truly the path their people should be on after all. This urge to find a better way only intensified after they suffered heavy casualties time and again trying to hunt the Undine.

As it so happened, one clanlord discovered Virtual Reality technology on a merchant craft that had done business with one of the worlds of the Concord. With this technology, the Hunt could be simulated and with the synaptic safeties turned off, these simulated Hunts could be lethal and provide ever more dangerous hunts to satisfy honor. The clans were called to a planet in the Karbaz system that the Hirogen once colonized long ago. There the plan to utilize the VR technology was debated. Many saw the idea as complete heresy and wanted nothing to do with it, however, several clanlords pointed to their own small and dwindling numbers (only a few hundred clans were in attendance, all that could be contacted within range), their lack of any society beyond the Hunt, and the complete stagnation of their sciences as proof that without change there won't be a Hunt within another couple of generations. Add in the threats presented by the Borg and the Undine, and their extinction was assured if they don't learn to work together. The VR technology would allow them to begin to reclaim some of what they have lost, and to build a future. This swayed many of the clans, but still a good number of others left to continue the Hunt wanting nothing to do with this outright blasphemy. Those that stayed re-christened the planet New Hirogia and began the task of colonization.

Colonization proved to be a difficult task. The Hirogen knew little about anything not pertaining to the Hunt or keeping their ships able to continue the Hunt, so another heresy was committed: they sought out assistance from other species. Finding assistance was difficult to say the least. Hirogen ships have long been seen as hostile, and the tales about the species were wild and varied, but many revolved around the ultimate end of the bodies they took on their hunts. Finally, however, they found some that were willing to trade technology and expertise to get their colony off the ground.

Today, there is still turmoil among this new Hirogen society. They are essentially having to re-learn to be civilized again. More clans continue to join the colonies on New Hirogia, which is both a blessing and a curse. The clans are trying to form a system of government akin to the republics seen among many other species, using honor as a way of determining who should be in power. However, arguments over whether or not some kills are honorable and therefore valid keep meetings between the clanlords one step away from bloodshed. There is some reason to believe that the Hirogen will be successful, they have entered into trade agreements with several other stellar nations. Their region of space is close to both Borg as well as several rifts leading to Fluidic Space, making allies a very important component of survival. The Hirogen have proven to be formidable allies, offering their services as hunters, scouts, and warriors to their allies in return for non-military technology and various other goods that most civilized species take for granted.

One threat that has cropped up are Hirogen that see what is going on on New Hirogia as an affront to the Hunter. Several of these fundamentalist clans have banded together to commit acts of terror on both New Hirogia and among their allies, chiefly the Malon. The terrorists have made successful attacks against key facilities on New Hirogia, nearly wiping out one colony when they destroyed a power plant. They have also taken to targeting Malon waste freighters and have poisoned several M class planets with Malon radioactive waste. These clans have failed to see the irony in that their cause has kept them from the Hunt that they feel those on New Hirogia are neglecting.

The Hirogen are a reptilian humanoid species. They stand around six and a half to seven feet tall with powerful builds that are only made more imposing by their armor they wear into battle or on a Hunt. Their bodies are covered in bumpy scales, not unlike those found on a gila monster, that are tan in color. Their eyes are small and black in color. Hirogen are also a very hardy species, their immune systems are such that toxins and diseases must be very potent to have an effect on them. Also, their sense of hearing is very acute, which has evolved over countless generations of hunts.

Hirogen women rarely take part in a Hunt, but they are still trained in combat to protect the broods of young Hirogen. Hirogen give birth to live young, which are then raised by the clan. Honor dictates which male is allowed to select a mate first, and the females compete with each other to seduce a mate with more honor therefore bringing her closer to the Hunter and her own place in the Great Hunt (which is the only time that women are allowed to partake in the Hunt).

Hirogen for Savage Worlds
Attribute Increase: Hirogen start play with a D6 in Strength.
Size +1: Hirogen receive a +1 bonus to Toughness due to their size, but they must also pay 50% more for clothing and armor purchased anywhere that does not specialize in their size. 
Keen Hearing: +2 bonus to Notice rolls pertaining to Hearing. 
Tough Scales: Hirogen scales afford them a +1 bonus to Toughness.
Poison Resistance: Hirogen have a +4 bonus to resist poisons.
Attribute Penalty: -2 penalty to all Smarts rolls.
Outsider: Hirogen have long been seen as murderous pirates throughout the Delta Quadrant. Even though they are trying to become more civilized their reputation precedes them. They start play with the Major version of the Outsider Hindrance.

Hirogen for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Hirogen can be Soldiers or Technicians, add +1 to Fighting.
Hunters: Hirogen gain a +2 bonus to Fighting rolls made to resist poisons.
Psionics: Hirogen have no psionic aptitude.

A Quick Update

I've been working a bit on my guide to sentient species and I thought it would be a good idea to add in some quick overview stats to the aliens. This would be something that I would add to the species I've already written up here on the blog and at the wiki. Kind of like what was found for the alien species detailed in the old Handbooks to the Marvel Universe. Here's what I'm thinking about with the background stats for Humans (Terran)

Quadrant: Alpha
Star System: Sol
Planet: Earth, third from sun
Type of Government: Constitutional Republic, members of the Galactic Concord
Level of Technology: Terrans had developed Warp Drive capable of reaching Warp 6, but now have access to drives capable of reaching Warp 9.6. Advanced genetic and robotics technology.

Any thoughts?

Looking Ahead

Just like with a lot of people, the New Year is a time of reflection and a moment to pause and look forward to the new year to try and predict the future and set goals for the year's possible achievements. 2014 was a mixed bag, not all bad, but not what I would have liked either. 2015 is starting off with the possibility of being a good year right out of the gate, but we'll see if all the pieces fall into place to make that a reality. That's on the professional side, but this is a gaming blog, so we'll stick with that.

Despite some recent setbacks, work on my Mythic Space setting really kicked off last year and I look to continue the trend into 2015. I'm going to devote more time to getting all the collected rules put together into my big Savage Worlds Core Rules for Mythic Space. I know I've said that I've been close to finished with that project a few times, but each time I look at it I find more things to change. I'm also going to continue work on my Obsidian Portal Wiki transferring information from the old wiki and from posts here to that site, which is serving as the repository for all Mythic Space setting information. I'm also putting together two books covering the races and creatures found in Mythic Space. The first covers sentient species, and is designed more as a book of races. The second deals more with creatures and threats than PC-worthy beings. Seeing as I am supporting two systems, each book will sport stats for both Savage Worlds and Rogue Space like most blog posts.

As for non-sci-fi...I'm just not interested in regular fantasy anymore. Work on my hack of Swords & Wizardry and my monster collection has stalled out. Every now and then I get the itch to dust off The Veil (see here and here), but those itches are easily quelled it seems. I'm not saying that I'm never going to write about anything other than sci-fi/sci-fantasy/space opera ever again, just don't expect it anytime soon.

I do want to thank those of you that stop by this blog and read my musings and hacks of pop culture sci-fi. You all have made it fun to do all this. I hope I've entertained you a bit along the way and that you'll forgive the collecting dust.

Thanks.

Happy Holidays

I'm sitting at my in-laws basking in the afterglow of another Christmas gone well and looking forward to New Year's with friends back home. I haven't been too active lately largely because of all the various things that go on around the holidays and the prep that has to be done to get ready. I don't have anything ready at the moment, but I expect to have a post or two late this weekend.

I hope that whatever holiday you celebrate for whatever reason this time of the year finds you happy and healthy. May your dice always crit!

What I'm Using Part 2 (and an Addendum to Part 1)

In part 2 of this series detailing what bits and pieces I'm using from Savage Worlds, I'm looking at fan-made resources. One of the things that initially drew me to the D20 system was that there were a lot of properties using D20 as their base. Some of the finer details may have differed, but by and large I could use the stats from Babylon 5 with Star Wars and those with D&D. When I discovered the Savage Worlds system, I found that that same level of interchangeability was already there thanks to the fans savaging every setting under the sun. For someone like me that likes to toss a lot of genres in the pot to see what comes out that's simply fantastic. It made leaving D20 that much easier.

That said, with popular properties you may find a lot of different takes on how to handle the settings. That's certainly the case with settings like Mass Effect and Star Wars. I'm going to highlight a few of the set that I like and what bits I'm taking from each. Most of these settings can be found at Savageheroes.com, so if something mentioned here catches your fancy head on over and check it out. Like with official sources, I tend to focus on races and creatures and other bits that are easy to add to my list of setting rules.

• 28 Days of Savage Space: Nicholas Torbin Bergquist did a great set of posts on his blog Realms of Chirak where he did a different sci-fi themed post outlining various NPC's, species, locations, tech, and so on. At the end of the series (which I really wished would have continued), he collected the posts into a pdf. There is some great material here. I hope that he returns to the theme again someday. 
• A Yelp in the Dark: Chad Jones on his blog A Yelp in the Dark has been putting out a series of planetary one-sheets. These are excellent resources if you're in need of a planet on short notice. The One-Sheets are well done and hope he keep putting them out on occasion, and I look forward to seeing how his own setting is going to come together. 
• Alien Vs. Predator: In my posts about the enigmatic Yautja (Predators) and the dreaded Xenomorphs, the conversion by James Houlahan is where I got the stats that I use. 
• Dark Sun: I use the Muls and Thri-Kreen from Geek Ken's conversion of Dark Sun.
• Fading Suns: There is an ongoing conversion of Fading Suns into Savage Worlds on G+ right now (check it out here). +Richard Ashley has done a fantastic job of savaging the Fading Suns setting. I may ample use of his conversion of the FS races (Gannok, Ur-Ubon, Ur-Ukar, Vorox, Shantor, and Etyri as well as some of the Edges and Hindrances and gear as well. 
• Farscape: There is a pretty bare bones conversion of the TV show on Savage Heroes. I don't know who did the work, but I go to it for race stats. Still the D20 version is still an excellent resource for Farscape information from the first season and converting the ample bestiary isn't difficult. 
• Gamma World: Gamma World Revised by Kenneth MacArthur is the version that I've been culling material from. I don't tend to use many of the mutations since Darwin's World and Broken World keep me pretty covered there. However, the bestiary in this book is well done and ripe for harvest, especially if you want to inject a dose of the weird into your space opera. 
• Mass Effect: Hoo boy, there is a lot to sift through here! There are several different takes on the ME universe, but I tend to use Even Kreider's SW Mass Effect V5 more than the others. The doc isn't nearly as polished as some of the others, but it is more complete with a rather well done bestiary. That said, I do also make note of Ashavan's Savage Mass Effect V2 largely since it's the only ME conversion I've found that makes a point to also offer Protheans as a playable race (with GM approval). 
• Savage Babylon 5: This conversion was put together by Markus Finster. It's got write-ups on several of the races and several starships. I've even played around with the idea of adding his Technomagery Arcane Background to Mythic Space either as is or as a stand in/add on to Mass Effect's Omni-Tool effects.
• Savage Battlestar: I've played around with the idea of adding Cylons to Mythic Space, but I don't know how I'd incorporate them. However, should I decide to do so I'll use the stats found in John Brown and Rick Peterson's conversion of Battlestar Galactica.  
• Savage Journe: This excellent conversion of the Skyrealms of Journe by Bruce Anderson is a great place to look for stats for Journe races and creatures. 
• Savage Star*Drive: This doc written by John W Thompson is a very brief and dirty conversion of Alternity bits for Savage Worlds. It's also just about the only doc I've found covering the subject. 
• Savage Titan: Written by J.L. Herbert, this is a savaging of the Titan A.E. movie setting. 
• Savage TORG V4: I was always a fan of the TORG setting, and Brian Reeves' conversion is a great place to look to recreate that action with (in my opinion) a much better system. 
• Savage Traveller: Put together by Jon Woodland, this is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to bring in Traveller tech to their Savage Worlds games. Most importantly though, are the conversion notes for Traveller starships. 
• Savage U.N.I.T.: This Whoverse doc put together by "AgentofPing" has a good bestiary of classic foes from Dr. Who like the Daleks and Cybermen. 
• Star Frontiers: Greg Bruni has put together one of the finest conversions of a setting into Savage Worlds I've found. His conversions are great and I make liberal use of them. 
• Star Wars: I've long thought that Savage Worlds is the perfect ruleset for Star Wars, and considering the number of attempts that can be found on the internet, many other agree. The conversion that I keep going to is Mike Glanville's attempt. It's a whopping 102 pages cover a wide array of species, droids, starships, creatures, and NPC's. It really is the most complete package and one that I rob for stats a lot. 

There were a couple missed official settings, so here's the Addendum to Part 1. 

• Nemezis: I really like this setting, but I like stripping out bits to use in Mythic Space more. I've already mentioned how I'm using a couple of the Nemezis races here, but I'm working on ideas on how to use the Barizians as well. The bestiary is filled with some really horrific aliens as well. 
• Nova Praxis: I've never really liked the Transhumanist genre, but I do consider the ideas presented in Nova Praxis (and by extension much of the genre as well) a good example of far future tech. I'm toying around with the idea of adding Sleeved and SIM characters to Mythic Space possibly as prototype technology. There are also a few interesting aliens in the Sample Antagonists section as well. 
• Space 1889 - Red Sands of Mars: The bestiary for this setting is excellent and can easily be ported to the setting of your choice. 

So there are the Savage Worlds resources that I'll be using for Mythic Space. 

What I'm Using Part 1

There are a TON of resources available to Savage Worlds players. Most of the time there's only one or two different takes on a property, but other times there are a lot of different perspectives on how to translate that property into Savage Worlds rules. While I love creating material and stats from the ground up, I don't pass up on an opportunity to let others do some of the "heavy lifting" for me! While I'll tend to write up my own backgrounds and such, I will and do use other peoples' stats for various races, creatures, gear, ships, and so on. This post gives some insights on where I'm getting the stats that I haven't written myself. The purpose here is twofold. First off, is to shine the spotlight on the work of others that I really enjoy that may have flown under other peoples' radar. Secondly, this post will serve an an index of sorts to not only alert you dear readers to what I use, but also to keep myself straight. With a kitchen sink setting, it can be a bit difficult to keep everything straight!

First off, this post is going to deal with the Savage Worlds side of things, since just about everything I use for Rogue Space is either core or converted by me. I use the Deluxe edition of the Savage Worlds rules along with the new Sci-Fi Companion. In any place that there is a difference between core and the SCF, I go with what's written in the SFC.

I find a lot of bits from the various Official and Licensed settings for Savage Worlds. Most of what end up using are races and creatures from the settings. Sci-Fi settings will see a lot more use as I'll pad out my weapons, cybernetics, gear, vehicles, and starships with the material from those settings. Now, just because I say that I use a race from a setting doesn't mean that a new player that wants to play a Grael from 50 Fathoms can just take his 50 Fathoms book and start a Grael character using unmodified stats. Especially with races and some creatures from fantasy settings, their stats may need to get tweaked to better fit into a sci-fi setting as well as fitting the background I write for them to fit into Mythic Space.

• 50 Fathoms: Races (Atani, Doreen, Grael, Kehana, Kraken, Masaquani, Torathian (Red Men), Scrullians) & Bestiary (both Core and Companion)
• Accursed: Not much here, but there are a few banes that I can see adding to the bestiary for the setting; Maggot Hounds, Leech Men, Scarabs, etc. 
• Beasts & Barbarians: Some the less-fantastical creatures from the bestiary section are easily dropped onto an alien world as some strange beast. 
• Broken Earth: Some of the creatures would make for great aliens. I've modified some of the mutations and related edges and hindrances to pad what I use from Darwin's World. 
• Daring Tales of the Space Lanes: There are a lot of great bits throughout this entire series from new gear, edges, hindrances, creatures, to ships. Some might require a bit of re-working to get completely in line with SW Deluxe, but nothing major. 
• Darwin's World: I use the system for mutations as the default system for create a mutant. Plus, some of the Terrors of the Wasteland make for great alien horrors. 
• Deadlands Reloaded: With a lot of settings, I tend to use the bestiaries to pad out the number of creatures I can draw upon to help simulate the vast variety of life found in the cosmos and Deadlands is no different. This also includes the Deadlands - Hell on Earth setting as well. 
• Earthdawn: Races (Obsidimen, Trolls, T'skrang, & Windling) and Creatures. 
• East Texas University: There isn't much here to rob for Mythic Space (now when I get back into writing more about The Veil setting this setting will see a LOT more use), but there are a couple creatures that can be used: Hogzilla and Night Panther specifically. 
• Evernight: The Bestiary is the primary focus here. 
• Freeport: Races (Azhar & Hobgoblin) & several Creatures.
• Hellfrost: Races (Cakali, Hyaenidae (I call them Gnolls), & Sand Goblin) & several creatures from the Bestiary. From what I hear, there are also some good bits to be found in the various Region Guides but I haven't actually picked up any for find out for myself. 
• High Space: There is a lot here to use for Mythic Space (or any sci-fi setting): edged, hindrances, gear, weapons, armor, ships, etc. It's a veritable smorgasbord of items to check out. 
• Interface Zero 2.0: I really love this setting and would like to someday run it on its own. For Mythic Space, virtually everything in this book is ripe for swiping. I use the races (Cyborgs are essentially "Full-Conversion Borgs", Human 2.0 are used for Augmented Humans, and Hybrids are used for Moreaus), much of the gear is usable alongside energy weapons and still found in wide use in the galaxy, and the vehicles would still see use in a lot of cities in the galaxy. I've even pulled over some of the bits from the Golemmech section to pad out the Mechs section. The section for Bio-Horror generation is pretty useful as is the Threats section. 
• Mars: I love the ERB John Carter stories, so its no surprise that I make extensive use of Adamant's vision of the setting. Races (Red Men are Corvians, Grey Men are Thorpids, White Apes are Grillions, Green Men are Canaxi) and creatures are all used extensively.
• Mercenary Breed: Just like with Interface Zero, I use MB extensively from races, weapons, gear, creatures, to the random generators in the Galaxy Guide. 
• RunePunk: Not much here, but I do have some ideas for the Andari, Ferren, and Malakar. The bestiary for the setting has a few creatures that when tweaked a bit (basically removing references to the runestorms) can make effective alien creatures. 
• Shaintar: Definitely look for write-ups for Brinche and Dregordians. This is also where I get stats for the Gretchin (Goblins), Ogres, and Orks. I *might* use Aevakar, but we'll see. The bestiary in Shaintar: Legends Arise has a few creatures that could make decent aliens, but most of them are far too tied to the fantasy genre for my tastes. 
• Slipstream: If you can find a copy of this book, I highly recommend it. It's got a very Flash Gordon vibe, so some of the alien names are pretty simplistic which is a pretty easy thing to fix. The fragments can be reworked into planets. The bestiary is packed with great creatures.
• Solomon Kane: There are several creatures in both the core book and all through the Savage Foes of Solomon Kane that would make good aliens. Beyond that, there's not a whole lot that I'll be using out of this line. 
• Sundered Skies: I have to admit that even though this setting has sat on my shelf for a long time now, I've never done much with it. Looking back at it now, I can see me using some races like that Drakin, and a few of the creatures but most of the setting material is just too tied to the fantasy genre. 
• The Last Parsec: So far, everything put out for the setting is easily dropped into whatever sci-fi/space opera setting you want. 
• Warren C Norwood's Double Spiral War: The two aliens (Castorian & Oinaise) are readily usable. There is some gear that has been added to my lists, and the regions and planets listed in the gazetteer are easily usable as well. 

That should give you an idea of what to look for out of officially licensed products. In part two, I start breaking down what I use out of the various fan-made material. 

The Last Parsec

I am a backer of Pinnacle's The Last Parsec Kickstarter and so the second of the three setting books just hits the virtual shelves of backers yesterday.

For those that don't know, The Last Parsec is a sci-fi/space opera setting that makes use of the Savage Worlds rules along with with the Sci-Fi Companion to build a setting in which the players likely work for a massive corporation that explores, catalogs, and exploits of the worlds of the galaxy. Setting is used pretty loosely here. This isn't detailed much beyond a faint structure for GM's to hang their own adventure and ideas on. I tend to like those kinds of setting these days since I like to do my own thing rather than play in someone else's playground. The setting books of the Kickstarter continue in this vein. While they are more detailed than the setting primer, most of both setting book are dominated with plot-point campaigns and adventure seeds than tried and true setting detail. There's plenty in both books to run adventures for a long time, just don't expect all the work to be done for you. That said, I do wish there was a bit more fleshing out of the worlds and a little less space given to the plot-point campaign paths.

As I said, the first two of three books are now out. The first, Eris-Beta-V, details a system dominated by mining colonies that dot the moons and rings of the gas giant Eris-Beta-V. The second book, Leviathan, details a lush, verdant sanctuary/resort world dominated by dinosaur-like aliens. It's a popular travel destination for both vacationers and hunters alike. Both books offer new setting details that cover the various hazards and effects found in both areas as well as new creatures, gear, hindrances, edges, and vehicles.

All in all, I am enjoying the series and I am happy with my purchase. However, the setting is a little lighter than I care for even though I like my settings light on the details and high on the seeds. The best part of the books is that even though the setting has references to the setting, most of it is easily ignored without losing any of the charm of either location should you want to use these books for your own space opera campaigns. Even though the third and final book will be out in a few weeks, I really hope that Pinnacle will continue to produce more books for the setting. I'm hoping for not just more locations, but maybe a book filled with new xenos or alien races, or even a starship book to lighten some of the load of game prep (although with SW, the load on GM's is pretty light).

The Prime Directive/First Contact Edict

In Star Trek, the Prime Directive was the constant looming moral law that starship captains had to constantly bend to the breaking point to do what was right. I understood the premise and even could see where I largely would agree in such a law, but it strikes me as being so unfeasible and unreasonable. It's no secret that the Galactic Concord in Mythic Space is tailored after the Federation, and I've even mentioned a Prime Directive like edict in this post about the Galactic Concord. I modified the benchmark to something that I felt more befitting of a sentient species, but even then I suspect there would be plenty of contacted and exploited primitives in the galaxy.

The Concord set the benchmark of being able to send satellites and probes into orbit and beyond as the point at which contact with a new species can begin to be established. There is a large set of guidelines that require reconnaissance of the species' culture, history, religious beliefs, and so forth that must be passed before first contact can be initiated. That's all well and good, but there are plenty of stellar nations and organizations in the galaxy that don't give a damn about letting a primitive species evolve culturally or even biologically without outside influence. They see profit either in the form of slaves, easily attained natural resources, or both. Therefore, while the First Contact Edict is strictly followed (largely), leeway and captain's discretion have became much larger factors behind how stringently the First Contact Edict is adhered to. After all, a starship captain trying to keep his crew alive and make repairs to a crashed ship isn't going to really care about hiding knowledge about life among the stars from a planet's primitive residents.

The First Contact Edict was put in place largely for two reasons. The first is the idea that species should be allowed evolve both biologically and socially without outside influence. Detractors to this point argue that there are many instances among Concord members where outside influence shaped them into the species that they are today. Then there is the argument (used both for expanding the application of the First Contact Edict and for abolishing it entirely) that the First Contact Edict should apply to all species. No one truly knows what species in an ecosystem will achieve sapience, if any, so even on a world with no sentient life at that moment may be irreparably changed by contact with outsiders.

The second reason is that not all species are able to properly cope with being exposed to being part of a galactic community. A variety of factors play into a society being able to fit into the grander cosmic neighborhood from religion, socio-economic factors, to governing systems. Some species see alien visitors as demons or angry spirits that either need to be defeated or appeased in some way. This can lead to mass sacrifices or literal witch-hunts with the first contact Ambassadors being the witches, neither option is desirable. Governments that keep their populaces governed with fear of the unknown are just as dangerous to first contact Ambassadors, as they often see aliens as a threat to their power base and will likely shoot first and make up the "facts" later. Then there are the species that are simply unable to parse being part of a world so much more advanced than their own. Arthur C. Clarke once wrote that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." To those from primitive worlds seeing starships, laser rifles, computer systems, holograms, not to mention the massive variety of strange and even sometimes monstrous forms of life they feel like they are know in a world of nightmares. Even those that are able to understand that a Weren is just another being trying to survive, may not have brains evolved enough to understand how to use all of this technology. Where do those beings go now? How can they possibly fit into cosmic society when they can barely operate the front door? However, there have been very few instances where a species is willing, but simply unable to join galactic society. It may take time, but in the case of two of the most primitive species to be ushered into the Concord far too early, Ewoks and Betaurians, both have been able to make strides into being full-fledged members of the Concord...even if most of their species still prefer to live according to their traditions.

Initially, the punishment for Concord captains, both civil and government, was severe. Hefty fines, incarceration, and possibly even the loss of their ships/commission were possible. Today, the punishments stand, but the application of the punitive damages are up to judge in each case based on the circumstances surrounding why the First Contact Edict was broken. In cases of down starships, it is considered ridiculous to adhere to the Edict in lieu of focusing on survival. However, taking advantage of a primitive culture to essentially steal valuable resources will see a captain, and most of his senior crew, sent to The Clink (nickname for Jarnbash Orbital Penitentiary, one of the toughest prisons in Concord Space) for a long time.

Just because the First Contact Edict isn't as rigidly applied today doesn't mean that there are no programs in place to try and help ease "primitive" cultures into being part of a wider community. The Concord's Office of Xenological Research has a First Contact Bureau that handles cases where the First Contact Edict has been broken and the species exposed to the realities of the cosmos essentially can't go back to life before for whatever reason. They attempt to find ways to gently bring in these species into the galactic community. Most of the time, primitive cultures exposed to advanced and alien technology simply create new legends to "write off" the experience in their history.