More Thoughts on the new Marvel Universe (SPOILERS AHEAD)

It's a very slow day today at the office, so I found myself perusing Bleedingcool.com a bit reading about the goings on at Marvel and around comics in general. I've heard rumors about big changes in store for the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, and now it appears that we may have an idea of where these teams are going (or not going) once the revamped Marvel U is unveiled.

There will be spoilers ahead, you have been warned so don't cry to me if you keep reading.





First to the Fantastic Four. I was never a big fan of the FF when I was a kid, but as I've gotten older I've developed and appreciation for what the FF brought to the Marvel U. I still think a lot of the stories are hokey and goofy, but there's a sense of wonder and innocence in the early tales that is really hard to come by today (though you can still get that feel from the Guardians of the Galaxy...or at least I do). The FF has been a cornerstone of the Marvel U pretty much since the beginning. It's hard to imagine Marvel without Reed and the gang galivanting around the world and the cosmos battling aliens, monsters, and super-villains with fisticuffs and super-science...well, get ready, the FF are about to be no more. It's no secret that Marvel has had a rough relationship with Fox, who owns the movie rights to the Fantastic Four (and the X-Men). Two crappy movies, and what looks and sounds like a third on the way and little to no desire to cooperate like Sony (who own the movie rights to Spidey) has, has forced Marvel to play hardball the only way they can: by wiping out the team in the new universe. (See the story here, but be wary of spoilers.) The book is ending it's storied run, and there will be little merchandising for the team beyond trade paperbacks. The characters will still be part of the MU (or at least most of them), but they are going to be part of different teams.

As for the X-Men, the movie rights are also owned by Fox, but unlike the FF the X-Men are still big sellers for Marvel/Disney. The X-Men will still have their own book(s), but they will be living somewhere else in the cosmos. (Read about all of this here.) This doesn't feel quite as jarring of a change since the X-Men have had an element of spaciness to it since the beginning of the Chris Claremont run, and recent events between the X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy have pointed the team in that direction as well. The Inhumans are hoped to take the place of the mighty mutants on Earth however. They'll still be part of the Universe, but they won't have much interaction with it. Like the FF, Marvel is pulling the lisences for X-Men toys, models, and so on as well. So again, playing hardball the only way they can: limiting brand prominence in the comics in hopes of de-valuing the brand for Fox.

It's highly speculated that the new Marvel U will look a lot more like the Cinematic Universe. Marvel/Disney would love all of their characters to be a part of that universe. Really, the recent Marvel movies have been great, so I'd love to see what they could do with Spider-Man, the FF, and the X-Men (though other than X3 and Origins: Wolverine Fox has done fairly well with the X-Men franchise...the FF...not so much). This is among one of the things that is really kind of putting me off on the new vision of the Marvel Universe. I realize that Marvel/Disney wants to maximize profits, and they have every right to do so, and they may even be able to pull off the changes to the FF and X-Men in a way that doesn't frankly suck, but the reasons behind these changes are always going to suck and have nothing to do with the comics themselves. Good thing that Sony is allowing use of Spider-Man in small doses, otherwise there may not be a Peter Parker in the new Marvel U...which may be why there are so many other Spider-folk running about.

In the end, I really do hope that Marvel/Disney are able to one again get the rights to all of their franchises back from Sony and Fox. Many of the movies for Spidey have been alright to great (ASM2 and SM3 notwithstanding) like most of the X-Men movies have been good. It's obvious that Fox doesn't know what to do with the Fantastic Four (we'll see how the new movie goes, but it's doesn't sound promising at all), and with there not being a FF book on the racks at all, one would think that Fox will finally relent and sell the right back. Plus, the FF aren't as popular as the X-Men, and haven't been for 30 years now (if not longer), so that brand value will likely only continue to deteriorate if the next movie flops and there isn't a dedicated FF book to keep it in the public eye. Spidey will be tougher to get back since the movies make money even if they aren't always that great. The X-Men...right now Fox is doing alright with their strange universe, but we'll see what happens after X-Men: Apocalypse. As least they aren't completely screwing that up like the FF.

Rebooting Universes

It's happening again, DC is rebooting the DCU (a "soft" reboot this time, but a reboot none the less) and now Marvel is following suit. When the New 52 came along I gave it a shot, and after a the third month I realized that it's just not for me. I gave up on the DCU, and really the reboot made it easy to walk away. Really, I've always been more of a Marvel man anyway. With the Marvel reboot, I'm faced with the same situation: do I keep going or is this another good opportunity to jump ship?

I'm not really keen on what I'm seeing out of the previews for the new Marvel Universe. So far, it's really Spider-heavy. (I thought the Spider-Gwen idea was great for the Spider-verse storyline, but not as a regular character in the main universe.) Granted, we haven't seen the entirety of the new line-up from Marvel, but so far it's not really all that exciting to me. I'll give it 2-3 months to see what I think, but this may be where Marvel and I part ways (except for their Star Wars series, which have been very good so far).

I have to say that I'm more than just a little bit sad with the Marvel reboot. Marvel typically went the route of the in-story retcon. Many times, these were silly retcons, but sometimes they are done well enough that they don't annoy me. (Dark Phoenix Saga is one of my favorite Marvel storylines, which was really just a big retcon.) Still, silly or not, those story-based retcons are what I prefer because they keep the universe in tact (by and large). Marvel kept the decades of history in tact and didn't reboot the universe everytime they wrote themselves into a corner. I guess those days are over...at least for now. After all, the only constant in comic universes is that nothing is permanent. (Although DC tripping all over themselves with just about every move they make is nearing a level of permanency rarely seen in comic history...)

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.

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'

Valco

The Valco the second of the two major slave species of the Spineless Ones. Their homeworld lies in the Mojoverse, in the Vallcolia system. They had a culture that was just beginning to exit its Industrial Revolution when they were discovered and overrun. The Spineless Ones saw their capacity for combat and threw them into the arenas and shows to battle Brannor slaves for their amusement and profit.

Before becoming slaves, Valco culture was split into rival religious factions. Valco religion was a rather complex with a blending of monotheistic and polytheistic traditions. The veneration of god depended on a ranking system. Depending on where a certain god ranked on a groups list had a profound affect on what factions they would be allied with or go to war with. These rankings were fluid, however, based on who was deemed the spiritual leader of a faction. There were even times that factions would split because a new leader would place a "lesser" god higher in the faction hierarchy than what was popular among a large group of the faction's population. This constant jockeying of deities led to many conflicts throughout their culture. Even the factions that venerated gods of peace and tranquility would still keep and train a large force to defend against attacks and wage strikes against other factions. The Spineless Ones put and end to all of that.

The Spineless Ones saw a species that they could mold into a fighting force for their arenas and vids. They did just that. Over time, the Valco cared less and less about their gods and more on simply surviving. Ironically, while the Valco were conquered to offer a change from Brannor slaves, and were being groomed to overtake the Brannor as the stars in their vids, the Spineless Ones ended up only allying the two species. The Valco began to train the Brannor in the arts of war, something they knew very little about. They told the Spineless Ones that the training was to make the combats more interesting for their masters, but in reality the Valco knew that in order to overthrow an enemy with superior firepower and technology, they would need all the fighters they could get. While most of the leaders of the Resistance are Brannor, the true heart and soul of the resistance lies in the Valco.

There are two distinct races of Valco: the smaller Pennari and the larger Worsch. Both are humanoid in form and both look like anthropomorphic goats. Both have animal-like legs and cloven hooves for feet, and hands with two fingers and a thumb each tipped with thick, hoof-like nails. Both races can eat nearly anything, and are virtually immune to poisons. Their have two stomachs, one for preparing materials for digestion, and another for digestion. Any material that cannot be digested is regurgitated and spit out. The final aspect that the two races share is an inability to be Psions. Their brain physiology is such that neither race can develop psionic powers.

The Pennari stand around 5 feet tall, not counting their straight horns. Their bodies are covered in a light fur that ranges in color from creamy white to black. Their bodies and thin and lean, built for speed and agility. Their horns grow to about 2-3 feet long and are shed in the last quarter of a standard year; the horns begin to grow back in about 3 months. Pennari generally have a light-hearted demeanor, even in the face of great adversity. They are also very individualistic, a trait that has blossomed even since the Spineless Ones have stamped out much of their religions over the generations.

Worsch stand around 6 to 7 feet tall with much more muscular builds. Their hair is shaggy and is typically red or brown in color, though white or gray is not totally unheard of. Their horns are thick and curved. Worsch do not shed their horns, and they will continue to grow longer and larger as they go through life. While Worsch take pride in their horns, they will trim them back if they get so long as to inhibit movement. Worsch are warriors born. Even before their enslavement, Worsch valcos were the warrior priests of many factions. In combat, many through themselves into the fray with wild abandon, and their ferocity has made them favorites of many viewers of Mojoverse vids. When not on the battlefield, they crave order in their lives, be it following a strong leader or making sure that everything is in its proper place. Worschs tend to be dour and quick to anger in contrast to their more jovial cousins.

Valco for Savage Worlds
Pennari Valco
Springy: Pennari Valco start play with a d6 in Agility.
Quick: Pennari have a base Pace of 8" and their Running die is increased by one die.
Horns: Str+d4 damage. If a Pennari is charging before attacking with their horns, the damage increases to Str+d6.
Immune to Poison: Pennari are immune to poisons.
Racial Enemy: All Valco have a deep hatred for the Spineless Ones. When dealing with a Spineless One, they suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma.
All Thumbs: Valco hands are not overly dexterous and therefore tend to have problems with many modern devices that aren't specifically designed for their use. They receive a -2 penalty to Repair rolls and rolls made when using a mechanical or electronic device. A roll of 1 (regardless of the outcome of the Wild Die) means the device is broken.
No Psionics: Valco cannot purchase the Arcane Background (Psionics) edge.

Worsch Valco
Strong: Worsch Valco start play with a d6 for Strength.
Size +1: Worsch Valco are slightly larger than the average human.
Horns: Str+d6 damage. This damage increases to Str+d8 if they are charging before making a horn attack.
Immune to Poison: Worsch are immune to poisons.
Racial Enemy: All Valco have a deep hatred for the Spineless Ones. When dealing with a Spineless One, they suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma.
All Thumbs: Valco hands are not overly dexterous and therefore tend to have problems with many modern devices that aren't specifically designed for their use. They receive a -2 penalty to Repair rolls and rolls made when using a mechanical or electronic device. A roll of 1 (regardless of the outcome of the Wild Die) means the device is broken.
No Psionics: Valco cannot purchase the Arcane Background (Psionics) edge.

Valco for Rogue Space
Pennari Valco: The stats for Bock in the Rogue Space: The Dark Frontier rulebook work great for Pennari Valco.

Worsch Valco
Archetypes: Worsh Valco can only be Fighters and gain a +2 bonus to Fighting.
Can survive in any oxygenated environment by consuming any natural, non poisonous, fibers. Can head-butt a foe as an M damage attack in melee.
Psionics: Worsh Valco cannot have any psionic powers.

Thanagarians

Switching gears slightly for this entry as I dip my proverbial toe into the waters of DC's alien species. 

Thanagarians are a species of winged humanoids that control a cluster of systems along the border between the Alpha and Beta quadrants. They were once slaves of a species called the Polaran Empire. They revolted, drove the Polarans into deep space, and developed a powerful military. Over the next thousand years, the Thanagarians have conquered other systems in a fashion similar to that of the Peacekeepers: they offer their military as protection against alien invaders in return for natural resources, which are taken back to Thanagar.

The Thanagarian Protectorate is a powerful force in their region of space. Even though they are not as large as the Peacekeepers or Shi'ar or Skrull Empires, their military might is second to none. All Thanagarians who are physically able are required to serve a minimum of 10 years in the Defense Force. This has lead to a very martial culture where the idea of the strong prevailing over the weak has become a central tenant to the average Thanagarian. The Protectorate is ruled by a Council of five Thanagarians. The Council was one selected by a vote of all Thanagarians, but now only those from one of the five Houses are allowed to vote. Even Thanagarians who are not officially attached to one of the houses do not get a say in their government.

House politics and the etiquette of joining a House are complex. Thanagarians who are part of a House that have a child see that child immediately entered into the House. However, that child must be very careful from the moment it is old enough to be mobile that they do not upset anyone in the House higher than its own station. Children as young as two have been cast out of their House for mistakes no more serious than spilling a drink during an informal dinner. These once "noble" children are given to one of the various orphanages on the surface to be raised and trained for conscription into the Defense Force.

The Defense Force is powerful military. House Thanagarians make up the command positions of the Defense Force, with House-less Thanagarians making up most of the rank and file soldiers. Aliens are sometimes conscripted into service, but typically only serve as cannon fodder to soften up a foe before sending in less expendable Thanagarian forces. As noted earlier, all Thanagarians, House or not, are required to spend 10 years in the Defense Force. After this time, it is their choice to continue their service or to enter into civilian life. Unless they are part of a House, most Thanagarians continue their service. Those that leave the Defense Force may still continue being warriors as bounty hunters and mercenaries.

Who controls a House is in a constant state of flux as well. House leaders are constantly attempting to curry favor with their betters, strike bargains with peers and lessers for support, and so on. Anything from being caught in an affair with a lesser noble or suffering even a minor defeat in battle can lead to a House leader being deposed in favor of someone else. The Houses also attempt to woo away members of other Houses with excellent reputations in order to strengthen their own positions.

Thanagarians who are without a House can join one by invitation only. Typically, great heroics on the field of battle is a common way to gain the attention of one or more Houses. Also discovering information about another House or an in-House rival of a noble can sometimes garner enough respect to gain an invitation into a House.

Corruption and graft have long been part of the politics of the Protectorate. Thanagarians from the five Houses live in cities suspended from the surface by powerful anti-grav engines, and those who are House-less or are not Thanagarian live on the surface where pollution, a lack of basic services, and dangerous creatures are a constant way of life. However, the Houses are constantly attempting to curry favor among those from the "Downside" (a derogatory term used in reference to Thanagar's surface) in case hostilities erupt between houses and they need quick conscripts to fight their battles.

There have been many slave revolts over the years, but most have been put down with ease. However, recently there has been a more concerted effort to form a revolution. This time, there are more House-less Thanagarians joining the revolts than in those previous. The level of coordination in the attacks has led the Council to believe that former House commander is leading the revolution. There have been many excellent battle commanders cast out of their House for one slight or another, but most has put their efforts towards joining another House or attempting to make amends with their former House. That has typically been the goal of many House-less Thanagarians, but it appears that whoever is leading the revolution that vying for a House is less productive than attempting to bring down the Council and earn equal rights.

Thanagarians are winged humanoids. They stand around 6 feet tall with agile builds. Their skin color is generally white with a wide array of hair color ranging from blonde to black and everything in between. Two large, feathered wings sprout from their backs and allow them to fly. Feathers are typically white in color although brown and gray are fairly common as well. Their bones are hollow and more brittle than those found in most other humanoid species, but that does not keep them from close combat as there is more prestige to be gained from a close kill than one made at range. Thanagarians are a long lived species; not reaching old age until 200 with some living to nearly 400 before dying (of natural causes that is).

For Savage Worlds, I use the Avion race package found in the Sci-Fi Companion with the following additions:
Remove the Frail Hindrance and add the Arrogant Hindrance instead.

Thanagarians for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Thanagarians can be Soldier's or Technicians and they gain a +1 bonus to Fighting.
Flight: Thanagarians can fly at a pace equal to his regular movement rate.
Psionics: Espers are rare among Thanagarians, but those that are Espers has an equal chance of having any psionic power.

Zen Whoberis

It is a theme that have been played out time and again throughout the galaxy: one species being driven to the point of extinction by another. Sadly, that is the tale of the Zen Whoberis.

The Zen Whoberis evolved on the planet Zen Whoberi in the Silcan system on the Outer Arm in the Alpha Quadrant. They were a peaceful people from a technological agrarian society. They hadn't yet reached the stars, though they had put some satellites into orbit. They wondered about life on other planets, but had so far not detected any evidence that there were alone in the universe. When they found out the truth, their time was nearly up.

Zen Whoberi was one of the first worlds to fall in the Illithid Invasion. When the Illithids and their forces descended on the people of Zen Whoberi, there was little they could do. Zen Whoberis culture was peaceful. They had little crime and therefore little need for lethal weapons. The people did attempt to stage and defense, but in the end only about half a million of the 3 million estimated Zen Whoberis survived the assault. The survivors were taken captive, tortured, and forced to endure humiliating and horrific experiments...many were also used as food for the brain-eating Illithids. When the invasion was finally broken, only an estimated 50,000 Zen Whoberis were left alive.

After being freed, many Zen Whoberis decided to go back to the Silcan system to try and rebuild their lives and begin the process of healing. However, the Illithids has stripped many of the natural resources from the world, leaving it a planet that would take many thousands of years to be habitable again. Heartbroken, the Zen Whoberis scattered throughout the Alpha Quadrant and beyond in small groups, all promising to find a way to contact each other should one group or another find a suitable home. Many of these groups simply settled with other species on other worlds and adapted to life in a culture far beyond that which they came from. Other groups would wander through the cosmos searching to some place that felt like home only to fall prey to pirates, hazards of space, or their own inexperience in flying starships.

There is an estimated 150,000 Zen Whoberis in the galaxy currently. However, they are scattered with no more than a few thousand living in any one place. They were granted honorary membership into the Galactic Concord upon the formation of the body after the Illithid Invasion, but they do not have membership in the Senate due to not having a homeworld or anything resembling a recognizable government. Most are citizens of whatever nation they live in and have long given up hope of their ever being another Zen Whoberi. Supposedly, there is colony in a small system in the Palomar Sector far out on the Outer Arm on the border with the Alpha and Beta Quadrants made up of some 30,000 Zen Whoberis. This colony is far beyond the borders of the Concord and no one has been able to verify its existence yet, but there might just be hope yet.

Zen Whoberis are a near-human species. They stand around 6 feet tall on average with green skin and hair that is usually dark green or black in color. Zen Whoberis have yellow circles around their eyes, possibly a remnant to an evolutionary trait that has since been lost. They have slight builds which speak to their agility, but otherwise are little different from humans in capability or potential.

Zen Whoberis are a likable species, which has helped their integration with other species and cultures, but they tend to become sullen at times though with each generation this becomes less so. The carry an intense hatred for Illithid. Many Zen Whoberis joined various militarys that made up the Concord defense force after the end of the Invasion for the sole purpose of hunting them down.

Zen Whoberis for Savage Worlds
Agile: Zen Whoberis are naturally agile and start play with a d6 in Agility.
Charismatic: Zen Whoberis are a very charming people and gain a +2 bonus to Charisma.
Racial Enemy: Zen Whoberis carry a deep hatred for Illithids for what they did to them and their homeworld. They suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma and can easily become violent when encountering an Illithid.

Zen Whoberis for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Zen Whoberis can be Scoundrels or Technicians and gain a +1 bonus to either Empathy or Science.
Agile: Zen Whoberis gain a +1 bonus to Fighting rolls made when performing any act requiring agility (vaulting over an obstacle, balancing on a narrow ledge, etc.)
Psionics: Zen Whoberis can become Espers with Commune, Empath, or ESP being the most common powers.

Brannor

Quick Update: I added some info to the Spineless Ones entry that I neglected to get added before posting it (some background details and Savage Worlds and Rogue Space stats). 

The Brannor are a near-human species that are currently a slave race of the Spineless Ones of the Mojoverse. They were once a space-faring species that believed in trying to make the universe a better place by helping others when they could; that generosity would end up being their downfall.

The Brannor were once a species devoted to science and the betterment of all of their kind. When they reached the stars and met other species, they extended that altruistic attitude to other species as well, especially extending goodwill and help to species suffering through some malady, be it genetic, disease-related, environmental, or what have you. They would offer aid in the form of raw resources, food, clothing, researchers, whatever they could spare to help those in need that they encountered. This desire to make the galaxy a better place was only strengthened whenever they met a species that took a less than generous view to galactic diplomacy like the Romulans or the Hutts.

The Brannor encountered the Yllonjakk (more commonly known as the "Spineless Ones") on the swamp world of Yllonj. The Yllonjakk were a primitive species largely held back by their lack of mobility and their planet's lack of mineral resources. The Brannor decided to help this species and essentially "uplift" them so that they could achieve their full potential. They developed advanced cybernetics to grant them great mobility first with a series of cyber sleds, and then with cybernetic spinal cord and leg implants. They also educated the Yllonjakk in the areas of biology, cybernetics, computers and the Grid, as well as exposing them to new avenues for entertainment, such as vids and games.

The Yllonjakk, while being primitive, were quite intelligent, and also telepathic. As they were being taught, they were secretly probing the minds of their benefactors, learning far beyond the rote theories and applications they were being taught. They also developed an addiction to holovids and games, especially gladiatorial games. While the Brannor were careful to keep the focus of Yllonjakk education away from anything that should lead them towards weapons manufacture or developing a violent culture, the Yllonjakk had designs of their own.

The Yllonjakk had began to develop weapon systems for their cyber sleds. This lead most to forego the use of cybernetic legs in lieu of the sleds. They then attacked the Brannor, conquered those on Yllonj, and with the use of the spacecraft developed more spacecraft, military spacecraft, and attacked the Brannor throughout the sector until their benefactors became their slaves. The Brannor being a largely peaceful species, could not muster an effective defense against an enemy that had so thoroughly learned everything about their technology and culture.

The Brannor soon found out just how foolish and careless they had become. The Spineless Ones were terrible masters. Many Brannor were nothing but fodder to feed their masters craving to watch death in action. Those with technical ability had it somewhat better, but were dealt with harshly should they not meet or exceed at their assigned duties. Most Brannor were simply breeding stock.

The Brannor were introduced to other species, like the Valco, who also fell into the clutches of the Spineless Ones. They also found that there were many other species that seem to share the same addiction to violence that grips the Spineless Ones as beings across known space paid handsomely either for copies of the ridiculous "shows" slave were forced to perform in or to see such a show live and in person. They also found that there were beings willing to kill for money. These gladiators weren't slaves, but were treated as celebrities, gods even, for mowing down wave after wave of slaves in ever-increasingly ridiculous and violent scenarios.

All of the violence and death and cruelty has had an effect on the Brannor. Gone are the days of the naive and altruistic do-gooders that were going to make the galaxy a better place for all species. Now they are hardened, toughened by the horrors they have endured. Now they are fighting back. An underground movement has emerged in the last couple generations that is trying to topple the disgusting empire of the Spineless Ones. Made up of slaves that have escaped, they are striking back at their masters. The resistance has become a thorn in the side of the Spineless Ones. They disrupt shows, free slaves, and have even killed a few Mojos.

The Resistance has sought aid from outside stellar powers, though they do not trust any of them. The Concord has offered what little aid that it can since they are cut off from the Mojoverse by the Romulan Empire. The Romulans offer some assistance with weapons, but have done little else. Still the Resistance almost prefers it that way. They now see the galaxy as largely dark and twisted. Their goal is to destroy the Mojoverse and then withdraw to their homeworlds and have little else to do with others. That is truly the greatest tragedy out of all of this devastation.

Brannor are a near human species. They have largely the same eye, skin, and hair color variations as humans. Really, at first glance, no difference can been seen. However, Brannor hands consist of only three fingers and a thumb, instead of the standard five. They are also more agile and graceful than humans, by and large, a product of the selective breeding they have undergone for generations. Their skin is slightly leathery and is tougher than human flesh. Brannor with psionic powers cannot hide when their powers are in use, as one of their eyes gives off a faint luminescence (in most Brannor, the left eye is the one that glows).

Brannor for Savage Worlds
Attributes: Brannor start play with a d6 in Agility.
Tough Skin: Brannor skin conveys a +2 bonus to Toughness.
Racial Enemy: Brannor hate Spineless Ones and suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma when dealing with one. Many Brannor find it difficult to keep from attacking a Spineless One on sight.

Brannor for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Scoundrel or Technician only. +1 bonus to either Acquiring or Repair.
Tough Skin: A Brannor wearing no armor is still considered to be wearing L armor.
Psionics: Brannor can be Espers and usually have the Telepathy power, though any power is possible.

Spineless Ones (NOW WITH STATS)

On the far side of the Romulan Empire's sphere of influence is an area of space known as "the Mojoverse." This region of space is dominated by an empire that gains its power and wealth via the transmission of ultra-violent gladiatorial games. These games are put up on the Grid through various means for beings throughout the Alpha Quadrant to purchase and watch. This makes the Mojoverse the only known empire based solely upon entertainment.

The Mojoverse is controlled by a species of beings known as the Yllonjakk, or Spineless Ones as they are more commonly referred to. They are a somewhat slug-like species slightly reminiscent to Hutts, with large, portly bodies, two arms and a head. They can only move through the use of cybernetic implant legs, or cybernetic barges typically equipped with arachnid-like legs. Their flesh is yellow and typically pock-marked and dotted with bed sores. Their arms are long, as are their fingers, and their faces are rather humanoid-like except their mouths are unnaturally wide.

The Spineless Ones were first discovered by one of their now slave races, the Brannor. The Yllonjakk were primitive, yet obviously intelligent beings eking out an existence in the swamps and quagmires of their homeworld, which is now called Mojo Prime, but was once known as Yllonj. Brannor scientists designed their cybernetic legs and sleds that the Spineless Ones now use in the hopes of helping to "uplift" these beings into a technological species. The Brannor succeeded, much to their dismay. The Spineless Ones are also telepathic, something that they concealed from the Brannor, and they learn very quickly. Once they were as mobile as the Brannor, they moved quickly to subvert and dominate their culture, making slaves of the very people that helped them.

During the telepathic scans of Brannor minds, many Spineless Ones became enthralled with video and holographic entertainment. Many became addicted to entertainment technology, watching all the shows, sports, and broadcasts that they could. Others made note of how much commerce vids, especially more violent vids, brought in and the effect the events had on those watching. Not long after forcing the Brannor into slavery, the Spineless Ones began to force them into gladiatorial matches for the amusement of those Spineless Ones that needed that entertainment. It didn't take long for the Spineless Ones to expand their influence into other systems. Those that could put up a good fight were left alone, though they offered their arenas as a source of entertainment as a way of trade. Other species, like the Valco, were dominated and forced into slavery to fight in their arenas.

The Spineless Ones elected a leader, called Mojo, which they also call anything of importance. Their entire system of government is almost like it was taken from the chain of command of a 21st century TV station. Mojo is President of Operations, then there are program directors that oversee the running of popular series. Directors oversee individual series. Cancellators are enforcers, usually made up of mercenaries of slaves that have proven their loyalty, that quell riots among the actors: slaves.

Once one gets past the appearance of a Spineless One, the first thing most beings notice is that none of them are quite altogether sane. Many Spineless Ones are jittery, prone to fits of rage with little to no provocation, others are paranoid or outright schizophrenic, but all exhibit some form of mental instability. Spineless Ones recognize that this makes dealing with other species problematic, so oftentimes when other species are dealing with a Mojoverse representative, they are dealing with a Major Domo, a trusted Brannor or Valco slave.

Today, the Mojoverse is the most influential force in gladiatorial games in the galaxy. Even though their "products" are outlawed in most civilized societies, there is a robust black market for their goods. They have become more and more inventive with how they stage their matches thanks to holodeck technology. Popular fighters are followed along and "star" in series of death matches that are set up to look like various shows from all over the galaxy. This has made the Mojoverse a very powerful force in their sector of space, which makes neighbors like the Romulan Empire and the Hutt Syndicate very nervous. The Romulans despise another stellar super power at their virtual back door, and the Hutts don't like the Spineless Ones muscling in on their gambling revenue.

The Mojo keeps a tight reign on operations in the Mojoverse. There has always been a contingent of rebels among the slaves since the Brannor were first enslaved. As the Mojoverse has connected with many other cultures, mostly through Gridspace, so have the rebels. They have found allies in the galaxy willing to help them fight the Spineless Ones, even secretly. This has helped make the rebellion more effective at striking against the Spineless Ones, strikes that have disrupted operations on several occasions and publicly so. Mojo XVII can expanded the ranks of the Cancellators to help put down the rebellion, but the disruptions keep occurring.

There have also been some startling revelations as to how far the Spineless Ones will go to feed their and their audiences' need for even greater thrills. There has been evidence uncovered that Spineless Ones have kidnapped Concord soldiers and replaced their eyes with nearly undetectable cybernetic cameras with transmitters that film the battles and events they take part in. While many in the Concord fear spying, it appears that the primary goal is to get footage of combat against hostile forces. The Spineless Ones typically hire mercenaries and pirates to carry out the abductions, but the Concord Navy has also put their troops going on shore leave on alert to watch out their drinks and not to trust "captivating" strangers. It seems that some of the abductions and implants have been done in just a matter of hours before anyone would think something is amiss.

Spineless Ones for Savage Worlds
Spineless Ones (WC) Attributes: Agility d4/d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d6, Computers d10, Knowledge (Cybernetics) d10, Knowledge (Holographics) d10, Knowledge (Psychology) d8, Pilot d8, Psionics d10
Pace 2/10; Parry 5; Toughness 7 (12)
Gear: Spineless Ones rarely carry any gear beyond a datapad with which they keep constant tabs on show ratings and other areas of vid production. Their cyber sleds are outfitted with everything else they need to be lethal.
Cyber Sleds: Spineless One cyber sleds grant them an increase in Agility (to d8) and Pace (to 10). It also adds enough coverage to grant them Armor +3 to Toughness. Their sleds come in various forms, but the most common is a walker with arachnid-like legs and a "tail" that looks like a scorpion's stinger that is equipped with a Plasma Rifle (3d10 damage). They use their Pilot skill die for their attempts to shoot foes. Attacks on the sled must bypass Toughness 18 (3) in order to cause any damage.
Special Abilities
Claws: Str + d6 damage with their long, needle-like claws.
Psionics: Spineless Ones have the following powers: Blast (Force), Mind Reading, and Telekinesis.
Size +2
Large Sized: Spineless Ones are quite large and attackers gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against them.


Spineless Ones for Rogue Space
DRM +2; TP K; SZ RB; MV Crawl (10') or Arachnid (40'); AR M; DM X; HP 5; SP *
Cyber Sled: Cyber Sleds have 5 HP and V AR.
Psionics: Spineless Ones are all Telepathic and gain an Empathy bonus of +3.

Xandarians

Xandar in the Tranta system is a human colony and one of the finest colonies at that. The beginnings of the Xandar colony were difficult for the settlers. They were originally supposed to colonize the planet IR-43981 in the Floronis Sector, but were driven off course by Horune Pirates. Badly damaged and with much of it's fighter contingent destroyed, the captain crash landed the colony ship on Xandar in a last ditch effort to give the colonists a fighting chance against the pursuing Horune.

With a large dose of luck and the tactical knowledge of the garrison commander, the Horune were driven off. However, Xandar was an unpopulated world in a distant sector of space and they were unsure if their distress buoy was properly launched to give the TSA (Terra Space Agency, the governmental body in charge of colonization of planets before the Great Schism and the formation of the Sol Systems Alliance) an idea on where to look for them. Plus, the number of either dead or wounded were staggering. It seemed unlikely that they would be able to pull through.

The first few months were the worst. The survivors began setting up the colony, but many tech supplied were heavily damaged and unusable which only made their jobs harder. To add insult to injury, they also had to defend against occasional attacks from the same Horune pirates that stranded them on this system. Each raid leaving fewer survivors. It seemed that the only stroke of luck on the colonists' side was that Xandar was a world very much like Earth filled with plentiful resources.

It was two years before the Terran Authority located Xandar and the surviving colonists. By that point, the colony, dubbed New Phoenix, was a thriving colony. It even had a burgeoning spaceport for trade with other nearby species that were a bit nicer than the Horune. The Terran Authority offered to take anyone that wished to the original colony site on IR-43981 (now known as Theda), but everyone declined as Xandar was now their home.

Over the years, Xandar became a power in the border sectors between the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. They were too isolated from the Terran Authority to expect any timely help with troops, medicine, or general supplies, so they had to rely on what they would get from the planet and the surrounding celestial bodies and from trade with aliens. When the Great Schism occurred, Xandar was hardly affected. In fact, it was assumed that in the midst of the turmoil of colony after colony declaring independence, that Xandar did as well. After the smoke cleared and the Sol Systems Alliance was born, Xandar joined.

Being out on the fringe of the Alpha Quadrant, Xandarians deal more with species that are either not part of the Galactic Concord from the Alpha Quadrant or with species from the Beta Quadrant. Xandar was the first Concord world to meet members of the Kree Empire, and they are the first to repel attacks from said empire. Another aspect of their remoteness from both human space and the Concord is that Xandarian defense forces take their own form. They do incorporate aspects of Concord military traditions, but they have largely kept to their own defense force: the Nova Corps. While they make use of larger Concord ships, Xandar still uses fighters of their own design, a distinct star-shaped design. They also adhere to their own uniform design; a distinctive blue and gold design with a gold helmet with a series of red star badges to signify rank.

Xandarians are human. Xandar is largely Earth-like in climate, seasons, and mineral and chemical composition, so there has been little genetic drift from standard Earth humans. That said, over the generations, Xandarians have become essentially a singular race with tan skin and darker hair being the norm, although there are still some lighter or darker skinned people or those that look more like one race or another. Also, with Xandar being a hotbed of intergalactic trade, there is a large population of mixed species families.

Xandarians are generated for both Savage Worlds and Rogue Space as a standard human.

Galadorians

Galadorians are a species of near-humans from the planet, Galador in the Goldarak Sector. They are a wise and learned people devoted to peace cooperation between the species of the galaxy, but they are best known for being the first and ultimately last line of defense against the Dire Wraiths of the Dark Nebula.

Galadorian culture is one devoted to peace and prosperity. They are a calm and scholarly people, though that has not always been the case. Before the Wraith War, Galadorian society was split into rival nations, each vying for more wealth, power, and prestige. This drove their space race, which led to their contact with the Dire Wraiths. The Dire Wraiths were a threat on par with dangers only imagined by Galadorian sci-fi authors of the time. The technical superiority of the Dire Wraiths forces the rival states to set aside their bickering and work together. The end result being a unified Galador.

After the Wraith War, the Galadorians began to carefully explore deeper into space. At first they were constantly wary of discovering another species that wanted nothing more than their destruction, but they found many other species that mostly just wanted to conduct trade and live their lives. However, they also found a galaxy full of needless war and strife all in the name of wealth, power, and prestige, much like how they used to be before becoming a unified people. Therefore, the Galadorians attempted to "light the path" to any culture that would listen. This has given Galadorians the reputation of being akin to space-faring evangelists; known more for their preaching of showing a unified front to the darkness of the universe than for their scientific discoveries and the treasures of their culture.

Politically, Galador has met with many stellar nations. They have trade negotiations with many single nations and alliances, but have declined offers to join both the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and the Galactic Concord. Out of the two, they have joined forces with the Concord more than most. While Galadorians see the Concord as a real possible force for true, lasting peace in the Alpha Quadrant and beyond, they still feel that they are too quick to go to war and to slow to rout out corruption in their own ranks. So for now, the Galadorians are content to sit on the proverbial sidelines and wait.

Galador itself is a beautiful world. They spend most of their resources toward furthering scientific and artistic pursuits. Their universities are quickly gaining a reputation throughout the Alpha Quadrant for being some of the finest in charted space. These qualities have lead to Galador becoming a popular destination for both students and tourists. That said, while their culture is quite advanced, the shadow of the Dark Nebula looms over Galador constantly. Couple that with Galador being an unaligned power with a reputation for being more interested in peace rather than war, and that makes Galador and it's colonies targets for raiders, pirates and rogue stellar nations. However, Galador has a strong military. While no match for the Concord, Klingons, or Peacekeepers, they are still a force to reckon with. Ironically, even though their science and culture are well renowned, it's their mobile battle armor that has given them the most notoriety.

During the Wraith War, Galadorian scientists developed a suit of power armor with a level of dexterity unmatched in charted space. The armor links with the wearer neurally to allow much quicker movement and mobility compared with other power armor suits. The suit allows the wearer nearly full mobility even in the vacuum of space. These suits of armor are highly sought after by nearly every military in the Alpha Quadrant, but to date the Galadorians have not traded the technology with any other stellar nation.

Galadorians are a near-human species. They have the same racial range as humans, and even age and grow at similar rates. However, Galadorian skin is nearly uniformly bronze-tinged in color. There are a few Caucasians, but their lack of bronze tinge is due to a genetic mutation (similar to being an Albino among humans) rather than being a distinctive race.

Galadorian characters are generated as a normal human.

Threats of the Galaxy: Dire Wraiths

The dreaded Dire Wraiths hail from a mysterious area of space known as the Dark Nebula in the Goldarak Sector, the most coreward inhabited sector in the Alpha Quadrant. The people of Galador have known about the aggressive and duplicitous species for some time. The Dire Wraiths made themselves known to the Galadorians as they made their first forays into space exploration. The Dire Wraiths waged a war of sabotage and subterfuge seemingly in with the goal of destroying Galador's space programs and plunging their civilization into chaos. The Wraith War was a long and bloody affair for the Galadorians, but one in which they prevailed. However, the Dire Wraiths have continually been a menace to peaceful people of Galador and have set their sights many of the civilizations of the Alpha Quadrant the more that the Galadorians trade and travel further into the galaxy.

What has always perplexed not only Galadorian scientists, but also military tacticians and historians that have studied Galador's struggle with the Dire Wraiths, is the species strategy in combat. During the time of the Wraith War, the Galadorians were just entering into the first stages of the Gravity Age and were easily outmatched both in technology and numbers by the Dire Wraiths, but the wraiths never launched a full offensive. The only times during the war that they showed massed force was when the Galadorians entered the Dark Nebula, and each time were repulsed suffering heavy losses. In the end, the war was declared "won" when the Wraiths were driven back into the Dark Nebula. The other puzzling aspect of the Wraith War is that the supposed goals of destroying Galadorian culture that started the war only made their civilization stronger. The various nations pulled together to form a united front against the Dire Wraiths, and any other threat that could be found in the galaxy, and the technology salvaged from Dire Wraith starships and personal effects propelled Galadorian science forward by at least a century.

Very little is known about the Dark Wraiths. The location of their homeworld inside the turbulent and dangerous Dark Nebula remains a mystery to this day. What is known is taken from eye witness accounts and from the few autopsies that have been performed on slain Dire Wraiths whose embedded atomizers failed to activate upon death. What is known is enough to give all stellar nations a cause for concern.

Dire Wraiths are shapeshifters who can mimic those they "taste" with their needle-like tongues. Tasting does not kill the victim, but Dire Wraiths rarely leave their victims alive. This allows them to change their form, including changes in mass, to mimic species from one meter to four meters in height. This ability to mimic other species allows them to mimic specific beings as well. They do not gain access to the full length and breadth of their memories, but they do gain knowledge into important events, personal connections, and skill sets that allow them to put up a convincing ruse to even those that know the mimicked person best.

Dire Wraith shapeshifting does have limits. It appears that it only works on humanoid or smaller centauroid species of mammalian, reptilian, or avian origin. Insectoid, piscean, and vegetation-evolved species and stranger species like the Dralasites are apparently too much for a Dire Wraith's ability to mimic. Most genetic scans are even fooled by a Dire Wraith's mimicking ability, but a thorough scan will show some slight anomalies virtually imperceptible to most genetic scanners. Plus, only the most highly trained Dire Wraiths can house the genetic material of more than one being, even then most Dire Wraith special agents, or "Ghosts" can only house two or possibly three beings' genetic makeup in their bodies. Most Dire Wraiths lose the ability to shapeshift into a tasted form once then shift back into their original forms, and must taste another being in order to shapeshift again.

Dire Wraiths in their original form is a largely humanoid mass of pink flesh with areas purple that look like bruises. Their hands and feet have only three digits, and their mouths are book-ended by two small, tentacle-like appendages. Their mouths are wide and triangular allowing them to open much wider than most species. Dire Wraiths also sport long tails. They walk with a hunched gait and look ungainly and obese due to their lumpy and plump bodies, but are surprisingly agile and strong. They are hairless and their eyes are stark white with no visible pupils.

Dire Wraiths have made their presence in the galaxy known with several acts of sabotage in many sectors affecting several different stellar nations from Galador to the Concord and even to the Klingon and Romulan empires. Their goals appear unchanged from their first encounters with the Galadorians: cause chaos and hinder technological and cultural advancement. Even though they have struck at rival stellar nations, none of the attacks have been done in a way that would point suspicion at a rival; in fact, in many cases Dire Wraiths have taken credit for their actions. Why this is the case is inscrutable to all military and political strategists and scholars, it is almost like they are attempting to provoke a fight with the galaxy at large all at once. Some theorize that might just be their goal: goad stellar nations into attack en masse on the Dark Nebula where the Dire Wraiths hold sway so completely that they could take out their foes more easily than in open, traditional warfare. So far, no one has taken the bait in 400 years since the time of the Galadorians' Wraith War.

Dire Wraiths in Savage Worlds
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d8, Investigation d8, Persuasion d10, Piloting d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Survival d8. (Many Dire Wraiths also have some Knowledge skills in Computers, Chemistry, Politics, etc. depending on their mission parameters).
Pace: 6 (or by form taken); Parry: 6; Toughness: 7
Gear: Dire Wraiths are typically armed with weapons are armor on par with the local culture (generally taken from the victims of their tasting)
Special Abilities

• Infravision: Dire Wraiths can see in dim light and ignore penalties for poor lighting in all but pitch darkness. 
• Taste: Dire Wraiths can flick their long, sharp tongues at foes to sample their DNA and then take the form of the person they tasted. This attack does Str+d4 damage and has a range of 2. If the attack causes a Shaken or Wound result, the victim's DNA has been sampled and the Dire Wraith can then take the form of the victim in the next round. No other effect is bestowed upon the victim other than the knowledge that their is now a being that can take their form. 

Dire Wraiths in Rogue Space
DRM +2; TP U; SZ A*; MV Humanoid (30')*; AR L; DM M or V; HP 5; SP *
Gear: Laser Pistols or Laser Rifles, but that can change based on the culture they are found in.
Special: Dire Wraiths can make a tongue attack that does L damage with a range of S. If this attack does damage, the Dire Wraith can take the form of the victim on the next round. This allows them to alter their Movement rate to that of the new form.

The Brood

There are terrors in the galaxy that send shivers down the spine of even the most grizzled mercenary; chief among them are The Brood. the Brood have long harried the Shi'ar Empire, but have began to appear in the Alpha Quadrant recently. Until that point the tales of living "space whales" filled with insectoid beings that either kill or possess everything in sight were written off as either tales to scare children or to keep explorers out of the Beta Quadrant. It wasn't until a young Sol Alliance colony in the Verdanst system was wiped out that the Alpha Quadrant societies began to take notice.

The Brood hail from an unknown system. It's possible that system lies in the Delta Quadrant or even in some hidden world in the Beta Quadrant, but there are theories that propose that they hail from beyond the Milky Way. Either way, the Brood have been known to the Shi'ar Empire for hundreds of years. They travel through space in giant creatures called Acanti (also call "Space Whales" by some deep space explorers and merchants). They infest the insides of these massive, space-living creatures, and use a combination of poisons and bionics to control the creatures. The Brood will then feast on the insides of the Acanti until it dies, at which point they move onto the next Acanti.

The Brood are an insectoid species in many respects, though their physiology is distinctly non-insectiod in several regards. They have a caste-based society. Each Brood enclave is ruled by a Queen. The Queen infects new hosts with embryos. These embryos are fully sentient upon infected a new host. They slowly re-write the host's DNA until the host has transformed fully into the most common variety of Brood: Sleazeoid. The conversion process time can vary from species to species, but is generally complete within a week or two. Species with higher regenerative abilities can sometimes purge themselves of a Brood embryo naturally. However, for most species, unless advanced genetic therapies are applied within hours of infection, there is little that can be done to halt, no less reverse the conversion process. Sleazeoids, also called Soldier Brood, are the workers and warriors of the Brood species. Their duty is to protect the Queen, keep Acanti space-worthy, locating new Acanti suitable for use as starships, and any other tasks the Queen declares. There are also some specialized forms of Sleazeoids called the "Firstborn" that are used as a Queen's personal guard and her most effective assassins. Although, due to the differences between Firstborn and Sleazeoids, it has been theorized that there may be a Brood classification higher than Queen. This so-called "Empress" has never been seen and it has been suggested that she can only be found on the Brood homeworld, which has never been located.

The Brood are sentient, and despite being in a hive-caste society, they are all individuals but their desire to keep consuming and infecting every species that they can overwhelms as personal wants or desires. Sleazeoids live for their Queen and will fight to the death for her. This is due in part to a strong telepathic link between the Queen and her servants. This link is so strong that it can span across several light years, although how remains a mystery. This link also appears to have an addictive effect on the Sleazeoids. This is why when a Queen is slain most Sleazeoids will commit suicide if another Queen is not within the range that their telepathy can locate. The effect is what keep Sleazeoids in check and obedient despite the fact that each drone has an individual personality. Some Sleazeoids, however, can continue to exist without a Queen. There are even rumors of enclaves of Sleazeoids that actively avoid other Brood and are relatively peaceful, though these rumors remain the stuff of space legend without verifiable proof.

There are many Brood enclaves throughout the Beta Quadrant (likely the Delta Quadrant also), but they are not aligned with one another. There have even been reports of different enclaves attacking each other even though such tales are rare.

The Brood are insectoid in appearance. They are about 8 feet long from end to end. Their weight is variable and their eyes are colored either yellow or red. Sleazeoids are the most common variety of Brood. They are brown in color and can the ability to fly with clear dragonfly-like wings. Their bodies are leaner than that of Queens and end in two tails equipped with long, spear-like stingers. These stingers each carry a different poison. One is a powerful paralytic, the other is a potent neurotoxin that kills within seconds. Slazeoids have size legs, two of which are more tentacle-like in appearance and allow for fine dexterity. Queens are larger, standing around 12 to 17 feet tall, cannot fly, and do not have wings. However, they can infect potential hosts with a touch, and can spit a powerful paralytic goo. Firstborn Brood have a very different look, almost more reptilian than insect. They are green in color and have very durable bony plates covering their bodies. Firstborn stand around 15-20 feet tall. All brood have mouths filled with large, razor-sharp teeth.

Brood for Savage Worlds
Sleazeoids
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, (Sleazeoids may have other skills that fall under various Knowledge categories like Biochemistry, Bionics, and various Technical areas.)
Pace: 8; Parry: 8; Toughness: 13 (2)
Gear: Some Sleazeoids carry energy weapons on par with Blaster Rifles that also have a Stun Setting that work like a Stun Gun (see the Sci-Fi Companion for stats for these weapons).
Special Abilities
Armor: +2 tough exoskeletons.
Bite: Str+d6
Flight: Sleazeoids can fly on buzzing insectoid wings with a Pace of 12 and a Climb of 6.
Size +1: These creatures are about 8 feet long with slender bodies.
Tail Stingers: Stingers do Str+d6 damage. One contains a Paralytic poison, the other a Lethal poison. (See page 89 of the Savage Worlds Deluxe rulebook for more information on Poisons.)

Brood Queen (WC)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d12
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d10, Notice d12
Pace: 8; Parry: 9; Toughness: 16 (2)
Special Abilities
Armor: +2 tough exoskeleton
Bite: Str+d8
Claws: Str+d8
Large: Attackers add +2 to their attack rolls when attacking a Brood Queen due to her size.
Size +4: Brood Queens are at least 12 feet tall with bloated abdomens.
Paralytic Poison: See page 89 in the Savage Worlds Deluxe rulebook for info on poisons. This is ranged spit attack that has a range of 4/8/16.
Infection: Any character wounded by a Brood Queen must make a successful Vigor roll with a -2 penalty or become infected with a Brood embryo. Unless the victim receives advanced genome resequencing therapy within the first 4 hours of infection, he will flee his allies in order to find a secluded spot to complete the transformation into a Brood Sleazeoid.

Brood Firstborn (WC)
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigor d12
Skills: Climbing d10, Fighting d12, Notice d8, Shooting d10, Stealth d8, Tracking d8
Pace: 10; Parry: 10; Toughness: 20 (4)
Special Abilities 
Armor: +4 armor due to very tough, bony plates that cover much of their bodies.
Bite: Str+d8
Claws: Str+d8
Huge: Attackers receive a +4 bonus to their attack rolls when attacking a Brood Firstborn due to their immense size.
Size +6: Firstborn Brood stand up to 20 feet tall

Brood for Rogue Space
Sleazeoids
DRM: +1; TP: I; SZ: RB; MV: 50' crawl, 80' fly; AR: M; DM: V (laser rifle), M (tail stingers), or L (bite); HP: 3; SP *
Poison: One tail stinger has a paralytic poison (Fighting roll against TN 8 or become paralyzed for 2d6 minutes) and the other has a lethal poison (Fighting roll TN 8 or die within 2d6 rounds, but application of anti-venom can neutralize the poison). The poisons only take effect if the stingers cause HP damage.
Can be armed with laser rifles.

Brood Queen
DRM: +2; TP: I; SZ: RB; MV: 50' crawl; AR: M; DM: M (claws or bite); HP: 5; SP *
Paralytic Spit: Brood Queens can spit a wad of paralytic goo up to L range. Any hit by this spit must make a Fighting roll against TN 10 or be paralyzed for 3d6 minutes.
Infection: Anyone struck by a Brood Queen attack (even if no damage is dealt) must make a Fighting roll against TN 12 or become infected. Unless advanced genetic therapies are given to the victim within 4 hours, he will flee his companions in order to complete the conversion process into a Brood Sleazeoid.

Brood Firstborn
DRM: +3; TP: I; SZ: ZOMG; MV: 60' Arachnid, AR: V; DM: M (claws or bite); HP: 5; SP - 

Betaurians (Centaurians from the Marvel Universe)

Quick Note: There are a lot of Centaurian species in sci-fi. Centaurians in Mythic Space are those found in Babylon 5. However, I don't want to just chuck out any other interesting species with the name "Centauri", so they are going to get renamed and placed into other parts of the galaxy. With that, here's how Marvel's Centaurians fit into Mythic Space...

Betaurians hail from the fourth planet in the Betauri system, not far from both Minbari and Badoon space. Until recently, they lived simple, primitive, yet fulfilling lives. Now, they are coming to terms that much of what they thought they knew of the universe was wrong as they've been thrust onto the galactic stage.

It wasn't long ago that the Betaurians would look up at the stars in the night sky and see heroes and monsters and tales of great deeds. They knew that their world was the gift to them from the elemental spirits to protect and safeguard against their own desire to want and destroy. They lived primitive lives in nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers. Betaurians built few permanent structures, and most of those that they did were religious in significance. Their only real technology was the adaptation of the sound sensitive metal, yaka, for use as their arrow shafts. By giving out whistles of a certain pitch, yaka arrows can change direction, allowing Betaurian hunters to strike at prey from behind cover.

When the Badoon struck, the only war that most Betaurians had known were small skirmishes with rival tribes, but such conflicts were rarely very bloody. The Badoon assault was relentless and decimated much of the Betaurian species in the first couple of days. They fought back, but their yaka arrows and warclubs were no match against Badoon energy weapons, advanced military tactics, and war machines. If it were not for the timely arrival of the Minbari, there likely would not be any Betaurians alive today.

The Badoon, upon determining that the invasion has failed, released toxin bombs in the atmosphere to poison the atmosphere of Betauri IV. The Minbari evacuated as many survivors as they could, but the loss of Betaurian life was staggering. The Betaurians were settled on the planet, Moruslan in the Tinneb system in Minbari space, where the remaining estimated surviving 24% of the Betaurian population now call home.

Typically the Minbari would not get involved with the affairs of other species, especially primitive species out of fear of contaminating their natural cultural and societal evolution. However, the ferocity of the Badoon assault forced them into action. Knowing that irreparable damage to their culture had already been done, the Minbari decided to keep a presence on Moruslan, a couple starports that house a garrison of Warrior Caste troops, several Worker Caste technicians, and even a couple representatives of the Religious Caste. The warriors would be the first line of defense should the Badoon attempt to strike again. While the other castes were there to offer food, answer questions about the galaxy, and to help in any other ways the Betaurians would need. They would not go out of their way to interact with the Betaurians, and for many months the Betaurians steered clear of the starports, but they knew that eventually curiosity about everything they had witnessed would get the better of some of their number.

The Badoons' attempt at genocide was horrifying to the Betaurians, but they were just as terrified of the Minbari at first as well. All they knew was that monsters in metal clouds that hurl terrible lightning and fire at each other had suddenly appeared. Surely the spirits were angry about some unknown slight, but it was obvious that they wanted them to go with the Minbari...for now. As they entered into Minbari space, they saw other lifeforms, different starships, other worlds, and even cities in space! It was difficult to comprehend, and still is, for most Betaurians. As they began the process of learning the ways of their new homeworld, many shamans insisted that the spirits are angry and demand more supplication and sacrifice from the Betaurians. A few shamans even suggested that the spirits are demanding blood sacrifices, something that did not sit will with many of the peaceful Betaurians. One shaman, Undrote, began to consolidate power through tactics of fear and intimidation. Before he was finally slain by some brave Betaurians that had had enough of his violence and fear-mongering, 100 Betaurians had been "offered" to the spirits.

Today, most Betaurians still live primitive lives following herds of kuldu (a sort of buffalo/horse hybrid) and honoring the elemental spirits. However, more and more young Betaurians leave Moruslan every generation to learn more about the galaxy at large. Due to this, the Minbari have sponsored the Betaurians as candidates for membership in the Galactic Concord of their own accord. (Being essentially a vassal state of the Minbari, Betaurians are already members of the Concord.) A few Betaurians have even entered into the Concord Naval Academy or enlisted as soldiers in the Concord Navy, though most are content to travel and study among the stars. These young Betaurians do not tend to revere the elemental spirits as their parents and their parents before them, which puts them at odds with more traditional Betaurians who fear their are losing their culture.

Betaurians are humanoids that stand around 6 feet tall, but the dorsal fin that runs from the tops of their heads down their backs can make them clear 7 feet. Their skin is blue of varying hues from baby blue, to blue green, to a deep, dark navy, with their dorsal fins ranging from bright red to a darker, almost maroon color. They are hairless, except some males are able to grow sparse black hair on their upper lip and chins. Betaurian ears are pointed. They are a marsupial species. Female Betaurians have a pouch on their stomach in which their carry their young until they are old enough to walk and run on their own (usually around 7-8 months old). Other than their outward physical characteristics (fins, pouch), Betaurians share the same physical form as most other humanoid species, with the same gender dimorphism, and the same hand and foot design. Tattoos are popular among Betaurians, with the markings having various religious and personal meanings.

Betaurians for Savage Worlds
Attribute Increase: Betaurians start play with a d6 in Agility.
Alertness: Betaurian senses are a cut above the average, they start play with the Alertness Background Edge.
Low Tech: Betaurians, even those that have embraced galactic society, start play with the Minor version of the Low Tech Hindrance.
Racial Enemy: Despite their generally peaceful natures, Betaurians carry a burning hatred for the wanton slaughter of their people and the destruction of the homeworld. Betaurians suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma when dealing with a Badoon, and are likely to attack at the slightest provocation.

New Combat Edge
Yaka Whistler
Requirments: Seasoned, Betaurian
A Betaurian using a bow with an arrow made from Yaka metal can cause the arrow to change course allowing him to turn a miss into a successful hit. Upon rolling a miss, the character may roll the attack again against either the original target or a nearby target. However, the attack roll suffers a -2 penalty when attempting to strike a nearby target or a -4 penalty if trying to strike the original target.


Betaurians for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Betaurians can be Soldiers and receive a +1 bonus to either Fighting or Empathy.
Yaka Arrows: Betaurians can cause a arrow made of Yaka metal to change course, allowing them an additional attack against either their original target or another nearby target when the initial attack fails. This is done by rolling another attack, but adding either a -2 penalty is attacking a different nearby target, or a -3 penalty if attempting to attack the original target.
Primitive: Betaurians come from a primitive culture and therefore suffer a -2 penalty when attempting to utilize any gear of a tech level beyond simple weapons and tools.
Psionics: Betaurians can be espers with Empath being the most common power.

Badoon

The Badoon are a reptilian species from the planet, Lotlara in the Lomora system, not far from Minbari space. They are a species of opposites. The males are aggressive and militaristic while the females are peaceful and pacifistic. They are a young space-faring species with designs on the whole of the galaxy, at least the males feel this way.

Lotlara is a swamp-planet. 85% of the planet's surface is covered in water, much of it rather shallow. The dominant climate is tropical and many trees grow up from the shallow pools, giving much of the planet a very bayou-like feeling. It is not the sort of world that one would expect would-be galactic tyrants would hail from.

200 years ago, the Badoon began making giant strides in technology. Where they had barely entered into their Industrial Age, they quickly took to the stars and mastered technology that took many other species centuries to develop. This caught the attention of Minbari scouts who began to watch the Badoon with interest. Many Minbari leaders felt that the Badoon were getting technology from an outside source, possibly the Drahk, Romulans, or Massassi. When the Badoon colonized the planet, Moord, in the nearby Yastrazi system, reconnaissance of these young upstarts went into full swing. Still, the Badoon had not entered into any contact with any other species, although it was known that they knew of the existence of life on other worlds from monitoring their transmissions.

When the Badoon finally encountered another species, their intentions were laid bare. They attacked Betauri IV, home to the primitive Betaurians, and began a ruthless assault designed to wipe the natives from the planet. The Minbari stepped in and aided the Betaurians, even though they typically didn't involve themselves in the lives of primitive species. The Badoon fought the Minbari and the battles raged for weeks before the Badoon were finally driven back to the Yastrazi system. Betauri IV was decimated by the Badoon assault, however, forcing the Minbari to relocate the frightened and bewildered Betaurians to another planet in Minbari space.

Since their first conflict on the galactic stage, the Badoon have never fully recovered. They still perform raids for resources, supplies, and technology on neighboring systems or merchant convoys, but they've never massed an invasion on an inhabited world. Since they still have yet to have any proven contact with other species that wasn't violent, it is unknown if they have been beaten enough to know they are outgunned or biding their time and massing their strength.

What is known about Badoon culture is from Minbari spies and scouts. The males colonized Moorb entirely, leaving Lotlara to the females. Every year, males who have come of age and those who can still father young travel to Lotlara to find a mate or be with their mate. After the female lays an egg (or eggs, though multiple eggs are rare), the males take them back to Moorb where they are incubated and hatched. Females are then sent back to Lotlara to be raised by the females while male young stay on Moorb and are trained for combat.

Since the departure of the males, the female Badoon have appeared to make Lotlara a haven for science, art, and religion. There is rarely any strife that has been recorded on Lotlara since the males left, and the only instances of violence are typically when the males return to mate. There was hope among the Minbari that the females could be a force of calm for the male Badoon, but they appear to have little influence on the males and vice versa.

There is one dark side to the female Badoon, they are subject to a mutation that makes some of their number savage, and almost ape-like. These mutant Badoon are exiled to the swamp, where they mass in tribes and eke out a living away from the Badoon cities. They are typically violent towards all those who are not like them, even to typical civilized Badoon. Still, the Sisterhood (the leading priestesses of the chief religion on Lotlara) makes and effort to make supplies of food and rudimentary tools for the savages to use.

Male Badoon are lead by an "Emperor." Military training dominates much of a young male Badoon's life. Those that are deemed unfit for combat are given the opportunity to excel at technical skills. Those that fail at that task are give menial tasks or are executed. It appears that their entire lives revolve around training for war. There are no other pursuits. Even in their down time, male Badoon play war games meant to either keep their killing instincts or their tactical instincts honed.

The Badoon are reptilian humanoids that stand around 6 feet tall with stooping postures. Their fingers and toes (two toes on each foot) are webbed. Badoon flesh is made out of leathery scales that are various shades of green, with olive green being the most common. Males sport a ridge down their chests and large, furrowed brows that taper back to their pointed ears. Female Badoon can grow moss-like hair, but their brows are less prominent. They also have the typical form of females seen among other humanoids, although it is unclean as to why because Badoon have never nursed their young. Savage females have claws on their fingers and toes, and grow moss-like over all of their bodies except for their faces, hands, and feet.

Badoon for Savage Worlds

Male Badoon 
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d6, Shooting d8, Stealth d8, Swimming d6
Pace: 6"; Parry: 7; Toughness: 8 (2)
Gear: Blaster Rifle (RNG 24/48/96, DMG 2d8+2, ROF 1, AP2)
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: +2 Armor
• Diver: Badoon are “breath hold” divers and can stay underwater for long periods of time on just one breath of air. A Badoon gains a Fatigue level after every 15 minutes he holds his breath. On reaching Incapacitation, the swimmer makes an immediate Vigor roll (and another each minute thereafter) to stay conscious. If the roll is failed the diver has drowned. Once above water, he recovers one level of Fatigue every five minutes.

Female Badoon (Civilized)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Various skills. GM's should choose 2-4 skills like Healing, Investigation, Knowledge (Art, Architecture, Biology, Chemistry, Electronics, Engineering, Religion and so forth), Notice, or other scholarly, non-violent skills. The die for these skills should be d8 to d10.
Pace: 6"; Parry: 2; Toughness: 7 (2)
Gear: Typically only professional tools.
Special Abilities:

• Tough Hide: +2 Armor
• Diver: Badoon are “breath hold” divers and can stay underwater for long periods of time on just one breath of air. A Badoon gains a Fatigue level after every 15 minutes he holds his breath. On reaching Incapacitation, the swimmer makes an immediate Vigor roll (and another each minute thereafter) to stay conscious. If the roll is failed the diver has drowned. Once above water, he recovers one level of Fatigue every five minutes.

Female Badoon (Savage)
Attributes: Agility: d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8
Pace: 6"; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8 (2)
Gear: Typically none, but some may wield ancient weapons like rudimentary clubs and spears (Str + d6 dmg)
Special Abilities: 

• Tough Hide: +2 Armor
• Claws: Str + d6 dmg
• Diver: Badoon are “breath hold” divers and can stay underwater for long periods of time on just one breath of air. A Badoon gains a Fatigue level after every 15 minutes he holds his breath. On reaching Incapacitation, the swimmer makes an immediate Vigor roll (and another each minute thereafter) to stay conscious. If the roll is failed the diver has drowned. Once above water, he recovers one level of Fatigue every five minutes.
• Camouflage: Savage Badoon can blend in with the surroundings of their swamp homes, granting a +2 bonus to their Stealth skill rolls. 

Badoon for Rogue Space
Male Badoon
DRM +1; TP H; SZ A; MV Biped (40'); AR M; DM V (see below); HP 4; SP -
Armed with Laser Rifles (V damage, F range)

Female Badoon (Savage)
DRM +1; TP H; SZ A; MV Biped (40'); AR L; DM L; HP 3; SP - 
Usually fight with claws, but sometimes also with primitive weapons.