Written by Rod Phillips, this is a Plug-In for the Story Engine Universal Rules (©2001 Rod Phillips). Introduction
Prepare yourself for a paradoxical journey into the future of the past! Were looking back at the science fiction stories of the early 20th centur y to inspire imaginary adventures in the realms of the far future! The Game
Retro Rockets! is a game setting Plug-In for the Story Engine Universal Rules. In this game world, players will engage in interplanetary adventures inspired by the pulps, serials, and comics of the Golden Age of science fiction. Sections below give a general overview of the history and conventions of the genre, as well as a list of reference material to help Narrators and players capture the feel of classic space opera adventure. The lists of suggested Trait and Gift affinities will give players an idea of the type of characters they can play in the future of Retro Rockets!, and the sample story ideas will help Narrators jump start an adventure scenario or campaign full of rocketships, mad scientists, exotic alien races, and interstellar wonders. To play, youll need a copy of the Story Engine Universal Rules, a fertile imagination, some pencils and paper, and a handful of dice (preferably standard six-sided dice, but any will do). The Golden Age of Science Fiction
Stories of humanitys insatiable drive to master our world and seek ultimate understanding of the universe have fascinated audiences since even before fabled Icarus and his son donned their waxen wings and arrogantly attempted to join the gods on Mount Olympus. The onset of the Industrial Age at the end of the nineteenth century brought a new degree of inspiration and sophistication hitherto unseen in tales of Western fantastic fiction. Fable and mysticism had given way to logical scientific speculation. A new literary genre was born, initially dubbed scientific romances and eventually, permanently, labeled science fiction in the heyday of the pulps. From the very beginning, science fiction was largely relegated to a literary ghetto of erudite engineering magazines, pulps, and comic strips. Especially in the pervasive pulps (pocket-sized digest magazines printed on cheap pulp paper stock), the signal-tonoise ratio of talented writers versus piecework hacks was terribly unbalanced. Except for a few dedicated enthusiasts, most readers and promising writers dismissed the genre as, at best, puerile kid stuff. The first four decades of the twentieth century brought with them the technological leaps and unprecedented destruction of two World Wars, with the trauma of worldwide economic depression sandwiched in between. These calamitous events fanned a surge in the popularity of cheap escapist entertainment, particularly in the United States. This boom sparked a golden age of pulps and comics that would last from the early 1930s through the conclusion of World War II. During these hard years, characters like Flash Gordon, John Carter, and Superman became part of the public lexicon. Science fiction even found its way into the ascendant motion pictures, though the serials and B-movies that initially embraced the genre were the cinematic equivalent of the pulps: cheap, garish, and implicitly disposable. The most popular flavor of science fiction stories produced during the depression and war years were the flamboyant space operas. These bombastic tales of adventure, intrigue, romance, and glory among the vast frontier of outer space fired the imaginations of young and old alike, exemplifying the collective dreams of a beleaguered world and its desperate hunger for a better existence than the one it knew. Eventually, war ground to an uneasy peace and depression turned to prosperity. The long fever had broken, for a time, and the world wearily stood from its sickbed and began the hard work to rebuild and realign after the devastation of the past few decades. Audiences and authors soon began to bitterly realize that a Halcyon Age, one that had seemed promised as a reward for their recent struggles, was still not at hand. Many have blamed the early 1950s demise of the pulps and their particular brand of science fiction on television and other new forms of simple, cheap entertainment. But science fiction as a genre survived, and even flourished, in the burgeoning new paperback market. In literature, it had matured to become more introspective, and often more cynical, in this new zeitgeist of tense prosperity, paranoia, and threatened nuclear holocaust. The space opera, full of righteous heroes, cunning villains, unambiguous morals, and the promise of eventual triumph through struggle and strife, quickly fell out of vogue and would likely have faded anyway, TV or no TV. The Red Scare, famine and starvation in the Far East, the Missile Gap, and the first rumblings of social rebellion in the U.S.; these and more were the issues that writers and audiences were pondering during the post-war years. Gone were the days of the Galactic Patrol these were the days of the Body Snatchers. The striven dreamers of those early years had been hungry, figuratively and often literally. They earnestly dreamed that their suffering and sacrifice would be rewarded with the bounty of the Future. But by the advent of the Atomic Age, those same dreamers were the hardened survivors of the Dust Bowl, the bread lines, the trenches, camps, and beaches of a shattered Europe, and the abattoir of the South Pacific. Many of their dreams had instead twisted to dread; dread for a possible future in which they, or their descendants, would have to go through it all (or worse) again. Humanity had collectively looked into the abyss and would never be the same. The virginal, confident optimism of the Age of Industry had given bloody, difficult birth to the troubled Age of the Atom. While the children of this new age would finally, tentatively, reach out into the stars that their parents had dreamed of, they were no longer the brash, innocent heirs of Buck Rogers legacy. A Golden Age had passed. Space Opera in the Grand Tradition
Armadas of sleek spaceships hurl brilliant lances of destructive energy at one another in the silent darkness of space intrepid explorers discover ancient secrets in the ruins of a lost alien species mad geniuses pervert the fruits of science in a megalomaniacal quest for power and wealth! Those and more are the types of epic scenarios common to the rip-roaring space operas that dominated the pulps during the 1930s and 40s. Narrators and players are encouraged to unreservedly embrace the staggering scope and freewheeling pace exemplified in classic space operas. Villainous plots should commonly threaten All Life As We Know It, and the heroes who confront them should be relentless, never-say-die crusaders. Stories should ideally race at a breakneck pace through situations of dire peril and puzzling mystery, culminating in apocalyptic, climactic confrontations between the forces of Good and Evil. Many of the best-remembered space operas tended to avoid situations of ambiguous morality and promoted a clear, consistent, and practiced standard of Right and Wrong. Narrators and players should strive to do the same in their own stories and game universes. This serves to keep the motivations and goals of the heroes (and villains) pure and undiluted, as well as helping to maintain the proper spirit of space opera in the grand tradition of Doc Smith, Alex Raymond, Frederik Pohl, Lester Del Rey, and countless other masters of this exciting genre. Characters The Basic Character
For the most part, the main characters of pulp science fiction epics were a fiendishly competent and capable lot. Of course, the obstacles that faced them routinely tended to be mind-shattering and cosmically apocalyptic in nature, so they needed all those skills and abilities to merely survive, let alone triumph! To reflect this, it is recommended that beginning basic characters in Retro Rockets! be created with the totals below. These totals may be adjusted up or down to create more or less advanced characters, respectively.5 descriptors 1 Quirk 4 levels of Trait Affinities 1 Cultural Affinity 2 Gift Affinities (non-level based or Weak level, or 1 at Mild level) 2 Story Points The Point Based Character
Characters can also be created from scratch using Story Points (see Story Engine, page 41). The author recommends that beginning character in Retro Rockets! begin with 40 Story Points that can be spent any way the player chooses. The character also receives one free Cultural Affinity to reflect his native culture. More or less advanced characters can be built on more or less Story Points, respectively. Alien Species
Exotic otherworldly beings, whether ally or enemy, are one of the most fascinating aspects of science fiction. If alien races are part of your story setting, players may want to take up the challenge of creating and portraying characters of a species other than human. Alien races in the game can be defined by a combination of distinctive appearance, cultural characteristics, and any special abilities (natural aptitudes for certain activities, or Gift Affinities such as the ability to see in the dark) or other attributes (perhaps a higher or lower number of basic Health Levels) that make them different from humanity. To stay true to the spirit of classic science fiction, alien races should not be employed merely to add background color or act as a convenient explanation for possessing exotic special abilities. They should exist in your story setting to provide insight on some element of the human condition, or to act as a study in contrast to the ideals, beliefs or goals of the players. Try to establish a brief, consistent, believable social and cultural philosophy for each species even if you dont have the time or need to create a detailed sociopolitical history for each alien race. Below is a representative example of a possible alien species: Wolf Men of Lupus IV
These striking bipedal canines bear a strong resemblance to the Terran wolf. Their technologically advanced culture is based on a strict code of honor and social position. Fierce looking by human standards, the Wolf Men are actually quite even-tempered by nature. If threatened or attacked, however, these silver-furred, caninefanged beings become some of the most fearsome warriors in the galaxy. Wolf Men stand about 1.7 meters tall, have striking blue or grey eyes and a sharp canine snout. They have a brushy tail that is primarily used to aid in balance and sometimes serves to indicate emotional state. Their senses of smell, sight, and hearing are far keener than those of human beings. Wolf Man characters may add one additional die to their dice pool in any scene that involves using their keen senses. They may also convert one die in their dice pool to an Auto-Odd in any social scene that involves intimidating another with their sharp fangs and terror-inducing growls or howls. All Wolf Man characters have the additional Quirk: Follows a strict social code of honor. Health & Injury
In a nod to the typically rollicking and bombastic nature of combat in pulp sciencefiction stories, characters in Retro Rockets! have an extra Health Level, Bruised. In effect, Bruised is an additional level of Healthy, allowing characters to stay on their feet longer in a fight (see Story Engine, page 25 for complete information on the effects of Health Levels). Therefore, all characters have the following Health Levels unless modified by special circumstances, species, and/or the Hard to Kill Gift Affinity: Healthy, Bruised, Injured, Out, and Dead. Trait Affinities
In keeping with the science-fiction theme of Retro Rockets!, traits are measured and recorded by the number of levels that the character possesses instead of the normal Story Engine descriptions of weak, mild, and strong. Therefore, a character with three levels of the Pilot trait would be recorded and referred to as having Pilot-3. Administration: The character is familiar with the nuances of the type of bureaucracy that typically propels large organizations and governments and can turn these forces to their use.
Carousing: You have always been able to find a good party and have cultivated a decent resistance to many recreational substances.
Computer: The character is trained to operate and program computers and other electronic brains, including those in robots.
Connoisseur: You are familiar with the finer things and proper etiquette of his or her cultural affinity(s).
Demolitions: The character is trained in the safe deployment, transportation, and storage of explosives.
Driver: The character is trained in the operation of ground vehicles under combat or other hazardous conditions.
Engineer(modern, archaic): The character is trained in the operation, maintenance and repair of equipment, robots and vehicles of the tech level specified. In the case of vehicles, operation is defined as the operation of various sub-systems of the vehicle. The pilot, driver, or nautician of the vehicle is always in control of the overall course and speed of the vessel.
Entertainer: The character is talented at some form of entertaining others.
Fast Talker: You’ve always been able to talk yourself out of (or into) nearly any situation.
Forgery: The character is skilled in the art of counterfeiting and creating false documents.
Gambling: You are familiar with the rules and intricacies of many games of chance. This includes familiarity with various forms of cheating as well.
Gunner: You are trained to operate the integral weaponry of a vehicle or spaceship.
History: The character is a learned expert on the history of his cultural affiliation(s).
Inventor: Your character is a talented inventor who can create new devices based on known scientific principles. This trait requires that your character also possess the trait Science (physical).
Investigation: The character is proficient at recognizing relevant clues to a mystery and forming deductive conclusions from the evidence.
Jump Belt: You are trained to operate jump belts and other personally worn conveyances (such as rocket packs).
Languages: The character may speak one additional language for each level of the trait possessed (characters may have more than 3 levels of this trait).
Law: You are knowledgeable about the laws and justice system of your cultural affinity(s).
Medicine: Your character is a trained physician, able to diagnose disease, treat injuries, per form surgery, and provide extended medical care. This trait requires that your character possess the trait Science (biological).
Melee Weapons (modern, archaic): The character is trained in the use and maintenance of melee weaponry of the tech level specified.
Merchant: You are skilled in the art of the deal. This character can judge the value of goods and haggle for the best profit margin.
Miner: The character knows enough about the tools and skills of mining to find and extract minerals and ore from the surface of planets or asteroids for profit.
Nautician: The character is trained in the operation of oceanic surface and submersible vehicles.
Personal Combat: You are trained in some form of hand-to-hand combat.
Pilot: The character is trained in the operation of air and spacecraft.
Ranged Weapons (beam, projectile, archaic): The character is trained in the use and maintenance of the specified type of ranged weaponry.
Science (biological, physical, social): You are a learned expert in the major scientific discipline(s) specified.
Security Systems: The character is trained in the operation and circumvention of a multitude of electronic and mechanical security systems (locks and alarms).
Seduction: Your character can turn on the charm and inspire romantic feelings in others of your own or similar species.
Sneaking: The character has honed her ability to move quietly.
Streetwise: You can operate in the seamier sides of society without drawing unwanted attention. You tend to keep abreast of whos who and where-to-get-what on the streets.
Survival (arctic, desert, forest, jungle, mountain, ocean, vacuum): You are knowledgeable of the skills and tools necessary to survive in the specified environment.
Tactics (air, ground, sea, or space): The character is trained in the efficient deployment of forces in battle, as well as in anticipation and reaction to the tactics of an opponent.
Tracking: The character can follow tracks, ion trails and/or other evidence of a trail left behind by their quarry.
Zero-G: Operations You have been trained to function in zero gravity environments with a minimal loss of control or orientation. Prime Affinities Cultural Affinities
The various possible Cultural Affinities available to your Retro Rockets! characters will depend on the setting chosen or created by the Narrator and players. Affinities could be based on things like species, such as Human or Venusian; on social strata such as Noble; or on profession, like Miner. They could also be derived from governmental or organizational affiliations, like the Terran Alliance or the Andromedan Secret Service. Often, theyll be a mixture of these various factors. Tailor your characters Cultural Affinities to suit the scope and style of your game, and to allow the characters some place or social group in the wild, woolly universe to consider home. Gift Affinities
A number of the gift affinities that are suggested below are presumably more suited to alien species, enhanced humans, or other fantastic creatures. The Narrator and players must determine which gifts are permitted for use by player characters in their stories hey, its your universe, do whatever you want! Always Prepared
You always seem to know what to bring along. You have a talent for having the item you need at hand, even if no one else thought to bring it. Once per session, you may burn any descriptor to miraculously find any piece of equipment (not weaponry) your character might desire, within reason. A Real Knockout Hubba, HUB-ba!
Youre a real looker, able to turn the heads of everyone (of your own or similar species) in the room or on the street. You routinely render members of the opposite sex speechless just by turning your comely gaze upon them. Youre that man or woman that most mere mortals consider out of their league, and its probably gotten you pretty far in life whether you wanted it to or not. Whenever you are in a scene that involves seduction, romance, or influencing another with your looks you get an additional die in your dice pool. Once per session, this gift may be burned to really vamp it up for an extra die, for a total of two additional dice. Agent of {Organization} (double cost 14 points)
The character is a duly appointed agent, member, or employee of some large, probably interplanetar y organization. This grants the character access to the resources, personnel, and standard equipment employed by that agency, as well as any legal powers or authority that the agency enjoys. Almost invariably, this vast pool of power and resources comes at the price of independence. The character is subject to a chain of command, and may be assigned duties and missions that frequently place the character in harms way. The character is obligated to fulfill these duties to the best of his ability or risk being discharged by the agency. The agent may spend Story Points to receive aid or resources from his agency. The general amount of aid received depends on the number of Stor y Points spent: for 1 Story Point, the character can requisition a small ground vehicle or some form of standard issue equipment; for 2 Story Points, the character receives the use of a medium-sized spaceship or comparable vehicle, heavy equipment or weapons, etc.; for 3 Story Points, the character can take command of a squadron of rockets, a force of soldiers, advanced equipment, etc.; for 6 Story Points, every effort is made to bring the full resources of the agency to bear for the character. Obviously, the agency will become critical of any character that uses the resources of the agency frivolously or wastefully. Connections
Sometimes it pays to have friends in high (or low) places. Oftentimes, knowing the right person can aid you in finding the information you re looking for, or help get you out of all kinds of scrapes. Once per session you can drop a name to find out the political, social, commercial, and/or military status of the local vicinity (from town to solar system, depending on circumstances). Additionally, if your character is ever convicted or condemned within his own culture (or any cultural affinities he possesses), he may burn this gift to receive a pardon or some other form of absolution. A character using the gift in this way permanently loses it. Darkvision
The character can see normally in all but pitch-black levels of darkness at up to half her normal visual range. Driven
The character is Driven by some overwhelming desire or obsession, such as winning the heart of the gorgeous and daring Commander Wilma or exacting revenge against the space pirates that wiped out his family. An additional die may be added to the characters pool in any scene that involves the object(s) of the characters desire or obsession. Should the character ever achieve the goal that has driven him, he redeems this gift and receives seven Story Points (in effect, he sells this gift affinity back for seven Story Points). Endless Ammo
Your chartacter always seems to have a spare battery or clip of ammunition when she needs it, or an extra rack of missiles in the ground cruiser. This character can burn any Chaos descriptor to find suitable ammo nearby. It’s safe to assume that this characters weapons are always primed and loaded unless the events of the story specifically preclude it. Hard to Kill
Characters who are Hard to Kill have an additional Health Level. This level is in addition to whatever Health Levels that the character receives without this gift. A character with the standard Health Levels of Healthy, Bruised, Injured, Out, and Dead would have the levels Healthy, Bruised, Injured, Hard to Kill, Out, and Dead. In effect, Hard to Kill is an additional level of Injured, allowing the character to stay on his feet longer in a fight, albeit grievously wounded (see Story Engine, page 25 for complete information on the effects of Health Levels). (In)Famous Reputation
Your reputation precedes you across the galaxy, whether for ill or good. Others may not know your face, but the mention of your name often turns heads. In any scene that involves impressing or intimidating others, the character receives an additional die to her pool. Additionally, once per session the character can put her reputation on the line by making it publicly known that you are going to perform some task. In any one scene that involves that task the character receives two extra dice. If you fail at the task, you lose the Gift Affinity: (In)Famous Reputation and gain the Mind Quirk: Disgraced. Intuition
You seem to have a sixth sense about things that are about to happen. Once per session you can burn this gift to add one additional dice to your pool when gaining the initiative or avoiding surprise is an issue. My Body is a Weapon
Through disciplined dedication, or some innate s ferocity, you are a cunning master of personal combat. You may add 1 die to your die pool in any scene that engages your character in unarmed combat. You may also burn this gift once per session for an extra die, for a total of two additional dice. Nice Guy/Good Girl
You have a wholesome, friendly way about you that puts others at ease and makes them generally well disposed towards you. While this doesnt grant any direct control over another character, most people you meet will like you unless they have a specific reason not to. You are often offered free advice, small gifts, and even a helping hand. In social scenes, this character always gets an additional dice, and once per session they can burn this gift for an extra die, for a total of two additional dice. Presence
When you walk into a room, voices lower, heads turn, and others listen. Whether its your aristocratic bearing, the look of the eagle in your eyes, or the easy, practiced way that you finger your sidearm, you command the attention and respect of others. Anytime you need to look impressive or command the attention of others you can add one die to your pool. Psionic Powers
This Gift Affinity is varied enough to warrant its own section. See Psionic Powers, below. Regeneration
Your body heals faster than normal. Once per session, you can heal an additional Health Level with a days rest, regardless of medical care (or lack thereof). Your regeneration ceases when you die. Rocketjock
You were born to fly rockets! Since an early age, youve been able to calculate velocity tangents and thrust/mass ratios in your head. You may add 1 die to your die pool in any scene that involves piloting a spaceship or aircraft. You may also burn this gift once per session for an extra die, for a total of two additional dice. Scientific Genius (double cost 14 points)
This characters a Great Thinker, able to see past the boundaries of conventional wisdom to find the next great scientific advance. This character may add one additional die to her pool in any scene that tests her scientific knowledge. Additionally, in conjunction with the Science and Inventor traits, the character may attempt to create devices based on unproved scientific theory such as temporal or extra-dimensional travel, although the character will be the only person who can make it function if successful. She may also combine, miniaturize, enhance or otherwise redesign existing equipment within substantial but reasonable limits that will be usable by anyone. The character must burn a Mind descriptor in order to perform one of these feats of super-science. Shapechanger (double cost 14 points)
See Story Engine, page 24. Sleepless
See Story Engine, page 24. Strong Will
See Story Engine, page 24. True Regeneration (double cost 14 points)
As Regeneration, above, but the character can also spend a Story Point to grow back an entire limb in about a week, or a complex organ like a lung or an eye in about a month. This regeneration ceases when you die. Truthsense
See Story Engine, page 24. Veteran Armsman
You are a hard-bitten survivor of numerous bloody engagements. Youve been tested under fire, and can press on with the fight when lesser soldiers would break and run. You may add an additional die to your pool in any scene that involves armed combat, testing your morale under fire, or maintaining the morale of others under fire. Well-Traveled
You’ve been from one side of the galaxy (or solar system, or planet) to the other, and seen a lot of strange stuff. Youve set foot on nearly every planet that has air to breathe, and quite a few that didnt even have that. You can burn any Mind descriptor to recall rudimentary information about anyplace that you may have reasonably visited in your past travels. World-Class Expert
The character is an acknowledged expert or prodigy in some field of intellectual endeavor. With this gift, a character can choose to be a World-Class Expert with any one Trait that involves an intellectual skill such as History, Medicine or Engineering. This Gift Affinity may be purchased more than once to be applied to multiple Traits. The character always receives one additional die in his pool (not an AutoOdd) for any scene in which he uses the trait in question. World-Class Talent
The character is an acknowledged expert or prodigy in some field of social or intuitive endeavor. With this gift, a character can choose to be a World-Class Talent with any one Trait that involves a social or intuitive skill or talent such as Entertainer, Gambling or Tracking. This Gift Affinity may be purchased more than once to be applied to multiple Traits. The character always receives one additional die in his pool (not an AutoOdd) for any scene in which he uses the trait in question. Psionic Powers
Fantastic powers of the mind were one of the most often-explored themes of pulp science fiction. Whether they were stories of humanitys development of our theoretical full mental potential, or the strange powers possessed by extraterrestrial beings, psionic abilities are one of the many fascinating staples of classic space opera. Nearly all of the psionic Gift Affinities described below are quantified into levels of Weak, Mild, and Strong. Characters must purchase each successive level of each psionic Gift Affinity. Each Weak and Mild level of these affinities is purchased as a separate Gift Affinity (typically for 7 points/level) during character creation and advancement, while each Strong level of ability is purchased at double the cost in Story Points (typically 14 points/level). The list of possible psionic Gift Affinities presented below is by no means intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive. They are meant to be general guidelines, with the exact details of their in-game mechanics to be determined by the Narrator and players. Narrators and players are encouraged to add to, ignore, or otherwise modify the abilities in this section to suit the needs of their own story setting. Each power requires a Quick Take. The psionic host rolls on Mind vs. the Hard Rate. In opposed rolls the victim rolls on Spirit. Empathy
An Empathic character has the ability to read, and possibly influence, the emotional state of another being. A Weak Empath may read, but not influence, the emotions of another with close proximity or physical contact. A Mild Empath may read and subtly influence the emotional state of another being within visual range. A Strong Empath may read and grossly influence the emotional state of large groups of people at visual range. Mental Bolt
The psionic with this Gift Affinity has the power to attack and injure other beings with pure mental energy. A Weak mental bolt can only be hurled against a target within line of sight, and adds one die to the psionic characters die pool in any Rolled Scene in which she is making a mental attack. A Mild mental bolt acts as above, but adds two dice to the die pool. A Strong mental bolt acts the same as a Mild bolt, above, but the psionic also has the option to initiate a devastating mind-blast. A mind-blast is a shockwave of mental energy that affects all beings within an area of effect around the psionic, but at great physical cost to the attacker. For each Health Level of damage that the psionic character chooses to suffer for the effort (unaffected by any armor), the mind-blast affects a greater area. For one Health Level, the area of effect radius is about 10 meters. For each additional level of damage suffered, the area effect increases by a factor of five! Mind Control
This Gift Affinity grants the power to control the actions of another being through sheer mental domination. Weak mind control allows the user to influence another being in close proximity into behavior that would not be harmful or diametrically opposed to their goals or beliefs. A Mild level of ability grants influence over multiple targets in close proximity as above, or against a single, known target over distances up to about a kilometer. Strong mind control allows the psionic to influence the behavior, as above, of large groups within about a kilometer. Alternately, this psionic can spend a Stor y Point to take total possession of a target within close proximity. Once established, this possession will continue, regardless of distance, until terminated by the controller or resisted by the victim. Possessed victims can roll to resist again after a day has passed or by invoking a Quick Take (the psionic controller gains an additional die for every subsequent roll until the victim breaks free of the controller breaks the possession). Psionic Shield
Through intense training and discipline, or perhaps due to an innate mental ruggedness, the character has developed some degree of defense against psionic attack. This psionic shield converts dice to Auto-Odds in the characters rolls to oppose any psionic attacks (including Empathy, Mental Bolt, Mind Control, and Telepathy). A Weak psionic shield adds one Auto-Odd, a Mild shield adds two, and a Strong shield converts three dice to Auto-Odds in the roll (this ability is subject to the limit of three Auto-Odds on any roll). Telekinesis
The psionic can remotely manipulate physical objects with focused mental energy. Weak telekinesis allows a character to perform the equivalent of parlor tricks. She can manipulate small objects (generally less than 1kg) within a few meters of her location with great concentration. A Mild telekinetic can easily manipulate multiple small objects (weighing no more than about 10kg total) within visual range. She can also manipulate a single object weighing up to 5kg within a few meters of her location with great concentration. She can somewhat accurately propel such an object at potentially lethal velocities by spending a Story Point. Strong telekinesis grants the ability to manipulate multiple objects, weighing up to about 1 metric ton total, within visual range. She can somewhat accurately propel these objects at potentially lethal velocities by spending a Story Point. With deep concentration, and for each Story Point spent by the strong telekinetic in the scene, the character can increase this weight limit by a factor of 2. The character must double the expenditure of Story Points in the scene if she intends to use the manipulated object(s) as an offensive weapon. A strong telekinetic also has the option of initiating a devastating mind-quake. A mindquake is a shockwave of raw telekinetic energy that lashes out indiscriminately across an area of effect like an invisible battering ram around the psionic. This potent attack comes at great physical cost to the attacker. For each Health Level of damage that the psionic character chooses to suffer for the effort (unaffected by any armor), the mind-quake affects a greater area. For one Health Level, the area of effect radius is about 10 meters. For each additional level of damage suffered, the area effect increases by a factor of five! (For an alternate take on Telekinesis, see Story Engine, page 24.) Telepathy
A Telepath can read the thoughts and memories of other beings. A Weak telepath requires close physical proximity and deep concentration to send simple thoughts, or to read the surface thoughts and recent memories of another. A Mild telepath may casually send complex thoughts, read the surface mind of others within visual range, and, with close proximity and deep concentration, delve into the subjects distant memories. A Strong telepath can send their thoughts over interstellar distances and casually read the innermost thoughts and deep memories of others within visual range. With close physical proximity and deep concentration (and the expenditure of a Story Point), they can modify, or even erase, the contents of another beings mind. Teleportation
A Teleporter can instantaneously move extra-dimensionally between two points in space. A Weak level of talent allows teleportation across short distances (within at most a kilometer or so) or to only a single or a few well-known locales. Mild-level ability grants greater range (could teleport across a continent, perhaps) and/or the ability to teleport others across short distances, as above. A character with Strong teleportation ability could jaunt across interstellar distances or into other dimensions or teleport others across continental distances. Teleprojection
The character has the ability to project their consciousness away from their physical form. While doing this, his physical body is left in a vulnerable, trance-like state. Teleprojectors are also able to sense the mental forms of others within close proximity. At Weak level, this Gift Affinity grants the equivalent of clairvoyance, the ability to sense people, events, and things within close proximity (no more than a kilometer or so) with deep concentration. Mild teleprojection allows the psionic to separate his consciousness from his body in a type of mental form. In this form, the psionic is able to travel planetar y distances within moments, and is aware of, but unaffected by, the physical world. The mental form is conversely unable to affect anything, mentally or physically, in the physical world (mental forms can sense and affect each other). A Strong teleprojector can cast their consciousness across interstellar distances. He can mentally affect others on the physical plane within close proximity with the expenditure of a Story Point. Props & Sets Gear and Gadgets
Classic space opera wouldnt be complete without an array of advanced technological equipment, exotic vehicles, potent weapons, and other keen gizmos. Below are some general guidelines on the types of equipment typically found in your average space melodrama. Depending on the technological advancement of your game setting, devices of incredible power may routinely be available for use by the characters. Most far future, extraterrestrial game settings should be teeming with nifty gadgets. Alternatively, super-science may exist in your universe, but only in rare instances or belonging only to a specific group or culture. This is especially appropriate for games set on 1930s Earth or some other historical era that is laced with fantastic elements in the story. Communications and sensor equipment could range from highly efficient and reliable radio, radar and sonar equipment, based on and limited by established scientific principles and physical laws (i.e., radio waves are limited to traveling at the speed of light, severely limiting interstellar communication). Perhaps in your universe, the advanced ultra-wave communicator has become the standard, allowing instant communication across interstellar space. Ultra-wave sensor devices allow detailed scanning over vast distances, detectable only by other ultra-wave sensors. Visi-ray projectors allow an individual to focus a beam that penetrates nearly any matter on a chosen subject within range (depending on the size of the projector) and transmits their image and voice to a vidscreen receiver. Visi-rays can be blocked by certain dense metals and most energy screens. Advanced robots may exist to serve as untiringly loyal servants and/or implacable, remorseless weapons. Mankind (or other races) may have unlocked the star-secret of fusion energy, granting a clean, potent, reliable power source for everything from cities to starships. Broadcast energy is used by some cultures, with massive central power plants beaming energy to homes, businesses, vehicles, and even personal equipment. Of course, this energy is only available within a certain radius of the broadcasting stations. Perhaps instead, a new substance, Element X, has been discovered that supplies a near infinite supply of cheap, clean energy. Depending on how rare or difficult to mine and refine Element X is, it could be the most precious commodity in the galaxy or a closely guarded secret. Armor forged of light, nigh-indestructible alloys may be in common use. Some types of advanced combat armor mount a full commo and sensor suite, jump belt or rocket pack, and about a weeks worth of life support. Energy screens, both personal and vehicular, are able to diffuse and deflect the power of massive energy attacks. Some screens also offer protection against physical damage. Weaponry could include infinite variations of ray guns, disintegrators, needlers, rocket rifles, magnetic pistols, etc. While they vary in their effective ranges and methods of dealing death, they are all devastatingly destructive weapons (many of the aforementioned weapons should probably routinely deal an extra one, or even two, dice of extra Health Levels in damage). Swords, knives, bows, and other ancient and proven weapons are also commonly in use. Transportation ranges from wheeled autocars and cycles to flying platforms and rocket scooters. Others get around using jjump belts, utilizing a gravity-defying element that u negates the weight of the user allowing leaps of up to twenty meters in length and height. Massive air-fortresses, suspended on earth-gouging beams of contragravitational force, are seen patrolling the skies in technologically advanced authoritarian regimes. Rocketships!
Rocketships! The very word invokes images of sleek, bullet-shaped, and flamboyantly finned spaceships, trailing fire as they streak across the heavens. Any story or campaign that takes place among the depths of interplanetary or interstellar space will need to define the conventional means of transport. Classic space opera is steeped with all manners of extraterrestrial conveyances: flying saucers, nuclear- or fusion-powered rockets, and fleets of mile-long supercruisers and even colossal sphere-ships that encompass an entire solar system! Narrators and players must also determine the existence and/or method of interstellar travel in their story settings. Is traveling to another solar system the equivalent of an early twentieth century transoceanic voyage? Do gargantuan generation ships travel at near-relativistic speeds, taking decades to reach the nearest neighbor star? Do these travelers experience the effects of relativistic time dilation? Perhaps interstellar hyper-tunnels allow near-instantaneous travel by taking a shortcut through another dimension. These decisions have an obviously profound effect on the nature and scope of the setting. A few samples of typical space opera-style spaceships are provided below. Rocket Cruiser
A medium-size interplanetary or interstellar transport. Commonly bullet-shaped with a series of aerodynamic fins for stabilization in atmospheric flight. Utilizes some form of atomic, fusion, etc. reaction engines for thrust and maneuverability. Descriptors: Fiery afterburners (Speed), Sleek and agile (Speed), Heat ray turret (Firepower), Carries 100 metric tons of cargo (Strength), Reinforced hull (Strength). Traits: Mild Speed, Weak Firepower, Mild Strength. Die Pool/Health Levels: 5 Flying Saucer
Ubiquitous symbols of weird alien technology or advanced super-science. This particular type of saucer is best employed in over whelming invading swarms! Descriptors: Difficult to get a bead on (Speed), Gravity wave drive (Speed), Energy beam projector (Firepower). Traits: Strong Speed, Weak Firepower, Weak Strength. Die Pool/Health Levels: 3 Planetoid War Machine
This unthinkably massive weapon could be a gargantuan warship as big as a moon or planet, or an actual planetoid with colossal engines mounted to its surface and bristling with weaponry. This terrifying example of the pinnacle of technological warfare is commonly able to destroy entire planets with the amount of destructive energy it can bring to bear. Descriptors: Bristling with weaponry (Firepower), Can destroy entire planets (Firepower), Defensive turret grid (Firepower), Seemingly unlimited firepower (Firepower), Weapons of mass destruction (Firepower), Armored surface (Strength), As big as a planet (Strength), Defensive energy screens (Strength), Redundant systems (Strength), Terrifying to opponents (Strength). Traits: Weak Speed, Strong Firepower, Strong Strength, Die Pool/Health Levels: 10 (Note: the statistics for the Planetoid War Machine are intended to be relative to the defensive capability of an entire planet or massive fleets of normal spacecraft.) Special Items & Places
Nexus
The Capital Planet For thousands of years, Nexus has been the central planet of the sprawling Galactic Imperium. Over the ages, the surface of the once-verdant world has been overtaken by the cities and technology needed to administer a government spanning most of the galaxy. Covered in canyons of kilometers-high skyscrapers and industrial facilities, not a single square meter of the natural surface of the planet has seen the light of day for generations. Nexus has the descriptors The heart of the Imperium (Mind) and The biggest city in the galaxy (Chaos). Psi-Crystals
These rare and priceless crystals were created eons ago through the joint efforts of the galaxys most powerful psionic minds. Psi-crystals focus and enhance the raw psionic energy of an adept, at great physical cost to the user. In any scene involving the use of his psionic abilities, a character may convert one die from his pool into an Auto-Odd for each Health Level he sacrifices by channeling his energy through the psi-crystal. Running Games
These stories follow the exploits of fearless astronauts, brave colonists, grizzled asteroid miners, and the other colorful characters common to stories of the hardy souls dedicated to taming the wild, lawless expanses of the infinite frontier. First Strike for Freedom!
It is a dark time. The planet (or system, or galaxy) is being held in thrall by an oppressive, totalitarian government. Freedom fighters, invariably out-manned and out-gunned, organize in secret to resist and eventually overthrow the sinister agents of tyranny. Can these brave rebels triumph against overwhelming odds, throw off the shackles of fascism and restore freedom and democracy to the people? Mysterious Forerunners
As mankind explores the stars, evidence of ancient forgotten races tantalize explorers with hints of technology and civilizations that passed from the universe before humanity was even a sparkle in the eye of creation. Whether in the pursuit of knowledge, profit, or glory, fearless explorers and academicians scour the galaxy for these precious remnants of past epochs. What phenomenal technology or forbidden knowledge awaits these interstellar tomb raiders of the future? The New Sentinels
Millions of years ago, ancient and formless entities, known only as the Whisperers, discovered our universe while rapaciously wandering through the infinite dimensions of existence. Logical, cunning, and efficient, the Whisperers were taken aback by the unprecedented multitude of life-bearing planets in our continuum and resolved to make it their new home reality. Lacking physical form, the Whisperers subtly influence and eventually dominate the personalities of those mortal beings who are likely to place them in a position of power. After hundreds of millennia of devious manipulation, the agents of the Whisperers are well entrenched, with the resources of powerful individuals, corporations, and even entire planets under their control. Unknown to them, the benevolent and equally ancient Sentinels of the Universe, another race of pure thought native to our own reality, became immediately aware of the incursion of the Whisperers. Unable to defeat the Whisperers in direct confrontation, they carefully concealed their very existence from the invaders until they were able to execute their plan of defense: to secretly prepare candidates from our universes major sentient races to become the New Sentinels. In the 35th century, the New Sentinels are ready to take the field. They are powerful, eugenically engineered psionic super-agents armed with the mysterious Psi-Crystal amulets bestowed upon them by the Old Sentinels. They will work in secret within the ranks of the Interstellar Patrol, upholding peace and justice, but never revealing the true nature of their ongoing crusade against the Whisperers to the public or to their fellow officers. O Pioneers! 2042
Having conquered the available frontiers of our own home planet, a developing humanity undertakes the exploration and exploitation of the rest of the solar system or galaxy.