TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  STAR FRONTIERS, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, and the WIZARDS OF THE COAST logo are trademarks 
  belonging to Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used here without permission. 
  © 2001 Wizards of the Coast. All Rights Reserved.  The free distribution of this revised edition of the out-
  of-print game system is not intended to detract income from Wizards of the Coast. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  1. The Rules.................................................. 1 
   
  History........................................................ 1 
   
  Today’s Frontier ........................................... 1 
   
  Picture Story ............................................... 2 
   
  The Basics................................................... 3 
   
  Abilities....................................................... 4 
   
  Skills .......................................................... 6 
   
  Race Abilities ............................................... 6 
   
  Movement ................................................... 7 
   
  Combat..................................................... 10 
   
  Damage .................................................... 18 
   
  Vehicles .................................................... 19 
   
   
  2. Characters............................................ 27 
   
  Character Generation.................................. 28 
   
  Races ....................................................... 32 
   
  Skills ........................................................ 40 
   
  Improving Characters ................................. 52 
   
  Equipment................................................. 53 
   
  3. The Frontier .......................................... 69 
   
  Space Travel.............................................. 70 
   
  Time in the Frontier.................................... 71 
   
  Languages of the Frontier............................ 71 
   
  The Frontier Worlds .................................... 72 
   
  Map of the Frontier Sector........................... 73 
   
  4. Referee ................................................... 75 
   
  How To Prepare for Play.............................. 75 
   
  How To Be a Referee .................................. 76 
   
  How To Control the Adventure ..................... 76 
   
  The Referee’s Golden Rule........................... 77 
   
  Example of Play ......................................... 78 
   
  How To Reward Characters.......................... 79 
   
  How To Be a Good Referee .......................... 79 
   
  How To Referee Creatures........................... 80 
   
  How To Referee NPCs ................................. 92 
   
  How To Referee Adventures......................... 99 
   
  5. Crash on Volturnus..........................105 
   
  6. Optional Rules ....................................141 
  Exciting Adventure on Alien Worlds 
  Star Frontiers was my first game purchase.  I shelled out ten 
  bucks and had no idea exactly what I had bought.  I knew it 
  was a game, I knew it looked cool, but I had never played a 
  role-playing game before and wasn’t entirely certain what to 
  expect. 
   
  I opened the box when I got home and found two plastic odd-
  shaped dice, a white crayon (to fill in the engraved numbers 
  on the plastic dice then wipe off the excess), a couple of 
  books (one called “Basic” and one called “Expanded” rules), 
  and a bunch of tactical maps and punch-out chits. 
   
  My first game was a lot of fun, though I did just about 
  everything wrong that I think is possible.  The character’s 
  stats were all inflated, I kept increasing IM with each roll, 
  adding over and over... You name it I did it wrong.  But it was 
  an amazing experience. 
   
  After a few years, I had a lot of experience with role-playing.  
  Friends got me into playing D&D and some others, and I 
  learned the value of good story-telling.   
   
  During all this time, I kept playing Star Frontiers.  My human 
  military specialist turned spy became very tough, able to 
  handle just about any situation.  He had enemies and friends 
  all over the frontier, had an island on a remote world with a 
  private military base and a small army to defend it.  I played 
  other characters, but Gavin Rove was always my favorite. 
   
  The most amazing thing about all this... I never purchased 
  another supplement.  I played and played, never running out 
  of ideas, imagination, adventures, enemies, and fun.  One 
  box is all I needed.  Games just don’t sell that way anymore.  
  Any company that did that would be shooting itself in the foot 
  financially.   
   
  So that is why I have assembled all these rules here.  You 
  won’t find too much modification to the original, I tried to 
  keep it all true.  Anything I added is shown as optional, and 
  derived from some published TSR source or another (Dragon 
  Magazine, adventure modules, etc.)  I didn’t add much in the 
  way of house rules in order to remain true to the original 
  game.  All in all, I’m hoping someone else gets their hands on 
  this book and has years of fun and adventure, just like I did. 
   
  Enjoy, 
   
  Bill Logan 
  Bill_Logan@MyWay.com 
  Last Revision: 2.26.2007 
   
   
  Table of Contents 
  
   
  General Data 
  Name  
   
  Age  
   
    Walking 
  m/t 
  Race  
   
  Gender  
   
    Running 
  m/t 
    
   
  Height 
  m  
    Hourly 
  kph 
  Hair  
   
  Weight 
  kg  
    
  Eyes  
   
  Handedness  
   
  Experience  
  xp 
    
   
    
   
   
   
  Notes  
   
  Profession  
    
   
  Employer  
    
   
  Pay Day  
   
  pHYSICAL Data 
  STR / STA 
  / 
  DEX / RS 
  / 
  INT / LOG 
  / 
  PER / LDR 
  / 
   
  COMBAT Data 
  Initiative Modifier 
  + 
  Punching Score 
  + 
  Ranged Weapons 
  % 
  Melee Weapons 
  % 
   
  Medical Data 
  Current Stamina 
   
  Weapon Data 
  Weapon 
  Damage 
  To Hit 
  Range 
  Notes  
  Ammo 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Defense Data 
  Suit: 
   
   
   
  Screen: 
   
   
   
   
  Energy Record 
  Source 
  SEU 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Racial Abilities 
   
  Skill Data 
  PSA 
   
   
   
   
   
  Skill  
  LVL 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Equipment Data 
  Item 
  Wgt  
  Item 
  Wgt 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Wealth 
  Cr 
   
  
   
  1 
   
   
   
   
  History 
  Near the center of a great spiral galaxy, where stars 
  are much closer together than Earth's sun and its 
  neighbors, a Human race developed. They were not 
  identical to the Humans of Earth, but they were not 
  very 
  different, 
  either. 
  When 
  these 
  Humans 
  discovered that waves of sub-space pi-tachyon 
  particles could cross interstellar space faster than 
  light, they realized they had found a link to the 
  stars. A radio message that would have taken years 
  to travel between stars could be sent with subspace 
  communicators in months or even weeks.  The 
  Humans started broadcasting news of themselves to 
  the neighboring stars, and soon found they weren't 
  alone.  
   
  The Humans made contact with an inventive race of 
  insect-like 
  creatures 
  called 
  Vrusk, 
  who 
  had 
  developed limited space travel decades earlier. One 
  of the Vrusks' mining colonies had already contacted 
  another race, the shape-changing Dralasites. The 
  two races had been exchanging information for 
  several years. The Vrusk and Dralasites were 
  pleased to learn of another race. They sent a wealth 
  of scientific information to the Humans.  Using this 
  new knowledge, the industrious Humans quickly 
  developed interstellar spaceships.  
   
  The three races met in a large area of space known 
  as the Frontier. There they also discovered the 
  Yazirians, a race of tall, maned humanoids. Soon 
  settled, worlds in the Frontier became melting pots 
  for the four races, with dazzling mixtures of 
  architecture and alien cultures.  
   
  To supply the needs of these worlds, the first 
  interstellar company, the Pan-Galactic Corporation, 
  was formed. It developed interests everywhere, 
  from scientific research to farming to spaceship 
  building. PGC even created its own language, Pan-
  Galactic, which soon became the most common 
  language of all races on Frontier worlds. Many large 
  companies which started later were modeled on 
  PGC, but none approach the size or power of the 
  Pan-Galactic Corporation.  
   
  Then the Sathar appeared. No one knows where 
  they came from or why. They attacked and 
  destroyed lonely systems on the edges of explored 
  space, moving slowly inward. Survivors described 
  Sathars as wormlike creatures 3 to 4 meters long. 
  That was all that was known about them, because 
  they would rather kill themselves than be captured. 
  As the danger increased, the Humans, Dralasites, 
  Vrusk and Yazirians formed the United Planetary 
  Federation (UPF) to defend their worlds. The 
  mysterious Sathar were forced back, but before long 
  they returned in a more sinister form.  
   
  The Sathar had learned that they could not beat the 
  UPF in battle. Instead, they began hiring Yazirian, 
  Human, Dralasite and Vrusk agents to sabotage 
  interstellar 
  trade 
  and 
  interfere 
  with 
  local 
  governments. The UPF created the Star Law 
  Rangers, an interstellar police force, to track the 
  Sathar's agents from planet to planet and fight them 
  on their own terms. But despite the efforts of the 
  Rangers, the sly Sathar agents have become the 
  most dangerous threat ever to face the United 
  Planetary Federation and the frontier corporations.  
   
  Today’s Frontier 
  STAR FRONTIERS adventures take place in an area 
  of space called the Frontier Sector, or simply the 
  Frontier. The Frontier contains 17 inhabited star 
  systems, with a total of 23 colonized planets. Some 
  of these planets have been claimed and settled by 
  only one of the four races, while others were set up 
  in cooperation and have mixed populations. 
   
   
  Section 1 
  
   
  2 
   
   
   
  Besides these settled areas, the sector contains 21 
  unexplored star systems that could have habitable 
  (or inhabited) planets. No one has explored the 
  routes to these stars for navigational hazards, so no 
  one knows whether these stars even have planets. 
  Even the settled systems are not fully explored. 
  There 
  are 
  many 
  moons, 
  asteroid 
  belts 
  and 
  uninhabited planets that are largely ignored in the 
  day-to-day business of earning a living in the 
  Frontier. These areas could hold lost alien treasures 
  or rich deposits of precious metals and gems. 
  Because they are isolated, these spots quickly 
  become hiding places for outlaws and space pirates. 
   
  Many of the settled planets themselves are not fully 
  explored. Most have been mapped by spaceships 
  and satellites that take pictures from orbit. Very few 
  have 
  been 
  explored 
  on 
  the 
  ground. 
  When 
  adventurers travel more than a few hundred 
  kilometers from a settlement, they are entering an 
  area where very few people have ever been. They 
  could be the first people ever to cross that land, or 
  they could be walking in the footprints of a race that 
  built a civilization and then collapsed, leaving its 
  relics to be discovered centuries later. 
   
  It’s a frontier waiting for discovery and adventure. 
   
  Picture Story 
  The treacherous double agent aimed his needler 
  pistol at me as he prepared to escape. I didn't think 
  he could kill me with one shot from the small 
  weapon, but I didn't want to find out. Dalmor was 
  working for the Sathar, that mysterious, evil race of 
  intelligent worms who were trying to conquer and 
  destroy peaceful worlds.  
   
  I knew he was ruthless. Out of the corner of my eye 
  I could see my Vrusk partner, C'hting. The eight-
  legged insect man had faster reflexes than I, and I 
  knew he was calculating whether he could draw his 
  blaster and fire before Dalmor could shoot.  
   
   
   
  The thought was still in my mind when one of 
  C'hting's arms flashed in a lightning-swift draw. I 
  dived to the floor as Dalmor swung his pistol, but 
  the needles whizzed harmlessly past C'hting and 
  me. C'hting's laser beam only grazed Dalmor as he 
  dashed out the door. We charged after him, but my 
  curse was echoed by C'hting as we watched Dalmor 
  leap aboard the monorail.  
   
   
   
  We 
  jumped 
  into 
  my 
  waiting 
  skimmer 
  and 
  maneuvered into traffic, gliding smoothly above the 
  road. ''It is fortunate Bakchu the Yazirian is guarding 
  the spaceport,'' C'hting rasped.  
   
  "If that big monkey can't handle Dalmor, no one 
  can," I replied. "That's only if Dalmor's going to the 
  spaceport, though," I added. "There are two other 
  monorail terminals on the way. Maybe we can get to 
  one of them before his car does." The skimmer was 
  running at top speed, but I clenched the controls in 
  frustration at every corner as the magnetic control 
  fields slowed us to a safe speed. We arrived at the 
  terminal just as Dalmor's car was pulling in.  
   
   
   
  Leaping from the skimmer, we ran to the exit ramp. 
  Both C'hting and I crouched behind the polycrete 
  wall and aimed our weapons at a very surprised 
  Dalmor as he stepped from the car barely 10 meters 
  away. "You are under arrest, Dalmor. Do not move," 
  clicked C'hting. With a desperate cry, Dalmor drew 
  the needler from his coat. C'hting and I fired before 
  he could aim. Both shots hit Dalmor and he 
  sprawled across the platform, unconscious but still 
  alive. 
   
  
   
  3 
   
   
   
   
  After filing our reports with our contact at the Pan-
  Galactic Corporation, C'hting, Bakchu and I drove to 
  the Spacer's Rest to celebrate over a few mugs of 
  thick Yazirian ale. We were discussing what we 
  would do with the 100 credits each of us had earned 
  for the mission when all three of our communicators 
  signaled incoming calls at once. Bakchu snarled in 
  dismay when the face of Beren Tiu, our contact at 
  PGC, appeared on the tiny screens. "Ah, I'm glad 
  I've got all of you together," he smiled. "Nice job on 
  Dalmor, though it's a shame you had to shoot him in 
  public. I called to tell you that while we were 
  interrogating him we got a lead on a lime job you 
  might...''  
   
  "Hold it, Beren," I growled. "You promised us we 
  could take a week off after this mission and, by the 
  stars, I'm going to take a week off!'' C'hting and 
  Bakchu rumbled in agreement, and Tiu looked 
  disappointed.  
   
   
   
  "All right," he said, "if you're not interested in 200 
  credits apiece, I'm not going to force you to..."  
   
  Two hundred credits! The three of us looked at each 
  other, and Bakchu curled his lips in a knowing smile.  
   
  "What's the job?" I asked. 
   
  The Basics 
  Welcome to STAR FRONTIERSTM game, TSR's role-
  playing game of science fiction adventure. If you 
  have never played a role-playing game before, a 
  great 
  experience 
  is 
  waiting 
  for 
  you. 
  STAR 
  FRONTIERS adventures are as limitless as space 
  itself.  
   
  WHAT THE GAME IS ABOUT 
  Each player in a STAR FRONTIERS game plays a 
  character, either a human or an alien living far in 
  the future. In some ways characters are like the 
  pieces used in other games, but players in a role-
  playing game do not simply roll dice and move 
  pieces around on a board. Characters can do 
  anything a real person could do if he was living in a 
  STAR FRONTIERS world: shoot a laser, drive a 
  skimmer, chase dangerous interstellar criminals, 
  explore alien worlds, or anything else the player 
  wants the character to do. Players are not limited to 
  only a few actions by the rules. A player has 
  complete control over his character, and makes all 
  the decisions for him.  
   
  In fact, you can think of your character as being 
  you, placed in a science fiction world. Your character 
  may not be like you at all -- it may even be an alien, 
  unlike anything you've ever seen before -- but you 
  make all the decisions, and act through your 
  character. This is part of the fun of role playing, 
  even if you are not a hero in real life, you can 
  become one in a STAR FRONTIERS game.  
   
  Unlike many other games, there is no clear winner 
  or loser in a STAR FRONTIERS game. In most 
  games, the players will have a goal, such as 
  capturing a group of terrorists who have kidnapped 
  a politician or recovering a rare medicine that was 
  lost when a spaceship crashed on an alien planet. If 
  the 
  players 
  cooperate 
  and 
  reach 
  their 
  goal, 
  everyone wins. A skillful player who uses the same 
  character in several adventures will see that 
  character rewarded, becoming richer, more powerful 
  and able to handle more difficult missions.  
   
  HOW TO USE THE DICE 
  Two dice are included in STAR FRONTIERS games. 
  They are numbered from 0 to 9. They are called ten- 
  sided dice (abbreviated d10).  
   
  If the rules tell you to roll one ten-sided die 
  (abbreviated 1d10), roll one die to get a number 
  from 1 to 10. A zero is read as a 10.  
   
  If the rules tell you to roll two ten-sided dice 
  (abbreviated 2d10) roll both dice and add the 
  results to get a number from 2 to 20. A zero is read 
  as a 10. For example, if the rolls were 0 and 4, the 
  
   
  4 
   
   
  result would be (10 + 4 =) 14. More dice can be 
  rolled to give results of 3-30 (3d10), 4-40 (4d10), 
  etc.  
   
  If the rules tell you to roll a 5-sided die (abbreviated 
  1d5), simply roll a normal 10-sided die and divide 
  your result by 2, rounded up.  A roll of 1 or 2 is 
  treated as a result of 1, etc. 
   
  If the rules tell you to roll percentile dice 
  (abbreviated d100), roll both dice. Instead of adding 
  the results, read the dark-colored die as the first 
  (tens) digit and the light-colored die as the second 
  (ones) digit. A zero is read as a zero. The following 
  table shows several examples of rolls.  
     
  DICE EXAMPLE TABLE 
  Dark Die 
  Light Die 
  Result 
  5 
  3 
  53 
  6 
  0 
  60 
  0 
  6 
  6 
  0 
  0 
  100 
   
  The Referee 
  One player plays the role of the referee, a special 
  kind of player responsible for storytelling, playing 
  side characters (non-player characters, or NPCs), 
  and 
  judging 
  situations 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  player’s 
  characters find themselves.  Refer to the referee’s 
  section for further details on this important job. 
   
  Abilities 
  All characters have eight abilities, arranged in four 
  pairs. 
  These 
  are 
  Strength/Stamina, 
  Dexterity/ 
  Reaction Speed, Intuition/Logic and Personality/ 
  Leadership. These eight abilities tell players how 
  strong, fast, smart and masterful their characters 
  are.  They are explained below. 
   
  Each of these abilities will have a score from 1 to 
  100. An ability score of 1 means the character is 
  very poor in that ability, while a score of 100 means 
  the character has very high ability in that area. 
  Players find their ability scores by rolling dice. This 
  is explained in the Characters section.  
   
  Explanation of Abilities  
  Strength is a measure of how strong the character 
  is. A character with a low Strength score is scrawny 
  and weak. A character with a high Strength score is 
  very strong. A character with a Strength score of 
  100 may be one of the strongest characters on that 
  planet.  Strength is a physical ability score and is 
  often abbreviated STR within these rules. 
   
  Stamina measures a character's physical fitness 
  and general health. A character with low stamina 
  will get tired easily and will be prone to injury and 
  disease. A character with high Stamina could work 
  hard all day without getting tired, and might never 
  be sick a day in his life. Stamina also measures how 
  badly a character can be wounded before he passes 
  out or dies.  Stamina is a physical ability score and 
  is often abbreviated STA within these rules. 
   
  Dexterity measures a character's coordination. 
  Character's with low Dexterity scores are clumsy, 
  while characters with high Dexterity scores are very 
  agile. Dexterity is very important in combat.  
  Dexterity is a physical ability score and is often 
  abbreviated DEX within these rules.  
   
  Reaction Speed measures the quickness of a 
  character's reflexes. If a character with a low 
  Reaction Speed is attacked suddenly, he probably 
  will fumble with his weapon and react slowly. A 
  character with a high Reaction Speed could draw 
  and fire a weapon quickly, jump out of the way of 
  falling boulders, etc.  Reaction Speed is a physical 
  ability score and is often abbreviated RS within 
  these rules. 
   
  Intuition measures a character's alertness and 
  ability to draw conclusions from what seem to be 
  unrelated facts. Characters with high Intuition 
  scores are more likely to solve problems by having 
  hunches or making guesses than by carefully 
  considering all the evidence.  Intuition is a mental 
  ability score and is often abbreviated INT within 
  these rules. 
   
  Logic is a character's ability to solve problems in an 
  orderly, step-by-step way. It is the opposite of 
  Intuition. Characters with high Logic scores make 
  good scientists and computer experts.  Logic is a 
  mental ability score and is often abbreviated LOG 
  within these rules. 
   
  Personality measures how well a character gets 
  along with other intelligent beings. Characters with 
  high Personality scores are friendly, pleasant and 
  persuasive, while those with low scores may be 
  grouchy and hard to get along with. Personality is a 
  mental ability score and is often abbreviated PER 
  within these rules. 
   
  Leadership measures a character's ability to give 
  orders that other people will understand and obey. 
  It also measures how willing other people will be to 
  work for the character, take his advice or follow him 
  into a dangerous situation. Leadership is a mental 
  ability score and is often abbreviated LDR within 
  these rules. 
   
  
   
  5 
   
   
  Ability Checks 
  Whenever the referee decides there is a chance for 
  your character’s action to fail, he calls for an ability 
  check.  The appropriate ability to be checked is 
  determined by the referee, but is obvious once you 
  have an understanding of the role each ability plays 
  in defining the capabilities of your character. 
   
  To make an ability check, simply roll d100.  If you 
  roll less than or equal to the ability in question, your 
  check is successful.  If you roll higher than your 
  ability score, your action fails. 
   
  Example: Garrison is running from security bots, 
  trying to stay away from their identity imaging 
  cameras.  He steps out a window on the second 
  story, and sees a wall upon which he could walk to 
  get to safety.  The referee informs him that this 
  requires a Dexterity check to make it safely to the 
  other side, warning that failure might result in falling 
  off the 5 meter high wall!  Fortunately, Garrison has 
  a DEX score of 65, so you confidently toss the dice 
  and roll a 4 and a 7, a success!  The security robots 
  won’t try to follow, as their simple programming 
  doesn’t define the top of a wall as floor space upon 
  which to tread. 
   
  Ability Check Modifiers 
  Your referee may assess the situation and determine 
  there are bonuses or penalties associated with any 
  given ability check.  Difficult terrain, favorable 
  winds, good tactical position, and any number of 
  other factors may help him determine this.  When 
  he determines this is the case, he will tell you when 
  he informs you that an ability check is necessary. 
   
  Example: Rhainah is a hacker and is trying to break 
  into a computer network protected by fairly simple 
  security software.  The referee informs Rhainah’s 
  player that she must succeed in a LOG check with a 
  bonus of +10, to represent the simplicity of the 
  security software.  Rhainah’s player must roll less 
  than or equal to ten higher than her character’s LOG 
  score. 
   
  Ability Contests 
  Sometimes you must pit your abilities against 
  another player’s character or non-player character.  
  The rules work normally, but both parties must 
  make a roll and compare success.  Whoever 
  succeeds by more (rolls the greatest amount under 
  his score) wins the contest. 
   
  Example: Yinang, an assassin character working for 
  Streel Corp, is trying to palm his sonic sword handle 
  to conceal it from the quick search of his boss’ thug.  
  The referee determines that palming something that 
  size and shape will require a Dexterity check at -10.  
  Yinang’s player has to roll less than or equal to ten 
  less than his Dexterity score, and must succeed by 
  more than the thug’s Intuition check. 
   
  Other Scores 
  In addition to the basic ability scores, characters are 
  defined by a few other numbers.  These are 
  specifically created to help facilitate action-packed 
  combat scenes.  They are: Initiative Modifier, 
  Punching Score, Ranged Weapons accuracy, and 
  Melee Weapons accuracy. 
   
  Initiative Modifier is not really an ability, but a 
  character's Initiative modifier is important. It is 
  equal to the character's Reaction Speed divided by 
  10, and is used to determine which character acts 
  first in a fight.  Round in favor of the character, thus 
  a Reaction Speed score of 51 results in an Initiative 
  Modifier score of +6.  Initiative Modifier is a combat 
  ability and is often abbreviated IM within these 
  rules. 
   
  Punching Score is a modifier, just like Initiative 
  Modifier is.  It is determined by looking at the 
  following table (simply, Punching Score receives a 
  +1 for ever 20 points of Strength the character 
  has). 
   
  Whenever 
  your 
  character 
  successfully 
  punches his opponent, or uses a melee weapon such 
  as a club or sword, he adds this number to the 
  damage total.  Punching Score is a combat ability 
  and is often abbreviated PS within these rules. 
   
  PUNCHING SCORE TABLE 
  Strength  
  Score 
  Punching  
  Score 
  01-20 
  +1 
  21-40 
  +2 
  41-60 
  +3 
  61-80 
  +4 
  81-00 
  +5 
   
  Ranged Weapons accuracy score is the base 
  chance to hit when aiming a weapon (whether that 
  weapon is hurled or aimed in hand or targeted using 
  advanced targeting systems).  It is equal to half 
  your character’s Dexterity score, since it is purely a 
  function of hand-eye coordination.  List it as a 
  percentage instead of a bonus like the other non-
  ability score values. Ranged Weapons is a combat 
  ability and is often abbreviated RW. 
   
  Melee Weapons accuracy score is the base chance 
  to hit when wielding a hand-held weapon or 
  punching someone.  It is equal to half your 
  character’s Dexterity or Strength score, whichever is 
  higher.  List it as a percentage instead of a bonus 
  like the other non-ability score values. Melee 
  Weapons is a combat ability and is often abbreviated 
  MW within these rules. 
   
  
   
  6 
   
   
  Skills 
  There are 13 different skills that a player character 
  can learn. These 13 skills are organized into three 
  Primary Skill Areas (PSAs): Military, Technological 
  and Biosocial. 
   
   
  Military skills deal with combat. There are seven 
  different Military skills: Beam Weapons, Demolitions, 
  Gyrojet Weapons, Martial Arts, Melee Weapons, 
  Projectile Weapons and Thrown Weapons.  The 
  Characters section goes into detail on each of these.  
  The referee may allow the player to add +10 per 
  level in this skill to any ability check dealing with 
  military operations and red tape. 
   
  Technological skills deal with various types of 
  machines. There are three different Technological 
  skills: Computer skill, Robotics and Technician.  The 
  Characters section goes into detail on each of these.  
  The referee may allow the player to add +10 per 
  level in this skill to any ability check dealing with 
  technology. 
   
  Biosocial skills deal with the intelligent races and 
  their 
  surroundings. 
  There 
  are 
  three 
  different 
  Biosocial skills: Environmental, Medical and Psycho-
  Social.  The Characters section goes into detail on 
  each of these.  The referee may allow the player to 
  add +10 per level in this skill to any ability check 
  dealing with biology, health, fitness, and social 
  interaction. 
   
  Skill Acquisition 
  At the start of the game, each player must choose 
  one Primary Skill Area as his character’s career. This 
  will never change.  The player then chooses two 
  skills for his character. One skill must be from the 
  character's PSA, but the other can be from any PSA. 
  The character starts with Level 1 experience in both 
  skills.  More information, and a step-by-step 
  example, can be found in the Characters section. 
   
  As a character adventures and succeeds in his 
  missions, he will be awarded experience points that 
  his player may then use to purchase additional skills 
  or to improve ability scores. 
   
  Skill Checks 
  In the Characters section you will find details on 
  specific applications of each of the thirteen skills.  
  Each skill encompasses several sub-skills, each of 
  which will have a score that increases with level.  
  Skill checks work just like ability checks: roll d100 
  and try to roll less than or equal to the skill’s chance 
  to succeed. 
    
  Racial Abilities 
  Players can choose to make their characters 
  members of one of four races: Human, Dralasite, 
  Vrusk or Yazirian.  These are described in greater 
  detail in the Characters section. 
   
  Humans are similar to Earthmen, but these 
  Humans developed on another planet closer to the 
  center of the galaxy. Humans are considered the 
  average characters in STAR FRONTIERS games, so 
  their abilities are not modified when the character is 
  created. 
   
  Dralasites are rubbery, elastic aliens sometimes 
  called "blobs." They can change their shape at will. 
  creating 
  as 
  many 
  artificial 
  arms 
  and 
  legs 
  (pseudopods) as they need at the moment. They are 
  stronger than Humans, but are also slower. They 
  enjoy philosophical debates and have a very strange 
  sense of humor; they love telling old jokes and puns 
  they hear from Humans.  
   
  Vrusk look like large insects, and are sometimes 
  called "bugs." They are quicker than Humans, but 
  are not as strong. Vrusk are excellent businessmen 
  and merchants. They love art, beauty and music.  
   
  Yazirians are tall, light-boned humanoids with furry 
  manes around their necks. Humans nicknamed them 
  "monkeys" 
  because 
  they 
  look 
  a 
  little 
  like 
  chimpanzees. Thin membranes that stretch between 
  their arms, torso and legs allowed Yazirians to glide 
  between the trees on their native planet. They are 
  generally smarter and quicker than the other races, 
  but are not as strong. Their eyes are very sensitive 
  to light, so they usually wear dark goggles during 
  the day. Yazirians were very warlike in the past, and 
  
   
  7 
   
   
  are still considered pushy and aggressive by other 
  races.  
   
  Racial Abilities 
  Each of the non-human races have special abilities 
  that cannot be defined by the standard eight 
  abilities and thirteen skills.  These abilities are 
  explained in detail in the Characters section. 
   
  Some of the special race abilities possess a score, 
  expressed as a percent.  Characters attempting to 
  invoke their special ability simply roll d100 and must 
  roll less than or equal to their listed chance of 
  success.  Note that these special race abilities can 
  be increased through character development, and 
  can be assessed bonuses and penalties based on 
  situational modifiers just like making any  other 
  ability check or skill check. 
   
  MOVEMENT 
  A character can only move so fast.  This is a factor 
  of his race and the terrain he moves through.  The 
  Movement Table below shows movement rates for 
  the different races. The hourly rate assumes the 
  character is walking and resting periodically. The 
  movement rate per minute is 10 times the rate per 
  turn. The movement rate per day is the hourly rate 
  multiplied by the number of hours the characters 
  traveled (often ten hours of travel). 
   
  MOVEMENT RATE TABLE 
   
  Race 
  Walk/ 
  Turn 
  Run/ 
  Turn 
  Travel/ 
  Hour 
  Dralasite 
  5m 
  20m 
  3km 
  Human 
  10m 
  30m 
  5km 
  Vrusk 
  15m 
  35m 
  6km 
  Yazirian 
  10m 
  30m 
  4km 
  Sathar 
  10m 
  20m 
  3km 
   
   
   
  Endurance 
  A character can run at top speed for a number of 
  minutes equal to his Stamina score divided by 10, 
  rounded up. The character then must rest for 10 
  minutes before running again. If characters walk for 
  more than 10 hours, they move at half speed and 
  their Dexterity scores and Reaction Speeds are 
  reduced by half until they sleep. 
   
  Terrain 
  The type of terrain a group is crossing affects how 
  fast the group can travel. The TERRAIN EFFECTS 
  TABLE shows how various types of terrain affect 
  speed. The types of terrain are described below. 
   
  Clear -- Any area that allows easy, unobstructed 
  movement. Includes plains, prairies, salt flats, dirt 
  roads and fields. 
   
  Broken Ground -- Any area with obstructions or a 
  loose, shining surface. Includes steep hills, sand 
  dunes, ice or snow fields, forests and gravel slopes. 
   
  Rugged -- Any area that requires travelers to pick 
  their path carefully, or that channels them into a few 
  unblocked passes. Includes mountains, canyons, 
  jungles, cratered plains and caverns. 
   
  Bogs -- Wet areas with lush vegetation, shallow, 
  open 
  water 
  and 
  other 
  ground 
  that 
  impedes 
  movement. Includes swamps, marshes, mud flats, 
  mineral terraces and slush. 
   
  Open Water -- Large areas of water such as lakes, 
  rivers and oceans. 
   
  Highway -- An artificial or natural path that is 
  smooth, flat and generally straight. 
   
  Hazardous -- Any area that cannot be crossed 
  without a specially modified vehicle. Includes molten 
  lava, acid pools, lime pits and frozen nitrogen or 
  methane plains. 
   
  To find a character's or vehicle's movement rate 
  over different terrain, multiply its normal movement 
  rate by the number shown on the Terrain Effects 
  Table for the terrain being crossed. The result is the 
  top speed in that type of terrain. 
   
  TERRAIN EFFECTS TABLE 
  Travel Mode 
   
  Clear 
  Broken 
  Rugged 
  Bog 
  Water 
  Highway 
  Hazard 
  Walking 
  1.0 0.8 0.2 0.6 
  * 
  1.0 
  -- 
  Slithering 
  1.0 1.0 0.4 0.8 
  * 
  1.0 
  -- 
  Flying** 
  1.0 0.9 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.4 
  Hovercraft 
  1.2 0.6 
  -- 
  0.8 0.9 1.4 0.8 
  Groundcar 
  0.8 0.6 0.2 0.4 0.4 1.2 
  -- 
  Track-mobile 
  1.0 0.9 0.4 0.2 
  -- 
  1.0 
  -- 
  Explorer 
  1.0 0.8 0.4 0.6 0.2 1.2 
  -- 
  * See Swimming. 
  
   
  8 
   
   
  ** These limits apply only if the creature or vehicle 
  is flying or gliding within 100 meters of the ground.   
  If flying more than 100 meters above ground 
  obstacles, all terrain is 1.0. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A Sathar war party is tracking a group of 
  adventurers 
  through 
  mountains. 
  The 
  Sathar 
  normally move 3 km/hour. The group of adventurers 
  normally moves 5 km/hour. 
   
  The Sathar move by slithering, so their speed is 
  multiplied by 0.4. The result is 1.2, so the Sathar 
  can travel 1.2 km/hour. The group of adventurers 
  moves by walking, so its speed is multiplied by 0.2. 
  The result is 1, so the adventurers can travel 1 
  km/hour. 
   
  Animals 
  The movement speeds given for animals are 
  adjusted to match the animal's native terrain, so no 
  further modifications are necessary. 
   
  Encumbrance 
  There is a limit to how much weight a character can 
  carry. This limit is equal to the character's Strength 
  score, in kilograms. If the weight a character is 
  carrying is more than half of his Strength score, he 
  is 
  encumbered. 
  The 
  movement 
  rate 
  of 
  an 
  encumbered character is cut in half in all terrain. A 
  character can pick up an object that weighs up to 
  twice his Strength in kg, but can carry it only a few 
  meters. 
   
  Wounds 
  A character whose current Stamina is one-half or 
  less of his full Stamina can move at only half speed, 
  and his carrying capacity is cut in half. 
   
  Mixed Parties 
  A party that contains a mixture of races can travel 
  5km/hour if it does not include Yazirians, 4 km/hour 
  if it does. (Because of their high Stamina, Dralasites 
  can keep up if they must.) 
   
  Special Situations 
  Characters tend to get themselves into all manner of 
  odd situations, some of which are covered here.  If 
  something occurs in game that isn’t covered by 
  these rules, feel free to make things up as you go, 
  using these rules as general guides. 
   
  Leaping and Vaulting 
  A character can leap up to 2 meters horizontally 
  without a running start. If the character can run 15 
  meters in a straight line before leaping, he can leap 
  up to 5 meters. 
   
  A character trying to leap across an obstacle must 
  make a Strength check. A character who fails the 
  check has lost his balance and can not move for 1 
  turn. A character who tries to leap farther than the 
  distance has a -20 modifier on his Strength check 
  for each additional half-meter. Failure means the 
  character falls short of the distance. 
   
  A character with a 15 meter running start can vault 
  over an obstacle that is 2 meters high, or grab 
  something that is up to 4 meters above the ground. 
   
  Falling, Jumping and Diving 
  Falling. Characters who fall from buildings, ledges 
  or other heights suffer 1 d5 points of damage plus 1 
  point for every meter they fall. For example, a 
  character that falls 10 meters suffers 1 d5 +10 
  points of damage. 
   
  If a character suffers 15 or more points of damage 
  in a fall, he has sprained a leg. His movement speed 
  is reduced by half. If the character suffers 25 or 
  more points of damage, he has broken a bone or a 
  torn a muscle. The player must roll 1d10; on 1-8,the 
  character injured a leg, on 9 or 10 he injured an 
  arm. A character with a broken leg can not move 
  until the leg is splinted, and then moves at half 
  speed. A broken arm can not be used. (Dralasites 
  can spend 10 minutes absorbing the old limb and 
  growing a new one; this does not heal the damage, 
  but does remove the penalty.) 
   
  If a character suffers 30 or more points of damage, 
  he may be knocked unconscious. The player must 
  roll d100; if the result is equal to or less than the 
  damage the character suffered, then the character is 
  knocked unconscious for 1d10 minutes. 
   
  JUMPING. A character can jump down 5 meters 
  without being hurt. If the character jumps more 
  than 5 meters, he will suffer injuries the same as if 
  he had fallen, but the distance is reduced by 5 
  meters. 
   
  Example: Lklekt (a Vrusk) jumps from a jetcopter 
  that is hovering 15 meters above the ground.  He 
  will suffer 1d5+10 points of damage, the same as if 
  he had fallen 10 meters. 
   
  Swimming 
  All characters can swim 10 meters/turn, or 1 
  km/hour. After swimming for one hour, characters 
  start losing 5 Stamina points every 30 minutes they 
  continue swimming. 
   
  Characters can hold their breath for a number of 
  turns equal to their Stamina score divided by 5. A 
  character who tries to hold his breath longer than 
  this takes 2d10 points of damage every turn. 
  
   
  9 
   
   
   
  Dralasites do not float naturally. They can swim, but 
  if knocked unconscious they will drown. A Dralasite 
  can float if it spends 5 minutes forming an air 
  pocket in its body before entering the water. 
   
  Climbing 
  A character can climb a rope at a rate of 2 
  meters/turn. The character must make a strength 
  check with +30 modifier at the halfway point of the 
  climb and at the top. A roll of 96-00 is automatic 
  failure. Failing the roll means the character falls. 
   
  A character can climb a vertical surface at a rate of 
  1 meter/turn, if there are handholds and footholds 
  on the wall. He must make a Dexterity check with a 
  +30 modifier at the halfway point of the climb and 
  at the top. A roll of 96-00 is automatic failure. 
  Failing the roll means the character falls. These rolls 
  are not necessary if the surface the character is 
  climbing slopes less than 60 degrees. 
   
  A character can climb a ladder at his normal walking 
  speed. 
   
  Dangerous Movements 
  A character is making a dangerous movement if 
  slipping could cause injury: inching along a ledge 
  and swinging on a rope across a pit are two 
  examples. A character must pass a Reaction Speed 
  check to complete a dangerous movement safely. 
  Failing means the character slips. The referee must 
  decide whether the character has a chance to catch 
  himself, and what happens if he falls.  
   
  Doors 
  Open doors and doors that open automatically do 
  not affect movement. To move through a closed 
  door, a character must stop next to the door. On the 
  next turn the character can move through the door 
  at half speed. To open a pressure door or hatch, a 
  character must stand next to the door for two turns, 
  and can move through the door at half speed on the 
  third turn. A character can perform other actions 
  while waiting for a pressure door to open, but can 
  do nothing else while opening a hatch. 
   
  Vehicles and Riding Animals 
  Getting into or out of a vehicle takes half of a turn, 
  and the vehicle must be stationary. Mounting or 
  dismounting a riding animal takes one complete 
  turn, during which the character can do nothing 
  else. 
   
  Picking Up and Dropping Objects 
  Picking up an object that weighs more than 10 kg 
  takes one turn. Picking up an object that weighs 10 
  kg or less takes half of a turn. Dropping an object 
  takes no time at all. 
   
  Gravity, Weight and Mass.  
  The strength of gravity on a planet depends on the 
  planet's size. Increasing or decreasing gravity can 
  affect characters several ways. These effects are 
  explained below. (This rule is optional. Referees who 
  do not want the added detail can ignore it and 
  assume all adventures happen on planets where 
  gravity equals 1 g.) 
   
  GRAVITY EFFECTS TABLE 
  For every 0.1g less than 1.0g 
  � a character's carrying capacity is increased 5 kg 
  � the distance a character can leap and vault is 
  increased 5 m 
  � the distance a character can jump safely is 
  increased 1 m 
  � the damage a character suffers in a fall is 
  decreased 2 points 
  For every 0.1g above 1.0g 
  � a character's carrying capacity is decreased 2 kg 
  � the distance characters can leap and vault is 
  decreased .5 m 
  � the distance a character can jump safely is 
  decreased 1 m 
  � the damage a character suffers in a fall is 
  increased by 2 
   
  Weightless Movement 
  Moving in an area where there is no gravity is 
  different than normal movement. Handholds are 
  built into the walls of most space stations and 
  spaceships, 
  so 
  characters 
  can 
  pull 
  or 
  push 
  themselves along in freefall. Once a character starts 
  moving, he will not stop until he bumps into a wall 
  or grabs another handhold and stops himself.  
   
  Characters moving this way can move at walking 
  speed. They must follow a wall or, if they move 
  across an open area, they must move straight at a 
  constant speed until they reach the opposite wall. 
   
  Some ships have Velcro strips along the hallways, so 
  characters wearing special boots can walk normally. 
  Characters walking this way can move at one-half 
  their usual walking speed. Characters can move 
  outside ships or space stations using space suits. 
  Space suits have magnetic boots so characters can 
  walk on the metallic surface of the ship or station at 
  one-half their usual walking speed. Characters can 
  connect themselves to the ship with a tether, if they 
  are knocked off the ship they can simply pull 
  themselves back along the tether. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  10 
   
   
  Combat 
  In a perfect world, nobody would fight.  People 
  wouldn’t die of blaster wounds, creatures wouldn’t 
  attack even if provoked accidentally, and robots 
  would never be programmed with the ability to seek 
  out intruders and shoot to kill.  Fortunately for the 
  fun of the players, STAR FRONTIERS isn’t such a 
  perfect world. 
   
   
   
  The Combat Turn 
  When the players find themselves in a combat 
  situation, the referee starts keeping track of time in 
  combat 
  rounds, 
  or 
  turns. 
   
  Each 
  turn 
  is 
  approximately six seconds long, thus there are ten 
  such turns in a minute. 
   
  During his turn, a player’s character can try to do 
  anything that could normally be accomplished within 
  six seconds of heart-racing adrenalin-pumping time.  
  Examples include running, firing at an opponent, 
  reloading a weapon, take careful aim to improve 
  your chances of success, dive for cover, or even 
  multiple actions like dodging and attacking or 
  attacking with multiple weapons.   
   
  Don’t 
  forget, 
  just 
  because 
  your 
  referee 
  is 
  incrementing time in the form of six-second combat 
  turns, that doesn’t mean you can’t attempt non-
  combative actions, such as swinging on a rope or 
  leaping a pit, or even working on hacking a security 
  system while your teammates keep the security bots 
  busy. 
   
  Combat Sequence 
  The sequence of events in combat is outlined below.  
  This is the basic form of combat, and situations may 
  arise which violate the normal flow, depending on 
  referee fiat.  However, in fairness to the players, 
  referees should only deviate from this sequence 
  when vital to the story or when situations demand a 
  change. 
   
   
  COMBAT SEQUENCE TABLE 
  Combat Sequence 
  1. Check to see if characters are surprised. 
  2. Roll for initiative. (Throughout this section, 
  the side that gets initiative will be called side 
  A and the side without initiative will be called 
  side B.) 
  3. Declare what each character will do. Side B 
  declares first, so Side A can decide what to do 
  in relation to the anticipated moves of Side B. 
  4. Side B moves. Characters on side A may be 
  able to shoot at opponents who move through 
  their field of fire. 
  5. Side A moves. Characters on side B who did 
  not move may be able to shoot at opponents 
  who move through their field of fire. 
  6. Side A resolves any wrestling attempts, 
  remaining weapon fire, grenade tosses and 
  melee.  Wrestling attempts are resolved 
  before other types of attacks. 
  7. Side B resolves any remaining attacks. 
   
  SURPRISE 
  If there is a chance characters will be surprised by 
  an attack, the referee should let characters make 
  Intuition checks. The referee must decide which 
  characters get to make checks. For example, only 
  the last character in a marching line has a chance to 
  notice a sneak attack from behind. 
   
  If a character fails the check, he does not suspect 
  anything and will be surprised. When a character or 
  group is surprised, it automatically loses initiative 
  for the first turn of combat and can do nothing that 
  turn except move and take cover. 
   
  If a character passes the check, he notices 
  something unusual: footsteps behind him, a gun 
  barrel poking around a corner, or anything else 
  appropriate to the situation. The player must decide 
  how to react to this information. If he makes a bed 
  choice, he may still be surprised. For example, a 
  group of adventurers is driving down a dirt road with 
  tall grass on both sides.  Suddenly, a flock of flying 
  lizards takes off ahead of the vehicle and flies away. 
  The characters decide the animals were frightened 
  by their Explorer and continue driving. Within 
  moments, a group of rebels hidden in the fields 
  opens fire on the ATV. 
   
  Spotting Distance - When characters have an 
  encounter, one factor that will affect whether they 
  can be surprised is how far they can see. A 
  character standing on flat, level ground can see a 
  man-sized object up to 1 km away, but can not see 
  any details about the object. A character can see 
  details at a distance of about .5 km. Binoculars, 
  magnigoggles and telescopic sights will multiply 
  these distances by three. Weather conditions such 
  
   
  11 
   
   
  as fog, rain, blowing dust or heat shimmers can 
  reduce these distances to half or less. A character 
  can see farther if he climbs to a higher elevation, 
  but the distance at which he can see detail does not 
  change with elevation. 
   
  INITIATIVE 
  One player on each side rolls 1d10 and adds the 
  highest Initiative modifier on his side to the result. 
  The side with the highest total has initiative and is 
  side A this turn. If the results are tied, the side with 
  the highest modifier has initiative. 
   
  If there are more than two teams in a fight, simply 
  add more sides (C, D, etc.) to the sequence as they 
  are needed. The side with the lowest initiative roll 
  always moves first, with the other sides following in 
  order. If only a few characters are involved in a 
  fight, the referee can treat each character as a 
  separate team and have everyone roll their own 
  initiative. 
   
  Holstered and Slung Weapons. If a character's 
  weapon is in a holster or slung over his shoulder, 
  the character must subtract 3 from his Initiative 
  modifier when rolling for initiative. If the character is 
  rolling initiative for a group, the modifier applies to 
  the entire group. 
   
  DECLARATION 
  All characters must decide what they will do at the 
  start of each turn, and declare their intentions 
  before the first move. Side B must declare first, 
  allowing side A to react to side B's moves. 
   
  Declarations should be as realistic and specific as 
  possible. For example, instead of saying, "I will 
  throw a grenade," the player should say, "I will 
  throw a doze grenade at the Yazirian, and then duck 
  back behind the rock wall." Characters must declare 
  how many shots they will fire, what power settings 
  they will use and whether they will fire a burst (see 
  Rate Of Fire, Variable Power Settings and Bursts). 
   
  If opposing sides in a fight can not see each other, 
  the referee may ask for declarations before the roll 
  for initiative. This forces players to act without 
  knowing what their opponents will do. 
   
  Sighting - A character must be able to see his 
  target in order to shoot or throw a grenade at it. A 
  character can see his target if a straight line from 
  the center of his square to the center of his target's 
  square is not blocked by a building, a cliff or some 
  other obstacle. If the character is in a position 
  where he can lean around the obstacle to shoot, it 
  does not block his sight.  Refer to the following 
  diagram for an understanding of sighting and 
  visibility. 
   
   
   
  The Human at A can see the Yazirian behind the low 
  wall at B.  If the Yazirian crouches behind the low 
  wall, he will be completely hidden from the Human.  
  The Human can not see the Dralasite at C because it 
  is hidden by the corner of building 2.  If the 
  Dralasite was leaning around the corner, the Human 
  could see it.  The Vrusk at D is blocked from the 
  Human’s view by the corner of building 1.  If the 
  Human leans around the corner, he can see the 
  Vrusk. 
   
  MOVEMENT 
  Characters on side B move first. If a character 
  moves through an opponent's field of fire, the 
  opponent may be able to shoot at him as he moves. 
  (Everything in front of a character is in his field of 
  fire; see Opportunity Shots.) Side A moves after 
  side B. If a character from side A moves through an 
  opponent's field of fire, and the opponent did not 
  move this turn, the opponent may be able to shoot 
  as the character moves. 
   
  Melee Distance. If a character started the turn 
  within 2 meters of an opponent who declared he 
  would attack in melee, the character can not move. 
  If both characters declare they will attack in melee, 
  the character on side B gets to move into his 
  opponent's square. 
   
  Dodging. Dodging is a special type of movement. 
  Instead of running straight across an opponent's 
  field of fire, a dodging character ducks, weaves and 
  zigzags through a dangerous area. Dodging makes a 
  character harder to hit, but also slows him down; 
  characters who dodge move at one-half their 
  running speed. 
   
  
   
  12 
   
   
   
   
  Ranged Combat 
  Any weapon that can be used to attack someone 
  from a distance is a ranged weapon. In STAR 
  FRONTIERS games, ranged weapons include lasers, 
  gyrojets, needle guns, automatic rifles and pistols 
  and grenades. Bows and arrows, spears and knives 
  also can be used. 
   
  Ranged Combat Procedure  
  When attempting to aim or hurl a weapon at an 
  opponent or target, use this checklist to determine 
  your actual chance to successfully hit. 
   
  Skill Modifiers 
  Characters get a bonus on their chance to hit if they 
  have been trained to use their weapon.  Characters 
  learn weapon skills by spending experience points 
  for them (see SKILLS). Skills for beam, gyrojet, 
  projectile and thrown weapons must be learned 
  separately. A character gains a +10% bonus on his 
  chance to hit for each level of skill he has with the 
  weapon he is using. For example, a character with 
  level 3 beam weapon skill and level 1 gyrojet 
  weapon skill gets +30% to hit with beam weapons 
  (lasers, sonic disruptors, etc.) and +10%to hit with 
  gyrojet rifles and pistols. A character does not need 
  a weapon skill to use a weapon. 
   
  Heavy Weapons 
  Heavy lasers, sonic devastators, recoilless rifles, 
  grenade mortars and rocket launchers are heavy 
  weapons. When a character fires a heavy weapon, 
  he must subtract 1 from his skill level with that type 
  of weapon. A character with no training for that 
  weapon has a -10 penalty. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A character has level 3 skill with gyrojet 
  weapons and no other weapon skills. He gets a +20 
  bonus when firing a grenade mortar or rocket 
  launcher, but has a -10 modifier when firing a heavy 
  laser, sonic devastator or recoilless rifle. 
   
  Ranged Weapon Hit Procedure 
  % 
  1 
  Basic Chance to hit equals one half of the 
  firing character’s Dexterity, rounded up.  
  This should already be figured on your 
  character sheet as your RW score. 
  ½ DEX 
  2 
  Skill adjustments.  Add 10% for each level 
  of skill the character has with that weapon. 
   
   
  Per skill level 
  +10 
  3 
  Range adjustments.  This can be reduced 
  by using a telescopic sight.  
   
   
  Point Blank 
  +0 
    
  Short 
  -10  
   
  Medium 
  -20 
    
  Long  
  -40 
   
  Extreme 
  -80 
  4 
  Movement adjustments (all movement 
  modifiers except “stationary” can be 
  applied to both the target and the 
  attacker): 
   
   
  Stationary (target only) 
  +10  
    
  Walking  
  +0 
   
  Running  
  -10  
    
  Dodging  
  -20 
   
  If the target is a running animal, use these 
  animal modifiers. 
   
   
  Medium 
  -10 
   
  Fast 
  -20 
   
  Very Fast 
  -30 
   
  If the target (not the attacker) is a moving 
  vehicle, subtract 10. 
   
   
  Target is moving vehicle 
  -10 
   
  If the attacker is riding in a vehicle, 
  subtract 10.  If the vehicle is moving faster 
  than 150 meters per turn, subtract 20. 
   
   
  Attacker in Slow Vehicle 
  -10 
   
  Attacker in Fast Vehicle 
  -20 
  5 
  Aiming. Add 15 if attacker is standing still 
  and aiming carefully. 
   
   
  Careful Aim 
  +15 
  6 
  Burst Fire. Add 20 if firing a burst 
   
   
  Firing a Burst of 10 bullets 
  +20 
  7 
  Cover. Subtract cover modifiers 
   
   
  Soft Cover 
  -10 
   
  Hard Cover 
  -20 
  8 
  Target Size. Apply target size modifier 
   
   
  Tiny 
  -10 
   
  Small 
  -5 
   
  Medium 
  +0 
   
  Large 
  +5 
   
  Giant 
  +10 
  9 
  Wounds. Subtract 10 if attacker’s 
  Stamina is reduced to half or less. 
   
   
  Attacker Wounded 
  -10 
  10 Prone. Subtract 5 if target is lying prone 
   
   
  Target prone 
  -5 
  11 Wrong Hand. Subtract 10 if using wrong 
  hand 
   
   
  Using wrong hand 
  -10 
  12 Two Weapons. Subtract 10 if attacker is 
  firing two weapons 
   
   
  Firing two weapons 
  -10 
  
   
  13 
   
   
  Range 
  If the attacker and his target are at different 
  heights, the range is found by comparing the 
  horizontal distance between them and the difference 
  between their heights. The shorter of these two 
  distances is divided by 2 and added to the other. 
  Their sum is the distance to the target. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A Star Law marksman on the ground is 
  trying to shoot a sniper that is on the roof of a 
  building. The marksman is 20 meters from the base 
  of the building, and the building is 50 meters tall. 
  The shorter distance is 20 meters, and half of that is 
  10 meters. The range to the target is 50 + 10 = 60 
  meters. 
   
  Telescopic 
  Sights. 
  Telescopic 
  sights, 
  called 
  "scopes," are small telescopes that magnify distant 
  targets, making them easier to aim at. Using a 
  scope lets the attacker use the range modifier for 
  the next closer range; for example, extreme range 
  becomes long range. Telescopic sights can not be 
  used at point blank or short range. A character 
  using a scope can fire only one shot per turn. 
   
  Careful Aim 
  A character can get a +15% bonus on his chance to 
  hit if he does not move during the turn and takes 
  only one shot. The character must steady his 
  weapon on some kind of solid surface. if he is shot 
  or hit in melee during the turn, the character loses 
  the bonus. This bonus does not apply to bursts or 
  thrown weapons. 
   
  Cover 
  A character has cover if more than half of his body 
  is hidden by a wall, a rock, a clump of bushes or 
  anything else that can protect him from enemy fire 
  or hide him from his opponent's sight. There are two 
  types of cover: hard and soft. Hard cover will stop 
  or deflect bullets and energy beams. Soft cover 
  hides the character from the enemy, but will not 
  stop enemy fire. Examples of hard and soft cover 
  are listed below. 
   
  COVER EXAMPLE TABLE 
  Hard Cover Examples 
  � Brick, stone or metal wall 
  � Metal vehicle 
  � Large tree trunk 
  � Hills, sand dunes, rocks 
  Soft Cover Examples 
  � Plastic curtain 
  � Darkness 
  � Smoke or fog 
  � Tall grass 
   
  Sometimes the referee must decide whether cover is 
  hard or soft. For example, a wooden wall that is 
  made of heavy logs is hard cover, but a wooden wall 
  made of thin planks is soft cover. 
   
  Darkness does not affect an attack if the attacker is 
  using an infrared or light amplification device. 
  Infrared devices allow the user to see through 
  smoke, haze and fog as well. 
   
  Bursts 
  Machineguns and automatic rifles and pistols can 
  fire a burst of 10 bullets in one shot. A burst can be 
  aimed at up to five adjacent characters in an area 
  up to 10 meters wide, or at just one character. Only 
  one die roll is needed to hit all the characters aimed 
  at. If the burst is aimed at one character it causes 
  5d10 points of damage. If it is aimed at more than 
  one character, it causes 5d10 points of damage plus 
  1d10 for each additional target. These points are 
  divided as evenly as possible among all the targets. 
  Any leftover points of damage are lost. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A character fires a burst from an 
  automatic rifle at a group of five pirates charging 
  toward him. All five are hit, so the player rolls 9d10 
  for damage. The result is 49 points of damage. 
  These are divided evenly among the pirates, 
  resulting in 9 points of damage to each. The extra 4 
  points are lost. 
   
  Target Size 
  Size modifiers apply mostly to animals, but the 
  referee can allow bonuses or penalties for other 
  targets if he wants. All of the character races are 
  medium sized. The animal size ratings are described 
  in detail in the section on Creating Creatures. 
   
  Prone Targets 
  A character who is lying on the ground is harder to 
  hit than someone who is standing up, so 5% is 
  subtracted from the chance to hit a prone character. 
  This combines with the soft cover modifier, but not 
  with the hard cover modifier. For example, anyone 
  shooting at a target that is lying prone in tall grass 
  has a -15 modifier to hit. Anyone shooting at a 
  target that is laying prone behind a heavy log has a 
  -20 modifier to hit. 
   
  Wounds And Anesthetics 
  If a character's Stamina has been reduced to one-
  half or less of his uninjured score, all of the 
  character's attacks have a -10% penalty and the 
  character can fire only one shot per turn. Anesthetic 
  drugs, which reduce pain, will cancel this modifier. 
  One dose of anesthetic lasts five hours. 
   
  Firing with the Wrong Hand 
  Every player-character race except the Vrusk have 
  "handedness"; either their right or left hand (or paw 
  or pseudopod) is stronger and more coordinated, 
  
   
  14 
   
   
  and is used more often. If a character shoots a 
  pistol with his weaker hand for any reason, the shot 
  has a -10% modifier. Vrusk are ambidextrous and 
  can use either hand with no penalty. 
   
  Firing Two Weapons 
  Characters can fire two pistols at once, but they 
  must take a -10% modifier on each shot. This is in 
  addition to the -10% modifier for shooting with the 
  wrong hand. These guns can be fired at different 
  targets, if the targets are adjacent to each other. 
   
  Note that regardless of the number of pseudopods a 
  Dralasite forms, he cannot fire more than two 
  weapons at one time.  Brains only multitask so well. 
   
  Rate Of Fire 
  Some weapons can be fired more than once during a 
  turn. (This is different from a burst, which is 
  considered one shot.) Characters must declare how 
  many shots they will fire at the start of the turn. The 
  attacker must roll to hit separately for each shot. 
   
  The most common weapons and their maximum 
  rates of fire are shown on the table below. Rates of 
  fire for all weapons are shown on the Weapon Table 
  in the Characters equipment section. 
   
  WEAPON RATE OF FIRE TABLE 
  Weapon Rate of Fire 
  (shots per turn) 
  Automatic Pistol 
  3 single shots or  
  1 burst 
  Automatic Rifle 
  3 single shots or  
  1 burst 
  Electrostunner 
  1 
  Gyrojet Pistol 
  3 
  Gyrojet Rifle 
  3 
  Laser Pistol 
  2 (1 if energy  
      setting changed) 
  Laser Rifle 
  2 (1 if energy  
      setting changed) 
  Needler Pistol 
  3 
  Needler Rifle 
  3 
  Sonic Disruptor 
  1 
  Sonic Stunner 
  1 
  Thrown Weapons 
   (grenades and knives) 
  1 
   
  Opportunity Shots 
  Characters can fire opportunity shots while their 
  opponents are moving, if the opponent moves 
  through the attacker's field of fire. (Anything in front 
  of a character is in his field of fire.) 
   
  A character can fire an opportunity shot at a running 
  or dodging target if the target moves at least 5 
  meters while in the attacker's sight. A character can 
  fire an opportunity shot at a walking target if the 
  target moves at least 2 meters while in the 
  attacker's sight. Characters can not fire opportunity 
  shots at targets that are not moving. 
   
  A character that declared he would fire two shots 
  during the turn can fire only one opportunity shot. A 
  character that declared he would fire three shots 
  during the turn can fire one or two opportunity 
  shots. A character that declared he would fire one 
  shot, and all characters with weapons that have a 
  rate of fire of 1, can not fire opportunity shots. 
   
  Area Fire.  
  Characters who are firing more than one shot during 
  the turn can aim at an area instead of an opponent. 
  This area can be no more than 5 meters wide. If an 
  opponent moves through the area, the aiming 
  character can fire opportunity shots at him. This 
  tactic is useful if opponents are hidden at the start 
  of the turn. 
   
  Automatic Hits 
  There are two kinds of automatic hits. The first is a 
  shot that can not miss. An example of this is a 
  character who holds a gun next to a canister of 
  compressed air and pulls the trigger; there is no 
  way the character can miss the canister. The referee 
  must use his common sense to decide when a shot 
  can not miss. 
   
  The second type of automatic hit happens when a 
  player rolls 01 through 05 on his roll to hit; a shot 
  always hits on these rolls, no matter what the 
  character's modified chance to hit is. 
   
  Referees should be careful to prevent their players 
  from abusing this rule, however. If automatic hits 
  are always allowed, it is no harder to shoot an insect 
  at extreme range than it is to shoot a Sathar at 
  extreme range. Some shots are just impossible to 
  make. The referee must use his common sense to 
  judge these situations. 
   
  Automatic Misses 
  Any shot will miss on a d100 roll of 96-00, no 
  matter what the character's chance to hit is. This 
  rule applies even to shots the referee has decided 
  can not miss; the player must roll the dice anyway, 
  and on a roll of 96-00 his weapon has malfunctioned 
  and failed to fire. 
   
  Shooting At Targets In Crowds 
  If a character fires a gun at someone who is 
  standing in a crowd, the target is treated as if it had 
  soft cover (-10 to hit). If the shot misses, there is a 
  25% chance it will hit someone else. The referee 
  decides who the shot hits. This rule also applies to 
  shots at targets that are in melee and attempts to 
  shoot past someone who is partially obscuring a 
  target. 
  
   
  15 
   
   
   
  Ammunition 
  Players must 
  keep 
  track 
  of their character's 
  ammunition. Weapons that require powerpacks can 
  be 
  operated 
  from 
  powerclips 
  or 
  from 
  power 
  beltpacks or backpacks. Beltpacks and powerpacks 
  can power other equipment besides weapons, 
  however, so players must keep accurate records on 
  their power supply. 
   
  Reloading 
  A character can reload a weapon with a fresh clip or 
  attach it to a different powerpack in one turn if he 
  does not run or dodge. A weapon can not be fired on 
  the turn it is reloaded. 
   
  Grenades 
  Grenades (and other thrown weapons) are treated 
  as ranged weapons when determining hits and 
  misses. A character's chance to hit his target with a 
  grenade equals one-half of his Dexterity score plus 
  10 x his Thrown Weapons skill level. The only other 
  ranged weapon modifiers that apply to thrown 
  weapons are range, movement, wrong hand and 
  wound modifiers. Other modifiers should be ignored.  
   
  Grenade Bounces. When a grenade misses its 
  target, it still goes off somewhere. The player should 
  roll 1d10 and check the Grenade Bounce Diagram to 
  see which direction the grenade rolls.  The distance 
  the grenade bounces depends on how far it was 
  thrown. The table below shows how far grenades 
  will bounce if they are thrown from different ranges: 
   
  GRENADE BOUNCE TABLES 
  Range 
  Bounce 
  Short 
  5 meters 
  Medium 
  10 meters 
  Long 
  15 meters 
  Extreme 
  20 meters 
   
   
  2,3 4 
  5 
   
  1 2,3 4 
   
  10 
  1 2,3 
  1 
  * 
  6 
   
  10 
  * 
  5 
   
  9 
  * 
  4 
  10 
  9 7,8 
   
  9 7,8 6 
   
  7,8 6 
  5 
   
   
  Direction of Throw 
  (* is intended target square) 
   
  Explosives 
  Characters can throw up to 500 grams of explosives 
  as though it was a grenade. Anyone inside the blast 
  radius takes full damage. Anyone within twice the 
  radius of the blast must pass a Reaction Speed 
  check or be stunned for one turn. More information 
  on explosives is given in the Skills section and 
  Equipment section. 
   
  Structural Damage 
  The amount of damage caused by ranged weapons 
  when they are used against doors, walls or other 
  structures is shown below. 
   
  STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TABLE 
   
  Weapon 
  Structural 
  Damage 
  Automatic rifle/pistol 
  5 points/shot 
  Gyrojet rifle/pistol 
  10 points/shot 
  Laser rifle/pistol 
  5 points/SEU 
  Needler rifle/pistol 
  no damage 
  Fragmentation grenade 
  15 points 
     (if placed instead of thrown) 
  30 points 
   
  The structural points of various doors, walls and 
  vehicles are shown on the table below. 
   
  STRUCTURAL DAMAGE CAPACITY 
  25+d10 
  50+2d10 
  100+d100 200+2d100 
  Heavy Door 
  Fortified Door 
  Safe 
  Vault 
  Interior Wall 
  Exterior Wall 
  Fortified Wall 
  Armored Wall 
  Sign Post 
  Light Vehicle 
  Heavy Vehicle Armored Vehicle 
   
  Doze Grenades 
  Very large creatures can not be knocked out with 
  only one doze grenade. The number of doze 
  grenades needed to knock out a creature is equal to 
  its current Stamina divided by 50, rounded down 
  (but never less than one). For example, an animal 
  with a Stamina of 120 could be knocked out with 
  two doze grenades. If its Stamina was reduced to 90 
  by wounds, it could be knocked out with one doze 
  grenade. 
   
  Grenade Effects 
  Grenades affect areas 6 meters in diameter. Every 
  living creature in the area is affected, but damage is 
  rolled separately for each. This means a grenade 
  can seriously injure one character and have very 
  little effect on others. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A fragmentation grenade explodes and 
  catches three characters in its blast radius. The 
  grenade causes 8d10 points of damage to each 
  character. The first rolls 40 points, the second rolls 
  63 points and the third rolls only 17 points. 
   
  Melee Combat 
  Fighting hand-to-hand or with non-ranged weapons 
  is called melee. Characters must be within 2 meters 
  of each other to engage in melee.   
   
  Archaic melee weapons such as swords, axes, and 
  knives are still used quite commonly throughout the 
  
   
  16 
   
   
  frontier, despite the more deadly weapons like 
  blasters.  Some societies even consider it a badge of 
  honor to be highly skilled in such a traditional form 
  of combat. 
   
  Basic Chance to Hit 
  Players can use either one-half of their Strength or 
  one-half of their Dexterity, whichever is higher, as 
  their basic chance to hit in melee. A player need not 
  use the same ability all the time. 
   
  MELEE HIT PROCEDURE TABLE 
   
  Melee Hit Procedure 
  % 
  1 
  Basic Chance to hit equals one half of the 
  character’s Dexterity or Strength 
  (whichever is greater), rounded up.  This 
  should already be figured on your 
  character sheet as your MW score. 
  ½ DEX 
     or 
  ½ STR 
  2 
  Skill.  Add 10% for each level of skill the 
  character has with his attack. 
   
   
  Per level of skill 
  +10 
  3 
  Weapon Modifier. If using a melee 
  weapon, add the weapon modifier from the 
  weapons table. 
   
   
  Weapon Modifier 
  varies 
  4 
  Helpless. If the defender isn’t able to 
  defend himself because he’s unaware of 
  the attacker or because he’s stunned, the 
  attacker gets a bonus of +20 to hit. 
   
   
  Attacking from behind 
  +20 
   
  Attacking a Stunned foe 
  +20 
  5 
  Battle Rage. If attacker is a Yazirian and 
  he is in his battle raging state, add +20. 
   
   
  Attacker Battle Raged 
  +20 
  6 
  Defender Encumbered. If the target is 
  currently carrying more than half his 
  carrying capacity, add 10. 
   
   
  Target Encumbered 
  +10 
  7 
  Encumbered. If the attacker is currently 
  carrying more than half his carrying 
  capacity, subtract 10. 
   
   
  Attacker Encumbered 
  -10 
  8 
  Wounds. If the attacker’s current Stamina 
  is reduced to half or less, subtract 10 due 
  to injuries. 
   
   
  Attacker Wounded 
  -10 
  9 
  Defending. Subtract 15 if the target is 
  actively defending himself instead of 
  attacking during this turn. 
   
   
  Target Defending 
  -15 
   
  Number Of Attacks 
  A character gets one bare-hand attack for each arm-
  leg pair he has. Humans, Vrusk, Yazirians and 
  Sathars always get to make two attacks. A Dralasite 
  can attack twice if it has four or five limbs, three 
  times if it has six or seven, etc. A character using a 
  weapon in melee gets only one attack per turn. 
   
   
   
  Damage 
  The amount of damage a character inflicts with his 
  bare hands (or claws or pseudopods) depends on 
  the character's Strength score. The Punching Table 
  shows the damage caused by characters with 
  different Strengths. This damage is constant. 
   
  Knockouts. As in ranged combat, any roll to hit of 
  01-02 knocks a character unconscious. In addition, 
  an opponent is knocked out if he was hit with a 
  blunt weapon (including bare hands) and the 
  number that was rolled ended with a 0. For 
  example, a character is attacking with a club. He 
  can hit his opponent with a roll of 35 or less. A roll 
  of 01-2, 10, 20 or 30 will knock the opponent 
  unconscious. A character that is knocked out will 
  stay unconscious for d100 turns. 
   
  Stunning. Characters can be stunned with sonic 
  stunners and electrostunners. A stunned character 
  can not attack, move or defend himself for as long 
  as he is stunned. Anyone who attacks him gets a 
  +20 modifier to hit. 
   
  Melee Weapons 
  Many different weapons can be used in melee. The 
  most common ones are described on the Melee 
  Weapons Table in the Characters equipment section. 
  The referee can use these as guides if characters 
  use other items as weapons. 
   
  The "Damage" column shows how many points of 
  damage the weapon causes. The attacker's normal 
  punching damage is added to the amount rolled. 
  However, characters using shock gloves, sonic 
  knives, sonic swords or stunsticks just roll damage, 
  and do not add their punching score. The numbers 
  under "Modifier" are added to or subtracted from the 
  attacker's chance to hit. 
   
  
   
  17 
   
   
  Special Actions 
  Besides simply hitting an opponent, characters can 
  try to pin him to the ground, take away his weapon 
  or defend themselves from an attack. 
   
  Wrestling. A character can try to grab an opponent 
  and pin him down by twisting his arm, throwing a 
  headlock, etc. Wrestling is resolved after movement 
  but before other attacks. The attacker can not use a 
  weapon when wrestling. If the attack succeeds, the 
  character can maintain his hold automatically each 
  turn, and automatically inflict points of damage 
  equal to his punching score each turn. A character 
  can release a hold whenever he wants. 
   
  The character who was pinned can not do anything 
  except try to break out of the hold. To do this he 
  must wrestle his opponent; a successful roll means 
  the character; has twisted free, but has not grabbed 
  his opponent. 
   
  A character or creature can only wrestle opponents 
  that are the same size or smaller than itself. 
   
  Only one wrestling attempt can be made per turn. 
   
  Hitting a Pinned Opponent. A character who is 
  being held can be hit by up to two other characters 
  automatically each turn. 
   
  Disarming. A character who tries to force his 
  opponent to drop a weapon must make a roll to hit 
  with a -20 modifier. If the attack succeeds, the 
  opponent drops the weapon but does not take any 
  damage. Either character can try to pick up the 
  weapon; doing so requires a d100 roll that is equal 
  to or less than the character's Dexterity score. 
   
  Defending 
  A character who does not attack can defend himself. 
  The player simply declares that he is defending 
  himself, and anyone trying to hit, grapple or disarm 
  him automatically has a -15 modifier on his chance 
  to hit. 
   
  Battle Rage 
  Yazirians have the special ability to work themselves 
  into a fighting fury, gaining a +20 modifier on their 
  chance to hit in melee. A Yazirian must roll a 
  number less than or equal to its battle rage score on 
  d100 to enter battle rage. A Yazirian can try to enter 
  battle rage once per combat. 
   
  Melee Skills 
  There are two skills that apply specifically to melee: 
  martial 
  arts 
  and 
  melee 
  weapons. 
  These 
  are 
  explained in detail in the section on SKILLS. 
   
   
   
  Number of Attackers 
  A character can be attacked by up to three 
  opponents at once, if the opponents are the same 
  size as the character. If the attackers are larger or 
  smaller than their opponents, the referee must 
  decide how many of them can attack at once. 
   
  Guns & Melee 
  A character who is involved in melee can shoot a 
  pistol at an opponent that is in melee with him, but 
  can not shoot at anyone that is not involved in the 
  melee. Rifles also can be fired in melee, but there is 
  a -30 modifier to hit. 
   
  WEIGHTLESS COMBAT 
  Whenever a character in freefall attacks with a 
  ranged weapon or in melee, he must make a 
  Reaction Speed check. If he fails the check, the 
  character has lost his balance and is spinning out of 
  control. A spinning character can do nothing until he 
  regains control. 
   
  To regain control, the character must pass a 
  Reaction Speed check. The character can make a 
  check at the end of every turn, starting the turn 
  after he loses control. If he passes the check, he has 
  regained control and can move and attack on the 
  next turn. 
   
  Characters who are wearing magnetic or Velcro-
  soled boots and characters who are firing beam 
  weapons never lose control. 
   
  Fighting Animals 
  Combat with animals usually will start with ranged 
  combat. If an animal has a special ability that lets it 
  attack from a distance, it follows normal ranged 
  combat rules. If the animal is still alive when it 
  reaches melee distance, the normal melee rules are 
  used. All animals are given an attack number, which 
  is their basic chance to hit in melee or ranged 
  combat. 
   
  Fighting Robots 
  A robot's basic chance to hit is 30% plus 10 x the 
  robot's level. This number is used in both ranged 
  combat and melee. A robot's Initiative modifier is its 
  level plus three. Other modifiers apply as usual. 
   
  Remote weapon systems usually are controlled by 
  computers using Robot Management programs. 
  
   
  18 
   
   
  They have a basic chance to hit of 30%, plus 10 x 
  the program's level. Their Initiative modifier is their 
  level plus three. 
   
  More details on robots in combat is given under 
  EQUIPMENT: Robots. 
   
  Damage 
  Whenever a character is hit in ranged combat or 
  melee, the character suffers damage. The amount of 
  damage caused depends on the type of attack. The 
  Ranged Weapons and Melee 
   
  Weapons tables show how much damage each 
  weapon causes.  It can be found in the equipment 
  area of the Characters section. 
   
  Damage reduces a character's Stamina. If a 
  character's Stamina score is reduced to zero or 
  below, the character is dead. Defensive suits and 
  screens can protect characters from injuries, and a 
  freeze field or staydose injection will preserve a 
  dead character's body so it can be revived at a 
  medical complex. 
   
  Shock and Unconsciousness 
  Whenever the roll to hit in combat is 01-02, the 
  target is immediately knocked unconscious for d100 
  turns. Stimdose can awaken the character sooner. 
   
  Variable Power Settings 
  Laser pistols, laser rifles and heavy lasers can be 
  adjusted to fire shots that cause from 1 to 200 
  points of damage. Players can change the setting at 
  the beginning of every turn. More information on 
  variable 
  power 
  settings 
  is 
  included 
  in 
  the 
  descriptions of laser weapons in the Equipment 
  section. 
   
  Burns 
  Acids, fire and extreme heat cause burns, which are 
  very painful. If a character suffers damage from 
  burns that is more than half his Stamina score, the 
  character is completely incapacitated and unable to 
  do anything until treated at a hospital. Wounds 
  caused by lasers are not burns. 
   
  Avoidance Rolls 
  Characters can avoid or reduce the effects of some 
  weapons by leaping or twisting away from the 
  attack, or by resisting its effects. When a character 
  is attacked with one of the weapons listed below he 
  gets to make an avoidance roll on d100. If the result 
  is equal to 0; less than the indicated ability score, 
  the character has avoided or resisted the attack. 
   
   
  AVOIDANCE ROLL TABLE 
   
  Weapon 
  Avoidance 
  Roll 
   
  Result 
  Electrostunner 
  current STA  
  no effect 
  Sonic stunner 
  current STA 
  no effect 
  Stunstick 
  current STA 
  no effect 
  Anesthetic needles 
  current STA 
  no effect 
  Doze grenade 
  current STA 
  no effect 
  Tangler grenade 
  RS  
  no effect 
  Fragmentation grenade RS  
  ½ damage 
  Incendiary grenade 
  RS  
  ½ damage 
   
  A character who passes an avoidance check against 
  a fragmentation, incendiary or tangier grenade must 
  move 3 meters to get out of the blast area. If the 
  character has nowhere to move to, he can not try to 
  avoid the blast. A character can try to avoid only 
  one grenade per turn. 
   
  Defenses 
  Two types of defensive armor are available in STAR 
  FRONTIERS games: suits and power screens. Only 
  one suit and one screen can be worn at the same 
  time. Each suit or screen protects the wearer from 
  one type of weapon. The effects of these suits and 
  screens are summarized below. (They are described 
  in more detail in the Equipment section.) 
   
  Albedo Suit. An albedo suit can absorb up to 100 
  points of laser damage. When it is hit by a laser, the 
  damage is subtracted from the suit's total of 100 
  points. The suit is destroyed and does not protect 
  the wearer after it has absorbed 100 points of 
  damage. 
   
  Albedo Screen. Like an albedo suit, the screen 
  absorbs laser beams. Absorbing a laser beam uses a 
  number of SEU equal to 1/5 the number of damage 
  points caused by the beam, rounded up. For 
  example, absorbing a beam that caused 11 damage 
  points would use 3 SEU. 
   
  Skeinsuit. 
  Skeinsuits 
  absorb 
  one-half 
  of 
  the 
  damage caused by projectile and gyrojet weapons, 
  fragmentation grenades; explosives and melee 
  weapons. The suit is destroyed when it has 
  absorbed 50 points of damage. 
   
  Inertia Screen. Inertia screens do the same thing 
  skein-suits do. The screen uses 2 SEU every time it 
  is hit. 
   
  Gauss Screen. A gauss screen absorbs all the 
  damage caused by electrostunners, shock gloves, 
  stunsticks and other electrical attacks. It uses 2 SEU 
  every time it is hit. 
   
  Sonic Screen. Sonic screens act as sound barriers, 
  absorbing all sound that hits the screen. They 
  
   
  19 
   
   
  absorb 
  all 
  damage 
  from 
  sonic 
  stunners 
  and 
  disruptors. Absorbing a hit uses 2 SEU, and the 
  screen itself uses 1 SEU every minute it is on. 
   
   
   
  Healing 
  Natural.  Wounds heal naturally at a rate of 1 point 
  for every 20 hours the wounded character spends 
  resting. 
  Resting 
  means 
  doing 
  nothing 
  more 
  strenuous than taking short walks. A hospital can 
  heal up to 20 Stamina points per day, at a cost of 1 
  Credit per Stamina point healed, plus 50 Cr per day. 
   
  Biocort. Biocortizone is a healing drug. An injection 
  of biocort heals 10 points of damage immediately, 
  when it is given by a medic. (Biocort has no effect if 
  given by a non-medic.) Only one dose of biocort can 
  be given in a 20-hour period; additional doses have 
  no effect unless given during surgery. 
   
  Field Surgery. A medic can perform minor or major 
  surgery on a wounded character to heal more than 
  10 points of damage. Surgery is described in detail 
  under SKILLS: Medical. 
   
  Stimdose. Stimdose is a stimulant. If given by a 
  medic to an unconscious character, the character 
  will wake up immediately. A stimdose will restore 10 
  Stamina points if the points were lost to poison, 
  disease or infection. These 10 points are restored 
  even if the character is unconscious. If the 
  character's Stamina has been reduced to -10 or 
  less, however, the stimdose will not save him, 
  because only one dose can be given effectively in a, 
  20-hour period. The stimdose will not restore 
  Stamina points unless the poison, disease or 
  infection has been neutralized or cured with the 
  proper drug, or has worn off. 
   
  Life-Saving Drugs and Equipment 
  A character whose Stamina has been reduced to 0 
  or less is dead, but he can be revived if his Stamina 
  has not gone below -30. The body can be preserved 
  with drugs or a freeze field, and revived at a 
  hospital. 
   
  Staydose. An injection of staydose will bring a deed 
  character back to life, but will slowdown the body's 
  functions so it can survive with fewer Stamina 
  points. Staydose must be given within one minute 
  (10 turns) of death or it will not work. A staydose 
  injection will keep a character alive for 20 hours. 
  After 20 hours, the body can not be revived and 
  further injections will have no effect. Only a medic 
  can administer staydose effectively. 
   
  Freeze Field. A freeze field is a device that places a 
  body in stasis, a sort of suspended animation. The 
  device is fastened directly to the body. Only medics 
  are trained to activate freeze fields correctly. 
   
  A freeze field must be activated within two minutes 
  of death, or the body can not be revived.  
   
  Activating the field takes five turns. Each freeze field 
  device contains enough power to operate for 200 
  hours. If the power runs out, the body can not be 
  revived.  Freeze fields can be removed safely only at 
  hospitals. A hospital charges 200 Credits to remove 
  the field. The character then must pay normal costs 
  to be healed. 
   
  Biocort. Biocort can be used to bring a character's 
  Stamina score back above O if his score was not 
  reduced below -9. 
   
  Field Surgery. Field surgery can save a character 
  whose Stamina was not reduced below -30 if a 
  staydose was used to preserve the character; 
  surgery will not help a dead character. 
   
  Vehicles 
  In the equipment area of the Characters section, 
  there are statistics for several classifications of 
  vehicle (air, ground, hover, etc.)  When operating 
  these vehicles, certain rules apply. 
   
  GROUND VEHICLE MOVEMENT 
   
  Speeds 
  Vehicle speeds are given in meters per turn 
  (meters/turn). To find out how many map spaces a 
  vehicle moves in one turn, divide its speed in 
  meters/turn by the size of a square on the game 
  map. For example, a skimmer traveling at 50 
  meters/turn on a map with 5-meter squares will 
  move 10 squares per turn.  
   
  Conversions from meters/turn to kilometers/hour 
  and miles/hour are shown on the Vehicle Movement 
  Table. 
   
   
  
   
  20 
   
   
  SPEED CONVERSION TABLE 
  Meters/turn 
  KPH 
  MPH 
  5 
  3 
  2 
  10 
  6 
  4 
  20 
  12 
  8 
  30 
  18 
  11 
  40 
  24 
  15 
  50 
  30 
  19 
  60 
  36 
  23 
  70 
  42 
  26 
  80 
  48 
  30 
  90 
  54 
  34 
  100 
  60 
  38 
  125 
  75 
  47 
  150 
  90 
  56 
  175 
  105 
  66 
  200 
  120 
  75 
  250 
  150 
  94 
  300 
  180 
  112 
  350 
  210 
  131 
   
  Acceleration 
  A driver can increase the speed of his vehicle at the 
  start of every game turn. To do this, the player 
  decides how much faster he wants to move, and 
  adds this number of meters/turn to his current 
  speed. There is a limit to how much a vehicle's 
  speed can be increased in one turn. 
   
  This limit is the vehicle's acceleration rate. The 
  Vehicle Data Table shows acceleration rates for all 
  the ground vehicles in meters/turn. 
   
  EXAMPLE: During its last move, a skimmer traveled 
  40 
  meters/turn. 
  Its 
  acceleration 
  rate 
  is 
  80 
  meters/turn. At the beginning of its next move, the 
  driver of the skimmer can increase its speed to 120 
  meters/turn (40 + 80 =120). 
   
  Deceleration 
  A driver can slow down his vehicle at the start of 
  each game turn. To do this, he subtracts the 
  amount he is decelerating from his current speed; 
  the result is his speed for this turn. If the result is 0, 
  the vehicle has stopped and it does not move this 
  turn. The amount a vehicle can slow down in one 
  turn is limited by its deceleration rate. Deceleration 
  rates for ground vehicles are shown on the Vehicle 
  Data Table. 
   
  Emergency Stopping 
  A vehicle can come to a complete stop from any 
  speed in one turn by making an emergency stop. 
  The vehicle moves one-half of its starting speed. At 
  the end of the turn its speed is 0. The driver must 
  make a Reaction Speed check to keep the vehicle 
  under control. If he fails the check, he loses control; 
  see Crashes, below. 
   
  Maximum Speed 
  No matter what its acceleration is, a vehicle can not 
  move faster than its maximum speed. Maximum 
  speeds are listed on the Vehicle Data Table. 
   
  Backing Up 
  A vehicle can drive backward at up to 50 
  meters/turn. A vehicle that is moving forward must 
  come to a complete stop before moving in reverse. 
  A vehicle's acceleration rate in reverse is one-half its 
  normal acceleration. 
   
  Turn Speed 
  The Vehicle Data Table shows turn speeds for the 
  ground vehicles. A vehicle can turn 45 degrees to 
  the right or left in every 5-meter square it enters if 
  its speed in meters/turn is equal to or less than its 
  turn speed. If the vehicle is traveling faster than its 
  turn speed, it must move straight at least 10 meters 
  after making a 45 degree turn before it can turn 
  again. This information is summarized on the table 
  below. See the diagram for examples. 
   
  TURN SPEED TABLE 
  Vehicle  
  Traveling 
  Distance  
  Between Turns 
  at Turn Speed or less 
  5 meters 
  Greater than Turn Speed 10 meters 
   
  Straight movement from the previous turn can be 
  counted toward these requirements.  A driver can 
  turn a vehicle more sharply than indicated above, 
  but risks losing control or crashing; see Short 
  Corners. 
   
   
   
  Special Maneuvers 
  Besides 
  driving 
  straight 
  and 
  turning 
  corners, 
  vehicles, can perform special maneuvers. These 
  include slips, pivots, skid turns, bumps and stunts. 
   
  Slipping. Slipping is similar to "changing lanes"; it 
  allows a vehicle to swerve to the right or left without 
  changing its direction of travel. Any type of vehicle 
  can slip. A slipping vehicle moves 10 meters ahead 
  and 5 meters to either side. This counts as only 10 
  meters of movement. A vehicle can not turn while 
  slipping. A vehicle can slip once for every 10 meters 
  it moves. 
  
   
  21 
   
   
   
   
   
  Pivot. A pivot is a turn of up to 360 degrees 
  performed in one spot. Only hover vehicles and 
  Explorers can pivot. A vehicle must be stationary at 
  the beginning of the turn to pivot. The pivoting 
  vehicle stays in the same square, and the driver can 
  rotate it so it points in any direction. 
   
  Skid Turns. A skid turn is done by slamming on the 
  brakes while turning so the vehicle skids around 180 
  degrees. Only ground cars ground cycles and 
  Explorers can perform skid turns. The vehicle must 
  be traveling from 60 to 80 meters/turn. It actually 
  will move only 20 meters during the turn, and have 
  a speed of 0 at the start of the next turn. 
   
   
   
  The driver of the vehicle rolls percentile dice. If the 
  result is less than or equal to his Reaction Speed, 
  the driver performs the skid turn safely. If the result 
  is higher than the driver's Reaction Speed, the 
  vehicle will point in a random direction when it stops 
  skidding. When this happens, move the vehicle as if 
  it had skidded successfully. Now roll 1d10 and turn 
  the vehicle 45 degrees clockwise a number of times 
  equal to the number rolled. 
   
  Bumping. A driver can try to make another vehicle 
  crash by bumping it. In order to bump, the driver or 
  his team must have initiative for the turn. The driver 
  must slip directly in front of the other vehicle. Both 
  drivers then make Reaction Speed checks. The 
  driver who performed the slip makes a normal 
  check, but the driver whose vehicle was bumped has 
  a modifier of - 15. If either driver fails the check, he 
  loses control of his vehicle (see Crashes). 
   
   
   
  Stunts. Drivers can perform other stunts, such as 
  jumping their vehicles over bridges, at the referee's 
  discretion. Things to consider when setting up a 
  stunt are the type of vehicle being used, the amount 
  of open space the vehicle has to work with, and the 
  vehicle's condition and cargo. 
   
  Short Corners. A driver can try to turn his vehicle 
  tighter than its speed allows, but risks losing control 
  of the vehicle and crashing. A driver shortens a 
  corner if he tries to turn 5 meters before he should. 
  For example, a ground cycle has a turning speed of 
  100 meters/turn. If the cycle is traveling 150 
  meters/turn, it must travel straight 10 meters after 
  making a turn before it can turn again. If the driver 
  tries to make the second 45 degree turn after 
  traveling straight only 5 meters, he is shortening the 
  corner by 5 meters. 
   
  Whenever a driver shortens a corner, the player 
  must roll d100. If the result is less than or equal to 
  the driver's Reaction Speed, the driver makes the 
  turn safely. If the result is higher than the driver's 
  Reaction Speed, the driver loses control during the 
  turn (see Crashes). 
   
  Crashes 
  Sometimes the drivers of these vehicles loses 
  control or is forced into crashing.  These rules cover 
  such events. 
   
  Losing Control 
  When a driver loses control of his vehicle, the player 
  must roll d100 and check the Control Table to see 
  what happens to his vehicle. The die roll is modified 
  by adding the vehicle's speed in meters/turn to the 
  result. 
   
  VEHICLE CONTROL TABLE 
  Roll 
  Loss of Vehicle Control Result 
  02-79 
  Reduce Speed 20 meters/turn 
  80-139 
  Reduce Speed 50 meters/turn 
  140-199 Skid 
  200-259 Spin 
  260-349 Roll 
  350-450 Roll and Burn 
  
   
  22 
   
   
   
  Explanation of Results 
  REDUCE SPEED. The vehicle immediately reduces 
  its speed by the indicated amount. If this is more 
  than half of the vehicle's current speed, the vehicle 
  slows down to one-half its current speed. The 
  vehicle finishes the move at this new speed. 
   
  SKID. The vehicle is skidding out of control. Divide 
  its speed in meters per turn by 10, rounding 
  fractions up. Move the vehicle this number of meters 
  in the direction it was moving before it went out of 
  control. If the vehicle skids into a building or other 
  obstacle, treat it as a collision (see Collisions). 
  Otherwise, the vehicle continues moving from its 
  new position. 
   
  SPIN. The vehicle is skidding out of control and 
  spinning. Divide its remaining movement by two. 
  Move it that many meters in the direction it was 
  traveling before it started skidding. Now roll 1d10 
  and turn the vehicle 45 degrees clockwise a number 
  of times equal to the number on the die. On the 
  next turn the vehicle will skid to a stop. Move it one-
  half of its speed in the direction it was traveling 
  before it went out of control and roll 1d10 again to 
  determine how much it spins. 
   
  ROLL. The vehicle is rolling out of control. Treat this 
  the same as a spin, but do not roll 1d10 to 
  determine 
  the 
  vehicle's 
  facing. 
  Instead, 
  each 
  passenger in the vehicle suffers 1 d10 points of 
  damage. When the vehicle stops rolling, roll 1d10; if 
  the result is 1, 2 or 3, the vehicle is right-side-up. 
  Otherwise it is on its side or top. The vehicle will run 
  again in 1d10 turns if it was traveling at its turn 
  speed or less. 
   
  ROLL AND BURN. This is the same as a roll, but 
  the vehicle is burning also. Each passenger suffers 
  an additional 1d10 damage from the fire at the start 
  of each turn he is in the vehicle. A character can get 
  out of the vehicle in one turn if it has stopped 
  rolling. If a character tries to get out of the vehicle 
  while it is rolling, he must make a Reaction Speed 
  check. If he passes the check, he has escaped from 
  the vehicle. If he fails the check, he has not gotten 
  away from the vehicle and he suffers an additional 
  1d10 damage immediately. 
   
  Collisions 
  If a moving vehicle hits a building, rock, other 
  vehicle or obstacle of any type, it has had a 
  collision. The vehicle stops moving immediately.  
   
  Damage to Vehicles. If the vehicle was traveling 
  faster than its turn speed, it will not run again 
  without extensive repairs. If the vehicle was 
  traveling at its turn speed or slower, it can be driven 
  again after 1 d10 turns. However, its acceleration 
  and turn speed are reduced by 20 meters/turn. 
   
  Injury to Passengers. When a vehicle crashes, 
  divide its speed in meters/turn by 20, rounding 
  fractions down. The result is the number of d10 that 
  are rolled to determine how many points of damage 
  each character takes. Add 2 points to each die result 
  if the character was riding a ground or hover cycle, 
  and subtract 2 from each die if the character was 
  riding in an Explorer (no die roll can be modified 
  below 0). This information is summarized on the 
  table below. 
   
  VEHICLE COLLISION TABLE 
  Collision Details 
  Damage 
  Per 20 meters/turn of vehicle's speed 1d10 
  Riding on ground cycle or hover cycle +2/d10 
  Riding in Explorer 
  -2/d10 
   
  ARMOR. Skeinsuits and inertia screens will absorb 
  half of the damage a character suffers in a crash. 
   
  Crashing Through Obstacles. If characters try to 
  drive through a barricade or obstacle, the referee 
  must use his discretion to decide how badly the 
  vehicle is damaged, whether it keeps running, and 
  whether the passengers are hurt. A vehicle may be 
  able to smash through obstacles that are less solid 
  than concrete posts or parked vehicles. 
   
  VEHICLE COMBAT 
  This combat section covers only personal weapons 
  fired from or at vehicles. Vehicle-mounted weapons 
  are not covered in this set of rules. 
   
  Firing From Vehicles 
  A character who fires a weapon from a moving 
  vehicle has a -10 modifier to hit. If the vehicle is 
  moving faster than 150 meters/turn, the modifier is 
  -20. 
   
  Shooting At Passengers 
  A character can shoot at a passenger inside a 
  vehicle. There is a -20 modifier because the 
  passenger has hard cover, and a -10 modifier if the 
  vehicle is moving. Needlers can injure passengers 
  only if the vehicle's windows or top are open. 
   
  Firing At Vehicles 
  If a character fires a weapon at a moving vehicle, he 
  has a -10 modifier to hit. This modifier does not 
  apply if the vehicle is moving directly toward or 
  directly away from the firing character. Needlers and 
  gas grenades have no effect on vehicles. 
   
  Damaging Vehicles.  
  Whenever a vehicle is hit by gunfire, an exploding 
  grenade or a thrown explosive, the attacking 
  
   
  23 
   
   
  character must roll 2d10 on the Vehicle Damage 
  Table. The number of dice of damage caused by the 
  attack is added to the result. This number is 
  modified by the type of vehicle. A separate roll is 
  made for each successful attack. 
   
  VEHICLE DAMAGE TABLE 
  # Dice  
  Damage + 
  2d10 Roll 
   
   
  Damage to Vehicles 
  2-19 
  No effect 
  20 
  Turn Speed -15 
  21 
  Acceleration -20 
  22 
  Top Speed -30 
  23 
  Steering Jammed Straight 
  24 
  Steering Jammed Left 
  25 
  Steering Jammed Right 
  26 
  Speed -20 per Turn 
  27 
  Spin 
  28 
  Vehicle Burning 
  29 
  Roll 
  30+ 
  Roll and Burn 
   
  Modifiers 
   
  Target is ground or hover cycle 
  +2 
  Target is Explorer 
  -2 
   
  Explanation of Results 
  TURN 
  SPEED 
  -15/ACCELERATION 
  -20/TOP 
  SPEED -30. The vehicle's turn speed, acceleration 
  or top speed is reduced by the indicated number of 
  meters/turn. 
   
  STEERING 
  JAMMED 
  STRAIGHT/LEFT/RIGHT. 
  The vehicle's steering mechanism has been jammed. 
  If straight, the vehicle can not turn. If right or left, 
  the vehicle must turn 45 degrees in the indicated 
  direction after each 20 meters of travel. For 
  example, a skimmer traveling at 80 meters/turn 
  with its controls jammed in a right turn must turn 
  45 degrees to the right after/raveling 20, 40, 60and 
  80 meters during its next move. The skimmer can 
  decelerate or accelerate, but can not change its 
  direction. 
   
  SPEED -20/TURN. The vehicle must reduce its 
  speed at least 20 meters/turn until it is stopped. It 
  can decelerate more than this if the driver wants, 
  but it can not accelerate. SPIN. See Control Table 
  results. 
   
  VEHICLE BURNING. The vehicle has caught fire. 
  Each passenger will suffer 1d10 points of damage at 
  the start of every turn they are in the vehicle. 
   
  ROLL. See Control Table results. 
   
  ROLL AND BURN. See Control Table results. 
   
  Example: BliCluet the Dralasite is shooting its laser 
  pistol at a street punk that has just stolen BliCluet's 
  hover cycle. Its Dexterity is modified by -10 because 
  the target is a moving vehicle, and by -20 because 
  the cycle is at medium range. BliCluet has a 
  modified Dexterity of 15 for this shot. One of its two 
  shots hits the cycle. BliCluet had the laser set for 
  7d1O damage. The player rolls 2d10 and gets a 16. 
  Adding 7 for the damage and 2 because the target 
  was a cycle gives a modified result of 25; the cycle's 
  steering is jammed to the right. 
   
   
   
  FLYING MOVEMENT 
  Characters can fly using glijets, jetcopters and 
  aircars. The movement rules for these vehicles are 
  different than those for ground vehicles.  
   
  Glijets 
  A glijet is a combination rocket pack and hang-
  glider. The rocket pack is used to get the wearer up 
  into the air. The chemical fuel tank holds enough 
  fuel to burn for 20 turns (two minutes). A character 
  can climb 50 meters straight up every turn he burns 
  fuel. The rocket can be turned off at any time. When 
  it is shut off, the wearer can open the collapsible 
  wings and glide. The rocket usually is shut off when 
  gliding, but it can be left on to increase speed. 
   
  Speed and Distance. If there is no wind, the 
  wearer can glide 5 meters horizontally for each 
  meter he drops vertically. A gliding character drops 
  10 meters/turn, with or without using the rocket. If 
  the rocket is used in level flight, the speed increases 
  to 100 kph. Characters can travel much farther and 
  stay aloft much longer if there is wind or if they are 
  riding on rising air currents. This is subject to the 
  
   
  24 
   
   
  referee's discretion, but favorable winds and air 
  currents ca n multiply the distance traveled and the 
  time spent aloft by as much as 10. 
   
  Landing. A character that does not use the rocket 
  to land must pass a Dexterity check in order to land 
  on target. If he fails the check, he misses his target 
  square by 2d10 meters in a random direction. 
   
  Tactical Movement. A character that is gliding with 
  the rocket off can make one 45 degree turn per 
  game turn. Using the rocket allows the character to 
  turn up to three times at any point in his move. 
   
   
   
  Jetcopters and Aircars 
  Tactical Movement. Jetcopters and aircars can 
  make up to six 45 degree turns in one game turn. 
  These turns can be made at any point in the 
  vehicle's 
  move. 
  Aircars 
  and 
  jetcopters 
  can 
  accelerate or decelerate up to 100 meters/turn each 
  turn. If they are stopped, these vehicles can hover 
  in place and turn to face any direction. They can 
  increase 
  or 
  decrease 
  their 
  altitude 
  by 
  20 
  meters/turn. 
   
  When scouting, jetcopters and aircars fly at or 
  above the level of the treetops, 50 to 100 meters 
  above the ground. To stay out of sight they can fly 
  very close to the ground, following the contours of 
  the hills and valleys. This is called Nap of the Earth 
  (NOE) flying. NOE flying limits a jetcopter to its 
  cruising speed and an aircar to 100 kph (175 
  meters/turn). 
   
  Aerial Combat 
  The following modifiers should be used when flying 
  vehicles are involved in combat.  
   
  AERIAL COMBAT MODIFIERS TABLE 
  Aerial Combat Modifiers 
   
  Attacker is using glijet or riding in moving 
  jetcopter or aircar 
  -20  
  Attacker is riding in jetcopter or aircar that is 
  hovering 
  -10  
  Target is using glijet or riding in moving 
  aircar or jetcopter  
  -10  
  Target is hovering jetcopter or aircar  
  0 
   
  Other modifiers are used when they apply. Jetcopter 
  passengers can not shoot unless the side doors are 
  open. Aircar passengers can not shoot unless the 
  canopy is open. This exposes the passengers and 
  the pilot to fire, and reduces the aircar's speed to 80 
  meters/turn. 
   
  Damaging Glijets. The only way to shoot down a 
  glijet is to knockout or kill the user. Shooting at the 
  wings has no effect. 
   
  Damaging Jetcopters and Aircars. When a shot 
  hits a jetcopter or aircar, the attacker rolls 2d10 and 
  adds the number of dice of damage caused by the 
  attack. This number is found on the Flying Vehicle 
  Damage table. 
   
  AERIAL VEHICLE DAMAGE TABLE 
  # Dice  
  Damage + 
  2d10 Roll 
   
   
  Effect 
  2-20 
  No effect 
  21-24 
  Acceleration -30 
  25-28 
  Turns -2 
  29-31 
  Forced Landing 
  32-34 
  Loss of Control 
  35+ 
  Vehicle Burning 
   
  Explanation of Results 
  ACCELERATION -30. The vehicle's engines were 
  damaged, 
  reducing 
  its 
  acceleration 
  by 
  30 
  meters/turn. 
   
  TURNS -2. The vehicle's control and steering 
  equipment was damaged, reducing the number of 
  turns it can make per game turn by two. 
   
  FORCED LANDING. The vehicle's fuel tank or 
  parabattery was hit, leaving it with enough fuel to 
  fly for 10 more minutes (100 turns). If the vehicle 
  does not land within 10 minutes, it will crash. 
   
  LOSS OF CONTROL. The cockpit was damaged by 
  the attack. The pilot must pass a Reaction Speed 
  
   
  25 
   
   
  check to keep the vehicle under control. If he fails 
  the check, the vehicle immediately loses d100 
  meters of altitude. If the vehicle loses more altitude 
  than it had, it crashes. 
   
  VEHICLE BURNING. The vehicle is out of control 
  and burning. It will crash in two turns.  Characters 
  can 
  jump 
  from 
  the 
  vehicle 
  (see 
  Movement: 
  Jumping) or use a parawing. A parawing is a small, 
  emergency glider, similar to a glijet with no rocket. 
  A parawing will not work if the character was less 
  than 10 meters above the ground when he jumped. 
   
  Crashing 
  Passengers in a vehicle that crashes suffer 1d10 
  points of damage for every 10 meters the vehicle 
  fell, plus 1d10 points of damage for every 20 
  meters/turn it was traveling. This damage is 
  doubled if the character is not strapped into a seat. 
  When dividing the vehicle's altitude by 10 and speed 
  by 20, round fractions down. If the vehicle is 
  burning, the character suffers an additional 1d10 
  points of damage at the start of every turn he is in 
  the vehicle. The crashed vehicle will not fly again 
  without extensive repairs. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A jetcopter is traveling 75 meters above 
  the ground at 30 meters/turn when an attack 
  damages the cockpit. The pilot fails his Reaction 
  Speed check, so the copter drops d100 meters. The 
  die roll is 83, meaning the vehicle drops 83 meters. 
  This is more than its altitude, so it crashes. One 
  passenger jumps using his parawing, but the pilot 
  does not have one. When the copter hits the ground 
  he suffers 7d10 damage because it fell 75 meters 
  and another 1d10 because it was traveling 30 
  meters/turn. 
   
  OTHER VEHICLES 
  Many other means of transportation besides those 
  described above are available in STAR FRONTIERS 
  games. The systems and vehicles listed below will 
  not be used in combat very often, but players may 
  find ways to work them into their adventures. 
   
  Public Transportation 
  Monorails are the most common mass transit 
  systems on Frontier worlds. Monorail cars can hold 
  up to six passengers and travel at 70 to 100 
  meters/turn. Monorail passengers usually pay 1 CR 
  per 
  day 
  for 
  an 
  unlimited 
  number 
  of 
  rides. 
  Occasionally, monorails are built underground and 
  called subways.  
   
  Cabs of many types are common. Ground cars, 
  skimmers and even cycles are used as cabs. Some 
  are operated by drivers while others are piloted by 
  robots or computers. A typical price is 2 Cr for the 
  first km traveled and 1 Cr for each km after that. 
   
  Moving Walkways, also called people-movers or 
  sliders, are sidewalks that are built like conveyor 
  belts. A person simply steps onto the slider and it 
  carries him, her or it along at 10 meters/turn. Using 
  a slider does not cost anything. 
   
  Flyers 
  Super-Sonic Transports, or SSTs, are large jet-
  powered aircraft capable of flying at very high 
  altitudes at several times the speed of sound (sound 
  travels 1,988 meters/turn). They are used as luxury 
  passenger planes flying between large cities, as 
  large 
  cargo 
  haulers 
  supplying 
  cities 
  under 
  construction, etc. 
   
  Orbital shuttles, often called orbiters, are a cross 
  between an airplane and a space ship. They are 
  powerful enough to fly into orbit around a planet, 
  and sturdy enough to re-enter the atmosphere and 
  land on the surface. They are commonly used to 
  carry supplies and passengers to orbiting space 
  stations and spaceports. An orbiter can reach an 
  orbiting space station in one to two hours. 
   
  Water Vehicles 
  Ships of many varieties are found throughout the 
  Frontier. Players can find anything from three-mast 
  sailing ships to luxury liners and supertankers. 
  Hovercraft are used commonly in areas where the 
  sea is relatively calm. Skimmers can be used over 
  water if the waves are not more than 40 cm high. 
   
  Submarines are used on worlds where the seas are 
  very rough, covered with ice or otherwise unsuited 
  to 
  surface 
  travel. 
  They 
  are 
  common 
  around 
  underwater cities and sea-bottom mines. 
   
   
   
  Animals 
  Riding Animals and beasts of burden are used on 
  many planets where the local technology is not 
  advanced enough to build other vehicles. They also 
  are used to get into areas that are too rough for 
  ground vehicles, or where their natural abilities to 
  sense water or danger are needed more than a 
  vehicle's speed and reliability. 
  
   
  26 
   
   
   
   
  Human Brick House 
  STR/STA 75/65 
  DEX/RS 
  50/50 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 40/50 
  PS 
  +4 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 25 
  Melee 
  38 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Beam Weapons 1, Environmentalist 1 
  Equipment:  
  Envirokit, Standard Equipment Pack, Brass 
  Knuckles, Shock Gloves, Stun Stick, 8 Cr. 
   
  
   
  27 
   
   
   
   
   
  Section 2 
   
  
   
  28 
   
   
  Character 
  Generation 
  Your character is your alter-ego, and like a 
  character in a play, novel, or action adventure 
  movie.  He will have strengths and weaknesses, just 
  like you and me.  He will grow and develop his skills, 
  abilities, and quality of equipment. 
   
  Character Sheet 
  Use the STAR FRONTIERS character sheet 
  provided at the beginning of this book, or make 
  a copy on a blank piece of paper.  You’ll also 
  need to get a set of ten-sided dice and a pencil 
  (don’t use pen because some numbers change 
  during character generation and later during play). 
   
  Ability Scores 
  Your character has eight basic abilities, 
  common to all living individuals in the 
  Frontier.  These are explained in full in the 
  Rules section.  They are mated into four pairs. 
   
  Roll once on the following ability score table for each 
  pair (thus, four total rolls).  Note the resulting ability 
  score for both numbers in the matched pair.   
   
  For example, if you roll 49, that results in a score of 
  45 in both STR and STA. 
   
  ABILITY SCORE TABLE 
  Roll 
  Score 
  Notes 
  01-10 
  30 
  Feeble 
  11-20 
  35 
  Poor 
  21-35 
  40 
  Below Average 
  36-55 
  45 
  Average 
  56-70 
  50 
  Above Average 
  71-80 
  55 
  Good 
  81-90 
  60 
  Excellent 
  91-95 
  65 
  Remarkable 
  96-00 
  70 
  Incredible 
   
  Personalizing 
  These attributes can further be modified by shifting 
  points among pairs.  No more than ten points may 
  be shifted from one to the other, and points cannot 
  be shifted to or from abilities outside of pairs. 
   
  For example, if your STR/STA is 45/45 and you 
  envision a character who’s more durable than 
  strong, you could shift five of the points from 
  Strength over to Stamina.  The end result would be 
  a STR/STA of 40/50.  You could not, for instance, 
  shift points between Strength and Logic, or between 
  any other non-paired abilities. 
   
  Select Race 
  There are four basic raced from which you 
  may choose your character’s racial stock.  
  These are not the only intelligent races in 
  the Frontier, they are just the races that have built 
  space ships and began exploring.  Read carefully 
  through the list of races on the following pages.   
   
  Racial Ability Score Adjustments 
  Humans are the easiest characters to create, as 
  they have no special abilities worth mentioning.  But 
  Humans stress individuality and specializations of 
  abilities, and are entitled to add 5 to any one ability 
  score (not both in its pair, just one single ability).  If 
  you select a race other than human, your ability 
  scores will be modified to reflect racial averages.  
  This is summarized on the following table. 
   
  RACIAL ADJUSTMENT TABLE 
   
  Race 
  STR/ 
  STA 
  DEX/ 
  RS 
  INT/ 
  LOG 
  PER/ 
  LDR 
  Dralasite 
  +5 
  +0 
  -5 
  +0 
  Vrusk 
  -5 
  +0 
  +5 
  +0 
  Yazirian 
  -10 
  +5 
  +5 
  +0 
  Human 
  Add +5 to any one single score. 
   
  Racial Special Abilities 
  Your race may also have special abilities that cannot 
  be categorized into “ability score” or “skill” and 
  these must also be noted on your character sheet.  
  These are summarized in the table below. 
   
  RACIAL ABILITY TABLE 
  Race 
  Special Abilities 
  Dralasite 
  Elasticity, Lie Detection 5% 
  Vrusk 
  Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15% 
  Yazirian 
  Night Vision, Gliding, Battle Rage 5% 
   
  Racial Movement Rates 
  Finally, 
  you 
  must 
  show 
  the 
  movement 
  rate 
  associated with the race you selected on your 
  character sheet.  The movement table is shown 
  below, reprinted from the Rules section for easy 
  reference during character creation: 
   
  RACIAL MOVMENT TABLE 
   
  Race 
  Walk/ 
  Turn 
  Run/ 
  Turn 
  Travel/ 
  Hour 
  Dralasite 
  5m 
  20m 
  3km 
  Human 
  10m 
  30m 
  5km 
  Vrusk 
  15m 
  35m 
  6km 
  Yazirian 
  10m 
  30m 
  4km 
   
  Other Abilities 
  In addition to the four pairs of abilities, your 
  character has a few other statistics worthy of 
  mention on your character sheet. 
   
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  
   
  29 
   
   
  IM: Initiative Modifier is equal to your Reaction 
  Speed score divided by 10, rounded up. 
   
  PS: Punching Score is found on this table, using the 
  character’s Strength score: 
   
  PUNCHING SCORE TABLE 
  STR 
  01-20 
  21-40 
  41-60 
  61-80 
  81-00 
  PS 
  +1 
  +2 
  +3 
  +4 
  +5 
   
  RW: Ranged Weapons is equal to half your 
  character’s Dexterity score, rounded up. 
   
  MW: 
  Melee 
  Weapons 
  is 
  equal 
  to 
  half 
  your 
  character’s Strength or Dexterity scores, whichever 
  is better, rounded up.   
   
  Skills 
  Your character is not just a collection of 
  talent 
  and 
  potential, 
  he’s 
  also 
  an 
  accumulation of knowledge.   
   
  Primary Skill Area 
  You must select your character’s Primary Skill Area 
  (PSA) from the following list. 
   
  Military PSA – Means your character picks up 
  militant skills quickly and easily.  Military skills 
  include use of weaponry and setting and removing 
  demolitions charges.   
   
  Biosocial PSA – Means your character is good with 
  people and their environments.  People with the 
  biosocial primary skill area are good with biology, 
  medicine, and how such biological beings interact 
  with their environments around them. 
   
  Technological PSA – Means your character is good 
  with technology in all of its forms, from computers 
  to robots to vehicles. 
   
  Skills 
  Now that you have a Primary Skill Area, you need to 
  specify which skills your character has.  Starting 
  characters begin play with two skills, each at first 
  level.  One of these skills must come from your 
  selected PSA, but the second one can any skill at all. 
   
  Military Skills 
  Biosocial Skills 
    Beam Weapons 
    Environmental 
    Gyrojet Weapons 
    Medical 
    Melee Weapons 
    Psychosocial 
    Projectile Weapons 
   
    Thrown Weapons 
  Technological Skills 
    Demolitions 
    Computers 
    Martial Arts 
    Robotics 
   
    Technician 
   
  Equipment 
  To equip your character, you’ll need money.  
  Wealth in the Frontier is measured in 
  Credits, or Cr.  Starting characters receive 
  250Cr plus a roll of d100.  Refer to the equipment 
  area of this section for complete equipment lists. 
   
  To help make character generation quick, players 
  may simply purchase the Standard Equipment Pack 
  and then roll d100+100 for additional discretionary 
  equipment. 
   
  AUTOMATIC STARTING EQUIPMENT TABLE 
  If your character has 
  Then he starts with 
  Environmental 
  Envirokit 
  Medical 
  Medkit 
  Technician 
  Techkit 
  Robotics 
  Robcomkit 
  Any weapon 
  1 clip of Ammo 
   
  Final Details 
  You can fill in any additional details about 
  your character, in order to make him seem 
  more real to your stories.  The greater the 
  amount of detail, the more you’ll understand the 
  character.  But you can be as detailed or general as 
  you’d like, as long as each of the following is 
  considered: 
   
  • Name 
  • Gender (unless he’s a Dralasite) 
  • Handedness (unless he’s a Vrusk) 
  • Height (in meters) 
  • Weight (in kilograms) 
   
  You can even come up with a background for your 
  character, perhaps dealing with his family structure, 
  or home world.  Inspiration can be drawn from the 
  Frontier section of this book. 
   
  If one of the players in the group is a decent artist, 
  draw your character, or find imagery on the internet 
  and print-out.  A picture goes a long way to helping 
  you imagine your alter-ego in STAR FRONTIERS or 
  any other role-playing game. 
   
   
  Optional Character Generation Rules 
   
  1. Instead of randomly rolling ability scores in order, 
  you could roll four times then allot as desired, to 
  fit a character concept you have prior to dice 
  rolling. 
   
  2. Instead of picking a level 1 skill in two skills, you 
  could begin with a single level 2 skill, as long as it 
  is in your Primary Skill Area. 
   
  5 
  6 
  7 
  
   
  30 
   
   
  Sample Character #1 
  Noah is going to build a character. His referee is 
  seated with him at the table to oversee and give 
  suggestions.  He imagines a human soldier who 
  works for a large Frontier corporation. 
   
  Ability Scores 
  First Noah rolls his ability scores.  He gets the 
  following rolls: 57, 89, 99, and 63.  Excellent rolls, 
  and here’s what they mean: 
   
  STR/STA 
  50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  60/60 
  INT/LOG 
  70/70 
  PER/LDR 
  50/50 
   
  His Intuition and Logic are a bit higher than he was 
  looking for, but suddenly he imagines his character 
  an excellent field tactician, able to lead small groups 
  of men against impossible odds due to his cunning. 
   
  He’s happy with the current distribution and opts not 
  to personalize the scores by shifting any among 
  their pairs. 
   
  Race 
  Noah wanted to play a Human from the very 
  beginning, and that makes this step easy.  He write 
  “Human” under the “Race” section of the character 
  sheet, and notes that he has no special abilities. 
   
  This means that he may add 5 points to any single 
  ability score of his choosing, and he surprises his 
  referee by selecting Intuition, stating that he wants 
  to be able to outsmart anyone on the battlefield. 
   
  He notes the movement rates for a Human 
  character on his character sheet as well:  Walk 10 
  meters, Run 30 meters, and Hourly 5 kilometers. 
   
  Other Abilities 
  He calculates his Initiative Modifier by taking ten 
  percent of his Reaction Speed score: +6.  He looks 
  up his Strength score on the Punching Score table 
  and gets a +3.  He cuts his Dexterity in half for a 
  Ranged Weapons score of 30%, and uses Dexterity 
  to figure his Melee Weapons score since it’s higher 
  than his Strength, gets 30%. 
   
  Skills 
  Noah decides that his soldier will have a Military 
  Primary Skill Area.   
   
  For his first skill, he selects Gyrojet Weapons, 
  assuming this to be part of his soldier training 
  (projectile weapons are often less effective, and 
  beam weapons are quite expensive). 
   
  For 
  his 
  second 
  skill, 
  the 
  referee 
  suggests 
  Environmental, in order to give him some scouting 
  skills, but Noah decides on Robotics, in order to help 
  make the robots assigned in his unit more effective. 
   
  Equipment 
  Because he selected the Robotics skill, his character 
  automatically begins play with a Robcomkit. 
   
  He rolls 52, so begins his spending spree with 302 
  Credits.   
   
  First, for a weapon, he wants to get a Gyrojet rifle, 
  but the referee warns him against doing that, since 
  having 2 Credits left would keep him from affording 
  any rations.  He settles for a Gyrojet pistol, and 
  knows that he’ll get something better off an enemy 
  in-game.  He automatically gets a full clip of 10 
  rounds.  He buys two extra clips for 10 credits each 
  and has 82 Credits remaining.  
   
  He buys a water pack and survival rations, a 
  machete, gas mask, and a flashlight.  He has 11 
  Credits remaining, and decides to save those for use 
  in-game. 
   
  Final Details 
  Noah selects Male as his gender, specifies that he’s 
  right-handed, and gives him a name: Zauldran 
  Willack.  He’s tall and muscular, with short military-
  cut brown hair and black eyes. 
   
  Zauldran Willack 
  Human Soldier 
  STR/STA 50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  60/60 
  INT/LOG 75/70 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 30 
  Melee 
  30 
  Notes: 
  Handedness: Right  
  Gender: Male    
  Height: 1.9m 
   
  Weight: 92 kg 
  Hair: Short, Brown  
  Eyes: Black 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Gyrojet Weapons 1, Robotics 1 
  Equipment:  
  Robcomkit, Gyrojet Pistol, 2 Pistol Jetclips, Water 
  Pack, Survival Rations, Machete, Gas Mask, 
  Flashlight, 10 Credits. 
   
   
   
  
   
  31 
   
   
  Sample Character #2 
  Hunter wants to make a character.  He imagines a 
  Yazirian wilderness scout, knowledgeable about the 
  outdoors and ready for the elements on any planet. 
   
  Ability Scores 
  Hunter rolls percentile dice four times for his initial 
  ability scores.  He gets 51, 49, 71, and 55.  He 
  records the following scores: 
   
  STR/STA 
  45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  45/45 
  INT/LOG 
  55/55 
  PER/LDR 
  45/45 
   
  He decides that life in the wilderness has made him 
  less able to integrate with social groups, and moves 
  ten points from Personality over to Leadership, 
  making them 35 and 55.  He may not be the nicest 
  guy, but you can’t help looking to him in a time of 
  danger. 
   
  Race 
  Hunter already wanted to play a Yazirian so he 
  notes this on his sheet and notes all special abilities 
  provided by that race (Night Vision, Gliding, and 
  Battle Rage with a 5% chance of raging), including 
  movement (10m walking, 30m running, and 4km 
  hourly rate)  and ability score adjustments (-10 
  STR/STA, +5 DEX/RS, and +5 INT/LOG). 
   
  STR/STA 
  35/35 
  DEX/RS 
  50/50 
  INT/LOG 
  60/60 
  PER/LDR 
  35/55 
   
  Other Abilities 
  With new ability totals, he calculates his IM, PS, RW, 
  and MW scores and notes them on his sheet. 
   
  Initiative Modifier is +5, Punching Score is +2, 
  Ranged Weapons score is half his Dexterity, or 25%, 
  and Melee Weapons score is the same, 25%. 
   
  Skills 
  Hunter selects Military as his PSA, even though a lot 
  of his concept has to do with the environmental skill.  
  The referee warned him that that will cause his 
  Environmental skill to advance more slowly, but 
  Hunter decided this was fine. 
   
  He selects Demolitions and Environmental as his 
  initial skills.  He imagines his character able to slip 
  in, set explosives, and slip out of an enemy base. 
   
  Equipment 
  He rolls 85, adds it to 250, and begins his spending 
  with 335.   
   
  He buys a gyrojet pistol, sungoggles (to not be 
  penalized in daytime), survival rations, a water 
  pack, holoflare (in case he gets lost), everflame, 
  compass, gas mask, and an all-weather blanket.  
  He’s prepared for just about any environment.   
   
  He has 12 Credits remaining. 
   
  Final Details 
  He names his Yazirian Groko, and decides he’s right-
  handed and male.  His fur is a dark brown and his 
  eyes light tan.  He has above-average height (2.3 
  meters) and an average build (52 kilograms), and 
  often goes shirtless when he can.   
   
  Groko is from an industrialized world but from a 
  poor family who stuck to the wilderness surrounding 
  the city, and as he grew up he began hiring his 
  services 
  as 
  guide 
  to 
  those 
  people 
  needing 
  clandestine passage between the industrial cities.  
   
  He was drafted into the militia and taught basic 
  military principles.  He excelled in demolitions and 
  their disposal.  On his first mission, he was 
  supposed to blow up an installation of space pirates 
  excavating on his planet, but doing so would have 
  harmed several civilians.  He couldn’t do it, and so 
  he escaped the military.  He lived in hiding for a 
  while, because it is treasonous to quit the militia. 
   
  His mother took all the money she had and paid a 
  spacer at a nearby port to allow Groko passage, to 
  get him off his home world so he wouldn’t face the 
  charges for the crime of his heart.  He’s now a 
  drifter looking for a place to sell his skills and find a 
  home. 
   
  Groko 
  Yazirian Scout 
   
  STR/STA 35/35 
  DEX/RS 
  50/50 
  INT/LOG 60/60 
  PER/LDR 35/55 
  PS 
  +2 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 25 
  Melee 
  25 
  Notes: 
  Handedness: Right  
  Gender: Male    
  Height: 2.3m 
   
  Weight: 53 kg 
  Hair: Dark brown 
   
  Eyes: light tan 
  Special Abilities: 
  Gliding, Night Vision, Battle Rage 5% 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Gyrojet Weapons 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
  Envirokit, gyrojet pistol, sungoggles, water pack, 
  survival rations, holoflare, everflame, compass, 
  all-weather blanket, gas mask, 12 Cr.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  32 
   
   
  Physical Structure 
  Dralasites are short, rubbery aliens that have no 
  bones or hard body parts. Their skin is a flexible 
  membrane that is very tough and scratchy. It 
  generally is dull gray and lined with dark veins that 
  meet at the Dralasite's two eyespots. 
   
  The internal structure of a Dralasite is very different 
  from the other races. The Dralasite's central nerve 
  bundle (brain), numerous small hearts and other 
  internal organs float in a pudding-like mixture of 
  protein and organic fluids. Dralasites breathe by 
  absorbing oxygen directly through their skin, so 
  they have no lungs. They are omnivores, but eat by 
  surrounding their food and absorbing it, so they also 
  have no digestive tract or intestines. 
   
  All Dralasites go through male, female and neutral 
  stages during their lives (these phases can be 
  controlled with medicines). Males release spores into 
  the air, which drift until they become attached to a 
  female. A young Dralasite then ''sprouts'' from its 
  mother, eventually maturing and dropping off. 
   
  Senses 
  The most important sense for a Dralasite is smell. 
  They breathe directly through their skin, and the 
  entire membrane is sensitive to odors. Their sense 
  of smell is so keen they can identify persons by 
  smell alone and can recognize familiar smells on 
  objects or persons. The membrane also is sensitive 
  to touch and to vibrations, allowing Dralasites to 
  hear and feel. 
   
  Black & White Vision: Dralasites see only in black 
  and white. They see shapes and light and darkness 
  very clearly, and can see a difference between 
  distinct colors (blue and green, for example) 
  because one is darker than the other, but they do 
  not see actual colors. 
   
  Speech 
  Dralasites have a voice box, but it works like a 
  bellows because they have no lungs. A Dralasite's 
  voice can vary from a soft whisper to a thundering 
  roar and from a bass rumble to a piercing screech. 
  Among themselves, they also use shapes, odors and 
  touch to communicate. 
   
  Society and Customs 
  Dralasites are philosophical and thoughtful. Their 
  communities are small, and many Dralasites prefer 
  to live alone. Dralasites do not care about wealth, 
  power or status symbols. They judge themselves by 
  the quality of their ideas and their ability to discuss 
  important ideas wisely. Dralasites often hold large 
  public meetings to discuss new ideas. Discussions 
  and debates are among their favorite ways to relax. 
   
  Steam 
  baths 
  are 
  another 
  favorite 
  Dralasite 
  recreation. They mix perfumes and intoxicants with 
  the steam. These affect Dralasites the same way 
  alcohol does a Human or Yazirian. 
   
  Dralasites are widely known for their strange sense 
  of humor. They love old jokes and puns that make 
  Humans groan. Many Human comedians who could 
  not find work in Human cities have become rich 
  performing on Dralasite worlds. 
   
   
  
   
  33 
   
   
   
  Dralasites do not normally wear clothing, because it 
  makes breathing difficult and interferes with their 
  sense of smell. They usually carry their equipment 
  on web belts. When they must wear clothing to 
  protect themselves, they use special materials that 
  let air reach their skin. 
   
  Attitudes 
  Dralasites are very fond of Vrusk, because they 
  think Vrusk have funny shapes. They get along well 
  with Humans but are careful not to upset Yazirians, 
  who they consider too violent. 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Elasticity. A Dralasite's skin is stretchable and 
  supported by a complex muscle structure. This 
  allows them to change the shape of their bodies, 
  within limits. They can "grow" arms and legs to use 
  for walking and handling tools and weapons, and re-
  absorb limbs when they are not needed. 
   
  A Dralasite can have a number of limbs equal to its 
  Dexterity divided by 10, rounded up. The player 
  must decide whether a limb is an arm or a leg when 
  it is grown. For example, a Dralasite with a 
  Dexterity score of 45 can control up to five limbs. It 
  could have three legs and two arms, two legs and 
  one arm, no legs and five arms, or any other 
  combination adding up to five or less. 
   
  Growing or absorbing a limb takes five minutes. 
  Only one limb can be grown at a time. A limb can be 
  up to 1 meter long, and no less than 10 cm thick. 
  "Fingers'' for handling items can be up to 10 cm 
  long and no less than 1 cm thick. 
   
  Even though a Dralasite can have many arms, it can 
  not fire more than two weapons at once. When a 
  Dralasite player creates limbs, he must specify one 
  as the dominant limb, the same way a Human must 
  choose to be either right or left handed. Also, 
  despite a Dralasite's stretching and shrinking, the 
  pattern of veins and ridges on its skin does not 
  change, so they have a permanent "fingerprint" for 
  identification. 
   
  Lie Detection. All Dralasite characters have a 5% 
  chance to realize when someone is lying to them. 
  The Dralasite must be communicating face to face 
  with the character, and the Dralasite player must 
  tell the referee he is trying to detect a lie. The 
  referee rolls d100 secretly. If the result is 5 or less, 
  the Dralasite knows whether the person is telling the 
  truth. If the die roll is 6 or more, the Dralasite does 
  not sense that the person is lying. This special 
  ability can be improved above 5% by spending 
  experience points (see IMPROVING CHARACTERS). 
   
  Dralasite Characters: 
   
  Ability Scores 
   
  STR/STA 
  +5 
  DEX/RS 
  +0 
  INT/LOG 
  -5 
  PER/LDR 
  +0 
   
  Movement 
   
  Walking 
  5 meters per turn 
  Running 
  20 meters per turn 
  Hourly 
  3 kilometers/hour 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Elasticity 
  Can have DEX/10 limbs at once. 
  Lie Detection 
  5% chance of success. 
   
  Characteristics 
   
  Average Size 
  1.3 meters tall 
  1 meter wide 
  Average Mass 
  65 kilograms 
  Average Lifespan 
  250 years 
  Reproductive System 
  hermaphroditic, 
  budding 
  Body Temperature 
  30 degrees Celsius 
   
  
   
  34 
   
   
  Physical Structure 
  Typical adult Humans are approximately 2 meters 
  tall, and have two arms and two legs. They are 
  warm-blooded omnivores with internal skeletons. 
  Both hands have four fingers and one opposable 
  thumb, which allows them to grip and use tools. 
  Their arms are jointed at the shoulder, elbow and 
  wrist. Their legs are similar, being jointed at the hip, 
  knee and ankle. Humans walk upright. 
   
  Human skin color varies over a wide range, 
  including pale white and pink, tan, pale yellow, red, 
  brown and black. This color does not change as the 
  Human matures. Most Humans have hair covering 
  the top and back of the head, and males also have 
  hair on their chins and throats. Hair color varies 
  from white and yellow to red, brown and black, 
  gradually changing to gray as the Human ages. 
   
  Senses 
  Humans have color vision, sensing the spectrum 
  between infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths. They 
  have good depth and motion perception. Their 
  hearing covers a range from 16 to 27,000 cycles per 
  second, with good separation and direction-sensing 
  qualities. Their skin is touch-sensitive. Their senses 
  of taste and smell are not as highly developed as 
  their sight. 
   
  Speech 
  Humans speak by forcing air from their lungs 
  through a larynx or voice box and shaping sounds 
  with their lips and tongue. They can create a wide 
  range of sounds, and have no difficulty speaking 
  Pan-Galactic and Yazirian languages. 
   
  Society and Customs 
  Human society centers around the family. A family 
  generally consists of a father, a mother and 1 to 10 
  children. Families usually group together into 
  communities for mutual support and protection. 
  Community size varies widely; several Human cities 
  are known to have populations above 5 million. 
   
  Of all the star-faring races, Humans are the most 
  varied. As a race they are not as warlike as the 
  Yazirians, as businesslike as the Vrusk or as 
  thoughtful as the Dralasites. Yet, individual Humans 
  can be found who surpass even the most violent 
  Yazirians, the most dedicated Vrusk and the most 
  philosophical Dralasites. Humans tend to value 
  individuality and personal freedom more than 
  anything else, but they do not hesitate to work 
  together to reach a common goal or to protect 
  themselves from attack. 
   
  To members of the other races, the most puzzling 
  aspect of Human behavior is their curiosity and love 
  of adventure. Many Humans are willing to put 
  themselves in great danger simply to see something 
  new or go somewhere no one has ever gone before. 
  Some Humans (a very small percentage) seem to 
  actually enjoy being in danger, thriving on the 
  excitement of a life-or-death situation. This type of 
  behavior has never been observed in normal 
  members of the other races. Even the Yazirians, 
  known for their violence and f its of rage, try to 
  avoid taking unnecessary risks. This spirit of 
  adventure has served Humans well, however, as 
  most major exploration missions organized by local 
   
   
  
   
  35 
   
   
  governments or private companies are led by a 
  Human. 
   
  Many alien biologists have wondered how the 
  Human race could have survived long enough to 
  build a civilization and colonize new planets; 
  compared to other creatures in the galaxy, Humans 
  are not especially strong or quick, and are no 
  smarter than the other races. However, Humans are 
  very inventive and adaptable. They manage to 
  survive and even flourish in areas other races 
  consider uninhabitable, by adapting themselves to 
  the new conditions with surprising speed. This and 
  the Humans' love for gadgets and hardware led to 
  the appearance of a popular saying among Vrusk, 
  ''Mr. Human and his Indestructible Junk Show.'' 
  Despite this condescending attitude, Vrusk and the 
  other star-faring races have learned to respect 
  Humans. 
   
  Attitudes 
  Humans are one of the most open and accepting of 
  the known races. They get along very well with 
  Dralasites, and their similarity to Yazirians usually is 
  strong enough to overcome the usual negative 
  reaction to a Yazirian's pushiness. Many Humans, 
  however, are mildly nervous around Vrusk. Human 
  psychologists blame this on the Vrusk's resemblance 
  to a giant insect. (Many Humans dislike insects, and 
  some are actually afraid of them.) 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Humans emphasize training and education more 
  than the other races, so players who are starting 
  new Human characters get to add 5 to any one 
  ability score. This bonus can be added to only one 
  ability in an ability pair. For example, increasing a 
  character's Strength score does not affect the 
  character's Stamina score. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Human Characters: 
   
  Ability Scores * 
   
  STR/STA 
  +0 
  DEX/RS 
  +0 
  INT/LOG 
  +0 
  PER/LDR 
  +0 
  *Add +5 to any one ability (not both in the pair) 
   
  Movement 
   
  Walking 
  10 meters per turn 
  Running 
  20 meters per turn 
  Hourly 
  5 kilometers/hour 
   
  Special Abilities 
  None 
   
   
   
  Characteristics 
   
  Average Size 
  1.9 meters tall 
  Average Mass 
  80 kilograms (male) 
  55 kilograms (female) 
  Average Lifespan 
  200 years 
  Reproductive System 
  heterosexual, 
  viviparous 
  Body Temperature 
  37 degrees Celsius 
   
  
   
  36 
   
   
  Physical Structure 
  Vrusk look like large insects. Eight legs grow from 
  their abdomen, four on each side. Their torso is 
  upright in front of the abdomen. The torso is 
  humanoid, 
  with 
  two 
  arms 
  connected 
  at 
  the 
  shoulders. The head is above the shoulders. Vrusk 
  hands are circular pads with five fingers spaced 
  evenly around the edge. A Vrusk's shoulders are 
  double-jointed, so they can rotate their arms in a 
  full circle without straining any muscles. They can 
  reach any point on their abdomen or behind their 
  backs easily. 
   
  A Vrusk's body is covered by a carapace (hard 
  shell). This shell is jointed at the Vrusk's elbows, 
  hips, knees, etc. The carapace protects the Vrusk 
  from bruises, cuts, scratches and other minor 
  injuries. Unlike insects, Vrusk have an internal 
  skeleton to support their bodies. Young Vrusk have 
  a blue carapace with bright orange near the joints. 
  As the Vrusk gets older, its carapace changes to dull 
  green with yellow joints. 
   
  Vrusk have large eyes that are protected by a hard, 
  clear covering. The mouth is surrounded by four 
  eating mandibles. The two larger mandibles hold 
  food while the small ones tear it apart and place it in 
  the mouth. They are omnivores. Vrusk have lungs, 
  and breathe through many small nostrils under their 
  abdomens. This arrangement makes it difficult for 
  Vrusk to swim. 
   
  Senses 
  Vrusk have very good color vision, but they see 
  more of the short wavelengths (blue and ultraviolet 
  light) than Humans do, and less of the long 
  wavelengths (orange and red). Their sense of smell 
  is centered in their antennae, and is slightly better 
  than a Human's. They also can touch with their 
  antennae. Their hearing is about the same as a 
  Human's. 
   
  Speech 
  Vrusk speak by combining clicks produced by their 
  mandibles and buzzes produced by a plate in their 
  mouths. 
   
  Society and Customs 
  Vrusk are hard-working and practical. Their society 
  is organized around independent corporations. To a 
  Vrusk, the company he works for is his family and 
  his nation. The company determines everything 
  about the Vrusk's life; who he lives with, what his 
  job is, where he travels, etc. Vrusk give their 
  company name before their personal name. 
   
  Vrusk 
  have 
  two 
  types 
  of 
  corporations: 
  conglomerates and trade houses. Conglomerates 
  have business interests in many areas. A single 
  conglomerate 
  might 
  have 
  divisions 
  that 
  build 
  computers, operate farms, train lawyers and set up 
  colonies. A Vrusk that works for a conglomerate 
  usually works for only one division, and might not 
  even know what other divisions the company owns. 
  Trade houses, which are more common in the 
  Frontier, specialize in one type of business. Because 
  all Vrusk working for a trade house do the same 
  work, trade houses usually work together. For 
  example, 
  a 
  trade 
  house 
  that 
  builds 
  farming 
  equipment 
  would 
  hire 
  accountants 
  from 
  an 
   
   
  
   
  37 
   
   
  accounting house to keep their financial records. 
  Business between companies is regulated by laws 
  that are so complex no one besides Vrusk have ever 
  fully understood them. 
   
  Vrusk also love beauty, harmony and order. The 
  goal of most Vrusk is to become wealthy, collect art, 
  and live in peace. Their love for beauty makes them 
  unwilling to get into fights that do not involve their 
  company. However, Vrusk that are defending their 
  company will do anything to remove the threat 
  permanently. 
   
  Vrusk adventurers, however, do not belong to a 
  company. Some are independent businessmen, 
  some are company employees who were fired and 
  some are just too rebellious to put up with company 
  rules. A few start their own companies and 
  eventually become leaders in their communities. 
   
  Attitudes 
  Vrusk get along well with the other three races. 
  They respect the Yazirian custom of choosing a life-
  enemy, and feel at ease around Dralasites because 
  they are careful and skillful planners (though they 
  are annoyed by the Dralasites' sense of humor). 
  They understand Humans the least because, to a 
  Vrusk, Humans seem unpredictable and a little lazy. 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Ambidexterity. All Vrusk are ambidextrous (they 
  can use both hands equally well). Players with Vrusk 
  characters do not need to choose whether their 
  character is right or left handed. Vrusk can shoot 
  weapons, throw grenades, write, catch or grip with 
  either hand. 
   
  Comprehension. Because Vrusk have such a 
  complicated society, they are able to understand all 
  sorts of social dealings. All Vrusk characters start 
  with a Comprehension score of 15. This score is the 
  character's percent chance to figure out any type of 
  social dealing that the player himself can not. For 
  example, a Vrusk is following a Human he thinks is 
  a spy for another company. He follows the Human 
  into a bar and sees him talking to a group of rough-
  looking Yazirians, occasionally glancing over his 
  shoulder. Then the Human hands some money to 
  the thugs and leaves the bar. The Vrusk player is 
  not sure what the Human was trying to do, so he 
  tells the referee he wants to use his Comprehension 
  ability. If he rolls 15 or less on a d100, the referee 
  will tell him that the Human paid the Yazirians to 
  attack the Vrusk if he tried to follow the Human 
  from the bar. A character's Comprehension score 
  can be increased by spending experience points (see 
  IMPROVING CHARACTERS). 
   
   
  Vrusk Characters: 
   
  Ability Scores  
   
  STR/STA 
  -5 
  DEX/RS 
  +0 
  INT/LOG 
  +5 
  PER/LDR 
  +0 
   
  Movement 
   
  Walking 
  15 meters per turn 
  Running 
  35 meters per turn 
  Hourly 
  6 kilometers/hour 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Ambidexterity 
  Can use either hand equally. 
  Comprehension 15% chance 
   
   
  Characteristics 
   
  Average Size 
  1.5 meters tall 
  1.5 meters long 
  Average Mass 
  85 kilograms  
  Average Lifespan 
  175 years 
  Reproductive System 
  heterosexual, 
  ovoviviparous 
  Body Temperature 
  38 degrees Celsius 
   
  
   
  38 
   
   
   
  Physical Structure 
  Yazirians are tall, thin humanoids. They have long 
  arms and legs and slender torsos. Two large flaps of 
  skin grow on either side of their bodies, attached 
  along their arms, torso and legs. When a Yazirian 
  raises its arms, this membrane is stretched tight 
  and forms a sort of wing. Under certain conditions 
  (explained under Gliding). Yazirians can glide short 
  distances using these wings. 
   
  Yazirians have muzzles and high foreheads, giving 
  them an animal-like appearance. Their heads are 
  surrounded by manes and collars of hair, which 
  varies in color from glossy black to pale yellow. 
  Their skin color ranges from gray to light tan. 
  Because their bodies do not sweat, Yazirians pant to 
  keep cool. They are omnivores. 
   
  Yazirians have four knuckles (one more than 
  Humans) on their fingers and toes. The inside toe is 
  opposed like a thumb, allowing them to grasp things 
  with their feet. The tips of their fingers and toes end 
  in broad, ribbed pads, giving them an excellent grip. 
  These characteristics, combined with their animal-
  like 
  appearance, 
  earned 
  them 
  the 
  nickname 
  "monkeys." 
   
  Senses 
  Night Vision: Because they evolved from nocturnal 
  hunters, however, their eyes are adapted to seeing 
  in dim light. They can not see in complete darkness. 
  They usually wear dark goggles when they must 
  work in sunlight. In bright light, Yazirians without 
  dark goggles must subtract 15 from both their 
  Dexterity and Reaction speed scores.  Yazirians' 
  senses of hearing, smell and taste are equivalent to 
  a human's. 
   
  Speech 
  Yazirians 
  have 
  no 
  trouble 
  speaking 
  Human 
  languages or Pan-Galactic. Their own language is a 
  combination of Human-type sounds and snarls and 
  growls. 
   
  Society and Customs 
  Yazirian communities are divided into large, loosely 
  organized clans. All the members of a clan are 
  related to each other. In the past, clan ties were 
  very strong. The clans had traditional enemies and 
  allies, and they struggled constantly for power and 
  land. Since the Yazirians moved into space, they 
  have learned to cooperate more and the clans have 
  become less important. Despite this, Yazirians still 
  have a reputation throughout the Frontier as proud, 
  fierce fighters. 
   
  A custom Yazirians have kept intact is the selection 
  of a life-enemy. When a Yazirian chooses a life-
  enemy, 
  he 
  dedicates 
  his 
  life 
  to 
  destroying, 
  overcoming or outdoing that enemy as completely 
  as possible. In the past, a Yazirian would choose an 
  enemy clan or clan member as his life-enemy, but 
  now the choice is much wider. A Yazirian scientist 
  could name an incurable disease as his life-enemy, 
  or a Yazirian trader could choose a competing 
  company. The scientist would try to find a cure for 
  the disease; the trader would try to build up his own 
  company so it is more powerful than his enemy's, or 
  even try to drive the other company out of business. 
   
   
   
  
   
  39 
   
   
  A Yazirian gains honor by striving to defeat his 
  enemy. Yazirians with powerful life-enemies are 
  respected and admired. A Yazirian that defeats its 
  enemy does not need to choose another, but some 
  Yazirians do. There is no set point in a Yazirian's life 
  when he must choose a life-enemy, and some 
  Yazirians never choose one. A Yazirian that dies 
  without having chosen a life-enemy is considered 
  unlucky. 
   
  Typical Yazirian clothing is a large, brightly colored 
  cape and tunic, a waist belt and two belts crossed 
  over the chest. Dark goggles are worn in the 
  daytime. Yazirians do not like shoes, but when 
  necessary they wear mitten-like shoes. 
   
  Attitudes 
  In general, Yazirians like Vrusk and Humans. They 
  occasionally lose their patience with Dralasites, 
  because they are slow and would rather discuss 
  ideas than act on them. 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Battle Rage. Yazirians train themselves to go 
  berserk in battle. A berserk Yazirian gets a bonus of 
  +20 to hit in melee. Yazirian characters start with a 
  Battle Rage score of 5, and a 5% chance to go 
  berserk at the start of a battle. This chance can be 
  increased by spending experience points (see 
  IMPROVING CHARACTERS) to raise the Battle Rage 
  score. Battle Rage lasts as long as the Yazirian 
  keeps fighting; it ends when the Yazirian rests for 
  five minutes. 
   
  Gliding. Yazirians can glide short distances using 
  the membranes along their sides. A Yazirian can 
  glide 1 meter for every meter he is above the 
  ground when he starts. He must start at least 10 
  meters above the ground. The maximum distance a 
  Yazirian can glide depends on the gravity of the 
  planet, as shown below. 
   
  YAZIRIAN GLIDING TABLE 
  Gravity 
  Max. Glide 
  .6G 
  150 m 
  .7G 
  100 m 
  .8G 
  50 m 
  .9G 
  25 m 
  1.0G 
  10 m 
   
  Yazirians cannot glide on planets with gravities 
  below .6 or above 1. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Yazirian Characters: 
   
  Ability Scores  
   
  STR/STA 
  -10 
  DEX/RS 
  +5 
  INT/LOG 
  +5 
  PER/LDR 
  +0 
   
  Movement 
   
  Walking 
  10 meters per turn 
  Running 
  30 meters per turn 
  Hourly 
  4 kilometers/hour 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Night Vision 
  -15 to DEX/RS when operating 
  in full daylight 
  Gliding 
  Glide 1 meter forward for each 
  meter descended. 
  Battle Rage 
  5% chance. When raged, +20 
  chance to hit opponents in melee. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Characteristics 
   
  Average Size 
  2.1 meters tall 
  Average Mass 
  50 kilograms (male) 
  60 kilograms (female) 
  Average Lifespan 
  140 years 
  Reproductive System 
  heterosexual, 
  viviparous 
  Body Temperature 
  39 degrees Celsius 
   
  
   
  40 
   
   
  Skills 
  There are 13 different skills that a player character 
  can learn.. These 13 skills are organized into three 
  Primary Skill Areas (PSAs): Military, Technological 
  and Biosocial. 
   
  Military skills deal with combat. There are seven 
  different Military skills: Beam Weapons, Demolitions, 
  Gyrojet Weapons, Martial Arts, Melee Weapons, 
  Projectile Weapons and Thrown Weapons. 
   
  Technological skills deal with various types of 
  machines. There are three different Technological 
  skills: Computer skill, Robotics and Technician. 
   
  Biosocial skills deal with the intelligent races and 
  their 
  surroundings. 
  There 
  are 
  three 
  different 
  Biosocial skills: Environmental, Medical and Psycho-
  Social. 
   
  Starting Skills 
  At the start of the game, each character must 
  choose one Primary Skill Area as his career. The 
  player then chooses two skills for his character. One 
  skill must be from the character's PSA, but the other 
  can be from any PSA. The character starts with 
  Level 1 experience in both skills. 
   
  Learning Skills 
  To learn new or higher-level skills, characters must 
  spend experience points. The experience point cost 
  depends on the skill's level and PSA. The Skill Cost 
  Table shows the costs for each level of skill in the 
  different PSAs. If the skill is from the character's 
  Primary Skill Area, the cost is the number in the 
  column. A character can learn skills from other 
  PSAs, but must pay twice as many experience points 
  for them. Doubled costs are shown in parentheses. 
   
  SKILL COST TABLE 
   
  Military 
  PSA 
  Technological 
  PSA 
  Biosocial 
  PSA 
  Level 1 
  3 (6) 
  4 (8) 
  5 (10) 
  Level 2 
  6 (12) 
  8 (16) 
  10 (20) 
  Level 3 
  9 (18) 
  12(24) 
  15(30) 
  Level 4 
  12 (24) 
  16 (32) 
  20 (40) 
  Level 5 
  15 (30) 
  20 (40) 
  25 (50) 
  Level 6 
  18 (36) 
  24 (48) 
  30 (60) 
   
  A character can learn only one skill level at a time. 
  Skipping levels is not allowed, even if the character 
  has enough experience points to do so. 
   
  EXAMPLE: 
  Brango 
  O'Bourke, 
  a 
  Human, 
  has 
  accumulated 10 experience points on adventures. 
  The player decides to spend these experience points 
  to increase Brango's Gyrojet Weapons skill from 
  Military PSA 
   
  Beam Weapons 
  ½ DEX + level 
  Gyrojet Weapons 
  ½ DEX + level 
  Melee Weapons 
  ½ DEX or STR + level 
  Projectile Weapons 
  ½ DEX + level 
  Thrown Weapons 
  ½ DEX + level 
  Demolitions 
   
  Set Charge 
  30% + level 
  Defuse Charge 
  50% + level - level 
  Martial Arts 
  ½ DEX or STR + level 
   
   
  Biosocial PSA 
   
  Environmental 
   
  Analyze Ecosystems 
  30% + level 
  Analyze Samples 
  50% + level 
  Concealment 
  10% + level 
  Find Directions 
  50% + level 
  Make Tools/Weapons 
  100% if material available 
  Naming 
  100% 
  Stealth 
  20% + level 
  Survival 
  40% + level 
  Tracking 
  30% + level 
  Medic 
   
  Activate Freeze Field 
  30% + level 
  Administer Drugs 
  100% 
  Control Infection 
  50% + level 
  Cure Disease 
  40% + level 
  Diagnosis 
  60% + level 
  First Aid 
  100% 
  Major Surgery 
  20% + level 
  Minor Surgery 
  40% + level 
  Neutralize Toxin 
  30% + level 
  Psychosocial 
   
  Communication 
  40% + level 
  Empathy 
  10% + level 
  Hypnosis 
  15% + level 
  Persuasion 
  10% + level 
  Psycho-Pathology 
  30% + level 
   
   
  Technological PSA 
   
  Computers 
   
  Bypass Security 
  30% + level – prog. level 
  Defeat Security 
  60% + level – prog. Level 
  Display Information 
  80% + level – comp. level 
  Interface Computers 
  30% + level – comp. level 
  Manipulate Program 
  50% + level – prog. Level 
  Operate Program 
  100% + level – comp. level 
  Repair Computer 
  40% + level 
  Write Programs 
  special 
  Robotics 
   
  Activate/Deactivate 
  100% 
  Add Equipment 
  100% 
  Alter Functions 
  60% + level – robot level 
  Alter Mission 
  50% + level – robot level 
  Identify 
  100% + level – robot level 
  List Functions 
  90% + level – robot level 
  Remove Security Lock 70% + level – robot level 
  Repair Robot 
  40% + level – robot level 
  Technician 
   
  Deactivate Alarms/Def. 40% + level – alarm level 
  Detect Alarms/Def. 
  60% + level – alarm level 
  Open Locks 
  50% + level – alarm level 
  Operate Machinery 
  50% + level 
  Repair Machinery 
  40% + level 
   
   
  
   
  41 
   
   
  level 2 to level 3. Brango's Primary Skill Area is 
  Military, so the new level costs him 9 experience 
  points. The player increases Brango's Gyrojet 
  Weapons skill level from 2 to 3 on the character 
  sheet, and subtracts 9 from his experience point 
  total. Brango has 1 experience point left. 
   
  Training 
  When characters learn new skills or increase a skill 
  level, they must be trained somehow. Three 
  methods are described below. 
   
  HYPNO-TRAINING. Hypno-training is a teaching 
  system that involves hypnotism, memorization and 
  the use of drugs that improve the mind's ability to 
  learn. A character with enough experience points 
  can learn a new skill or skill level at a hypno-training 
  center in five days (100 hours) for 100 Cr. 
   
  TEACHERS. A character with enough experience 
  points can learn a new skill or skill level from 
  another character. The teacher's skill level must be 
  at least two levels higher than the pupil's. A 
  character can learn a new skill or skill level from a 
  teacher in one month. 
   
  PRACTICE. Characters with enough experience 
  points can learn new skills or skill levels simply by 
  practicing. This is not always possible, however, 
  especially with skills that require special equipment. 
   
  All three of these methods are optional. Some 
  referees may want to ignore this rule, and simply 
  allow players to pick new skills when their 
  characters have earned enough experience points. 
  Training 
  is 
  more 
  realistic, 
  but 
  also 
  more 
  complicated. 
   
  Using Skills 
  Each skill is divided into subskills. Subskills define 
  exactly what types of things a skill lets a character 
  do. For example, Demolitions skill has two subskills: 
  set charges and defuse charges. This means a 
  character with Demolitions skill can set and defuse 
  explosive charges according to the rules listed under 
  those subskills. When a character learns a skill, he 
  automatically learns all of its subskills. 
   
  Success Rates. Each subskill has a success rate. 
  The success rate consists of a basic chance to 
  succeed, plus modifiers for the character's skill level. 
  If the success rate for a subskill is "40% + skill 
  level," then the character's chance to use the 
  subskill successfully is 40% plus 10 x his/her skill 
  level. 
   
  Some success rates have a second modifier, such as 
  ''60% + skill level - robot level." A character's 
  chance to use this subskill successfully is 60% plus 
  10 x his/her skill level, minus 10 x the level of the 
  robot he is working on. 
   
  Repair Skills 
  Computer, Robotics and Technician skills allow 
  characters to repair damaged equipment. The 
  success rates vary depending on what is being 
  repaired, but the procedure is the same for all three 
  skills. 
   
  If the damaged equipment is repaired in a shop, 
  there is no chance it will break down again on its 
  own. When a repair is made away from a shop ("in 
  the field") with a personal toolkit, there is a chance 
  that the device will break down again. This chance 
  accumulates from day to day; a device has a 10% 
  chance to break down in the first 20 hours, 20% in 
  the second 20 hours, 30% in the third, and so on. 
  When something breaks down, the referee must 
  decide whether the damage is minor, major or total. 
  A minor repair takes 1 d10 minutes, a major repair 
  takes 1d10 hours and a total repair takes 1d10 x 10 
  hours. 
   
  MILITARY SKILLS 
  There are seven different Military skills. Five of them 
  involve the use of weapons. Demolitions covers the 
  use of explosives, and Martial Arts covers fighting 
  without weapons or with melee weapons. 
   
   
   
  Weapon Skills 
  Success rate:  
  1/2 DEX + skill level 
   
  All weapons skills work the same way. Each level of 
  skill adds 10% to the character's chance to hit with 
  that type of weapon. A roll of 96-00 always misses, 
  
   
  42 
   
   
  however, no matter what the character's modified 
  chance to hit is. Each type of weapon has its own 
  skill, and characters must increase their scores 
  separately 
  in 
  each. 
  When 
  a 
  character 
  uses 
  experience points to increase one weapon skill, his 
  other weapon skills are not affected.   
   
  BEAM WEAPONS skill applies to electrostunners, 
  heavy lasers, laser pistols, laser rifles, sonic 
  devastators, sonic disruptors and sonic stunners. 
   
  GYROJET WEAPONS skill applies to gyrojet pistols, 
  gyrojet rifles, grenade rifles, grenade mortars and 
  rocket launchers. 
   
  MELEE WEAPONS skill applies to axes, brass 
  knuckles, chains, clubs, swords, electric swords, 
  sonic swords, knives, sonic knives, vibroknives, 
  nightsticks, 
  polearms, 
  shock 
  gloves, 
  spears, 
  stunsticks and whips. 
   
  PROJECTILE WEAPONS skill applies to automatic 
  pistols and rifles, bows, muskets, needler pistols and 
  rifles, machine guns and recoilless rifles. 
   
  THROWN WEAPONS skill applies to all grenades 
  and thrown axes, knives and spears. 
   
  Demolitions Skill 
  There are two subskills to the demolitions skill: set 
  charge and defuse charge. Only a character with 
  demolitions skill can legally buy or use explosives or 
  detonators. Tornadium D-19, sometimes called 
  kaboomite, is the standard explosive. 
   
  SETTING CHARGES 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level 
   
  Only characters with demolitions skill can set 
  charges. The number of turns needed to set a 
  charge is the character's skill level subtracted from 
  seven. At 1st level, a character needs six turns to 
  set a charge, but at 6th level he needs only one 
  turn. 
   
  If a character fails the skill check to set and 
  detonate the charge, the charge has not exploded 
  and must be re-set. The referee should feel free to 
  have the charge explode prematurely or late. 
   
  Charges can be detonated by timer, radio signal or 
  weapon fire. A timer lets the character set a time 
  when the charge will explode. The timer can be 
  adjusted to delay from 1 second to 60 hours. If a 
  chronocom or subspace radio is available, charges 
  can be set to explode when a particular signal is 
  beamed at them. The chance to explode a charge 
  with a radio beam is 10% less than normal. 
  Demolitions experts also can set off a charge with a 
  laser. If the expert hits the charge, it explodes.  
   
  DEFUSING CHARGES 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + [diffuser's] skill level - [setter's] skill level 
   
  A demolitions expert can try to defuse a charge that 
  was set by another expert. Defusing a charge takes 
  one turn, no matter what level the expert is. The 
  expert's 
  chance 
  to 
  succeed 
  is 
  modified 
  by 
  subtracting 10 x the skill level of the person that set 
  the charge. A character can defuse one of his own 
  charges automatically. 
   
   
   
  Martial Arts 
  Success Rate: 1/2 DEX or 1/2 STR + skill level 
   
  Martial Arts skill makes a character a better fighter 
  in melee. A character with Martial Arts skill can add 
  10% per level to his basic chance to hit with his 
  bare hands in melee. The skill also increases the 
  damage caused by a successful bare-hands attack, 
  adding one point of damage per level. 
   
  Martial Arts skill also gives the character three 
  subskills: tumbling, defensive throws and nerve 
  combat.  
   
  Tumbling reduces damage from falling by -1 point 
  of damage per skill level.  
   
  Defensive throwing lets the character inflict 
  damage when breaking out of a hold. When a 
  character with Martial Arts skill breaks out of a hold, 
  he automatically knocks his opponent down, causing 
  damage equal to his punching score.  
   
  Nerve combat increases the character's chance to 
  knock out his opponent. The opponent must be one 
  of the four major races. The attacker gains a +1% 
  chance to knock out the opponent per skill level on 
  each attack. Thus, a character with 4th level skill in 
  Martial Arts and a Dexterity score of 40 would knock 
  
   
  43 
   
   
  his opponent unconscious on a roll of 01-06, 10, 20, 
  30, 40, 50 or 60. 
   
  TECHNOLOGICAL 
  SKILLS 
  There are three Technological skills: Computer skill, 
  Robotics and Technician. 
   
  Computer Skill 
  There are eight separate subskills to Computer skill: 
  Operate 
  Computer, 
  Write 
  Programs, 
  Defeat 
  Security, Bypass Security, Display Information, 
  Manipulate Programs, Interface Computers and 
  Repair Computers. 
   
  Computer programs have levels from 1 to 6, 
  depending on their complexity. Computers also have 
  levels from 1 to 6, depending on what programs 
  they hold. These levels are explained in the 
  descriptions of computers in the Equipment section. 
   
  Computer specialists get only one chance to try a 
  subskill on a computer. Success is automatic for 
  some subskills under certain conditions. If the 
  computer was built by aliens (not Dralasites 
  Humans, Vrusk or Yazirians) the success rates for 
  the subskills are modified by -20%. 
   
  OPERATING COMPUTERS 
  Success Rate:  
  100% + skill level - computer level 
   
  Before he can use any other subskill, the computer 
  specialist must be able to operate the particular type 
  of computer he is working on. The chance to 
  successfully operate a particular type of computer is 
  100% plus 10 x the expert's level, minus 10 x the 
  computer's level. A roll of 96-00 is not automatic 
  failure. Once a specialist has operated a computer 
  successfully, he can operate that computer anytime, 
  unless it is modified. 
   
  WRITING PROGRAMS 
  Success Rate:  
  special 
   
  Computer specialists learn to write their own 
  programs. For every skill level the specialist gains, 
  he learns how to write one computer program. The 
  player should pick a program from the list of 
  programs in the Equipment section. When a 
  specialist writes a program, its level is the same as 
  his current level, no matter when he learned the 
  program. For example, a computer specialist that 
  learned the Installation Security program at 1st 
  level can write a 4th level Installation Security 
  program when he reaches the 4th skill level. A 
  specialist can continue learning new programs after 
  he reaches 6th level; each additional program costs 
  4 experience points to learn. 
   
  A specialist that knows how to write a particular 
  program can buy that program at half-price for his 
  own computer. He gains a 20% bonus when trying 
  to manipulate that program or detect security on it 
  in any computer. 
   
  DEFEATING SECURITY 
  Success Rate:  
  60% + skill level - program level 
   
  If a computer has a Computer Security program, 
  characters must break or bypass this program 
  before they can perform any other subskill except 
  repair. Defeating a security program involves a 
  decoding process that can take a long time. 
  Characters trying to break security must spend 1-10 
  hours working at the computer. 
   
  Also, before a specialist tries to manipulate a 
  program, he must find out whether the program 
  itself has any security overrides. A security override 
  will sound an alarm if anyone tries to run, alter or 
  purge the program without first defeating or 
  bypassing the security override. A security override 
  is the same level as the computer's security 
  program. The referee should make the roll to detect 
  a security override secretly, since many programs 
  have no overrides on them. 
   
  BYPASSING SECURITY 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level - program level 
   
  A computer specialist can bypass a security program 
  manually by rewiring the computer. This takes only 
  1dl0 minutes, but has several disadvantages: the 
  chance for success is lower, it requires a robcomkit, 
  and failing the roll will set off every alarm the 
  computer has. 
   
  DISPLAYING INFORMATION 
  Success Rate:  
  80% + skill level - computer level 
   
  A specialist can use this skill to display any 
  information in the computer's memory. It is 
  especially useful for getting lists of programs that 
  are stored in the computer, personal records, and 
  raw, unprocessed data that is loaded and waiting to 
  be fed into a program. A specialist gets a +20 
  modifier if he is trying to display information about a 
  program he knows. He can automatically display 
  information about programs he wrote in the 
  computer. 
  If 
  a 
  specialist 
  displays 
  an 
  item 
  
   
  44 
   
   
  successfully, he never needs to roll to display it 
  again. 
   
  MANIPULATING PROGRAMS 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level - program level 
   
  A computer specialist has a chance to successfully 
  run a program, change it or purge it from the 
  computer. The normal chance of success is 50% 
  plus 10 x the character's level, minus 10 x the 
  program's level. If the program is one that the 
  character has learned, he gets a +20% bonus. 
   
  A specialist can run a program automatically if it is 
  one he programmed into the computer himself, or if 
  he has run it successfully in this computer before. 
   
  A specialist may want to alter a program before 
  running it. For example, a life support program will 
  not let someone shut down the life support system 
  or release a poison into the air. The program could 
  be altered, however, so it would let the operator do 
  either of those things. The referee should note that 
  a 
  character 
  usually 
  must 
  run 
  the 
  program 
  successfully after altering it before the changes will 
  have any effect. 
   
  This subskill also lets a specialist try to wipe out a 
  program from a computer's memory, either to 
  destroy the program or to make room for a different 
  program. 
  A 
  character 
  can 
  purge 
  a 
  program 
  automatically if he wrote it in the computer. 
   
  INTERFACING COMPUTERS 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level - computer level 
   
  This subskill lets a character try to link two 
  computers together, either by connecting them with 
  wires or through some communication system such 
  as phone lines or a radio link. Once the two 
  computers are linked, the computer specialist can 
  perform all subskills (except bypass security and 
  repair) from either computer. The chance to 
  successfully interface two computers is 30% plus 10 
  x the specialist's level, minus 10 x the highest of the 
  two computers' levels. 
   
  REPAIRING COMPUTERS 
  Success Rate: 
  40% + skill level 
   
  When computers break down or are damaged, they 
  can be repaired only by a computer specialist. The 
  level of the computer does not affect the specialist's 
  chance 
  to 
  repair 
  it. 
  Computers 
  are 
  repaired 
  according to the standard repair rule. 
   
   
   
  Robotics Skill 
  A robotics expert specializes in robots. Robots are 
  complex, mobile machines that are designed to 
  perform specific jobs. Many types of robots are 
  available. Eight common types are described in the 
  Equipment section. The referee can create new 
  types if he wants them. 
   
  The robotics skill has nine subskills: Identify, Add 
  Equipment, Repair, Activate/Deactivate, Remove 
  Security Lock, List Functions, Alter Function and 
  Alter Mission. 
   
  If the robot is an alien design, then the robotics 
  expert has a -20% modifier on his rolls to perform 
  these subskills. A character must have a robcomkit 
  to work on a robot. 
   
  Robot Levels.  
  There are six levels of robots. A robot's level 
  indicates how complex it is. High-level robots can 
  perform more complicated jobs. 
   
  Level 1 robots can do only simple jobs. They have 
  been pre-programmed for some specific job and 
  usually can not do any other job. They can not 
  communicate, and often are nothing more than 
  moving, self-operated appliances. An example of a 
  level 1 robot is a maintenance robot that washes 
  and waxes the floors of a building each night. 
   
  Level 2 robots can handle several simple jobs. They 
  can receive and follow radio commands in binary 
  machine language sent from some other machine, 
  such as a robot brain or a computer. An example of 
  a level 2 robot is a heavy machine that digs into and 
  smashes up rock, then separates out flecks of gold. 
  
   
  45 
   
   
   
  Level 3 robots can do more complicated jobs. In 
  addition, all robots that are level 3 or higher can talk 
  and follow verbal instructions. If these instructions 
  disagree with the robot s programming, it will ignore 
  the orders. 
   
  Level 4 robots can act semi-independently. Their 
  programs are flexible, letting the robot accomplish 
  specific goals using different methods. When asked, 
  "How do I get to the starport?" one level 4 service 
  robot might give verbal directions, while another 
  might photocopy a city map and mark the proper 
  route on it. 
   
  Level 5 robots can act independently and give 
  orders to other robots (level 6 robots can do this 
  also). For example, a level 5 security robot might 
  decide to stop chasing a criminal because the 
  criminal left victims tied up in a burning house. The 
  robot could organize a rescue mission of other 
  robots. 
   
  Level 6 robots are self-programming. They can 
  change the methods they use and even their goals 
  to account for changing conditions. They are almost, 
  but not quite, living machines. A robot brain that 
  runs an automated manufacturing plant and alters 
  the manufacturing process in response to changing 
  economic conditions is an example of a level 6 
  robot. 
   
  Robot Missions.  
  All robots have a mission. A mission is a set of rules 
  that tell the robot what its job is. A robot's mission 
  is the most important order it has, and overrides 
  any orders that conflict with it. 
   
  Robot Functions.  
  All robots have several functions that tell them how 
  to accomplish their mission. Low-level robots cannot 
  make decisions, so their functions must be very 
  specific statements. Higher-level robots can make 
  decisions for themselves, so their functions can be 
  more general statements. 
   
  For example, a level 3 security robot might have the 
  mission: "Stop all unauthorized personnel from 
  entering this building." Its functions could define 
  "stop" as giving intruders a warning, then using the 
  Restrain program to keep them from entering. "All 
  unauthorized personnel" could be defined as any 
  person or machine that is not wearing a special 
  badge. The robot must be given a function that 
  defines "this building," and another that tells it what 
  areas it must patrol to look for intruders. Another 
  function could instruct it to call the police and report 
  the break-in after an intruder has been restrained. 
   
  IDENTIFICATION 
  Success Rate:  
  100% + skill level - robot level 
   
  A robotics expert has a chance to determine a 
  robot's type and level simply by looking at the 
  robot. The chance is 100% plus the specialist's level 
  x 10, minus the robot's level x 10. Once a robot has 
  been successfully identified, the expert can always 
  identify that robot 
  (unless its appearance is 
  changed). 
   
  ADDING EQUIPMENT 
  Success Rate:  
  100% 
   
  A robotics expert can install new equipment on a 
  robot himself and save the 10% installation fee. 
   
  REPAIRING ROBOTS 
  Success Rate: 
  40% + skill level - robot level 
   
  Only robotics experts can repair robots. Robots are 
  repaired according to the standard repair rules. 
   
  ACTIVATE/DEACTIVATE 
  Success Rate:  
  100% 
   
  A robotics expert can deactivate (turn off) a robot 
  regardless of its level. The expert also can activate 
  robots that have been deactivated. 
   
  However, before a robotics specialist can deactivate 
  the robot, list its functions, remove its security lock 
  or alter its functions or mission, he must get at the 
  robot's internal circuitry. This requires removing a 
  protective plate, which takes one turn. (The plate 
  can be removed in one turn even if the robot is 
  fighting the character, but the character probably 
  will take damage before he gets the plate off.) Once 
  the plate is off, the robot can be deactivated in one 
  turn. 
   
  REMOVING SECURITY LOCKS 
  Success Rate:  
  70% + skill level - robot level 
   
  If a robot has a security lock, the lock must be 
  removed before someone can list the robot's 
  functions or alter its functions or mission. A robot 
  can be deactivated before the security lock is 
  removed. Once a security lock has been removed it 
  can not be used again. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  46 
   
   
  LISTING FUNCTIONS 
  Success Rate:  
  90% + skill level - robot level 
   
  A robotics expert can learn a robot's exact mission 
  and functions, as well as get a list of all the 
  programs in the robot, by using this subskill.  Once 
  a character has successfully listed the robot's 
  function's, he can always list that robot's functions. 
   
  ALTERING FUNCTIONS 
  Success Rate:  
  60% + skill level - robot level 
   
  A robotics expert can change one of a robot's 
  functions at a time. The character must roll 
  separately for each function altered. Changing an 
  altered function back to the original also requires a 
  new roll. Changing a function takes 1d10 minutes. If 
  the new function violates the robot's mission or 
  requires programs the robot does not have, the 
  robot will ignore the new function. 
   
  ALTERING MISSION 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level - robot level 
   
  A robotics expert can try to alter a robot's mission. 
  This takes 1d10 minutes plus the robot's level. 
  Changing the robot's mission does not affect its 
  functions; these must be altered individually. Once a 
  mission has been changed, changing it back to the 
  original mission requires another roll. If the new 
  mission requires programs the robot does not have, 
  the robot will still try to follow its new mission 
  however it can. 
   
  Robot Malfunctions 
  If a character fails a roll to remove a security lock or 
  alter a robot's function or mission, the robot can 
  malfunction. When this happens, the referee should 
  roll d100 on the Malfunction Table.  
   
  ROBOT MALFUNCTION TABLE 
  Roll 
  Robot Malfunctions 
  01-25 
  No Malfunction   
  26-50 
  Program Destroyed   
  51-75 
  Short Circuit   
  76-90 
  Haywire   
  91-00 
  Explosion   
   
  No Malfunction -- The robot continues to function 
  normally. 
   
  Program 
  Destroyed 
  -- 
  One 
  of 
  the 
  robot's 
  programs (picked randomly by the referee) has 
  been destroyed. The robot can not perform any 
  functions 
  requiring 
  that 
  program. 
  If 
  all 
  The 
  programs in a robot are destroyed, the robot shuts 
  itself off. 
   
  Short Circuit -- The robot is still operating, but has 
  been damaged. For example, a robot with a short 
  circuit might stop suddenly every other turn, or 
  rattle and spark while it works. 
   
  Haywire -- The robot is completely out of control. It 
  might attack at random, spin in circles, recite the 
  Gettysburg Address, or do anything else the referee 
  thinks fits the situation. 
   
  Explosion -- The robot's parabattery explodes, 
  causing 2d10 points of damage multiplied by the 
  parabattery's type to the robotics expert. 
   
  Technician Skill 
  There 
  are 
  five 
  Technician 
  subskills: 
  Operate 
  Machinery, 
  Repair, 
  Detect 
  Alarm/Defense, 
  Deactivate Alarm/Defense and Open Locks. A techkit 
  is needed for all these subskills except Operate 
  Machinery. 
   
  OPERATING MACHINERY 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level 
   
  Operating a vehicle includes starting it, driving it 
  and using it to do anything it was designed to do. 
  The chance to succeed includes the possibility that 
  the technician may need to bypass a locked ignition 
  to start the vehicle. Obviously, if the vehicle is 
  damaged or out of fuel, it will not start until it is 
  repaired or refueled. 
   
  A technician gets one chance to operate an 
  unfamiliar vehicle. If the technician has driven this 
  type of machine before, he can start it and drive it 
  automatically. A technician can try to operate any 
  ground or water vehicle, regardless of his level. At 
  2nd level he can fly a jetcopter. At 4th level he can 
  fly an aircar, and at 6th level he can operate rocket-
  powered machines. 
   
  REPAIRING MACHINERY 
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level 
   
  Technicians can repair vehicles, large and small 
  machines, and electrical equipment (including video 
  and communication devices). They can not repair 
  computers or robots. Technicians use the standard 
  repair rule. 
   
  Besides repairing vehicles that have been damaged 
  in combat, the referee can include mechanical 
  breakdowns on random encounter tables. This is 
  recommended if the characters are on a long cross-
  
   
  47 
   
   
  country journey, where a breakdown is likely and 
  the 
  nearest 
  repair 
  shop 
  is 
  several 
  hundred 
  kilometers (or light-years) away. When a vehicle 
  breaks down, roll 2d10 on the following table to 
  determine what has happened: 
   
  VEHICLE BREAKDOWN TABLE 
  Roll 
  Vehicle Breakdown 
  2  
  broken axle or hoverfan*   
  3-5  
  broken driveshaft or transmission*   
  6-10  
  minor engine failure   
  11-15  
  minor drive train failure   
  16-17  
  broken suspension   
  18-19  
  major engine failure, repairable*   
  20  
  blown engine, unrepairable**   
  * This breakdown takes twice as long to repair as a 
  normal breakdown.   
  ** A blown engine can not be repaired in the field. 
  In a shop, it takes four times longer to repair than a 
  normal breakdown.   
   
  DETECTING ALARMS/DEFENSES 
  Success Rate:  
  60% + skill level - alarm level 
   
  Technicians have a chance to detect security alarms 
  and defenses. The following table lists the types of 
  alarms and traps and their levels. This same table is 
  used with the Open Lock and Deactivate Alarm/ 
  Defense subskills. 
   
  ALARM LEVEL TABLE 
  Device  
  Level 
  Simple Mechanical and Electrical  
  1 
  Motion and Pressure Sensitive  
  2 
  Infra-red Beams and Sound Sensitive  
  3 
  Video  
  4 
  Heat Sensitive  
  5 
  Personalized Recognition Devices 
  (fingerprints, voice patterns, etc.)  
  6 
    
  DEACTIVATING ALARMS/DEFENSES 
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level - alarm level 
   
  Once a technician has detected an alarm or defense, 
  he can try to deactivate it. If the character fails, the 
  referee must decide whether the alarm goes off; if 
  the roll was missed by only a small amount, the 
  alarm might not have been triggered. 
   
  OPENING LOCKS 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level - lock level 
   
  A technician can try to open locks without the 
  necessary "key." The level of a lock usually is the 
  same as the level of any nearby security devices, 
  but the referee may change this. The referee should 
  reduce the chance to succeed if the lock is on a safe 
  or security vault. 
   
  BIOSOCIAL SKILLS 
  Biosocial skills involve the sciences, life and health. 
  There are three Biosocial skills: Environmental, 
  Medical and Psycho-Social. 
   
   
   
  Environmental Skill 
  Environmental Skill deals with relationships between 
  intelligent 
  life 
  and 
  nature. 
  An 
  environmental 
  specialist 
  has 
  training 
  in 
  astronomy, 
  biology, 
  botany, chemistry, ecology and geology. There are 
  nine Environmental subskills: Analyze Samples, 
  Analyze Ecosystem, Find Direction, Survival, Make 
  Tools/Weapons, Tracking, Stealth, Concealment and 
  Naming. 
   
  When an environmentalist is dealing with an alien or 
  unknown environment, he has a -20 modifier on his 
  rolls to analyze samples or the ecosystem, find 
  direction, track or use survival. 
   
  ANALYZE SAMPLES 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level 
   
  An 
  environmental 
  specialist 
  can 
  analyze 
  atmospheric, biological or geological samples. 
   
  An environmental specialist can use a vaporscanner 
  to analyze atmospheric samples. If the analysis 
  succeeds, the vaporscanner will indicate whether the 
  air is breathable or poisonous, and what gases. are 
  present. 
   
  The specialist needs a bioscanner to analyze a 
  biological sample. If the analysis succeeds, the 
  bioscanner will indicate what type of plant or animal 
  the sample was, and whether it is edible or 
  poisonous. 
   
  
   
  48 
   
   
  A geoscanner can be used to analyze geological 
  samples. If the analysis succeeds, the geoscanner 
  indicates what minerals are present in the sample 
  and the possibility of finding rich ore or gas in the 
  area. 
   
  ANALYZING ECOSYSTEMS 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level 
   
  An ecosystem is the combination of all the plants 
  and animals that make up the local environment, 
  and their relationships to each other. If an 
  ecosystem is upset or thrown out of balance, entire 
  species can become extinct and whole regions 
  devastated by floods, droughts or other natural 
  disasters. One of the environmental specialist's jobs 
  is to analyze local ecosystems and determine 
  whether they are balanced and, if not, to determine 
  what 
  can 
  be 
  done 
  to 
  restore 
  balance. 
  An 
  environmentalist must spend at least 200 hours 
  studying the area to use this subskill. 
   
  FINDING DIRECTIONS 
  Success Rate:  
  50% + skill level 
   
  An environmental specialist can try to find directions 
  in a wilderness without a compass or other aid. If 
  the specialist makes a map or marks a trail (by 
  cutting notches in trees or lining up rocks), his 
  chance to find a direction on that path is increased 
  30%. 
   
  SURVIVAL 
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level 
   
  This subskill gives a specialist a chance to do several 
  things related to survival: find food or water (if any 
  is available in the area), find or improvise shelter, 
  and set or avoid traps. If a trap is set in a built-up 
  area (city, farm community, etc.), there is a 50% 
  chance it will be noticed. This subskill also lets the 
  environmental specialist make a special Intuition 
  check to predict natural disasters. 
   
  MAKING TOOLS/WEAPONS 
  Success Rate:  
  100% if materials are available 
   
  An environmental specialist can make tools and 
  weapons out of stones, sticks, cords, and other 
  natural materials. Only bows, axes, clubs, knives 
  and spears can be made. Only the spear can be 
  balanced well enough to use as a thrown weapon. 
  The referee may allow an environmentalist to 
  improvise tools and weapons from wreckage and 
  scrap parts. 
  TRACKING 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level 
   
  An environmental specialist has a chance to follow a 
  creature, person or machine by watching for its trail. 
  This skill works only in the wilderness, not in settled 
  areas. The specialist also can use this subskill to 
  cover his own tracks. 
   
  STEALTH 
  Success Rate:  
  20% + skill level 
   
  Stealth is the ability to move without being seen or 
  heard. This ability is useful for stalking animals, but 
  also can be used to sneak up on guards of follow 
  suspects. 
   
  CONCEALMENT 
  Success Rate:  
  10% + skill level 
   
  Concealment is the art of hiding in natural cover. 
  Once concealed there is an 80% chance the 
  specialist will not be seen as long as he does not 
  move or make noise. 
   
  NAMING 
  Success Rate:  
  100% 
   
  One of the benefits of being an environmental 
  specialist is that when he discovers a new plant, 
  animal, mountain range, sea, etc., he is allowed to 
  name the new discovery. 
   
   
   
  Medical Skill  
  A character that has Medical skill is called a medic. 
  Medics need a medkit to use their skill. Medics 
  diagnose ailments, heal wounds, control infections, 
  neutralize 
  poisons, 
  cure 
  diseases, 
  wake 
  up 
  unconscious 
  individuals 
  and 
  prevent 
  tissue 
  deterioration.  
   
  
   
  49 
   
   
  There are nine Medical subskills: Administer Drugs, 
  Diagnosis, First Aid, Minor Surgery, Major Surgery, 
  Control Infection, Cure Disease, Neutralize Toxins 
  and Activate Freeze Field.  
   
  If a patient is treated in a hospital or sick bay all 
  Success Rates are increased 20%. If the patient is 
  an animal or an unfamiliar alien, all Success Rates 
  are 
  reduced 
  20%. 
  These 
  two 
  modifiers 
  are 
  cumulative, so the chance to perform major surgery 
  on an unfamiliar alien at a hospital is normal.  
   
  ADMINISTERING DRUGS  
  Success Rate:  
  100%  
   
  Three drugs are covered under this subskill: 
  stimdose, staydose and telol.  
   
  A medic can use one dose of stimdose to wake up 
  an unconscious or stunned character, or to restore 
  10 Stamina points to a character that was poisoned 
  or contracted a disease or infection. Stimdose can 
  only be given by a medic. If more than one dose is 
  given in a 20-hour period, the second dose has no 
  effect.  
   
  A medic can use one dose of staydose to place an 
  individual in a state of arrested animation. A 
  character whose Stamina has been reduced to 0, 
  but not below -30, will be brought back to life by the 
  drug if it is injected within one minute (10 turns) 
  after 
  death. 
  The 
  staydose 
  slows 
  down 
  the 
  character's heartbeat and breathing so he can 
  survive with no Stamina points. If the character's 
  Stamina is brought back above 0 within 24 hours, 
  he will live. If not, the character dies. Only one dose 
  of staydose can be given to a character, until his 
  Stamina is raised above 0.  
   
  Telol is a truth drug. Only a medic can administer it 
  correctly. There is an 80% chance the telol will 
  work. If it does, the injected character will answer 
  up to five simple questions, using simple answers. 
  An injected character passes out for 1d10 hours, 
  whether the drug works or not.  
   
  DIAGNOSIS  
  Success Rate:  
  60% + skill level  
   
  A medscanner will give a medic a brief diagnosis. 
  This diagnosis will outline the patient's general 
  symptoms and will identify the ailment as a wound, 
  a disease, a poison or an infection.  
   
  Once the medic has a general diagnosis, he can use 
  this subskill to get a specific diagnosis. If he passes 
  the skill check, the medic knows exactly what the 
  ailment is. With this information, the medic can use 
  one of his other subskills to heal the wound, control 
  the infection, cure the disease or neutralize the 
  toxin.  
   
  Without a specific diagnosis, a medic can not use a 
  subskill to treat a victim. However, the medic can 
  use the medscanner's general diagnosis as a guide 
  to which drug the victim needs. After the medic 
  gives the injection, the victim must roll his current 
  Stamina or less on d100 to overcome the effect of 
  the poison, disease or infection. If the victim fails 
  this roll, the drug has no effect. A second dose given 
  within 20 hours automatically has no effect.  
   
  FIRST AID  
  Success Rate:  
  100%  
   
  A medic can heal 10 points of wound damage 
  automatically by using one dose of biocort plus any 
  appropriate 
  items 
  from 
  the 
  medkit 
  (local 
  anesthetics, plastiflesh spray, etc.) Only one shot of 
  biocort can be given to a character in a 20-hour 
  period. If a second shot is given within 20 hours, it 
  has no effect. If a character suffered more than 10 
  points of damage, the medic must use major or 
  minor surgery to heal him completely. Biocort has 
  no effect on poisons, infections or diseases.  
   
  MINOR SURGERY  
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level  
   
  Minor surgery can heal up to 20 points of damage. 
  This is in addition to the 10 points that can be 
  healed with first aid. For every 10 points of damage 
  (or fraction of 10 points) that is healed, an 
  additional dose of biocort is required. Minor surgery 
  also uses one dose of anesthetic. If the surgery fails, 
  the patient does not recover any Stamina points and 
  one dose of biocort is used.  
   
  MAJOR SURGERY  
  Success Rate:  
  20% + skill level  
   
  Major surgery can heal any amount of damage to a 
  character. For every 10 points of damage (or 
  fraction of 10 points) healed, a dose of biocort is 
  used. The only limit to the amount of damage that 
  can be healed is the patient's original Stamina and 
  the supply of biocort. If the operation fails, the 
  patient does not recover any Stamina points and 
  one dose of biocort is used up. The medic can try 
  minor surgery on the same patient, if he has not 
  already. Major surgery also requires one dose of 
  anesthetic.  Major and minor surgery are effective 
  
   
  50 
   
   
  only on wounds. They can not be used to heal 
  damage from infections, diseases or poisons.  
   
  CONTROLLING INFECTION  
  Success Rate:  
  50% skill level  
   
  Controlling infection requires a dose of omnimycin. 
  If the attempt fails, the omnimycin is used up and 
  the infection is out of control. Infections are rated 
  by their infection strength (S) and duration (D). The 
  infection causes a specific amount of damage every 
  10 hours. For example, an S6/D8 infection causes 
  six points of damage every 10 hours for 80 hours if 
  it is not controlled.  
   
  CURING DISEASES  
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level  
   
  Curing a disease requires a dose of antibody plus. If 
  the attempt fails, the antibody plus has been used 
  up and the disease has not been cured. Diseases are 
  rated according to how they modify ability checks, 
  how long the modification lasts and whether the 
  disease is fatal. The modifier is a negative number 
  and the duration is in 10-hour periods. If the 
  duration is followed by an exclamation mark, the 
  disease will kill anyone it has infected after that 
  length of time unless the disease is treated at a 
  hospital. For example, a -10/D10! disease modifies 
  every ability check the character makes by -10 for 
  100 hours. The victim will die after 100 hours unless 
  he is treated successfully at a hospital.  
   
  NEUTRALIZING TOXINS  
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level  
   
  Neutralizing a poison inside a victim's body requires 
  a dose of antitox. Poisons are rated like infections, 
  according to how much damage they cause and for 
  how long. Poison damage is inflicted every turn 
  instead of every 10 hours, and the duration is in 
  turns. An S7/T9 poison will cause 7 points of 
  damage every turn for 9 turns. Neutralizing a poison 
  stops the poison from causing any more damage, 
  but does not heal damage the poison caused on 
  earlier turns  
   
  ACTIVATING FREEZE FIELDS  
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level  
   
  A freeze field is a device that places a body in stasis 
  and preserves it until it can be revived. Only a 
  medic can activate a freeze field correctly. A freeze 
  field must be activated within two minutes (20 
  turns) after death, or the body can not be revived. 
  Activating the field takes five turns. The process can 
  be interrupted, as long as the field is completely 
  activated within the two-minute time limit. If the 
  medic does not pass his skill check and there is at 
  least one minute left in the time limit, he has two 
  options: he can make a second attempt to activate 
  the field, or he can inject the body with staydose. If 
  the second attempt to activate the field fails, the 
  body can not be revived.  
   
   
   
  Psycho-Social Skill  
  Psycho-Social skill gives a character an advantage 
  when dealing with individuals or groups of intelligent 
  beings. The skill can be used when dealing with any 
  of the major races as well as any other intelligent 
  species the character encounters. 
   
  There are five Psycho-Social subskills: empathy, 
  persuasion, communication, hypnosis, and psycho-
  pathology.  
   
  Racial Bonuses. Because Vrusk have the racial 
  ability of Comprehension, they gain +5% on all rolls 
  involving Psycho-Social skill. Dralasites get a bonus 
  of +10 when using empathy, because of their racial 
  ability to detect lies. These modifiers apply only if 
  the character has Psycho-Social skill. 
   
  EMPATHY 
  Success rate:  
  10% + skill level 
   
  Empathy allows a character to get a general 
  impression of the mood and intentions of individuals 
  or groups. In order to use this skill, the specialist 
  must be able to see or hear the individual or group. 
   
  The information that a character gains by using this 
  skill is very vague and non-specific. The referee 
  should 
  use 
  descriptions 
  like 
  hostile, 
  curious, 
  cautious, helpful, neutral, etc. 
   
  
   
  51 
   
   
  Empathy can be used by a character only once per 
  encounter. If two characters in the group have 
  Psycho-Social skill, each can try to use their 
  empathy subskill. 
   
  PERSUASION 
  Success rate:  
  10% + skill level 
   
  Persuasion lets a character try to convince a person 
  or group to follow a reasonable course of action 
  suggested by the character. The character must 
  explain his plan to the group or person being 
  persuaded. If the character must use a translator, 
  he has a -10% modifier. 
   
  A character can try to persuade a group or individual 
  only once. If the character misses his roll by 50 
  points or more, his audience will get mad and might 
  try to do something that is the opposite of what the 
  character wanted. 
   
  COMMUNICATION 
  Success rate:  
  40% + skill level 
   
  This subskill can be used when a character must 
  communicate with a creature whose language he 
  does not speak or understand. If the character uses 
  this subskill successfully, he can communicate using 
  very simple messages. The referee might force 
  players to use simple messages by restricting them 
  to two-word phrases. 
   
  HYPNOSIS 
  Success rate:  
  15% + skill level 
   
  In order to hypnotize a character, the hypnotist 
  must be able to speak to the subject in a common 
  language without a translator. 
   
  If the person being hypnotized is willing, this is the 
  only requirement. If the subject does not realize he 
  is being hypnotized, he gets to make an Intuition 
  check. If he passes the check, the subject realizes 
  what is happening and can not be hypnotized. If he 
  fails the check, he can be hypnotized normally. No 
  one can be hypnotized against his will if he realizes 
  he is being hypnotized. 
   
  A character may try to hypnotize only one subject at 
  a time. Hypnotizing someone takes 1d10 minutes. 
  The hypnotist can try to hypnotize a willing subject 
  a second time if the first attempt fails. If the subject 
  is unwilling, the hypnotist gets only one chance to 
  hypnotize him. If the attempt fails, the subject gets 
  to make another Intuition check to realize what has 
  happened. 
   
  Hypnosis can be used to give a character a +10 
  modifier on all rolls to hit in melee. This effect lasts 
  one hour, and can be used on a character only once 
  every 20 hours. 
   
  Hypnosis also can be used as an anesthetic. A 
  wounded character that is hypnotized can ignore the 
  wound modifier in combat. This effect lasts 1d10 
  hours and can be used on a character only once 
  every 20 hours. 
   
  A hypnotist's most powerful ability is suggestion. A 
  hypnotized subject will believe almost anything the 
  hypnotist tells him. The hypnotized character will 
  not do something that is against his moral code or 
  religion, but he can be tricked into doing things he 
  would not normally do.  
   
  The hypnotist must give the subject a good reason 
  to do something unusual, or convince him that the 
  situation is not exactly as it seems. For example, a 
  hypnotized guard will not let unauthorized persons 
  into a restricted area. If the hypnotist tells the guard 
  that he is authorized but has forgotten his pass, the 
  guard will let him in. 
   
  PSYCHO-PATHOLOGY 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level 
   
  Psycho-pathology subskill lets the specialist try to 
  help characters or creatures that are psychologically 
  disturbed. Extreme fright, isolation, or even unusual 
  air and food chemistry can seriously affect an 
  explorer's mental condition. A psycho-pathologist 
  can help characters recover their confidence or 
  forget their traumatic experiences. The specialist 
  also can determine what will reassure or frighten an 
  alien or primitive. 
   
   
  
   
  52 
   
   
  Improving 
  Characters 
  Characters can increase their ability scores, and 
  racial abilities, and gain skills through adventuring. 
  As characters adventure, they learn from their 
  experiences 
  and 
  improve 
  themselves 
  through 
  practice. In STAR FRONTIERS games, this type of 
  experience is recorded with experience points (XP).  
   
  Experience Points 
  The referee hands out experience points at the end 
  of an adventure to reward characters' performance 
  and success. If a character performed beyond the 
  expectations of his employer, he will receive more 
  experience. If he failed miserably at his task, he will 
  receive less experience. 
   
  Improving Ability 
  Players can increase their characters' ability scores 
  by trading 1 XP to raise an ability score 1 point. No 
  ability score can ever be raised above 100. 
   
  EXAMPLE: Rex Dexter earned 5 XP in his latest 
  adventure. The player decides to spend 3 XP 
  increasing Rex's Logic score from 50 to 53, and 2 
  points increasing his Personality from 65 to 67. 
   
  Certain 
  Racial 
  Abilities 
  (Lie 
  Detection, 
  Comprehension and Battle Rage) also can be 
  increased by trading 1 XP to increase the ability 1 
  point. Just like the normal Abilities, Racial Abilities 
  cannot be raised above 100. 
   
  Obviously, increasing a character's ability scores will 
  improve his chances to perform special actions, will 
  improve his chances to hit in combat by increasing 
  Dexterity, and will increase his chances to survive 
  by increasing his Stamina. Raising ability scores also 
  can replace points lost permanently to disease or 
  tissue deterioration in a freeze field. 
   
  Improving Skill 
  Characters can learn skills which allow them to 
  perform special actions. Each skill has six levels of 
  expertise. A character can raise his skill levels by 
  spending experience points.  
   
  Experiences points can be traded to gain a level 1 
  skill or to increase a skill the character already has 
  to the next level. The number of XP that must be 
  traded for each skill and skill level is described in the 
  SKILLS section. 
   
   
   
  
   
  53 
   
   
   
  Melee 
  Weapons 
  (Mod) 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
   
  Damage 
   
  Ammo 
   
  SEU 
   
  Rate 
   
  Defense 
  Range 
  (PB/S/M/L/E) 
  Beam Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Electrostunner 
   
  500 
  1 
  4d10/Stun 
  SEU 
  2 
  1 
  Gauss/A-S 5/15/-/-/- 
  Laser Pistol 
   
  600 
  1 
  1d10 per SEU 
  SEU 
  1-10 
  2 
  Albedo 
  5/20/50/100/200 
  Laser Rifle 
   
  800 
  3 
  1d10 per SEU 
  SEU 
  1-20 
  2 
  Albedo 
  10/40/100/200/400 
  Sonic Disruptor 
  700 
  4 
  6d10/4d10/2d10/1d10 
  SEU 
  4 
  1 
  Sonic 
  2/10/20/40/-/- 
  Sonic Stunner 
  500 
  1 
  Stun 
  SEU 
  2 
  1 
  Sonic/A-S 
  3/10/20/30/50 
  Heavy Laser 
  6,000 
  20 
  1d10 per SEU 
  SEU 
  5-20 
  1 
  Albedo 
  -/100/500/1km/2km 
  Sonic Devastator 
  5,000 
  15 
  20d10/15d10/10d10/5d10 SEU 
  10 
  1 
  Sonic 
  5/25/50/100/- 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Projectile Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Automatic Pistol 
  200 
  2 
  1d10/5d10 
  20 rounds -- 
  3(1) Inertia 
  5/15/30/60/150 
  Automatic Rifle 
  300 
  4 
  1d10/5d10 
  20 rounds -- 
  3(1) Inertia 
  10/40/100/150/300 
  Needler Pistol 
  200 
  1 
  2d10/1d10+Sleep 
  10 shots 
  -- 
  3 
  Inertia 
  5/10/20/40/100 
  Needler Rifle 
  400 
  3 
  3d10/1d10+Sleep 
  10 shots 
  -- 
  3 
  Inertia 
  10/20/40/75/150 
  Machine Gun 
  2,000 
  20 
  10d10 
  10 bursts 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  -/70/200/500/1km 
  Recoilless Rifle 
  4,000 
  20 
  12d10 
  1 shell 
  -- 
  ½ 
  Inertia 
  -/150/1km/2km/3km 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Gyrojet Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Gyrojet Pistol 
  200 
  1 
  2d10 
  10 rounds -- 
  3 
  Inertia 
  -/5/50/100/150 
  Gyrojet Rifle 
  300 
  4 
  3d10 
  10 rounds -- 
  3 
  Inertia 
  -/5/75/150/300 
  Grenade Rifle 
  700 
  4 
  As grenade 
  1 bullet 
  -- 
  ½ 
  RS check 
  -/25/50/100/200 
  Grenade Mortar 
  2,000 
  15 
  As grenade 
  1 shell 
  -- 
  ½ 
  RS check 
  -/200/500/1km/2km 
  Rocket Launcher 
  5,000 
  15 
  15d10 
  1 rocket 
  -- 
  ½ 
  Inertia 
  -/70/200/500/1km 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Grenades 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Doze Grenade 
  10 
  -- 
  Sleep 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  STA check 
  5/10/15/25/50 
  Frag. Grenade 
  20 
  -- 
  8d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  RS check 
  5/10/15/25/50 
  Incendiary Grenade 
  20 
  -- 
  4d10+1d10x3 Turns 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  RS check 
  5/10/15/25/50 
  Poison Grenade 
  30 
  -- 
  S5/T10 Poison 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  STA check 
  5/10/15/25/50 
  Smoke Grenade 
  10 
  -- 
  -10 to Hit 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  IR 
  5/10/15/25/50 
  Tangler Grenade 
  25 
  -- 
  Entanglement 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  RS check 
  5/10/15/25/50 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Archaic Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Axe  
  (+5) 
  15 
  1 
  2d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  5/10/15/20/25 
  Bow 
  50 
  -- 
  1d10 
  1 arrow 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  510/30/75/150/300 
  Knife  
  (+5) 
  10 
  -- 
  1d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  5/10/15/20/25 
  Musket 
  100 
  2 
  1d10 
  1 shot 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  5/15/40/70/100 
  Spear  
  (+15) 
  20 
  1 
  2d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  Inertia 
  5/10/20/30/40 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Melee Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Brass Knuckles  
  (+0) 
  10 
  1 
  1d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Electric Sword  
  (+10) 
  150 
  2 
  4d10/Stun 
  SEU 
  2/hit 
  -- 
  Gauss/A-S -- 
  Nightstick  
  (+5) 
  20 
  1 
  2d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Polearm  
  (-10) 
  40 
  4 
  4d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Shock Gloves  
  (+0) 
  50 
  1 
  2d10 
  powerpack 2/hit 
  -- 
  Gauss/A-S -- 
  Sonic Knife  
  (+10) 
  50 
  1 
  3d10 
  SEU 
  1/hit 
  -- 
  Sonic 
  -- 
  Sonic Sword  
  (+15) 
  300 
  1 
  5d10 
  SEU 
  2/hit 
  -- 
  Sonic 
  -- 
  Stunstick  
  (+5) 
  75 
  1 
  3d10/Stun 
  SEU 
  2/hit 
  -- 
  Gauss/A-S -- 
  Sword  
  (+10) 
  30 
  2 
  3d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Vibroknife  
  (+5) 
  25 
  1 
  2d10 
  SEU 
  1/hit 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Whip  
  (-5) 
  20 
  1 
  1d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
   
    
  Ammo Type 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
  Energy/ 
  Rounds 
  Beam Weapon Ammo 
   
   
   
  Power Clip 
  100 
  -- 
  20 SEU 
  Power Beltpack 
  250 
  4 
  50 SEU 
  Power Backpack 
  500 
  10 
  100 SEU 
   
   
   
   
  Gyrojet Ammunition 
   
   
   
  Pistol Jetclip 
  10 
  -- 
  10 rounds 
  Rifle Jetclip 
  20 
  -- 
  10 rounds 
  Grenade Bullet 
  3 
  -- 
  1 round 
  Grenade Shell 
  8 
  -- 
  1 round 
  Rocket 
  15 
  4 
  1 round 
   
    
  Ammo Type 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
  Energy/ 
  Rounds 
  Projectile Weapon Ammo 
   
   
   
  Pistol Bulletclip 
  2 
  -- 
  20 rounds 
  Rifle Bulletclip 
  5 
  -- 
  20 rounds 
  Pistol Needleclip 
  10 
  -- 
  10 rounds 
  Rifle Needleclip 
  20 
  -- 
  10 rounds 
  Machine Gun Belt 
  50 
  4 
  200 rounds 
  Recoilless Shell 
  10 
  1 
  1 round 
   
   
   
   
  Archaic Weapon Ammo 
   
   
   
  Arrow 
  2 
  -- 
  20 arrows 
  Powder and Shot 
  10 
  1 
  20 rounds 
   
  
   
  54 
   
   
   
   
  Defense 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
   
  Energy 
  Defense 
  Against 
  Power Screens 
   
   
   
   
  Albedo Screen 
  2,000 
  2 
  1 SEU/min 
  lasers 
  Gauss Screen 
  1,000 
  2 
  2 SEU/hit 
  electric stun 
  Holo Screen 
  1,000 
  2 
  1 SEU/min 
  -- 
  Inertia Screen 
  2,000 
  3 
  2 SEU/hit 
  ballistic/ 
  melee 
  Sonic Screen 
  2,000 
  2 
  1 SEU/min 
  2SEU/hit 
  sonic 
   
   
   
   
   
  Defensive Suits 
   
   
   
   
  Albedo Suit 
  500 
  1 
  100 points 
  laser 
  Military Skeinsuit 
  300 
  1 
  50 points 
  ballistic/melee 
  Civilian Skeinsuit 
  500 
  1 
  50 points 
  ballistic/melee 
   
   
  Toolkit or Refill 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
  Techkit 
  500 
  12 
  Robcomkit 
  500 
  10 
  Medkit 
  500 
  10 
  - Antibody Plus 
  5 
  -- 
  - Antitox 
  5 
  -- 
  - Biocort 
  10 
  -- 
  - Omnimycin 
  5 
  -- 
  - Staydose 
  5 
  -- 
  - Stimdose 
  5 
  -- 
  - Telol 
  10 
  -- 
  Envirokit 
  500 
  10 
   
   
  Miscellaneous Equipment 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
  All-weather blanket 
  20 
  -- 
  Anti-Shock Implant (r) 
  2,000 
  -- 
  Chronocom (r) 
  100 
  -- 
  Compass (r) 
  10 
  -- 
  Everflame 
  50 
  -- 
  Exoskeleton* 
  2,000 
  5 
  Flashlight 
  5 
  -- 
  Freeze Field 
  1,200 
  4 
  Gas Mask 
  30 
  -- 
  Holoflare 
  5 
  1 
  Infra-red Goggles (r) 
  300 
  -- 
  Infra-red Jammer* (r) 
  500 
  1 
  Life Jacket 
  10 
  1 
  Machete 
  30 
  3 
  Magnigoggles (r) 
  200 
  -- 
  Parawing 
  200 
  3 
  Poly-vox 
  1,500 
  1 
  Radiophone (r) 
  500 
  4 
  Rope 
  2 
  1 
  Solvaway 
  10 
  -- 
  Subspace Radio 
  20,000 
  100 
  Sungoggles 
  2 
  -- 
  Survival Rations 
  2 
  -- 
  Tornadium D-19 
  50 
  1 
  Toxy-Rad Guage (r) 
  20 
  -- 
  Variable Timer 
  5 
  -- 
  Vitasalt Pills 
  1 
  -- 
  Water Pack 
  4 
  4 
  * This item must be plugged into a power pack to operate.  It 
  uses 1 SEU per minute while in operation. 
  (r) This item can be added to a robot at its cost plus 10% 
  installation fee. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  150 Cr 
  Standard Equipment Pack 
  1 kg 
  • Chronocom 
  • Coveralls or uniform with many pouches/pockets 
  • Doze Grenade 
  • First Aid Pack with bandages, antiseptic, etc. 
  • ID Card 
  • Pocket Flashlight 
  • Pocket Tool 
  • Staydose 
  • Stimdose 
  • Sungoggles 
  • Survival Rations (5 days) 
   
   
  -- Function Points for Levels -- 
  Computer Program 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Analysis 
  1 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  Bureaucracy 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  Commerce 
  3 
  6 
  12 
  24 
  48 
  96 
  Communication 
  3 
  6 
  12 
  24 
  48 
  96 
  Computer Security 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  Industry 
  3 
  6 
  12 
  24 
  48 
  96 
  Information Storage 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  Installation Security 
  3 
  6 
  12 
  24 
  48 
  96 
  Language 
  1 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  Law Enforcement 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  128 
  Life Support 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  128 
  Maintenance 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  Robot Management 
  2 
  4 
  8 
  16 
  32 
  64 
  Transportation 
  3 
  6 
  12 
  24 
  48 
  96 
  Function Point 
  Total 
  Resulting 
  Computer Level 
  Wgt  
  (kg) 
  1-10 
  Level 1 
  3 
  11-30 
  Level 2 
  8 
  31-80 
  Level 3 
  20 
  81-200 
  Level 4 
  100 
  201-500 
  Level 5 
  300 
  500+ 
  Level 6 
  800+ 
  Computers cost 1,000Cr x the total # of Function Points. 
   
   
  Robot Design 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Body Types 
   
  - Standard 
  2,000 
  - Heavy Duty 
  5,000 
  - Anthropomorphic 
  3,000 
  Extra Limbs 
   
  - Standard Pair 
  800 
  - Heavy Duty Pair 
  1,200 
  - Anthropomorphic 
  1,000 
  Altered Movement Modes 
   
  - Hover 
  2,000 
  - Rotor 
  5,000 
  - Rocket 
  10,000 
  Special Programs 
   
  - Restrain  
  (min Level 2) 
  500 
  - Self Defense  
  (min Level 2) 
  500 
  - Attack/Defense  
  (min Level 2) 
  1,000 
  - Search & Destroy  
  (min Level 4) 
  3,000 
  - Computer Link  
  (min Level 4) 
  4,000 
  - Security Lock  
  (min Level 1) 
  500 
  Level 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Cost (Cr) 
  200 
  500 
  1,000 
  2,000 
  4,000 
  8,000 
   
   
   
  
   
  55 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  -------------------------------- Skill Level of Hireling ------------------------------- 
  Hireling 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Computer Operator 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  110 Cr/day 
  120 Cr/day 
  Demolitions Expert 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  Environmentalist 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  110 Cr/day 
  Martial Artist 
  40 Cr/day 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  Medic 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  110 Cr/day 
  120 Cr/day 
  Non-Skilled Labor 
  20 Cr/day 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Psycho-Sociologist 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  110 Cr/day 
  120 Cr/day 
  130 Cr/day 
  Roboticist 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  110 Cr/day 
  Sharpshooter (Projectile) 
  20 Cr/day 
  30 Cr/day 
  40 Cr/day 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  Space Marine (Beam) 
  40 Cr/day 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  Star Soldier (Gyrojet) 
  30 Cr/day 
  40 Cr/day 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  Technician 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
  100 Cr/day 
  Weaponeer (Melee) 
  40 Cr/day 
  50 Cr/day 
  60 Cr/day 
  70 Cr/day 
  80 Cr/day 
  90 Cr/day 
   
  90%  
  Availability 
  75%  
  Availability 
  60%  
  Availability 
  45%  
  Availability 
  30%  
  Availability 
  15%  
  Availability 
  The cost per day is increased by 20 Cr if the player’s skill level total is less than the hireling’s skill level total. 
  Parabattery 
  SEUs 
  Cost (Cr) 
  Wgt (kg) 
  Type 1 
  500 
  600 
  25 
  Type 2 
  1,000 
  1,200 
  50 
  Type 3 
  2,000 
  2,300 
  100 
  Type 4 
  4,000 
  4,500 
  200 
  Generator 
  SEUs/Hour 
  Cost (Cr) 
  Maintenance 
  Type 1 
  500 
  10,000 
  100 Cr/day 
  Type 2 
  1,000 
  20,000 
  200 Cr/day 
  Type 3 
  2,000 
  40,000 
  400 Cr/day 
  Type 4 
  4,000 
  80,000 
  800 Cr/day 
   
   
  -- Cost (Cr) per robot Level -- 
  Standard Robot 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Maintenance Robot 
  2,200 
  2,500 
  3,000 
  4,000 
  -- 
  -- 
  Heavy Duty Robot 
  5,200 
  5,500 
  6,000 
  7,000 
  -- 
  -- 
  Combat Robot 
  -- 
  3,500 
  4,000 
  5,000 
  -- 
  -- 
  Security Robot 
  -- 
  3,500 
  4,000 
  5,000 
  7,000 
  11,000 
  Service Robot 
  -- 
  -- 
  4,000 
  5,000 
  7,000 
  11,000 
  Cybernetic Robot 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  5,000 
  7,000 
  11,000 
  Warbot 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  12,000 
  16,000 
  Robot Brain 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  17,000 
   
   
  Cost 
  -- Top Speed -- 
  -- Cruise Speed -- Accel/ 
  Passen-  
   Vehicle Type 
  (Cr) 
  kph 
  m/turn 
  kph 
  m/turn 
  Decel 
  gers 
  Cargo Limit 
  Ground Car 
  5,000 
  100kph 
  175m/t 
  60kph 
  80m/t 
  60/40 
  6 
  150kg, 1 cubic meter 
  Ground Transport 
  15,000 
  75kph 
  125m/t 
  60kph 
  50m/t 
  40/30 
  3 
  10,000kg, 30 cubic meters 
  Ground Cycle 
  2,000 
  120kph 
  200m/t 
  60kph 
  100m/t 
  100/40 
  2 
  20kg, 0.5 cubic meter 
  Hover Car 
  8,000 
  150kph 
  250m/t 
  60kph 
  70m/t 
  80/40 
  6 
  100kg, 1 cubic meter 
  Hover Transport 
  20,000 
  150kph 
  250m/t 
  90kph 
  40m/t 
  60/30 
  3 
  10,000kg, 35 cubic meters 
  Hovercycle 
  2,000 
  100kph 
  175m/t 
  80kph 
  90m/t 
  100/40 
  2 
  20kg, 0.5 cubic meters 
  Explorer 
  20,000 
  90kph 
  150m/t 
  50kph 
  100m/t 
  60/40 
  6 
  2,000kg, 6 cubic meters 
  Glijet 
  3,000 
  100kph 
  -- 
  30kph 
  -- 
  -- 
  1 
  15kg, 0.1 cubic meter 
  Jetcopter 
  40,000 
  350kph 
  -- 
  50kph 
  -- 
  100/100 
  4 
  500kg, 5 cubic meters 
  Aircar 
  50,000 
  900kph 
  -- 
  400kph 
  -- 
  100/100 
  4 
  1,000kg, 2 cubic meters 
   
   
  
   
  56 
   
   
  WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS 
   
  Beam Weapons 
  Electrostunner. An electrostunner looks like a 
  large pistol. It is a short-range weapon. It fires an 
  arc of electrons that looks like a lightning flash. It is 
  commonly called a zapgun because of the noise it 
  makes when fired. An electrostunner has two 
  settings, stun and blast. A blast causes 4d10 points 
  of damage. A stun can knock a creature unconscious 
  for d100 turns. Anyone hit by a stun beam can 
  resist the stun by rolling a number less than or 
  equal to its current Stamina. A zapgun uses two SEU 
  per shot. It holds a 20 SEU clip, but can also be 
  connected to a beltpack or powerpack with a 1.5 
  meter powercord. A gauss screen will block the 
  electrostunner's beam. An anti-shock implant will 
  nullify a stun but not a blast. 
   
  Laser Pistol. A laser pistol is a large handgun. It 
  fires a pulse of bright light. Laser pistols are 
  commonly called blasters. A laser pistol has a dial 
  that can be set from 1 to 10 to control how many 
  SEU are fired by each shot. Each SEU fired causes 
  1d10 points of damage. For example, when the dial 
  is set at 3, the shot uses 3 SEU and causes 3d10 
  points of damage. Players must tell the referee what 
  setting they are using before rolling the dice to see 
  if the shot hits. Laser pistols use 20 SEU clips but 
  can be attached to beltpacks or powerpacks. An 
  albedo suit or screen halves the damage from 
  lasers. 
   
   
   
  Laser Rifle. A laser rifle is a rifle-sized version of a 
  laser pistol. It has a longer range and the SEU dial 
  can be set from 1 to 20 instead of 1 to 10. 
   
   
   
  Sonic Disruptor. A sonic disruptor is a type of rifle. 
  It is commonly called a disruptor. A sonic disruptor 
  generates a focused sound beam. The damage it 
  causes depends on the range. At closer ranges, it 
  causes more damage. It causes 6d10 at point blank 
  range, 4d10 at short range, 2d10 at medium range, 
  and 1d10 at long range. It has no extreme range. It 
  uses a 20 SEU clip but can also be attached to a 
  beltpack or powerpack. A disruptor uses 4 SEU per 
  shot. Only a sonic screen can stop its deadly beam. 
   
  Sonic Stunner. A sonic stunner is a type of pistol. 
  It is commonly called a stunner. It will stun a victim 
  for d100 turns. The victim can avoid the effect of 
  the hit by rolling his current Stamina or lower. One 
  shot uses two SEU. It uses a 20 SEU clip, but can be 
  attached to a beltpack or a powerpack. A target with 
  an 
  anti-shock 
  implant 
  can 
  not 
  be 
  stunned. 
  Otherwise, only a sonic screen can stop the 
  stunner's sound beam. 
   
  Heavy Laser. A heavy laser is about the size of a 
  machine gun. It must be mounted on a tripod or a 
  swivel mount to be fired. It has longer range than a 
  laser rifle, and a minimum SEU setting of 5. 
  Otherwise it operates the same as the laser rifle. 
   
  Sonic Devastator. A sonic devastator is a heavy 
  weapon that must be mounted on a tripod or a 
  swivel mount to be fired. Except for its greater 
  range and damage, the sonic devastator operates 
  just like the sonic disruptor. 
   
   
   
  Projectile Weapons 
  Automatic Pistol. An automatic pistol is a refined 
  version of the submachine gun. It looks like a heavy 
  pistol, with a folding metal wire stock. The gun can 
  be fired like a pistol when the stock is folded, or 
  fired from the shoulder when the stock is extended. 
  An automatic pistol can be set to fire single shots or 
  bursts. Up to three single shots or one burst can be 
  fired in a turn. A single shot causes 1d10 points of 
  damage. A burst fires 10 bullets, and has a +20 
  modifier to hit. It can be aimed at up to five 
  adjacent targets in a 10-meter wide area. A burst 
  causes 5d10 points of damage, plus 1d10 for every 
  additional target after the first. Only one roll is 
  needed to hit all the targets, but any negative 
  modifiers that could apply to one target apply to the 
  entire group. For example, if one target has soft 
  
   
  57 
   
   
  cover, all of them are considered to have soft cover. 
  The damage from a burst is divided as evenly as 
  possible between all the targets. Skeinsuits and 
  inertia screens reduce bullet damage by half. If a 
  skeinsuit and an inertia screen are used together, 
  damage is reduced to one-fourth the amount rolled. 
   
  Automatic Rifle. An automatic rifle is similar to the 
  automatic rifles being used today. It is basically a 
  heavier, longer version of the automatic pistol. It 
  can fire up to three single shots or one burst. 
   
   
   
  Needler Pistol. A needler pistol is a handgun that 
  uses an upright disc clip. It makes only a very soft, 
  coughing noise when it is fired. Needler pistols 
  magnetically propel a cluster of needles at high 
  speed. Two types of needles can be used: barbed 
  needles that cause 2d10 points of damage per shot, 
  and anesthetic needles that cause only 1d10 points 
  of damage but can put the victim to sleep for d100 
  turns. An individual can resist the anesthetic by 
  passing a current Stamina check. Needles will not 
  penetrate skeinsuits or inertia screens. Neither the 
  suit, screen, or individual is damaged. 
   
   
   
  Needler Rifle. A needler rifle is a rifle-sized version 
  of a needler pistol. It has a longer range than a 
  needler pistol and its barbed ammunition does more 
  damage (the longer barrel gives the needles more 
  velocity). 
   
  Machine Gun. A machine gun is a fully automatic 
  heavy weapon that must be mounted on a tripod or 
  a swivel mount to fire. A burst fires 20 bullets. 
  Except for its greater damage and range, it operates 
  just like an automatic pistol. 
   
  Recoilless Rifle. A recoilless rifle is a heavy 
  weapon that must be mounted on a tripod or a 
  swivel mount to fire. It fires an exploding shell that 
  causes 12d10 points of damage if it hits. Only one 
  shell can be fired per turn, and loading another shell 
  takes one turn. Inertia screens and skeinsuits halve 
  the damage. 
   
  Gyrojet Weapons 
  Gyrojet Pistol. A gyrojet pistol is a large handgun. 
  It shoots miniature, self-propelled rockets that 
  cause 2d10 points of damage when they explode. A 
  gyrojet pistol is not effective at very short range, 
  because the rocket is still accelerating. Thus the 
  short range modifier is used even at point blank 
  range. Skeinsuits and inertia screens absorb half the 
  damage from a gyrojet rocket. 
   
   
   
  Gyrojet Rifle. A gyrojet rifle is a rifle-sized version 
  of a gyrojet pistol. It has a longer range and causes 
  3d10 points of damage per shot. 
   
  Grenade Rifle. A grenade rifle resembles a 
  shotgun. It fires hand grenades that are fitted into 
  special grenade bullets. Any type of grenade can be 
  used. It can fire one shot per turn, and then must 
  be reloaded, which also takes one turn. If a shot 
  misses, the grenade does not scatter. Depending on 
  what type of grenade is being used, all the usual 
  grenade saving throws apply. 
   
  Grenade Mortar. A grenade mortar is a hollow tube 
  that is attached at an angle to a large base plate.  It 
  can fire any type of grenade, using a special shell 
  called a grenade shell. It operates like a grenade 
  rifle, except for the greater range. Because it lobs 
  grenades in a high arc, it has a minimum range of 
  10 meters. 
   
  Rocket Launcher. A rocket launcher is a long, 
  hollow tube that is fired while resting across the 
  firer's shoulder. It fires a large, long-range rocket. It 
  must be reloaded after every shot, and reloading 
  takes one turn. 
   
  Grenades 
  Grenades can be thrown or fired from a grenade rifle 
  or mortar. Characters can avoid or resist the effect 
  of a grenade by passing an ability check that applies 
  to the grenade. Grenades can be set to explode in 
  
   
  58 
   
   
  two ways: on impact or with a timer that is 
  adjustable for 1 to 10 turns. All grenades have a 
  blast radius of 3 meters. Any character or creature 
  within 3 m of a grenade when it goes off can be 
  affected. 
   
  Doze Grenades. A doze grenade releases a cloud 
  of fast-acting knockout gas. All creatures within the 
  blast radius will fall asleep for d100 turns unless 
  they pass a current Stamina check. A shot of 
  stimdose 
  will 
  revive 
  a 
  sleeping 
  individual 
  immediately. The doze gas is effective only on the 
  turn that the grenade goes off. 
   
  Fragmentation Grenade. When a fragmentation 
  grenade explodes it throws hundreds of small, sharp 
  pieces of metal in all directions. Fragmentation 
  grenades are commonly called frag grenades. Any 
  creature or character in the blast radius suffers 
  8d10 points of damage. This damage is cut in half if 
  the individual passes a Reaction Speed check. 
  Inertia screens and skeinsuits also reduce damage 
  by half. All of these modifiers are cumulative. 
   
   
   
  Incendiary Grenade. An exploding incendiary 
  grenade 
  scatters 
  sticky, 
  flaming liquid 
  across 
  everything in the blast radius. Incendiary grenades 
  are commonly called fire grenades. A fire grenade 
  causes 4d10 points of damage on the turn it 
  explodes. The burning liquid sticks to the victim, 
  causing an additional 1d10 points of damage on the 
  second, third and fourth turns after the explosion. A 
  character that passes a Reaction Speed check takes 
  only half damage. Anyone in a spacesuit takes no 
  damage from an incendiary grenade. 
   
  Poison Grenade. A poison grenade releases a 
  cloud of poisonous gas. Anyone in the blast radius 
  will be poisoned by the gas. The gas is effective only 
  on the turn the grenade explodes. The gas acts as 
  an S5/T10 poison. A character who passes a current 
  Stamina check will not be affected, nor will anyone 
  in a gas mask. A shot of antitox will neutralize the 
  poison so that no further damage is taken. 
   
  Smoke Grenade. A smoke grenade produces a 
  thick cloud of smoke that both blocks vision and acts 
  like tear gas. Smoke grenades are available in colors 
  so they can be used as signals. Anyone in the blast 
  radius on the turn the grenade explodes must make 
  a current Stamina check. If the character fails the 
  check he has a -10 modifier on all ability checks for 
  1d10 turns, due to coughing and blurred vision. The 
  smoke will continue to spread 3 meters/turn for five 
  turns, when it will cover an area 30 meters in 
  diameter. The smoke cloud gives soft cover to 
  anyone behind it or inside it. The smoke screen will 
  last for 10 minutes. 
   
  Tangler Grenade. An exploding tangler grenade 
  throws out hundreds of strong, sticky polymer 
  threads. These threads stick to everything within the 
  blast radius. An entangled individual can not move 
  until the threads decay (in 30 minutes) or until 
  solvaway is spread over the threads. Any creature 
  with more than 100 stamina points can break out of 
  tangler threads in one turn. 
   
  Archaic Weapons 
  Bow. For simplicity, all bows (crossbows, longbows, 
  composite bows, etc.) are handled the same. An 
  arrow causes 1d10 points of damage. Readying 
  another arrow takes one full turn. Inertia screens 
  and skeinsuits halve the damage from an arrow. 
   
  Musket. 
  Muskets 
  include 
  all 
  muzzle-loading 
  firearms, such as arquebuses, blunderbusses, and 
  flintlock rifles. Muskets use black gunpowder and 
  lead bullets (powder and shot). Loading a musket 
  takes two turns, so a musket can be fired only once 
  every three turns. 
   
  Melee Weapons 
  Axe. An axe is actually a tool, but it can be used as 
  either a thrown or melee weapon. If used as a 
  thrown weapon, all the usual ranged weapon 
  modifiers apply. Inertia screens and skeinsuits will 
  halve the damage from an axe. 
   
  Brass Knuckles. Besides actual brass knuckles, 
  this category includes any improvised weapon that 
  increases the damage caused by someone's fist. 
  Examples are rocks, coin rolls, sword or dagger 
  handles, etc. Inertia screens and skeinsuits halve 
  the damage from brass knuckles. 
   
  Chain/Whip. Besides chains and whips, this 
  category includes any flexible weapon, such as flails, 
  nunchuks, weighted ropes, etc. Inertia screens and 
  skeinsuits absorb half the damage caused by these 
  types of weapons. 
   
  Club. Any blunt weapon used like a club is 
  considered a club. This includes chair legs, metal 
  
   
  59 
   
   
  pipes and bottles. Inertia screens and skeinsuits 
  reduce club damage by half. 
   
  Electric Sword. This is a light-weight metal rod 
  that contains a battery in the handle. It delivers an 
  electrical shock when it strikes someone. It can be 
  set to shock or stun. When set on stun, a successful 
  hit causes no damage but can stun the victim for 
  d100 turns. The victim can resist the stun by 
  making a successful current Stamina check. An 
  electric sword can be hooked into a beltpack or 
  powerpack with a power cable. A successful hit by 
  an electric sword uses 2 SEU. Individuals wearing 
  gauss screens or with anti-shock implants are not 
  affected by electric swords. 
   
  Knife. This category covers any knife that is big 
  enough to fight with. If thrown, the usual ranged 
  combat 
  modifiers 
  apply. 
  Inertia 
  screens 
  and 
  skeinsuits will absorb half of the damage caused by 
  a knife. 
   
  Nightstick. A nightstick is a weighted plastic club. 
  This category also includes improvised weapons that 
  are more effective than simple clubs, like chairs, 
  baseball bats and quarterstaffs. Inertia screens and 
  skeinsuits halve the damage from a nightstick. 
   
  Polearm. A polearm consists of a long pole with a 
  heavy blade at one end. Typical polearms are 
  halberds, partisans, naginatas and glaives. Inertia 
  screens and skeinsuits halve the damage from a 
  polearm. 
   
  Shock Gloves. Shock gloves are silvery gloves that 
  deliver an electrical shock to anything they touch. 
  They must be connected to a beltpack or powerpack 
  to work. Shock gloves will not affect anyone 
  protected by a gauss screen or an anti-shock 
  implant. Shock gloves use 2 SEU each time they hit. 
   
  Sonic Knife. A sonic knife looks like a golden tube, 
  15 cm long and 4 cm in diameter. This tube is 
  actually only the weapon's handle. When a small 
  button on the side of the tube is pressed, a powerful 
  "blade" of focused sound is created at one end of 
  the tube. The sound blade is about 20 cm long, and 
  is invisible. It emits a high-pitched whine, however. 
  The blade is turned off when the button is released. 
  The knife is powered by a 20 SEU clip, but can be 
  hooked into a beltpack or power pack. A sonic knife 
  uses 1 SEU when it hits. Anyone wearing a sonic 
  screen can not be injured by a sonic knife. Unlike a 
  regular knife, a sonic knife cannot be thrown. 
   
  Sonic Sword. A sonic sword looks like a sonic knife, 
  but the blade is 1 m long when it is turned on. A 
  sonic sword causes 5d10 damage and uses 2 SEU 
  when it hits. 
   
  Spear. Any pole with a knife-like blade on the end is 
  a spear. Bayonets and pikes are included in this 
  category. Inertia screens and skeinsuits halve the 
  damage from a spear. 
   
  Stunstick. A stunstick is a copper-colored tube 30 
  cm long and 3 cm in diameter, with an insulated 
  grip. It has two settings: shock and stun. When set 
  on shock, a successful hit causes 3d10 points of 
  damage. When set on stun, a successful hit will stun 
  the victim for d100 turns. A character can resist the 
  stun by making a successful check against his 
  current Stamina. A successful hit uses 2 SEU. A 20 
  SEU clip can be fitted into the handle, or the weapon 
  can be connected to a beltpack or powerpack. A 
  character with an anti-shock implant is immune to 
  the stun setting. 
   
   
   
  Sword. Any long-bladed, hand-held weapon is a 
  sword. Examples are broadswords, machetes or 
  rapiers. Inertia screens and skeinsuits reduce the 
  damage from a sword by half. 
   
  Vibroknife. A vibroknife has a 20 cm saw-toothed 
  blade. When it is turned on, the blade vibrates at 
  high speed. It uses 1 SEU with each successful hit. A 
  20 SEU clip can be plugged into the handle, or the 
  weapon can be connected to beltpack or powerpack. 
  Inertia screens and skeinsuits halve vibroknife 
  damage. 
   
  AMMUNITION 
  When a weapon that requires ammunition is 
  purchased, it is assumed that it comes with a full 
  magazine/clip of ammunition. 
   
  Beam Weapon Ammunition 
  Powerclip. The standard 20 SEU powerclip is a 
  sturdy plastic box about the size of a cigarette pack. 
  A powerclip will fit any weapon that can use a 
  
   
  60 
   
   
  powerclip. Players must keep track of how many 
  SEU are in the clip. Powerclips can not be recharged. 
   
  Power Beltpack. A power beltpack is a 20 cm x 8 
  cm x 5 cm plastic box that attaches to a character's 
  belt. It comes with three different powercords that 
  can be plugged into three distinct outlets in the side 
  of the unit. One port is for weapons, one is for 
  screens and one is for auxiliary equipment such as 
  scanners or radios. Only one weapon and one screen 
  can be plugged into a beltpack at the same time. 
  Beltpacks can be recharged at a cost of 5 credits per 
  1 SEU recharged. Recharging can be done at any 
  weapons shop, hardware store or fuel station. 
   
  Power Backpack. A power backpack is worn on a 
  harness that slips over the shoulders. Special 
  adapters are available for Dralasites at no additional 
  cost. A backpack has two weapon ports, one screen 
  port and three auxiliary ports. Only two weapons 
  can be connected to the same backpack. Backpacks 
  can be recharged for 5 credits per 1 SEU recharged. 
  It takes two turns to plug in or unplug a powercord 
  from a power backpack. 
   
  Projectile Ammunition 
  Bulletclip. A bulletclip is a plastic, spring-loaded 
  rack of bullets, 5 cm x 2.5 cm x 15 cm. It holds 20 
  bullets for either an automatic pistol or rifle. Rifle 
  and pistol clips are not interchangeable. 
   
  Needleclip. A needleclip is a drum-shaped canister 
  10 cm in diameter and 5 cm thick, It holds 10 
  clusters of needles. Two varieties of needles are 
  available: barbed and anesthetic. Rifle and pistol 
  needleclips are not interchangeable. 
   
  Machine 
  Gun 
  Belt. 
  Machine 
  guns 
  use 
  a 
  disintegrating belt of 200 bullets (nothing is left of 
  the belt after all the bullets are fired except 
  individual shell casings). If someone is working with 
  the firer, ammo belts can be linked together so the 
  gun can keep firing without stopping to be reloaded. 
   
  Recoilless Rifle Shell. A recoilless rifle shell looks 
  like a 15 cm long artillery shell. It is essentially a 
  giant bullet. 
   
  Gyrojet Ammunition 
  Jetclip. Jetclips are loaded with 10 miniature 
  rockets. The clip is inserted into the weapon's ammo 
  chamber in front of the trigger. Pistol and rifle 
  jetclips are not interchangeable. 
   
  Grenade Bullet. A grenade bullet looks like a 
  shotgun shell. It is used to launch a grenade from a 
  grenade rifle. It has no effect if fired without a 
  grenade. 
   
  Grenade Shell. A grenade shell looks like a mortar 
  round. It must be loaded into a grenade mortar in 
  order to fire a grenade. 
   
  Rocket. Rockets are 25 cm long cylinders, with no 
  fins. The rocket’s exhaust is vented out the back of 
  the launcher when fired. Anyone standing directly 
  behind the launcher will suffer 5d10 points of 
  damage from the blast. 
   
  Archaic Weapon Ammunition 
  Arrows. Arrows can be bought in quivers that 
  contain 20 arrows. Characters with Environmental 
  skill can make crude arrows in an emergency. 
   
  Powder and Shot. One package of powder and 
  shot includes 20 lead bullets and enough black 
  gunpowder to fire them. 
   
  DEFENSES 
  It’s doubtful that starting characters will be able to 
  afford defenses from this list.  But as they 
  adventure, they will eventually come into enough 
  money to afford such luxuries. 
   
  Power Screens 
  All powerscreens except the chameleon screen are 
  worn like belts around the waist. Special adapters 
  are provided for Dralasites at no extra cost. Only 
  one powerscreen can be worn or used at one time. 
  Putting on or taking off a powerscreen takes five 
  turns. When a screen runs out of power. it has no 
  effect. 
   
  Albedo Screen. An albedo screen projects a silvery 
  aura 
  that 
  absorbs 
  laser 
  damage. 
  The 
  aura 
  completely surrounds the person wearing the 
  screen. For every 5 points (or fraction of 5 points) 
  absorbed, 1 SEU is drained from the power source. 
  For example, absorbing 11 points of damage drains 
  3 SEU. The person wearing the screen will take no 
  damage from lasers as long as the power holds out. 
  A person can fire a laser weapon out of an albedo 
  screen. 
   
  Gauss Screen. A gauss screen generates an 
  invisible barrier that protects the wearer from 
  electrical attacks (electrostunners, electric swords, 
  shock gloves, stunsticks). The screen drains 2 SEU 
  every time it absorbs an attack. There is a quick 
  flash of light when the screen is hit. As long as the 
  power holds out, a character wearing a gauss screen 
  is immune to electrical attacks. 
   
  Holo Screen. A holo screen projects a 3-dimensinal 
  image around its wearer. The image is projected 
  from a holo disc, a small disk that slides into the top 
  of the holo screen control unit. The holo disc 
  contains complete holographic information on one 
  
   
  61 
   
   
  person or thing. For example, a holo disc could 
  project the image of an adult male Yazirian in 
  civilian clothes. The holo screen is only 80% 
  effective. On a roll of 81-00 an onlooker will notice 
  something is wrong. The holo image is limited to 
  roughly the same size and shape as the wearer. For 
  example, a Vrusk could not masquerade as a 
  Human. Personalized holo discs can be ordered for 
  5,000 Cr. A personalized holo disc contains holo 
  information on a specific individual. Producing a 
  personalized holo disc takes 1d10 months, because 
  it requires detailed (and very illegal) holo-filming of 
  the desired subject. If the subject is willing, the 
  filming can be done in one day. A camouflage 
  feedback loop can be added to the holo screen for 
  an additional 1,000 Cr. The camouflage loop adjusts 
  the holo image to match nearby surroundings, 
  giving the wearer an 80% chance to be "invisible" to 
  onlookers. 
   
  Inertia Screen. An inertia screen defends against 
  all projectile weapons, gyrojet pistols and rifles, 
  fragmentation grenades, explosives and all melee 
  weapons except electrical or sonic weapons. When 
  hit by one of these weapons, the screen uses 2 SEU 
  and absorbs one-half of the damage caused by the 
  attack. The wearer takes the other half of the 
  damage. If the damage can not be divided evenly, 
  the character takes the smaller half. 
   
  Sonic Screen. A sonic screen is also known as a 
  hush field, because no sound can cross it, either 
  coming in or going out. The screen also absorbs all 
  sonic attacks that hit it. It uses 1 SEU of energy 
  every minute it is on and 2 SEU every time it 
  absorbs a sonic attack. A character inside a sonic 
  screen can communicate only with a radio or hand 
  signals. 
   
  Defensive Suits 
  Albedo Suit. An albedo suit is made from a special 
  shiny flexible material. It will reflect the damage 
  from a laser attack. For each point of damage 
  reflected, the suit takes 1 point of damage. When it 
  has accumulated 100 points of damage or more, the 
  suit becomes useless. 
   
  Skeinsuit. A skeinsuit is made of light ballistic 
  cloth. It absorbs damage just like an inertia screen. 
  It also can be used along with an inertia screen. A 
  character wearing both a skeinsuit and an inertia 
  screen would take only one-fourth damage from 
  ballistic attacks. The suit is ruined when it takes 50 
  points or more of damage. Two types of skeinsuits 
  are 
  available: 
  military 
  and 
  civilian. 
  Military 
  skeinsuits are camouflage green. Civilian skeinsuits 
  look like regular clothing. 
   
  TOOLKITS 
  If a starting character chose a skill that requires a 
  toolkit, the character gets the toolkit automatically 
  along with the skill. Characters who learn skills by 
  spending experience points for them must buy their 
  own toolkits. None of the Military skills require 
  toolkits. 
   
  Technological Toolkits 
  All characters with Technological skills need a toolkit 
  to make repairs. 
   
  Techkit. The technician's toolkit contains all of the 
  tools needed to make field repairs on vehicles and 
  other equipment. Because plasteel is used to make 
  so many items that formerly were made of steel or 
  iron, the kit weighs only 20 kg and can be carried in 
  a backpack. A techkit contains: 
   
  • Socket wrench--adjustable from 5 mm to 5 cm 
  • Open end wrench--adjustable as socket wrench 
  • Insulated wire--10 meters 
  • Uninsulated wire--25 meters, can support 2,000 kg 
  • Prybar--1 meter plasteel rod, collapses to 10 cm 
  • Jack--5,000 kg capacity, .5 meter lift, collapses to 200 
  cm cube 
  • Hammer--large ballpeen high-impact head 
  • lon Bonding Tape--10 cm wide x 5 m long, bonds 
  directly to any metal 
  • Plastibond--tube of plastic filler, bonds to any plastic 
  surface in one minute; five applications 
  • 500 nuts, bolts, clamps, screws and nails 
  • 10 hoses of assorted sizes 
  • Electrosnips--powered 
  metal-cutting 
  shears 
  (sheet 
  metal only) 
  • Magnegrips--electromagnetic vicegrips 
  • Spray lubricant--10 applications of pressurized synthoil 
  • Spray waterproofing--will insulate circuits, cloth, etc., 
  from moisture; five applications 
   
  Robcomkit. 
  The 
  robcomkit 
  is 
  another 
  highly 
  specialized assortment of tools. It weighs only 15 kg 
  and, like the techkit, is designed to be carried in a 
  backpack. A robcomkit contains: 
   
  • Electrodriver, ion bonding tape, insulated wire, spray 
  lubricant, electrosnips, spray waterproofing--all the 
  same as those in the techkit. 
  • Lasoldering iron--pen-sized laser soldering iron 
  • Solder--1-meter roll of conductive soft metal 
  • Magnetic by-pass clips--10 small connectors used to 
  short-circuit wiring 
  • Breadboard circuits--5 standard boards for mounting 
  robot circuitry 
  • Demagnetizer--electrical tool to demagnetize fouled 
  circuits Spray cleaner--spray solvent to remove dirt 
  from the robot's works; 1 0 applications 
  • Miniature flashlight--20 hours of light; magnetized 
  handle 
  • Calipers--capable of taking measurements as small as 
  .001 mm 
  • Needlenose pliers--similar to 20th century tool 
  
   
  62 
   
   
  • Sonic Scalpel--tool for cutting plastic, metal or flesh; 
  makes a smooth, bloodless incision up to 5 mm deep 
  • Components--box of transistors, diodes and computer 
  chips for robot circuits 
  • Oscilloscope--miniaturized 
  viewer 
  which 
  displays 
  information on electrical flow and other aspects of 
  circuitry 
   
   
   
  Biosocial Toolkits 
  A medic needs a medkit and an environmentalist 
  requires an envirokit to be most effective. 
   
  Medkit. A medkit has specialized equipment the 
  medic needs to perform his or her job. It weighs 10 
  kg and can be carried as a backpack. The medkit 
  contains: 
   
  • Local Anesthetic--10 hypo doses to relieve pain 
  • Plastiflesh--5 cans of spray which closes up wounds and 
  heals burns 
  • Omnimycin--10 hypo doses to control infections 
  • Acid neutralizer--1 bottle of liquid to neutralize acids 
  • Antiseptic--5 cans of spray to clean and disinfect a skin 
  area 
  • Microforceps--adjustable, used to remove shrapnel and 
  bullet fragments from wounds 
  • Medscanner--an electrical instrument used to diagnose 
  ailments 
  • Spray hypo--syringe used to give shots without a 
  needle 
  • Biocort--20 hypo doses to stimulate very fast healing 
  • Telol--10 hypo doses of truth serum 
  • Stimdose--10 
  hypo 
  doses 
  to 
  revive 
  unconscious 
  individuals 
  • Staydose--10 hypo doses to sustain a dying character 
  for 20 hours 
  • Sonic scalpel--same as in robcomkit 
  • Laser scalpel--used to make deep incisions 
  • Electrosurgeon--a small machine that keeps wounds 
  open and controls bleeding during surgery. 
  • Autosurgeon--a special device that allows a medic to 
  operate on himself 
  • Antibody plus--10 hypo doses that increase the body's 
  ability to recover from diseases 
  • Antitox--10 hypo doses to neutralize poisons 
   
  Envirokit. An envirokit contains only three items, 
  but they are very sophisticated pieces of equipment. 
  The entire kit weighs 5 kg, and can be fastened to a 
  belt or placed in a backpack. The envirokit contains: 
   
  • Bioscanner--This device consists of a network of straps 
  and electrodes connected to a readout gauge. When 
  attached to a plant or animal, living or dead, it can 
  determine what type organism is being examined and 
  whether it is edible or poisonous. 
  • Vaporscanner--A vaporscanner is a small device that 
  contains sensitive gas analyzers. It will report on a 
  digital screen what gaseous elements are present, their 
  quantities and whether breathing them is dangerous. 
  • Geoscanner--The geoscanner can break down up to a 
  first-sized sample of rock or soil and analyze it. It will 
  report what minerals the sample contains and whether 
  there are likely to be valuable ore, gas or oil deposits 
  nearby. 
   
  MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT 
  Allweather Blanket. This 3m x 3m blanket has a 
  layer of soft pseudowool on one side, and a layer of 
  smooth waterproof plastic on the other. The blanket 
  will keep a character warm in temperatures down to 
  0° (freezing temperature). The blanket can be used 
  to carry water. If the blanket is used to line a pit in 
  the desert, it will collect 1 liter of dew overnight. 
   
  Anti-Shock Implant. This is a small device that 
  can be implanted in the back of a character's neck, 
  making the character immune to stun attacks. A-S 
  implants must be installed at a hospital. 
   
   
   
  Chronocom. Chronocom is short for chronograph/ 
  communicator. A chronocom is a combination 
  wristwatch, calculator and communicator. It has a 
  range of 5 kilometers. 
   
  Compass. A compass is used to find direction. A 
  compass can be deceived so it points away from 
  magnetic north by the presence of nearby magnetic 
  rocks, 
  electrical 
  generators 
  or 
  other 
  powerful 
  magnets or large metal deposits. 
   
  Everflame. 
  An 
  everflame 
  is 
  a 
  permanent, 
  waterproof, windproof lighter guaranteed to last 20 
  years. 
   
  Exoskeleton. An exoskeleton is a mechanical, 
  metal frame that is worn on the outside of a 
  character's body. It follows the body's movements 
  and increases the strength of its wearer. Each joint 
  has its own miniature motor. An exoskeleton must 
  be specially fitted to the character that will wear it, 
  and can not be worn by anyone else. Getting into or 
  out of an exoskeleton takes 1d10+10 minutes. A 
  character in an exoskeleton can move twice as fast 
  as normal, can jump 5 meters straight up (in 1g), 
  gains a bonus of +20 to hit in melee and does +10 
  points of damage in melee. An exoskeleton provides 
  
   
  63 
   
   
  no protection to the wearer. It can be worn along 
  with a powerscreen and defensive suit. 
   
  Flashlight. The flashlight is about the size of a 
  pencil. It contains enough power to operate for 200 
  hours. Its beam will shine up to 100 meters. 
   
  Freeze Field. Each freeze field device contains 20 
  SEU. The field uses 1 SEU every 10 hours. Another 
  power source can be attached if the power runs low, 
  but if it ever runs out the body can not be revived. A 
  character loses one point from one of his ability 
  scores for each full 10 hours he spends in a freeze 
  field. The player can subtract these points from any 
  ability or abilities he chooses. A freeze field device 
  can be reused, but it must be recharged and re-
  tuned at a hospital or shop, at a cost of 100 Cr. 
   
  Gas Mask. A gas mask fits over the wearer's face 
  and filters out all hazardous gases as the character 
  breathes. It will not allow a person to breathe 
  underwater or in a vacuum, or anywhere there is 
  not enough oxygen to keep a character alive. 
   
  Holoflare. A holoflare is a small, solid, ball-shaped 
  device. When lit, the flare rockets about 200 meters 
  into the air and hovers there for 10 minutes. The 
  flare will illuminate an area 1 km across with a dim 
  light.  
   
   
   
  Infra-Red Goggles. Infra-red (IR) goggles allow a 
  character to see heat images in total darkness. They 
  can be used to spot characters that are hidden in 
  light foliage or darkness, or that are using a holo 
  belt. 
   
  Infra-Red Jammer. An IR jammer hides the 
  wearer from infra-red sensors, including IR goggles. 
   
  Life Jacket. A life jacket is an inflatable vest that 
  will keep a character afloat for any length of time. It 
  comes folded into a package about the size of a 
  person's fist. 
   
  Magnigoggles. Magnigoggles are goggles that 
  magnify visual images the same way binoculars do. 
  They triple the distance at which a character can 
  identify a man-sized object. They do not work like 
  telescopic 
  sights, 
  and 
  a 
  character 
  wearing 
  magnigoggles can not aim a weapon. 
   
  Machete. A machete is a short sword used for 
  chopping through soft jungle growth or grass. 
   
  Parawing. A parawing is a disposable glider used 
  as an emergency parachute A character can jump 
  with a parawing from any altitude. The wing is 
  opened automatically by small solid-fuel jets, and 
  the frame glues itself open. The character then 
  floats to the ground. The wing can not be refolded to 
  be used again. 
   
  Poly-vox. A poly-vox is a specialized computer that 
  can be worn around the throat. It translates a 
  message that it hears in one language into another 
  language, and then repeats it. It can learn an 
  unknown language if it can be programmed with key 
  phrases, and then exposed to the language for 1-
  100 hours (see Language). A character does not 
  need computer skill to use a poly-vox. 
   
  Radiophone. 
  A 
  radiophone 
  is 
  a 
  short-wave 
  communicator with a 1,000 km range. 
   
  Rope. This is a 25-meter coil of braided plastic rope 
  that will support up to 500 kg. 
   
  Solvaway. Solvaway is the only solvent that will 
  immediately dissolve tangler grenade threads. It 
  must be applied by someone other than the person 
  who is tangled in the threads. One vial of solvaway 
  contains enough liquid to dissolve the threads from 
  one tangler grenade. It will not dissolve anything 
  but tangler grenade threads. 
   
  Subspace Radio. A subspace radio is used for 
  sending messages between distant planets and star 
  systems. Subspace communicators send coded 
  tachyon beams that must be broadcast from very 
  carefully aimed dish antennas to hit their target 
  planet or system. A subspace message crosses one 
  light-year in one hour. The radio uses a type 1 
  parabattery. Sending a message uses 100 SEU. 
   
  Sungoggles. 
  Sungoggles 
  are 
  high-quality 
  sunglasses. 
   
  Survival Rations. A box of survival rations contains 
  four airtight foil-wrapped packets. Each packet holds 
  a food concentrate that looks like crumbly dust. 
  When water is added, the dust quickly becomes a 
  delicious meal of protein and vitamin-packed mush. 
  One packet will feed one character for one day. 
   
  Tornadium D-19. Tornadium D-19 ("kaboomite") is 
  the standard plastic explosive. It can be bought 
  legally only by someone with Demolitions skill. A 50-
  gram charge of TD-19 will cause 5d10 points of 
  damage to anyone and anything within 1 meter of 
  the explosion. Each additional 50 grams causes an 
  
   
  64 
   
   
  additional 25 points of damage. Anyone farther from 
  the explosion than 1 meter, but within the blast 
  radius, takes one-half damage. The blast radius is 1 
  meter for every 100 grams of TD-19 used. A thrown 
  charge does full damage to living creatures, but only 
  one-half damage to structures. 
   
  Toxyrad Gauge. A Toxy-rad gauge is a special 
  device that is worn on the wrist like a watch. It will 
  alert the wearer to several types of danger. There 
  are three colored lights on the device. If the red 
  light flashes, it indicates that the oxygen content of 
  the surrounding air is dropping to a dangerously low 
  level. If the blue light flashes, it indicates that there 
  is dangerous radioactivity nearby. If the yellow light 
  flashes, it means that the sensor has encountered 
  some substance that is poisonous to Humans, 
  Dralasites, Yazirians or Vrusk. A small dial on the 
  face of the gauge indicates the degree of danger to 
  a character. 
   
  Variable Timer/Detonator. Variable timers are 
  used to detonate Tornadium D-19. A timer can be 
  set for 1 to 60 seconds, 1 to 60 minutes or 1 to 60 
  hours. 
   
  Vitasalt 
  Pills. 
  Vitasalt 
  pills 
  are 
  special 
  pills 
  containing vitamins and minerals, including salt. 
  They help reduce a character's need for water in dry 
  areas. 
   
  Water Pack. A water pack contains eight one-liter 
  plastic bags of water. Each bag has a closable seal. 
  The water bags come packed in a lightweight plastic 
  frame. The frame can be converted into a simple 
  backpack in 5 minutes. 
   
  ROBOTS 
  When a robot is built, the designer must give it a 
  body type, a way to move, a way to manipulate 
  objects and programming. Special items can be 
  added at additional cost. 
   
  Standard Body. Standard robot bodies come in all 
  shapes. They are about the size of an average 
  character, weigh 100 kg (without a parabattery) and 
  have 100 Stamina points. A standard body is 
  powered by a type 1 parabattery. 
   
  Heavy Duty. Heavy duty robot bodies also are 
  available in any shape, but they are about the size 
  of a ground car and weigh about 500 kg (without a 
  parabattery). A heavy duty robot has 500 Stamina 
  points, and is powered by a type 2 parabattery. 
   
  Anthropomorphic. Anthropomorphic robot bodies 
  look like one of the four major races. They weigh 
  roughly 100 kg (without battery) and have 100 
  Stamina points. They are powered by a type 2 
  parabattery. 
   
  Robot Movement 
  All three body types can be equipped with wheels, 
  tracks or mechanical legs, whichever the designer 
  wants. 
   
  Limbs. All three body types come with two 
  manipulative limbs. These can be mechanical arms, 
  tentacles, or specialized limbs for digging through 
  rock or mounting tools. 
   
  Under normal conditions, most robots move 10 
  meters/turn. They can travel much faster, however. 
  Top speeds for various types of robots are shown on 
  the table below. 
   
  ROBOT MOVMENT TABLE 
  Robot Type 
  Movement Rate 
  cybot, heavy duty, service, brain 30 meters/turn 
  maintenance 
  60 meters/turn 
  security 
  90 meters/turn 
  combat, warbot 
  120 meters/turn 
   
  Altered Movement. Robots with hover movement 
  move the same as hover cars. Robots with rotor 
  movement move the same as jetcopters and robots 
  with rocket movement move the same as aircars. 
   
  Robot Levels 
  Robot levels are described in the Skills section under 
  Robotics. 
   
   
   
  
   
  65 
   
   
  Customizing 
  A robot can be given additional arms and legs, a 
  different means of movement, special equipment or 
  special programs. Every two additions picked from 
  the Special Program, Altered Movement or Extra 
  Limbs tables increase the size and cost of the 
  robot's body by 10%. 
   
  EXAMPLE: Sheeta Starfox is customizing a combat 
  robot. Her standard combat robot has a standard 
  body (2,000 Cr), the attack/defense special program 
  (1,000 Cr) and is level 4 (2,000 Cr). It originally 
  cost 5,000 Cr. Sheeta wants to add the Computer 
  Link and Search and Destroy programs, rotor type 
  movement and two additional pairs of standard 
  limbs. The size and cost of the robot's body must be 
  increased 30% (2,600 Cr). The Search and Destroy 
  program costs 3,000 Cr and the Computer Link 
  program costs 4,000 Cr. Rotor movement cost 
  another 5,000 Cr and the additional arms cost 1,600 
  Cr. The customized robot will cost Sheeta 19,200 Cr 
  (14,200 Cr more than the standard robot). The 
  robot weighs 130 kg (without its battery), but still 
  has only 100 Stamina points. 
   
  Robot Programs 
  Restrain. The robot can both defend itself and 
  attack, but can not use any lethal weapon. 
   
  Self Defense. The robot can fight back if attacked 
  in melee. 
   
  Attack/Defense. The robot can fight using the 
  same type of weapons as a character, and can be 
  equipped with an albedo suit and a screen (with its 
  own power supply). The robot can use lethal 
  weapons. 
   
  Search and Destroy. The robot can perform 
  combat missions that include tracking down its 
  target. A robot must have the Attack/Defense 
  program to use this program. 
   
  Computer Link. This program enables a robot to 
  communicate directly with a computer using a tight-
  beam long-range communicator. This gives it access 
  to all the information in the computer. 
   
  Robot Attacks 
  A robot gets one melee attack for every pair of limbs 
  it has. If the robot uses a weapon, it causes 
  whatever damage is normal for that weapon. If the 
  robot attacks without a weapon, standard and 
  anthropomorphic 
  limbs 
  cause 
  2d10 
  points 
  of 
  damage and heavy duty limbs cause 6d10 points of 
  damage.  A robot using a ranged weapon is treated 
  exactly the same as a character, and is subject to all 
  the ranged combat rules. 
   
  A robot can not attack unless it has a restrain, self-
  defense or attack/defense program. 
   
  Standard Robots 
  Combat Robots. Combat robots have standard 
  bodies and the attack/defense program. They are 
  limited to levels 2 to 4. Combat robots serve as 
  active combat soldiers. 
   
  Cybernetic Robots. Cybernetic robots (cybots) 
  have both mechanical and organic parts. They can 
  perform any job other robots of their level can 
  perform. Cybots can have any body type, but 
  usually are anthropomorphic. They are limited to 
  levels 4 to 6. 
   
  Heavy Duty Robots. Heavy duty robots do heavy 
  excavating, crop harvesting, rock quarrying, etc. 
  They have heavy duty bodies and are limited to 
  levels 1 to 4. 
   
  Maintenance Robots. Maintenance robots clean 
  areas, oil machines, watch for breakdowns and 
  malfunctions, etc. They use standard bodies and are 
  limited to levels 1 to 4. They can not do actual 
  repairs. 
   
  Robot Brains. Robot brains are robot managers. 
  They usually command other types of robots. They 
  have heavy duty bodies plus the computer link 
  program. All robot brains are level 6. 
   
  Security Robots. Security robots serve as both 
  guards and police. They have standard bodies and 
  the restrain program. They are limited to levels 2 to 
  6. 
   
  Service Robots. Service robots are used as 
  servants. They work as store clerks, information 
  sources, gardeners, tailors etc. Service robots have 
  anthropomorphic bodies modeled after whichever 
  race they serve. They can not be mistaken for a 
  living person, however. These robots are limited to 
  levels 3 to 6. 
   
  Warbots. Warbots are intelligent war machines. 
  They often command combat robots. They have 
  heavy duty bodies and the attack/defense and 
  search and destroy programs. They are limited to 
  levels 5 to 6. 
   
  COMPUTERS 
  A computer is a sophisticated electronic machine 
  that can receive and analyze information. A 
  computer 
  works 
  by 
  running 
  programs. 
  Every 
  program is available in six levels. The higher levels 
  are more complex and able to handle more 
  information. 
  Each 
  program 
  requires 
  a 
  certain 
  number of computer function points in order to 
  
   
  66 
   
   
  operate. A function point is a measurement of a 
  computer's ability to process information. Higher-
  level programs have a higher function point 
  requirement. The Computer Program list shows the 
  number of function points a program needs. 
   
  When a character buys a computer he actually is 
  buying individual programs and the hardware 
  needed to run them. For example, when a character 
  buys a level 1 Analysis program (1 function point), 
  he gets not only the program, but also a computer 
  circuit module that can process a 1-function point 
  program. A computer's level is determined by 
  totaling all the function point requirements of the 
  various programs and finding this number on the 
  Computer list. If more programs are added to the 
  computer later, its level may be raised. 
   
  EXAMPLE: A small inter-stellar business run by 
  "Slingshot'' Simmons buys a computer to keep track 
  of its finances. Simmons buys a level 2 Analysis 
  program (2 function points), a level 2 Commerce 
  program 
  (6 
  function 
  points) 
  and 
  a 
  level 
  1 
  Information Storage program (2 function points). 
  The computer needs a total of 10 function points, 
  making it a level 1 computer. It costs 10,000 
  Credits. If Simmons later adds a level 2 Robot 
  Management program (4 function points), his 
  computer has 14 function points, making it a level 2 
  computer. 
   
  Structure Points. A computer's weight in kilograms 
  also is its number of structural points. Thus a level 4 
  computer that weighs 100 kg could take 100 points 
  of damage before it stopped working. 
   
  Power Sources. Level 1 to level 4 computers are 
  powered by parabatteries of the same type as the 
  computer's level. Level 5 and 6 computers use 
  power generators type 1 and 2, respectively. 
  Computers will operate for at least one year before 
  their batteries must be recharged. Power sources 
  must be bought separately. 
   
  Computer Programs 
  The standard computer programs listed below can 
  be purchased by anyone in any store that sells 
  computers or computer parts and equipment. A 
  program's cost is the number of function points it 
  requires, multiplied by 1,000 Credits. 
   
  Analysis. An Analysis program allows a computer to 
  perform mathematic calculations and computations. 
  Level 1 is basically a sophisticated calculator. At 
  level 3 the program can do advanced algebra and 
  calculus. At level 6 it can do all known mathematical 
  calculations, including theoretical math. 
   
  Bureaucracy. A Bureaucracy program coordinates 
  other programs. For example, a city could use the 
  Bureaucracy program to coordinate Commerce, 
  Communication, Industry, Law Enforcement, Life 
  Support, Maintenance and Transportation programs. 
  A Bureaucracy program can coordinate a number of 
  programs equal to its level x 3. It is not needed 
  unless the programs being coordinated are level 3 or 
  higher. 
   
  Commerce. A Commerce program enables a 
  computer 
  to 
  handle 
  business 
  transactions. 
  Commerce covers such areas as banking, stocks, 
  market trends, bookkeeping, imports and exports. A 
  level 1 program could be used by 
  starship 
  computers to record the cargo manifest, passenger 
  records and ship's books. A level 6 program could be 
  used to coordinate all commerce in a city. 
   
  Communication. A Communication program deals 
  with all aspects of communication, including news, 
  entertainment and public service announcements. It 
  can 
  control 
  radio, 
  holophones 
  and 
  holovision 
  communication devices. Higher program levels can 
  handle 
  more 
  complex 
  systems. 
  A 
  level 
  1 
  communications program might be used to handle 
  communication 
  and 
  to 
  provide 
  packaged 
  entertainment on a starship. A level 6 program 
  could monitor all communication in an entire city. 
   
  Computer Security. Computer Security programs 
  protect a computer against both physical and 
  program tampering. A Computer Security program 
  must be defeated or bypassed before a computer 
  specialist can change any programs or interface two 
  computers. Computer Security programs can also 
  control physical defenses guarding the computer. A 
  level 1 Computer Security program is simple code 
  words that lock other programs, plus a simple 
  recognition code such as a fingerprint reader. A level 
  6 security program sets up a complex system of 
  codes and special directions, and guards the 
  computer with robots or remote guns. 
   
  Industry. An Industry program deals with turning 
  raw materials into products. It can be used for both 
  agriculture and manufacturing. At level 1 an 
  Industry program could run a starship's hydroponics 
  system and machine shop. At level 6 the program 
  could coordinate many large factories and farms. 
   
  Information Storage. The Information Storage 
  program is passive. It is simply a record-keeping 
  system. A level 1 Information Storage program 
  could be used by a business to record its yearly 
  sales data. A level 6 program could store an entire 
  university library. 
   
  
   
  67 
   
   
  Installation Security. An Installation Security 
  program coordinates the defense of an area. Higher-
  level programs can defend larger areas. A level 1 
  Installation Security program could lock a building's 
  doors at a certain time and call the police if an alarm 
  sets off in the building. A level 3 installation Security 
  program would not only lock the doors and call the 
  police, but could control pressure plate sensors, I-R 
  scanners, holovision cameras, special weapons, etc. 
  At level 6, the program could defend an entire city 
  or starport. 
   
  Language. 
  The 
  language 
  program 
  enables 
  a 
  computer to translate known languages into each 
  other and, at higher levels, to translate unknown 
  languages into known languages. Higher level 
  programs can translate more languages. Translating 
  an unknown language requires at least a level 3 
  program. 
   
  Law Enforcement. The law enforcement program 
  is used to coordinate the efforts of all law enforcers 
  in an area. Higher level programs can control a 
  larger area. The program can handle police calls, 
  schedule patrols, monitor trials, control riots and 
  scan for developing crime trends. A level 1 program 
  could monitor traffic flow and patrol routes in one 
  precinct, while a level 6 program could run an entire 
  city police department. 
   
  Life Support. The life support program controls 
  lighting, temperature control, weather prediction, 
  heating and power plant control. A level 1 program 
  can control the life support system on a starship. A 
  level 6 program could handle all the life support 
  functions of an enclosed city. 
   
  Maintenance. The Maintenance program handles 
  standard janitorial functions such as cleaning, 
  painting and basic repair. It can also coordinate 
  services such as garbage collection, fire inspection 
  and sewage removal. A level 1 program could 
  maintain a starship. A level 6 program could 
  coordinate maintenance for an entire city. 
   
  Robot Management. The Robot Management 
  program lets a computer control robots. Higher level 
  programs can control more robots. This program 
  often is used along with the Industry, Security, Law 
  Enforcement and Maintenance programs. The Robot 
  Management program must be a least as high a 
  level as the robots it is controlling. The number of 
  robots that a program can control equals its level 
  multiplied by its number of function points. 
   
  Transportation. The transportation program allows 
  a computer to control a mass transit system, 
  including traffic control and distribution of products. 
  A level 1 program could control mechanized 
  sidewalks, elevators and escalators in a building. A 
  level 6 program could run all of the monorails, 
  buses, subways and traffic control signals in a city. 
   
  PARABATTERIES AND  
  POWER GENERATORS 
  Parabatteries are used in vehicles, computers and 
  robots. They vary in size from a few hundred cubic 
  centimeters to one cubic meter. The cost to 
  recharge a parabattery is equal to the amount of the 
  SEUs being recharged. 
   
  Power 
  Generators 
  are 
  much 
  larger 
  than 
  parabatteries. A power generator produces a certain 
  number of SEU every hour it operates. However, 
  there is a maintenance cost to run the generator, 
  and it needs an outside force of some kind: solar, 
  nuclear, hydrodynamic, thermal, etc. 
   
  VEHICLE DESCRIPTIONS 
  The following standard vehicles are available on 
  STAR FRONTIERS worlds. 
   
  Ground Car. A ground car is a wheeled vehicle 
  similar to cars in use today, except it runs on a 
  parabattery instead of gasoline. Because ground 
  cars run in contact with the ground, they are very 
  maneuverable. A ground vehicle can cross almost 
  any type of terrain if it has enough ground 
  clearance. However, they are not as fast as hover 
  vehicles on level ground or roads. 
   
   
   
  Ground Transport. Ground transports are heavy, 
  wheeled trucks. They can have open or enclosed 
  cargo areas. 
   
  Ground Cycle. Ground cycles are similar to today's 
  motorcycles. They are fast and very maneuverable. 
   
  Hover Car. A hovercar or "skimmer" is a car that 
  floats on a cushion of air 30 centimeters above the 
  ground. A pair of turbo fans propel it through the 
  air. In general, hover vehicles are faster than 
  
   
  68 
   
   
  ground vehicles, but are less maneuverable and are 
  limited to traveling on fairly level surfaces or calm 
  water. 
   
  Hover Transport. A hover transport is a heavy 
  truck version of a skimmer. 
   
   
   
  Hovercycle. 
  Hovercycles 
  are 
  two-man 
  hover 
  vehicles similar to motorcycles. They are easier to 
  ride and control than a ground cycle, but are not as 
  maneuverable at high speeds. 
   
  Explorer. Explorers are heavy, four-wheeled vans 
  built for traveling and exploring in rugged areas. 
  They are very maneuverable and reliable. Each 
  wheel has its own motor, and the extra-wide tires 
  make it very stable. Explorers are air-tight and have 
  a retractable rudder so they can cross open water, 
  but they can be capsized by high waves. 
   
  Glijet. A glijet is a combination rocketpack and 
  hang glider. The rocketpack is used to fly to high 
  altitude, where the glider wings are extended. The 
  user can glide slowly with the wings, or use the 
  rocketpack to fly at higher speed. The chemical 
  rocket pack weighs 2 kg and costs 50 Cr to refill. 
   
  Jetcopter. A jetcopter is a helicopter with jet 
  engines. They can be flown like normal helicopters 
  at up to 50 kph. Using the jet engines allows them 
  to fly at speeds up to 350 kph. 
   
  Aircar. An aircar is a vertical take-off and landing 
  vehicle, or VerTOL. It takes off and lands like a 
  helicopter, but flies like an airplane. 
   
  Parabatteries 
  All of the vehicles described above, except the glijet, 
  are powered by parabatteries. Parabatteries range 
  in size from fist-sized to 1 cubic meter. The 
  following four types are used in vehicles: 
   
  Type 1: 
  groundcycles and hovercycles 
  Type 2: 
  groundcars and hovercars 
  Type 3: 
  trucks, hovertrucks and explorers 
  Type 4: 
  aircars and jetcopters 
   
  Range 
  All vehicles listed above can travel 1,000 km on a 
  new parabattery before it is out of energy and must 
  be recharged. A glijet does not use a parabattery; 
  its range varies with fuel use, altitude and air 
  currents 
   
   
   
  
   
  69 
   
   
  The Frontier 
  STAR FRONTIERS adventures take place in an area 
  of space called the Frontier Sector, or simply the 
  Frontier. The Frontier contains 17 inhabited star 
  systems, with a total of 23 colonized planets. Some 
  of these planets have been claimed and settled by 
  only one of the four races, while others were set up 
  in cooperation and have mixed populations. 
   
  Besides these settled areas, the sector contains 21 
  unexplored star systems that could have habitable 
  (or inhabited) planets. No one has explored the 
  routes to these stars for navigational hazards, so no 
  one knows whether these stars even have planets. 
  Even the settled systems are not fully explored. 
  There 
  are 
  many 
  moons, 
  asteroid 
  belts 
  and 
  uninhabited planets that are largely ignored in the 
  day-to-day business of earning a living in the 
  Frontier. These areas could hold lost alien treasures 
  or rich deposits of precious metals and gems. 
  Because they are isolated, these spots quickly 
  become hiding places for outlaws and space pirates. 
   
  Many of the settled planets themselves are not fully 
  explored. Most have been mapped by spaceships 
  and satellites that take pictures from orbit. Very few 
  have 
  been 
  explored 
  on 
  the 
  ground. 
  When 
  adventurers travel more than a few hundred 
  kilometers from a settlement, they are entering an 
  area where very few people have ever been. They 
  could be the first people ever to cross that land, or 
  they could be walking in the footprints of a race that 
  built a civilization and then collapsed, leaving its 
  relics to be discovered centuries later. 
   
  The Frontier Map 
  A map of the Frontier Sector is provided for the 
  referee and the players. The map shows the location 
  of all the settled systems, unexplored systems, 
  neutron and binary stars and dust clouds. Each 
  square is 1 light-year across. 
   
  Each inhabited planet is described below. Six 
  characteristics are given for each planet: Colonizers 
  (Col.), Population and Trade (Pop.), Gravity (Grav.), 
  Moons and Length of Day. 
   
  Population and Trade  
  This indicates how many intelligent beings live on 
  the planet and what their major trade is. This 
  information is given in a two- or three-letter code. 
  The first letter describes the population, and the 
  second and third describe the major trade. The 
  abbreviations are: 
   
   
  Population/Trade 
  H Heavy Population. The planet has many large cities that 
  are very crowded, and hundreds of smaller cities. 
  Individual cities may cover hundreds of square 
  kilometers. 
  M Moderate Population. The planet has several large cities 
  and numerous smaller cities, but they are not 
  overcrowded. 
  L  Light Population. The planet has only a few cities, and 
  most would be considered small on a planet with a 
  Heavy population. 
  O Outpost. The planet is a small outpost or new colony. It 
  has only one city, but there may be small settlements 
  scattered nearby. 
  I  Industry. Most of the planet's economy is based on 
  manufacturing. Cities are built around factories and 
  processing plants, and most of the inhabitants work in 
  these factories. Raw materials may be mined on the 
  planet or shipped in from other planets. 
  R  Resource Mining. The planet is rich in natural resources 
  like metals, fossil fuels, gems, crystals or radioactive 
  materials. Most of these raw materials are shipped to 
  Industrial planets because there are not enough 
  factories to process them where they are mined. 
  A  Agriculture. The planet's economy is based on farming. 
  Any renewable resource can be farmed: grain, lumber, 
  livestock, fish, fruit, textiles, etc. 
   
  Some planets have more than one major trade item. 
  The trade item that is listed first is most important. 
   
  EXAMPLE: Pale, the first inhabited planet at Truane's 
  Star, has a Pop. code of MRI. This means the planet 
  has a moderate population, and its major trade is 
   
   
  Section 3 
  
   
  70 
   
   
  mining natural resources. The planet also has some 
  industry, but not enough to process all the materials 
  that are mined. 
   
  Colonizers  
  This indicates which of the four races settled the 
  planet. This race will be the most common on the 
  planet, 
  and 
  will 
  control 
  the 
  government. 
  Abbreviations are used to indicate which race 
  colonized the planet:  
   
  Code 
  Colonizers 
  D 
   Dralasites 
  H 
   Humans 
  V 
   Vrusk 
  Y 
   Yazirians 
  * 
   a mixture of several races 
   
  Gravity 
  This is simply the strength of gravity on the planet. 
  It is measured in multiples of 1 9, which is 
  considered normal gravity. The effects of gravity are 
  described in the section on Movement. 
   
  Moons  
  This indicate the number of moons orbiting the 
  planet. Many planets have small moons that have 
  never been fully explored. Some large planets have 
  moons that are big enough to have atmospheres. 
  Moons can also have rings. 
   
  Length of Day  
  This is the number of hours the planet takes to 
  complete one rotation, or the number of hours from 
  sunrise to sunrise. 
   
  Star Color 
  The color of the star that the planet orbits also is 
  listed. This has no effect on the game, but the 
  referee can use it to add to his descriptions. 
   
  Notes 
  Some planets have additional notes following the 
  table. These describe unusual cultures or planetary 
  features. The referee can make up any other 
  information he needs about the planets when he 
  designs adventures to place on them. 
   
  SPACE TRAVEL 
  Starships can travel between star systems at speeds 
  many times faster than the speed of light. A trip 
  that would have taken hundreds of years in a 
  spaceship could be made in only a few days in a 
  faster-than-light (FTL) starship. Because of their 
  cost, however, most starships in the Frontier are 
  owned by large corporations, planetary governments 
  or starship travel companies. 
   
  The established travel routes are marked on the 
  Frontier map. These are the only explored routes 
  that have been mapped and certified as safe for 
  starships to use. When adventurers travel, they are 
  limited to scheduled or chartered trips following 
  these routes. 
   
  Travel Time 
  The length of each route in light-years is printed on 
  each route. Because FTL ships travel one light-year 
  per day, this number also is the number of days 
  needed to travel this route. This time includes take-
  off and landing, maneuvering in orbit, passenger 
  loading and all other normal procedures. For 
  example, the route from Prenglar to Cassidine is 7 
  light-years. A starship traveling from Prenglar to 
  Cassidine, or from Cassidine to Prenglar, would take 
  7 days (140 hours) to reach its destination. 
   
  Most starships never land on a planet. Passengers 
  board shuttles on the ground that take them into 
  orbit, where they board the starship. When the 
  starship reaches its destination, shuttles again take 
  the passengers either to the planet's surface or to 
  an orbiting space station where they can wait for 
  another flight. 
   
  Starship Tickets and Costs 
  Travelers can buy three types of starship tickets: 
  First Class, Journey Class and Storage. 
   
  First Class. First Class tickets are the most 
  expensive, but First Class passengers get the best 
  food, 
  the 
  biggest 
  cabins 
  and 
  on-board 
  entertainment. A First Class passenger can bring 
  along up to 1 metric ton of cargo at no extra charge. 
  The First Class section also is closest to the 
  starship's lifeboats and emergency spacesuits, so 
  First Class passengers have the best chance to 
  survive a catastrophe. A First Class ticket costs 200 
  Credits per light-year traveled. For example, a First 
  Class ticket from Prenglar to Cassidine costs 1,400 
  Credits. 
   
  Journey Class. Travelers with Journey Class tickets 
  get smaller cabins, poorer-quality food and no 
  entertainment. A journey Class passenger can bring 
  along up to .5 metric ton of cargo at no extra 
  charge. In addition, they are farther from the 
  lifeboats than First Class passengers. A Journey 
  Class ticket costs 100 Credits per light-year 
  traveled. 
   
  Storage. Passengers traveling Storage Class ship 
  themselves as cargo. The passenger is frozen and 
  stored in a special berth. The frozen passengers are 
  revived at their destination. A Storage Class ticket 
  costs 30 Credits per light-year traveled, and 
  includes up to 100 kg of cargo. 
  
   
  71 
   
   
   
  Schedules 
  Starship flights are not always scheduled at 
  convenient times for the adventurers. If the referee 
  does not have a specific flight in mind for the 
  characters, he can roll 3d10 and subtract 3. The 
  result is the number of days the adventurers must 
  wait before the next scheduled flight leaves for their 
  destination. If the result is 0, a starship is leaving 
  that day. 
   
  Layovers 
  If characters must travel through several star 
  systems to reach their destination, they probably 
  will make layovers at each star system along the 
  way. Unless the starship they are traveling on is 
  continuing along the same route, the characters 
  must stop and wait for another scheduled flight to 
  their next destination. If the characters are working 
  for a company that is flying them to their 
  destination, their ship probably will not stop over in 
  a system for more than one or two days: just long 
  enough to pick up supplies, fuel and news. 
   
  EXAMPLE: Justin Balinar and Sh'Kree Kir must travel 
  from Cassidine to Athor. Their ship takes seven days 
  to reach Prenglar. When they arrive, the referee 
  rolls 3d10 and subtracts three days to see when the 
  next ship leaves .The result is an 8, so Justin and 
  Sh'Kree must spend eight days on Prenglar before 
  leaving for Athor. They can look for a temporary job, 
  see the local sights, or perhaps get involved in a 
  short, surprise adventure that the referee has 
  prepared for them. 
   
  Customs, Duties and Taxes 
  The referee may want to add local baggage 
  inspections and special visitors' taxes on some 
  planets. These are not standard, and are left to the 
  referee's judgment. However, they can lead to 
  interesting adventures if the characters are trying to 
  smuggle goods onto a planet or hide from the law. 
  Local duties and taxes also are a good way to 
  relieve rich characters of some of their extra cash. If 
  players ask, the referee should tell them what sorts 
  of inspections and charges they can expect at their 
  destination. 
   
  TIME IN THE FRONTIER 
  Galactic Standard Time (GST) is the most popular 
  time system in the Frontier. The GST system uses 
  hours, minutes and seconds. An hour is 60 minutes 
  long, a minute is 60 seconds long. A second is 
  defined as the length of time needed for a beam of 
  light to travel 300,000 km through a vacuum. 
   
  One year in Galactic Standard Time is 8,000 hours 
  long. A standard year is divided into 400 20-hour 
  days. Each day is divided into a 1 0-hour work 
  period 
  and 
  a 
  1 
  0-hour 
  rest 
  period. 
  These 
  standardized days and years are used mainly for 
  record-keeping. 
   
  Besides Galactic Standard Time, many planets have 
  their own local time system. These local systems 
  use GST seconds, minutes and hours, but the length 
  of the day and year varies from planet to planet. 
  The length of a local day is the time it takes for the 
  planet to rotate through one complete day/night 
  cycle. A local day usually is divided into equal 
  periods of light and darkness, although these can 
  vary if the planet's axis is tilted in relation to its 
  orbit. A local year is the length of time the planet 
  takes to make one complete revolution around its 
  star. 
   
  LANGUAGES OF THE FRONTIER 
  Pan Galactic. All intelligent races in the known 
  galaxy have a native language. In order to simplify 
  interstellar trade, the Pan-Galactic Corporation 
  created Pan Galactic, a language of sounds and 
  gestures that can be spoken by almost any 
  intelligent, speaking creature. It does not sound 
  quite the same when spoken by members of 
  different races, but anyone who speaks Pan Galactic 
  can understand a creature speaking Pan Galactic. 
  Because of its usefulness, Pan Galactic is spoken on 
  almost every world that has contact with the Pan-
  Galactic Corporation or one of the four major races. 
   
  Alien Languages. The referee can decide that the 
  natives of some planets do not speak any language 
  but 
  their 
  own. 
  Aliens 
  that 
  have 
  never 
  met 
  adventurers or Pan-Galactic traders certainly will not 
  know how to speak Pan Galactic. This will create 
  problems for adventurers when they must find a 
  way to communicate with the aliens. 
   
  Learning New Languages. At the start of the 
  game, all player characters speak their native 
  language and Pan Galactic. Learning a new language 
  is like learning a new skill. Each level costs 3 
  experience points. At level 1, a character will 
  understand about half of what anyone says in that 
  language, and has a 50% chance to make someone 
  else understand what he says. This increases 10% 
  at each level above 1. 
   
  Polyvoxes. A polyvox is a small, computerized 
  device that translates what it hears in one language 
  and repeats it in another language. Polyvoxes and 
  language tapes for all known languages can be 
  bought wherever general computer equipment is 
  sold. A polyvox also can learn a new language if it 
  can be programmed with key phrases, and then 
  hear the spoken language for d100 hours. More 
  information on polyvoxes is given in the section on 
  EQUIPMENT. 
  
   
  72 
   
   
   
  Other 
  Barriers. 
  Knowing 
  an 
  alien 
  language 
  or 
  having 
  a 
  polyvox does not guarantee that 
  a character can talk to an alien 
  without 
  having 
  problems. 
  Characters who are speaking an 
  alien language can be confused 
  by words that sound alike but 
  have different meanings, and can 
  have difficulty forming strange 
  sounds. They can easily offend 
  an alien creature by violating one 
  of 
  its 
  traditions, 
  customs 
  or 
  systems of etiquette. The referee 
  should feel free to use language 
  barriers as obstacles for players 
  and to add excitement or even 
  humor to the game. 
   
  THE COST OF LIVING 
  Instead of keeping track of many 
  small 
  expenses, 
  the 
  referee 
  should assume that characters 
  spend one-half of all the money 
  they earn on food, clothes, rent 
  and other miscellaneous items. 
  This is the same on every planet. 
  Unless 
  there 
  are 
  unusual 
  circumstances, 
  players 
  always 
  will have enough money to pay 
  for these and other mundane 
  items 
  not 
  included 
  on 
  the 
  Equipment List. 
   
  The referee can adjust the cost of 
  living to fit the circumstances in 
  the game. For example, if the 
  referee 
  thinks 
  the 
  player 
  characters 
  have 
  too 
  much 
  money, he can raise taxes, raise 
  the price of traveling between 
  planets, declare that a drought is 
  increasing food prices, etc. If the 
  characters are having trouble 
  saving enough money to buy 
  equipment they need, the referee 
  can declare a special tax refund 
  to celebrate a prince's wedding or 
  some similar event. 
   
   The Frontier Worlds 
  System/Planet  
  Col.  
  Pop.  Grav.  Moons Day  Star 
  Araks  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow 
    Hentz  
  Y  
  HI  
  .7  
  0  
  25   
  Athor  
   
   
   
   
   
  Orange 
    Yast  
  Y  
  MA  
  1.0  
  2  
  15   
  Cassidine  
   
   
   
   
   
  Orange-Yellow 
    Rupert's Hole  
  H  
  MIA  .9  
  0  
  20   
    Triad  
  *  
  HI  
  1.1  
  1  
  30   
  Dixon's Star  
   
   
   
   
   
  Green-Yellow 
    Laco  
  H  
  O  
  1.4  
  1  
  60   
  Dramune  
   
   
   
   
   
  Orange-Yellow 
    Inner Reach  
  D  
  MAI  .8  
  1  
  20   
    Outer Reach  
  *  
  MIR  1.0  
  5  
  35   
  Fromeltar  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow 
    Groth  
  D  
  LA  
  1.2  
  0  
  45   
    Terledrom  
  D/V  
  HI  
  1.0  
  3  
  60   
  Gruna Goru  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow 
    Hargut  
  Y  
  HR  
  1.1  
  1  
  20   
  K'aken-Kar  
   
   
   
   
   
  Red-Orange 
    Ken'zah Kit  
  V  
  MA  
  .9  
  0  
  25   
  Kizk'-Kar  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow 
    Zik-kit  
  V  
  MIR  1.0  
  0  
  65   
  Madderly's Star  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow-Green 
    Kdikit  
  H  
  MIA  1.0  
  5  
  30   
  Prenglar  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow 
    Gran Quivera  
  *  
  HI  
  1.0  
  0  
  15   
    Morgaine's World  H  
  O  
  1.5  
  4  
  40   
  Scree Fron  
   
   
   
   
   
  Orange-Red 
    Histran  
  Y  
  O  
  .6  
  7  
  25   
    Hakosoar  
  Y  
  LAI  
  .9  
  5  
  50   
  Theseus  
   
   
   
   
   
  Yellow-Orange 
    Minotaur  
  H  
  HI  
  1.2  
  0  
  15   
  Timeon  
   
   
   
   
   
  Green-Yellow 
    Lossend  
  H  
  LFI  
  .7  
  0  
  70   
  Truane's Star  
   
   
   
   
   
  Orange-Yellow 
    Pale  
  *  
  MIR  .9  
  3  
  55   
    New Pale  
  H  
  LA  
  1.4  
  0  
  20   
  White Light  
   
   
   
   
   
  Red-Orange 
    Gollywog  
  H  
  HR  
  1.0  
  0  
  50 
   
   
  • Hentz (Araks) is ruled by a religious clan, the Family of One. Everyone who 
  lives there wears a uniform showing his job and position. 
  • Triad (Cassidine) is a major industrial planet where very high technology 
  items are manufactured and sold. 
  • Inner Reach (Dramune) has an unusual local custom. The Dralasites that 
  live there dye their skin various colors to show their mood for the day. The 
  dyes wash off easily.  
  • Outer Reach (Dramune) is a gathering place for criminals and outlaws of all 
  types. People there do not ask strangers how they earn their livings. 
  • Terledrom (Fromeltar) is ruled by a council of Vrusk companies and elected 
  Dralasites. The companies control all trade with other planets, and consider 
  smuggling a serious crime. The planet has rings that are visible from the 
  ground during the day. 
  • Zik-kit (Kizk'-Kar) has very rich mining deposits. These are exported mainly 
  to Terledrom for manufacturing. Zik-kit is controlled as a colony by the 
  Terledrom government. 
  • Gran Quivera (Prenglar) is the hub of the Frontier Sector. The Star Law 
  Rangers, Pan Galactic Corporation, and United Planetary Federation all have 
  headquarters at Port Loren, the major city. 
  • Morgaine's World (Prenglar) is a UPF and Star Law base. The planet has 
  rings. 
  • Pale (Truane's Star) is the starting point of the only possible starship route 
  through the Xagyg dust clouds. The route to Zebulon was just recently 
  opened. 
  
   
  73 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Neutron Star 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Star System uninhabited/unexplored 
  Binary Star System 
  Yazirian primary colonists 
  Human primary colonists 
  Vrusk primary colonists 
  Dralasite primary colonists 
  Mixed colonization 
   
   
  
   
  74 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Human Gun-Fu Expert 
  STR/STA 45/65 
  DEX/RS 
  70/75 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 35/55 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +8 
  Ranged 35 
  Melee 
  35 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Projectile Weapons 1, Martial Arts 1 
  Equipment:  
  2 Auto Pistols. 
   
  
   
  75 
   
   
  The Referee 
  One of the players in this game won’t play a 
  character.  He has another job, one of story-teller, 
  judge, and narrator.  In this game he is called a 
  referee. A referee creates the adventures and 
  makes the final decisions about how the rules should 
  be applied. If players are the citizens of a world in 
  the future, then the referee is that world; he writes 
  the laws, he creates the unexplored planets and 
  alien races, and he controls everyone that is not a 
  player-controlled character. The referee has the 
  most important job in the game. 
   
  Because his job is so important, this book was 
  written especially for the referee. It not only 
  explains the rules, but teaches the referee how to 
  apply the rules to special situations and how to 
  handle situations that are not covered by any rules. 
  Other sections on how to create adventures and how 
  to control non-player characters are very important 
  for novice referees. 
   
  The separate adventure, Crash on Volturnus, will 
  help a new referee get started. It is intended to help 
  the referee learn the expanded rules. 
   
  Anyone who has played STAR FRONTIERS game and 
  is familiar with the rules can be a referee. If you like 
  telling stories, springing surprises and making fast 
  decisions, you will have a lot of fun as a STAR 
  FRONTIERS game referee. 
   
  HOW TO... 
  The referee is the most important person in a STAR 
  FRONTIERS game. He runs the adventure; he must 
  know the rules and be able to interpret them when 
  necessary; he must determine the chances and 
  effects of any special actions.  
   
  The referee must prepare the adventure, get the 
  players started, and then tell the story of the 
  adventure. Most important, he must make sure that 
  everyone has fun during the game. 
   
  If you plan to referee a STAR FRONTIERS game, this 
  sections explains your responsibilities and gives you 
  tips on how to get started. Sections on how to 
  create your own adventures and how to create non-
  player characters and creatures are included. 
   
  How to Prepare for Play 
  As referee, you have three main tasks when 
  preparing to play: 
   
  Know the Rules. You must be familiar with all 
  of the STAR FRONTIERS rules. This does not 
  mean you must memorize the rules, but you 
  should know how to use them in play and where to 
  look in the rulebook when players have questions. 
   
  Know the Adventure. Study your adventure 
  thoroughly, so you know in what order events 
  are supposed to happen. Review the maps so 
  you will know at a glance how the setting changes 
  as the characters move through the adventure. Try 
  to think about how players will react to a situation 
  and how you should respond to their actions. 
   
  You may want to make notes about the important 
  points of an encounter and what effect the 
  encounter should have on the players. Then you can 
  describe things to the players in the order 
  characters would see them, and add descriptions 
  that help convey the mood of the encounter. For 
  example, you could make players nervous by telling 
  them, "As you finish cutting through the door 
  hinges, the door falls and snaps a power cable. You 
  can't see anything in the darkness, but you can hear 
  a faint shuffling sound coming from the ship's hold." 
   
  Be Prepared to Make Decisions. Players 
  will try to do things you did not expect, and 
  you must be able to decide what their 
  chances to succeed are and what effects their 
  actions have. Knowing your players' characters, 
  their abilities, skills and equipment will help you 
  make your decisions. 
  1
  2222    
  3 
   
   
  Section 4 
  
   
  76 
   
   
  How to Be a Referee 
  A referee is many things in a STAR FRONTIERS 
  game. To be a referee you must be a judge, a 
  storyteller, an actor and a leader. The referee's goal 
  is to make the game the most fun for everyone by 
  performing each of these jobs well. 
   
  Be a Judge. The referee's job in any game is to 
  ensure that the rules are followed at all times and 
  that everyone is treated fairly, and to settle 
  questions and problems that come up during the 
  game. These are also your jobs as referee in a STAR 
  FRONTIERS game. 
   
  Be a Storyteller. The players usually will not have 
  a board or map to study where all of their 
  challenges and choices are visible. Instead, they 
  must 
  make 
  their 
  decisions 
  based 
  on 
  your 
  descriptions of what they can see and hear. You are 
  the players' eyes and ears, telling the basic story, 
  but then letting the players decide which direction it 
  will go by their choices. It is a challenge to tell the 
  players only as much as they need to know to make 
  a decision, but not so much that you make decisions 
  for them. Tell them only what they could see at a 
  glance, and describe things further only if they ask 
  specific questions. 
   
  Keep the Game Exciting. Make your story 
  dramatic, with descriptions of an approaching storm, 
  an ancient alien spaceship and the life on alien 
  worlds. Add mystery and intrigue to your story. Not 
  knowing what everything is or why something 
  happens will drive players on in search of the 
  answers. There is excitement in solving a puzzle and 
  overcoming suspense to accomplish your goal. Don't 
  let the game become boring with too much detail. 
  When things start to move too slowly, move the 
  characters 
  on 
  to 
  the 
  next 
  challenge 
  in 
  the 
  adventure. Don't make the players spend a lot of 
  time buying supplies, traveling from one place to 
  another or searching for clues where there are 
  none; tell the players they finish what they are 
  doing to their satisfaction and lead them on to the 
  next challenge. 
   
  Play the Extra Characters. The referee acts the 
  part of each non-player character (abbreviated NPC) 
  and creature encountered. Playing these parts is a 
  good chance to entertain and create fun for 
  everyone. Each character is different and reacts 
  differently. It is your job to determine how each 
  character would react in a situation. Encourage the 
  players to talk to you as if you were the characters 
  they meet and answer them as each would. 
   
  For example, the player characters are trying to find 
  someone who might know something about a 
  missing PGC scientist. They want to question several 
  NPCs who were in the area when the scientist 
  disappeared. One is an old woman whose mind 
  wanders 
  and 
  who 
  never 
  quite 
  answers 
  the 
  questions. Another fellow has had too much to drink 
  and wants the players to drink with him. The third is 
  a bully who won't help anyone and wants to start a 
  fight. The last is a policeman who warns them that 
  strangers are not liked here; but he does remember 
  seeing the scientist with two people the night he 
  disappeared. You can make up an entire, interesting 
  dialogue as the NPCs talk to the player characters. 
   
  Be a Leader. Make sure everyone participates. Give 
  every player a chance to make decisions but don't 
  let everyone talk at once. You might ask the group 
  to choose one player to be its leader. When the 
  players reach decisions, the leader explains their 
  plans to you. This reduces the confusion that can 
  result 
  when 
  everyone 
  talks 
  at 
  once. 
  When 
  characters are acting independently, as in combat, 
  you can ask each player what his character is doing. 
  Make sure no one is forgotten. 
   
  How to Control the Adventure 
  As the referee, you must control many actions 
  during an adventure. You must start the game and 
  control the direction of the story; you must make 
  decisions 
  on 
  special 
  actions, 
  determine 
  any 
  modifiers, decide on non-player character and 
  creature reactions, conduct combat and keep track 
  of time. Advice on handling each of these tasks is 
  given below. 
   
  You start a game by telling the players the 
  background of their mission, describing the setting 
  and discussing how much they will be paid if they 
  succeed. Be prepared to answer any questions and 
  give further descriptions as the players investigate. 
  Let the players make their own decisions and try not 
  to force choices on them. If they make a bad choice 
  or bypass an encounter, let them; they may return 
  to the encounter later. What you should try to do is 
  make sure players understand what effects their 
  decisions might have. 
   
  Make Decisions. During the adventure you must 
  decide what happens when characters try unusual 
  things, and how likely they are to succeed. This 
  might include deciding whether a building blows up, 
  or if a skimmer is damaged by driving across a 
  rocky field. You may have decided before the game 
  what will happen when certain things are done, or 
  you may have to make a decision during play. Your 
  decisions should be based on what you think would 
  happen in real life. A character who tries to leap 
  from one roof to another may make it, but if he fails 
  he probably will fall and get hurt. 
   
  
   
  77 
   
   
  If a character tries an unusual action, you probably 
  can link his chance to succeed to one of his ability 
  scores. Then you can have the player make an 
  ability check to see if the character succeeds in his 
  attempt. If an action can not be linked to an ability, 
  you should just assign a percentage chance from 1 
  to 100, based on how likely you think the action is 
  to work. 
   
  When players ask if they can do something, don't 
  answer them "yes" or ''no." Tell them to try and see 
  what happens. Letting players try anything will 
  make the game more unpredictable and full of 
  surprises for everyone. 
   
  Most important, you should make your decisions 
  quickly. It is more important to keep the adventure 
  moving and the players interested than to consider 
  every possibility. 
   
  Using Modifiers. As referee you will need to 
  determine how easy or difficult an action is and how 
  this will affect a character's chance to do something. 
  You must use modifiers to reflect the difficulty of an 
  action. If an action is easy you can let the player 
  add 5 to 30 points to his chance of success; if it is 
  difficult, you could tell him to subtract points. 
   
  To determine whether a character should get a 
  positive or negative modifier, you can compare the 
  action being attempted to the character's normal 
  limits. For example, a character can leap 5 meters 
  with a running start. If a character tries to leap 5 
  meters without a running start or with a heavy pack 
  on his back, his chance to succeed should be 
  reduced. If the character is jumping with a strong 
  wind at his back or from a higher to a lower surface, 
  his chance to succeed should be increased. 
   
  Your own judgment is very important when deciding 
  whether to assign a modifier, but you always should 
  have a reason for choosing the modifier you 
  assigned. 
   
  NPC Reactions. You will need to decide how non-
  players characters and creatures react to player 
  characters when they are encountered. NPCs should 
  act intelligently and react according to their 
  personalities 
  (are 
  they 
  friendly, 
  suspicious 
  or 
  hostile) and on the basis of what they know and 
  how the characters act. Creatures usually react 
  according to their instincts and the characters' 
  actions. You may decide ahead of time how they will 
  react or you can decide randomly, using the rules 
  for character and creature reactions in the sections 
  on Creating NPCs and Creating Creatures. 
   
  Conduct Combat. Combat will occur many times 
  during the game between player characters and 
  NPCs, creatures or robots. It is the referee's job to 
  see that the combat sequence is followed and that 
  everyone gets a chance to do something. He must 
  also decide whether character's are in a position to 
  attack. Ask players what they are doing one at a 
  time, so no one is missed. It is important that you 
  do not forget any of the opponents, either; they 
  deserve to have a fair chance. You must keep track 
  of any damage the NPCs and creatures take so you 
  know when they are killed. 
   
  Keeping Track of Time. The referee must keep 
  track of how much time characters spend on an 
  adventure. Time effects how much energy gets 
  used, how far characters can travel and how often 
  characters must rest. Time also determines how 
  long characters' food lasts, and how many points of 
  damage they heal.  
   
  Graph paper can be used to keep track of time. 
  Decide how much time each box represents (6 
  seconds, 10 minutes, 1 hour or 5 hours are 
  convenient) and then simply cross off boxes as the 
  adventure moves along. 
   
   
   
  The Referee’s Golden Rule 
  Although the STAR FRONTIERS rule books contain 
  detailed rules, the special quality of a role playing 
  game is that players are not limited by the rules. 
  Players are encouraged to use their imaginations 
  and find creative solutions to the problems facing 
  their characters. The rules are designed to help 
  players see the effects of their decisions. 
   
  A good referee, above all else, tries to make the 
  game fun for everyone. 
   
  
   
  78 
   
   
   
  An Example of Play 
  The Pan-Galactic Corporation has hired four player 
  characters to find and capture the leader of a band 
  of space pirates. There is one player character of 
  each race in the group. Their search has led them to 
  a run-down part of the city. Everyone the characters 
  have talked to so far has been unpleasant or gruff. 
  The group is walking down a street toward a cheap 
  tavern, looking for a short, overweight man.   
   
  REFEREE: You are about 30 meters from the tavern 
  when you see a short, fat, dark-haired Human wearing 
  a skein-quit. He is across the street, about 25 meters 
  away and moving toward you. 
   
  JARDlN (Human): Hey, that guy looks like the slug 
  we're trying to find! 
   
  YALUA (Yazirian): Let's grab him! 
   
  DARTHA (Dralasite): Wait, you two. We're not close 
  enough to see if it's him. This description could fit a lot 
  of Humans. 
   
  YTTL (Vrusk): Dartha is right. Let's just keep walking 
  casually down the street until we get behind him. Then 
  we can follow him and see where he goes. I want to 
  watch him carefully, in case he talks to anyone. 
   
  REFEREE: He doesn't talk to anyone, but you do 
  notice that he is wearing a red scarf around his neck. 
   
  DARTHA: Didn't the other pirates wear red scarves? 
   
  YALUA: That's gotta be him! Let's go! 
   
  JARDIN: I'm going to go to the right, cut through the 
  alley and try to sneak up in front of him so we can't 
  lose sight of him. 
   
  REFEREE: Okay. The rest of you manage to cross the 
  street and get behind the man without him seeming to 
  notice you. You follow him for about 60 meters, and 
  then he ducks inside a restaurant. 
   
  YALUA: We'll follow him in. 
   
  REFEREE: Jardin hasn't gotten through the alley yet 
  and doesn't see the man go in the restaurant. He'll 
  have to spend three minutes finding out where you 
  went. You walk in the door and know immediately that 
  this is not a normal, law-abiding place. The furniture is 
  shabby. The lighting is bad, so you can't see into the 
  far corners. The customers look pretty rough. When 
  they see you, they stop talking. 
   
  YALUA: Never mind all that. Where's the guy we were 
  following? 
   
  REFEREE: You don't see him anywhere. 
   
  YTTL: Are there any other entrances or exits that we 
  can see? 
   
  REFEREE: There's a back door directly across from the 
  entrance where you're standing. 
   
  DARTHA: Okay. Let's check it. 
   
  OTHERS (all together): Right! 
   
  REFEREE: As you approach the door, two very large 
  Yazirians step in front of you and lean against the door. 
  They are looking at you with nasty smirks on their 
  faces. One of them has one hand hidden behind his 
  back. 
   
  YALUA: Is he holding a blaster? 
   
  REFEREE: You can't tell. Do you want to draw your 
  weapon? 
   
  YALUA: Not yet. 
   
  REFEREE: The Yazirian with his hand behind his back 
  says (with a sneering, gruff voice), "Well, lookee what 
  we got here. A dumb bug, a blob and one of our big, 
  bold brothers. You fellas wouldn't be looking for 
  someone, would you? We don't like nosy people in 
  here." 
   
  DARTHA: What are the other customers doing? How 
  big is this place? 
   
  REFEREE: The restaurant is about 9 meters wide and 
  18 meters from front to back. You are standing about 2 
  meters from the back door. There are about 20 
  customers in the place. Most of them have gotten up 
  and are heading for the front door, but five of them are 
  slowly forming a ring around you. (to Jardin): You 
  arrive at the front door now. 
   
  JARDIN: I'll sneak in while the customers are leaving. 
   
  YALUA: It's a trap. I'm going for my blaster! 
   
  REFEREE: Okay. Roll for initiative... (The referee then 
  shifts to combat turns, and the players resolve the 
  fight.) 
   
  
   
  79 
   
   
  How To Reward Characters 
  Pay. At the start of each adventure, player 
  characters will be hired to undertake a job. Before 
  accepting a job, characters will want to know how 
  much they are going to be paid. You will have to 
  decide.  Pay should depend on the skills of the 
  character and how much danger they will face. 
  Characters 
  with 
  high 
  skills 
  earn 
  more, 
  and 
  dangerous jobs pay more. Payment is given as pay 
  per 20-hour day (10 hours of work). The typical 
  work week is five days of work with three days off. 
  One way to determine how much to pay is to pay 10 
  credits per level of skill per day plus 10 to 100 
  credits per day depending on the danger. You 
  probably should pay no less than 20 Cr/day and no 
  more than 500 Cr/day. 
   
  Pay does not have to be just credits. You may agree 
  to pay for medical care, or you could provide 
  equipment with the understanding that characters 
  get to keep it when they finish the job. You should 
  always provide free transportation to the starting 
  point of the adventure. 
   
  At the end of an adventure, the characters will 
  return to their employer to collect their pay. You 
  should pay them according to their degree of 
  success, paying less if they failed to complete an 
  important part of the mission, or paying a bonus for 
  excellent 
  work 
  or 
  delivering 
  more 
  than 
  was 
  expected. In this way, you can use pay to encourage 
  players to complete a job. Remember that half of 
  their pay should go to cost of living. If a character is 
  unemployed during any week, he can find a job that 
  will cover his cost of living and give him an 
  additional 5 Cr per week. 
   
  Experience. A character learns things and improves 
  himself through his experience on adventures. At 
  the end of an adventure a 
  character 
  gains 
  experience points (XP) which he can use to raise his 
  ability scores, gain new skills or improve old skills. 
   
  The referee awards experience points at the end of 
  an adventure or evening of play, based on how well 
  the person played during the adventure. This reward 
  encourages 
  good 
  play. 
  Experience 
  points 
  are 
  awarded 
  for 
  accomplishing 
  each 
  goal 
  of 
  an 
  adventure. A character who survived but did not 
  contribute anything to the group's success should 
  receive only 1 XP for that goal. If a character 
  accomplished his job and nothing more, he should 
  receive 2 XP for the goal. If a character did an 
  excellent job or contributed greatly to the group's 
  success he should receive 3 XP for the goal. On the 
  average, player characters should be receiving 
  about 3 to 7 XP each during an average evening of 
  play. The referee should never award more then 10 
  points for one adventure. 
   
  How to Be a Good Referee 
  A good referee never tries to beat the players, but 
  tries to create exciting challenges for them to 
  overcome. You must match these challenges to the 
  abilities and resources of the player characters. If 
  the challenges are too easy, players will lose 
  interest. If they are too hard, player will be 
  frustrated and no one will have fun. 
   
  Be fair when you make decisions, and treat all 
  characters the same. You must be flexible; if players 
  are having a hard time with the adventure or are 
  missing important information, adjust the situation 
  so they still have a chance to succeed. 
   
  A good referee takes notes during an adventure. 
  You must remember anything that can affect the 
  course of the adventure: did the characters turn off 
  the alarms on their way in? Have they seen these 
  poisonous trees before? How did they treat this NPC 
  the first time they met? 
   
  Is it hard to be a referee? Your ability to be a fair, 
  decisive, thoughtful referee probably is better than 
  you suppose, for you already have a number of tools 
  you can use. You can use your imagination to create 
  interesting events and to deal with unpredictable 
  actions by your players. You can use your players' 
  imaginations too. Listen to the things they say 
  during the game; they might give you some ideas to 
  use later. You can also get ideas from stories you 
  read and movies you see. 
   
  As the referee you are the final authority in the 
  game and you can use that authority to make 
  decisions and settle arguments. You also can control 
  the game so that it is fun for everyone; don't let 
  dice rolls decide how the game should be run if it 
  just slows the game. Use your own judgment about 
  what is fair. You can use your knowledge of how 
  things happen in life to help you make decisions 
  about the game. 
   
  As referee you also control how the characters will 
  be rewarded, and you can use rewards to encourage 
  good, thoughtful play. If they succeed through good 
  decisions, you can give them extra experience 
  points or a pay bonus. 
   
  Remember that you have a major advantage over 
  the players. You know everything there is to know 
  about the adventure and just why something 
  happens. 
  The 
  players 
  know 
  only 
  what 
  their 
  characters have discovered. You can use this 
  knowledge to create mystery and to make fast 
  decisions when your characters do something 
  unexpected. 
   
  
   
  80 
   
  How to Referee Creatures 
  During an adventure, creatures as well as intelligent 
  alien races may be encountered. Because there is 
  such a great variety of creatures on one planet and 
  so many different worlds to adventure on. it is 
  impractical to give a list of all known creatures. The 
  referee must create the creatures in his adventures. 
   
  Creating Creatures 
  When creating creatures for STAR FRONTIERS 
  adventures, the referee should give each creature a 
  purpose in the adventure, and should have a reason 
  for designing the creature in the form he gives it. 
  Referees may find a basic reference book on zoology 
  or biology a helpful source for making believable 
  creatures. 
   
  A step-by-step procedure is given below to help the 
  referee create new creatures. 
   
  What is the Creature's Purpose? 
  The referee should decide why the creature is 
  needed in the adventure. Is it to fight the player 
  characters? To mislead them? To be a nuisance to 
  them? To give them important information? To give 
  them a mystery to be solved? Or to set the stage for 
  future encounters? Knowing a creature's purpose 
  will make it easier for the referee to fill in the details 
  about a creature. 
   
  When deciding on a purpose for a creature, the 
  referee should consider these other questions: 
   
  • Where does the creature live, and where is its lair? 
   
  • What life form is the creature? (bird, reptile, worm, 
  etc.) 
   
  • How does the creature live? Does it have any 
  special habits? (living alone, moving only at night, 
  hanging upside down, shrieking at strangers, etc.) 
   
  • Does the creature have any special weaknesses? 
  (poor vision, slow movement, powerful natural 
  enemies, etc.) 
   
  What Type of Creature Is It? 
  A creature's type is determined by its size, 
  what it eats and how it obtains its food. 
  Eating habits can divide animals into three basic 
  groups: herbivores (plant eaters), carnivores (meat 
  eaters) and omnivores (plant and meat eaters). 
  After placing the animal in one of these groups, the 
  referee should decide what specific foods it eats and 
  how it gets this food. For example, a creature might 
  eat small rodents that it digs out of the ground with 
  sharp claws. 
   
  • HERBIVORES are normally timid, but will protect 
  themselves if they are attacked. They usually are 
  adapted to avoid or repel attackers. Some, like 
  bulls, may even counter attack. Herbivores obtain 
  their food by grazing, harvesting, digging, filter-
  feeding or growing their own.  Examples: rabbits, 
  squirrels, small fish, sloths, sparrows, goats, deer, 
  kangaroos, 
  horses, 
  cattle, 
  camels, 
  tortoises, 
  moths, 
  elephants, 
  hippopotamuses 
  and 
  brontosaurs. 
   
  • CARNIVORES may eat any type of meat, but 
  usually prefer only one kind, such as fish or 
  insects. They almost always have effective natural 
  weapons, such as claws, fangs or poisons. These 
  natural weapons make them more dangerous than 
  most herbivores. They may catch their food by 
  hunting, pouncing, or luring prey into traps.  
  Examples: 
  frogs, 
  piranhas, 
  shrews, 
  owls, 
  1111    
  2222
   
  
   
  81 
   
   
  rattlesnakes, 
  wolves, 
  seals, 
  tigers, 
  sharks, 
  crocodiles, 
  tyrannosaurs, 
  squids, 
  spiders 
  and 
  sperm whales. 
   
  • OMNIVORES may or may not be dangerous, but 
  they usually are curious. Many have natural 
  weapons, but these are often less effective than 
  the carnivores' and are used mostly for catching 
  small prey and discouraging predators. Omnivores 
  usually obtain their food by foraging, hunting and 
  scavenging. 
  Most 
  intelligent 
  life 
  forms 
  are 
  omnivores. 
   
  Examples: 
  ants, 
  armadillos, 
  porcupines, rats, monkeys, crows, turtles, pigs, 
  chimpanzees, ostriches, bears and whales. 
   
  How large is the Creature? 
  A creature's size effects how dangerous the 
  creature is. For game purposes. creatures are 
  divided into five different size groups -- tiny, small, 
  medium, large and giant. 
   
  • TINY creatures weigh less than 5 kilograms. They 
  can be up to 25 centimeters long. 
   
  • SMALL creatures weigh from 5 to 20 kilograms 
  and may be 25 centimeters to 1 meter long. 
   
  • MEDIUM 
  creatures 
  weigh 
  from 
  20 
  to 
  200 
  kilograms and are between 1 and 3 meters long. 
   
  • LARGE creatures weigh from 200 to 1,500 
  kilograms and are between 2 and 5 meters long. 
   
  • GIANT creatures weigh more than 1,500 kilograms 
  and are more than 5 meters long. 
   
  If the referee wants to create creatures that do not 
  fit into these general categories, such as parasites, 
  waste feeders and energy creatures, he should try 
  to answer the same questions about these creatures 
  that he would for regular creatures. 
   
  How Many are Found Together? 
  The 
  referee 
  should 
  decide 
  whether 
  the 
  creatures travel alone or in groups. The 
  number in a group depends on the type of creature 
  and the amount of food each needs. Large 
  carnivores usually hunt alone or in small groups, 
  while herbivores tend to travel in herds for 
  protection. The referee can control the effect the 
  creatures have in the adventure by adjusting the 
  number of creatures in a group. A small carnivore is 
  not much of a challenge, but a pack of 100 small 
  carnivores is. 
   
  How Fast is the Creature? 
  The referee must decide how fast a creature 
  is and how it moves. Movement is a very 
  important part of combat. Creatures are specially 
  adapted for maximum speed in their native terrain 
  and are not affected by terrain movement modifiers. 
  There 
  are 
  five 
  categories 
  of 
  movement 
  for 
  creatures: very slow, slow, medium, fast and very 
  fast. Player characters fit in the slow category. 
   
  • VERY SLOW movement is 15 meters/turn or less. 
  The average very slow speed is 10 meters/turn. 
   
  • SLOW movement is 16 to 45 meters/turn. The 
  average slow speed is 30 meters/turn. 
   
  • MEDIUM movement is 16 to 75 meters/turn. The 
  average medium speed is 60 meters/turn. 
   
  • FAST movement is 76 to 105 meters/turn. The 
  average fast speed is 90 meters/turn. 
   
  • VERY 
  FAST 
  movement 
  is 
  more 
  than 
  105 
  meters/turn. The average fast speed is 120 
  meters/turn. 
   
  The referee should decide how the creature moves 
  and whether it has any special way to move. For 
  example, a creature might have wings, fins, a 
  prehensile tail or many legs, allowing it to fly, swim, 
  swing through trees or burrow into the ground. The 
  referee also should note any limits on a creature's 
  movement. For example, some creatures might 
  spend their entire lives in one spot, waiting for their 
  prey to come to them. 
   
  What Are the Creature's Ability Scores? 
  The referee must choose the creature's ability 
  scores. Only three of the scores used by 
  characters are needed for creatures: Stamina, 
  Reaction Speed and the Initiative modifier. When 
  selecting ability scores, the referee should be sure 
  they fit the purpose of the creature. 
   
  A good way to determine the scores is to consider 
  how a similar animal on Earth compares to a 
  Human. Intelligent alien creatures should be treated 
  as non-player characters. The referee should assign 
  scores for all eight of their abilities and for any 
  special abilities. 
   
  How Does the Creature Attack? 
  The referee should decide how the creature 
  attacks, what its chance to hit is and how 
  much damage it causes. If the creature has an 
  unusual attack, the referee must decide its effects. 
   
  When deciding how a creature attacks, the referee 
  should consider the creature's type and its purpose. 
  In general, carnivores attack to kill, herbivores 
  attack to protect themselves and omnivores attack 
  for both reasons. Carnivores can have claws, teeth, 
  horns and other offensive weapons. Herbivores are 
  3333    
  4 
  5 
  6 
  7 
  
   
  82 
   
  more likely to have weapons like quills, repulsive 
  odors or horns. 
   
  Most creatures can attack only one target, so the 
  amount of damage a creature causes should be a 
  combination of all its attacks. The referee should 
  consider an animal's size, type and purpose in the 
  adventure when deciding how much damage it 
  causes. 
   
  The referee must give the creature a basic chance to 
  hit, called its Attack score. This value should depend 
  on the creature's speed, size and purpose, and also 
  on the abilities of the player characters. A creature's 
  Attack score should never be greater than 100. If 
  the creature can attack several targets at once, this 
  number is used for all attacks. 
   
  If the creature has any unusual attacks the referee 
  should record what their effects and limitations are. 
  Unusual attacks include poison, acid, shooting darts 
  and electric shocks. If an attack shoots something, 
  the referee must assign ranges to the attack. 
   
  How Does the Creature Defend Itself? 
  The 
  referee 
  should 
  decide 
  whether 
  the 
  creature has any defenses and how they affect 
  combat. Defenses should fit the creature's type and 
  purpose. Defenses are designed to escape or 
  discourage attackers or protect the creature from 
  damage, and are often adapted to the terrain the 
  creature lives in. Some examples are bounding away 
  from attackers, natural camouflage, a thick hide or a 
  protective shell. 
   
  Does It Have Any Special Abilities? 
  The referee must decide if the creature has 
  any special abilities or adaptations to the 
  terrain, and their effects in the game. Some 
  examples of special abilities are glowing in the dark, 
  spinning webs, making honey, building crude 
  bridges or homes, changing color or shape, etc. 
  Special adaptations include fur to keep warm in 
  winter, fins to keep cool in the desert, etc. Special 
  abilities make creatures interesting and alien, but 
  referees should not make them too common or 
  players will come to expect them. 
   
  What Does the Creature Look Like? 
  The 
  referee 
  should decide 
  what 
  the 
  creature looks like. The answers to the 
  earlier questions will help determine the creature's 
  appearance. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Creating Creatures (Summary) 
  1. What is the purpose of the creature in the 
  adventure? 
  2. What type of creature is it? 
  3. How large is the creature? 
  4. How many of these creatures are usually found 
  together? 
  5. How fast is the creature? 
  6. What are the creature's ability scores? 
  7. How does the creature attack? 
  8. How does the creature defend itself? 
  9. Does the creature have any special abilities? 
  10. What does the creature look like? 
   
  Creature Reactions 
  A creature's reaction to a character depends on the 
  creature's temperament and what the character 
  does. The creature may be naturally timid, curious 
  or aggressive; it may be hungry, or it might have 
  just eaten. A character can affect the creature's 
  reaction by ignoring it, coaxing it with food, or 
  frightening it with fire, loud noises or flashes of 
  light. The referee must use his judgment in these 
  cases, but several things to consider are outlined 
  below. 
   
  Intelligence. Intelligent creatures will not be 
  frightened by a burning torch, clanging frying pans, 
  etc. Creatures with low intelligence, however, might 
  be easily startled or frightened away by these 
  actions. 
   
  Experience. A creature is less likely to be afraid of 
  something it has seen before, unless the previous 
  experience was very painful or frightening. 
   
  Size. Large creatures often are harder to frighten 
  then small ones. 
   
  Type. Carnivores tend to be more aggressive and 
  harder to frighten than herbivores, which tend to be 
  timid. Omnivores tend to be curious. 
   
  Temperament. 
  If 
  a 
  creature 
  is 
  naturally 
  aggressive, it may attack creatures much larger 
  than itself with very little fear. Timid creatures try to 
  avoid fighting whenever they can. 
   
  Motivation. Any creature that fights has a reason 
  for fighting. Even naturally shy and weak creatures 
  may fight savagely to defend their lair, their 
  territory or their young. Creatures that are cornered 
  or wounded, sensing that they must fight or die, 
  often fight ferociously and without fear. 
   
  Creature Description Blocks 
  After a referee designs a creature, he should write 
  the information about it in a standard format. The 
  sample creatures show one possibility. 
  8 
  9 
  10 
  
   
  83 
   
   
   
  Average Creatures 
  Average values and ranges for each of the standard 
  creature types are listed below. The referee can use 
  these tables when he needs a new creature quickly. 
  The scores can be used as they are listed, or 
  modified to produce creatures with above or below 
  average statistics. Special Attacks, Defenses and 
  Abilities are left to the imagination of the referee. 
   
  Average Herbivores 
  Type 
  Tiny 
  1-5kg 
  1-25cm 
  Small 
  5-20kg 
  25cm-1m 
  Medium 
  20-200kg 
  1-3m 
  Large 
  200-1500kg 
  2-5m 
  Giant 
  1500kg+ 
  5m+ 
  Number 
  1-100 
  1-20 
  10-100 
  1-20 
  1-10 
  Move Medium 
  60m 
  Fast 
  90m 
  Very Fast 
  120m 
  Fast 
  90m 
  Slow 
  30m 
  IM/RS +8/75 
  +7/65 
  +6/55 
  +5/45 
  +4/35 
  Stamina 
  1-10 
  5-20 
  20-100 
  50-100 
  100-300 
  Attack 
  30 
  35 
  40 
  45 
  50 
  Damage 
  1d2 
  1d5 
  1-2d10 
  1-3d10 
  2-6d10 
   
  Average Carnivores 
  Type 
  Tiny 
  1-5kg 
  1-25cm 
  Small 
  5-20kg 
  25cm-1m 
  Medium 
  20-200kg 
  1-3m 
  Large 
  200-1500kg 
  2-5m 
  Giant 
  1500kg+ 
  5m+ 
  Number 
  1-50 
  1-20 
  1-10 
  1-5 
  1-2 
  Move 
  Fast 
  90m 
  Fast 
  90m 
  Medium 
  60m 
  Medium 
  60m 
  Medium 
  60m 
  IM/RS +7/65 
  +6/60 
  +6/55 
  +5/50 
  +5/45 
  Stamina 
  1-10 
  10-20 
  20-120 
  75-200 
  100-400 
  Attack 
  55 
  65 
  75 
  65 
  55 
  Damage 
  1d5 
  1d10 
  1-3d10 
  2-5d10 
  3-10d10 
   
  Average Omnivores 
  Type 
  Tiny 
  1-5kg 
  1-25cm 
  Small 
  5-20kg 
  25cm-1m 
  Medium 
  20-200kg 
  1-3m 
  Large 
  200-1500kg 
  2-5m 
  Giant 
  1500kg+ 
  5m+ 
  Number 
  1-20 
  1-10 
  1-5 
  1-5 
  1-3 
  Move Medium 
  60m 
  Medium 
  60m 
  Slow 
  30m 
  Slow 
  30m 
  Slow 
  30m 
  IM/RS +7/70 
  +6/60 
  +5/50 
  +5/45 
  +4/40 
  Stamina 
  1-10 
  5-20 
  20-100 
  50-150 
  150-300 
  Attack 
  45 
  50 
  55 
  60 
  65 
  Damage 
  1d5 
  1d10 
  1-2d10 
  1-5d10 
  2-8d10 
   
  Sample Creatures 
  What follows are twenty ready-to-use sample 
  creatures.  Many of the following creatures are 
  found on the planet Volturnus, the setting for the 
  module included at the end of this book.  Some of 
  the other creatures are taken from various published 
  modules.  The descriptions are abbreviated, and the 
  illustrations small, to fit as many as possible within 
  this rules book.   
   
  Referees can use these sample creatures (modified 
  here and there as desired) and place them 
  anywhere in the frontier.  If this happens, make 
  some notes about the new creature and its role in 
  the world the characters encounter it on. 
   
   
   
   Army Rats 
   
  Type Small Carnivore 
  Number 2-20 per character; 1000 or more 
  in a pack 
  Move Fast – 90 meters/turn 
  IM/RS +6/60 
  Stamina 5 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 1d5 bite + disease 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – mountainous areas 
   
  DESCRIPTION: 
  Army 
  rats 
  are 
  furry 
  brown 
  creatures that resemble large rats. They have 
  powerful hind legs and can leap up to 1 meter to 
  attack. Army rats swarm in packs of 1,000 or more, 
  and will attack any animal in their path. They are 
  cunning and attack in waves, some sprinting after 
  prey while others follow at a loping stride. When one 
  wave of sprinters falters, another wave takes their 
  place until the prey finally tires. A medium-sized 
  creature caught by a swarm will be attacked by 2-20 
  army rats, while the rest pass by seeking other 
  food.  
   
  Any creature bitten by an army rat has a 50% 
  chance of being infected by a disease that attacks 
  the central nervous system. A creature only needs 
  to roll once per encounter with army rats. Unless a 
  victim is given a dose of Antibody Plus within 12 
  hours, he will become hostile and paranoid and 
  might even attack or desert his companions. Every 
  20 hours after being bitten the victim can make a 
  Stamina check. If the character succeeds, he has 
  recovered. If not, another 20 hours must pass 
  before the victim can try again. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  84 
   
   Air Whale 
   
  Type Giant Omnivore, partial plant 
  Number 1 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +5/50 
  Stamina 500 
  Attack 50 (focused light), 45 (tentacle) 
  Damage 3d10-18d10 focused sunlight, 
  or 2d10 tentacle 
  Special Attack See below 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – Anywhere in the air 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Air whales are part plant and part 
  animal. The top of the air whale is covered with 
  plant life which converts sunlight directly into food 
  and energy. The giant creature also eats plants and 
  animals. It feeds on floating plankton, drifting 
  spores, and swarms of flying insects, plus anything 
  else it manages to capture. It produces hydrogen as 
  a by-product of feeding. The hydrogen is stored in 
  hundreds of inner membrane sacs. The hydrogen 
  provides the lift which lets the air whale float. 
  Compressed 
  hydrogen, 
  vented 
  through 
  tubes 
  scattered around the air whale's body, lets the 
  creature maneuver. 
   
  Crystal-based 
  life 
  forms 
  have 
  a 
  symbiotic 
  relationship with the air whale. These crystals focus 
  sunlight into a beam, much like a laser. The crystals 
  can fire up to sex shots per turn, with damage 
  divided as desired among the attacks. The damage 
  allotted to each shot must be decided before the 
  combat result is rolled. The crystals also store solar 
  energy, and can fire two shots when direct sunlight 
  is not available. An albedo screen or albedo suit will 
  reduce damage suffered by half. From the bottom of 
  the creature hang hundreds of razor-sharp tentacles 
  10 meters long. The air whale can make 10 attacks 
  per turn with tentacles. Tentacle attacks must be 
  rolled separately. Note that the air whale has two 
  different attack forms depending on whether the 
  victim is above or below the creature. 
   
   Baboon, Volturnian 
   
  Type Medium Omnivore 
  Number 1-10 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +6/60 
  Stamina 100 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 2d10 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – anywhere 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The Volturnian baboon is a shaggy, 
  semi-intelligent primate found in various habitats. 
  Its fur varies in color from dark reddish brown to 
  sandy tan. These primates organize themselves into 
  primitive societies based upon battle prowess and 
  display of ferocity. They will often engage even the 
  most ferocious creatures because all baboons in the 
  pack want to prove their ferocity. When hunting, 
  they will often drive prey into some dead end, where 
  dozens of baboons wait with rocks or clubs to kill it. 
   
   Cybodragon 
   
  Type Giant Cybernetic Omnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Fast 
  IM/RS +8/75 
  Stamina 500 
  Attack 80 
  Damage 10d10 bite, claws, metal 
  tentacles 
  Special Attack 10d10 laser eye, 10d10 laser 
  eye, 3d10 flamethrower 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – all terrain except 
  mountains and dense forests 
  
   
  85 
   
   
   
  DESCRIPTION: Cybodragons are huge lizards that 
  have been cybernetically altered. Many parts of their 
  bodies have been replaced by machinery. Each of 
  their two eyes have been replaced by the Sathar 
  equivalent of a laser rifle set on 10 SEU. Each eye 
  has 5 shots before its power pack must be 
  recharged. The cybodragon uses other sensing 
  machines to serve the same functions as normal 
  eyes.  
   
  Cybodragons were given their name because they 
  have flamethrowers installed inside their mouths. 
  The flamethrower has 10 charges. Each charge does 
  3d10 points of damage on a successful attack. The 
  ranges for a flamethrower are 10 meters = point 
  blank, 20 meters = short, 30 meters = medium, 40 
  meters = long, and 50 meters = extreme. In melee, 
  the cybodragon uses its claws, bite, and various 
  metal tentacles to do 10d10 points of damage on a 
  successful attack.  
   
  Cybodragons are made by the Sathar who use the 
  Cybodragons 
  to 
  support 
  their 
  combat 
  troops. 
  Cybodragons are also often found guarding Sathar 
  installations. 
   
   Funnel Worm 
   
  Type Giant Carnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +4/35 
  Stamina 200 
  Attack 45 (on surface) 
  Damage 3d10 bite 
  Special Attack Automatically hits if prey falls in 
  funnel 
  Special Defense Unnoticed unless it attacks 
  Native World Volturnus – desert 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The funnel worm is a burrowing 
  creature 5 to 7 meters long, with a segmented body 
  and two large compound eyes which are also 
  pressure-sensing organs. It has a pair of large 
  mandibles and a mouth filled with sharp teeth. 
   
  Funnel worms are solitary creatures. They lurk 5 to 
  10 meters beneath the surface waiting for prey to 
  pass overhead. When it senses the vibrations of a 
  creature passing, it quickly expands its body, 
  swallowing the sand and forming a 10-meter-wide 
  funnel of sand. The prey slides down the funnel into 
  the worm's mouth. Any creature caught in the 
  funnel must make a Reaction Speed check to leap 
  aside. If the check is failed the creature will slide 
  down the funnel and into the funnel worm's mouth 
  in 2 turns. The funnel worm can automatically bite 
  anything that falls into its mouth, causing 3d10 
  points of damage per turn to each victim until it 
  dies. A funnel worm's mouth is wide enough to hold 
  and bite up to three medium-sized creatures at 
  once. Characters can be rescued if someone throws 
  them a rope and pulls them out. 
   
  While in its burrow, a funnel worm can not be 
  attacked by most weapons. Explosives are the most 
  effective means of attack. They hit automatically 
  when rolled down the funnel, but cause only half 
  damage. The funnel worm will burrow to the surface 
  and attack if it is wounded. A funnel worm's Attack 
  score is 45 when out of its burrow. 
   
   Giant Eagle 
   
  Type Large Omnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Slow on land, Fast in air 
  IM/RS +6/58 
  Stamina 80 
  Attack 45 
  Damage 4d10 claws 
  Special Attack 20% chance to grasp and carry 
  off man-sized or smaller foe 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – mountains, remote 
  regions 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The Giant Volturnian Eagle is a 
  very large bird of prey with strong talons and 
  hooked beak. It will defend its nesting area with 
  ferocity.  If found in pairs, they will be a mated pair, 
  with a 15% chance that young will be within 1d100 
  kilometers of the point of attack. 
   
  
   
  86 
   
   Korrvarr 
   
  Type Large Omnivore 
  Number 1-5 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +5/45 
  Stamina 150 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 4d10 claw/bite 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns and ruins 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Korrvarr are burrowing animals 
  about 2 meters long. They look something like a 
  weasel with a mole-like snout. Korrvarr live in 
  underground burrows, often linked to existing 
  caverns. 
  Korrvarr 
  hunt 
  prey 
  underground, 
  or 
  aboveground at night. They are nocturnal and are -
  10 to hit in full daylight. They often hunt by 
  surrounding 
  their 
  prey, 
  especially 
  by 
  using 
  interconnected tunnel systems. 
   
   Land Wale 
   
  Type Giant Omnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +3/25 
  Stamina 300 
  Attack 65 
  Damage 1d10 bite 
  Special Attack Successful bite swallows prey; 
  swallowed victim cannot attack 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – dry plains 
   
  DESCRIPTION: A land whale looks like a 10-meter-
  long whale with eight short legs. Its jaws are hinged 
  sideways. A land whale will swallow anything in its 
  path, moving until its large mouth is full before 
  stopping to digest the food. Land whales travel 
  alone. They can move swiftly, but start slowly. They 
  can start moving at a speed of 10 meters/turn, and 
  can accelerate 10 meters/turn until they reach their 
  top speed of 60 meters/turn. 
   
  A character bitten by a land whale must roll his 
  Reaction Speed or less to avoid being swallowed. A 
  swallowed character will automatically take 1d10  
  damage each turn until cut out of the land whale. 
   
   Megasaurus 
   
  Type Giant Carnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Fast – 90 meters/turn 
  IM/RS +5/45 
  Stamina 350 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 7d10 bite and claws 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – dry plains, swamp 
   
  DESCRIPTION: A megasaurus is 10 meters long 
  and stands 5 meters high at the shoulders. It looks 
  like a giant reptilian cat with a thick tail. It has huge 
  claws and a massive mouth filled with sharp teeth, 
  and can leap up to 50 meters to attack. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  87 
   
   
   Mordax 
   
  Type Small Omnivore 
  Number 2-20 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +7/65 
  Stamina 10 
  Attack 45 
  Damage 1d2 sting 
  Special Attack S5/T5 Poison 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – anywhere 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Mordax are large flying insects 
  about 10 cm long. Their sting is poisonous to all 
  player character and NPC races. Mordax may be 
  found anywhere on the planet Volturnus, but are 
  particularly attracted to the flowers of tangler vines. 
   
   Queequeg 
   
  Type Large Carnivore 
  Number 1-5 
  Move Fast – 90 meters/turn 
  IM/RS +6/60 
  Stamina 180 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 3d10 harpoon 
  Special Attack Harpoon can strike foes 5m away 
  Special Defense Chitinous exoskeleton acts like 
  skeinsuit, reducing damage from 
  non-energy attacks by half 
  Native World Volturnus – forests 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Queequegs have barrel-shaped 
  bodies with three jointed legs arranged like a tripod, 
  and three eyes spaced evenly around the body so it 
  can see all directions at once. They have a hard 
  exoskeleton that matches the color of the plants 
  where they live, providing a natural camouflage. Its 
  mouth is in its underbelly, surrounded by small 
  tentacles. A single 5-meter-longtentacle grows from 
  the top of the body. The long tentacle tapers to a 
  point with a razor-sharp barb. 
   
  The queequeg attacks by whipping this tentacle at 
  its prey like a harpoon. Once the tentacle hits a 
  target the sharp barb makes it difficult to pull out. 
  The queequeg then pulls the victim to its mouth in 
  one turn, and holds the prey with the filaments 
  while devouring it. A character that is being eaten 
  automatically takes 2d10 points of damage each 
  turn until rescued. The victim can not fight back 
  once he is held in the small tentacles. If characters 
  attack the harpoon tentacle and cause 20 points of 
  damage, the tentacle is severed. 
   
  The hard exoskeleton is very effective defense 
  against physical damage.  In game terms, it acts as 
  a skeinsuit against all non-energy damage (reducing 
  all incoming attack damage by one half).   
   
   Roller 
  Type Large Omnivore 
  Number 1-5 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +5/45 
  Stamina 150 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 4d10 claw/bite 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns and ruins 
   
  DESCRIPTION: A roller is a large herbivore named 
  for its unusual "steam roller" type organ. This organ 
  is actually a huge, cylindrical, hide-covered mass of 
  bane and cartilage attached to two frontal limbs by 
  ball and socket joints. The organ is used to crush 
  the shard grass on which the creature feeds. The 
  mouth of the roller is located on its underside. The 
  
   
  88 
   
  crushed shards from the digestible shoots of grass 
  are sucked up into this mouth. Internal organs of 
  the creature separate the glass-like shards from the 
  digestible shoots of grass. The indigestible shards 
  are then stored in a special organ and used as 
  missile weapons for the creature's rear defense. The 
  roller has four normal limbs used for locomotion. 
  The two eyes of the creature are located on the 
  head near the large ears. The head does not have a 
  mouth. A roller has a thick hide that protects it from 
  being cut by shard grass. 
   
  Rollers are generally docile creatures, and will not 
  attack unless frightened or attacked themselves. 
  They are usually found grazing on the grassy plains 
  of Volturnus in herds of 5 to 50. If a roller scores a 
  successful hit upon a character, the victim must roll 
  his Reaction Speed or less. If the roll is successful, 
  the roller attack is avoided; if not, the unfortunate 
  character suffers 8-80 points of damage. (Note: if 
  avoiding the roller means flinging oneself into the 
  shard grass, the usual 1-10 points of damage will be 
  taken.) 
   
   Sand Shark 
   
  Type Giant Carnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +5/50 
  Stamina 80 
  Attack 50 
  Damage 2d10 bite 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense Immunity to needler weapons 
  Has hard cover when burrowing 
  Native World Volturnus – deserts 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The sand shark is a burrowing 
  creature. It is 3 meters long, has a wedge-shaped 
  head, thick, abrasive, leathery hide and twelve pairs 
  of short legs.  
   
  A sand shark has no eyes; it detects things by 
  vibration, and smells through two rows of sensory 
  organs and two sensory pits in the head.  
   
  A sand shark burrows just beneath the surface of 
  the sand, leaving a telltale ripple in its wake. Only 
  explosives will affect it when it is beneath the sand, 
  and they cause only half-damage. It reveals itself 
  when it erupts at the feet of its target to attack. It 
  attacks by biting. Its large mouth is filled with three 
  rows of jagged teeth. 
   
  The sand shark can cross rocky areas by slithering 
  across the surface, but its movement rate is reduced 
  to Slow. 
   
   Slavebot 
   
  Type Cybernetic 
  Number 1-5 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +7/65 
  Stamina 80 
  Attack 50 
  Damage By weapon type 
  Special Attack Punching Score = 10 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – The Artifact 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Slavebots were created to guard 
  Sathar 
  installations. 
  Slavebots 
  are 
  cybernetic 
  combinations of living beings and machines. The 
  biological part of the slavebot is the remains of a 
  captured enemy. Most of the brain has been 
  replaced by a cybernetic implant. The slavebot is 
  controlled by a disembodied Sathar brain kept in 
  special liquid solution. The brain is almost immortal 
  since there are no other body parts to age. The 
  Sathar brain is linked to a radio transmitter that 
  sends coded signals. These are then received by the 
  slavebot so that direct control is possible. The 
  slavebots on Volturnus are Eorna captured in the 
  battle that nearly wiped out the Eorna race. A 
  supply of captured victims is kept in cryogenic 
  storage to provide replacements for worn-out 
  slavebots. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  89 
   
   
   Slither 
   
  Type Giant Carnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Slow – 10 meters/turn 
  IM/RS +5/45 
  Stamina 400 
  Attack 30 
  Damage 6d0 tentacles and bite 
  Special Attack Camouflage may surprise foes, 
  can attack two creatures at once 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World None – salt flats / near water 
   
  DESCRIPTION: A slither is 20 meters long and 2 
  meters wide. It resembles a giant-sized cross 
  between a worm and a centipede. It is part plant 
  and part animal; plants grow from its back, 
  providing camouflage and some nourishment from 
  photosynthesis. It can only see moving objects, but 
  can sense salt and water. One often lurks near pools 
  of water or salt licks, waiting for prey. 
   
  When lying still, a Slither is often mistaken for a 
  mound of plants, allowing it to attack with surprise. 
  Its gnashing, grinding mandibles are surrounded by 
  2-meter-long tentacles. Slithers also secrete an oily 
  fluid that causes burns on touch. They attack by 
  lashing out with their tentacles, by biting with their 
  jaws and by coiling around prey and burning it with 
  their secretions. They must re-coil and make a new 
  attack roll each turn to coil about prey.  
   
  A slither can attack two creatures on the same turn, 
  one with its tentacles and bite and the other by 
  coiling around it. This makes them very deadly in 
  combat. 
   
  Slithers are Sathar attack monsters. The Sathar, in 
  their efforts to destroy peaceful worlds, have 
  genetically altered a number of creatures into 
  "monsters" which they set free on various worlds. 
  Slithers and other Sathar attack monsters can be 
  encountered on many different planets. 
   
   
   
   
   Strangler Chutes 
   
  Type Large Herbivore 
  Number 5-20 
  Move Slow - 10m/turn on ground, 
  Windspeed in air. 
  IM/RS +3/25 
  Stamina 150 
  Attack None 
  Damage 3 points/turn 
  Special Attack Accidental attack (see below) 
  Special Defense Electrical shock stuns for 1d10 
  turns if touched 
  Native World Volturnus – wooded areas 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Strangler chutes look like giant 
  jellyfish floating in the air. They are 10 meters wide, 
  but weigh only 50 kilograms. They move by rising 
  on warm air and drifting through the skies. They 
  communicate with each other by changing colors, 
  and see with many eyespots located along the edge 
  of their canopy. 
   
  Strangler chutes eat the leaves of trees by draping 
  their bodies across the branches and releasing 
  digestive fluids. Animals caught inside the chute 
  automatically take three points of damage each 
  turn. If a character is in or underneath a tree when 
  a strangler chute lands on it, he must make a 
  Reaction Speed check to escape. The body and 
  tentacles of a strangler chute are electrified and any 
  character that touches one must pass a Reaction 
  Speed cheek or be stunned for 1d10 turns. If 
  characters use ranged weapons to attack a chute 
  that has entangled a companion, there is a 20% 
  chance that any hit on the chute will cause equal 
  damage to the trapped character. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  90 
   
   Tomar’s Horses 
   
  Type Large Omnivore 
  Number 1-100 
  Move Fast – 90 meters/turn, 25km per 
  hour 
  IM/RS +6/60 
  Stamina 120 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 3d10 bite and hooves 
  Special Attack Stampede: attack score 70, 8d10 
  damage 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – dry plains 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Tomar's horses look like a cross 
  between a horse and a jackal. They stand 1.6 
  meters tall at the shoulder and weigh about 400 
  kilograms. Tomar's horses eat seeds, nuts, grains, 
  berries and meat. They will eat carrion, but prefer 
  fresh meat. 
   
  Tomar's horses are cunning. They may stalk their 
  prey, taking advantage of cover to hide their 
  approach. They try to herd their prey into traps so it 
  can not escape. Individual Tomar's horses attack by 
  pawing with their hooked hooves and biting. 
   
  A herd of Tomar's horses can attack by stampeding 
  and trampling its prey. When a hungry herd sights 
  prey it will charge the creatures and attempt to 
  trample them. Their Attack score for a stampede 
  attack is 70. Characters are safe from a stampede if 
  they find hard cover to hide behind. If no cover is 
  available, the character can try to stun or kill one of 
  the lead animals and hide behind its body. There is 
  a 75% chance the herd will charge again if the prey 
  survived the first stampede. If more than one horse 
  was killed in a stampede, there is only a 25% 
  chance they will attack again. A trampled character 
  takes 8d10 points of damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Winged Rippers 
   
  Type Small Carnivore 
  Number 4-40 
  Move Fast 
  IM/RS +6/55 
  Stamina 30 
  Attack 60 
  Damage 1d5 beak 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – all terrains 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Winged rippers are scavenger birds 
  that gather in great numbers around any carrion. A 
  ripper looks like a cross between a vulture and a 
  humming bird. Their brownish-gray feathers look 
  tattered, and have a distinct odor of decay.  
   
  Winged rippers are impatient and may attack small 
  animals or sick or injured creatures. A large number 
  of winged rippers (more than 20) may attack 
  healthy creatures of man-size or larger. When they 
  attack, the entire flock swoops at the intended 
  victim. As they pass, 1d10 of the creatures will slash 
  with their razor-sharp beaks.  
   
  Winged rippers are basically cowardly, however, and 
  if more than one-tenth of the flock is killed, all the 
  rest will flee. 
   
  Rumors exist of a larger classification of these 
  creatures that nest only in the highest peaks of 
  Volturnus.  These Large beasts are equally cowardly, 
  but can be raised as mounts if captured while 
  young.  These giant winged rippers are the source of 
  cave drawings and tall tales, passed on through 
  generations.  If these fabled beasts do exist, their 
  statistics would vary as follows: IM/PS +5/45, 
  Stamina 60, Attack 65, Damage 2d10, movement is 
  unchanged while carrying a man-sized load, but is 
  slightly faster when unencumbered. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  91 
   
   
   Yernoids 
   
  Type Medium Omnivore 
  Number 1-50 (d100/2) 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +5/50 
  Stamina 70 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 1d10 
  Special Attack 30% likely to be armed with 
  clubs 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Yernoids are man-sized bipedal 
  dinosaurs which have developed a rudimentary 
  intelligence, similar to an ape's. These creatures 
  usually roam in hunting bands, seeking prey. They 
  are territorial; the strongest Yernoid always leads 
  the group. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Zwerrah 
   
  Type Giant Omnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +4/40 
  Stamina 800 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 20d10 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense Immune to doze and needler 
  effects 
  Native World Alcazzar – plains, forests 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The zwerrah is a quadruped that 
  roams 
  freely 
  about 
  the 
  plains, 
  forests, 
  and 
  moraines.  No creatures native to Alcazzar are 
  capable of threatening it.  Its legs are short and its 
  body is quite stocky.  Averaging 10 meters long, 4 
  meters high, and 3 meters wide, the zwerrah towers 
  over all other animals on Alcazzar.  It is covered 
  with coarse black hair, except for its eyes and nose.  
  The eyes of a zwerrah are incredibly keen, and 
  mounted on the top of its head, so it can see for 
  great distances.  The zwerrah possess almost no 
  sense of hearing, and a very limited sense of smell, 
  however. 
   
  The zwerrah has adapted to Alcazzar’s severe 
  winters by going into deep hibernation, usually in a 
  cave or niche in some rocks.  During the time it is 
  active, the zwerrah is incredibly voracious, eating 
  any form of meat available, as well as tons of 
  karakah fruit. The zwerrah preys upon any creatures 
  that do not get out of its path in time. 
   
   
   
  
   
  92 
   
  How to Referee NPCs 
  In a STAR FRONTIERS adventure, any character 
  played by the referee and not controlled by a player 
  is called a non-player character or NPC. Non-player 
  characters are the opponents, friends, sources of 
  information and randomly encountered characters in 
  an adventure. Once the referee has outlined the 
  adventure, he must create the NPCs. Non-player 
  characters can be any of the four major races, or an 
  intelligent alien being.  
   
  If an NPC has a major role in the adventure, the 
  referee should design him carefully, giving him all of 
  his ability scores as well as a personality and 
  temperament. Minor NPCs do not need to be as 
  detailed. The following step-by-step method can be 
  used to create either type of NPC.  
   
  What is already known about the NPC?  
  You already know some things about a character 
  that will help determine what other information is 
  needed to use the NPC. You know the character's 
  purpose in the adventure: to fight the player 
  characters, to help them or to annoy them. You also 
  know how the character will act when encountered. 
  You should know the character's race. A character's 
  race will alter his abilities, give him special abilities 
  and affect the way he reacts.  
   
  Why does the NPC act the way he does?  
  NPCs always should have a reason to do the things 
  they do. A guard stops intruders because that is his 
  job. A criminal tries to avoid police because they will 
  put him in jail. Townspeople want to be left alone 
  because they feel threatened by strangers.  
   
  An NPC's motive should be closely related to his 
  purpose in the adventure. Sathar NPCs usually are 
  used as enemies that must be fought, so their 
  actions will be based on their hatred for the other 
  races. More complex motives add interest and 
  mystery to a character; a man might have become a 
  pirate to find his kidnapped sister and get revenge, 
  and he may be willing to help the player characters.  
   
  How will the NPC react to the characters?  
  An NPC's reaction to player characters can be based 
  on his purpose in the adventure and his motives. 
  The referee should decide beforehand how major 
  NPCs will react. He can use the rules for random 
  NPC reactions described under NPC Reactions for 
  minor NPCs.  
   
  What are the NPC's ability scores?  
  In many cases, the referee does not need to know 
  all of an NPC's ability scores. Sometimes, none of 
  them are needed. The only ability scores that matter 
  in combat are Stamina, Dexterity and Initiative 
  modifier. Logic, Personality and Leadership are 
  almost never needed for NPCs. The referee can 
  create these scores on the spot as they are needed. 
  If the NPC is a major character, however, knowing 
  all of his ability scores will help define his 
  personality.  
   
  Average ability scores for all eight abilities and all 
  five races are shown on the table below. These can 
  be used to create NPCs quickly.  
   
   
   
  
   
  93 
   
   
   
  STR/ 
  STA 
  DEX/ 
  RS 
  INT/ 
  LOG 
  PER/ 
  LDR 
  PS 
  IM 
  Human 
  45/45 45/45 45/45 45/45 
  3 
  5 
  Dralasite 50/50 40/40 45/45 45/45 
  3 
  4 
  Vrusk 
  40/40 50/50 45/45 45/45 
  2 
  5 
  Yazirian 35/35 50/50 50/50 45/45 
  2 
  5 
  Sathar 
  40/40 40/40 45/45 45/65 
  2 
  4 
   
  What skills does the NPC have?  
  In many situations this question can be ignored 
  because the NPC will not have a chance to use a 
  skill. In combat or other situations where an NPC 
  has a chance to use a skill, skills and levels should 
  be assigned.  
   
  The typical colonist or clerk will have little or no skill 
  with weapons. Police, government agents and other 
  people who commonly carry weapons will have level 
  2 skill with them. Leaders will have higher skill 
  levels or skill with several types of weapons. Only 
  about 1 in 10 characters will have any skill with 
  melee weapons or in martial arts. Other skills can be 
  assigned based on the needs of the encounter. In 
  general, though NPCs with high-level skills should be 
  rare.  
   
  How is the NPC equipped?  
  Sometimes the referee will need to decide what 
  equipment an NPC has. This decision should be 
  based on the NPC's job and his purpose in the 
  adventure. For example, police need weapons and 
  characters with special skills need toolkits. Some 
  NPCs may have things that would be useful to the 
  player characters. If an NPC has a piece of 
  equipment that uses energy, the referee should 
  decide how much energy the item contains. This 
  also applies to weapon ammunition and medkit 
  drugs.  
   
  Does the NPC 
  have 
  anything the 
  player 
  characters need?  
  Depending on the NPC's purpose in the adventure, 
  he might have or know something that will give the 
  players a clue, a missing bit of information or an 
  important piece of equipment. The referee also must 
  decide how the player characters can get what they 
  need from the NPC.  
   
  Creating NPCs (Summary)  
  1. What is already known about the NPC? 
  2. Why does the NPC act the way he does? 
  3. How will the NPC react to the player characters? 
  4. What are the NPC's ability scores? 
  5. What skills does the NPC have? 
  6. How is the NPC equipped? 
  7. Does the NPC have anything the player characters 
  need?  
   
  NPC Reactions  
  During an adventure the referee must decide how 
  NPCs react to the player characters. NPC reaction 
  should be based on the NPC's purpose in the 
  adventure and his motives. NPC reactions can be 
  modified by the actions of the player characters, the 
  NPC's past experiences with the player characters 
  and the NPC's and PC's races. The referee should 
  keep in mind that each NPC is different and might 
  react differently.  
   
  If the referee does not determine the NPC's reaction 
  ahead of time, his reaction can be determined 
  randomly. The player character that is encountering 
  the NPC must make a Personality check. If this 
  check is successful, the NPC will react in a favorable 
  or friendly manner. If the check fails, the NPC will 
  be hostile, unfavorable or non-committal. The 
  referee can give the character a positive modifier if 
  he thinks the player character is being especially 
  friendly or if the NPC is an easy-going person. The 
  referee also can give the character a negative 
  modifier if the player character is being rude or has 
  mistreated this NPC before, or if the NPC is surly or 
  unfriendly or simply too busy to be bothered. An 
  NPC always will be unfriendly on a roll of 96-00.  
   
  Reaction rolls can be modified by the player 
  characters' and the NPCs races. The Racial Reaction 
  table lists these racial reaction modifiers. Find the 
  race of the NPC, and then find the race of the player 
  character that he is reacting to; then adjust the 
  player character's Personality score by the value 
  listed.  
   
  This table adds some complexity to the reaction 
  system, so its use is optional. Referees must decide 
  whether they want to use it in their campaigns.  
   
  Race  
  Human Dralasite Vrusk Yazirian Sathar 
  Human 
  0 
  0 
  -10 
  -5 
  -20 
  Dralasite 
  0 
  +10 
  +5 
  0 
  -20 
  Vrusk 
  -5 
  0 
  0 
  0 
  -10 
  Yazirian 
  -5 
  -10 
  0 
  0 
  -30 
  Sathar 
  -20 
  -30 
  -10 
  -20 
  0 
   
  NPC Friends and Foes 
  As the players guide their characters through 
  adventures, they should keep track of the friends 
  they meet along the way.  One of the benchmarks of 
  a worldly character is the number of people he can 
  contact who know him – and my be able to help him 
  accomplish his missions. 
   
  By the same token, referees should be prepared to 
  keep track of the people, corporations, and political 
  groups that the player characters cross.  That way, 
  when they encounter the same people again (or 
  
   
  94 
   
  characters, corporations, or political groups affiliated 
  with those people). 
   
  Friends and enemies are not eternal.  Friends can 
  become enemies, and vice-versa.  Clever referees 
  will use the character’s friends as launching points 
  for additional adventures, missions, and duties.  
  After all, friendship isn’t a one-way street. 
   
  Friends won’t always do everything the players ask, 
  and enemies might not always attack on sight.  
  Friendships and rivalries exist in many forms. 
   
  Hiring NPC's  
  At some time, player characters may want to hire 
  NPCs to perform special jobs. The referee should 
  allow this only if the party is weak and needs a more 
  rounded 
  selection 
  of 
  skills 
  to 
  complete 
  the 
  adventure. The referee controls hired non-player 
  characters. 
  The 
  referee 
  must 
  remember 
  that 
  employees do not like being used as targets or bait, 
  and should not let the players make NPCs take the 
  player characters' risks for them.  
   
  Availability. The referee must decide whether NPCs 
  are available with the skills the players want. If the 
  referee thinks a level 6 Demolitions expert would 
  give the prayers' teem too much power, he should 
  simply tell them that none are available. NPCs with 
  high skill levels are very rare. If there is no reason 
  to restrict the availability of NPC hirelings, the table 
  below can be used to determine whether an NPC 
  with a specific skill level can be hired.  
   
  Skill Level  
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Chance Available  90% 75% 60% 45% 30% 15% 
   
  Wages. An NPC's wages depend on his level of skill 
  and his field of expertise. The NPC Wages table 
  shows suggested daily pay rates for different skills. 
  If an NPC has several skills, his wage is determined 
  by finding the skill that pays the most and adding 10 
  Cr/day for each additional level of skill.  
   
  For 
  example, 
  a 
  level 
  3 
  Roboticist/level 
  2 
  Sharpshooter/level 
  1 
  Medic 
  would 
  be 
  paid 
  110Cr/day (80+20+ 10= 110).  
   
  When player characters hire NPCs, add the levels of 
  all of the player character's skills. Compare this to 
  the total of all of the NPC's skill levels.  
   
  If the player character does not have at least twice 
  as many skill levels as the NPC he is hiring, he must 
  pay 20 Cr/day extra.  
   
  The referee can create pay requirements for any 
  other specialists he desires.  
   
   
  Skill Level 
   
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  Skill 
  Credits per Day 
  Computer Operator 
  70 80 90 100 110 120 
  Demolitions Expert 
  50 60 70 80 90 100 
  Environmentalist 
  60 70 80 90 100 110 
  Martial Artist (unarmed) 
  40 50 60 70 80 90 
  Medic 
  70 80 90 100 110 120 
  Non-Skilled Labor 
  20 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Psycho-Sociologist 
  80 90 100 110 120 130 
  Roboticist 
  60 70 80 90 100 110 
  Sharpshooter (projectile) 
  20 30 40 50 60 70 
  Space Marine(beam) 
  40 50 60 70 80 90 
  Star Soldier (gyrojet) 
  30 40 50 60 70 80 
  Technician 
  50 60 70 80 90 100 
  Weaponeer (melee) 
  40 50 60 70 80 90 
   
  Loyalty. NPCs are not like player characters, who 
  face danger and death constantly without worry or 
  fear. There will be times during an adventure when 
  the loyalty of a hired character must be checked to 
  see if he wants to reconsider his employment. 
  Typical situations where an NPC's loyalty should be 
  checked are:  
   
  • The first time an NPC's life is put in danger. 
  • The NPC sees that his team is losing a fight or in 
  some other dangerous situation 
  • The NPC is offered a bribe that is at least twice his 
  weekly pay. 
  • The referee thinks the player characters are taking 
  unfair advantage of the NPC.  
   
  When an NPC's loyalty must be checked, the player 
  character that hired the NPC makes a Leadership 
  check. This check can be modified by the size of a 
  bribe, the danger of the immediate situation, the 
  treatment the NPC has received from the characters 
  and the NPC's personality. If the check is successful, 
  the NPC remains loyal. If the check fails, the NPC 
  will ask for more pay, refuse to follow orders, run 
  away or quit; the referee should decide the specific 
  action based on the situation. If the NPC's employer 
  dies or is killed, the NPC will quit unless another 
  character tries to rehire him.  
   
  Sample NPCs 
  What follows are several ready-to-use sample 
  characters.  These characters are balanced for 
  starting players to play, or referees can use these 
  for quick NPCs.  Feel free to personalize the 
  character in any number of ways (change the race, 
  add or remove skill levels and equipment to 
  represent acquired knowledge and experience, shift 
  ability scores among their pairs, etc.) 
   
  
   
  95 
   
   
   
   
  Human Soldier 
   
  STR/STA 50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  55/55 
  INT/LOG 50/50 
  PER/LDR 45/35 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 28 
  Melee 
  28 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Beam Weapons 1, Gyrojet Weapons 1 
  Equipment:  
  Gas mask, Magnigoggles 
   
   
  Human Tech-Head 
   
  STR/STA 50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  45/45 
  INT/LOG 50/60 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  28 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Robotics 1, Computers 1 
  Equipment:  
  Robcomkit, Solvaway 
   
   
  Human MED-Spec 
  STR/STA 25/35 
  DEX/RS 
  65/55 
  INT/LOG 55/55 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +2 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 33 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Biosocial PSA) 
    Medical 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
    Medkit 
   
   
  Human Bounty Hunter 
  STR/STA 50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  45/55 
  INT/LOG 60/50 
  PER/LDR 40/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  25 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Projectile Weapons 1, Martial Arts 1 
  Equipment:  
  Chronocom, Magnigoggles 
   
   
   
   
   
  Yazirian Warrior 
   
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  65/55 
  INT/LOG 55/55 
  PER/LDR 35/35 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 33 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Gliding, Battle Rage 5%, Night Vision 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Beam Weapons 1, Gyrojet Weapons 1 
  Equipment:  
  Radiophone, Magnigoggles 
   
   
  Yazirian Engineer 
  STR/STA 25/35 
  DEX/RS 
  65/55 
  INT/LOG 60/60 
  PER/LDR 45/35 
  PS 
  +2 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 33 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Gliding, Battle Rage 5%, Night Vision 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Robotics 1, Technician 1 
  Equipment:  
  Gas mask, Techkit 
   
   
  Yazirian Field Medic 
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  45/45 
  INT/LOG 50/50 
  PER/LDR 70/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  23 
  Special Abilities: 
  Gliding, Battle Rage 5%, Night Vision 
  Skills: (Biosocial PSA) 
  Medical 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
  Medkit, Chronocom 
   
   
  Yazirian Scout 
  STR/STA 30/40 
  DEX/RS 
  65/65 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 55/35 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +7 
  Ranged 33 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Gliding, Battle Rage 5%, Night Vision 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Technician 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
  Chronocom, Gas mask 
   
   
   
  
   
  96 
   
   
   
  Dralasite Enforcer 
   
  STR/STA 65/65 
  DEX/RS 
  45/35 
  INT/LOG 55/55 
  PER/LDR 45/35 
  PS 
  +4 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Form Change, Lie Detection 5% 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Martial Arts 1, Gyrojet Weapons 1 
  Equipment:  
  Magnagoggles, Chronocom 
   
   
  Dralasite Field Tech 
  STR/STA 65/65 
  DEX/RS 
  55/45 
  INT/LOG 40/50 
  PER/LDR 55/55 
  PS 
  +4 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 28 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Form Change, Lie Detection 5% 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Computer 1, Technician 1 
  Equipment:  
  Techkit, Solvaway 
   
   
  Dralasite Explorer 
   
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  65/55 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 33 
  Melee 
  23 
  Special Abilities: 
  Form Change, Lie Detection 5% 
  Skills: (Biosocial PSA) 
  Medical 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
  Medkit, Chronocom 
   
   
  Dralasite Pilot 
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  55/55 
  INT/LOG 50/50 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 28 
  Melee 
  28 
  Special Abilities: 
  Form Change, Lie Detection 5% 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Technician 1, Gyrojet Weapons 1 
  Equipment:  
  Techkit, Radiophone 
   
   
   
   
   
  Vrusk Explorer 
   
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  45/35 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 70/60 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  23 
  Special Abilities: 
  Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15% 
  Skills: (Biosocial PSA) 
  Medical 1, Environmental 1 
  Equipment:  
  Medkit, Chronocom 
   
   
  Vrusk Programmer 
  STR/STA 55/55 
  DEX/RS 
  45/45 
  INT/LOG 40/40 
  PER/LDR 45/45 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  28 
  Special Abilities: 
  Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15% 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Robotics 1, Computers 1 
  Equipment:  
  Techkit, Robcomkit 
   
   
  Vrusk Thug 
  STR/STA 50/50 
  DEX/RS 
  55/55 
  INT/LOG 45/45 
  PER/LDR 50/50 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 28 
  Melee 
  28 
  Special Abilities: 
  Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15% 
  Skills: (Military PSA) 
  Demolitions 1, Projectile Weapons 1 
  Equipment:  
  Radiophone, Gas mask 
   
   
  Vrusk Seer 
  STR/STA 65/65 
  DEX/RS 
  45/35 
  INT/LOG 55/55 
  PER/LDR 45/35 
  PS 
  +4 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  33 
  Special Abilities: 
  Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15% 
  Skills: (Biosocial PSA) 
  Psychosocial 1, Medical 1 
  Equipment:  
  Medkit, Chronocom 
   
   
   
  
   
  97 
   
   
  Physical Structure 
  Sathar are long, worm-like creatures. Their bodies 
  are divided into segments, like an earthworm's. 
  They do not have a skeleton. Instead, they support 
  their bodies hydrostatically, by pumping liquid into 
  the segments so they become hard. A shiny, clear 
  slime coats their skin. Scientists believe they are 
  warm-blooded, but no live specimen has ever been 
  studied. 
   
  A Sathar's head tapers toward its mouth, which is 
  circular and ringed with teeth. Each of their two 
  eyes has two pupils. Four tentacles, two on each 
  side of the body, are arranged about 1 meter below 
  the head. The first pair is slender and weak-looking, 
  and about 1 meter long. These end in four smaller 
  finger-like tentacles. The second pair of tentacles is 
  stronger and about 1.2 meters long. Both of these 
  tentacles end in a paddle-like pad. This second pair 
  is used for heavy lifting, while the smaller tentacles 
  are used for fine work and for holding small 
  weapons. 
   
  A Sathar moves by slithering across the ground with 
  the first meter of its body raised. They also can coil 
  like a snake, raising 1.5 meters of their bodies from 
  the ground. 
   
  The color of Sathar skin varies from yellow to 
  brown. The tentacles are the same as the body, but 
  with a slight greenish tint. The underbelly is pale 
  pink. A pattern of dots, speckles and stripes 
  decorates the back of the head. These patterns are 
  natural on some Sathar, but are tattoos on others. 
   
  Some survivors of Sathar attacks have reported that 
  Sathars are not affected by electrical shocks or doze 
  grenades, but these reports have never been 
  confirmed. 
   
  Senses 
  The Sathar's double pupils give it very wide angle 
  vision. They can see objects in front of them and to 
  both sides at the same time. They smell through two 
  pits in front of their eyes. The sharpness of their 
  senses is not known, but UPF biologists assume 
  their hearing, smell and taste is about the same as a 
  Human's. 
   
  Speech 
  Captured recordings show that Sathar can speak 
  Yazirian and Human languages as well as Pan-
  Galactic. They hiss and lisp when they speak. Their 
  native language has never been translated. 
   
  Society and Customs 
  Almost nothing is known about Sathar society. They 
  have tried to kill every alien creature they have met 
  in the Frontier, usually with alarming success. No 
  one knows why the Sathar attack so viciously or 
  what they hope to gain. All attempts to contact the 
  Sathar peacefully have failed. No Sathar has ever 
  been captured alive, because they kill themselves 
  before they can be taken. In one case, an entire 
  Sathar ship self-destructed to avoid being captured. 
  Freeze fields have been applied to several dead 
  Sathar in an attempt to have them revived, but 
  biologists have not been able to find a revival 
  technique that works on them. 
   
  Scientists have proposed several theories, based on 
  reports from observers. The most widely accepted 
   
   
  
   
  98 
   
  was written by Gdtlask Gltak, a Vrusk sociologist. 
  Gltak's theory states that all Sathar belong to 
  military units called cadres. The markings on the 
  back of the Sathar's head identify its cadre. Each 
  cadre trains its members as soldiers from the time 
  they are born. Gltak theorizes that Sathar attack 
  alien worlds because their military society would fall 
  apart if there was no enemy to fight. 
   
  Readers are warned that this is only a theory. Until 
  a Sathar is captured alive, their true motivation will 
  not be known. 
   
  Attitudes 
  All 
  Sathar 
  should 
  be 
  considered 
  hostile 
  and 
  dangerous. Citizens of the Frontier who encounter 
  Sathar are required by law to report the incident 
  immediately. If escaping is impossible, citizens are 
  advised to attack on sight, as friendly approaches 
  have always failed in the past. 
   
  Sathar also are known to use Dralasite, Human, 
  Vrusk and Yazirian agents to overthrow Frontier 
  governments, terrorize citizens and disrupt trade. 
  Like the Sathar themselves, these agents are 
  extremely dangerous. Suspicious beings should be 
  reported immediately. Citizens are discouraged from 
  attacking Sathar agents, as most are trained and 
  experienced killers. 
   
  Classified Information 
  The following information is secret, and should not 
  be given to players until they discover it in the 
  course of the game. 
   
  Hypnotism. A Sathar can hypnotize a character by 
  talking to him in a non-combat situation. The 
  character must make a Logic check; if he fails, he is 
  hypnotized. A hypnotized character will think the 
  Sathar is his friend, and will want to cooperate with 
  it. He will see things the way the Sathar describes 
  them, if his other senses do not contradict what the 
  Sathar tells him. (For example, a character would 
  not believe that a fire was a pool of water). A Sathar 
  can command a hypnotized person to do something 
  at a specific time, and to forget that he has been 
  hypnotized until that time. For example, a character 
  could be commanded to turn off a security system 
  at midnight. 
   
  Sathar Ability Modifiers. A Sathar's Leadership 
  score must be 20 points higher than its Personality 
  score. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Sathar Characters 
   
  Ability Scores  
   
  STR/STA 
  +0 
  DEX/RS 
  -5 
  INT/LOG 
  -5 
  PER/LDR 
  +10* 
  *All Sathar must move 10 points from PER to LDR. 
   
  Movement 
   
  Walking 
  10 meters per turn 
  Running 
  20 meters per turn 
  Hourly 
  3 kilometers/hour 
   
  Special Abilities 
  Hypnotism 
  LOG check avoidance roll. 
   
  Characteristics 
   
  Average Size 
  3.5 meters long 
  Average Mass 
  55 kilograms 
  Average Lifespan 
  unknown 
  Reproductive System 
  hermaphroditic, 
  unknown 
  Body Temperature 
  believed endothermic 
   
  
   
  99 
   
   
   
   
  How to Referee Adventures 
  Adventures are the stories to challenge the players 
  and their characters.  The referee can use published 
  adventures or he can create his own. 
   
  The first thing you must do as a referee is create 
  adventures for your players. Adventures can be as 
  simple or as complex as you want to make them. 
  You 
  can 
  design 
  them 
  completely 
  from 
  your 
  imagination, or take ideas from books and movies.  
   
  1. Choosing a theme or basic story and the goal of 
  the adventure. 
  2. Selecting the settings where the story takes place 
  3. Designing the events that lead to the goal, and 
  the obstacles that must be overcome to reach the 
  goal 
  4. Creating the non-player characters and creatures 
  that the characters will meet, and deciding how 
  they will affect play 
  5. Writing any special rules that are needed for 
  unusual events 
  6. Writing a final outline of the adventure to guide 
  the referee through the action.  
  7. Create any maps needed to define the adventure 
  areas. 
   
  Theme  
  When choosing a theme for your adventure, you 
  should consider these three things:  
   
  • What has happened before that led to this 
  adventure? 
  • What must the characters do to complete their job? 
  • What sorts of obstacles do you want the players to 
  face during the adventure?  
   
  Some suggestions beginning referees can use to 
  create simple adventures are listed below:  
   
  • Explore a New World: The player characters are 
  hired to explore an undeveloped planet. This theme 
  can be used many times by creating new planets 
  with new challenges.  
   
  • Obtain Information: The player characters must 
  search for special information about a place, group 
  or thing and return to their employer with the 
  information.  
   
  • Retrieve a Stolen Item: The player characters 
  are hired to locate and bring back to their 
  employer something that has been stolen perhaps 
  secret plans or an invention.  
   
  • Catch Criminals: The player characters must find 
  and capture space pirates, thieves or other 
  criminals.  
   
  • Rescue Someone: The player characters must 
  locate and rescue someone who is being held 
  prisoner -- a hostage, kidnap victim or a person in 
  prison.  
   
  • Mad 
  Scientist: 
  The 
  player 
  characters 
  must 
  prevent an evil scientist from taking over a planet, 
  setting loose terrible robots or performing some 
  other evil.  
   
  These are only a few examples of possible 
  adventures. You could even combine several of 
  these themes into one adventure. You could also 
  create an adventure based on something discovered 
  by the player characters in an earlier game. This 
  adds excitement as players use information they 
  have found in earlier adventures to solve the riddles 
  of another.  
   
  Settings  
  The settings or locations of an adventure 
  determine the events that can take place and 
  what animals and events can be encountered; 
  guards and robots can be encountered while 
  searching a secret outpost, but wild creatures and 
  dangerous terrains are more likely if characters are 
  exploring a new planet. Your settings can be as big 
  1111    
  2222    
  
   
  100 
   
  or small as you want to make them. An entire 
  adventure could take place in a single building, or it 
  could require the characters to travel halfway 
  around a planet.  
   
  The settings you select should have a purpose in the 
  adventure. The players should be able to complete 
  some part of their objective at each place. For 
  example, when searching for someone lost in the 
  wilderness, searchers can find important clues at the 
  spot where the lost person was last seen, at the site 
  of an old campfire, at a spot where they find a dead 
  beast with a trail of blood leading away, etc. At each 
  setting, players can discover the direction the 
  person traveled, how long ago he was there and 
  what has happened to him.  
   
  When designing a setting, you should try to answer 
  these questions:  
   
  • What is the setting's purpose? When during the 
  adventure will the characters arrive there? What 
  information are the characters supposed to find 
  there?  
  • What does the setting look like? What are the most 
  important features: where are trees and streams, 
  doors and furniture?  
  • What types of creatures, characters and events will 
  the 
  characters 
  meet 
  there? 
  Are 
  there 
  any 
  important plants or weather conditions, alarms or 
  robots? These are not necessarily challenges to the 
  players. They can be used to identify the area.  
  • Are there any other important features about this 
  setting? Does it limit movement in some way or 
  hide things from sight? Does it have obstacles the 
  characters must overcome?  
   
  As you decide on each setting, write it down, 
  including all special information about the setting.  
   
  Events  
  Once you have chosen the theme and settings 
  for an adventure, you must design the 
  adventure itself. An adventure is divided into several 
  smaller challenges that the players must overcome. 
  Each of the challenges must be placed in a specific 
  setting.  
   
  When designing an adventure, first determine what 
  events or challenges you want. Each event should 
  provide an obstacle to overcome, a lesson to be 
  learned or an opportunity to gain something that will 
  aid the characters in reaching their goal. Events 
  should always be exciting or provide a puzzle that 
  the players must overcome with their wits. Follow 
  each of these four steps when designing events.  
   
  • Decide what purpose the event will fulfill. Is it an 
  obstacle to fight or overcome? A puzzle to solve? A 
  chance to gain something helpful? Or an event just 
  to add excitement?  
  • Determine all the elements needed in the event. 
  Will 
  the 
  player 
  characters 
  encounter 
  NPCs, 
  creatures, robots, foul weather, physical obstacles 
  or security systems?  
  • Decide how NPCs, creatures or robots will react to 
  the player characters, and what actions they will 
  take.  
   
  Random Events. Sometimes, referees may want to 
  set up encounters or events that occur randomly, 
  instead of being pre-planned. Usually, random 
  encounters are tied to die rolls that are made at 
  certain time intervals or when characters enter an 
  area. For example, the referee could decide the 
  characters have a 20% chance of being attacked by 
  wild animals every night they spend in the 
  mountains, or a 30% chance of meeting a criminal 
  in a seedy part of town.  
   
  Random events should be created when the 
  adventure is designed. If you have only one random 
  event, you can simply give it a percentage chance of 
  happening. If you have more than one random 
  event, you can arrange them on a table and assign 
  a percentage chance that one will happen. Then, if 
  there is a random event, you roll a second time to 
  see which specific event happens. If you have more 
  than one event, you can let each one happen only 
  once, or let an event happen whenever it is rolled 
  up.  
   
  EXAMPLE: A referee wants to set up random 
  encounters for characters that are searching for a 
  missing caravan in a region with thick forests. He 
  decides the chance for a random event is 20% every 
  five hours. If the searchers have an encounter, he 
  rolls 1 d10 on the Random Events table he made up. 
    
  Die 
  Roll  
  Event  
  1-2 
  Attacked by 5 flying shriekers 
  3-4 
  Heavy rainstorm, the searchers must stop 
  moving 
  5-6 
  Attacked by 2 tree-cats 
  7-8 
  Ground-monkeys steal a piece of equipment 
  9-0 
  Searchers meet forest nomads 
   
   
  Arranging Events. Once you have designed your 
  events you must determine their order in the 
  adventure. The events should lead step by-step to 
  the goal. However, the order does not have to be 
  strict and unbreakable. Players may be able to reach 
  their goal using several different paths through the 
  events. Some events may not lead anywhere, and 
  players will need to return to an earlier encounter to 
  find the right path.  
  3333    
  
   
  101 
   
   
   
  NPCs and Creatures  
  After you have chosen the events that will 
  lead your players to their goal, you must 
  create the NPCs and creatures that will be 
  encountered in the game and write down any 
  information you will need to know about them to 
  use them in the game.  
   
  Determine the purpose of each NPC and creature in 
  the adventure. Make sure they fit the purpose of the 
  adventure and decide what they need to fill that 
  purpose. For example, a guard needs a weapon and 
  a technician needs a toolkit. You should try to make 
  your creatures and NPCs fit the adventure and the 
  setting. A gentleman would not live in a shack and 
  wild creatures do not roam the city streets.  
   
  Special Rules  
  If any of your events involve special situations 
  that are not covered in the game rules, you 
  should think about them before starting to play the 
  adventure and decide how you will handle these 
  situations when they arise. You may want to design 
  special rules for new equipment, alien devices, 
  general skills, weather, strange terrain or anything 
  else called for by the event. Try to keep your special 
  rules simple. Write down any special rules you make 
  up, so if that situation ever comes up again, you can 
  handle it the same way.  
   
  Write a Script  
  When you have decided the order of the 
  events, you should write all the information 
  you need to play in a script that shows when things 
  should happen. It is best to write down everything 
  you need to know about each event so that you do 
  not forget to give players important clues that will 
  affect their decisions. Number each event, so that 
  you will know its order. You can put the number of 
  the event on a map so you can see where the event 
  is to take place. Each written event should include 
  the following information:  
   
  1. A description of what the characters can see. 
  2. A description of what happens when characters 
  enter the setting, including NPC and creature 
  reactions. 
  3. Ability scores for any NPCs or creatures that will 
  be encountered in the area. 
  4. Any special rules for the event. 
  5. Random event probabilities. 
  6. Notes about what the characters can discover 
  from the event. 
  7. Notes on what should happen if the characters 
  succeed, if they fail, or take some other course of 
  action.  
   
  Read your script several times, putting yourself in 
  the position of a player trying to move through the 
  adventure. Make different choices to see whether 
  you accounted for the most likely possibilities. Make 
  sure your challenges are not too easy or too 
  difficult. Players should need to use reason and 
  judgment to overcome the challenges. However, you 
  can not think of everything, so try to be flexible.  
  Make sure events challenge the players.  
   
  Create Maps  
  Once 
  you 
  have 
  finished 
  creating 
  the 
  adventure you should make the maps you will 
  need during the game. There are two types of maps 
  that are very useful: a guide map to show the 
  overall layout of the adventure and playing maps 
  that are used during combat.  
   
  • Guide Maps. Guide maps show the area where the 
  adventure takes place in small scale. They do not 
  show much detail, but can be used to mark areas 
  where characters will have encounters, and show 
  the types of terrain characters must travel through. 
  A guide map typically has a scale of 1 to 20 km per 
  hex or square.  
   
  • Combat Maps. Combat maps are drawn on half-
  inch square grids and used with the counters 
  during fights. The scale on these maps typically is 
  2 to 10 meters per square. They can show any 
  amount of detail that the referee wants. Important 
  features like doors, windows, security devices and 
  natural dangers should be shown.  
   
  • Indexing the Maps. Listing information about all 
  of the important encounter areas directly on a map 
  would be very confusing. Instead, encounter areas 
  should be coded with a number or letter, and an 
  explanation recorded or. a separate sheet of paper. 
  This way, the referee can see at a glance where 
  the important areas are on his map. The maps 
  included with the adventure SFO, Crash on 
  Volturnus, are good examples of how to set up 
  both 
  combat 
  and 
  guide 
  maps. 
  the 
  sample 
  adventure on the next page also includes two very 
  simple maps, one a guide map with a scale of 1 
  kilometer per hex and the other a combat map 
  with a scale of 2 meters per square.  
   
  • Players' Maps. In many adventures, characters 
  will want maps of their own. The referee should 
  prepare these maps himself, and let the players 
  keep them. Generally, these should be about the 
  same as the referee's guide map, but without the 
  notes 
  and 
  indications 
  of 
  where 
  important 
  information can be found. The players' map should 
  include only the information that would be included 
  on a regular map (unless the characters have 
  4 
  5555    
  6666    
  7777    
  
   
  102 
   
  found a hand-made treasure map or something 
  similar).  
   
  Example Maps 
  What follows is a collection of maps for you to use in 
  your own adventures.  They are taken from various 
  published adventure modules, and can be reused by 
  re-orienting 
  them, 
  starting 
  the 
  characters 
  in 
  different locations, and populating the areas with 
  new creatures, events, and descriptions. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  103 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  104 
   
   
   
   
  Human Hacker 
  STR/STA 45/45 
  DEX/RS 
  50/55 
  INT/LOG 50/70 
  PER/LDR 50/30 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 25 
  Melee 
  25 
  Special Abilities: 
  None 
  Skills: (Technological PSA) 
  Computer 1, Technician 1 
  Equipment:  
  Techkit, Standard Equipment Pack, 2 Frag 
  Grenades, Sonic Knife, 72 Cr. 
   
  
   
  105 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Section 5 
  
   
  106 
   
   
  ALPHA SECTION:  
  INTRODUCTION 
  Welcome to the universe of the STAR FRONTIERS 
  game! You are now a star-rover, one of the lucky 
  few who spend their lives traversing the black void 
  of deep space. Though you often pass long hours 
  aboard cramped, uncomfortable starliners, you 
  spend most of your time exploring mysterious new 
  worlds. On these planets, you will find strange races 
  of intelligent beings, ancient alien cultures, and 
  creatures more deadly than any in the known 
  universe! 
   
  If you are participating in this module as a player, 
  stop reading now. Your referee will use this booklet 
  to guide you on a thrilling adventure. If you read it 
  now, you will spoil the excitement and surprise. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 1:  
  REFEREE NOTES 
  Before beginning this module, read the STAR 
  FRONTIERS Expanded Rules. After familiarizing 
  yourself with the expanded rules, study this module 
  carefully. You must be thoroughly familiar with its 
  contents to run a successful adventure. An intimate 
  knowledge of the maps, encounters, creatures, and 
  non-player characters will prove invaluable when 
  trying to describe fast-paced action scenes to your 
  characters. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 2:  
  MODULE BRIEFING 
  CRASH ON VOLTURNUS is the first module in the 
  VOLTURNUS 
  series. 
  Two 
  other 
  modules, 
  VOLTURNUS: PLANET OF MYSTERY and STARSPAWN 
  OF VOLTURNUS, may be played after completing 
  CRASH ON VOLTURNUS. While neither of the 
  sequels are necessary to play this module, we 
  recommend you complete CRASH ON VOLTURNUS 
  before playing VOLTURNUS: PLANET OF MYSTERY or 
  STARSPAWN OF VOLTURNUS. 
   
  This module is designed for 4 to 8 characters. The 
  character group should include at least one Vrusk, 
  at least one character with medical skills, and at 
  least one character with environmental skills. In 
  addition, the party will find it wise to spend most of 
  their money on items other than weapons when 
  they start the adventure. (All weapons will be 
  destroyed early in the adventure.) 
   
  In the middle of the module booklet, you will find 
  several removable sections. These sections include 
  the ''Alien Creatures Update File," the "Player 
  Character Background Report," and the "STAR 
  FRONTIERS System Brief." These sections may be 
  removed from the booklet and kept in separate 
  notebooks as expandable files. Simply bend the 
  staples out and pull the sheets from the book, then 
  bend the staples back down. Each section is printed 
  on a solid sheet of paper which can be inserted into 
  a three-ring notebook. 
   
  When the adventure begins, give the "Player 
  Character Back- ground Report" to your players. 
  This sheet provides them a basic background 
  statement, pre-rolled characters, and two different 
  kinds of mapping paper. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 3:  
  USING THE MAPS 
  Both sides of the module cover contain maps. The 
  outside cover shows a small interior section of the 
  starliner ''Serene Dawn." The adventure begins as a 
  group of space pirates hijack the Serena Dawn. Use 
  this map as a "playing board." Lay it on a flat 
  surface and place your prayers' counters directly on 
  it. You and your players may then move the 
  counters over the map as needed to represent 
  movement. 
   
  At the end of this module, you will find a partial 
  planetary map of Volturnus. Do not show this map 
  to your players at anytime, it is for your reference 
  only. The planetary map will be used to keep track 
  of the movement of the characters on the planet. 
  The planetary map uses hexagons instead of 
  squares to show direction and distance on the 
  planet's surface more accurately. Each hexagon 
  (hex) is color-coded to represent its dominant 
  terrain. In addition, some hexes contain symbols 
  representing unusual features. 
   
  The following chart illustrates the six possible 
  directions of movement on a hexagonal map. 
   
   
  When the players tell you their direction of travel, 
  they 
  should 
  use 
  the 
  terms 
  northeast, 
  east, 
  southeast, southwest, west, or northwest. The 
  direction of travel for each hex should be specified 
  separately so there is no confusion about the 
  location of the characters. 
   
  You will find maps of the Forbidden Caverns and the 
  Lake of Fire in the STAR FRONTIERS System Brief. 
  Use these special maps when you reach the 
  encounter sections calling for them. 
   
   
  
   
  107 
   
   
  ALPHA 3.1:  
  MAP KEY FOR VOLTURNUS  
  The area shown on the map is 600 x 400 kilometers, 
  about the size of the state of Colorado (1 hex = 8 
  kilometers). All action in the Volturnus modules 
  takes place somewhere on this map. The rest of the 
  planet has not been mapped; you may design these 
  areas yourself if you wish. 
   
  Alien Fungus – This alien fungus came to Volturnus 
  when a meteorite struck the planet. 
  Artifact – The Sathar left this monolithic artifact to 
  monitor interstellar flight. 
  Bachanda Forest – Giant thorn plants cover the floor of 
  the forest, so creatures must travel along the limbs of 
  giant bachanda trees. This is the home of the Kurabanda. 
  Black Lake – Large, black slicks of oil cover much of the 
  lake's surface. 
  Burning Lands – This barren, rocky ground often ignites 
  when its free phosphorous contacts the atmosphere. 
  Ceremonial Burial Mounds – Several large mounds 
  covered with floaterroot rise above the desert sands. 
  Cliffs – The cliffs run along a major fault line dividing the 
  mountains from the lowlands. 
  Crystal Mountains – These crystal peaks can be seen 
  gleaming in the sun on any clear day. 
  Crystal Stonehenge – The Eorna built this monument, 
  resembling Stonehenge on Terra, many ages ago. 
  Desert – Only a few clumps of sparse vegetation survive 
  among the endless sand dunes of the Volturnian desert. 
  Dry Canal – The canal that connected lake and sea in the 
  height of Eorna civilization now runs dry. 
  Dry Plains – These rolling plains are covered with grass. 
  Fertile Area – A fertile area is an isolated outbreak of 
  vegetation, such as a desert oasis. 
  Gas Mist Mountains – Ash clouds, smoke, and foul gases 
  cover these mountains. 
  Hills – Edestekai farms dot the sides of these grassy hills. 
  Lava Beds – These maze-like beds of cooled magma are 
  riddled with caves. 
  Meteor Crater – This huge crater is nearly covered by an 
  alien fungus spawned when a meteor struck Volturnus. 
  Pirate Outpost – The pirates at this small base are 
  studying the feasibility of pumping oil from Black Lake. 
  Pirate Town – The pirate town is the Star Devil's center 
  of operations on Volturnus. 
  Oil Slick – Oil seeps to the surface of Black Lake in the 
  hexes marked by oil slicks. 
  River – These rivers drain into the lowest areas on the 
  map, the meteor crater and the sea. 
  Rocky Barrens – Though desolate and stark, this dry, 
  rocky wilderness has more vegetation than the desert 
  Roller Path – As they graze, rollers create a safe path 
  through the shard grass. 
  Ruins – These are the ruins of Eleonea, an ancient Eorna 
  city destroyed by the Sathar. 
  Salt Flat – As the ancient seas of Volturnus began their 
  retreat, they left large salt flats behind.  These salt flats 
  are not entirely solid; there are many areas where briny 
  rivers flow underneath.  Persons crossing these salt flats 
  will sometimes fall through the crust and drown. 
  Sea – This is the remnant of a vast salt sea that once 
  covered the area. 
  Shard Plains – The shard plains are covered by vast 
  areas of grass-like shard grass.  This grass cuts any 
  creature walking through it. 
  Tectonic Area – This area contains active volcanoes, hot 
  springs, and geysers. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 4:  
  MAPPING 
  In the Player Character Background Report, you will 
  find two different kinds of mapping paper. The 
  characters should use the hexagonal paper (hex 
  paper) to map their route while outdoors, and the 
  1/4 inch square graph paper to map their route 
  while in the Forbidden Caverns. (Note: You can buy 
  extra supplies of hex and graph paper at your local 
  hobby shop.) 
   
  The simplest way to map terrain is to color code the 
  hexes according to terrain type. If colored pencils 
  are not available, letters or symbols may be used to 
  mark terrain. 
   
  Some hexes contain noteworthy features, such as 
  towns or rock formations. The characters should 
  mark these with a symbol they understand. 
  Knowledge of these features may prove useful if the 
  party becomes lost or wishes to rendezvous at a 
  certain place. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 5:  
  SIGHTING ON VOLTURNUS 
  On Volturnus, the distance to the horizon is 1 hex. 
  This means characters can see into the next hex if 
  their line of sight is not blocked. Note, however, 
  characters cannot identify any objects smaller than 
  a mountain unless in the same hex as that object. 
   
  Characters may see farther than 1 hex only when 
  standing in a hex with a high elevation point and an 
  unobstructed view. When this is the case, they can 
  see up to 2 hexes, but cannot identify any objects 
  unless in the same hex as that object. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 6:  
  MOVEMENT ON VOLTURNUS 
  Movement on Volturnus varies greatly with terrain 
  type and character race. Because of the harsh 
  conditions on Volturnus, characters will rarely find it 
  advantageous to split up. In addition, the terrific 
  heat of Volturnus slows the movement of any race. 
  All movement rates on Volturnus are specified for a 
  mixed party of races, and take the heat into 
  account. 
   
  You will find a SIGHTING AND MOVEMENT table 
  below. This table lists movement rates and sighting 
  distances for all major terrain types on Volturnus. 
  Much of the information on the table details areas 
  
   
  108 
   
   
  on the map your characters will not venture into 
  during this module. This information will prove 
  useful to you in future adventures upon the planet 
  Volturnus. 
   
  These are average rates; double them to find 
  maximum 
  movement. 
  These 
  rates 
  are 
  only 
  approximate and have been adjusted to map scale. 
  Feel free to alter movement rates when using maps 
  of different scales. 
   
  ALPHA 6.1:  
  SIGHT AND MOVEMENT 
  Terrain Type 
  Sight 
  (Hexes) 
  Move per 
  Hour 
  (km) 
  Move per 
  Day 
  (hexes) 
  Alien Fungus 
  1 
  .8 
  1 
  Bachanda Trees 
  0 
  .8 
  1 
  Burning Land 
  1 
  .4 
  ½ 
  Caverns* 
  0 
  .8* 
  1* 
  Cliffs 
  0 
  .4 
  ½ 
  Crystal 
  Mountains 
  1 
  .8 
  1 
  Desert 
  1 
  1.6 
  2 
  Dry Canal 
  1 
  3.2 
  4 
  Fertile Area 
  1 
  3.2 
  4 
  Hills 
  1 
  3.2 
  3 
  Lake** 
  1 
  .8 
  1 
  Lava Beds 
  1 
  .4 
  ½ 
  Meteor Crater 
  1 
  1.6 
  2 
  Mist Mountains 
  0 
  .8 
  1 
  Rocky Barrens 
  1 
  1.6 
  2 
  Roller Path*** 
  1*** 
  2.4 
  3 
  Ruins 
  1 
  2.4 
  3 
  Salt Flat 
  1 
  1.6 
  2 
  Sea** 
  1 
  .8 
  1 
  Shard Plains*** 
  1*** 
  .4 
  ½ 
  Tectonic Area 
  1 
  .8 
  1 
  * Move rate with guide, without guide varies. 
  ** swimming (hour only) and raft (hour & day). 
  *** Roller paths cannot be seen except from high 
  elevation points, or from the same hex as the path. 
   
  ALPHA SUBSECTION 7: 
  FOOD & WATER ON VOLTURNUS 
  In this module, assume characters can find all the 
  food and water they need, unless there is reason to 
  assume otherwise. The characters may have trouble 
  finding food and water under any number of 
  circumstances, such as traveling in the desert where 
  no water and little food is available. Circumstances 
  that make it difficult to obtain food and water will be 
  specified in this module. 
   
  BETA SECTION: 
  The Adventure 
  The sections below will guide you through CRASH 
  ON VOLTURNUS. Although we have made every 
  effort to include as much detail as possible, you 
  must often rely upon your own quick wit and 
  imagination to run the adventure effectively. It is 
  important, therefore, that you are equally familiar 
  with the STAR FRONTIERS game rules and the 
  sections below. 
   
  BETA SUBSECTION 1:  
  REFEREE NOTES 
  There are several categories of information at the 
  beginning 
  of 
  each 
  encounter 
  section. 
  These 
  categories include special rules needed for that 
  encounter section (this might include movement, 
  sighting, time, and special combat modifiers), a 
  brief description to read to your characters, and two 
  types of encounter descriptions. 
   
  BETA SUBSECTION 2:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 
  CRASH ON VOLTURNUS utilizes two types of 
  encounters, 
  random 
  encounters 
  and 
  planned 
  encounters. Random encounters furnish an element 
  of chance and a feeling of surprise to the adventure. 
  They occur any time, any place within an encounter 
  section. All encounter sections list the percentile 
  chance of having a random encounter each time 
  period. {The length of each time period may vary 
  from section to section. The length of each period 
  will be stated under Special Rules in the beginning 
  of each section.) Roll percentile dice once each 
  period; a random encounter occurs whenever you 
  roll that percentile chance or less. 
   
  When random encounters occur, use the random 
  encounter table at the beginning of each section to 
  determine the result. On most tables, you simply 
  roll percentile dice to find the title of the encounter, 
  then read the entry below the table for a description 
  of the encounter. Some tables, however, are 
  arranged in order, so particular encounters occur 
  before others. On these tables, do not roll percentile 
  dice. 
   
  BETA SUBSECTION 3:  
  PLANNED ENCOUNTERS 
  Planned encounters provide a plot and sense of 
  direction to the adventure. They occur at specified 
  times, such as when characters enter certain areas 
  or engage in specified actions. Most planned 
  encounters have sections to read to the players and 
  sections to provide you with the background needed 
  to run the adventure. 
  
   
  109 
   
   
   
  BETA SUBSECTION 4:  
  ABBREVIATIONS 
  Your players will meet many characters and 
  creatures during their adventures. You must know 
  many things about these characters and creatures, 
  so it is very important you study the "Alien 
  Creatures Update File" and the "STAR FRONTIERS 
  System Brief." 
   
  You need not memorize the creatures and aliens, 
  however. 
  The 
  abbreviations 
  below 
  provide 
  a 
  compact format for presenting the basic information 
  necessary to run each encounter. Study these 
  abbreviations carefully, so you are familiar with 
  them when running your encounters 
   
  Beta 4.1: 
  Alien Creatures Format 
  MV 
  Movement Class 
  IM 
  Creature’s Initiative Modifier 
  RS 
  Creature’s Reaction Speed 
  STA 
  Creature’s Stamina Score 
  ATT 
  Creature’s Attack score 
  DM 
  Damage on successful attack 
  SA 
  Creature’s Special Attacks 
  SD 
  Creature’s Special Defenses 
   
  Beta 4.2:  
  Non-Player Characters Format 
  RW 
  Ranged Weapon Score* 
  M 
  Melee Score* 
  PS 
  Punching Score 
  IM 
  Initiative Modifier 
  RS 
  Character’s Reaction Speed 
  STA 
  Character’s Stamina score. 
  * All skill levels included in RW and M scores. 
   
  In some cases, you may need unlisted Ability scores 
  for non-player characters to resolve unexpected 
  situations. The average Ability score is 45; use this 
  value for any non-player character Ability scores not 
  provided. 
   
  GAMMA SECTION:  
  SPACE PIRATES! 
  You are about to begin the first encounter section of 
  CRASH ON VOLTURNUS. Study the entire section 
  and be sure you are familiar with the movement 
  scale, the special rules, and the general plot of the 
  scenario before beginning play. 
   
  Use the starship map on the outside of the module 
  cover for this encounter section. Lay it flat on the 
  table where all may see it, and place one counter in 
  a passenger-class cabin for each character. Player 
  characters begin the adventure in these cabins. 
  They have no equipment with them except their tool 
  kits. (Note that weapons of any sort are not 
  considered tool kits. All weapons will be locked in 
  the weapons locker on the bridge.) 
   
  GAMMA SUBSECTION 1:  
  SPECIAL RULES  
   
  SCALE MOVEMENT 
  In this encounter section, movement is calculated in 
  squares. Each square equals 2 meters. The following 
  table shows the maximum movement per turn for 
  each race. 
   
  Gamma 1.1: 
  Maximum Movement 
  Race 
  Walking/ 
  Dodging 
  Running 
  Human 
  5 squares 
  15 squares 
  Dralasite 
  3 squares 
  10 squares 
  Vrusk 
  8 squares 
  18 squares 
  Yazirian 
  5 squares 
  15 squares 
   
  MOVEMENT MODIFIERS 
  When moving through a door, a character must stop 
  in the square directly in front of the door and open 
  it. A character opening a normal door may move 
  only 1/2 his normal distance, while a character 
  opening a pressure or security door must spend two 
  full turns opening that door. The character ends his 
  movement directly in front of the pressure or 
  security door, waits two turns, and moves through 
  the following turn. 
   
  Under no circumstances may a character move 
  diagonally through any door, whether it is opened or 
  closed. Similarly, a character may open a door only 
  when in the square directly in front of the door. 
   
  Normal doors, once opened, will remain open until 
  closed manually. Both pressure and security doors, 
  however, close automatically unless held open. 
  Normal and security doors slide open, but pressure 
  doors swing into the pressure chamber. 
   
  Only characters with level 1 or higher Technician 
  skills can open security doors. 
   
  SIGHTING 
  A character can see into any square within his 
  straight line-of sight, as long as nothing obstructs 
  his view. A character cannot see around corners, 
  through 
  walls, 
  or 
  into 
  any 
  square 
  normally 
  impossible to see into. 
   
  This means characters should not know the location 
  of pirates until they can see those pirates according 
  to sighting rules. You should not place any pirate 
  counters on the map until the characters enter an 
  
   
  110 
   
   
  area from which they can clearly see the pirates. 
   
  TIME 
  Use normal six-second combat turns in this section. 
   
  COMBAT AND MOVEMENT 
  Normally, only one counter may occupy a single 
  square. Two counters may occupy the same square 
  only if one counter represents an unconscious 
  individual, or if the two counters are involved in 
  melee. 
   
  A character may move through a square occupied by 
  another character if the occupying character allows 
  him to pass without engaging him in combat, or if 
  the occupying character is unconscious. If a 
  conscious character wishes, he may stop any 
  counter moving through a square he occupies and 
  engage it in combat. 
   
  Any character within a square containing a chair, 
  computer, engine, or similar object may use it for 
  cover 
  during 
  ranged 
  combat. 
  The 
  map 
  key 
  distinguishes between hard and soft cover objects. 
   
  If the space pirates kill or knock all the characters 
  unconscious, the characters must begin the module 
  again. Their characters are considered dead, and the 
  characters must roll or choose new characters. 
   
  (If any characters are killed on Volturnus, you may 
  supply replacement characters on the planet by 
  having the party meet another group of survivors 
  from the starliner. The players who lost their 
  characters should run these new characters.) 
   
  INTERROGATION 
  During the course of the adventure, the characters 
  may try to question a captured space pirate. The 
  pirate will cooperate only if he feels the characters 
  will injure him if he does not. Even then, he will 
  reveal only two things; the weapons locker has been 
  destroyed and the bridge is guarded. Any pirate 
  would rather die than reveal anything more about 
  himself or his home. 
   
  COMPUTER 
  If a character with computer skills attempts to use 
  the computer to gain information, he will find it is 
  engaged in an emergency program. The computer 
  will display only the following information: 
   
  EMERGENCY ALERT! EMERGENCY ALERT! SECURITY 
  VIOLATION ON BRIDGE. REPEAT: INTRUDERS ON BRIDGE! 
   
  EMERGENCY ALERT! EMERGENCY ALERT! EXPLOSION 
  REPORTED IN WEAPONS LOCKER. REPEAT: WEAPONS 
  LOCKER DESTROYED. 
   
  GAMMA SUBSECTION 2:  
  PLAYERS' DESCRIPTION 
  Read the boxed statement below to your players. 
   
  The government of Truane's Star has hired you to 
  carry out a preliminary exploration of a newly 
  discovered planet. You are to journey by starliner to 
  Volturnus and map as much of the planet as 
  possible. The government is especially interested in 
  contacting and studying any intelligent races living 
  on the planet. If you meet an intelligent race, you 
  are to make friendly contact and learn as much 
  about them as possible. 
   
  The 
  first 
  expedition 
  to 
  Volturnus 
  disappeared 
  without trace as soon as it entered the Zebulon 
  system. If possible, you are to locate and rescue 
  any survivors of this mission. 
   
  As you boarded the starliner that would take you to 
  Volturnus, the steward gave you an interior plan of 
  the starship and urged you to study it carefully. He 
  also searched your luggage and placed all weapons 
  and power packs in the weapons locker. His 
  assistant placed your other heavy gear, such as the 
  military skein-quits given to you by the government 
  of Truane's Star, in the cargo hold. The only items 
  you were allowed to take to your tiny cabins were 
  your non-weapon tool kits.  
    
  During your journey, you have toured the area of 
  the ship not shown on the map. It contains 
  recreation areas, the observation dome, the galley, 
  the first class living quarters, and fuel storage. 
  There is nothing else of interest in that area. 
   
  In the event you must evacuate ship, you have been 
  instructed to proceed immediately to the escape 
  bay, where two of the Serena Dawn's lifeboats are 
  stored. Each lifeboat holds up to eight persons. If it 
  becomes necessary to use the lifeboats, you have 
  been instructed not to open the hatch until all 
  persons using the lifeboat are assembled and ready 
  to 
  enter 
  it. 
  This 
  is 
  because 
  the 
  lifeboats 
  automatically launch one minute after the hatch is 
  opened. They then seek the nearest inhabitable 
  planet and land in the first safe spot. 
    
  FOR THE REFEREE ONLY: If the characters insist 
  on searching any area of the ship not on the map, 
  go directly to random encounter number 5. 
   
  GAMMA SUBSECTION 3:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 
  After the pirates capture the ship, there is a 10% 
  chance each turn the characters will meet one or 
  more of them. Roll 1d10 each turn. If you roll a ''1," 
  consult the random encounter table below. This 
  
   
  111 
   
   
  table is used sequentially, so encounter 1 takes 
  place first, encounter 2 takes place second, and so 
  on. 
   
  These encounters take place as soon as logically 
  possible, ideally in the same turn rolled. Do not, 
  however, have pirates suddenly appear where there 
  is no chance they could appear. Pirates should 
  appear as the characters round a corner, open a 
  door, or move into any area not previously visible. If 
  the characters are stationary, the pirates should 
  appear at the closest possible entrance. 
   
  GAMMA 3.1:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS TABLE 
  1) Pirate A  
  Pirate A (RW --, M 30, PS 3, IM 4, RS 35, STA 50) 
  will attack the closest character, attempting to hold 
  this character hostage. If he succeeds in grabbing 
  any character, he will draw a vibroknife and 
  threaten to kill this character, attempting to 
  persuade the rest of the party to accompany him to 
  a passenger- class cabin. If the rest of the party 
  cooperates, Pirate A will lock them all in the cabin 
  and leave. In this event, go immediately to random 
  encounter 5. 
   
  2) Pirate B  
  Pirate B (RW --, M 30, PS 3, IM 6, RS 55, STA 55.) 
  will attack the closest character with his nightstick. 
  As soon as he has taken more than 20 points 
  damage, he will attempt to flee toward the bridge. 
   
  3) Pirate C  
  Pirate C (RW 35, M28, PS2, IM6, RS 55, STA 35.) 
  will attack the entire party with his automatic pistol. 
  If he hits, divide the damage according to the rules 
  for firing a burst. If he runs out of ammunition, he 
  will attack with his gun butt until dead or 
  unconscious. He has enough ammunition to fire two 
  bursts. 
   
  4) Pirates D & E  
  Pirate D (RW 25, M 38, PS 4, IM 5, RS 45, STA 75) 
  will throw his tangier grenade immediately. Any 
  party members within its range must make a 
  Reaction Speed check. If the check is successful, 
  they must move 2 squares away from the center of 
  the tangier grenade explosion. If they fail the check, 
  they are affected normally by the tangier grenade. 
  After throwing the tangier grenade, pirate D will 
  attack the closest party member with his blackjack. 
   
  Pirate E (RW 35, M 18, PS 2, IM 7, RS 70, STA 35) 
  has set his laser pistol energy dial at 2 SEU and will 
  not change it. He thus has a maximum of 10 shots. 
  If he uses all h is shots, he will melee using the 
  pistol butt as a weapon. 
   
  5) Ship explosions. 
  The ship begins to vibrate badly. The characters 
  hear three loud explosions, and the ship lurches. 
  Each character must make a Reaction Speed check 
  or fall to the ground. The second turn, pieces of the 
  ship begin to fly throughout the entire area. There is 
  a 5% chance each character will be struck by one of 
  these pieces, taking 1d10 damage.  If the characters 
  run toward the lifeboats, they will meet no pirates 
  anywhere; all other beings have abandoned ship. 
  There will be one lifeboat left when they reach the 
  escape bay. 
   
  GAMMA SUBSECTION 4:  
  PLANNED ENCOUNTERS 
  Review the following information carefully. You must 
  read the boxed entries aloud to your characters as 
  you begin each encounter, but it is not necessary to 
  provide them with the information below the boxed 
  entry unless they have done something to acquire 
  this information. 
   
  1) BEGINNING 
  Read the following description to any character: 
   
  You hear the sound of scuffling outside your cabin. 
  After the scuffling continues for two seconds, a man 
  cries "Help!" A loud thump follows the man's cry.  
   
  The space pirates are hijacking the Serena Dawn. 
  One of them is attacking a crewman in the corridor. 
  When the characters investigate, the pirate will 
  attack with his fists. If the pirate is reduced to 10 or 
  fewer Stamina points, he will surrender (most 
  pirates will continue to fight until reduced to 0 
  Stamina points). 
   
  Pirate F (RW --, M 23, PS 3, IM 4, RS 40, STA 45) 
   
  2) FIGHT IN THE CORRIDORS 
  As the characters enter the corridor between the 
  two rows of passenger-class quarters, read the 
  following description to them: 
   
  You see three space pirates in the corridor between 
  the two rows of passenger-class cabins. The first 
  pirate, carrying a bullwhip, stands at the top end of 
  the corridor. The second pirate, carrying a club, 
  stands at the junction of the corridor leading from 
  the airlock and the corridor running between the 
  passenger-class cabins. The third pirate, wearing 
  shock gloves and a power belt, is at the bottom end 
  of the corridor.  
   
  Each pirate will attack the first character he sees, 
  and continue attacking until the character or himself 
  has been reduced to 0 Stamina points. 
   
  
   
  112 
   
   
  Pirate G (RW 30, M 30, PS 3, IM 3, RS 30, STA 45) 
  Pirate H (RW --, M23, PS2, IM6, RS55, STA25) 
  Pirate I (RW --, M 25, PS 3, IM 4, RS 40, STA 50) 
   
  Space pirate I wears a fully charged belt pack to 
  power the shock gloves. 
   
  3) SEARCHING THE CARGO BAY 
  If the player-characters wish, they may search the 
  cargo bay for useful equipment. Read the following 
  description as they enter either cargo bay: 
   
  You have entered a cargo bay. There are many 
  boxes piled in every square, with just enough room 
  for you to walk between them. You can also see 
  several rows of cargo cabinets. Apparently, these 
  cabinets are unlocked.  
   
  As the characters search each square, roll on the 
  cargo search table below. All items are stored in 
  clearly marked cargo boxes. It requires one turn to 
  open a cargo box, and another turn to remove the 
  contents. 
   
  Each character may search 1 square per turn. A 
  square may be searched only once; if more than one 
  character searches a square, the second will find the 
  same thing as the first. 
   
  If the characters have searched all squares in both 
  cargo bays without finding their skeinsuits, they will 
  find the skeinsuits in the last square. 
   
  Gamma 4.1: 
  Cargo Search Table 
  Roll 
  Type of Cargo Found 
  Wgt 
  01-05 Character’s military skeinsuits* 
  1.5kg 
  06-10 10 Laser rifle clips* 
  -- 
  11-15 12 Packets of dehydrated food*** 
  1kg 
  16-20 1 Computoy 
  10kg 
  21-25 Ship doctor’s spare medkit* 
  4kg 
  26-30 Crates of hand axes 
  1kg 
  31-40 1 holographic fireworks projector 
  5kg 
  41-45 Chronocom 
  -- 
  46-50 Boxes of ball bearings 
  -- 
  51-55 Chocolate anchovies in aspic 
  -- 
  56-60 Steambath perfume 
  1kg 
  61-65 1 Prize Vrusk statue 
  10kg 
  66-70 Character’s non-weapon equipment* -- 
  71-75 Bolts of silk 
  5kg 
  76-80 Galacticana Encyclopedia 
  2kg 
  81-85 Yazirian punching bags 
   
  86-90 Large machine gears 
  10kg 
  91-95 Vrusk body wax 
  -- 
  96-00 High fashion human dresses 
  -- 
  *Can be found only once. 
  *** Each packet feeds the entire group for one day. 
   
  There is one pirate guard in each cargo bay. Pirate J 
  guards the left bay, and pirate K guards the bay on 
  the right. Each will stand near the center of his 
  cargo bay. Both pirates will fight until they are 
  knocked unconscious or they win the fight. 
   
  Pirate J (RW 18, M 18, PS 2, IM 4, RS 35, STA 35.) 
   
  Pirate J will fire his gyrojet pistol until out of 
  ammunition, then use the pistol butt in melee. 
  Assume he begins the combat with a fully loaded 
  clip. 
   
  Pirate K (RW -- , M 30, PS 3, IM 6, RS 55, STA 50.) 
   
  Pirate K will attack with his axe until he wins or is 
  knocked unconscious. 
   
  4) GUNFIRE IN THE AIRLOCK CHAMBER 
  As the characters enter the airlock chamber closest 
  to the escape bay, they will see two space pirates. 
   
  There are two pirates in this airlock chamber. One 
  holds a grenade, and the other holds a sonic 
  stunner. They move to attack you immediately.  
   
  The pirates will attack as soon as they see the 
  characters. 
   
  Pirate L (RW 30, M 30, PS 3, IM 6, RS 55, STA 55.) 
   
  Pirate L will throw his fragmentation grenade 
  immediately. Each character within the blast radius 
  should 
  make 
  a 
  Reaction 
  Speed 
  check; 
  any 
  characters who make their checks take only 1/2 
  damage from the grenade. One or both pirates may 
  be caught in the blast radius of the grenade. (Each 
  character should roll damage from the grenade 
  separately.) 
   
  Pirate M (RW 25, M 25, PS 2, IM 5, RS 45, STA 40.) 
   
  Pirate M will attack with his sonic stunner. Any 
  character hit by the sonic stunner should make a 
  Stamina check. If the check is successful, he is not 
  stunned. 
   
  5) RETREAT FROM THE BRIDGE 
  If the characters enter the bridge area, read the 
  following description to them: 
   
  As you open the door, you immediately realize a 
  struggle has taken place. Chairs, instruments, and 
  even unconscious officers lie strewn about the floor. 
  You see four armed space pirates on the bridge. The 
  first holds an automatic pistol, the second holds a 
  needler pistol, the third holds an electrostunner, and 
  the last holds a laser pistol.  
   
  
   
  113 
   
   
   
  If the characters have entered the bridge section 
  with the weapons locker, 
  read the following 
  statement: 
   
  From your vantage point, you can see the weapons 
  locker has been destroyed, along with everything it 
  once contained.  
   
   
   
  The pirates have orders to guard the bridge at all 
  costs. They will open fire as soon as they see the 
  characters. The guards will not follow the characters 
  if they leave the bridge area. 
   
  Pirate N (RW 23, M 18, PS 3, IM 4, RS 35, STA 55.) 
   
  Pirate N will fire two shots each turn until he has 
  used the 10 shots remaining in his clip. He will then 
  use the pistol butt in melee. 
   
  Pirate O (RW 25, M 10, PS 2, IM 5, RS 50, STA 40.) 
   
  Pirate O will fire two shots each turn until he uses 
  his 10 shot clip. He will then use the pistol butt in 
  melee. 
   
  Pirate P(RW 40, M 15, PS 2, IM 6 ,RS 60, STA 30.) 
   
  Pirate P will place the electrostunner on the damage 
  setting and fire until he has used his 20 SEU clip. He 
  will then use the pistol butt in melee. 
   
  Captain Slag (RW 69, M 47, PS 4, IM 7, RS 67, STA 
  73.) 
   
  Choose any pirate counter to represent Captain 
  Slag. He will fire one 5 SEU shot from his laser pistol 
  each turn until he exhausts its 20 SEU clip. He will 
  then use the pistol butt in melee. 
   
  6) ESCAPE! 
  As the characters enter the escape bay, read the 
  following description to them: 
   
  The escape bay is empty except for one lifeboat. 
  Looking into it, you notice an item inside labeled 
  "Survival Pack." This seems to be locked in some 
  sort of cabinet. 
   
  Suddenly, the Serena Dawn lurches, and you hear 
  three loud explosions coming from the bridge. The 
  ship trembles for several seconds, then lurches 
  again and you hear another explosion. You hear 
  various squeaks and groans as the ship twists and 
  buckles beneath your feet. 
    
  The lifeboat is large enough for eight characters. As 
  soon as the first character opens the entry hatch, a 
  computerized voice will say, "One minute to launch. 
  Please fasten your seat belts.'' Ten game turns later, 
  the lifeboat will blast out of the escape bay. All 
  characters should be in the lifeboat by this time. 
  (Two characters may enter the lifeboat every turn.) 
  If the characters do not wish to enter the lifeboat 
  immediately, tell them the ship is about to explode. 
  They will see pieces of metal flying about inside the 
  escape bay, and they will notice a crack forming in 
  one of the walls of the escape bay. 
   
  After the characters secure themselves inside the 
  lifeboat, it will automatically launch itself. As the 
  lifeboat starts to move, four space pirates armed 
  with automatic rifles will enter the escape bay and 
  shoot at the lifeboat. There is no chance this fire will 
  injure any characters, but they will feel the lifeboat 
  shudder and lurch as the bullets strike it. 
   
  The lifeboat will then seek the nearest inhabitable 
  planet and find a safe place to land. 
   
  GAMMA SUBSECTION 5: 
  EXPERIENCE POINTS 
  It is now time to award experience points. Players 
  who took an active part in the adventure receive 2 
  experience points. Players who were extremely 
  helpful or active in this section receive 3 experience 
  points. Players who managed to escape, but who did 
  not show any initiative, receive only 1 experience 
  point. 
   
  Remember, characters may use these experience 
  points immediately only if acquiring a skill they have 
  been practicing or utilizing during the adventure. 
  They may also use these experience points to 
  improve their Ability scores (this may help them a 
  great deal later in the module). 
   
  
   
  114 
   
   
  DELTA SECTION:  
  DESERT CRASH 
  The characters are about to reach Volturnus. 
  Unfortunately for them, however, they are not 
  arriving with the benefit of all the equipment and 
  preparation they would have liked. Instead of 
  landing in a choice site in a fully equipped shuttle, 
  they are crash-landing in the middle of a hostile 
  desert. They are light-years from their home 
  planets, with no hope of rescue in the foreseeable 
  future. To survive, they must improve their Ability 
  scores, learn new skills, and utilize every shred of 
  imagination they possess. 
   
  DELTA SUBSECTION 1:  
  SPECIAL RULES 
   
  MOVEMENT 
  Since the characters will move over a wide range of 
  terrain on Volturnus, it is difficult to specify a 
  standard movement rate. While traveling over the 
  planetary map of Volturnus, characters will move at 
  the rates specified in the planetary movement table 
  in Alpha 6.1. 
   
  As the characters move across the planet surface, 
  they should use the hex paper provided in the 
  Player Character Background Report to map the 
  terrain. Mapping has been explained in Alpha 
  Subsection 4. 
   
  A dashed line circles the lifeboat crash site. This is 
  the movement limit for CRASH ON VOLTURNUS. It is 
  important the characters do not pass this line, 
  especially if you plan to play the sequel to CRASH 
  ON VOLTURNUS. If the characters reach this line, 
  turn immediately to planned encounter 3 (the Ul-
  Mor). In addition, if the characters begin to die of 
  thirst or starve, turn immediately to planned 
  encounter 3. 
   
  Most characters will spend their time wandering 
  through 
  the 
  desert. 
  They 
  may, 
  however, 
  occasionally wander into the salt flats or the burning 
  lands. 
   
  If they do so, allow them to wander through these 
  lands for a few hours, then persuade them to leave. 
  In the burning lands, a volcano will erupt, and the 
  only way to escape the lava flow will be to flee back 
  to the desert. In the salt flats, a small tidal wave will 
  rise and force the party to run back to the desert. 
   
  TIME 
  Normal game turns may prove impractical in this 
  encounter section, since most action on the 
  planetary surface occurs in daily segments. Because 
  of this, the time reference period on Volturnus is 12 
  hours. These periods alternate between night and 
  day. For the purposes of random encounters, roll 
  once every period, or twice a day. Note, however, 
  that when characters enter combat situations, the 
  game action will change to six-second game turns. 
   
  WATER IN THE DESERT 
  In the harsh Volturnian desert, a character needs 4 
  liters of water per day to survive. Players can reduce 
  this amount 1 liter if they take two salt pills each 
  day. They can further reduce this amount 1 liter per 
  day by traveling at night and resting in the shade 
  during the day. 
   
  If the characters move at their maximum rate, they 
  must double the amount of water needed to survive 
  (after taking into account any precautions taken to 
  reduce water consumption). Thus, a character 
  moving at maximum speed during the day without 
  taking salt pills would need 8 liters of water a day to 
  survive. If, however, the character were taking two 
  salt pills each day, he could move at maximum rate 
  and survive on 6 liters of water a day. Finally, a 
  character moving at maximum rate during the night 
  and taking two salt pills a day would need only 4 
  liters of water per day to survive. 
   
  The amount of water needed to survive includes all 
  water used to re-hydrate survival or dehydrated 
  rations. 
   
  DELTA SUBSECTION 2:  
  PLAYERS' DESCRIPTION 
  Read the following description to your players: 
   
  As your lifeboat leaves the Serena Dawn, you see 
  the starship tremble again. A few metal chunks float 
  out of the escape bay, and then all is quiet. Your 
  lifeboat quickly accelerates toward the forbidding 
  planet of Volturnus. As you approach the daylight 
  side of the planet, you see nothing. A great portion 
  of the planet is shrouded in clouds. Your lifeboat 
  enters a shallow orbit and travels to the other side 
  of Volturnus, where it begins its descent into the 
  dark, clear night. 
   
  Sparks begin to fly from the onboard computer. 
  Then, after several seconds of jolting, a rear engine 
  explodes and a fire erupts on the exterior of the 
  lifeboat. 
   
  The fire grows larger and hotter as you descend, 
  even entering the passenger compartment. After 
  two minutes of intense heat, the lifeboat crashes 
  into a high outcropping of rocks. The fire seems to 
  die down, but flames still flash from the rear engine 
  and the onboard computer.  
  
   
  115 
   
   
   
  FOR THE REFEREE ONLY: Each character has a 
  5% chance of being injured in the crash. All 
  characters should roll percentile dice. On a roll of 06 
  or greater, that character takes no damage. Any 
  character who rolls less than 06 takes 1 to 5d10 of 
  damage. The number the character rolled is the 
  number of dice of damage he takes. A character 
  who rolled a 01 during the crash would take 1dl0 
  damage, but a character who rolled a 04 would take 
  4d10 damage. 
   
   
   
  After the characters recover from the shock of 
  crash-landing, they will notice the survival kits have 
  popped out of the lockers and are ready to be 
  removed from the lifeboat. They will also notice a 
  foul- smelling liquid seeping from the engine 
  compartment. Some of this liquid is starting to burn. 
   
  The characters have enough time to remove the 
  survival packs from the lifeboat, but no other 
  equipment can be removed. The lifeboat will burst 
  into flames as soon as the last survival pack is 
  removed. Two turns later, it will explode. If the 
  characters attempt to remove other equipment 
  before the survival packs, they will be unable to do 
  so because the liquid is covering everything in the 
  shuttle except the survival packs. The liquid is 
  actually a flammable acid which ruins everything it 
  touches. If the characters have not removed the 
  survival packs after two turns, the liquid will start to 
  burn. The characters will then have one turn to 
  remove the survival packs before the lifeboat 
  explodes. Any character within 20 meters of the 
  explosion will take 1d5 damage, and any character 
  actually in the lifeboat when it explodes will take 
  5d10 damage. 
   
  The lifeboat has eight survival kits, each containing 
  1 machete, 1 box of matches, 1 all-weather blanket, 
  1 first aid pack, 1 chronocom, 2 packages of survival 
  rations (enough food for 1 person for four days). 1 
  tangler grenade, 1 compass, 1 lifejacket, 10 salt 
  pills, 1 pocket tool, 1 flashlight, 1 doze grenade, 
  10m of rope, 1 toxyrad gauge, 8 liters of water, 1 
  pair of sungoggles, 1 pair of stretch coveralls, 1 
  poly-vox, and 1 laser pistol with a 20 SEU clip. 
   
  After the lifeboat explodes, read the following 
  description to the characters: 
   
  The night has passed, and it is now dawn. A 
  desolate wilderness of sand and rock stretches as 
  far as you can see in every direction. The desert is 
  occasionally broken by green flat plants similar in 
  appearance to filly pads. Though it is only a few 
  minutes 
  past 
  sunrise, 
  the 
  heat 
  is 
  already 
  overbearing.  
   
  DELTA SUBSECTION 3:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 
  When moving through the desert, characters will 
  have 
  random 
  encounters. 
  Check 
  for 
  random 
  encounters at the beginning of each period (every 
  12 hours). Roll 1d10; a random encounter will take 
  place during the day if you roll 1-3 and at night if 
  you roll 1-2. When a random encounter occurs, roll 
  on the random encounter table to determine which 
  encounter will take place. 
   
  Delta 3.1: 
  Desert Random Encounter Table 
  Roll 
  Encounter 
  1-2 
  Burrower Snake 
  3-4 
  Sand Storm 
  5-6 
  Funnel Worm 
  7-8 
  Sand Shark 
  9-10 
  Lopers 
   
  1) Burrower Snake  
  (MV Slow; IM 8; RS 80, STA 15; DM 1d5 SA Poison 
  S5/T10)  Choose a character at random. This 
  character steps next to a burrower snake hole and is 
  attacked. 
   
  2) Sand Storm 
  The wind begins to blow 120 kph and creates a sand 
  storm. Any character with an environmental skill 
  should make an Intuition check; modify this roll by 
  +10 for every level above one. If any character 
  makes a successful Intuition check, the party will be 
  able to improvise a shelter and survive the storm 
  without taking damage. 
   
  If the characters happen to be in a hex with an 
  unusual rock formation, well, fertile area, or high 
  elevation symbol, the characters can find shelter 
  quickly and avoid taking damage from the storm. 
   
  If the characters have no advance warning and are 
  not in one of the hexes listed above, they will take 
  damage from the storm. Have each character roll a 
  
   
  116 
   
   
  Reaction Speed check. If the check is unsuccessful, 
  the character takes 4d10 damage from the sand 
  storm during that time period. If successful, the 
  character takes only 2d10 damage from the storm. 
   
  Sand storms will normally last only one 12 hour 
  period, but there is a small chance they will last 
  longer. Roll 1d10; on a roll of 1-8, the storm lasts 
  only one period. On a roll of 9, the storm lasts an 
  extra period, and on a roll of 10, it lasts two extra 
  periods. 
   
  If a storm lasts for more than one period, characters 
  will take only 2d10 damage during the second and 
  third periods. 
   
  3) Funnel Worm  
  (MV Slow: IM 3; RS 25; STA 200; ATT 70; DM 
  4d10; SA See below; SD See below)  The party 
  walks over a funnel worm. Choose one character at 
  random. That character and any other character 
  within 10 meters must make Reaction Speed checks 
  or fall into the funnel worm's trap. 
   
  SA: Automatic hit from ambush position.  
  SD: Remains undetected until it attacks. 
   
  4) Sand Shark  
  (MV Medium fast; IM 5; RS 50; STA 80; ATT 50; DM 
  2d10; SD See below)  The characters are attacked 
  by two hungry sand sharks. 
   
  SD: Immune to needler weapons; cannot be 
  attacked until it surfaces. 
   
  5) Lopers  
  (MV Fast; IM 5; RS 41; STA 300; ATT 40; DM 2d10; 
  SD See below) The characters encounter a dead 
  female loper that has just given birth to two babies. 
  The lopers will believe the first character they see is 
  their mother. The young animals will then follow this 
  character, hoping to receive food and water. (They 
  need 1/2 as much food and water as characters.) 
   
  SD: Immune to needler weapons. 
   
  DELTA SUBSECTION 4:  
  PLANNED ENCOUNTERS 
  Because of the vast territory the characters may 
  journey through, the number of planned encounters 
  is limited. There are only three planned encounters 
  in this section; all are designed to accomplish 
  specific goals. The first encounter, the poison well, 
  warns the characters that many things on Volturnus 
  are not as they seem. The second encounter, with 
  the jet-copter, foreshadows later encounters with 
  Volturnian space pirates. The third encounter, with 
  the Ul-Mor, is designed to provide clues to the 
  secret of Volturnus, but only after the characters 
  pass the test of tribal membership. 
   
  1) Poison Well 
  Read the following description to your characters as 
  they start to leave the crash site: 
   
  From your vantage point high in the rocks, you see 
  what appears to be a covered well 8 kilometers east 
  of you.  
   
  The well is a deep hole lined with rocks. A small rock 
  dome covers the well. This dome has only one 
  entrance, on the northeast. This entrance is 1 meter 
  high. The bottom of the well contains 12 liters of 
  water. 
   
  The dome was built by the Ul-Mor to protect the 
  well, which is poisonous to Humans, Dralasites, 
  Vrusk, and Yazirians because of its high arsenic 
  content. The water is not poisonous to Ul-Mor, 
  however, for they have a special organ that filters 
  out arsenic. 
   
  This is not the only poisonous well in the desert. 
  There is a 50% chance that any other well in the 
  desert will be poisonous. If any character uses a 
  toxyrad gauge on a poisonous well, he will detect 
  the arsenic. 
   
  Arsenic is a cumulative poison, continuing to collect 
  inside the body until death occurs. The first time a 
  character drinks from an arsenic well, there are no 
  undesirable side effects. The second time, the 
  character feels ill, but takes no damage. The third 
  time, the character takes 10 points of damage, and 
  the fourth time the character takes 10 points of 
  damage per melee turn until the poison is countered 
  by an antitox shot or the character dies. 
   
  If the characters boil the water and collect the 
  condensed steam (by trapping the vapor under a 
  plastic tarp or similar item and collecting the liquid 
  as it cools), the water will be safe to drink. They 
  may collect up to 8 liters a day in this manner. But 
  simply boiling the water is not enough, since the 
  arsenic will still be in the water. 
   
  2) Pirate Search Craft 
  Eleven periods after the characters leave the lifeboat 
  wreckage, a pirate search-copter will fly over them. 
   
  You hear the distant throbbing of a small jet-copter 
  on the desert air. Looking back toward the lifeboat's 
  wreckage, you see a small jet-copter flying toward 
  you. It is flying very high, but you can see it is an 
  open search-type copter.  
   
  
   
  117 
   
   
  If any character uses magnigoggles to look at the 
  jet-copter, they will see it carries three very mean 
  looking men, obviously pirates. They will also see a 
  painting of a red devil surrounded by silver stars on 
  the side of the copter. 
   
  If the characters attempt to hide from the jet-
  copter, it will cross back and forth over their general 
  vicinity several times, then leave. But if the 
  characters attempt to attract the attention of the 
  men in the copter, it will hover overhead. All three 
  men will fire their laser pistols at the party 
  members. Luckily for the player characters, the 
  pirates will miss because of the range and difficulty 
  of firing from a jet-copter. 
   
  After firing at the characters several times, the men 
  in the jet- copter will run out of ammunition and fly 
  back toward the life-boat. As they leave, one of the 
  men in the jet-copter will drop a note reading, "We 
  know who you are. You'll never leave Volturnus 
  alive." 
   
  3) The Ul-Mor 
  The characters will encounter the Ul-Mor when they 
  have reached the movement limit marked by the 
  dotted line on the planetary map, or are dying of 
  thirst. This encounter is designed to introduce the 
  characters to their first intelligent race on Volturnus, 
  to further the plot of the adventure, and to keep 
  them from dying in the wilderness. 
   
  You see a number of individuals riding toward you 
  over a distant ridge. They vaguely resemble octopi, 
  except their bodies are plum-purple and highly 
  decorated with feathers, primitive jewelry, tattoos, 
  and bright paint. They carry spears and war clubs in 
  four of their tentacles, and keep their other four 
  tentacles wrapped around their mounts, which 
  resemble two- legged dinosaurs standing 4 meters 
  tall. 
   
  The tallest rider shouts a high pitched command and 
  the riders spread out along the ridge to await 
  another command. The riders are about 500 meters 
  away. 
    
  The characters have encountered the advance guard 
  of an Ul-Mor tribe changing camps. The Ul-Mor will 
  make no hostile gestures. 
   
  Five Ul-Mor will ride toward the characters slowly 
  and carefully, keeping their weapons handy, but not 
  raised in a threatening manner. The Ul-Mor will stop 
  if the characters make any threatening gestures. 
  Once the Ul-Mor are within easy speaking distance, 
  they will attempt to establish contact. 
   
  At this point, if the characters have the baby lopers 
  with them, the tallest Ul-Mor will ceremoniously 
  drop his weapons and raise four of his tentacles. If 
  the characters do not have the lopers, the Ul-Mor 
  will simply wait for the characters to make the next 
  move. 
   
  Communication will prove difficult until the poly-vox 
  has had sufficient time to study the Ul-Mor 
  language. 
  Meaningful 
  communication 
  will 
  be 
  restricted to gestures at first, but the poly- vox will 
  soon enable the characters to communicate with the 
  Ul- Mor. Even after the poly-vox is working at full 
  potential, the characters will find the Ui-Mor 
  language primitive and limited to basic ideas. 
   
  The Ul-Mor will soon ask permission to use their 
  primary means of communication, the direct mind 
  link. Any character who under goes the direct mind 
  link will be able to communicate with the Ul- Mor 
  normally. The Ul-Mor will explain that food and 
  water are scarce in the desert, and by law they can 
  share food and water only with tribe members. It is 
  obvious, however, that the characters will soon die if 
  somebody doesn't help them, and so the Ul-Mor will 
  give the characters food and water if they will join 
  the tribe. If the characters are not willing to undergo 
  the manhood ritual required to join the tribe, the Ul-
  Mor will regretfully leave the characters to die in the 
  desert. 
   
  If the characters agree to join the tribe, the Ul-Mor 
  will lead them to the oasis just outside the Burning 
  Lands. During this journey, the characters must 
  travel 
  a 
  little 
  behind 
  the 
  Ul-Mor 
  and 
  camp 
  separately, since they are probationary members of 
  the tribe. They will be immune to all predictable 
  natural disasters such as sandstorms, flashfloods, 
  starvation, and dying of thirst. Furthermore, the 
  characters will only have to fight for five turns 
  before the Ul-Mor will come to drive away the 
  attacking creature. Once they arrive at the oasis, 
  the Ul-Mor will insist the characters rest until all of 
  their wounds are healed. 
   
  TABLE 4.1:  
  UL-MOR NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS 
  There are 20 average Ul-Mor riders in the tribe your 
  player characters meet. Use the set of average 
  characteristics below for these 20 riders. In addition 
  to the 20 riders, there are 5 leaders. These five 
  leaders 
  are 
  shown 
  below 
  the 
  average 
  characteristics. The melee and ranged weapon 
  scores take all skill levels into account. 
   
  Average Ul-Mor (RW 45, M 45, PS 2, IM 5, RS 50, 
  STA 40.)  All Ul-Mor have four attacks per turn and 
  have mind link ability; almost all have 2nd level skill 
  in thrown and melee weapons. They all ride lopers 
  
   
  118 
   
   
  (MV FAST; IM 5; RS 41; STA 300; ATT 40; DM 
  4D10; SD Immune to needlers) and are armed with 
  spears. 
   
  Fonn-Ar the Warrior (RW 65, M 65, PS 3, IM 7, RS 
  65, STA 45.)  3rd level skill in thrown and melee 
  weapons; brave to the point of foolhardiness; open 
  and forthright. 
   
  Arkadas the Red (RW 60, M 65, PS 3, IM 6, RS 55, 
  STA 50.)  3rd level thrown and melee weapons; 
  paints red stripes on body for war; cunning but 
  loyal; something of a dandy. 
   
  Thurad Sandy Back (RW 75, M 70, PS 2, IM 7, RS 
  65, STA 40.)  4th level thrown and melee weapons; 
  cautious and quiet, a mystic who often contemplates 
  the One. 
   
  Kahai Long Rider (RW 70, M 75, PS 3, IM 6, RS 
  55, STA 60.)  4th level thrown and melee weapons; 
  protector of loper-kind; close friend of Athru. 
   
  Athru Sea People's Bane (RW 90, M 85, PS 3, IM 
  7, RS 70, STA 60.)  5th level thrown and melee 
  weapons; courageous but not foolhardy; always 
  shrewd; considers the good of the tribe above his 
  own; a good leader. 
   
  DELTA SUBSECTION 5:  
  EXPERIENCE POINTS 
  This is the end of the second encounter section. It is 
  now time to award experience points. Players who 
  took an active part in this section receive 2 
  experience points. Players who were extremely 
  helpful or active receive 3 experience points. Players 
  who merely traveled along, but did not do very 
  much to help the party, receive 1 experience point. 
   
  EPSILON SECTION: 
  CREATURES OF 
  THE CAVERNS 
  The Ul-Mor will lead the characters to a vast cavern 
  network one 12 hour period's travel inside the 
  burning lands. This cavern is the safest way to cross 
  those perilous lands, though it holds many dangers 
  for the unwary. The first four periods in the cavern 
  will pass uneventfully, but a massive cave-in will 
  separate the characters from the Ul-Mor at the 
  beginning of the fifth period. They must then find 
  their way through the Forbidden Caverns to the 
  outside world. If the characters survive, they will 
  once again meet the Ul-Mor and finally journey to 
  the Place of True Warriors to fight the ferocious 
  quickdeath. 
   
  EPSILON SUBSECTION 1:  
  SPECIAL RULES 
   
  MAPPING 
  Use the Forbidden Caverns map in the STAR 
  FRONTIERS System Brief for this section. You can 
  simplify mapping by sketching or tracing these 
  corridors onto the characters' mapping paper. 
   
  However 
  your 
  characters 
  map 
  the 
  caverns, 
  remember to reveal only small sections of the map 
  at one time. The characters must discover the exit 
  to the Forbidden Caverns by themselves. You should 
  not show the cavern map to them at any time. 
   
  The characters will not need to map the sections of 
  the caverns they travel during the first two days 
  underground. They will begin mapping only after the 
  cave-in occurs at the location marked ''S'' on the 
  cavern map. After the cave-in, they will wander 
  through the winding corridors and cathedral-like 
  rooms of the Forbidden Caverns, trying to find an 
  exit. Several areas are numbered; these are the 
  planned encounter areas. When the characters enter 
  one of these areas, refer to the planned encounter 
  chart for this section. 
   
  TIME IN THE CAVERNS 
  After the cave-in, the characters will enter a new 
  and dangerous phase of their adventure. Because 
  they are lost in the perilous Forbidden Caverns, the 
  time period reference must be changed from 12 
  hours to one hour. If your characters question this, 
  you may explain that the time period has changed 
  because they are traveling in dark, unknown 
  caverns. 
   
  MOVEMENT IN THE CAVERNS 
  Since the characters will find themselves moving 
  through dark, unknown caverns, their movement 
  rate will be considerably reduced. The movement 
  rate must also be adjusted because the time period 
  has been reduced to one hour. Therefore, the 
  following movement rates will apply while the 
  characters are in the Forbidden Caverns: 
   
  Epsilon 1.1: 
  Movement Rates 
  Race 
  Movement 
  Human 
  3 squares 
  Dralasite 
  2 squares 
  Vrusk 
  4 squares 
  Yazirian 
  3 squares 
  Mixed Party 
  2 squares 
   
  COMBAT IN THE FORBIDDEN CAVERNS 
  When encounters and combats occur, the action 
  should be resolved in normal six-second game 
  
   
  119 
   
   
  turns. The distances characters can move in six-
  second turns are summarized on the following chart: 
   
  Epsilon 1.2: 
  Movement per six-second turn 
  Race 
  Walking 
  Running 
  Human 
  2 meters 
  6 meters 
  Dralasite 
  1 meter 
  4 meter 
  Vrusk 
  3 meters 
  7 meters 
  Yazirian 
  2 meters 
  6 meters 
   
  Players will quickly find anyone running in the 
  caverns has an excellent chance of falling. Any 
  character running in the caverns must make a 
  Dexterity check. The character must make a 
  Dexterity check once every five turns spent running. 
  If a character falls, he may move only 1/2 the 
  normal distance that turn. 
   
  SIGHTING 
  Visibility in the caverns is limited. Even with 
  flashlights or torches, party members can see only 
  30 meters. When in large rooms, this means they 
  may not be able to see the cavern walls. 
   
  EXPERIENCE 
  The Forbidden Caverns encounter section will 
  require 
  more 
  playing 
  time 
  than 
  most 
  other 
  encounter sections in this module. You should award 
  experience three times during the this encounter 
  section (usually at the end of an evening of play). 
  Generally speaking, you will find the best places to 
  award experience points are at the end of encounter 
  area 7, the end of encounter area 13, and after the 
  party exits the caverns. 
   
  EPSILON SUBSECTION 2:  
  PLAYERS' DESCRIPTION 
  After several days travel, you have reached the 
  Burning 
  Lands. 
  Deposits 
  of 
  phosphorous, 
  magnesium, and various salts cover the entire area, 
  and numerous geysers, gas fissures, and lava flows 
  erupt through the crusty ground. Athru says you will 
  spend only a short time on the surface of the 
  Burning Lands; after a period of travel you will reach 
  a large network of caves. The Ul-Mor know a safe 
  path through the caverns and out into the desert on 
  the other side of the Burning Lands. You will follow 
  this underground path to the Place of True Warriors. 
  Athru warns you not to stray from the safe path, for 
  there is an endless expanse of winding caverns 
  teeming with unknown dangers. 
   
  You travel through the caverns for 24 hours, walking 
  well behind the main body of Ul-Mor. The tunnels 
  are between 5 and 10 meters wide, while the ceiling 
  rises as high as 12 meters. Occasionally, the tunnels 
  spread into underground rooms as much as 1 
  kilometer in diameter, with ceilings as high as 20 
  meters. 
   
  You constantly pass large stands of a mushroom-
  type fungus growing from the cavern floors. The 
  stalk of this fungus is almost as thick as a small tree 
  trunk. There is nothing else unusual in these 
  caverns. 
   
  As you move along, you pass many smaller 
  passages leading away from the main path, but the 
  Ul-Mor carefully avoid these passages and warn you 
  to do the same. 
   
  EPSILON SUBSECTION 3:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 
  Roll for random encounters once each one-hour 
  period. A roll of "1" on 1d10 indicates a random 
  encounter, roll again on the following table. No 
  random encounters will occur while the characters 
  are with the Ul-Mor. 
   
  Epsilon 3.1: 
  Random Encounter Table 
  Roll 
  Encounter 
  1 
  Small rastie pack 
  2 
  Droppers 
  3 
  Poison gas fissure 
  4 
  Lava flow 
  5 
  Rastie trap 
  6 
  Flitters 
  7 
  Skeleton and drained blaster 
  8 
  Sleep gas fissure 
  9 
  Broom, mop, and bucket 
  10 
  Dead loper carcass 
   
  Do not use an encounter more than once. If you roll 
  the same encounter more than once, ignore the 
  result and roll again. 
   
   
  
   
  120 
   
   
  EPSILON 3.2:  
  RANDOM ENCOUNTER DESCRIPTIONS 
  1) Rastie Pack (MV Medium; IM 7; RS 65; STA 75; 
  ATT 75; DM 2d10; SA See below) A pack of 10 
  rasties attacks the party. They will pursue if the 
  party attempts to run. 
   
  SA: Lock jaws and rend automatically for 1d10 per 
  turn. 
   
  2) DROPPERS: (MV Very slow; IM 2; RS 18; STA 
  20; ATT 80; DM 2d10; SA See below; SD See 
  below) A dropper attacks a randomly determined 
  party member. Assume the cavern ceiling is 3 
  meters high. The dropper will automatically have 
  initiative unless the characters are searching the 
  cavern ceilings for droppers. 
   
   
  SA: Attract 2d10 more droppers in 1d10 turns. SD: 
  Immune to projectile weapons; tangler, and doze 
  grenades; ranged weapons attack at -10. 
   
  3) POISON GAS FISSURE: A crack opens in the 
  cavern wall and poison gas seeps out. The gas fills a 
  3 meter long section of cavern each turn. The gas is 
  rated S5/T1, and appears to be hot steam when the 
  characters first see it. 
   
  4) LAVA FLOW: A large section of cavern wall 
  collapses, releasing a 250 centimeter deep lava flow 
  10 meters behind the characters. It will advance 
  toward the characters at a rate of 5 meters each 
  turn. 
   
  Any character caught in the lava flow takes 5d10 
  damage every turn until he escapes. 
   
  If the characters choose to jump out of the path of 
  the lava flow, they have a 75% chance of finding a 
  safe place (such as a low-hanging stalactite or a 
  narrow rock shelf). If the characters try to find cover 
  and fail to make the 75% roll, assume they tried for 
  cover, but discovered a turn later this cover was not 
  sufficient. They will return to the cavern floor one 
  turn after trying to find a safe place. They may try 
  again for a safe place or run, at their option. 
   
  Even if the characters find a safe place, they must 
  then make a Dexterity check. If they fail the check, 
  they will return to the cavern floor the next turn. 
   
  If the characters succeed in jumping out of the 
  flow's path, they must then wait three days for the 
  lava to cool before walking on it. Unless they have 
  found a sufficiently comfortable place to wait (use 
  your own judgment), there is a 75% chance they 
  will fall into it several hours later, taking 1d10 
  damage from the cooling lava every turn until they 
  escape. 
   
  If the characters run from the flow, it will follow 
  them until they come to a branch in the corridor, 
  and will then flow down the corridor sloping 
  downward (choose one at random). If the characters 
  are foolish enough to run into the corridor sloping 
  down or there are no corridor branches, the flow will 
  stop after chasing them for 1 kilometer. 
   
  5) RASTIE TRAP: Roll a secret Intuition check for 
  the two characters leading the party. If either 
  character makes the check, he will see the rastie 
  trap and neither character will fall into it. If neither 
  character makes the check, both characters in the 
  front will fall into a hidden 4 meter pit with 
  sharpened stakes at the bottom. Each character 
  takes 2d10 damage. (The pirate who lives in 
  encounter area 18 set this trap to catch rasties.) 
   
  6) FLITTERS: (MV Medium; IM 7; RS 70; STA 10; 
  DM 2; SA Disease)  The party meets 10 flitters 
  panicked by a gas explosion in another part of the 
  cavern. 
  All 
  flitters 
  will 
  attack 
  one 
  character 
  immediately, then fly away after two rounds of 
  combat. 
   
  7) SKELETON: The party finds the remains of a 
  Human skeleton. They will find a laser pistol with an 
  empty clip near the skeleton. 
   
  8) SLEEP GAS: The characters hear a faint hissing 
  from a crack in the cavern wall. This crack is 
  releasing a gas into a 10 meter section of the 
  corridor that causes characters to fall asleep for 
  10d10 minutes. Players may avoid the effects of the 
  gas by holding their breaths, using gas masks, or 
  making a current Stamina check. 
   
  9) MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT: The characters 
  find a push broom, a bucket, and a mop. 
   
  10) DEAD LOPER: The characters find a dead 
  loper. The loper has obviously been dead only a few 
  days. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  121 
   
   
  EPSILON SUBSECTION 4:  
  PLANNED ENCOUNTERS 
   
  0) CAVE-IN! 
  After spending 50 hours traveling through the 
  caverns with the Ul-Mor, you are awakened by loud 
  crashes and loper screams. As you get up, you feel 
  the cavern floor vibrating and see whole sections of 
  the ceiling crashing down. You do not see any sign 
  of the Ul-Mor, who had camped a considerable 
  distance ahead of you. Three of the five exits from 
  the room are now blocked.  
   
  The characters may run (checking for falls) to any of 
  the three corridors not blocked by the cave-in. They 
  cannot take any Ul-Mor or lopers with them, since 
  all of the Ul-Mor are on the other side of the cave-in, 
  and any lopers near them have been killed. 
   
  If the party attempts to dig out either passageway, 
  let them dig for a few turns and then tell them they 
  realize it would take many days to complete the 
  task. The party can retrieve their own equipment 
  from the rubble, as well as enough food and water 
  to last three days. 
   
  1) RASTIE LAIR (MV Medium; IM 7; RS 65; STA 
  75; ATT 75; DM 2d10; SA See below) 
   
  Read the following description to the characters as 
  they approach area 1. If they do not turn toward 
  area 1, but proceed straight through area 1 A, this 
  encounter will not occur. 
   
  You hear chittering in the gloom ahead, such as a 
  small mammal might make.  
   
  The sounds are coming from the lair of 100 rasties. 
   
  If the party continues into area 1 after hearing these 
  sounds the rasties nearest the party will squeal an 
  alert to the rest of the pack. The entire pack will 
  then attack. If the party retreats toward 1 A after 
  hearing these sounds, only 20 rasties will attack. 
   
  SA: Lock jaws and rend automatically for 1 d10 per 
  turn. 
   
  2) FLITTER LAIR (MV Medium; IM 7; RS 70; STA 
  10; ATT 40; DM 2; SA Disease)   
   
  The passageway gradually widens into a room. Your 
  lights are not powerful enough to see across the 
  room. A few high pitched squeaks echo toward you 
  from the room. You can also hear a faint fluttering.  
   
  There are 95 flitters asleep in this room. The sounds 
  are being made by five restless flitters as they move 
  about the cavern ceiling. These five flitters will 
  ignore the party unless the characters light a fire, 
  shine a light on any of the flitters, make a loud 
  noise, or touch any of the flitters. 
   
  If the party does any of these things, the five 
  waking flitters will fly about the cavern squealing 
  and screaming to wake the rest of the flitters. All 
  flitters will then attack the party. No character will 
  be attacked by more than five flitters in any single 
  turn. Players bitten by flitters must make a Stamina 
  check or contract the deadly disease flitters carry 
  (see Alien Creatures Update File). 
   
  3) CORRIDORS OF CONFUSION 
  You see several more of the mushroom-like fungi 
  you see throughout the caverns in this area. These 
  fungi, however, appear a little larger than most. The 
  air in this area is difficult to breath because of the 
  amount of dust in it.  
   
  The "dust" in the air is a concentration of spores 
  from the giant fungi. Any character breathing 
  without special precautions (gas mask, handkerchief 
  over 
  mouth 
  and 
  nose, 
  etc.)will inhale many 
  thousand spores. These spores cause hallucinations 
  one hour after the characters enter the area. The 
  referee 
  should 
  make 
  up 
  an 
  appropriate 
  hallucination, such as being attacked by a giant Ul-
  Mor, seeing a wall of water rushing down the 
  corridor, finding a spaceship to take the party home, 
  etc. 
   
  When they start to hallucinate, each character 
  should make a Logic check. If this check is 
  successful, that character will realize he is having a 
  hallucination. If the check is unsuccessful, the 
  character 
  will 
  not 
  realize 
  he 
  is 
  having 
  a 
  hallucination. That character must then act as 
  though the hallucination were completely real. You 
  should temporarily take control of any character 
  who is not acting as though the hallucination is real. 
   
  After two hours, the hallucinations will cease, but 
  any character who breathed the spores will still be 
  disoriented and confused for six hours. They will not 
  be able to concentrate or remember where they 
  came from, and their RS scores will be temporarily 
  reduced by 5 points. After this six-hour period is 
  finished, the characters will be immune to any 
  further effects of the spores. 
   
  4) DROPPER CAVERN (MV Very slow; IM 2; RS 
  18; STA 20; ATT 80; DM 2d10; SA See below; SD 
  See below)  
    
  
   
  122 
   
   
  You have reached another large underground room. 
  The ceiling here is only 3 meters high. You cannot 
  see the other side of the room.  
   
  Each character stands a 30% chance of walking 
  directly beneath a dropper. Once a character is 
  attacked, 19 more droppers will arrive in 1d10 
  turns. 
   
  SA: Attract 2d10 droppers in 1d10 turns. SD: 
  Immune to projectile weapons, tangier and doze 
  grenades; ranged weapons attack at -10. 
   
  5) BURROWER SNAKE LAIR (MV Slow; IM 8; RS 
  80; STA 15; DM 1d5; SA Poison S5/T10) 
   
  There is a faint glow near the ceiling of this huge 
  room. The glow appears to be about 250 meters 
  away.  
   
  Upon closer inspection, the characters will see a 
  deposit of phosphorescent minerals at the base of a 
  3 meter chimney extending upward farther than the 
  characters can see. This chimney dead-ends in a 
  burrower snake lair about 35 meters up. 
   
  If any character climbs the chimney, the burrower 
  snakes will attack immediately to protect the 23 
  eggs in their nest. If the characters do not climb the 
  chimney, nothing will happen. 
   
  6) VOLTURNIAN CAVE BEAR (MV Medium; IM 5; 
  RS 45; STA 200; ATT 60; DM 4d10; SA See below)  
   
  You are entering a large cavern room lit by dim 
  phosphorescent minerals when you see a 7 meter 
  tall creature 60 meters from you. It looks like a 
  hairless, white bear. It has shown no sign of noticing 
  your party.  
   
  If the characters do not immediately back out of the 
  room, the bear will attack until killed. If they back 
  out of the room and wait for three hours, the bear 
  will-fall asleep. The party can then sneak by without 
  harm. The bear will instantly awaken and pursue the 
  party 1d10 squares down the corridor if anyone 
  passes within 30 meters of it. 
   
  SA: Hug for 2d10 per turn on roll of 10 or less. 
   
  7) SHOVELMOUTH STAMPEDE (MV Medium; IM 
  3; RS 25; STA 60; ATT 45; DM 1 d10; SA 
  Stampede)  
   
   
   
   
   
  The corridor gradually widens into another large 
  room. 
  This 
  room 
  is 
  dimly 
  illuminated 
  by 
  phosphorescent mineral deposits. It is more than 
  half a kilometer long and 250 meters wide. You hear 
  the sound of many running feet, and a number of 
  grunts hisses, and squeals.  
   
  Twenty 
  shovelmouths 
  are 
  stampeding 
  from 
  encounter area 8 into area 7 A. If the party stays in 
  the room, each character has a 30% chance of 
  being hit by a shovelmouth and falling to the 
  ground. Any character who has fallen will be hit by 
  at least one shovelmouth and has a 50% chance of 
  being hit by two. Every time a character is hit by a 
  shovelmouth, he takes 2d10 damage. 
   
  If the characters attempt to avoid the stampede, 
  use your discretion to determine if they do so 
  successfully. Players climbing the cavern walls, for 
  example, will be safe from the stampede. 
   
  8) EXPLOSIVE GAS FISSURE 
  As you round a bend in the corridor, you hear an 
  explosion and see a sudden burst of light 300 
  meters ahead. Ten seconds later, another explosion 
  follows. As you watch, several more explosions 
  occur at random intervals. The bursts of light 
  illuminate a circular room 500 meters or more in 
  diameter.  
   
  As the characters try to cross the room, there is 
  45% chance some of the explosive gas escaping 
  through the many fissures in the room will ignite 
  near the party. (Roll for each group of characters 
  separately if they split up.)Any character caught in 
  one of these explosions suffers 2d10 damage. 
   
  If any character strikes a match, fires a laser, or 
  introduces any type of open flame into the room, 
  there is a 90% chance all explosive gas in the room 
  will ignite, causing 10d10 damage to those within 
  the room. (Make Dexterity checks to see if the 
  characters flung themselves to the ground in time to 
  avoid part of the damage. If this check is successful, 
  they take only 1/2 damage.) 
   
  9) SALT DEPOSITS 
  The walls and floor are becoming rough and loose as 
  you walk down the corridor. A white, granular 
  substance covers increasing portions of the cavern, 
  until, when you enter a large room, it completely 
  hides the floor and walls. Here, the cavern floor 
  appears only in spots.  
   
  The white substance is common salt. The bare 
  patches of cavern floor are actually flat rocks that 
  have fallen onto the salt bed from the ceiling. These 
  rocks are large enough for two people to stand 
  
   
  123 
   
   
  upon, and it is readily apparent that the characters 
  could cross the room by jumping from rock to rock. 
   
  If the party tries to cross the room, roll percentile 
  dice as each character nears the middle. There is a 
  25% chance that each rock a character stands upon 
  will sink into the salt bed. If one rock sinks, there is 
  a 15% chance that any adjacent rock also sinks. 
  Players will sink at a rate of 1/2 meter every turn. 
  Players who sink completely before being rescued 
  will suffocate in 20 turns. 
   
  10) WATER! 
  You are entering another room in this seemingly 
  endless cavern. The air here is much cooler than 
  other parts of the cavern.  
   
  There is a spring of fresh water hidden behind a thin 
  wall in this room. If they enter the room quietly, the 
  characters will hear the sound of bubbling water. 
  They can then locate the spring by going to the 
  place where it seems the loudest and digging, 
  blasting, or hacking through the soft wall. 
   
  They will then find plenty of fresh water for drinking, 
  washing, and restocking canteens. 
   
  11) THE LAKE OF FIRE 
  This passage is becoming increasingly hot as you 
  advance. You round a narrow bend and see a large 
  room ahead. A fiery, red glow illuminates this room, 
  and you feel an intense heat coming from it. As you 
  move on, your passage opens onto a narrow ledge 
  overlooking a vast lake of molten rock. 
   
  Large pillars of crystal rise out of the lake to the 
  height of your ledge, which is nearly 30 meters 
  above the fiery surface. Near the middle of the lake, 
  two or more of these crystals are fused at the top, 
  forming narrow bridges. Many stalactites hang to 
  within 3 meters of the crystal tops. Some of these 
  stalactites are huge and well anchored; others 
  appear thinner and shakily attached. As you watch, 
  one of the thin stalactites falls from the ceiling into 
  the lake below. While you study the scene, you 
  notice that jets of flaming gasses and molten rock 
  stream out of the lake, splashing against the crystal 
  pillars and even the ceiling of the cavern. 
   
  There doesn't appear to be any safe way across the 
  lake, for your ledge runs only part way around the 
  lake. On the other side, you can see a similar ledge, 
  with a passage leading away from the lake. The 
  distance between the two ledges appears to be 
  about 200 meters. 
    
  Lay the map of the Lake of Fire on a flat surface 
  where all may see it. Place the characters' counters 
  directly on the map so that you may see the 
  characters' locations as they attempt to cross the 
  Lake of Fire. 
   
  The characters will probably try to use one or more 
  of the following methods to move from pillar to 
  pillar: 
   
  1. Jump from one pillar to the next where the 
  distance is not too great (see map). 
  2. Rope the stalactites and swing from pillar to pillar. 
  3. Make bridges out of the trunks of the giant 
  mushrooms growing throughout the caverns. 
   
  Players who jump must make successful Strength 
  checks (at +25) or fall several inches short of the 
  next pillar. Players who fail these checks should 
  make a Reaction Speed check to see if they grabbed 
  the edge of the pillar as they fell. Any character who 
  fails both of these checks falls into the Lake of Fire 
  and dies instantly. 
   
  Players attempting to swing from pillar to pillar must 
  make Dexterity checks to see if they land on the 
  pillar safely. Any character who fails the check 
  misses the pillar; the character must hang from the 
  rope until rescued by another character. (If the rope 
  was not long enough to reach the pillar, the 
  character should make a Reaction Speed check to 
  see if he managed to grab the edge of a pillar as he 
  fell. Any character who fails both checks falls into 
  the Lake of Fire.) 
   
  Players will never have any trouble roping a 
  stalactite, since they can keep trying until they are 
  successful. In addition, at least one stalactite will 
  always be within roping distance. There is a 5% 
  chance, however, that a stalactite may break loose 
  from the ceiling before the character completes the 
  swing. If this occurs, the character should make a 
  Reaction Speed check to see if he had completed 
  enough of the swing to fly through the air to the 
  pillar and grab its edge before falling into the Lake 
  of Fire. Any character failing this check falls into the 
  Lake of Fire. 
   
  If the characters use the trunks of the giant fungi as 
  bridges to cross the pillars, they should make a 
  Dexterity check to see if they fall off the trunk while 
  crossing it. Any character failing the Dexterity check 
  should make a Reaction Speed check to see if he 
  grabbed the trunk before falling into the Lake of 
  Fire. Any character who fails both checks falls into 
  the Lake of Fire. 
   
  No matter how the characters cross the Lake of Fire, 
  each character stands a large chance of being hit by 
  a lava splash as it streams out of the lake. As the 
  characters cross each dashed line on the map, roll 
  
   
  124 
   
   
  percentile dice. On a roll of 10% or less, that 
  character takes 1d10 damage from a small burst of 
  molten rock. 
   
  As the characters cross the lake, the referee should 
  emphasize that the heat is nearly unbearable, and 
  that the smoke and ash in the air make breathing 
  nearly impossible. After completing the crossing, roll 
  1d5 points of damage for each character that did 
  not take any precautions to protect from heat. 
   
  12) THE MAGMA MONSTERS (MV Very slow; IM 
  3; RS 30; STA 150; DM 3d10; SA/SD See below)   
  You walk only 500 meters before the corridor widens 
  into a room. The smooth rock floor of this room is 
  littered with hundreds of small balls of hardened 
  lava. Some of these lava-balls are lying quietly on 
  the floor, but others are bouncing around like balls 
  on a pool table. Occasionally, a lava-ball rolls into or 
  out of a small hole in the wall.  
   
  The small balls of lava are baby magma monsters. 
  They are harmless to the characters, even if they 
  bump into them by accident. 
   
  A very old magma monster guards the babies. This 
  adult appears to be a large black boulder lying 
  against the wall 20 meters away. The adult magma 
  monster will remain motionless unless a character 
  touches one of the small lava-balls, at which time it 
  will attack. 
   
  Despite its slow movement, the magma monster is a 
  deadly opponent. It spews a stream of hot lava up 
  to 50 meters in any direction, doing 3d10 damage. 
  This attack, however, is not subject to ranged 
  weapon modifiers because it is the creature's natural 
  attack form. 
   
  The magma monster will cease attacking if the 
  characters leave the chamber, but will immediately 
  attack if they re-enter. 
   
  SA: Attack up to 50 meters with no range modifiers. 
  SD: Immune to needler, projectile, and stun 
  weapons; immune to tangier and doze grenades; 
  1/2 
  damage 
  from 
  lasers 
  and 
  fragmentation 
  grenades. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  13) THE UNDERGROUND SHORE 
  After wandering through more of the endless 
  passages, you hear the sound of gently lapping 
  water ahead. Soon, you round a corner in the 
  passage and see an underground sea. 
   
  This sea, more than 1.5 kilometers wide and 6.5 
  kilometers long, is nearly a kilometer deep in 
  places; even along the shore the depth is more than 
  10 meters. The ceiling above the sea is 50 meters 
  high. The entire area is illuminated by large deposits 
  of phosphorescent minerals.  
   
  The shoreline is simply a rocky ledge covered with 
  giant mushroom-like fungi. From any area along this 
  ledge, the characters will see the island (encounter 
  area 14 A). They will also see the opposite shore 
  (encounter area 15) in the far distance. 
   
   
   
  13 A: This shoreline is exactly like the one described 
  above. 
   
  13 B: As the characters enter this area, they will see 
  an Ul-Mor sitting at water's edge. He is absorbed in 
  his own thoughts, and will take no notice of the 
  party's approach. If spoken to, he will slowly turn 
  around, revealing that much of his face and two of 
  his tentacles are covered with a pasty white growth. 
  He will introduce himself as Throm the Banished 
  (RW 45; M 45; PS 2; IM 5; RS 50; STA 40). 
   
  Throm will give the following account of himself: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  125 
   
   
  ''I was once a powerful Ul-Mor, who stole many 
  things from our enemies and divided these things 
  many ways. My fellows envied me, and, indeed, I 
  believed they had reason to do so. I had been 
  chosen as the tribe's next leader, and this made me 
  feel as though no risk were too great for me to take. 
  But, alas, the One will not tolerate such foolishness. 
   
  "I was riding herd on a large flock of kwidges when 
  a 
  burrower 
  snake 
  startled 
  them, 
  and 
  they 
  stampeded. Many of the kwidges ran under my 
  loper; alas, I was not quick enough to control the 
  noble beast. Left solely to his own direction, my 
  loper panicked and ran into the tribe's egg cache, 
  destroying several of our 
  young. 
  The 
  elders 
  immediately banished me, forever denying me the 
  rights of an Ul-Mor. 
   
  ''Since that time I have wandered these caverns, 
  where I have learned the secret of joining the One 
  without the cold sleep' Perhaps the One has sent 
  you to me, so that I may redeem myself by showing 
  you his secret." 
    
  Throm is slightly deranged, and believes the 
  mutating fungus on the island is the key to eternal 
  life. He will make every effort to convince the 
  characters to go to the island, and will not speak of 
  anything else. He does not desire to leave, and 
  could not remember the way out of the caverns if he 
  did. He does remember that his loper wandered off 
  and joined the One some time ago. 
   
  Throm will attempt to convince the party to journey 
  to the island, but he will not use force to do so. If 
  questioned about how to get to the island, he will 
  say that he swims, but this is very dangerous 
  because there is something evil in the lake. If the 
  characters attack Throm for some reason, he will 
  defend himself with his spear. 
   
  14) ACROSS THE UNDERGROUND SEA 
  The characters may cross the underground sea by 
  constructing a raft of fungi trunks or swimming. The 
  characters will need oars or similar devices to steer 
  the raft, or the current will draw them toward the 
  island at the rate of 1 square per minute. 
   
  Halfway across the lake, the party will be attacked 
  by a jawfish (MV Fast; IM 5; RS 50; STA 100; ATT 
  80; DM 3d10; SD Soft cover in water). They will see 
  a fin 90 meters away. One turn later, the jawfish will 
  attack. It will continue to attack once every third 
  turn, circling the raft for two turns between attacks. 
  The jawfish will circle 60 meters away for purposes 
  of ranged weapons. Consider the jawfish to have 
  soft cover, unless it is attacking a character. 
   
  The jawfish will normally attack the raft. Roll 
  percentile dice each time the jawfish attacks; on a 
  roll of 30% or less, the jawfish lifts itself out of the 
  water and attacks a randomly determined character. 
  The first time the jawfish attacks, it will destroy the 
  raft. Once the raft is destroyed, it will be useless, 
  but there is still a 70% chance the jawfish will attack 
  it rather than the characters. 
   
  The jawfish will make four attacks after destroying 
  the raft. It will then lose interest and swim away. 
   
  14 A) THE ISLE OF MUTATING FUNGUS 
  When you reach the island, you see several stands 
  of mushroom- like fungi on its shores. A pasty, 
  white growth covers the ground on the entire 
  surface of the island.  
   
  As the characters explore the island, they will notice 
  the fungi resemble some animals they have seen. 
  Many clumps resemble rasties, shovelmouths, and 
  other bizarre creatures. If the characters observe 
  any of these strange formations carefully, they will 
  notice the shapes are moving very slowly. This 
  movement is nearly unnoticeable. 
   
  These odd-shaped clumps were once animals. The 
  bizarre fungus which covers the island attaches itself 
  to other living creatures and gradually replaces their 
  cells with its own. 
   
  The only living thing the mutating fungus has not 
  devoured is an isolated stand of giant mushroom 
  fungi. (This stand of fungi has not been mutated 
  because it is less than eight hours old. The lifespan 
  of giant fungi is only 36 hours; it grows to its full 
  size in one 12 hour period, fertilizes in the second 
  12 hour period, and dies by the end of the third 12 
  hour period.) 
   
  Any character who stays on the island for eight 
  hours or more or who sleeps on the island for any 
  period of time, will find a white, pasty growth 
  covering parts of his body. This growth is identical 
  to the white growth on Throm's face and tentacles. 
  Any character remaining on the island for more than 
  three days turns completely into fungus. 
   
  If the characters notice the fungus on their body 
  within three hours, a medic must correctly diagnose 
  the disease and treat it with antibody plus. This will 
  destroy the fungus already diseasing the body, but 
  the characters will not be immune to further attacks. 
  Any body part not treated within three hours of a 
  fungus attack must be amputated, or the entire 
  body will turn into fungus. 
   
  Throm is convinced being turned into fungus is a 
  form of eternal life. No amount of pleading will 
  
   
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  persuade him to leave the island; in fact, he will try 
  to persuade the party members to stay on the island 
  and rest. 
   
  15) THE FAR SHORE 
  This area is identical to area 13 A. 
   
  16) THE PLACE OF HEALING 
  If any characters enter this area, read the following 
  description to them: 
   
  You have just awakened. Apparently, you fell asleep 
  after entering this area. You have no memory of 
  anything after stepping into this area. Those of you 
  who were wounded notice you have healed a great 
  deal. You notice two large, indistinct footprints 
  leading out of the room.  
   
  In fact, each character has healed 4d10 Points. The 
  characters met an Eorna in this area, who used his 
  medical knowledge to heal the characters. The 
  Eorna did not wish the characters to know of the 
  presence of his race, so he hypnotized them and 
  erased any memory of the encounter. (It is very 
  important that no hint of the Eorna be given to the 
  characters.) 
   
  If some characters remained outside the room, they 
  will be affected as though inside the room. 
   
  17) THE DERANGED ROBOT 
  You hear many crashes in the room ahead, as if 
  several objects of various sizes are being tossed 
  about a small room.  
   
  A deranged maintenance robot brought into the 
  caverns by the pirate in area 18 is cleaning the 
  cavern room. The robot lost its broom and mop 
  some time ago and has become deranged. It throws 
  the rocks, boulders, and gravel from one section of 
  the floor to another and attempts to sweep the dirt 
  with its metallic hands. 
   
  It will continue sweeping until the rock floor is bare 
  and smooth, then move to another section and 
  repeat the process. 
   
  Though the robot will not attack the characters, it is 
  still dangerous. There is a 20% chance a rock will hit 
  a random party member, causing 1d10 points 
  damage. Players more than 15 meters away from 
  the robot cannot be hit by the rocks. 
   
  The robot is a level 1 maintenance robot that will 
  ignore the characters unless they attack it or 
  attempt to change its programming. It will attack 
  any character attempting to do either of these 
  things with its hands (1d10 damage). 
   
  It requires one turn to open the safety release catch 
  on the robot's instrument panel. 
   
  18) THE MAD PIRATE  (RW 30; M 30; PS 3; IM 6; 
  RS 55; STA 55)  
   
  From the gloomy passage ahead, you hear a Human 
  voice singing, 
   
  "Oh, we hijacked the ship and we took us guns, 
     Li-dee-di-dee, li-dee-di-dee day-o. 
  Came to Volturnus and drank some rum, 
     Li-dee-di-dee, li-dee-di-dee day-o. 
  "Now I'm lost in the caverns, no place to run, 
     Li-dee-di-dee, li-dee-di-dee day-o. 
  Anything moves, I shoots it with me gun, 
     Li-dee-di-dee, li-dee-di-dee day-o." 
   
  Read the following description to the characters as 
  they investigate: 
   
  You see a lone Human figure about 30 meters 
  ahead, squatting next to a small fire in the center of 
  the room. He appears to be roasting a skinned 
  rastie, though you can't be certain since he is turned 
  sideways to you and his body hides part of the fire. 
  A red splotch on his left arm barely shows through 
  his tattered shirt. A laser rifle attached to a power 
  pack lies on the cavern floor next to him. The floor 
  is littered with rastie bones, a large pile of moss, 
  and a pile of rastie furs the man uses as a bed.  
   
  The pirate, Phalen the Black, will attack the 
  characters on sight, using setting 4 on his laser rifle. 
  When he drains the fresh pack attached to his rifle, 
  he will fight with his bare hands. (The pack was his 
  last supply of power.) 
   
  If captured alive, Phalen will reveal only his name. 
  Like the maintenance robot he brought into the 
  cavern, Phalen is now slightly deranged, and 
  anything else he says will be gibberish. From time to 
  time he will whisper that he is greatly afraid of 
  turning into a fungus. 
   
  Careful inspection of Phalen's arm will show that the 
  red blotch is a tattoo of a red devil surrounded by 
  white stars. Phalen will escape as soon as he can. 
   
  19) EXITING THE CAVERNS 
  As you stumble along the passageway, you see a 
  beam of light far ahead. The air is warm and fresh, 
  almost overwhelming after the days of breathing the 
  dank cavern air.  
   
  This is the exit from the caverns. As the characters 
  stumble out into the daylight, they will find they are 
  
   
  127 
   
   
  once again in the desert. A large party of Ul-Mor are 
  camped not more than 250 meters away, and, as 
  the characters come out of the cavern, Athru will 
  ride up to them on his loper. After greeting them, 
  Athru will explain that after the cave- in, the Ul-Mor 
  continued through the safe caverns and camped 
  here, hoping the characters could find a way 
  through the Forbidden Caverns. He is very glad to 
  see them, and, after they have rested, he will take 
  the characters to the Place of True Warriors. 
   
  ZETA SECTION: 
  RITUAL OF THE 
  QUICKDEATH 
  Any creature, male or female, wishing to become an 
  Ul-Mor tribe- member must pass the ceremonial test 
  all Ul-Mor males take upon entering adulthood: the 
  Ritual of the Quickdeath. Those who survive become 
  Ul-Mor tribe-members. 
   
  This section outlines the encounter between the 
  party and a quickdeath. Study the description of the 
  quickdeath in the "Alien Creatures Update File" 
  carefully before playing this encounter. 
   
  ZETA SUBSECTION 1:  
  SPECIAL RULES 
   
  THE MAP 
  Use the small desert map in the boxed STAR 
  FRONTIERS game set for this encounter. For the 
  purposes of ranged weapon combat or movement, 1 
  square equals 5 meters. The following table gives 
  movement rates in squares per six-second turn for 
  easy reference: 
   
  ZETA 1.1:  
  MOVEMENT ON THE DESERT MAP 
  Race 
  Walking 
  Running 
  Human 
  1 
  3 
  Dralasite 
  ½ 
  2 
  Vrusk 
  2 
  4 
  Yazirian 
  1 
  3 
  Quickdeath 
  12 
  24 
   
  TIME 
  Most of this encounter will be played using six-
  second game turns, since much of it consists of 
  combat with the quickdeath. Feel free, however, to 
  alter the time reference period when the characters 
  are not involved in combat. (It will not be necessary 
  to roll for random encounters in this section, so a 
  fixed time reference period is unnecessary.) 
   
  CHARACTER EQUIPMENT 
  The party may use any equipment they have with 
  them. In addition, the Ul-Mor have prepared a straw 
  dummy for each character. The quickdeath retracts 
  its eyes as it attacks, and is nearly blind when it 
  strikes its prey. The creature will often strike a 
  dummy rather than a person, provided the dummy 
  is directly beside the person when the quickdeath 
  attacks. Though the Ul-Mor will not object to the 
  characters' use of their own equipment during the 
  ritual (for they feel the One has given the characters 
  these strange devices to compensate for their lack 
  of limbs), they will give each character a spear. 
   
  SET-UP 
  When the characters reach the Place of True 
  Warriors, they may place their counters anywhere 
  they desire on the map. Give each character an 
  extra counter to represent his dummy. Place the 
  quickdeath counter at the edge of the map, as far as 
  possible from the party members. 
  
   
  128 
   
   
   
  ZETA SUBSECTION 2:  
  PLAYERS' DESCRIPTION 
  After meeting you outside the caverns, the Ul-Mor have 
  taken you three day's journey south to the Place of 
  True Warriors. (At this point, let the characters map 
  the area they traveled through.) The Place of True 
  Warriors appears to be an unremarkable section of 
  desert. 
   
  Athru comes to you on the morning of the fourth day 
  and says, ''It is now time for the Ritual of Manhood. 
  Those who survive will become Ul-Mor. Those who do 
  not will become a different form of the One. Take 
  spears." (Athru offers each character a spear.) "It is 
  time.'' 
   
  Athru leads you to the ritual area. The other Ul-Mor 
  have withdrawn to a safe distance. Athru gives each of 
  you a straw dummy, shaped roughly like yourself. 
  Athru says, "May you fare well against the quickdeath.'' 
  He mounts his loper and withdraws to join the other 
  Ul-Mor. 
    
  Any attempts by the characters to learn more about the 
  ritual will fail. 
   
  ZETA SUBSECTION 3:  
  PLANNED ENCOUNTERS 
  1) Battle at the Place of True Warriors 
  Suddenly, you see a tiger-sized creature covered with 
  some sort of reflective armor running toward you. It 
  has a long neck and hideous head. You can see that its 
  gaping jaw is filled with sharp teeth, and that it has 
  four eyes mounted on stalks above its head. Three 
  small tentacles ending in suction cups dangle from 
  each of its sides. This hideous beast is running toward 
  you at an unbelievable speed, and is apparently going 
  to attack.  
   
  The quickdeath (MV Very fast; IM 8; RS 75; STA 180; ATT 
  70; DM 6d10; SA See below; SD See below) will attempt 
  to kill all characters as quickly as possible. As it rushes 
  into combat, it will fire its tail-dart at a character it does 
  not intend to melee immediately. It will then attack the 
  closest character. If more than one character is within 
  melee distance, it will use its special attack and attempt to 
  grab one character, pulling him into its digestive maw. It 
  will continue to attack until it has killed all characters, or 
  until they have killed it. 
   
  Any character next to the quickdeath stands a 50% 
  chance of avoiding the quickdeath's attack for one turn. 
  On a percentile roll of 50% or less, the quickdeath will 
  attack the character's dummy, totally destroying it. 
   
  SA: Poisonous tail dart (S10/T3; 1d10 damage; RW 60, 
  10/20/30/40/50); grappling attack with tentacles and 
  maw, 10 points damage per turn. 
   
  SD: Immune to needler weapons; 1/2 damage from 
  thrown spears, projectile and laser weapons (spear thrust 
  does normal damage), ranged weapon attacks made at -
  25 because of speed. 
   
  2) The Last Encounter? 
  Use the entry 2 A if you plan to continue the adventure on 
  Volturnus using the sequels to SF 0: CRASH ON 
  VOLTURNUS. These sequels, SF 1: VOLTURNUS, PLANET 
  OF MYSTERY, and SF 2: STARSPAWN OF VOLTURNUS, will 
  be available at your local hobby store. If you do not plan 
  to continue the adventure on Volturnus with TSR modules, 
  use entry 2 B. 
   
  2 A) Ending 1: 
  As you stare at the body of the hideous beast, you 
  hear the approach of a loper. Looking up, you see 
  Athru riding toward you. When he reaches you, he 
  dismounts and says, ''You have done well. We are now 
  One, for you are Ul-Mor.''  
   
  Athru now reveals he has seen creatures similar to the 
  characters living with the Kurabanda, a race of foolish 
  creatures that dwell in trees. Athru will agree to provide 
  an Ul-Mor escort to the edge of the Kurabanda's home. 
   
  SF 1: VOLTURNUS, PLANET OF MYSTERY, begins with this 
  journey. 
   
  2 B) Ending 2: 
  Read the boxed section in ending 2 A above. Athru will 
  then reveal that there are others of the characters' kind 
  living in the main Ul-Mor tribe. He will then take the 
  characters to the other "strange" tribe- members, who 
  happen to be Lieutenant Colonel Louis V. Jameson and 
  Grod the Dralasite, two members of the original 
  exploration team. 
   
  Jameson and Grod will explain that a group of space 
  pirates hijacked their starliner as they approached 
  Volturnus. The other members of their expedition were 
  killed, but Jameson and Grod escaped. The Ul- Mor found 
  them, starved and nearly dead from the lack of water, and 
  invited them to take the Ritual of the Quickdeath. They 
  have lived with the Ul-Mor since that time. 
   
  Jameson has almost pieced together a radio. He needs a 
  part found in any poly-vox to complete the radio. If the 
  characters give Jameson a poly-vox, he will take the part 
  he needs, contact Truane's Star and receive word that a 
  rescue ship will be launched immediately. The Ul- Mor will 
  treat Jameson, Grod and the characters as tribe-members 
  until the rescue ship arrives. 
   
  ZETA SUBSECTION 4:  
  EXPERIENCE POINTS 
  This is the end of this encounter section and the module. 
  Award each player character 1-3 experience points. 
   
  Alien Creature Update File 
  The Alien Creatures Update File lists and describes 
  the new creatures encountered in this module. Most 
  plants are not listed because they usually play a 
  minor role in the encounters. 
   
  
   
  129 
   
   
   Burrower Snake 
   
  Type Medium Carnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS +8/80 
  Stamina 15 
  Attack 75 
  Damage 1d5 bite 
  Special Attack Poison S5/T10 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – desert 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The burrower snake resembles a 
  1.5 meter long cross between a snake and a 
  salamander. It has powerful rear legs suited for 
  burrowing into loose sand and rock, but its forelimbs 
  have long since atrophied because of disuse. The 
  burrower snake uses its rear legs to push itself 
  along as it slithers across the desert sands. 
   
  After digging a lair in the loose desert sand, the 
  burrower snake waits patiently until an unsuspecting 
  creature wanders within striking range (5 meters). 
  As soon as it senses the presence of its prey, the 
  burrower snake springs forth, hoping to kill any 
  creature it hits with its venomous bite (a shot of 
  antitox will counteract the venom). 
   
   Dropper 
   
  Type Small Carnivore 
  Number 1 
  Move Very Slow 
  IM/RS +2/18 
  Stamina 20 
  Attack 80 
  Damage 2d10 digestion 
  Special Attack Attract 2d10 droppers 1d10 turns 
  Special Defense Immune to projectile weapons, 
  doze grenades, ranged weapons 
  attack at -10 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The dropper resembles a giant 
  amoeba. It is a flat, irregular blob up to 1 meter in 
  diameter. The dropper inhabits cavern ceilings all 
  over Volturnus, always ready to drop on any 
  unsuspecting prey walking beneath it. When the 
  dropper senses another creature approaching, it 
  crops a tentacle-like pseudo-pod covered with a 
  sticky digestive acid. If this pseudo-pod strikes the 
  prey, the dropper falls onto the creature in the same 
  turn and attempts to envelop it (treat as a grapple). 
  The dropper then begins to digest the creature, 
  releasing digestive acids that cause 2d10 damage 
  every turn the victim fails to break the dropper's 
  hold. The smell of this digestive acid will attract 
  2d10 more droppers to the area in 1d10 turns. 
   
  Because of its amoeba-like body, projectile weapons 
  will not affect the dropper. It is also immune to the 
  effects of tangier grenades,. for it simply oozes out 
  of the tangier strings. Since the dropper never 
  sleeps (even if artificially stimulated), doze grenades 
  will not' affect it, either. In addition, any person 
  using a ranged weapon attacks at -10 due to the 
  dropper's ability to blend with its natural) rock 
  surroundings (droppers cannot even be seen from 
  distances greater than 5 meters). Very bright light 
  will cancel the effects oft the dropper's camouflage. 
   
   Flitter 
   
  Type Small Carnivore 
  Number 10-100 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +7/70 
  Stamina 10 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 2 bite 
  Special Attack Disease 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Flitters are small winged mammals 
  that enjoy dark places. They live in the caverns 
  below the Burning Lands, eating insects, small 
  mammals, 
  and 
  carrion. 
  Flitters 
  are 
  generally 
  passive, but loud noises, light, and smoke will cause 
  them to attack. 
   
  
   
  130 
   
   
  Each flitter has a 50% chance of carrying a disease 
  that will be transmitted to a bite victim. Eight hours 
  after being bitten, the infected player will begin to 
  suffer from a fever. This will soon be followed by the 
  chills. The fever will continue for three days, during 
  which time the player will be incapable of any 
  action. If the victim is not treated with antibody plus 
  during this time, he will die on the beginning of the 
  fourth day. Even if the victim receives a dose of 
  antibody plus, he must wait 24 hours before he feels 
  healthy enough to do anything but rest. 
   
   Jawfish 
   
  Type Large Carnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Fast 
  IM/RS +5/50 
  Stamina 100 
  Attack 80 
  Damage 3d10 bite 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense Soft cover while in water 
  Native World Volturnus – fresh water 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The jawfish is a large predatory 
  fish similar to a shark. Its jaws, more than a meter 
  wide, are filled with thousands of razor-sharp teeth. 
   
  The jawfish will attack anything in the water smaller 
  than 10 meters long. If the players are aboard any 
  type of craft, the jawfish is 70% likely to attack it 
  rather than the players. Anytime the jawfish attacks 
  a craft, it will overturn the craft, tossing the players 
  into the water. Note, however, the jawfish will still 
  attack the craft 70% of the time as long as the craft 
  remains afloat. If the jawfish attacks a player, it will 
  attack one of them at random. 
   
  The jawfish will attack only once every three turns, 
  circling its intended victim for two turns between 
  attacks. After making five attacks, the jawfish will 
  loose interest and swim away. 
   
   
   
   
   
   Loper 
   
  Type Large Herbivore 
  Number 2-20 
  Move Fast 
  IM/RS +5/41 
  Stamina 300 
  Attack 40 
  Damage 2d10 bite and claw 
  Special Attack None 
  Special Defense Immune to needler weapons 
  Native World Volturnus – desert 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Lopers are two-legged reptiles the 
  size of horses, inhabiting the deserts of Volturnus. 
  They are usually found in the presence of the Ul-
  Mor, who use them as cavalry mounts, though it is 
  not uncommon to find them in the wild. They are 
  named for the rapid gait they use to cross the 
  desert sands. 
   
  Though normally timid and shy, lopers will attack 
  with their small fore claws and powerful jaws if 
  provoked. Normally, mounted beasts may not attack 
  in melee, but when mounted by Ul-Mor, lopers are 
  capable of attacking at the rider's direction. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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   Magma Monster 
   
  Type Special 
  Number 1 adult, 100+ young 
  Move Very Slow 
  IM/RS +3/30 
  Stamina 150 
  Attack 30 
  Damage 3d10 burn 
  Special Attack No range penalty up to 50m 
  Special Defense Immune to needler, projectile, 
  stun, tangler, laser, frag gren. 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: A magma monster is usually 
  indistinguishable from the pools of lava it inhabits. 
  For most of its life, it remains immersed in the lava, 
  feeding off the tremendous heat. When it has stored 
  enough energy to stimulate reproduction, the 
  magma monster enters its ''female" cycle. During 
  this cycle, it assumes a semi-solid shape and allows 
  itself to be shot from the pool of boiling lava onto a 
  shelf or shore of solid rock, where it cools over 
  several decades and forms a hard crust. 
   
  When this happens, the magma monster is finally 
  ready to reproduce. It opens a small hole in its outer 
  crust and lays nearly 100 little round blobs of 
  magma. Within 10 days of being laid, these blobs of 
  magma form a hard outer crust, taking on the shape 
  and size of billiard balls. After a century of further 
  cooling 
  (sometimes 
  lying 
  dormant, 
  sometimes 
  rolling around the cavern and hitting their siblings), 
  the adult and the young return to the lava pool and 
  begin this 1,000 year cycle again. 
   
  If a stranger is fortunate enough to wander into a 
  cavern filled with magma monsters, the adult 
  magma monster will take no action unless the 
  stranger 
  approaches 
  the 
  young. 
  The 
  magma 
  monster will attack if any stranger touches its young 
  (not if the young touch a stranger). It will open a 
  small aperture and spew a stream of lava at its 
  victim. This spurt may travel as far as 50 meters, 
  and is shot with such force no modifiers for range 
  are necessary. 
   
  Due to the magma monster's hard outer shell, it is 
  not affected by tangier grenades, needler, or 
  projectile 
  weapons. 
  Doze 
  grenades 
  and 
  stun 
  weapons of any sort will not affect it either, since 
  the magma monster's life force is based on thermal 
  energy and these weapons are designed to achieve 
  their effects through big-chemical manipulation. 
  Magma monsters take only 1/2 damage from lasers 
  and fragmentation grenades. 
   
   Mutating Fungus 
   
  Type Special 
  Number 1  
  Move Slow 
  IM/RS special 
  Stamina special 
  Attack special 
  Damage special 
  Special Attack Replaces body cells 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: 
  It 
  is 
  uncertain 
  whether 
  the 
  mutating fungus is an animal, a plant, or a cancer, 
  for it has aspects of all three. In outward 
  appearance, it resembles a white, pasty fungus, yet 
  it is capable of self-locomotion, creeping across 
  small areas of land to attack its prey. Its attack 
  form, 
  however, 
  resembles 
  that 
  of 
  a 
  cancer; 
  replacing the normal, healthy cells of any creature 
  with its own mushy cells. 
   
  Any character who is exposed to the mutating 
  fungus for eight hours or more, or who sleeps near 
  it for any amount of time, will find a while, pasty 
  growth covering parts of his body. If the character 
  notices the presence of the fungus within three 
  hours of its attack, he may treat the infected part of 
  his body with antibody plus and counteract the 
  effects of the fungus (though he will not tee 
  protected from further attacks!. If the character is 
  not treated within three hours, the infected body 
  part must be amputated, or the character will be 
  completely consumed by the fungus within three 
  days. Any character exposed to a mutating fungus 
  for three days without treatment will be transformed 
  into a mutating fungus permanently. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  132 
   
   
   Quickdeath 
   
  Type Large Carnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Very Fast 
  IM/RS +8/75 
  Stamina 180 
  Attack 70 
  Damage 6d10 bite, claws 
  Special Attack Poison dart S10/T3 (RW 60, 
  10/20/30/40/50), attacks extra 
  creature with maw (10 damage) 
  Special Defense Immune to needler weapons, ½ 
  damage from laser or projectile 
  weapons. 70% chance will 
  remain unseen until within 120 
  meters of prey. 
  Native World Sathar attack monster – all 
  terrains except mountains 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The quickdeath is the ultimate land 
  carnivore. This creature can propel itself at 100 
  kilometers per hour with its great legs, which 
  resemble those of a jaguar. Quickdeaths keep the 
  claws on these legs razor sharp, using them to 
  attack prey as well as for climbing. Three sets of 
  smaller, tentacle-like limbs ending in suction cups 
  are attached to the quickdeath's sides. It uses these 
  limbs 
  to 
  catch 
  unwary 
  prey 
  and 
  stuff 
  the 
  unfortunate creatures into its digestive maw. Any 
  creature in the maw takes 10 points of damage until 
  it frees itself (as if breaking free from a hold). 
   
  The quickdeath has a long, flexible neck that ends in 
  a snout and large mouth. Its four eyes are mounted 
  on retractable stalks atop the head, while its brain is 
  located at the base of its neck. (The quickdeath is 
  nearly blind when it strikes it prey because it 
  retracts these eyes.) The creature has a long, whip-
  like tail that can fling a poisonous dart once every 
  four hours. The outer hide of the creature is covered 
  by a moist, reflective armor which provides such 
  good camouflage that the creature is nearly invisible 
  until it approaches within 120 meters. Quickdeaths 
  are constantly on the move, seeking to appease 
  their hearty appetites. They are found in all areas of 
  Volturnus except the mountains, frequently traveling 
  in mated pairs. 
   
  The female lays hundreds of eggs each year, 
  burying them in deep in the sand or soil. These 
  caches sometimes contain as many as 50 eggs. The 
  first of the young to hatch eats the remaining eggs 
  for his or her first meal, and immediately begins its 
  lifelong search for more food. 
   
  Quickdeaths are not native to Volturnus. The Sathar 
  used an advanced form of DNA manipulation to 
  create these hideous beasts from a common type of 
  housecat found throughout the universe. On the 
  ''Day of Death," they 
  released thousands of 
  quickdeaths on the surface of Volturnus to terrorize 
  its inhabitants 
   
   Rasties 
   
  Type Medium Carnivore 
  Number 2-20; up to 100 in lair 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +7/66 
  Stamina 75 
  Attack 75 
  Damage 2d10 bite 
  Special Attack Lock jaws and rend 1d10/turn 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: Rasties are vicious mammals of 
  medium size that prey upon hapless shovelmouths 
  and other gentle prey living in the caverns of 
  Volturnus. They average 1 meter in length, and look 
  like a cross between a rat and a small monkey. They 
  have four legs, but can sit upright and use their 
  forelimbs to grasp meat or small prey. Rasties are 
  usually hungry, and will attack anything that looks 
  edible to them.  Rasties are usually found in packs 
  of 20 or more. Once they smell blood, the entire 
  pack will fight until dead. They use their sharp, 
  ripping teeth to bite their prey initially, but once 
  they have locked their teeth into a piece of flesh, 
  they clamp their jaws shut and do an additional 
  1d10 of damage every turn (automatically) until the 
  creature frees itself or kills the attacking rastie. 
   
  
   
  133 
   
   
   Shovelmouth 
   
  Type Medium Herbivore 
  Number 2-20 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +3/25 
  Stamina 60 
  Attack 45 
  Damage 1d10 bite 
  Special Attack Stampede for 2d10 per shovelmouth 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The shovelmouth is a four-legged 
  reptile with a long, flat snout resembling a shovel. It 
  uses this snout to scrape moss and fungi off the 
  walls 
  and 
  floors 
  of 
  the 
  caverns 
  it 
  inhabits. 
  Shovelmouths breed in great numbers, but their 
  population is kept in check by rasties, which prefer 
  them as food. 
   
  Shovelmouths are normally quite harmless, but if a 
  herd panics, they will stampede. If a character is 
  unfortunate enough to be caught in a stampede, he 
  will take 2d10 damage from every shovelmouth that 
  tramples him. You must use your discretion to 
  determine the number of shovelmouths that may 
  trample a character. In narrow, confined areas, the 
  panicked shovelmouths will have a difficult time 
  avoiding characters, while in a more open area, they 
  will attempt to run around an object as large as a 
  man. 
   
  A shovelmouth stampede may be diverted or 
  stopped by a 1 meter high barricade, as long as the 
  barricade blocks the entire corridor. A blockade that 
  is too low or has a breach in it will not stop the 
  stampede. The shovelmouths will destroy the 
  barricade as they rush past or over it. 
   
  Despite their tendency to stampede at awkward 
  times, shovelmouths are generally quite docile, and 
  even affectionate. When a character meets a herd of 
  shovelmouths, one of the reptiles will follow the 
  character for several miles. If confronted, the 
  creature will gaze at the character with its soulful, 
  reptilian eyes and wag its scaly tail. It will not leave 
  until force is used to chase it away. 
   Volturnian Cave Bear 
   
  Type Large Omnivore 
  Number 1-2 
  Move Medium 
  IM/RS +5/45 
  Stamina 200 
  Attack 60 
  Damage 4d10 claw 
  Special Attack Hug for 2d10 per turn on a roll of 10 or 
  less 
  Special Defense None 
  Native World Volturnus – caverns 
   
  DESCRIPTION: The Volturnian cave bear is a large 
  (7 meters), hairless creature inhabiting the caverns 
  of Volturnus. It attempts to eat any organic 
  substance it finds, including the player characters. 
   
  The Volturnian cave bear normally attacks by 
  slashing the victim with its massive foreclaws, 
  attempting to sweep the unfortunate creature into a 
  hug. If the bear's normal attack succeeds on a roll 
  of 10 or less, it has caught the character in its hug. 
  The cave bear does 2d10 points damage each turn 
  until the victim dies or breaks the hold (at -20, due 
  to the bear's great strength). 
   
  
   
  134 
   
   
  PLAYER CHARACTER BACKGROUND REPORT 
  The Zebulon star system was first investigated 20 years ago by an unmanned exploration probe launched by Truane's 
  Star. This probe indicated that Volturnus was the only inhabitable planet in the Zebulon system. It also indicated that 
  great mineral wealth might exist on the planet in the form of molybdenum, tungsten, gold, and other heavy metals. 
  Truane's Star soon made a legal claim to the ownership of Volturnus, and completed exploration of a star route to the 
  Zebulon system one year ago. 
   
  The first manned expedition to Volturnus from Truane's Star was launched nine months ago. The four member team of 
  specialists was instructed to set up an outpost, gather data on the possible colonization and mining of Volturnus, and 
  report back. 
   
  After passing into the star system, the starship carrying the specialists was never heard from again. The four members 
  of this lost exploration expedition were: 
   
  Commander  
  Louis V. Jameson 
   
  Truane's Star Military 
  Exploration Force 
  Photo 
  Unavailable STR/STA 55/60 
  DEX/RS 
  45/35 
  INT/LOG 55/50 
  PER/LDR 55/70 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +4 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  28 
  Description: 
  Human, 1.9 meters tall, 88 kilograms weight, 43 
  years old 
  Skills:  
  Computer 4 
  Background: 
  22 years service Truane's Star military forces; 
  combat veteran, Truane's Star Medal of Valor; 
  commander two previous exploration missions 
   
  Geeko- 
  sur-Mang 
   
  Professor of geology,  
  Capital University 
  Photo 
  Unavailable STR/STA 40/50 
  DEX/RS 
  50/50 
  INT/LOG 50/40 
  PER/LDR 55/55 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 25 
  Melee 
  25 
  Description: 
  Yazirian, 2.1 meters tall, 50 kilograms weight, 
  52 years old 
  Skills:  
  Computer 4 
  Background: 
  Recognized authority in geophysics, specialist in 
  planetary crust formation 
   
   
  Itklikdil 
  Cartographer 
   
  Vrusk Atlas Manufacturing 
  Corporation 
  Photo 
  Unavailable STR/STA 40/40 
  DEX/RS 
  50/60 
  INT/LOG 40/50 
  PER/LDR 30/40 
  PS 
  +3 
  IM 
  +6 
  Ranged 25 
  Melee 
  25 
  Description: 
  Vrusk female, 1.5 meters height, 85 kilograms 
  weight, 32 years old 
  Skills:  
  Environmental 6 
  Background: 
  Ph.D., experienced explorer and cartographer; 
  loaned to exploration mission by employer in 
  exchange for Volturnus mapping rights. 
   
  Grod 
  Technician 
   
  Truan’s Star  
  Civil Service 
  Photo 
  Unavailable STR/STA 60/50 
  DEX/RS 
  45/45 
  INT/LOG 60/70 
  PER/LDR 40/40 
  PS 
  +4 
  IM 
  +5 
  Ranged 23 
  Melee 
  30 
  Description: 
  Dralasite, 1.3 meters height, 65 kilograms 
  weight, 85 years old 
  Skills:  
  5th level all skills 
  Background: 
  Developer, hydro-magnetic stabilization system 
  in Dralasite air cars; author, ''The Metaphysical 
  Foundations of Dralasite Morality'' 
   
  Truane's Star has found itself short of personnel and funds due to colonial troubles and associated police action on 
  Cygnus Omicron IX recently. They have hired you, a team of unknown adventurers, to mount a relief expedition to 
  Volturnus. Your mission is to explore Volturnus, gathering as much information as possible about mineral deposits, 
  life on the planet, and other items of interest to future colonists. You are also to find and rescue the members of 
  the original exploratory mission if possible. 
   
  The government has provided you with a minimal amount of equipment, and transportation to Volturnus aboard 
  the starliner Serena Dawn. After dropping you on Volturnus, the Serena Dawn will return in three months to 
  transport you (and, with luck, the original exploration team) back to Truane's Star. 
  
   
  135 
   
   
   
   
  Planetary Brief 
  Volturnus   (Zebulon star system) 
   
  MOONS: 
   1.) Leo: 
  Completes one orbit every three days, reddish-orange in color 
   2.) Lulu: 
  Completes one orbit every 27 hours, bluish-silver in color   
  CLIMATE RANGE: Hot, arid to humid 
  ATMOSPHERE: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon 
  GRAVITY: 1.0013   DIAMETER: 12,895 kilometers 
  LENGTH OF DAYS: 24 hours, 03 minutes 
  AVERAGE SURFACE TEMPERATURE: 25 degrees C 
  COLONIZERS:  Unsettled; presently claimed by the government of the Truane's Star. 
   
  KNOWN NATIVE POPULATION: 
  1) The Ul-Mor, desert-dwelling novepi (nine-limbed creatures). Number and range unknown. 
   
  PLANET HISTORY: 
  Named after the Greek god of the southwest wind, Volturnus is a hot, dry world with many types of hostile terrain. The endless 
  deserts, rugged mountains, volcanic wastes, and dangerous salt flats are constantly scoured by a strong southwesterly wind. Despite 
  these harsh conditions, rare patches of forest and even a few lakes have managed to maintain a perilous existence. 
   
  The government of Truane's Star opened a star route to the Zebulon system recently, sending an expedition to the planet nine 
  months ago. Unfortunately, all communication with the starship ceased shortly after it passed into the system. No clues as to the 
  whereabouts of either the crew or the ship have been found. 
   
  Because of the cost and time involved in preparing an expedition, nine months have passed since the original mission disappeared. 
  Nonetheless, the player characters have been assigned to locate the remnants of the first expedition, if any can be found. In addition, 
  they are also charged with exploring and mapping the planet. 
   
  Only the future can tell what they will find, but the story of Volturnus is a strange one. Once the home of a gentle race of intelligent 
  dinosaurs, it is now a barren, harsh world. The history of its downfall is outlined below for your reference. 
   
  The story of the fall of Volturnus begins when the Eorna, a race of intelligent dinosaurs, developed star travel. As soon as the Eorna 
  launched their first colonization starships, they were attacked by a Sathar space armada. Like most Sathar attacks, this one came 
  with no warning; the Eorna were not even aware of the presence of the Sathar until the mysterious worms invaded their system. 
   
  The Sathar space armada quickly overwhelmed the Eorna, wreaking destruction across the planet. Within a matter of days, the 
  worms had nearly driven the gentle Eorna to extinction. Still, the Eorna fought valiantly, and were able to resist complete annihilation 
  because the Sathar had overextended their supply lines. 
   
  The Sathar retreated, hoping they had destroyed enough of the Eorna civilization to prevent the gentle creatures from ever 
  attempting interstellar travel again. In case they had failed, however, the Sathar left a mysterious artifact behind to alert them of any 
  interstellar travel in the Zebulon system that might occur in the future. 
   
  Less than 150 Eorna survived the Day of Death. They soon realized they were doomed as a race, for they knew that their numbers 
  were not large enough to provide a viable gene pool. The survivors chose to dedicate what remained of their lives to the evolution of 
  other intelligent races on Volturnus. The Eorna hoped to prepare these races to meet and defeat the Sathar. 
   
  The Eorna are using a subtle process of hypnotic indoctrination and DNA manipulation to accelerate the development of three races 
  toward intelligence. Most of the Eorna survivors have undergone cryogenic sleep, waiting to be awakened until they are needed to 
  continue the project. Despite the fact that most of their young are born physically or mentally deficient because of the limited gene 
  pool, the Eorna continue to breed, relying upon the few normal children to help continue the project. 
   
  The development of the star route by Truane's Star has completely upset Eorna plans. Though three races are intelligent, they have 
  advanced only to a primitive state of technology. 
   
  More importantly, the presence of Truane's Star starships has triggered the Sathar's artifact, and, unknown to any, the Sathar are 
  already traveling to Volturnus as the adventure begins. This time, the worms are determined to annihilate all life on Volturnus. 
   
  Meanwhile, a race of intelligent machines has evolved in the secret caverns. These machines, the Mechanons, are determined to 
  eliminate or control the organic life forms infesting Volturnus. They will stop at nothing to insure their utter and total domination of 
  the planet. 
   
  Yet, as merciless as the Mechanons and as wicked as the Sathar are, neither of these races had anything to do with the 
  disappearance of the first Volturnian expedition. A ruthless band of space-pirates have established an illegal mining operation on the 
  planet, and have enslaved Edestekai farmers and many members of the first expedition to work in their mines. 
   
  As the player characters explore Volturnus, they may discover all of this information, or none of it. As the referee, you must decide 
  how much of this background information to release to them. 
   
  
   
  136 
   
   
   
   
  ALIEN CULTURE BACKGROUND REPORT 
  THE UL-MOR 
   
  PHYSICAL APPEARANCE - Ul-Mor resemble octopi adapted to life on land. Like octopi, Ul-Mor have eight large limbs. Each limb 
  ends in five small tentacles useful for grasping and manipulation. They walk on the four largest limbs, using the other four to hold 
  weapons and tools. 
   
  The Ul-Mor also have a ninth limb, a tentacle about 30 centimeters long. This tentacle is an extension of the spinal cord. The end 
  contains a hard cartilage point encasing a series of nerver endings. The Ul-Mor can insert the tip of this tentacle into the fatty tissue 
  surrounding the spinal cord of other creatures, achieving a nerve link which allows them to communicate directly with the creature's 
  mind. The UI-Mor use this tentacle so effectively they can achieve a direct mind-link with any being. 
   
  They do not have a complex spoken language, since they communicate with each other using mind-link. The Ul-Mor have, however, 
  developed a secret sign language used in situations where mind-link proves impractical. 
   
  CULTURE - The Ul-Mor are pastoral nomads inhabiting the deserts and rocky barrens of Volturnus, where they herd kwidges and 
  cactus whompers. While tending their flocks, the Ul-Mor ride a 4 meter tall dinosaur called a loper. They control these animals using 
  mind-link, and, as a consequence, very close ties develop between rider and beast. The Ul-Mor's high regard for lopers is apparent to 
  anyone associating with them. 
   
  Much of the Ul-Mor culture is based on their religion. They believe in the "One Who is Many," a deity that encompasses all things. 
  Though there are many different forms of the One, the Ul-Mor believe that all objects, no matter how strange, are part of the One. 
   
  As an Ul-Mor matures, he identifies with a particular object (such as a tree, rock, or bush). When he dies, he is buried near this 
  object, and is believed to have been transformed into that object. The object is then named after the dead Ul-Mor. In this manner, 
  the Ul-Mor avoid considering a tribe-member dead. Instead, dead Ul-Mor merely assume a new form of the One. 
   
  A special historian, called a Remember, memorizes the names and locations of those who have assumed a new form of the One. 
  Usually, these names include a capsule history of the individual's life. 
   
  Ul-Mor life is filled with pageantry and ritual. The most important ritual is the Time of Oneness. When the two moons of Volturnus 
  enter conjunction with its sun, the capacity for mind-link is increased greatly. The Ul-Mor then have a tribal mind-link known as the 
  time of Oneness. During this mind-link, they undergo a mystical experience, seeing everything as a part of the great Oneness. 
   
  Another important ritual is the Great Game. At the end of each year, Ul-Mor males ride their lopers in a very rough contest called the 
  Great Game. This contest is similar to a cross between polo, rugby, and fox hunting. The new year is then named after the victor. 
   
  The basic social unit of the Ul-Mor is the "clutch," a marriage unit consisting of several Ul-Mor that have found themselves compatible 
  during the "Time of Oneness." The adult males of the clutch care for the herds and prepare themselves for combat, while the females 
  take turns incubating the clutch's eggs and maintaining the camp. 
   
  Though most decisions affecting Ul-Mor life are made on the family level, they do have tribal and inter-tribal councils. These councils 
  make decisions affecting the tribe and the nation. If a family does not agree with a council decision, they may leave the tribe and do 
  as they please. 
   
  The Ul-Mor legal system is strongly objective, making no allowances for extenuating circumstances. Because the law is designed to 
  protect the tribe, the Ul-Mor feel that extenuating circumstances are unimportant. If an individual violates the law, he has injured the 
  tribe and must be punished. 
   
  Punishment usually emphasizes compensation for injury inflicted upon the tribe. Some crimes, however, are so serious that the 
  individual can never compensate for his transgression. Such crimes include wasting water, breaking eggs, and desecrating sacred 
  objects. The punishment for these crimes is always banishment. (Most banished Ul-Mor quickly die without the comfort of mind-link.) 
   
  Though the Ul-Mor are basically communal beings, they maintain a facade of individualism. The Ul-Mor often wear brightly colored 
  headdresses with dyed kwidge feathers, have decorative body tattoos, and engage in a form of ritualized theft designed to display 
  their cunning and battle prowess. An individual may attempt to steal anything he wishes from any being who is not a friend of the 
  tribe's. If he succeeds, the thief divides his prize among all members of the tribe. The easier it is to divide the prize, the more 
  impressive the Ul- Mor consider the theft. 
   
  UL-MOR REACTIONS TO PLAYERS - Like most explorers meeting a new race, the player characters will find their smallest actions 
  are likely to provoke strong reactions from the Ul-Mor. Any selfish or greedy action will be regarded with distaste by the Ul-Mor. The 
  Ul-Mor will take immediate and forceful action to prevent wastage, but will not punish a character unless he does the same thing 
  several times in a row. Any character who desecrates a sacred object or steals from a member of the tribe, however, will immediately 
  be stripped of his equipment and left to die in the desert. (If an Ul-Mor marriage unit is willing to repair the damage and take 
  responsibility for the character, however, the Ul-Mor will give the transgressor another chance.) 
   
  Any character who gives them gifts and cooperates easily will be well-liked, and treated with courtesy. A character who exhibits 
  courage, battle prowess, or a showy display of ostentation will be greatly admired. The Ul-Mor will go to great lengths to impress this 
  character. 
   
   
  
   
  137 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  138 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  139 
   
   
   
  
   
  140 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  141 
   
   
  Character 
  Generation 
  Your character begins play without any decent gear, 
  often with mediocre statistics, and very few skills.  
  He can survive with a player’s wit, but if he gets in a 
  serious firefight, he’s space toast.  These rules are 
  presented to give some additional options for 
  fleshing out your character. 
   
  Prioritizing Ability Scores 
  Using this option, players may (before rolling any 
  dice) select any one ability pair and favor that pair.  
  If he does this, however, he must then slight some 
  other pair.  He can favor as many pairs as desired, 
  as long as he balances it by slighting another pair.   
   
  Some 
  of the other optional rules also take 
  advantage of favoring and slighting, giving you 
  more options for personalizing your character. 
   
  Favoring 
  an 
  ability 
  pair 
  doesn’t 
  mean 
  you’ll 
  automatically max out in those scores.  Slighting a 
  pair does not preclude you from being able to roll a 
  high score.  The only purpose is to skew the odds in 
  the favor of a character concept. 
   
  When you roll ability scores, you roll on one of three 
  columns depending on whether that pair is favored, 
  slighted, or left up to chance.  Use the following 
  table to determine your ability scores. 
   
  Slight 
  Normal 
  Favor 
  Score 
  01-15 
  01-10 
  01-05 
  30 
  16-30 
  11-20 
  06-10 
  35 
  31-50 
  21-35 
  11-20 
  40 
  51-65 
  36-55 
  21-30 
  45 
  66-75 
  56-70 
  31-45 
  50 
  76-85 
  71-80 
  45-65 
  55 
  86-95 
  81-90 
  66-80 
  60 
  96-98 
  91-95 
  81-90 
  65 
  99-00 
  96-00 
  91-00 
  70 
   
  Fixed Ability Total 
  This is another option, for those players tired of 
  rolling crappy while the person to their left gets a 
  hand full of 65’s. 
   
  This option balances one character against the 
  others, makes sure no one person gets so lucky that 
  his abilities cause him to dominate play. 
   
  Simply allot 180 points among all four ability score 
  pairs.  You can still personalize the scores after, 
  making sure not to shift more than 10 points from 
  one ability to its matched pair.  Remember that no 
  ability can start higher than 70 before applying 
  racial adjustments. 
   
  Referees can change this total to have more or less 
  heroic player characters, referring to the following 
  table. 
   
  Power Level 
  Points 
  Realistic 
  180 
  Heroic 
  200 
  Legendary 
  250 
   
  Variable Skill Levels 
  Using this option, not all characters will begin play 
  with the same number of skill levels.  Regardless of 
  the number of skill levels rolled on the following 
  table, at least one skill must be chosen out of your 
  character’s Primary Skill Area. 
   
  Roll 
  Beginning Skill Levels 
  01-35 
  1 Level in any one PSA skill. 
  36-80 
  1 Level in any one PSA skill, 
  1 Level in any other skill in any PSA. 
  81-95 
  2 Levels in any one PSA skill, 
  1 Level in any other skill in any PSA. 
  96-00 
  2 Levels in any one PSA skill, 
  1 Level in any one other PSA skill, 
  1 Level in any other skill in any PSA. 
   
   
   
  Section 6 
  
   
  142 
   
   
  Prioritizing Variable Skill Levels 
  If using the Prioritizing Ability Scores rule, above, 
  you may opt to favor your roll on the beginning skill 
  levels table instead of favoring an ability pair.  Or, 
  you may decide to slight your roll on this table to 
  meet some concept of a less-skilled/naive character.  
  If you favor your skill roll, simply roll twice and take 
  the best roll.  If you slight your skill roll, roll twice 
  and take the lowest roll. 
   
  Variable Wealth 
  The standard game rules make a player roll 
  d100+250 for starting money.  This works fine for a 
  certain level of beginning play, but some referees 
  may wish to adjust this by rolling on the following 
  table for starting wealth.  Note that this is for the 
  express purpose of selecting starting equipment, 
  and players cannot use this to start off with several 
  hundred extra Credits.  He must spend as many as 
  possible, and may not begin play with more than 
  100Cr remaining. 
   
  Wealth  
  Roll  
   
  Result 
  01-20 
  Poorly Equipped  
  d100+100Cr. 
  21-70 
  Typical  
  d100+250Cr. 
  71-85 
  Well-Equipped  
  d100+500Cr. 
  86-95 
  Very Well-Equipped  
  d100+750Cr. 
  96-00 
  Extremely Well-Equipped  
  d100+1000Cr. 
   
  Prioritizing Variable Wealth 
  If using the Prioritizing Ability Scores rule, above, 
  you may opt to favor your roll on the beginning 
  wealth levels table instead of favoring an ability 
  pair.  Or, you may decide to slight your roll on this 
  table to meet some concept of a poorly equipped 
  character.  If you favor your wealth roll, simply roll 
  twice and take the best roll.  If you slight your 
  wealth roll, roll twice and take the lowest roll. 
   
  Edges & Flaws 
  This rule helps flesh-out a character, making him 
  more than a collection of numbers and choices.  
  Using this rule, your character has one Edge and 
  one Flaw. 
   
  Edge. An Edge is something that provides a bonus 
  or perk to your character.  It may be something that 
  ties him to the Frontier (having a wealthy patron, 
  for example), or may be something that helps him 
  accomplish his missions effectively (well-connected 
  in the underworld).  It may be something that 
  simply boosts his chances of success under certain 
  circumstances 
  (such 
  as 
  being 
  a 
  talented 
  Swordsman, or extraordinarily observant).   An Edge 
  could even be a source of aid, financial or otherwise 
  (such as being independently wealthy, or having an 
  informant among Pan Galactic Corporation who 
  provides information). 
   
  There is no finite list of Edges.  Creative players can 
  be as broad or as focused as they would like with 
  the selection of their one Edge, but referees will be 
  overseeing the selection. 
   
  During game play, the player can call on his Edge 
  only once per sitting.  When he relies on his Edge, 
  he can invoke one of the following abilities, relevant 
  to the situation. 
   
  • Swap the tens die and the ones die to flip-flop a 
  percentile roll relevant to your Edge, whether 
  you’re the one who rolled it or not. 
  • Get a one-time situational bonus of +25 to any 
  one roll that is relevant to your Edge. 
  • Provide an in-game opportunity for aid or 
  assistance relevant to your Edge (“Hey – I think I 
  know someone who lives near here.  She should 
  be able to give us shelter”). 
  • Ignore damage just taken in the same combat 
  turn as long as the situation is relevant to your 
  Edge. 
  • Provide a means by which to acquire d10x100 Cr, 
  as long as a rationale can be stated that is 
  relevant to your Edge. 
   
  For example: a bounty hunter character’s player 
  decides to give him an Edge called “Hard Target” – 
  stating that his character’s professional talent and 
  skill makes him hard to sneak up on and hard to hit 
  in combat.  In game, once per session, his player 
  may invoke his Edge and use it to affect a previously 
  rolled action (flip-flop the dice), ignore damage just 
  rolled against him, or even to find a way to make his 
  hard-to-hit nature profitable (“Hey barkeep – I’ll bet 
  you 50Cr you can’t hit me with that stunner...”). 
   
  Flaw. A Flaw is the opposite of an Edge.  It provides 
  a situational penalty, or somehow causes difficulties 
  or troubles for your character.  It can be something 
  as simple and seemingly-harmless as having a 
  girlfriend, or can be something potentially deadly 
  like owing a loan-shark a large sum of money.  
  Flaws provide story hooks for the referee to draw 
  on, and can cause the story to become complex.  
  For this reason, any Flaw selection must be 
  approved by the referee. 
   
  For example: A nefarious character decides to have 
  his Flaw be “Professional Rival with Rikar Thane” 
  and informs the referee that there is another rogue 
  who likes to compete with him on missions.  The GM 
  
   
  143 
   
   
  approves this and can, once per session, call on this 
  Flaw if he so desires to impede the character’s 
  progress or be a general thorn in his side. 
   
  During game play, the referee can call on the 
  player’s Flaw once per session.  Depending on the 
  nature of the Flaw, and the situation in which it is 
  used, it can cause general difficulty for the character 
  or could place him in mortal danger. 
   
  The referee will decide what to do with the Flaw.  It 
  could be something as simple as getting a call from 
  a dependent NPC who needs the character to do her 
  a favor right away.  Or it may be a financial problem 
  associated with your Flaw (costing you in the 
  neighborhood of d10x100 Cr.).  Or it may just be a 
  situational penalty to a die roll of -25 or even flip-
  flopping a roll that otherwise would have resulted in 
  something good.  The player has no say in how the 
  referee invokes the Flaw, or even if he invokes it. 
   
  Prioritizing Edge & Flaw 
  If you’re using the Prioritizing Ability Scores optional 
  rule, you can favor or slight “Edge & Flaw” as if it 
  were an ability.  Favoring “Edge & Flaw” gives you 
  two edges or no flaw (your choice).  Slighting it 
  causes you to either have two flaws or only one flaw 
  but no edge. 
   
  If you have two edges or two flaws and decide to 
  select the same thing more than once, you’ll have to 
  note this on your character sheet because you (or 
  the referee) will be able to invoke that flaw twice 
  per session instead of just once. 
   
  Monoblades 
  In the equipment section, there exists rules for sonic 
  and electric/vibro weaponry.  But science fiction is 
  ripe with a technology called monofilament blades, 
  and if the referee allows, you may purchase these 
  additional three items. 
   
  Construction. 
  Mono 
  weapons 
  utilize 
  a 
  monofilament wire specially treated with galvatronic 
  force fields and have their molecules aligned with 
  high intensity lasers.  The end result is a blade 
  whose leading edge is only a single molecule wide, 
  and it keeps its edge through a great deal of use. 
   
  By necessity and economics, mono-bladed weapons 
  are single-bladed (having one sharp side, and one 
  blunt) and therefore the favored configurations are 
  oriental in style (Katanas, Tantos and Wakizashis) 
  with some Mono Sabers seeing use in the various 
  space navies. 
   
  Monofilament Glow. Swinging the blade through 
  the air causes molecules in the air to be alive with 
  phosphorescent activity as molecules are displaced 
  by the blade.  This gives a mono blade in motion the 
  effect of glowing, though in truth it is the air which 
  reacts to its movements. 
   
  Worn Blades. The only limitation on monofilament 
  blades is that their edge will eventually dull.  At the 
  end of a session of play where a monofilament blade 
  was used, roll d100.  There is a base 3% chance 
  that the blade has dulled.  A dulled blade loses 1d10 
  from its damage rating until it can be repaired.  
  Repairing a worn monoblade costs half its normal 
  purchase price. 
   
   
   
  Melee 
  Weapons 
  (Mod) 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
   
  Damage 
   
  Ammo 
   
  SEU 
   
  Rate 
   
  Defense 
  Range 
  (PB/S/M/L/E) 
  Mono Weapons 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Mono Tanto 
  (+5) 
  50 
  -- 
  2d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Mono Wakizashi (+10) 
  100 
  1 
  3d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
  Mono Katana 
  (+10) 
  200 
  1 
  4d10 
  -- 
  -- 
  -- 
  Inertia 
  -- 
   
  
   
  144 
   
   
   
  Defensive Armor 
  The game already has details for skeinsuits (military 
  and civilian) but lacks any rules for dealing with 
  harder armor.  If you wish to add harder armor to 
  your game, use these rules. 
   
  Players may not layer other defensive suits over 
  polyplate armor, though screens 
  will function 
  normally. 
   
  Partial Polyplate Armor 
  This armor covers all vital areas with hardened 
  polymer plates, formed and molded to the body.  
  The armor is fitted, and can only be modified to fit 
  another person in a lab.  In the field, a Technician 
  may be able to modify it, but this requires a Repair 
  Machinery roll with a penalty equal to how different 
  the armor is from the person being fit to. 
   
  Protection. Partial Polyplate Armor acts like a 
  combination albedo suit and skeinsuit.  It absorbs 
  half damage from all beam and physical attacks.  
  Half the damage gets through to the wearer.   
   
  Ablative. The suit is somewhat ablative; as it 
  absorbs damage it becomes scored and darkened, 
  unable to reflect blaster fire well.  Its pieces crack 
  and chip, occasionally busting off.  This is top of the 
  line stuff, but it doesn’t last forever.  Therefore, 
  when the suit has absorbed 100 points of damage it 
  stops protecting the wearer and looks like hell. 
   
  Penalties.  Because of the restricting nature of the 
  plates, many people find it difficult to wear the 
  armor comfortably.  It can’t be slept in easily (unlike 
  skeinsuits).  Characters wearing Partial Polyplate 
  Armor have a -5 penalty applied to all Dexterity and 
  Reaction Speed checks.  
   
  Full Polyplate Armor 
  Like its less protective brother, Full Polyplate Armor 
  is a hardened polymer carapace designed to protect 
  a combatant from harm.  It works just like a Partial 
  Polyplate Armor, with the following differences. 
   
  Protection. Characters protected by this armor 
  take only one fourth (round down) the damage that 
  should otherwise be applied to them, if that damage 
  comes from a beam weapon or physical/inertial 
  source.  The other three fourths applies to the 
  armor. 
   
  Ablative. The armor can take 250 points of damage 
  before it stops protecting the wearer. 
   
  Penalties.  Full Polyplate is much more restrictive, 
  and characters have a -10 penalty applied to all 
  Dexterity and Reaction Speed checks. 
   
  Polyplate Armor Skill 
  Players with a Military PSA may wish to spend the 
  equivalent number of experience points to overcome 
  the penalties associated with the use of Polyplate 
  armor.  This isn’t really a skill, but a player may 
  spend 5 experience points to eliminate the penalty 
  from Partial Polyplate, and 10 experience points to 
  overcome the penalties from Full Polyplate.  These 
  are separate purchases.  Characters with non-
  Military PSAs cannot do this. 
   
   
   
  Defense 
  Cost 
  (Cr) 
  Wgt 
  (kg) 
   
  Energy 
  Defense 
  Against 
  Defensive Armor 
   
   
   
   
  Partial Polyplate 
  1,250 
  8 
  100 points 
  laser/ballistic 
     Protection: 1/2 
     -5 DEX/RS 
   
   
   
   
  Full Polyplate 
  3,000 
  15 
  250 points 
  laser/ballistic 
     Protection: 3/4 
     -10 DEX/RS 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  145 
   
   
   
  Mentalist PSA 
  Many forms of science fiction include beings with 
  supernatural powers dealing with the mind.  It is up 
  to the referee to allow the use of this special PSA, 
  and to define the nature of the power (or allow the 
  player to do so).  It could be psionic, personally-
  powered through strength of the mind.  It could be 
  an all-encompassing energy field that surrounds all 
  living beings and breathes life into the Frontier.  It 
  could be power granted from a divine (or evil?) 
  being.  It could be spiritual energy channeled from 
  another dimension.  Whatever the source, the rules 
  work the same. 
   
  Mentalist PSA is just another skill group, except 
  that players may not select any of the subskills 
  contained within it unless they are a member of this 
  Primary Skill Area.  Thus, Mentalists learn Mentalist 
  skills, an nobody else may. 
   
  Restrictions. 
  Starting 
  characters 
  can 
  select 
  Mentalist PSA only with their referee’s approval, and 
  must possess an Intuition, Logic, Personality, or 
  Leadership score of 70 or higher.  They may only 
  select one single skill regardless of the number of 
  skills they are normally entitled to begin with.   
   
  Development. 
  Any 
  further 
  development 
  of 
  Mentalist skills beyond character generation must be 
  through normal character development and should 
  probably require a teacher. 
   
  Skill Level 
  to Purchase 
  Experience  
  Point Cost 
  Level 1 
  10* 
  Level 2 
  12 
  Level 3 
  18 
  Level 4 
  24 
  Level 5 
  30 
  Level 6 
  36 
  *The first level requires a teacher.  
   
  Using Skills. The use of a Mentalist skill isn’t free.  
  Your character will have to invoke the power using 
  normal skill roll mechanics (base chance plus ten 
  times his skill’s level).   
   
  Mental 
  Endurance. 
  It 
  causes 
  the 
  character 
  personal fatigue to invoke these powers.  Mentalists 
  have a special pool of points (like Current Stamina) 
  that is equal to their Logic score.  As they use their 
  powers, their Mental Endurance depletes.  When 
  they are out of Mental Endurance, they cannot use 
  their mental powers until they recover. 
   
  The amount of Mental Endurance it costs to invoke a 
  Mentalist skill is equal to a number of d10 based on 
  the invoked skill level.  Thus if you used Enhance 
  Strength (from the Metabolic Control skill) at level 
  1, you will take 1d10 Mental Endurance damage.  If 
  you had 4 levels of that skill and invoked only 3 of 
  them, you’d sustain 3d10 damage. 
   
  If you fail to invoke your skill, you are still slightly 
  fatigued by the attempt.  You lose one Mental 
  Endurance point per level of the failed skill level. 
   
  Mental Endurance Recovery.  Mentalist recover 
  their lost Mental Endurance at a rate of 1d10 per 
  hour spent sleeping or meditating.  If referees prefer 
  simplicity, recover 5 points per hour of rest/ 
  meditation. 
   
  METABOLIC CONTROL 
  The Metabolic Control skill has several subskills.  
  These abilities deal with mind over body, the mental 
  manipulation of the self. 
   
  ENHANCE AGILITY 
  Success Rate: 
  40% + skill level 
  The character concentrates for a full turn, then 
  attempts this skill.  If successful, he is permitted to 
  add 10 times his current level to all DEX/RS checks 
  for a duration of one round. At a cost of 1 additional 
  Mental Endurance per turn, he can continue to keep 
  the power invoked until he turns it off or runs out of 
  psychic energy. 
   
  ENHANCE PHYSIQUE 
  Success Rate: 
  50% + skill level 
  The character concentrates for a full turn, then 
  attempts this skill.  If successful, he is permitted to 
  Mentalist PSA 
   
  Metabolic Control 
   
  Enhance Agility 
  40% + level 
  Enhance Physique 
  50% + level 
  Enhance Senses 
  60% + level 
  Heal Self 
  100% + level - damage 
  Hyper Movement 
  65% + level 
  Pheromone Emission 
  25% + level 
  Psychokinesis 
   
  Fire Starter 
  40% + level 
  Inertial Barrier 
  25% + level 
  Levitation 
  50% + level 
  Sonic Barrier 
  25% + level 
  Telekinesis 
  100% + level – weight(kg) 
  Telepath 
   
  Awareness 
  40% + level 
  Clairaudience 
  20% + level 
  Clairvoyance 
  20% + level 
  Dominion 
  15% + level – target LOG 
  Empathy 
  30% + level 
  Read Thoughts 
  80% + level – target LOG 
  Send Thoughts 
  70% + level 
  Suggestion 
  40% + level – target LOG 
   
  
   
  146 
   
   
  add 10 times his current level to all STR/STA checks 
  for a duration of one round.  At a cost of 1 additional 
  Mental Endurance per turn, he can continue to keep 
  the power invoked until he turns it off or runs out of 
  psychic energy. 
   
  ENHANCE SENSES 
  Success Rate: 
  60% + skill level 
  The character concentrates for a full turn, then 
  attempts this skill.  If successful, he is permitted to 
  add 10 times his current level to all Intuition checks 
  for a duration of one round. At a cost of 1 additional 
  Mental Endurance per turn, he can continue to keep 
  the power invoked until he turns it off or runs out of 
  psychic energy. 
   
  HEAL SELF 
  Success Rate: 
  100% + skill level – amount of damage to heal 
  The character meditates for one full minute then 
  attempts this skill.  If successful, he heals the 
  amount of damage he set out to heal.  This healing 
  is fairly miraculous – the character will suffer 
  absolutely no scarring as the fabric of his body knits 
  itself together at an amazing rate.  Characters are 
  always hungry after performing a Heal Self. 
   
  HYPERMOVEMENT 
  Success Rate: 
  65% + skill level 
  The Mentalist concentrates for a full round then 
  invokes this power.  If successful, his movement 
  rate will increase by a multiple equal to his skill 
  level.  For example, a Vrusk Mentalist (base running 
  movement rate 35 meters per turn) that invoked a 
  level 3 Metabolic Control skill could increase his 
  running speed by (35 x 3 =) 105 meters per turn!  
  This power can be kept up by spending further 
  Mental Endurance, but the character can’t keep this 
  level of activity up for any longer than he could 
  normally run (a number of minutes equal to his 
  Stamina score).  Note that this same multiple 
  applies to all leaping and jumping distances.  At a 
  cost of 1 additional Mental Endurance per turn, he 
  can continue to keep the power invoked until he 
  turns it off or runs out of psychic energy. 
   
  PHEROMONE EMISSION 
  Success Rate: 
  25% + skill level 
  The character invokes this power and emits a 
  psychic attraction to members of the opposite 
  gender and the same species.  Anyone who picks up 
  the mental scent becomes enamored with the 
  character, sees them as an object of sexual desire, 
  for as long as the Mentalist continues to upkeep the 
  pheromone emission  (by spending one additional 
  Mental Endurance point per turn).  If the target(s) 
  leave the proximity of the character (2 meters per 
  skill level) the power begins to fade. 
   
  An enamored character will generally do what is 
  asked, as long as certain promises and favors are 
  offered or provided.  They may act to protect the 
  character if it is within their nature to do so.  The 
  individual is not in love, they are in lust.  They won’t 
  willingly die for the character. 
   
  PSYCHOKINESIS 
  This skill deals with manipulation of external 
  energies. 
   
  It 
  allows 
  for 
  personal 
  sensing, 
  manipulating, creation and destruction of subtle 
  energy patterns. 
   
  FIRE STARTER 
  Success Rate: 
  40% + skill level 
  This non combative ability allows the character to 
  keep himself warm in cold elements, and allows him 
  to invoke fire through sheer will.  He can manipulate 
  the energies of a fire, and cause it to burn brighter 
  or dimmer, or to change in intensity/color.  When 
  the Mentalist invokes this power (and spends the 
  invocation cost), he can continue to keep it up for 
  very long periods of time.  Each hour he can spend 
  another point of Mental Endurance to keep up the 
  power, thus keeping himself protected from the 
  elements. 
   
  This power can also be invoked in an offensive 
  manner.  He concentrates and makes his skill roll, in 
  doing so creates a fireball that streaks towards an 
  intended target.  He has to roll to hit his target, just 
  as if he were hurling a weapon at him.  If it hits, it 
  causes 1d10 damage per skill level.  If it misses, the 
  target was able to get out of the way and therefore 
  takes half damage.  Invoking Fire starter in this 
  manner doesn’t last an hour, its effects are 
  immediate.  If the Mentalist wanted to hurl another 
  fireball in the next round he could do so but it would 
  be another invocation of this power.  Note that this 
  also does 5 points structural damage per skill level. 
   
  INERTIA BARRIER 
  Success Rate: 
  25% + skill level 
  The character concentrates one round then invokes 
  this ability.  If successful, he has the equivalent of 
  an Inertia Screen up.  Each turn it is on drains one 
  Mental Endurance (in addition to the invocation cost, 
  of course).  It protects the character from half of all 
  ballistic damage.  Each time it is struck, regardless 
  of the amount of damage it absorbs, the character 
  sustains another point of Mental Endurance damage. 
   
   
   
  
   
  147 
   
   
  LEVITATION 
  Success Rate: 
  50% + skill level 
  The Mentalist character makes a skill check and, if 
  successful, can levitate himself.  He can ascend 1 
  meter per turn per skill level, and can descend at 
  twice that rate.  He can move about horizontally 
  also, at a rate of 2 meters per turn per skill level.  
  This movement can be increased by invoking the 
  power a second time (spending the high invocation 
  cost) while the first one is active, which doubles the 
  movement rate each time it is done.  Levitation can 
  be kept up for a long time.  When invoked, levitation 
  is possible for one full hour.  Each hour, the current 
  level of levitation can be kept up by spending one 
  more Mental Endurance point per hour. 
   
  For example: A character has a Psychokinesis skill at 
  level 3.  He successfully invokes this power and can 
  now ascend at 3 meters/turn, descend at 6 meters 
  per turn, or travel about horizontally at a rate of 6 
  meters per turn.  It cost him 3d10 Mental Endurance 
  to invoke this.  Before the hour is over, he invokes a 
  second 
  time, 
  costing 
  another 
  3d10 
  Mental 
  Endurance and doubling his movement rate.  Each 
  hour thereafter, he can continue his double-speed 
  movement rate by spending one more Mental 
  Endurance per hour. 
   
  SONIC BARRIER 
  Success Rate: 
  25% + skill level 
  The character concentrates one round then invokes 
  this ability.  If successful, he has the equivalent of a 
  Sonic Screen up.  Each turn it is on drains one 
  Mental Endurance (in addition to the invocation cost, 
  of course).  It protects the character from half of all 
  Sonic damage.  Each time it is struck, regardless of 
  the amount of damage it absorbs, the character 
  sustains another point of Mental Endurance damage. 
   
  TELEKINESIS 
  Success Rate: 
  100% + skill level – weight (kg) 
  The character can cause an item to move around by 
  manipulating gravity fields around it.  Imagine 
  telekinesis as a spectral hand that comes out from 
  the body of the Mentalist (invisible, of course) and 
  can lift things or manipulate them.  The maximum 
  length of the “hand” is 2 meters per skill level.  
  When the character invokes this power, it lasts only 
  for one turn.  During that turn, the character can 
  manipulate only one object.  It moves about at a 
  rate appropriate if the character were lifting it with 
  his “hand.”  People could be lifted, though this is 
  very hard to accomplish since people generally 
  weigh more than 50kg.  A character can hurl an 
  item at an opponent, using normal thrown weapon 
  rules.  Of course, the size and shape of the item will 
  affect how much damage it will do, but a general 
  rule is 1d10 per 10kg of weight.  Thus if a character 
  managed to hurl a 40kg piece of machinery at his 
  opponent, and hit with his thrown weapons score, 
  he would cause 4d10 damage.  A referee might 
  allow an RS avoidance roll for half damage. 
   
  If the telekinetic action to be attempted is not the 
  manipulation of sheer weight but instead a function 
  of fine manipulation, then instead of the weight 
  modifier the player should have a penalty equal to 
  what the referee determines is the complexity for 
  such an action.  Catching a coin in flight might have 
  a -20 modifier, despite its low weight, because of its 
  size, shape, and the speed of its movement. 
   
  TELEPATH 
  This skill allows the character to tap into a collective 
  consciousness or to project his senses and thoughts.  
  It doesn’t allow for the personal enhancement of 
  individual senses  
   
  AWARENESS  
  Success Rate:  
  40% + skill level 
  A character using this skill has a chance to pick up 
  an item and figure out its intended use. If the 
  artifact is alien, a negative modifier may be imposed 
  by the referee. Once an artifact's purpose is 
  identified, a specific skill may be needed to operate 
  it (computers, etc.).    
   
  This skill also allows a character to read psychic 
  impressions left on an object by the last person who 
  used it. Information that can be gained includes 
  what the user looked like, what he thought while 
  using it, what he was doing for the last few hours 
  before the item was lost, stolen, or otherwise left his 
  possession. The long the item has been untouched, 
  the dimmer the impression. This skill is used most 
  often by Star Law officers and spies. 
   
  CLAIRAUDIENCE 
  Success Rate:  
  20% + skill level 
  A character with this skill can "listen" through 
  anything up to a distance of 5 meters per skill level 
  (if the area is known to him) or 2 meters per skill 
  level (if the area is unknown). This listening is 
  directional and does not cover a large area. The 
  area listened to cannot be larger than a 5-meter 
  radius. When zeroed in on, sounds from the area 
  can be heard as if the user was there himself. Any 
  sound attack in the area has full effect on the 
  character 
  using 
  this 
  discipline. 
   
   
  Successful 
  invocation lasts one minute per level, and then may 
  be continued as long as desired by spending one 
  more Mental Endurance to invoke it automatically 
  again. 
  
   
  148 
   
   
   
  CLAIRVOYANCE 
  Success Rate:  
  20% + skill level 
  A character with this skill can "see" a distance of 10 
  meters per skill level (if the area is known to him) or 
  5 meters per turn (if the area is unknown). This 
  directional sight focuses on an area that is no larger 
  than a 5-meter radius. It is affected as sight would 
  be by darkness or light attacks (flash grenades). 
  Successful invocation lasts one minute per level, and 
  then may be continued as long as desired by 
  spending one more Mental Endurance to invoke it 
  automatically again. 
   
  DOMINION 
  Success Rate: 
  15% + skill level – target’s LOG 
  When this power is invoked, your character gains 
  control of the intended target as if he were a 
  puppet.  You can switch your awareness into that 
  person, overpowering his mind.  He is aware of what 
  is going on, but cannot do anything about it. You 
  walk in his body, talk through his mouth, use his 
  equipment and scan successfully on all security 
  equipment that you are that person.  Your own body 
  is frozen in a state of suspended animation, feeding 
  off your psychic energy.  You can remain in that 
  person for one hour, then must pay a Mental 
  Endurance point to continue for another hour, and 
  so on.  When you stop paying, or cancel the ability, 
  you instantly snap back to your own body and 
  reanimate it.  If your own body is attacked, you 
  could be in trouble.  It’s not recommended to leave 
  your body unguarded while in the other person’s 
  body.  While in the target’s body, any other 
  Mentalist skills you use will emanate from his body, 
  not your own. 
   
  EMPATHY 
  Success Rate:  
  30% + skill level 
  This skill not only allows the character to gain a 
  general impression of the mood and intentions of 
  individuals or groups, it also allows him to broadcast 
  his emotions to an individual or group. Broadcasting 
  emotional attitudes like friendship, love, caution, 
  helpfulness, and so forth can sometimes prove 
  invaluable in clearing up a misunderstanding. The 
  character cannot broadcast these emotions unless 
  he truly feels them. These feelings should help 
  dictate his actions. As with the skill, this discipline 
  only allows vague and undefined information to be 
  learned and only one attempt at it can be made per 
  encounter.  If invoked to broadcast an emotion, 
  those within 2 meters per level will feel the wave of 
  emotion.  They’ll react to the emotion as if it were 
  genuinely theirs.  If they have a reason to mistrust 
  you they are allowed a Logic avoidance roll. 
   
  READ THOUGHTS 
  Success Rate: 
  80% + skill level – target’s LOG 
  The mentalist character is able to communicate 
  surface thoughts with a willing target (they don’t 
  impose their LOG score as a penalty to the success 
  rate) for up to a full minute with successful use of 
  this skill.  The target can be a known mind up to 
  1km per level away, or can be an unfamiliar mind 
  located 10 meters per level away. 
   
  If desired, though, this ability can be used to delve 
  deeply into the subconscious mind of the target.  
  This allows for the Mentalist to divine the answer to 
  one question per skill level.  Of course, the target 
  will probably not be willing and will oppose the 
  Mentalist’s skill roll with his LOG score.  The answer 
  to be sought can be a yes/no question, or a question 
  with a numerical answer.  If it is more complex than 
  this (the identity of someone, where the person has 
  been, etc.) then there will be a penalty applied to 
  the roll based on how complex the answer is. 
   
  SEND THOUGHTS 
  Success Rate: 
  70% + skill level 
  The character is able to send his thoughts in one of 
  two manners with successful use of this ability.  One 
  option is a general broadcast, which travels 
  outwards to all those minds within 10 meters per 
  level.  Communication is one way.  The second way 
  is to reach out and touch the mind of someone far 
  away – up to 1 km per level – as long as the mind is 
  a familiar one.  Once the power is invoked, 
  communication can continue for up to a minute, but 
  remember that such communication is one-way.  
  You can’t hear anyone’s thoughts unless you use the 
  Read Thoughts skill.  You can, of course, continue 
  using this ability by spending a single Mental 
  Endurance point per minute until you run out or are 
  done annoying someone by saying “are we there 
  yet?” in their mind a thousand times. If a target 
  mind is aware of your attempt and wishes to shut 
  you out, he can do so with a LOG roll but not until 
  after you’ve done it once and he’s aware of your 
  attempt.  If shut out of a mind, you cannot regain 
  entry to send more thoughts for one hour. 
   
  SUGGESTION 
  Success Rate: 
  40% + skill level – target’s LOG 
  You invoke this power, make your skill roll, spend 
  your Mental Endurance, then state a simple 
  suggestion you’d like the intended target to follow.  
  The suggestion can’t be obviously suicidal, and can’t 
  instruct the person to do something that would 
  cause him obvious harm.  If successful, the target 
  will do what you suggested. 
  
   
  149 
   
   
   
  Game play 
  These optional rules deal not with the generation of 
  the character but with the actual play of the game. 
   
  Simplified Skills  
  Some people don’t like having to reference a list of 
  percentages and subskills when trying to do 
  something skill-related with their character.  Other 
  players 
  may 
  dislike 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  skills 
  are 
  completely detached from ability scores (why does 
  my DEX help me shoot a foe with my Beam 
  Weapons skill, but it doesn’t make any difference 
  when trying to defuse a demolitions charge?).  If 
  you fall in one of these categories, this rule is for 
  you. 
   
  Instead of using the list of subskills, players use the 
  same rules as they do for combat.  Simply take half 
  your appropriate ability score then add ten times 
  your skill level in the skill in question.  Which ability 
  score to use depends on the circumstances, and the 
  type of skill roll you’re trying to make. 
   
  For example, your character is looking at a robot at 
  an auction, and deciding whether or not it would be 
  a good purchase.  In this case, he would use half his 
  Intuition as his base score, plus ten times his 
  Robotics skill.  Later, he gets it home and starts 
  working on repairing its broken track wheel, using 
  his Logic as his base score.  
   
  Modifiers. Just like combat (both ranged and 
  melee) has a list of modifiers, so too should the 
  referee impose penalties and bonuses based on how 
  complex the action is.  This is left up to the 
  discretion of the referee, but situational modifiers of 
  +30 to -30 should be a general guideline. 
   
  Increased Punching 
  Score Option 
  As it stands, having a punching score of +2 isn’t 
  that different from having a score of +4.  Opponents 
  have an average of 45 Stamina, and that makes 
  strength have very little effect on melee combat.  
  This rule increases the impact of Strength on melee 
  damage.   
   
  PS: Punching score is calculated in a different 
  manner.  Divide your character’s Strength score by 
  ten, rounding up, then subtract five.  This results in 
  a number between -2 and +2, with rare occurrences 
  of -3 or +3. 
   
  Application. Instead of adding to the damage roll, 
  it adds to each die of the damage roll.  Thus, if you 
  get to roll 5d10 for melee damage, and your 
  punching score is +3, you get to roll 5d10+15 (that 
  is, +3 per die).  This allows Strength to play a more 
  significant role on melee damage, and weapons 
  designed to amplify Strength do so in a more 
  pronounced manner. 
   
  More Lethal Combat 
  Some players and referees complain that the game 
  as it currently stands is not lethal enough.  For 
  example, your character might have a Stamina 
  score of 65.  He really doesn’t fear much from a guy 
  with a knife, who couldn’t do him significant damage 
  in a single blow regardless of his level of training. 
   
  In order to make combat more lethal, allow skill to 
  add damage, using the following table for reference.  
  This bonus applies to all combat skills. 
   
  Skill Level 
  Damage Bonus 
  Level 1 
  no bonus 
  Level 2 
  +1d10 
  Level 3 
  +1d10 
  Level 4 
  +2d10 
  Level 5 
  +2d10 
  Level 6 
  +3d10 
   
  Caution.  If using this optional rule in conjunction 
  with Increased Punching Score option,  Strength will 
  play an even more pronounced role in melee combat 
  (since we’re adding dice to the damage caused). 
   
   
   
  
   
  150 
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Star Frontiers (osr)/Star Frontier 1st Edition/Core/SFAD - Corebook - Core Rulebook.pdf