TEXT: 1
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  SCIENCE FICTION ROLEPLAYING
  INTRODUCTION TO
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  2
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  Nobles
  Priests
  Aliens
  Knights
  It is the dawn of the sixth millennium and the skies are
  darkening, for the suns themselves are fading. Humans
  reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high
  technology and universal emancipation — and then
  squandered it, fought over it, and finally lost it. A new
  Dark Age has descended on humanity, for the greatest of
  civilizations has fallen and even the stars die. Now, feu-
  dal lords rule the Known Worlds, vying for power with
  fanatic priests and scheming guilds.
  From the original developers of White Wolf’s Vampire®
  and Werewolf®, comes a saga of humanity’s fate
  among the stars…
  Starships
  Psychics
  Lost Worlds
  Ancient Artifacts
  FADING SUNS
  SCIENCE FICTION UNIVERSE
  Created by Bill Bridges & Andrew Greenberg
  www.fadingsuns.com
  Holistic Design Inc.
  5295 Hwy 78, D-337
  Stone Mountain, GA 30097
  www.holistic-design.com
  
  3
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  =
  A Futuristic Passion Play
  Once the suns shone brightly, beacons in the vast night
  of space, calling humanity onward. The stars were symbols
  of humanity’s vast potential, a purpose and destiny revealed
  in progress, inciting an exodus of unlimited growth to the
  distant stars. Once people looked to the heavens with hope
  and longing in their eyes.
  Then the suns — and the hope — began to fade.
  It is the beginning of the sixth millennium after Christ
  and history has come to an end. Humanity’s greatest civili-
  zation has fallen, leaving ignorance and fear scattered among
  the ruins of many worlds. A new Dark Age is upon human-
  ity and few believe in renewal and progress anymore. Now
  there is only waiting. Waiting for a slow death as the age-
  old stars fade to cinders and the souls of the sinful are called
  to Final Judgment.
  But not all believe in this destiny. A leader has arisen,
  an emperor sworn to unite the worlds of Human Space to-
  gether again under one banner. To ignite hope once more in
  people’s hearts.
  It is a monumental task, for most people have already
  given up and fallen into the ways of the past, playing serfs
  to feudal lords. What is hope to them now but a falsehood
  which leads to pain? Better to leave the hard decisions to
  their masters and let the Church console their souls.
  There are enemies everywhere, those who seek to self-
  ishly profit from humanity’s demise: vain nobles ruling far-
  flung worlds, power-hungry priests who seek dominion over
  the lives of men, the greedy merchant guilds growing rich
  from bartering humanity’s needs and wants. They are not
  alone. Others are out there among the darkening stars, alien
  races angry with humankind for age-old slavery, and enig-
  matic alien empires with agendas too paradoxical to fathom.
  It is in such a universe that individual men and women
  must live. Only a few of them will question. Fewer still will
  act on their questions and seek answers, ways to break the
  grip of custom and law. To free themselves and once more
  seize the stars — and their destiny.
  Fading Suns Science
  Fiction Roleplaying
  Fading Suns is a roleplaying game, a highly imagina-
  tive activity which can provide hours of fun and a means of
  creative expression. Fading Suns is primarily a game about
  heroes and the dramatic conflicts they encounter, from pal-
  ace intrigues to cliffhanging combats. It provides a frame-
  work for players to create games from any perspective they
  desire. If they want to play soldiers who fight evil with guns
  and fists, the rules are here. If they want to play merchants
  who prefer diplomacy to violence, or priests wrestling with
  a metaphysical crisis, rules and helpful dramatic hints are
  also provided. Fading Suns is whatever the players want it
  to be.
  Fading Suns is primarily a science fiction game, which
  means that there are starships, blasters, powered armor, alien
  races, and weird science. But there are also many elements
  of traditional fantasy gaming: heroic characters and
  struggles, a feudal sociopolitical structure (noble lords, high
  priests and headstrong merchants), powerful artifacts and
  great mysteries. And there is horror: monsters and mad-
  dening discoveries revealing terrifying metaphysical truths.
  In short, Fading Suns is a game which has everything
  a roleplaying universe needs in order tell stories of such
  varied and exotic themes as can be found anywhere — in
  our very own world here and now.
  Like all games, Fading Suns should be entertaining and
  fun to play. But roleplaying games can be more than mere
  pastimes. The players can strive for the same artistic goals
  as the author of a novel, a film or a play. Fading Suns is a
  passion play of sorts, taking place in an imagined future.
  Introduction to
  FADING SUNS
  
  4
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  Many possible stories can be told here, from galaxy-span-
  ning epics to the most personal of tales.
  Like medieval passion plays, Fading Suns deals with
  grand themes universal to human experience. Its main theme
  is the Seeking. This is the mythological role all heroes play:
  the knight on quest, seeking power to vanquish his enemies
  or the secrets of self-discovery. Success or failure on this
  quest is not as important as the insights learned while on it.
  The atmosphere of the dramas played out in Fading
  Suns is one of tragic ignorance. Civilization is in decline,
  and superstition and fear are everywhere. New ideas and
  frontiers are spurned by a nervous populace, fearful of
  change for the harm it brings. But it is just this sort of will-
  ful ignorance that keeps civilization from rising again. It is
  such fear that keeps hope buried and great challenges from
  being met. The player characters represent the heroes who
  can break the bonds of this ignorance and bring something
  new and great to their culture, to reawaken and invigorate
  life.
  Without further ado, we give you a glimpse into the
  tumultuous fate of humankind four millennia from now….
  History
  The chronicle of humanity’s history among the stars is
  a long one, stretching over two millennia. It is not a quiet
  story. From the greedy planet-grabbing of early colonists to
  the bloody battles of the Emperor Wars, humans have rarely
  slept peacefully in the void. They have prospered, suffered
  defeat, and dared to hope again. And they have not traveled
  down the paths of history alone; aliens walk among them,
  with long histories and destinies of their own to complete.
  First Republic
  Humanity first reached the stars under the auspices of
  the First Republic, a one-world government run by the
  “zaibatsu”: greedy mercantile barons whose corporate states
  replaced the nations of the earth. The zaibatsu colonized
  the solar system in search of new sources of wealth and
  mineral resources. At the edge of the solar system they found
  the jumpgate.
  This ancient artifact of alien manufacture baffled and
  awed humanity. It took many years of research to unlock
  even the most basic secrets of its technology, but its main
  function was clear: it opened portals to distant star systems.
  Diligent scientists constructed the first jump drive, an en-
  gine installed on a spaceship which could propel the ship
  through the gate, transporting it instantly into foreign space
  light years away.
  The exodus began.
  At first, the zaibatsu carefully controlled the manufac-
  ture and ownership of jump ships and reaped the resources
  of the new worlds and solar systems. But once anarchists
  leaked the secret of the technology to all, nobody could keep
  back the vast wave of people seeking to escape corporate
  tyranny and claim worlds of their own. The First Republic
  collapsed in a civil war over ever-expanding territory and
  diminishing loyalties.
  Diaspora
  The new universe of Human Space was made up of frac-
  tured, planetary nations, some democratic, some totalitar-
  ian. Many of the original rulers of these worlds created dy-
  nasties which would last for millennia: the first noble houses
  to rule the stars. But years of political and social experi-
  ments yielded only chaos and strife between worlds. Into
  this dangerous universe came the Prophet, a man with a
  vision of Creation he claimed was gifted to him by God, whom
  he called the Pancreator. The Prophet gathered disciples and
  followers about him and performed many miracles. A hu-
  manity desperate for unity and hope looked to the Prophet
  for their answers.
  During this time, humanity met its first sentient race,
  the ungulate Shantor. At first, they were thought to be merely
  clever horselike beings. But it was soon realized how intel-
  ligent they were — and how dangerous. Another sentient
  race, the Ukar, were gifted with psychic powers — powers
  which they used to goad the Shantor into a bloody revolt.
  Experiencing the Sathra Effect
  
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  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  By the time the truth behind the Shantor’s rage was discov-
  ered, it was too late to reform the beasts in humanity’s eyes:
  the “dangerous and uncontrollable” Shantor were enslaved
  and moved to reservations across the Known Worlds, break-
  ing up their families and culture.
  The following Ukar War united humanity against an-
  other star-faring race, one inimicable to human interests.
  With the aid of the Ukar’s cousin race, the Obun, humanity
  gained ground in their galactic war. Finally, Palamedes Alecto,
  follower of the Prophet, led the newly formed Universal
  Church of the Celestial Sun against the Ukar on their
  homeworld. Humanity was victorious, and the place of the
  Church in future politics and martial power was cemented.
  Humanity marched across new worlds and subjugated
  the sentients living upon them, most of whom were inca-
  pable of star travel and thus considered inferior.
  Until the Vau.
  Humanity met more than its match when it subjugated
  a peaceful race of gardeners known as the G’nesh. When
  their overlords arrived from unknown worlds in vastly su-
  perior starships with devastating energy weapons, humans
  had no choice but to fall back and go no further. Luckily, the
  Vau were non-expansionistic, and pursued no vendetta
  against humanity. As long as they were left alone, they would
  cause no trouble — or so most humans believed. But enig-
  matic “gifts” and lore from the Vau over the centuries have
  been curiously effective at starting conflicts among humans.
  Second Republic
  Eventually, with the unity provided by the Church and
  economic interests heralded by mercantile leaders, the Sec-
  ond Republic was born, a democratic government which
  eventually spanned all the worlds of Human Space. Under
  its auspices, an unprecedented era of prosperity and high
  technology was initiated. It seemed that there were no lim-
  its to human development, no secrets which could not be
  unlocked by the power of the human mind, along with a
  little ingenuity and grit.
  But power eventually seems to coalesce into the hands
  of a few, especially when the people are no longer vigilant.
  The noble houses of the Diaspora, still rich but now rel-
  egated to meaningless roles, hungered for the vast power
  they once had and plotted against the Republic. They were
  aided by a new milleniallism and apocalyptic fever, for sci-
  entists had discovered a new, dread phenomenon: the suns
  were fading. The stars grew dim and no one knew why.
  The government could not calm the fears of all the
  worlds, and the untimely crash of the welfare computer sys-
  tem caused riots in every major city on every planet. Rebels
  rose up and with lightning speed, claimed the central gov-
  ernment on Byzantium Secundus. The nobles joined together
  with the Church to free the capital. Victorious, they refused
  to return power to the senators and instead seized power for
  themselves. This ushered in a new age for humanity: a Dark
  Age of feudal lords, fanatic priests and scheming guilds.
  New Dark Ages
  The new lords of the Known Worlds quickly began to
  war upon one another, with only the largest, most cunning
  or richest houses rising to prominence, while many others
  were destroyed. In this chaos, the common people were left
  defenseless. In desperation, many signed generational con-
  tracts with the noble houses, swearing fealty to their local
  lords for themselves and their children to come. At first, the
  Church fought such indenture, but it eventually adopted such
  contracts itself when they proved the only reliable means to
  raise armies against rivals — and the Church was just as
  combative and martial as the nobles.
  The corporations of the Second Republic were left with
  little of the spoils. With their holdings seized or signed over
  forcefully, they had little overt power. But a conglomeration
  of these corporations banded together to form the Merchant
  League, and rewrote their charters to form guilds rather than
  corporations. Guilds could more easily control membership
  and advancement within their ranks. In addition, the League
  maintained their secret technological patents, often paying
  for this privilege with the death of many agents charged
  Zebulon the Prophet
  
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  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  with wiping such data from computers the universe over
  lest it fall into the hands of the noble lords.
  Without the means to repair their starships and high-
  tech weaponry, the nobles and the Church could not long
  stand. After a vicious campaign against the guilds failed to
  free the League’s secrets, the lords had little choice but to
  admit the merchant guilds into the halls of power. Even the
  Church was forced to concede their power, and issued a Pa-
  triarchal Bull allowing only them (along with the nobles and
  priests) to use certain proscribed high-technologies. Once
  these scientific secrets were kept from the people, the Known
  Worlds’ descent into a feudal society was complete: only the
  upper classes moved among the stars; the peasants lived
  and died on the planets where they were born.
  But the Known Worlds were not the only words of Hu-
  man Space. During the Fall of the Second Republic, many
  planets were lost, their jump coordinates stolen or the
  jumpgates sealed. After centuries of absence, some of these
  worlds reappeared, heralded by barbarian hordes who swept
  into the Known Worlds, wreaking havoc and looting noble
  lands.
  Only a powerful coalition of nobles could defend against
  the scattered barbarian clans, and only a master tactician
  could form such a coalition. This man was Vladimir, whose
  campaign against the barbarians propelled him to power.
  After his victory against the raiders, he declared himself the
  first Emperor of the Known Worlds. A campaign of pacifica-
  tion convinced the noble houses to accept his rule.
  But upon his coronation day, when he placed the crown
  upon his head, he mysteriously died in a sudden conflagra-
  tion. His coalition fell apart, and house fell upon house, each
  blaming the others for the death of Vladimir. Eventually,
  peace was secured again, sealed with Vladimir’s reforms: all
  the houses, sects and guilds would vote equally to choose a
  noble to become Regent, to rule until a new Emperor could
  be decided upon.
  It would be nearly half a millennium before an Emperor
  was again chosen, and only after nearly 40 years of violent
  war. The Emperor Wars lasted for two generations, and saw
  a greater rise in technology than any time since the Second
  Republic. But it was war tech: powerful killing machines,
  chemical weapons, fusion bombs and other means of de-
  struction. Finally, one man was victorious: Alexius
  Hawkwood, the new Emperor of the Fading Suns.
  In his newly-forged reign — now but six years old —
  peace has finally come. The jumproutes are open again, and
  pilgrims can travel safely to other worlds. Merchants can
  once more ply the starlanes, selling exotic goods to people
  who have not seen them within their grandfathers’ lifetimes.
  And adventure awaits, for Alexius has called for a great
  quest: to explore the stars, discover the lost worlds of the
  Second Republic, and solve the mystery of the fading suns.
  Characters
  Player characters in Fading Suns can come from many
  different backgrounds, but three factions in particular are
  prominent and powerful enough to allow their members to
  adventure freely across the Known Worlds: the noble houses,
  the Church and the Merchant League.
  The Noble Houses
  Of the many noble houses throughout the Known
  Worlds, five have achieved prominence and effectively rule
  most of Human Space — under their new Emperor, of course.
  The Emperor Wars took a toll on many of these houses: the
  losers now struggle to regain lost lands or power, while the
  victors fight to ensure that their rivals stay down.
  The life of a noble is not the leisurely idyll one might
  expect: there are fiefs to manage, rivals to crush and wars to
  wage. While there is much power to be gained, there is al-
  ways the risk of humiliation or loss of holdings and posi-
  tion. It is no wonder that they know how to party: their gala
  affairs are lavish and awe-inspiring — but also rife with
  intrigue, innuendo, back-stabbing and even sword dueling.
  To escape such pressures, noble sons and daughters often
  take to the stars with only a small entourage of friends and
  Heroes of the New Feudalism…
  
  7
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  retainers, to better know the worlds they wish to one day
  rule.
  The five major houses (called the Royal Houses) are:
  House Hawkwood: Prideful yet honorable, the
  Hawkwoods have seen one of their own take the Emperor’s
  throne. While Alexius Hawkwood has since distanced him-
  self from his family to appear more impartial, the Hawkwoods
  take such political setbacks with stoicism — the same fierce
  perseverance with which they beat back the barbarian raid-
  ers to their worlds. A Hawkwood does not give up. House
  Hawkwood is more beloved by its vassals than any other
  house, for they treat them fairly and with justice.
  House Decados: Slimy, cunning and extremely success-
  ful, the Decados have risen to power through treachery and
  an uncanny understanding of their rivals — helped in no
  small part, no doubt, by their vast, invisible intelligence net-
  work. While the other families accuse them of a number of
  crimes, the Decados are here to stay and thus must be dealt
  with on their own terms. Decados vassals despise their lords
  but are kept in line through fear or the promise of power for
  those who make good quislings.
  The Hazat: Hot-blooded and intense, the martial Hazat
  know how to field an army but are also no strangers to in-
  trigue. When they can calm the vicious infighting from fam-
  ily to family, they can present a formidable front against
  rivals from other houses. Left with less land after the wars
  than they began with, they now pursue a campaign against
  a barbarian world, seeking new lands outside of the Em-
  pire. Hazat vassals are loyal, for they know that sacrifices
  for their lords are often rewarded.
  House Li Halan: This pious and disciplined family was
  once the worst behaved of all nobles. Their immoral exploits
  are legendary, as is the tale of their overnight conversion to
  the Church. They now pursue the scriptures as fanatically
  as they once chased pleasure. While other nobles may snicker
  at the faithful lords, they more often fear the Li Halan, for
  this family has proved implacable on both the battlefield
  and at court. Their vassals are fiercely loyal, for they know
  their place as vassals in the Pancreator’s plan.
  House al-Malik: The exotic and inscrutable al-Malik
  are often accused of being mere merchants, for their ties to
  the League are well known. But they have proven their noble
  legerdemain many times, through the acquisition of land
  and a unique understanding of human nature and politics.
  It is very hard to pull one over on an al-Malik, but it is like-
  wise hard for them to resist the lure of a good adventure or
  challenge. Vassals of this family are well-treated and return
  the respect with solid service.
  The Church
  Although the Universal Church of the Celestial Sun may
  present a unified front for the faithful of the Known Worlds,
  its cathedrals are rife with sectarianism. While the Patriarch
  has rule over all aspects of the Church, it is often difficult to
  manage the actions of priests the universe over. Many sects
  and orders have arisen, powerful enough to earn official sta-
  tus from a reluctant Orthodoxy. Even more heresies have
  arisen, forcing the Patriarch to spend his time hunting her-
  etics rather than unifying the present sects.
  A priest’s life is often a trying one: If it’s not local disas-
  ters or famines he must try to relieve, it’s occult threats to
  the faith, from demon possessions, zombie plagues or mali-
  cious psychics. Church magical rites are quite effective, re-
  gardless of whether they are considered merely a form of
  psychic power by the more skeptical.
  The five major sects/orders ordained by the Church are:
  Urth Orthodox: The largest sect, it is the Orthodoxy
  that most people associate with the Church. Its priests can
  be found on all worlds, from the ostentatious bishops of the
  capital cities to the more humble parish priests in the most
  poverty-stricken fiefs. While the Orthodoxy has gained a
  reputation for their cunning political maneuvers, most priests
  know little of such things, being entirely too busy protect-
  ing the souls of the simple faithful. While many may spurn
  the Orthodoxy for its martial role in the Emperor Wars, when
  tragedy strikes, it is the Orthodoxy they return to for conso-
  lation.
  Brother Battle: This order of monk knights is the most
  A noble of House Li Halan…
  
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  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  Temple Avesti inquisitors
  elite fighting unit in the Known Worlds, surpassing even
  the Emperor’s Phoenix Guard in martial prowess. Originally
  initiated to protect pilgrims and pursue heretics, the order is
  now chartered by noble houses, Church sects and even guilds
  to perform elite military operations on many worlds, includ-
  ing the deadly Stigmata Front against the Symbiot alien in-
  vaders. Despite rumors of heresy and usury within their
  ranks, everyone wants a Brother Battle monk by their side
  in times of trouble.
  Eskatonic Order: These hermetic sages are often
  thought of as wizards by the common folk, but the nobles
  and guildsmen know them for the kooks they often are. While
  there are many within the order who possess profound wis-
  dom and learning, there are just as many who are obsessed
  with the end of the universe and who stand on street cor-
  ners telling everyone about it. Once considered a heresy by
  the Orthodoxy, the Eskatonics were admitted into the fold
  when their theurgical rites proved effective against the
  Symbiots.
  Temple Avesti: Dreaded inquisitors. The Avestites long
  ago seized most of the seats on the Inquisitorial Synod, and
  have since then made it their duty to search the Known
  Worlds for signs of heresy, demonism and any other threat
  to the faithful. Their illiteracy, fear of learning and dogmatic
  adherence to certain extreme scriptures makes them feared
  and hated throughout Human Space. But they are obeyed
  nonetheless. Only the most fanatic and ascetic initiates are
  admitted to this sect.
  Sanctuary Aeon: Healers and compassionate mystics.
  Everybody loves the priests and priestesses of Sanctuary
  Aeon, followers of Saint Amalthea. When an Amalthean
  comes to town, there is always someone willing to provide
  hospitality for her. Indeed, so beloved by the commoners
  are they that when one was once accused of witchcraft by
  an Avestite, the Avestite was seized by the populace and
  burned at the stake instead.
  The Merchant League
  The remnants of the Second Republic mega-corpora-
  tions can be found among the many guilds of the Merchant
  League. It is the League which controls high-technology:
  invention, manufacture and distribution. It is the guilds who
  pilot noble starships or repair Church think machines. If any
  one of these factions were to anger them, a League blockade
  would quickly end the argument.
  The guilds gladly accept their role as second class citi-
  zens at the royal soirees, for they know that there is little
  profit to be made arguing over the best or worst dressed.
  They instead charge high dollar for the privilege of hiring a
  guild specialist — and their enforcers ensure that only the
  guild specializes in certain skills and tech; black marketers
  and tech counterfeiters are thrown from airlocks.
  While the guilds are numerous, only five have risen to
  intergalactic prominence and regularly travel the jumpweb
  in the employ of nobles, priests or other guildsmen:
  Charioteers: Star pilots and merchants marine, this in-
  trepid guild is what most people think of when they imagine
  the Merchant League, for it is the Charioteer merchants with
  their exotic, traveling medicine shows who are most often
  seen by the commoners. They own the star lanes — literally.
  Without their secret jumpcode technology, travel through
  jumpgates would be impossible. In addition, the best pilots
  come from this guild.
  Engineers: High technology is rare in the Dark Ages,
  and most people fear it, for as the Church teaches, it is the
  symbol of human hubris which brought down the Republic.
  Few dare to delve into its secrets anymore, and those that
  do are considered mad — like the Engineers. These strange
  technicians often modify their bodies with cybertech, be-
  coming more machine than human. While they creep out
  the commoners and disgust the priests, everyone knows just
  how valuable their lore is in maintaining intergalactic power
  and communication.
  Scravers: If you can’t find what you’re looking for le-
  gally, chances are the Scravers can get it — for a price.
  Scravers specialize in all sorts of activities normally viewed
  as anti-social (but often fun): gambling, black market goods
  and even thievery. Of course, they deny it all, hiding behind
  
  9
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  the guise of a salvage and reclamation guild. Since they pos-
  sess blackmail on just about every major official — even
  bishops — little is done against them.
  The Muster: Professional soldiers, these mercenaries
  are essential to most military operations throughout the
  Known Worlds. Even the Brothers Battle rely on their or-
  bital artillery support, and most noble houses have hired
  them to either assault their rivals or quell rebellions. But
  soldiery is not the only labor this guild contracts; they spe-
  cialize in all sorts of trained help: cooks, technicians, ani-
  mal trainers, butlers, etc. In fact, it’s very dangerous to hire
  trained labor without contracting this guild — their enforc-
  ers ensure that they get the largest and juiciest contracts.
  Reeves: Somebody’s got to do the paperwork, and this
  job is left to the Reeves. They do it quite well. So well that
  they are the de facto bankers of the Known Worlds and prob-
  ably one of the richest factions in the universe — although
  few realize just how rich they’ve become through their loans
  to noble houses. Just about everybody owes the Reeves, and
  when one comes calling on favors, few dare deny him.
  Aliens
  There are a number of sentient races within the Known
  Worlds: the simian Gannok, the ungulate Shantor, the avian
  Etyri, amphibian Oro’ym, insectoid Ascorbites and the rep-
  tilian Hironem. But three other races have achieved the most
  freedom of movement and self-determination:
  Ur-Obun: This peaceful, philosophical race, like their
  Ur-Ukar cousins, claim deep Anunnaki involvement in their
  history. The Anunnaki (the ancient race who built the
  jumpgates) apparently engineered the two races’ fates, sepa-
  rating them onto different worlds before they disappeared
  from history. The Obun are given positions of respect as
  councilors and advisors in Known Worlds society. However,
  while they are treated politely, their advice is often consid-
  ered naive by the militant human culture. Nonetheless, an
  Ur-Obun became one of the Prophet’s disciples, and is hon-
  ored by an Obun sect of the Church.
  Ur-Ukar: Due to their initial hostile dealings with hu-
  manity, the Ukari are now a broken race. Their homeworld
  is owned by the League, who reap it for its mineral resources,
  selling the spoils off-world to noble houses. The have been
  removed from their ancestral, subterranean lands and herded
  into tight caves in poverty. Few humans care what happens
  to them. A resistance movement has responded with terror-
  ist tactics, and has taken its war of hatred to other worlds.
  Nonetheless, the League values them for their shady, un-
  derworld skills.
  Vorox: Huge carnivorous, multi-limbed beasts, the
  Vorox are new to civilization. That they achieved sentience
  A Vorox at war
  An Engineer makes a discovery…
  
  10
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  at all on their toxic jungle world is a wonder. That they have
  come as far as they have since is a tribute to their adaptabil-
  ity and powerful attributes — valuable qualities in the Known
  Worlds. They are most often trained as elite shock troops by
  noble houses, but many have joined the League to see the
  stars firsthand.
  Enemies
  There are many dangers in the universe of the Fading
  Suns, not the least of which are humans themselves. The
  intrigues and conspiracies of the noble houses, Church and
  League are enough to keep most people occupied for a life-
  time. The post-war years have seen an increase in such co-
  vert activity, for few dare to openly disturb the peace. The
  Emperor has his hands full trying to cement his rule against
  internal malcontents and external alien and barbarian em-
  pires.
  Among the more dangerous, non-human threats out
  there are:
  The Vau: This technologically superior alien empire has
  so far-proved little threat — as long as humans stay on their
  side of the border. The few times Vau ambassadors have
  parleyed with humans, trouble has resulted, although in
  forms hard to trace back to the Vau. For instance, the Vau
  “gifted” humanity with the jumpcoordinates to reach a pre-
  viously lost world called Pandemonium. This world in turn
  revealed coordinates to another lost world called Iver. A cold
  war for the spoils of these new worlds began; the Vau’s
  present has proven most troublesome.
  If the Vau were to expand into Human Space, no one is
  sure if they could be halted, for their tech is impressive.
  Human’s stole their own knowledge about energy shields
  and blasters from early Vau encounters. It is theorized that
  the Vau know far more about these fields than has been
  revealed.
  Symbiots: A greater threat to Known Worlds hegemony,
  however, are the Symbiots, parasitic entities attempting to
  break through into Human Space and possess its inhabit-
  ants, turning them into hive mind slaves — or so the propa-
  ganda goes. In truth, nobody really knows what the Symbiots
  want or even just what they are. Everybody does know that
  they are dangerous and inimicable to human goals. Rumor
  of a Symbiot infestation is enough to bring a squad of Church
  inquisitors with flameguns, ready to burn first and ask ques-
  tions later.
  Demons: The Church claims that demons exist and can
  possess people to perform their nefarious deeds in this world.
  The sad thing is that this seems to be true. Even the most
  rational scientists must admit to the reality of something
  out there, something often unseen but seemingly hostile.
  These entities, demons or aliens or whatever, can so far only
  be combated by Church theurgy and miracles of faith.
  Rules
  Now that you’ve read up on the setting and the people
  who populate it, let’s take a look at how Fading Suns helps
  players and gamemasters run games set in this fascinating
  and adventurous universe.
  First, we present character creation and some sample
  characters. Then, the rules are described, explaining how
  the numbers on the character sheet are translated into dra-
  matic actions. Then, a sample drama is provided; a
  gamemaster can run two players through this explanatory
  adventure.
  Dice
  Fading Suns uses dice to determine the outcome of situ-
  ations where luck plays a role. Most rolls are resolved using
  a 20-sided die, but some rolls (damage, armor) use the fa-
  miliar six-sided dice used in many board games. 20-sided
  dice can be found in most comic and hobby stores — any-
  where that roleplaying games are sold.
  Character Creation
  So, what kind of character do you want to play? In Fad-
  ing Suns, the choice is up to you. Your character’s abilities
  are not subject to the whim of fickle dice — Fading Suns
  players can choose what traits their character possesses. Each
  A Vau mandarin
  
  11
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  trait has a point cost. The player is allowed a number of
  points with which to pick and choose those traits he wishes
  his character to possess. Is the character nimble and agile?
  Buy levels in Dexterity. Is he smart and robust? Buy Wits
  and Endurance. Is he a psychic? Buy Psi and some psychic
  powers. The Fading Suns rulebook gives guidelines on
  the standard traits found among each faction or char-
  acter role, but these are guidelines only. In the end,
  the choice is yours.
  Sample Characters
  The following pages provides two sample char-
  acters who can be used by beginning player char-
  acters or as NPCs for the gamemaster in the sample
  drama at the end of this book.
  Sir Galen Trevor
  Hawkwood
  The Trevors once ruled a large fief on
  Criticorum, but lost it all to the al-Malik during the
  Emperor Wars. Young Galen Hawkwood is barely
  old enough to remember playing in the
  family mansion before he was whisked
  away to a starship and rocketed to dis-
  tant relatives on Byzantium Secundus.
  He was an angry lad, always getting
  into fights with other noble chil-
  dren who taunted him for his
  lack of fine clothing or land
  upon which to go riding.
  Shuffled from relative to
  relative, Galen eventually
  found himself under the
  absentee patronage of
  his mother’s uncle, a in-
  veterate drunk who spent
  most of his time passed
  out. Without strong role
  models, Galen sought
  friends in the seedy districts
  nearby, and learned well the
  ways of thieves and scoundrels.
  Name: Sir Galan Trevor Hawkwood Race: Human
  Gender: Male
  Alliance: Questing Knight
  Age: 19
  Rank: Knight
  CHARACTERISTICS
  BODY
  MIND
  Strength (3) 7
  Wits (3) 5
  Dexterity (3) 8
  Perception (3) 6
  Endurance (3) 8
  Tech (3)
  SPIRIT
  Extrovert ( 3 ) 6
  /
  ( 1 ) Introvert
  Passion ( 3 ) 4
  /
  ( 1 ) Calm
  Faith ( 3 )
  /
  ( 1 ) Ego
  LEARNED SKILLS LVL
  Drive Landcraft
  1
  Inquiry
  1
  Lore (People & Places)
  1
  Read Urthish
  Remedy
  2
  Ride
  1
  Speak Byz II dialect
  Streetwise
  1
  NATURAL SKILLS
  Charm (3)
  Dodge (3)
  6
  Fight (3)
  5
  Impress (3)
  5
  Melee (3)
  8
  Observe (3)
  4
  Shoot (3)
  5
  Sneak (3)
  4
  Vigor (3)
  5
  BLESSINGS/CURSES
  +/-
  Trait
  Situation
  +2
  End
  Unyielding
  -2
  Calm
  Prideful
  WYRD
  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O
  VITALITY O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O
  Wound penalties:
  -10 -8
  -6
  -4
  -2
  BENEFICES/AFFLICTIONS
  Type
  Pts
  Imperial Charter
  5
  Ally (older knight)
  4
  880 firebirds cash (after buying:
  MedPac, knife, fusion torch, 50
  rounds ammo and other listed
  equipment)
  SHOTS
  FIRED
  ( 6 /clip)
  OCCULT
  Psi
  /
    Urge
  Theurgy
   /
   Hubris
  Powers/Rites
  Goal
  VICTORY
  CHART
  Successes
  Pts
  1-2
  0
  3-5
  +1
  6-8
  +2
  9-11
  +3
  12-14
  +4
  15-17
  +5
  18
  +6
  Critical
  success = x2
  COMBAT
  STR bonus: +1d
  Action
  Init Goal DMG RNG
  Rapier
  6d
  Parry
  8
  18
  Thrust
  10
  16
  6d
  Slash
  6
  16
  7d
  Draw & Strike
  6
  16
  6d
  Disarm
  6
  15
  Off-Hand
  Hvy Revolver
  13
  6d 30/40
  ARMOR   Leather 4d,
  Dueling Shield ( 5 / 10 )
  
  12
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  Upon his day of majority, he left his scattered fam-
  ily behind and pledged fealty to Emperor Alexius —
  his last hope for fame and glory was with the Quest-
  ing Knights. One among that company took pity upon
  him, recognizing in his strong physique and fervor
  the makings of a good knight. He spoke for the lad,
  and Galen was inducted soon after.
  He has had a number of adventures so far, al-
  though they took the form of rescuing rich merchants
  from bandits or beautiful noble ladies from less-fit-
  ting paramours than himself. He yearns for a proper
  quest, a true calling off-world where he can win riches
  and fame as a knight of the Empire. He just hopes that
  his close friends among the seedier guilds, such as
  Chief Hally Saintsbane, don’t come to the notice of his
  fellow knights…
  Chief Hally Saintsbane
  Hally’s parents were runaway serfs who had found
  their way into Byzantium Secundus’s Holy City and
  into each others arms — for one night, at least. Hally
  never met her father, but had dreams through-
  out childhood that he was actually a master
  spy or incognito knight who would one day
  rescue her from a life of poverty and crime.
  Her mother raised her until she was 10,
  and then turned her over to the
  guilds in return for a small
  pittance of firebirds —
  enough to live for
  a year in squalor,
  though. At least
  she wouldn’t have
  to work back-
  breaking labor for
  the Church anymore.
  Hally never saw her
  again.
  Her new parents
  were the Scravers. Only
  the toughest or most cun-
  ning survive in their field
  Name: Chief Hally Saintsbane
  Race: Human
  Gender: Female
  Alliance: Scravers
  Age: 16
  Rank: Chief
  CHARACTERISTICS
  BODY
  MIND
  Strength (3) 7
  Wits (3) 5
  Dexterity (3) 7
  Perception (3) 8
  Endurance (3) 5
  Tech (3) 4
  SPIRIT
  Extrovert ( 3 )
  /
  ( 1 ) Introvert
  Passion ( 1 )
  /
   5 ( 3 ) Calm
  Faith ( 1 )
  /
  5 ( 3 ) Ego
  LEARNED SKILLS LVL
  Focus
  2
  Gambling
  2
  Inquiry
  3
  Knavery
  6
  Lockpicking
  2
  Lore (Underworld)
  1
  Read Urthtech
  1
  Sleight of Hand
  2
  Speak Scraver Cant
  Streetwise
  6
  Tech Redemption (Mech)
  2
  Think Machine
  1
  NATURAL SKILLS
  Charm (3)
  Dodge (3)
  5
  Fight (3)
  Impress (3)
  5
  Melee (3)
  Observe (3)
  8
  Shoot (3)
  6
  Sneak (3)
  6
  Vigor (3)
  BLESSINGS/CURSES
  +/-
  Trait
  Situation
  +2
  Gamble  Lucky at cards
  -2
  Calm
  Possessive
  WYRD
  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O
  ARMOR Studded leather
  5d
  VITALITY O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O
  Wound penalties:
  -10 -8
  -6
  -4
  -2
  BENEFICES/AFFLICTIONS
  Type
  Pts
  78 firebirds cash (after buying
  Mech Tools, Thieves Keys, knife and
  other listed equipment)
  SHOTS
  FIRED
  ( 10 /clip)
  OCCULT
  Psi
  3 /
    Urge
  Theurgy
    /
   Hubris
  Powers/Rites
  Goal
  Sensitivity
  16
  Darksense
  13
  Subtle Sight
  11
  VICTORY
  CHART
  Successes
  Pts
  1-2
  0
  3-5
  +1
  6-8
  +2
  9-11
  +3
  12-14
  +4
  15-17
  +5
  18
  +6
  Critical
  success = x2
  COMBAT
  STR bonus: +1d
  Action
  Init Goal DMG RNG
  Blaster pistol
  13
  7d
  10/20
  Palm laser
  13
  3d
  5/10
  
  13
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  of business, so Hally had to give up daydreams quickly and
  learn to pull her own weight or be jettisoned. She had a
  talent for lying and the street savvy to support it, so she was
  trained as a decoy who would distract merchants or pass-
  ersby while cutpurses had their way with the person’s valu-
  ables. Eventually, however, she graduated to break-ins and
  burglary.
  Dissatisfied with mere crime, Hally set about kissing
  up to the real Scravers whenever she could — the relic hunt-
  ers and artifact hounds. Her work paid off and she got a
  promotion and a license to scrounge. Now, she just needs a
  way off-planet so she can practice her new profession. Maybe
  that weird knight she knows, the Questing Knight who walks
  the walk and talks the talk. He seems genuine street, not
  like a lot of the wannabes from the palaces. Maybe he’s got
  some way out of here…
  Oh, and there’s one thing she hasn’t told her bosses
  about yet — she’s psychic. She gives off mild static
  electricitylike shocks to anyone close to her when she uses
  her powers.
  Traits
  All Fading Suns characters are defined by trait ratings
  — the names and numbers on the character sheets. For hu-
  man characters, trait ratings generally range from 1 to 10,
  though aliens and other nonhuman entities can have higher
  or lower ratings. These 1 to 10 ratings measure characters’
  innate ability or prowess with their traits, and basically cor-
  respond to the classic, informal 1 to 10 scale used to mea-
  sure athletic performances, product quality, potential sig-
  nificant others’ (or innocent bystanders’) desirability, etc.
  Basically, having a 1 in a trait indicates that the character is
  either naturally inept or a rank beginner, while having a 10
  means that the character has achieved near-perfection or
  total mastery of the trait. So, a character with a 1 in Dexter-
  ity is a real klutz (virtually an invalid, in fact), while a char-
  acter with a 10 is one of the universe’s finest athletes. Like-
  wise, a character with a 1 in Xenobiology is a beginning
  student, while a character with a Xenobiology rating of 10
  is a universally respected, Einstein-class savant of alien lore.
  Sir Galen Trevor Hawkwood as an “8” Melee skill —
  that puts him close to the upper levels of human develop-
  ment in fencing and hand-to-hand weapons use. Chief Hally
  Saintsbane, on the other hand, has a “3” Melee — the aver-
  age for an untrained person.
  Trait ratings are used to determine the outcome of ac-
  tions. Obviously, the higher a character’s trait ratings, the
  better that character will be at actions corresponding to those
  traits. A weak character has a chance to budge a heavy trap-
  door, but a strong character will have a much better chance
  and will probably perform the feat in far less time.
  Characters have two major types of traits: characteris-
  tics and skills. Characteristics represent a character’s natu-
  ral, inborn capabilities, whether physical, mental or emo-
  tional: strength, dexterity, wits, and even passion. Skills rep-
  resent a characters learned or trained abilities: shooting a
  gun, charming an audience, painting a picture, inventing a
  device, etc. Each of these types of traits is rated from 1 to
  10.
  Goal Roll
  Whenever the outcome of an action is in doubt, the
  gamemaster calls for a goal roll. This roll is made using one
  20-sided die. The player (or gamemaster, in the case of
  gamemaster characters and environmental phenomena) must
  roll a score on this die that is equal to or less than the as-
  signed goal number.
  A player’s base goal number is determined by adding
  the character’s relevant characteristic trait rating to his skill
  trait rating. Thus, if Hally Saintsbane wanted to fire a pistol
  at a foe with her Dexterity characteristic of 7 and a Shoot
  skill of 6, the player would need to roll “13” or less on the
  20-sided die.
  Things aren’t always that simple, however. In many
  cases, the goal roll is adjusted up or down by situational
  modifiers. Consider the case of the aforementioned pistol
  shot. All other things being equal, it’s easier to hit a dino-
  saur-sized foe than a rabbit-sized one. Thus, the gamemaster
  might assign a bonus to the player’s roll if his character was
  trying to shoot a rampaging T. Rex, and might assign a pen-
  alty if the character was firing at a speeding jackrabbit.
  Any die roll equal to or less than the goal number indi-
  cates a success, but a player whose action succeeds should
  remember the exact number rolled; this is important for cal-
  culating the subsequent effect roll (see below).
  Effects of Success
  Unlike many roleplaying games, Fading Suns measures
  the degree of success a character achieves in his endeavors.
  It’s not just a matter of hitting or missing — how well one
  hits is important. For instance, the better one hits in com-
  bat, the more damage one inflicts on a foe. It’s not just a
  matter of the weapon’s lethality — a character’s skill and
  luck also counts.
  The goal roll, above, determines whether a character’s
  action succeeds or fails. If the action fails, that’s that; go on
  to the next character. If an action succeeds, however, the
  player must still determine how well the action succeeds.
  Consider the pistol shot described above. There’s a big dif-
  ference between grazing a foe in the shoulder and blasting
  fiery doom straight through his left eye to incinerate his
  brain pan and send the shards of his charbroiled skull spray-
  ing hither and yon — even though both results are, techni-
  cally, successful shots. The number rolled on the goal roll is
  
  14
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  the number of successes scored. These successes can be used
  directly to gauge how poorly or how well a character suc-
  ceeded in a task: the more successes, the better the charac-
  ter did at the task. However, the number of possible suc-
  cesses (from 1 to 18*) leaves a lot of room for interpreta-
  tion. For some situations, such as rolls to determine weapon
  damage or how well a complementary skill aided in another
  person’s task, a smaller scale is more useful. To make things
  a little easier, Fading Suns successes translate directly into
  “victory points,” which can be calculated by consulting the
  Victory Chart (above). For most actions, the player can sim-
  ply consult the Victory Chart to determine the level of suc-
  cess. One victory point is minimal — the character squeaked
  through by the skin of her teeth. Two victory points indicate
  a decent job — onlookers will accept the feat as satisfactory,
  though they certainly won’t be awestruck. Five or six vic-
  tory points indicate a virtuoso performance, and so on.
  * A roll of “19” is considered an automatically failure, while a
  roll of “20” is a critical failure. A roll of “1” is an automatic success,
  no matter what the actual goal number is. Rolling the goal number
  exactly is a critical success — double the victory dice!
  An Example Action
  Sir Galen Trevor Hawkwood finds himself — after a night
  of drinking and boasting at a noble soiree — called upon by
  his fellow nobles to tell of his dashing exploits. He begins to
  tell — in rather exaggerated fashion, with booming voice —
  of the time he rescued a fair maiden from the clutches of a
  uncouth, would-be paramour, and the crowd falls silent. The
  gamemaster asks Galen’s player to make a goal roll using
  his Extrovert characteristic and his Impress skill.
  Galen’s Extrovert rating is 6, and his Impress rating is 5
  (he’s a somewhat dashing figure on the noble scene). Thus,
  the goal roll would normally be 11. However, the gamemaster
  gleefully informs Galen’s player that the task is a demand-
  ing one and levies a -4 penalty to Galen’s roll: Galen’s doing
  this off the cuff, he’s a little drunk, and it’s a skeptical crowd.
  The goal roll is thus 7.
  Galen’s player grits his teeth and makes the roll. Luck-
  ily, he scores a “6” — a success. Consulting the Victory Chart,
  the player sees that 6 translates into two victory points —
  okay, but not wonderful. Galen’s tale will definitely not live
  in the annals of noble history, but the gamemaster tells the
  player that Galen entertains his peers and catches the eye of
  a mildly appreciative, moderately attractive maiden.
  Effect Dice
  Certain feats, such as combat, require a few more vari-
  ables. These sorts of rolls are resolved with “effect dice,”
  which can represent a weapon’s damage or a suit of armor’s
  protective value. Since there are more dice rolled than with
  the goal roll, effect dice are rolled with six-sided dice — it is
  easier to roll a lot of six-siders than a bunch of 20-siders.
  Results of 1, 2, 3 or 4 are successful; results of 5 or 6 are
  failures. Each successful die generates one point: a “wound”
  point in the case of damage or an “armor” point in the case
  of armor.
  Wound points are applied against the target’s Vitality
  rating, but only after accounting for any armor or other pro-
  tection he may be wearing — each armor point subtracts
  one wound point before damage is applied. The number of
  dice actually rolled varies with weapon damage or armor
  value. For instance, Hally’s blaster pistol does 7 dice of dam-
  age.
  There is another variable to consider with damage dice
  — the effectiveness of a character’s blow. Victory points
  Victory Chart
  Successes
  Victory Pts/
  Accomplishment
  Damage Dice
  1-2
  1 / +0
  Barely satisfactory
  3-5
  1 / +1
  Mediocre
  6-8
  2 / +2
  Pretty good
  9-11
  3 / +3
  Good job
  12-14
  4 / +4
  Excellent
  15-17
  5 / +5
  Brilliant
  18
  6 / +6
  Virtuoso performance
  The heat of battle…
  
  15
  INTRODUCTION TO FADING SUNS
  gained on the attack goal roll are converted into damage
  dice, called “victory dice.” Victory points convert to victory
  dice on a 1-for-1 basis.
  A player does not have to use the entire number of vic-
  tory dice generated from victory points — she may choose
  to “pull her punch” by using as few as one die. The weapon
  dice must still be used in full, however — it’s impossible to
  “be gentle” with a greatsword!
  After being hit, a target can roll his armor dice (if any);
  each successful die equals one armor point. Since no goal
  roll is made (skill is not involved), victory dice are not added
  to armor dice. (Energy shields are another form of personal
  protection, but they represent a special case.)
  (An effect die roll can also be made using a d20, if no
  six-sided dice are available. The goal number is 13 or less
  for each die.)
  An Example Combat Action
  Sir Galen had no idea that the maiden he was flirting
  with has a jealous and drunken paramour in the crowd. As
  he exits the hall for a breather, flush with his tall-tale telling
  success success, the angry fellow suddenly appears and
  swings his fist at Galen. Normally, a slap with a glove would
  be the proper way to introduce a challenge, but this fellow
  has been drinking, and has mistaken the villain in Galen’s
  tale for himself. The perceived insult is too much, and he
  forgets all noble propriety in his rage.
  The attacker makes a goal roll, adding his Dexterity 4
  and his Fight 6 to get a result of 10 — he must roll this or
  less on a 20-sided die. The result is a “7” — a success with
  two victory points (see the Victory Chart). His fist normally
  inflicts two dice of damage, but with the victory dice from
  his attack, he gets to roll four dice (his two victory points
  convert directly into damage dice). He rolls these dice —
  six-siders this time — with results of 2, 6, 3 and 4 — three
  successful dice, which translates to three wound points.
  Galen is not wearing armor (it would be uncouth to bring
  armor to a ball) and his energy shield’s fusion cel is out of
  charges — so he takes the full three points to his Vitality.
  Galen reels backwards, his jaw throbbing in pain. Before
  the attacker can land another blow, the house guards arrive
  and escort the belligerent boyfriend from the grounds, im-
  mune to his pleas for leniency. The maiden, hearing the com-
  motion, rushes out and sees poor Galen wiping blood from
  his chin. She moves to comfort him. While Galen will have a
  bruise in the morning, the evening is not a total loss….
  Summary
  There are, of course, more details, including optional
  rules for those players seeking more complexity: martial arts
  actions, fencing actions, “accenting” rolls (pulling punches
  or giving it all you’ve got), and many more. Complete rules
  are provided in the Fading Suns rulebook, while additional
  helpful rules can be found in each Fading Suns supplement.
  A mystic of the Eskatonic Order
  
  16
  HOLISTIC DESIGN
  FADING SUNS Science Fiction
  Roleplaying Products
  These Fading Suns books and games are available now!
  Fiction
  The Sinful Stars: Tales of the Fading Suns
  # 234, ISBN 1-888906-14-6, $15.95
  Core Books
  FADING SUNS Second Edition Rulebook
  (Hardcover)
  #202, ISBN 1-88906-18-9, $34.95
  Gamemasters Screen & Complete
  Pandemonium
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  Fading Suns Players Companion
  #229, ISBN 1-888906-07-3, $25.00
  Factions Series
  Lords of the Known Worlds
  #226, ISBN 1-888906-11-1, $18.00 (Out of Print)
  Priests of the Celestial Sun
  #228, ISBN 1-888906-06-5, $18.95 (Out of Print)
  Merchants of the Jumpweb
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  Legions of the Empire
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  Hawkwood Fiefs: Imperial Survey Vol. 1
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  Al-Malik Fiefs: Imperial Survey Vol. 2
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  War in the Heavens: Lifeweb
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  Sourcebooks
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  The Dark Between the Stars
  #230, ISBN 1-888906-08-1, $17.95
  Children of the Gods: Obun & Ukar
  #232, ISBN 1-888906-10-3, $12.95
  Sinners & Saints
  # 233, ISBN 1-888906-11-1, $16.95
  Deckplans
  Letters of Marque: Starship Deckplans
  #501, ISBN 1-888906-51-0, $14.95
  Noble Armada Starship Miniatures Game
  #500, ISBN 1-888906-50-2, $55.00
  Capital Ships: Hawkwood & Decados
  #502, ISBN 188-906-52-9, $24.95
  Dreadnoughts: Imperial & Decados
  #503, ISBN 188-906-55-3, $42.95
  Look for these products in your local game store
  (support your local game store!) or order direct
  from HDi, either online at www.fadingsuns.com,
  or mail a list of desired products with check or
  money order, plus postage fee*, to:
  HDI
  Product Orders
  5295 Hwy 78, D-337
  Stone Mountain, GA 30087
  * $5.00 per order under $50.00. Expect 2-3 weeks delivery time.
  International orders: postage fee is 25% ot total purchase or $10.00,
  whichever is greater. Expect 4-8 weeks ship time.
  Upcoming FADING SUNS Products:
  • Letters of Marque 2: Troopship Deckplans
  (March 2000)
  Here are four new starship deckplans for use with Noble Armada,
  Fading Suns, TRAVELLER®, or just about any sci-fi game.
  Featured are two massive troop-hauling galliots (Hawkwood Darius class and Decados Lucretzia class), one sleek frigate (Hazat Scorpion
  class), and one explorer (Hazat Stalker class), each presented as a 25 mm scale map (ranging from one to three 17" x 22" poster pages).
  • Passion Play: Fading Suns Live Action Roleplaying (May 2000)
  Noble balls, duels of honor, starship intrigues — they all come to life in Passion Play: rules and setting background for live action roleplaying in
  the Fading Suns universe.
  • Lost Worlds: Star Crusade 2 (Summer 2000)
  The Vuldrok and Kurgan worlds aren’t the only lost worlds Alexius’ Questing Knights are discovering: other planets still exist in the vast
  jumpweb, untouched since the Fall of the Second Republic…
  And more to be announced… Go to www.fadingsuns.com for updates.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Fading Suns/[Fading Suns][US] - HDI000 - Fast Play 2.pdf