TEXT: Sparrials
  TM
  Written by ELIZABETH MccOY
  Editorial Assistance by  
  NIKOLA VRTIS
  Illustrated by GUY BURWELL, 
  GLEN JOHNSON,  
  DENIS LOUBET,  
  and CHRISTOPHER SHY
  Playtesters: Fred Brackin, Roger Burton West, Peter V. Dell’Orto, Vicky “Molokh” Kolenko,  
  Walter Milliken, Christopher R. Rice, Emily Smirle, and Antoni Ten Monrós
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  trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Aliens: Sparrials is copyright © 2015 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved.
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  STEVE JACKSON GAMES
  Stock #37-1684 
  Version 1.0 – December 2015
  ®
  GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON
  GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH
  Assistant GURPS Line Editor z JASON “PK” LEVINE
  GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH
  Production Artist and Indexer z NIKOLA VRTIS
  GURPS FAQ Maintainer z  
  VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO
  Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED
  Chief Operating Officer z SAMUEL MITSCHKE
  Executive Editor z MIRANDA HORNER
  Marketing Director z RHEA FRIESEN
  Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON
  Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
   Art Direction and Prepress Checker z NIKKI VRTIS
  Based on material by STEVE JACKSON and CHRIS W. MccUBBIN
  
  IntrOductIOn  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .3
  Recommended Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  Publication History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  About GURPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
  1 . SparrIal characterS  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .4
  Sparrial Racial Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Racial History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Psychology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
  Social Modifiers for Dominance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Kleptomania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  The Smell’s the Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Who Discovered Sparrials?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
  Sparrial Tech Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Variant races .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7
  Optional Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Subjugated Sparrials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Allied Sparrials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Primitive Sparrials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  Fantasy Sparrials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
  racial traits  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 8
  Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Other Common Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Disadvantages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
  Other Common Disadvantages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Martial Arts Style: Ssaralooro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
  Other Appropriate Traits for Ssararo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Psionics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
  iconic Professions  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 11
  Pilots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
  Leerlaounoora. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  Templates from GURPS Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
  2 . the WaY Of the anarch:  
  SparrIal culture  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .13
  social (Dis)organization  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 13
  Rabble-Rousers and Demagogues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
  Cultural Traits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
  Stations and Startowns, Schools and Companies . . . . . 14
  Disagreements and Feuds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Sparrial Bootstrapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
  Military Matters and Police. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Practicing stealth: life as a sParrial  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 16
  His and Hers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
  Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  Jobs and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
  Adventure Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Klept-Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  Family Ties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
  arts anD entertainment  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
  Pastimes and Hobbies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Popular Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  Crafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  High Art – or Lack Thereof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
  religion  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 19
  race relations .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 20
  Sparrials in the Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
  3 . Gear: What haS It  
  GOtS In ItS pOcketSeS? .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .21
  lockPicks, security, anD Defenses  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 21
  Customizing Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  clothing anD armor .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 22
  Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
  Armor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
  WeaPons  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 24
  Pets anD liVestock .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 24
  Mounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
  starshiPs  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 27
  Chorialooa (TL11^) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
  Customizing Sparrial Ships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
  Index .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .29
   
  Contents 
  2
  Contents
  “Disarmed. Trapped in our own 
  cargo hold. Pirates looting the ship.” 
  Captain Ti sighed. “Any ideas?”
  Nursing a broken arm, ship 
  security said, “Only if we had 
  weapons.”
  Alanoomi, their sparrial cook, 
  coughed and kicked a wall panel. 
  It popped open. Several blasters 
  spilled out.
  “Illegal guns. Why am I not 
  surprised?” Ti said. “And the locked 
  doors, Al?”
  Alanoomi held up her lockpicks. 
  “On it, Cap’n!”
  
  Whether in fantasy or science fiction, races of tricksters 
  and thieves are common. Sparrials, a race of starfaring 
  filches and hotshots, certainly fit the description! That’s not 
  all they can do, of course; this flexible species can be spies, 
  primitive natives, ambassadors, troubleshooters, 
  smugglers, psionic masterminds, or the quirky 
  medic who patches everyone up and feeds them 
  exotic home cooking.
  Furthermore, they’re perfectly adaptable to 
  a fantasy campaign, whether part of the world 
  from the beginning, or newfound residents of a 
  mysterious island or hidden valley. Perhaps those 
  pointy-eared “elves” in the forest will pick your 
  pockets when you visit . . .
  ReCommended Books
  GURPS Space and GURPS Ultra-Tech are 
  referred to heavily in GURPS Aliens: Sparrials. 
  GURPS Bio-Tech, GURPS Spaceships, and 
  GURPS Psionic Powers could also come 
  in handy. If using sparrials in a fantasy set-
  ting, consider GURPS Fantasy and GURPS  
  Magic instead!
  PuBliCation HistoRy
  Sparrials originally appeared in Roleplayer 
  #10, GURPS Space for Third Edition, and 
  GURPS Aliens for Third Edition. GURPS Aliens: 
  Sparrials expands and updates them for GURPS 
  Fourth Edition.
  aBout tHe autHoR
  Elizabeth McCoy co-authored GURPS In 
  Nomine and GURPS IOU, as well as author-
  ing, co-authoring, and editing any number of 
  In Nomine books. She self-publishes science 
  fiction, fantasy, and fantasy-romance (avail-
  able in ebook forms from Smashwords and 
  Amazon, among other places), and has short stories in  
  small-press anthologies. With Steve Jackson’s permission, 
  sparrials have shown up in some of her SF short stories. She 
  thanks Christopher R. Rice for formatting assistance!
   
  intRoduCtion 
  3
  intRoduCtion
  aBout GURPS
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  errata, updates, Q&A, and much more. To discuss GURPS with 
  our staff and your fellow gamers, visit our forums at forums.
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  found at gurps.sjgames.com/sparrials.
  Bibliographies. Many of our books have extensive bibliogra-
  phies, and we’re putting them online – with links to let you buy the 
  resources that interest you! Go to each book’s web page and look for 
  the “Bibliography” link.
  Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us – but we do our 
  best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata pages for all GURPS releases, 
  including this book, are available on our website – see above.
  Rules and statistics in this book are specifically for the GURPS 
  Basic Set, Fourth Edition. Page references that begin with B refer to 
  that book, not this one.
  I didn’t notice I was being set upon by a pickpocket, 
  which I am glad of, because I like to work only with 
  professionals.
  – Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine,  
  Last Chance to See
  
   
  Sparrial CharaCterS 
  4
  Small, wiry, and fur-covered, sparrials are plainly  
  sapient – their large eyes and ears convey alertness, while 
  their deft, four-fingered hands are quite obviously capable 
  of manipulating tools. Or buttons, when they’re getting into 
  someone else’s pockets.
  Sparrial raCial template
  24 points
  Attribute Modifiers: ST-3 [-30]; DX+2 [40]; HT+1 [10].
  Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: HP+4 [8]; SM -1.
  Advantages: Discriminatory Smell (Emotion Sense, +50%) 
  [23]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Temperature Tolerance 2 [2].
  Perks: Fur [1].
  Disadvantages: Increased Consumption 1 [-10]; Kleptomania 
  (12) [-15], Short Lifespan 1 [-10].
  Quirks: Nosy [-1]; Proud [-1]; Wanderlust [-1].
  Feature: Native gravity 0.95G.
  Racial Skills: Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Detect Lies (H) Per+1 
  [1]-11*; Jumping (E) DX [1]-12.
  * Includes +3 from the Emotion Sense 
  enhancement on Discriminatory Smell.
  Common Learned Skills
  Sparrials should have a point in Filch 
  or Pickpocket or Sleight of Hand, as well 
  as Stealth. A “primitive” sparrial would 
  also want Cooking, Survival (Wood-
  lands), Tracking, and Professional Skill 
  (Weaving) (see p. 5). Lack of these skills 
  constitutes Social Stigma (Ignorant); 
  see p. B155.
  Appreciated, but not considered necessary for an “educated” 
  sparrial, would be the Public Speaking skill for storytelling.
  Common Optional Traits
  Albinism: Many sparrials have albinism, with deep pink 
  eyes and white or blond-brindled fur (Distinctive Features 
  [-1]). Their fur protects them from the sunburn that albino 
  humans risk, but their eyes are still light-sensitive – take Bad 
  Sight (Nearsighted) in bright light (such as a sunny day), with 
  a mitigator of sunglasses or special contacts. Treat this as Bad 
  Sight (Nearsighted; Accessibility, Bright light, -20%; Mitiga-
  tor, Eye protection, -60%) [-5].
  Cultural Familiarity: Planet-dwelling sparrials have little 
  need to interact with aliens, but those who maintain stations 
  and startowns (GURPS Space, p. 206) should buy at least one 
  appropriate Cultural Familiarity. Star-roving sparrials may 
  have several. For simplicity, the GM might require only a sin-
  gle 2-point Cultural Familiarity (Spacers), letting wanderers 
  take their chances around non-spacers on other homeworlds.
  Size Modifier: Strictly following the chart on p. B19, any 
  sparrial below 4.5’ tall is SM -1. If they’re commonly using 
  equipment made for a generally larger species, such as 
  humans, this means they must often get specially con-
  structed gear or find things that were made for human juve-
  niles. On the plus side, they can fit into spaces that few adult 
  humans could manage, even without Flexibility.
  raCial hiStory
  Sparrials are mammals, descended from small, arbo-
  real predators; their extant “chimpanzee” analogs are best 
  described as a cross between monkeys 
  and squirrels with sharp teeth. 
  They are a young race, inventive 
  and persistent, believed to have 
  hurtled into their Age of Sail 
  (TL4) only some 100,000 years 
  after developing true sapience. 
  And there they stayed, hampered 
  by their disorganized, individual-
  istic culture and lack of recorded 
  knowledge, until discovered by 
  spacefaring aliens.
  Never ones to turn down a gift 
  from the universe, sparrials took 
  information, literacy, and teaching – as well as the occasional 
  spaceship – from their discoverers, and bootstrapped them-
  selves from a primitive backwater into an eccentric race found 
  throughout civilized space . . . and uncivilized space . . . and 
  unknown space . . . and possibly hyperspace, if they could only 
  figure out how to find food there.
  phySiology
  Sparrials are bipedal, mammalian aliens, vaguely resem-
  bling a terrestrial cat or fox, though without a tail. They are 
  short and lean, adapted to arboreal life on a lower-grav planet 
  than Earth, though they are nearly as agile on the ground.
  Chapter one
  Sparrial 
  CharaCterS
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  5
  The sparrial diet is mostly carnivorous, though the sparri-
  als do use some vegetables in their dishes. They burn a lot of 
  energy and must eat frequently.
  Sparrion, the sparrial homeworld, is 0.95G, with an aver-
  age temperature of 65°F. Sparrials breathe a standard Terran 
  oxygen mix, at 0.97 atmospheres.
  Anatomy
  Sparrials are humanoid: two legs, two arms, one 
  head, no tail. Their hands and feet have four thin digits 
  each. They have opposable thumbs on the hands, and 
  their big toes are about as capable of a pincer-grip as 
  human toes are. They have sturdy finger- and toenails, 
  which are an aspect of their racial Climbing skill but not 
  large enough to count as the Claws advantage.
  A sparrial’s head is broad and flat on top, tapering 
  sharply to a pointed snout. The long, pointed ears stick 
  out parallel to the top of the head. They have large, deep-
  set eyes, with vertically slitted pupils like a cat’s. Their 
  mouths are their most bizarre feature. Closed, they look 
  relatively normal (although triangular, with three lips). 
  When they’re opened, they can be seen to be lined with 
  rough, serrated bone instead of teeth, and to contain sev-
  eral fleshy organs.
  There are two sexes, with anatomy roughly similar to 
  humans, though females have six breasts. All the details 
  are hidden by fur and, in the case of males, a concealing 
  “pouch.” Non-sparrials may find it difficult to distinguish 
  between genders, except a nursing female, even if no one’s 
  wearing clothing. Sparrials, of course, can smell the differ-
  ence instantly. Fortunately for more visual races, sparrials 
  generally treat being misgendered as hilarious, not insulting.
  Size
  Adult sparrials stand approximately four to five feet tall, 
  and weigh between 80 and 120 human pounds. Males are 
  slightly smaller than females and often slightly faster. Despite 
  being from a lower-grav world, they are muscular for their 
  height when compared to humans.
  Appearance
  A sparrial is completely covered with sleek fur. Most have 
  varying patterns of brown or rust shades, but albinism (p. 4) 
  is common. Sparrials have no nudity taboo, though they often 
  wear clothes for decoration, for protection from the elements, 
  or to carry or conceal items.
  Sparrials, unlike many furred species on Earth, sweat all 
  over their bodies. Going from a very hot environment to a very 
  cold one negates one level of Temperature Tolerance until 
  they can dry off (plus they look very scruffy).
  Lifecycle
  Sparrials grow rapidly, reaching majority after 12 Terran 
  years. They can reproduce about a couple Terran years ear-
  lier, but few sparrials consider this a good idea. They begin to 
  age at 40, though high TL adds normally to their aging rolls 
  (p. B444), as do all relevant advantages.
  Sparrials mate once and for life, usually before their 20th 
  year. Suitors of a too-young sparrial, male or female, will 
  almost certainly be driven away by the youth’s family – who 
  may go straight to lethal measures (see Disagreements and 
  Feuds, p. 15)!
  For more details about fertility, relationships, and off-
  spring, see His and Hers (pp. 16-17) and Children (p. 17).
  names
  Sparrial names are mostly vowels, with a few consonants 
  (mostly l’s, m’s, n’s, and r’s) thrown in. Sparrials have personal 
  names and family names, but the two are customarily pro-
  nounced and written as one word. Thus, Moulelm of the Aan 
  family would write his name Moulelmaan. Personal names 
  are usually two or three syllables and family names are one or 
  two syllables – e.g., Rolemnarla, Leerlaounoora, Aralanoomi. 
  Sparrial family names are customarily passed down through 
  the female line; males may adopt their mate’s family name  
  if they like how it sounds.
  PsyCHology
  Sparrials are an energetic, adventurous, and intensely 
  competitive race. They enjoy new places, new people, and 
  new experiences. In spite of their love for action, they can be 
  very patient, waiting intently and motionlessly for hours until 
  something happens. They are also very self-sufficient; they 
  don’t like to be burdens on others, and they don’t have much 
  interest in taking on a stranger’s burdens. They’ll usually help 
  first – a sparrial who finds someone with a broken leg won’t 
  just walk away – but prolonged “sponging” off the individual 
  or family group is likely to get someone yelled at or left behind 
  in the night. Practicing Stealth: Life As a Sparrial, pp. 16-18, 
  offers further insight into sparrial culture.
  Sparrials like to know where they stand with those around 
  them. They don’t worry about a “ladder” of hierarchy; a spar-
  rial is fine with knowing that Olarraneeoo is a better thief than 
  he is, Lorramanee is better than Olarraneeoo, but he’s better 
  than Lorramanee. It may make some discussions a bit circu-
  lar, but that just makes life more interesting!
  Professional Skill (Weaving)
  DX/Average
  Default: DX-5.
  Professional Skill/TL (Clothmaker), a DX/Average skill, is 
  detailed on p. 50 of GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3: Daily 
  Life and Economics. However, many sparrials don’t create 
  cloth, but instead weave leaves or strips of leather into pon-
  chos, hats, bags, belts, etc., as individual items. This form of 
  weaving, more akin to braiding or macramé, is a skill all its 
  own. It also can be used to make hanging “chairs” (some-
  where between a hammock and a basket) strong enough to 
  support a sparrial.
  At the GM’s discretion, sparrials can use Professional 
  Skill (Wickerwork) to craft rigid baskets and lightweight 
  furniture such as hanging bed-baskets, or stools and chairs 
  for use on the ground. Professional Skill (Wickerwork) and 
  Professional Skill (Weaving) default either way at -1.
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  6
  Sparrials traditionally establish dominance through pil-
  ferage, argument, and battle, in that order. When theft and 
  logic fail, snippiness and poking other people start. Wealth 
  and political power also enter into the equation, but not to 
  the extent found in most other races.
  A randomly assembled group of sparrials will be remark-
  ably fractious until a pecking order is established, where-
  upon insults become virtually nonexistent. Likewise, 
  sparrials often adopt a “chip-on-the-shoulder” attitude when 
  meeting new non-sparrials. When introduced to a sparrial, 
  it’s best to start out formal and firm. After a few days, every-
  one will have a place in the sparrial’s dominance hierarchy, 
  and things will relax.
  Merely sorting out everyone’s relative status rarely leads to 
  outright battle; even a brawl would be uncommon. Serious 
  violence is for settling real issues. See Disagreements and 
  Feuds (p. 15) and The Gauntlet (p. 16) for further discussion.
  klePtomania
  Among sparrials, petty theft is a way to establish one’s sta-
  tus in the community, and they don’t restrict “community” to 
  their own species. Juveniles grab and run; adults use stealth, 
  misdirection, and quick fingers.
  While criminal sparrials may seek wealth, for most, thiev-
  ery is an instinctive attempt to show cleverness and establish 
  social dominance. They’ll cheerfully return 
  a stolen item if asked, because this forces 
  the owner to acknowledge the thief took it! 
  Sparrials always watch each other carefully, 
  and they will often let a thief keep even valu-
  able possessions rather than admit they were 
  stolen. Of course, sparrials would rather steal 
  back their belongings.
  Individuals of other races soon learn to 
  request any property be returned after every 
  contact; being complementary to the thief’s 
  prowess is polite – e.g., “What’d you get this 
  time, Leerlaou? Hmm, thanks. Nice haul.” 
  You’re lower than the sparrial in the thieving 
  hierarchy, but most sparrials learn to respect 
  an alien’s skill in other areas.
  Catching a sparrial in the act will add to his 
  respect for the catcher. Again, good-natured 
  comments, like “Oops, I saw that one,” are best, for they indi-
  cate one’s perceptiveness.
  Since confrontation is their other form of dominance- 
  behavior, sparrials become angry and defensive if confronted 
  rudely, snapping things like, “If ya didn’t want it stolen, why 
  didn’t ya watch it better? Ya trying to start trouble? Be happy 
  to finish it for ya!”
  The sparrials know perfectly well that most other species 
  don’t view petty theft as commonplace, but that’s the aliens’ 
  problem, not theirs. Members of other species who can dis-
  play their own quick fingers – and good nature when returning 
  something – are given the respect a sparrial would grant to 
  another sparrial.
  tHe smell’s tHe tHing
  The sparrial sense of smell is extremely important to 
  them. From the sparrial point of view, all aliens look 
  funny, but some smell better than others. In general, 
  sparrials may add or subtract 3 from their reaction rolls 
  to people, depending on how good or bad they smell to 
  the sparrial. (If using Perfume – GURPS Power-Ups 2: 
  Perks, p. 11 – the GM must decide if the odor is limited 
  to one species, or affects everyone.)
  The GM has several options to handle this; inform 
  the players which are in effect, and for which species! 
  For example, all gengineered heavy-world humans 
  might smell a little funny (-1 to reaction rolls from spar-
  rials), while regular humans have odor-appeal deter-
  mined randomly.
  Appearance Scent: How you look is how you smell. 
  This quick-and-dirty option is especially suited for 
  fast-paced cinematic games. Why do beautiful human 
  females smell so good? Maybe Sparrion Needs Women.
  Charisma Scent: The GM may allow characters to purchase 
  additional odor-based “Charisma” or to buy it down as a dis-
  advantage. This is especially appropriate for sparrial PCs, but 
  could be used for other races as well. This is normally ±4 
  points per level, up to three levels either way; see Charisma, 
  p. 8. If sparrials are rare, there may be an additional limita-
  tion, reducing the cost for sparrial-specific Charisma to ±1 
  per level.
  Social Modifiers for Dominance
  Generally, a sparrial’s personal “dominance web” can just 
  be roleplayed with the aid of a few notes on a character sheet. 
  If more detailed mechanics are needed, represent dominance 
  webs by giving the sparrial +1 to Will to resist Influence skills 
  (p. B359) used by those the sparrial feels he is dominant over, 
  or -1 to resist influence by those he feels are dominant over 
  him. This is in addition to any other modifiers that might be 
  in play. A sparrial who is extremely impressed by someone 
  may have a greater penalty to Will; this is how demagogues 
  (pp. 13-14) manage to convince large numbers of other spar-
  rials to alter their behavior!
  WHo disCoveRed sPaRRials?
  While it’s easy to make humans the unlucky souls who started by 
  trading beads and trinkets and wound up wondering how the furry 
  primitives got their starships, it’s not necessary. Other alien races 
  might serve just as well, as rulers (or would-be conquerors), bewildered 
  partners, or secret masterminds. In a campaign with genetic engineer-
  ing, sparrials might have been created (and then escaped to found their 
  own colony?).
  The GM should consider the opportunities presented by sparrials in 
  a tight, active cooperation with another race or racial federation; sub-
  jugated sparrials with plenty of rebels; or sparrials who are being used 
  in some subtle plan of galactic control. Of course, first contact with 
  sparrials – by humans or others – is a campaign plot that shouldn’t be 
  discounted, whether the humans or the sparrials are the PCs . . .
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  7
  Random Scent: Whenever someone first encounters a spar-
  rial, roll 1d-3, giving a range of -2 to +3. That’s the sparrial 
  reaction modifier to that person.
  Random Scent, Individual: As above, but the GM rolls for 
  each sparrial encountered! Some sparrials think the 
  character smells great, and some . . . don’t.
  Species Scent: The GM determines (randomly or by 
  fiat) the reaction modifier for an entire race or subspe-
  cies. Unless sparrials are very powerful in the game, 
  this could be just a racial perk or quirk for the species 
  in question.
  High-tech perfumes might be available for peo-
  ple who normally get the cold shoulder from sparri-
  als. These might grant a positive modifier or merely 
  mask offensive-to-sparrials odors. For example, Musk 
  (GURPS Bio-Tech, p. 158) might be crafted to appeal 
  to sparrials.
  Note that this is based on biochemistry, not how fre-
  quently someone bathes – though thanks to the +4 to Per for 
  Discriminatory Smell, unwashed people will certainly be obvi-
  ous to a sparrial!
  vaRiant RaCes
  Obviously, sparrials can be adapted to different campaigns. 
  Even if used as-is, there’s no reason they’d be One Monolithic 
  Genotype. Here are some suggestions for variations on the 
  sparrial theme.
  oPtional advantages
  Full of wanderlust, sparrials don’t often inbreed enough  
  to have distinct subgroups. However, some groups may have a 
  harder time getting around than others (e.g., sparrial clans who 
  live behind a mountain range, on a large island, or in a colony 
  far from Sparrion), or beneficial mutations may be available 
  to lucky individuals. Appropriate advantages for a variant sub-
  group include any of Brachiator, Catfall, High Manual Dex-
  terity, Perfect Balance, Subsonic Hearing, and Ultrahearing. 
  These advantages will be part of a “lens” – a package of traits 
  that modifies the racial template for the subgroup – and may 
  be linked to unique fur or color patterns.
  suBjugated sPaRRials
  Whether a gengineered race or enslaved by outsiders, spar-
  rials would tend to be . . . bad servants.
  Enslaved: Add Social Stigma (Second-Class Citizen, 
  Minority Group, or Subjugated) [-5, -10, or -20] and an 
  appropriate Duty.
  Genetically Engineered: Add Stress Atavism (p. B156). Some 
  members may have Bestial (p. B124). Self-Destruct (p. B153), 
  Semi-Upright (p. B153), and Unusual Biochemistry (p. B160) 
  are all disadvantages that might be appropriate.
  allied sPaRRials
  These sparrials have a tight bond of respect for the species 
  who helped them into space (or who rescued them from a pre-
  vious subjugation). Add a quirk-level Sense of Duty toward the 
  race in question; sparrials are inclined to help their benefac-
  tors as if they were distant kin, and they often “adopt” individ-
  uals as kin-by-choice (see Family Ties, p. 18). A general +1 to 
  reaction rolls to that species would be appropriate.
  PRimitive sPaRRials
  Before discovery, sparrials lack a written language, and 
  survival very nearly requires the skills listed on p. 4. As men-
  tioned in Sparrial Tech Levels (above), they will be TL4 and 
  have an appropriate level of Low TL (p. B22).
  Fantasy sPaRRials
  Sparrials could easily fit into a game with magic, 
  whether magi-tech space-fantasy, or all the way to GURPS 
  Banestorm’s Yrth. See Spells (p. 10) for more suggestions.
  Low-Tech Fantasy: Sparrials’ climbing skills would make 
  them useful in the rigging of ships, and they might be com-
  mon sights in seaports or as wandering nomad groups. Their 
  unwillingness to linger in one place might inhibit their ability 
  to learn many spells, but if Magery runs in families, parents 
  could teach their children. Sparrial bandits aren’t out of the 
  question, either – though they might return property if flat-
  tered about how cunning their traps were!
  Sparrial Tech Levels
  Sparrials are adaptable enough that it’s assumed their 
  tech level is equivalent to the general galactic TL. It could be 
  higher, if they were discovered by a high-tech patron race, 
  or lower if they are allied to a poorer species or making do 
  on the cast-offs of the galaxy. If the GM is letting the PCs 
  make first contact, then Sparrion will be TL4, and the spar-
  rial racial template (p. 4) should include an appropriate Low  
  TL disadvantage.
  Captain Ti looked up. And up. 
  “Your cousin is rather tall, Al.  
  And green.”
   Ala shrugged. Her cousin gave 
  a sheepish sparrial grin. “Grew big, 
  like human. Why not dye fur too? 
  Still fly real good!”
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  8
  Yrth Sparrials: Many nonhuman races were transported to 
  Yrth, and sparrials could easily be one of them. In areas where 
  religion is mandatory, they might pay lip service to the local 
  customs, or might simply avoid such places instead. Sparrials 
  would be most likely to appreciate the Great Forest and 
  maybe the Blackwoods, as well as big cities such as Megalos 
  and Cardiel, which are full of opportunities to show off their 
  nimble fingers and climbing skills!
  Dungeon Fantasy: Sparrials could replace halflings or 
  compete for similar niches. Like halflings and gnomes, 
  they may purchase the Giant Weapons perk (see Gnomes, 
  GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 3: The Next Level, p. 10) to wield 
  human-sized weapons. Choice professions are scout and 
  thief; marginal ones are barbarian, holy warrior, knight, and 
  martial artist. Since Dungeon Fantasy glosses over lifespan, 
  remove Short Lifespan from the template (p. 4); racial cost 
  becomes 34 points.
  Magi-Tech: If magic has replaced technology, with circles 
  of mages teleporting ships through hyperspace, sparrials are 
  likely to have much the same roles as in a normal science- 
  fiction campaign (see pp. 11-12). They may have spells of 
  their own devising, or have Magic Resistance – much as anti-
  psi abilities might be common in a game containing psionics 
  (see p. 10).
  RaCial tRaits
  When making a sparrial character, some traits have addi-
  tional nuances.
  advantages
  Certain advantages are very appropriate for sparrials, if 
  sometimes unexpectedly so.
  Basic Speed
  see p. B17
  Sparrials may be even faster than they appear! Males are 
  especially likely to have one or two levels of this trait.
  Charisma
  see p. B41
  As sparrials are very scent-oriented, their species may have 
  Charisma with the “Smell-Based” limitation (-20%), reducing 
  advantage cost to 4 points/level. This can also be bought as a 
  disadvantage, for -4 points per level of “Smell-Based Reverse 
  Charisma.” Limit this to three levels, positive or negative. See 
  The Smell’s the Thing (pp. 6-7) for further information.
  Single-Minded
  see p. B85
  While sparrials often give the impression of being flighty 
  and easily distracted, they are capable of concentrating when 
  they need to, such as when hunting. Some sparrials are very 
  good at this, and they may take the corresponding advan-
  tage. (These sparrials are also good candidates for buying 
  off Wanderlust.)
  disadvantages
  Like advantages, some disadvantages have special nuances 
  when sparrials take them.
  Physical Disadvantages
  A sparrial with a physical disadvantage like 
  Blindness (p. B124) or Lame (p. B141) may wish 
  to buy off Wanderlust and settle down some-
  where. Startowns and other fixed abodes are 
  the usual places to find them, but a zero-grav-
  ity environment is kinder to a legless sparrial 
  than a planet would be, and the hope of tech-
  nological cures may drive someone to the stars. 
  A crippled sparrial could also be a good Depen-
  dent for a PC, who works toward a cure for 
  their mate, sibling, child, or kin-by-choice.
  Wealth
  see p. B25
  Many sparrials still live the life of their 
  ancestors, traveling randomly or in patterns 
  that repeat a route over a period of a year or 
  five. While they may have enough possessions 
  to satisfy themselves, by the standards of more 
  technologically advanced cultures, these spar-
  rials often have below-average Wealth, from 
  Struggling all the way down to Dead Broke!
  otHeR Common advantages
  Common advantages that don’t have sparrial-specific nuances 
  include Acute Senses (especially Taste and Smell, and Hearing), 
  Ambidexterity, Claim to Hospitality (1 to 5 points, usually repre-
  senting ties to kin and kin-by-choice), Combat Reflexes, Danger 
  Sense, Fit or Very Fit, Flexibility, High Manual Dexterity, and the 
  Deep Sleeper perk.
  Stereotypical Advantages
  While not necessarily common, some advantages are very appro-
  priate for sparrial PCs. These include Daredevil, Discriminatory Taste 
  (as an “enhanced” aspect of the racial Discriminatory Smell), Fear-
  lessness, Flexibility, G-Experience, Improved G-Tolerance, Luck, 
  Perfect Balance, Rapier Wit, and Versatile, as well as two Talents: 
  Outdoorsman and Smooth Operator. 
  If using GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, several other perks may be 
  of interest, including Compact Frame, Efficient (Climbing), Extended 
  Hearing, Focused (Climbing), Limited Camouflage (Jungle/Forest), 
  and No Nuisance Rolls (Climbing).
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  9
  As a character concept, a sparrial might start with equip-
  ment equal to below-average Wealth, but have a skill permit-
  ting an average job and be paid normally; their starting gear 
  is a concept choice and worth no additional points. Likewise, 
  those who take Poor can find jobs that will pay according to 
  the Poor Wealth level, but they get no extra points for enter-
  ing the campaign with nothing but a handmade spear and 
  woven bag.
  skills
  Sparrials use most of their skills in the usual way, but one 
  deserves special consideration.
  Detect Lies
  see p. B187
  This skill is instinctive for sparrials; they learn to smell 
  “stress” from an early age and which kinds of odors are asso-
  ciated with lies. Further, adults share descriptions of the “lie-
  smells” of other races, giving them a good chance of detecting 
  fibs from aliens. They can, of course, develop these abilities 
  further; when you can smell a lie, you can also pay attention 
  to other “tells” that indicate lack of truth. If someone is in a  
  completely sealed space suit or container (e.g., an alien in  
  a mobile aquarium), sparrials lose the +3 for the Emotion 
  Sense enhancement on their Discriminatory Smell.
  As a side effect of this, sparrials are often more truthful 
  with their own kind than with aliens.
  maRtial aRts style: 
  ssaRalooRo
  4 points
  Sparrials favor speed, dodging, and using other people’s 
  attacks against them. It’s all the better if one can be a little 
  flashy from time to time, or annoy one’s opponent. Getting 
  your enemy angry enough to make mistakes can only 
  help you, after all. Certain family lines have devel-
  oped these ideals into trainable techniques, resulting 
  in “Ssaralooro,” referred to by humans as “Sparrial 
  Judo.” (Sparrials have a hard time translating the 
  word; it apparently refers to a subtle quality of scent, 
  initially pleasant, but irritating to the nostrils after a 
  short time.) Practitioners are referred to as Ssararo. 
  Humans often translate this as “especially irritating sparrials.”
  Ssaralooro, like many human martial arts, emphasizes 
  keeping your temper. It has some “ninja” aspects, but a spar-
  rial assassin would be just as likely to use regular skills as to 
  be trained in this style.
  The cinematic skills are probably merely the stuff of 
  legend, though sparrials will swear they’re real, quite con-
  vincingly . . .
  Skills: Acrobatics; Judo; Knife.
  Techniques: Acrobatic Stand; Arm or Wrist Lock; Attack 
  from Above (Knife); Breakfall; Choke Hold; Evade (Acrobatics 
  or Judo); Judo Throw; Sacrifice Throw; Trip.
  Cinematic Skills: Blind Fighting; Light Walk; Lizard Climb; 
  Precognitive Parry; Pressure Points (Sparrial); Push.
  Cinematic Techniques: Binding; Hand Catch; Roll with 
  Blow (Acrobatics or Judo).
  Perks: Acrobatic Feints; Biting Mastery*; Drunken Fighting; 
  Sure-Footed (Tree branches and similar narrow, swaying 
  structures).
  otHeR Common disadvantages
  Sparrials are prone to the disadvantages Absent- 
  Mindedness, Chummy, Compulsive Spending, Gluttony, 
  Overconfidence, Sense of Duty (Friends and/or Fam-
  ily), Skinny, Stubbornness, Truthfulness (when your 
  friends and family can smell you lying, why bother?),  
  and Xenophilia.
  Many aliens believe sparrials have Impulsiveness, On 
  the Edge, Short Attention Span, or Trickster; this makes 
  it easy for sparrials to develop these disadvantages, even 
  if that’s not what sent them off the homeworld in the 
  first place! Likewise, a sparrial surrounded by aliens may 
  effectively have Oblivious.
  Frequent quirks include Attentive, Broad-Minded, and 
  Chauvinistic, as well as quirk-level forms of the common 
  disadvantages – e.g., a glutton for specific types of food, or 
  truthful when not under stress (when you’re stressed any-
  way, adding lie-stress doesn’t smell much different). One 
  particularly sparrial quirk is Pacifism (Cannot Kill Except 
  in Self-Defense). When pressed, a sparrial will do what 
  a sparrial’s gotta do – but it’s not easy to get them there.
  Uncommon Disadvantages
  Bad Temper and Bully are two disadvantages that, 
  at first glance, may seem common among sparrials, or 
  like they wouldn’t get the usual reaction penalties. The 
  GM and players are encouraged to think twice about  
  that assumption.
  Bad Temper: Most sparrials do not have this – but aliens 
  often can’t tell that when they first meet a sparrial who 
  wants to establish dominance! Other sparrials see one 
  with Bad Temper as socially ambitious, but that doesn’t 
  mean they’ll put up with the behavior once everything 
  should have been settled. Such a person might end up 
  with an additional negative Reputation!
  Bully: Similarly, bullying behavior can be part of initial 
  dominance spats, but it’s a transient attitude. A full-time 
  Bully would be seen as overly pushy and could get a bad 
  Reputation among other sparrials, even beyond the usual 
  -2 for people who have to deal with the malcontent.
  There is a saying, a very old saying:  
  when the pupil is ready the master will appear.
  – Don Diego de la Vega, in Mask of Zorro
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  10
  Optional Traits
  Advantages: Combat Reflexes; Danger Sense; Enhanced 
  Dodge; Perfect Balance; Rapier Wit. For non-sparrials, the 
  sparrial language.
  Disadvantages: On the Edge; Overconfidence. (Sometimes 
  Ssararo get a little too self-assured about their skills. These are 
  not considered “ideal” disadvantages!)
  Skills: Sling (used to deliver stink-bombs from a distance).
  Perks: Sure-Footed (Rachou). See pp. 26-27 for rachou 
  information. Otherwise, fighting from the broad back of a 
  rachou counts as bad footing (pp. B547 and B549).
  * Biting Mastery for Ssaralooro is a cinematic combat 
  version of Hands-Free (Power-Ups 2, p. 16), which allows 
  Judo grappling and throws using mouth-holds. Make a Judo 
  roll after a successful dodge; the sparrial is presumed to have 
  gotten out of the way, then “grabbed” a hand or clothing in 
  his mouth.
  PsioniCs
  If the GM desires, sparrial characters may have access to 
  psionics. They especially might have a racial tendency to be 
  anti-psis, making them difficult to push around psychically! 
  Thematically, they’re not likely to have notable ability with any 
  other power; powerful sparrial psionicists on a quest for galac-
  tic domination are not typically useful for a campaign.
  Suggested abilities from GURPS Psionic Powers include:
   Power 
  Ability 
  Page(s)
   Anti-Psi 
  Psionic Shield 
  24-25
    
  Psi Static 
  26
   Ergokinesis 
  Confuse 
  32-33
    
  Electric Vision 
  33
   ESP 
  Combat Sense 
  37
    
  Awareness 
  39-40
    
  Visions (any type) 
  39
    
  Psi Sense 
  41
    
  Psidar 
  41-42
    
  Psychic Hunches 
  42
   Probability Alteration 
  Combat Sense 
  45
    
  Second Chance 
  45
   Psychic Healing 
  Aura Reading 
  46
    
  Cure 
  46-47
    
  Regeneration 
  49
   Telepathy 
  Emotion Sense 
  58
    
  Mind Shield 
  66-67
  Most of the perks for Probability Alteration (Psionic 
  Powers, p. 44) are also appropriate. An additional ESP abil-
  ity might be Clairosmia, below.
  Note that Psychic Vampirism is not included in this list! It 
  may be a kind of theft, but the creepy-factor is not thematically 
  compatible with the more straightforward sparrial personal-
  ity. Naturally, if the GM needs an Evil Sparrial Mastermind, 
  this would be the first section to peruse.
  New Ability: Clairosmia
  13 points for level 1, plus 5 points  
  for each additional level
  This functions like Clairaudience (Psionic Powers, p. 40) 
  but only affects the sense of smell and has a longer range by 
  default. A sparrial ESPer who uses Clairosmia would be able 
  to make a Per roll to identify things like the number of people 
  in a room and their individual emotional states. They might 
  have some idea of the long-term emotional states, too, by the 
  lingering aromas – e.g., a recent argument or consensual 
  canoodling.
  Statistics: Clairsentience (Clairosmia, -60%; ESP, -10%: 
  Fixed Range, -5%) [13]. Further levels add Increased Range, 
  one level at a time [+5/level].
  sPells
  Sparrials can be used in a campaign with magic. 
  Sparrial shamans could confound spacefaring races, or 
  “magi-tech” may be the order of the day for the entire cam-
  paign. Sparrials would be particularly interested in spells 
  pertaining to stealing, catching thieves in the act, creating 
  food, letting the caster function without food for longer than 
  usual, and enabling the mage to go more places, faster.
  A short list of spells* from the Basic Set that would partic-
  ularly entertain sparrials include:
  Air (pp. B242-244): Purify Air, No-Smell, Walk on Air, 
  Stench.
  Body Control (pp. B244-245): Spasm, Clumsiness.
  Healing (pp. B248-259): All of them.
  Light and Darkness (pp. B249-250): Blur.
  Mind Control (pp. B250-251): Daze.
  Movement (p. B251): All of them.
  Protection and Warning (pp. B252-253): Armor, Magelock.
  * Less-interesting prerequisites aren’t listed, but they 
  remain necessary.
  Other Appropriate Traits for Ssararo
  A Ssararo, much like a human martial artist, strives 
  to be calm and alert. Sparrials add the ideal of “Pinpoint 
  Accuracy When Being Annoying.” The stereotypical mas-
  ter Ssararo would have Danger Sense, High Pain Thresh-
  old, Indomitable, Rapier Wit, and Unfazeable. A cinematic 
  Ssararo would have Trained by a Master, of course, and 
  might have a level or two of Silence, Slippery, or Striking 
  ST – as well as any other ability attributed to cinematic 
  human martial artists.
  Odo: You’re Betazoid? 
  Lwaxana Troi: Of course.
  Odo: Telepathic? 
  Lwaxana Troi: Yes. 
  Odo: And you sense no guilt anywhere 
  in this room? 
  Lwaxana Troi: No. But Betazoids 
  cannot read Ferengis. 
  – Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #1.16
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  11
  iConiC PRoFessions
  While GURPS Space has useful templates for criminal 
  sparrials (see Templates from GURPS Space, p. 12), one pro-
  fession is near and dear to the sparrial heart, allowing both 
  flamboyant displays of skill and enabling them to travel.
  Pilots
  Sparrials, with a racially high DX and a willingness to 
  buckle down to get what they want, gravitate to piloting posi-
  tions on starships. Even military organizations can often find 
  a place for a competent hotshot, and a government who wants 
  first-in scouts appreciates a fast, sturdy sparrial who doesn’t 
  mind being alone on a scout ship for long periods of time.
  As for scruffy trader ships? Well, sparrials often work 
  cheap, just for the chance to go to new places, meet new peo-
  ple, and steal their wallets.
  Sparrial Pilot
  100 points
  Attributes: ST 7 [0]; DX 13 [20]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [0].
  Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-3/1d-2; BL 9.8 lbs.; 
  HP 11 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 
  6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0].
  Advantages: Cultural Familiarity (Spacers) [2]; Language (a 
  major spacefaring race) at Accented [4]; and Sparrial [24]. 
  • 15 points chosen from among Absolute Direction or 3D 
  Spatial Sense† [5 or 10], Charisma [5/level], Claim to Hos-
  pitality [1-5], Combat Reflexes [15], Cultural Adaptabil-
  ity [10], Danger Sense [15], Daredevil [15], G-Experience 
  [1-10], Hot Pilot† [5/level], Improved G-Tolerance [5-15], 
  Intuition [15], Language Talent [10], Lightning Calculator 
  or Intuitive Mathematician‡ [2 or 5], Luck [15], Perfect 
  Balance† [15], Reputation +1 to +4 (Good pilot; To other 
  spacers) [2-10], Serendipity 1 [15], Single-Minded [5], or 
  any of these perks: Alcohol Tolerance, Deep Sleeper, Hon-
  est Face, No Hangover, or Shtick [1/perk].
  Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among sparrial- 
  themed disadvantages or spacer-themed disadvantages.
  Sparrial-Themed Disadvantages: Albinism (p. 4) [-6], Curious 
  (12) [-4§], Enemy (A law-enforcement officer; Watcher) 
  [Varies], Enemy (Another spacer; Rival) [Varies], Glut-
  tony [-5*], Greed [-15*], Impulsiveness [-10*], Miserliness 
  [-10*], Oblivious [-5], On the Edge [-15*], Overconfidence 
  [-5*], Stubbornness [-5], Trickster [-15*], Truthfulness 
  [-5*], Weirdness Magnet [-15], Xenophilia [-10*], or any of 
  these quirks: Attentive, Broad-Minded, Careful, Congenial, 
  Dull or Imaginative, or Staid [-1/quirk].
  Spacer-Themed 
  Disadvantages: 
  Addiction 
  (DX 
  Adders, 
  TL9, $25/dose, LC3; see GURPS Bio-Tech, p. 155) [-5], 
  Alcoholism (or similarly incapacitating, legal substance, 
  which may be sparrial-specific) [-15], Compulsive Carous-
  ing [-5*], Compulsive Gambling [-5*], Reputation -1 to -4 
  (Sparrial hothead, etc.; To other spacers) [-2 to -10], Sense 
  of Duty (Commander or other crewmember) [-2], Sense of 
  Duty (Ship crew or similar small group) [-5], Wealth (Poor 
  or Struggling) [-15 or -10], or any of these quirks: Alcohol 
  Intolerance, Code of Honor (Spacer’s, Pilot’s, etc.), Horri-
  ble Hangovers, or Minor Addiction [-1/quirk].
  Primary Skills: Area Knowledge (Interplanetary State) (E) 
  IQ [1]-12; Navigation/TL (Hyperspace or Space¶) (A)  
  IQ [2]-12; Piloting/TL (FTL Type) (A) DX+1 [4]-14; Pilot-
  ing/TL (High-Performance Spacecraft or Low-Performance 
  Spacecraft) (A) DX+1 [4]-14.
  Secondary Skills: Five of Beam Weapons (Pistol) or Gunner 
  (any), both (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Free Fall, Piloting/TL (Aero-
  space), Piloting/TL (Contragravity), Piloting/TL (High- 
  Performance Spacecraft or Low-Performance Spacecraft, 
  whichever wasn’t selected above), or Vacc Suit/TL all (A) 
  DX [2]-13; Computer Operation/TL or Spacer/TL, both (E)  
  IQ+1 [2]-13; or Electronics Operation/TL (Communica-
  tions or Sensors) or Mechanic/TL (specific power plant 
  type, specific space-vehicle motive system type, or specific 
  spacecraft type), all (A) IQ [2]-12.
  Background Skills: Four of Brawling, Knife, or Fast-Draw 
  (any), all (E) DX [1]-13; Filch (A) DX-1 [1]-12; Judo or Pick-
  pocket, both (H) DX-2 [1]-11; First Aid/TL (E) IQ [1]-12; 
  Gambling, Holdout, Merchant, Smuggling, or Streetwise, 
  all (A) IQ-1 [1]-11; or Scrounging (E) Per [1]-12.
  * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.
  † 3D Spatial Sense gives +1 to Piloting; +2 to Aerobatics, 
  Free Fall, and Navigation (Hyperspace or Space); and +3 to 
  Body Sense and Navigation (Air, Land, or Sea). Hot Pilot gives 
  +1 per level to Gunner (any), Navigation (Air or Space), and 
  Piloting (any). Perfect Balance gives +1 to Acrobatics, Climb-
  ing, and Piloting (any). If you take any of these advantages, 
  apply the bonuses to the appropriate skills; they are not fig-
  ured into the template’s skill levels!
  ‡ Intuitive Mathematician (p. B66) permits those who have 
  it to “perform astrogation without a computer,” making it a 
  useful advantage for a pilot. The sparrial still needs points in a 
  suitable Navigation skill, of course. Meanwhile, “mere” Light-
  ning Calculator lets a hotshot figure accurate tax, tips, and 
  total fees in bars, no matter how drunk.
  § For sparrials, the Curious disadvantage replaces the racial 
  Nosy quirk and is thus effectively worth one point less.
  ¶ “Space” covers slower-than-light ship movement, warp 
  drives, or any other “normal-space” navigation. “Hyper-
  space” covers any FTL system that “folds space,” drops the 
  ship into a pocket dimension with slightly different physics, 
  or otherwise removes the ship from normal space. Some set-
  tings may have both. Consult the GM for the actual names 
  of these specialties.
  Lenses
  One-Person Ship (+4 points): Take Mechanic/TL (Spacecraft 
  type) (A) IQ+1 [4]-13.
  “So you’re a pilot?” Captain Ti asked, 
  ignoring the green fur.
  Lorilono grinned. “I am best pilot in 
  sector! Just ask cousin Alanoomi!”
  
   
  sPaRRial CHaRaCteRs 
  12
  Scout or Prospector (+8 points): Take Geogra-
  phy/TL (Physical) (H) IQ [4]-12 and Geol-
  ogy/TL (Earthlike or Rock Worlds) (H) 
  IQ [4]-12. Scouts specialize in Earthlike 
  worlds, while prospectors usually special-
  ize in Rock Worlds.
  Smuggler (+8 points): Take Smuggling (A) IQ+1 
  [4]-13 and Streetwise (A) IQ+1 [4]-13.
  temPlates  
  FRom GURPS SPace
  Character templates can be modified by 
  racial templates (see Stacking Templates, 
  p. B261). Even in 100-point campaigns, several 
  templates can absorb the sparrial racial one and 
  have a few points left over for customization.
  Criminals
  Quite aside from their casual filching of 
  other people’s property, sparrials can be greedy 
  for toys as much as any human, and the way to 
  get toys is to steal . . .
  Sparrials are not, however, well-equipped to 
  be muggers. Their strengths are their good DX 
  and keen senses, though some modern sparrials 
  are obsessed with all the intellectual ways they 
  can obtain cash for what they want. Suitable 
  templates include con man (GURPS Space, 
  p. 228) and thief (GURPS Space, p. 235).
  A sparrial assassin could modify that thief 
  template by taking Stealth at DX+1 and Beam 
  Weapons (Pistol) at DX+2 (4 points each). 
  A sparrial smuggler who isn’t a pilot could 
  use the merchant template (GURPS Space, 
  p. 230) with the smuggler lens from Sparrial 
  Pilot (pp. 11-12).
  Ordinary Spacers
  Not every sparrial is a hotshot adventurer! 
  Their wandering feet may lead them to the 
  stars, but not necessarily to more excitement 
  than helping build starships or working to 
  colonize a new world. Eventually, they’ll 
  move on, but for now, there’s plenty of inter-
  esting stuff. Suitable templates include colo-
  nist (GURPS Space, p. 227) and space worker 
  (GURPS Space, p. 234).
  Other sparrials might throw themselves into 
  the engine room instead of the pilot seat. The 
  technician template (GURPS Space, p. 235) 
  can make a good ship’s engineer.
  The bare minimum skills for a spacefar-
  ing sparrial are Spacer/TL (E) IQ+1 [2], Free 
  Fall (A) DX [2], and Vacc Suit/TL (A) DX [2],  
  for 6 points.
  Of course, just because they start out as 
  shabbier members of their species doesn’t 
  mean circumstances – or the GM – will let them 
  stay in the background!
  leeRlaounooRa (140 Points)
  Leerlaounoora is an amiable fellow of unremarkable appearance, 
  dark brown and brindled. While he has a cover job of keyboardist in 
  a local bar band, he’s really a thief in the grand style. His particular 
  specialty is cat burglary.
  Leerlaou is wanted by the cops, though they don’t yet know who 
  he is. He has a definite sense of professional style; his MO includes 
  leaving a corny joke or cartoon at the site of each robbery, and the 
  press has nicknamed him “the Cheerful Bandit.” He doesn’t steal 
  more than he needs at the moment, although he’s looking for that 
  one big score he can retire on. As a gentleman thief, he only steals 
  from the very rich, and while he carries a laser, he’s never hurt any-
  one during a job.
  Leerlaounoora is a 140-point character, suitable as an NPC or a 
  heroic-level (p. B487) PC. His TL skills should be adjusted to the cam-
  paign default for sparrials.
  ST 7 [0*]; DX 13 [20*]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11 [0*].
  Damage 1d-3/1d-2; BL 9.8 lbs.; HP 11 [0*]; Will 13 [0]; Per 15 [10]; FP 
  11 [0].
  Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 6 [0]; Dodge 9.
  4’3”; 100 lbs., SM -1*.
  Social Background
  TL: (as defined by the GM) [0].
  CF: Sparrial [0]; one Cultural Familiarity of the GM’s choice [2].
  Languages: Sparrial (Native) [0]; one other language of the GM’s 
  choice at Accented [4].
  Advantages
  Absolute Timing [2]; Flexibility [5]; Sparrial [24].
  Disadvantages
  Code of Honor (Gentleman Thief’s†) [-5]; Enemy (Police; 6 or less) 
  [-10]; Gluttony (12) [-5], Greed (12) [-15]; Stubbornness [-5].
  Quirks: Always dresses as a “masked bandit” for costume parties 
  and holidays (e.g., raccoon, Zorro, Robin Hood, Swiper the Fox, and 
  the like); Chocoholic; Has never missed an episode of a certain daily 
  soap opera; Is not a confirmed bachelor and will flirt with unattached 
  female sparrials; Leaves jokes at the scene of his crimes and is always 
  on the lookout for new quips. [-5]
  Skills
  Acting (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Architecture/TL (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Beam Weap-
  ons/TL (Pistol) (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Climbing (A) DX+2 [0]-15*‡; Detect 
  Lies (H) Per+1 [0]-16*; Electronics Operation/TL (Security) (A) IQ+4 
  [16]-17; Escape (H) DX+2 [2]-15‡; Explosives/TL (Demolition) (A) 
  IQ+1 [4]-14; Fast-Talk (A) IQ [2]-13; Holdout (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Jumping 
  (E) DX [0]-13*; Lockpicking/TL (A) IQ+2 [8]-15; Musical Instrument 
  (Keyboard) (H) IQ [4]-13; Pickpocket (H) DX-2 [1]-11; Running (A) 
  HT [2]-11; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-15; Stealth (A) DX+2 [8]-15; Street-
  wise (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Traps/TL (A) IQ+1 [4]-14.
  * From the sparrial racial template (see p. 4).
  † Only steal from the rich. Leave a calling card. Injure or kill only 
  as a last resort.
  ‡ Includes +3 from Flexibility.
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  13
  Sparrials are individualists who live for the moment, with 
  little loyalty beyond kinship ties. They strive for one-on-one 
  social dominance more than societal prestige, and they find 
  no value in abstract governmental 
  institutions. If a sparrial can’t see 
  how it benefits him or his family, 
  he’s not inclined to sacrifice his 
  own time.
  Conversely, a sparrial who under-
  stands the value of something – such 
  as public education – is perfectly 
  willing to work to support it. Some 
  will even give up their wandering 
  ways to tend to a physical location. 
  Charismatic and eloquent sparrials 
  can sway hundreds of families into a 
  course of action. The species won’t follow ideals, but they will 
  pursue concrete goals. These leaders are responsible for much 
  of the spacefaring civilization that sparrials enjoy.
  soCial (dis)oRganization
  Sparrials are rarely cooperative. Even when everyone 
  agrees on a goal, the means to reach it may be the subject of 
  contention. Nearly every important advance has come from 
  a great leader who personally dominated or swayed tens or 
  hundreds of families, or from an alien technique or system 
  that was adopted when the sparrials realized what a good idea 
  it was. Sometimes both were required.
  Typically, a grandmother or mother directs her family’s 
  course until the children are old enough to move on. Some-
  times a sibling-group will stick together, along with their 
  mates, with the most dominant member in charge of the clan. 
  Prior to space-age communications, though, groups as small 
  as 20 were considered large and difficult to steer.
  Even now, when modern medicine extends the lifespan 
  of grandparents, and modern communications let them stay 
  in touch with their kin, only about 50-100 sparrials might be 
  expected to frequently act as a group.
  RaBBle-RouseRs  
  and demagogues
  And then there are the silver-tongued and deft-fingered 
  sparrials who use a combination of sweet persuasion and per-
  sonal status to sway entire extended families and not just their 
  own. They don’t tell others what to do from their stumps and 
  vid broadcasts; instead, they explain why something’s import-
  ant to accomplish, why their listeners should help, and why 
  it should be done this way. Then they put their muscle where 
  their tongues are, easily seen to be leading the way – and 
  showing off in the process.
  CHaPteR tWo
  tHe Way oF 
  tHe anaRCH: 
  sPaRRial 
  CultuRe
  The great thing about being the only species that 
  makes a distinction between right and wrong is that 
  we can make up the rules for ourselves as we go along.
  – Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine,  
  Last Chance to See
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  14
  Rabble-rousers are more common than true sparrial dem-
  agogues. Their goals are short-term, passionate ones: lynch 
  the murderer, repel the invaders, storm the enemy stronghold. 
  They appeal to the obvious dangers of standing by and letting 
  killers do as they please, and the obvious benefits of teaming 
  up and following a coordinated plan. After that, everyone can 
  go home, get the blood out of their fur, mourn the dead, and 
  get on with the business of living.
  Demagogues, by contrast, are trying to build something 
  that lasts, and hopefully lasts beyond their death. It was dem-
  agogues who organized families into startown maintainers, 
  schoolteachers, and organizations that approximated govern-
  mental officials enough to make trade agreements with alien 
  ambassadors and corporate representatives. They appeal to 
  the practical necessity of long-term behaviors and sometimes 
  long-term sacrifices. Many of them die young for their causes, 
  burned out by the stress of alternating personal dominance in 
  one-on-one situations with the appeal to self-interest required 
  to reach the masses.
  eduCation
  Sparrials aren’t required to educate their children (it’s 
  hard to require a sparrial to do anything), but over 90% of 
  them do, to the extent of their offspring’s patience. Parents 
  are expected to contribute to the educational institution – or 
  traveling teachers – as their resources allow, and students are 
  expected to donate time to assist with maintenance and edu-
  cational efforts.
  stations and staRtoWns, 
  sCHools and ComPanies
  The most important families are those who’ve been  
  persuaded to settle down in one place and keep things 
  running – in particular, the ones who maintain orbiting, 
  deep-space, or ground-based stations that provide R&R 
  and ship repair. Some families are large enough to allow 
  rotation when wanderlust becomes unbearable, but even so, 
  it requires dedication. Fortunately, both stations and star-
  towns get travelers coming in, and the variety of those can 
  satisfy the need for stimulation.
  Less obviously vital to the racial urge to explore are the 
  sparrials who maintain the public and private educational 
  facilities on Sparrion (and any colonies the GM creates). 
  These teachers and administrators include both families 
  and individuals who tend to stay at one place for a few 
  years before moving on to the next town. Without commu-
  nications gear, this setup would be fragile and patchwork –  
  a good teacher might move on and be replaced by a fast-
  talking but incompetent or uninformed one, with no over-
  sight or way to tell who was right. A family might move 
  out of the area and be unable to find a teacher in their new 
  surroundings. If given high-tech (or magi-tech) abilities to 
  find out what’s going on where and to travel there quickly, 
  though, socially dominant administrators can organize 
  a network of teachers, sparrials studying to be teachers,  
  and students.
  CultuRal tRaits
  As a race, sparrials don’t understand settling in one 
  place for a decade or more as being anything but a sacri-
  fice. They’re conscious of their standing as and with indi-
  viduals – not their standing in society as a whole. They 
  can smell lies and are delighted when they realize there 
  are aliens who can’t. They’re unpleasantly surprised when 
  others take offense at their displays of skill – either at 
  pickpocketing or at intimidation.
  Much sparrial behavior is still driven by instinctive 
  urges. Their cultural essences are innate enough that even 
  a sparrial raised by another species would quickly fit in 
  on the homeworld. Humans (or similarly flexible races) 
  may assimilate many sparrial attitudes, though they’d be 
  handicapped by their comparatively poor sense of smell. 
  A suitable explanation might allow “native” non-sparrials 
  to take the sparrial Cultural Familiarity and language as 
  their default.
  Cultural Familiarities
  All sparrials are assumed to have their own Cultural 
  Familiarity by default, and they should purchase others 
  as needed. Sparrials pick up Cultural Familiarities about 
  as easily as humans do – though they don’t always abide 
  by other cultures’ norms! (Sparrials hate being ordered 
  around by people they don’t respect.) For aliens, anyone 
  who regularly deals with sparrials should take the 2-point 
  Cultural Familiarity (Sparrials), to avoid giving offense to 
  a race of thieves and hecklers.
  Languages
  The core sparrial language is clipped and no-nonsense, 
  with a tendency to dispense with nouns and pronouns 
  if the speaker feels they’re clear from context. There are 
  hundreds of different dialects. Fortunately, the race’s wan-
  derlust keeps the core language understandable despite 
  accents and odd words; few communities are isolated 
  enough to become unintelligible. Their written language 
  came only after they were discovered, and it hasn’t drifted 
  much. Unless raised by aliens, sparrial PCs are presumed 
  to be literate and know their own language for free; other 
  languages require points.
  Because of oddities of the sparrial mouth (p. 5), many 
  non-sparrials have trouble pronouncing the language, 
  speaking at the Accented level even though their com-
  prehension may be Native. In turn, many sparrials don’t 
  bother to learn other languages past Broken or Accented. 
  Even Native-level speakers frequently affect a lower ability, 
  dropping words or sounds they find unnecessary. Excep-
  tions to both are valid without any special traits! Some 
  sparrials enunciate perfect, pedantic Oxford English, and 
  some non-natives can whorl an oo-oo-ou combination like 
  a Northern Sparrion granny.
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  15
  And finally, sparrial-run corporations channel the race’s 
  competitive nature. They’re best known for selling anonymous 
  email accounts – a business that can be run from the back 
  of a large truck, if the driver stays within comm-relay range. 
  However, some sparrials run perfectly legitimate establish-
  ments, such as vehicle manufacturing and sales companies, 
  grocery chains, or any other business that allows the owner to 
  travel frequently. What large corporations do not have are all- 
  sparrial workforces, usually. Sparrials understand the need to 
  let their fellows both hire on and move on easily, but for posts 
  that require stability? The sparrial CEO hires non-natives.
  disagReements and Feuds
  When sparrials argue, it tends to be a quick thing, started 
  as soon as one of them feels offended – and it’s done between 
  relative equals. (Someone who’s proved himself a better thief 
  than others is rarely challenged.) These disputes are loud and 
  full of gestures. The first person to turn away is usually the 
  “loser,” but it’s possible to make that an expression of “you’re 
  not worth my time.” Often, both parties can feel vindicated!
  A pattern of disagreements results in one sparrial rounding 
  up local kinfolk and friends before standing outside the other 
  sparrial’s camp (or quarters, etc.) to repeat the yelling and ges-
  ticulation with reiterations of every annoyance they’ve been 
  putting up with. At this stage, turning away is losing.
  If shouting alone doesn’t work, the next stage is “ritual com-
  bat,” which adds posturing threat-displays, light slaps, shoves, 
  pinches, and ear-pulling. These rarely result in anything more 
  than bruises, and the matter is generally settled; the losing 
  party is more likely to move on than stay in the area and snipe.
  However, sparrials can become sufficiently at odds that the 
  normal social resolutions don’t work. Sparrials aren’t saints; 
  some steal for greed, cause accidents for spite, or are just 
  plain mean. They may have their families fooled, be part of a 
  nasty clan, or be so subtle that no one is sure whether they’re 
  acting in good faith or not. More tragically, if a sparrial is 
  responsible for an unintended death, the bereaved family or 
  friends may not be willing to accept “it was an accident.”
  In these cases, a shoving contest isn’t enough; individuals 
  may fight to the death. Entire families may start feuds against 
  each other, ruthlessly sniping until only one has any adult 
  members left.
  Fortunately, sparrial wars are unknown. It’s just not possi-
  ble to get enough clans to pick sides.
  sPaRRial BootstRaPPing
  When discovered, sparrials had – despite lacking 
  either literacy or real government – managed to achieve 
  a roughly TL4 society, complete with tall-masted ships, 
  trade-towns, and factory-towns. Oral tradition links these 
  to demagogues and their families. In particular, the prob-
  ably apocryphal Souoronoomi and her clan are credited 
  with such things as the first trade-town, the first money, 
  and the first concept of localized schools that people could 
  travel to when they wanted to learn more than the imme-
  diate family could teach.
  The basics of the legend are that Souoronoomi was a 
  female who suffered an accident that left both legs crip-
  pled. Rather than suicide, she convinced her siblings to 
  build her a shelter beside a river, near the coast. Other 
  sparrials visited, bringing stories, furs, plants, and other 
  souvenirs of their adventures and thus feeding Souoro’s 
  hunger for new experiences. The shelter became a store 
  of necessities that were well-guarded by the crippled 
  sparrial, who traded them for other goods. Still, even 
  with her keen memory, it became useful for Souoro to 
  exchange tokens with those who had more to trade than 
  she could match immediately, so they could return later 
  for supplies when her stock was replenished. This is said 
  to be the first money.
  Other sparrials established their own tents and tree 
  houses in the area, keeping Souoro company till they 
  became too restless to stay, settling while they raised their 
  children, or seeking a place to keep an elder comfortable 
  until the end. One of these travelers was a storyteller who 
  caught Souoronoomi’s ear, and she used her trade tokens 
  to pay children to leave courting gifts, which were eventu-
  ally accepted. Her chosen male was a gifted teacher who 
  was content to spend most of his time in his mate’s town. 
  Thus, the first classrooms were built.
  The legend continues that Souoronoomi’s eldest twins, 
  Mouraanoomi and Awoulonoomi, were likewise gifted 
  with the uncharacteristic ability to hang around in one 
  place for long durations, and they had all their parents’ 
  talent of influencing other sparrials. Family dwellings 
  were built for kinfolk to use as they came through the 
  area; the concept of renting a house came into being; and 
  the concept of buying houses when you came into town, 
  and selling them when you left, was likewise adopted. 
  Even the idea of pledging to work on a single project for 
  a certain number of months – with plenty of exceptions 
  for why you might need to leave early, with notification 
  of the project’s leader – reportedly dates to the Noomi 
  clan’s innovations.
  While it’s hard to sort out historical artifacts – paint-
  ings, tapestries, carvings, etc. – from forgeries, there’s 
  some evidence a crippled matriarch presided over one of 
  the early successful towns. The sparrials themselves are 
  full of pride for this possibly mythical female; they know 
  how hard it is to convince their people of anything! Ste-
  reotypically, anyone with the Noomi name is expected to 
  be a teacher, a storyteller, or an excellent con artist.
  Seize the day, whatever’s in it  
  to seize, before something comes  
  along and seizes you.
  – Lloyd Alexander, The Arkadians
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  16
  militaRy  
  matteRs and PoliCe
  The usual unit of sparrial military varies between the small 
  guerrilla squad and the lynch mob. In the sparrial mindset, 
  “warrior” is something you do because you must, and once it’s 
  done, you go back to your everyday life. The idea of a “career 
  soldier” is alien; they can understand the “travel to new places, 
  meet new people” parts, but the “and shoot them” seems 
  unnecessary to a happy life. Nonetheless, sparrials on the 
  hunt, whether their quarry is food or an enemy, are patient, 
  stealthy, and silent. They don’t toy with their prey.
  Sparrials only vaguely understand the concept of “police” 
  or “station security.” People resolve their disputes as indi-
  viduals, or with help from their friends and family. Right-
  thinking sparrials know when to walk away, after all – and if 
  someone is too wrong-thinking . . . That’s what the Gauntlet 
  is for.
  The Gauntlet
  Sometimes a sparrial is just bad, and everyone local has 
  been horribly wronged by him or finds out about his actions. 
  Sometimes an alien is likewise deemed anathema by a large 
  number of sparrials. If enough people want a piece of the 
  criminal’s hide, and he’s been captured, someone will orga-
  nize a Gauntlet.
  A Gauntlet involves placing the accused in an area (e.g., a 
  clearing in the jungle, or a gazebo in the middle of town), giv-
  ing the angry mob a chance to show up, and then letting him 
  go. Either he gets a head start (rare) or the mob has to position 
  itself a distance away for a short time – not for “fairness,” but 
  to give everyone the opportunity to throw things and scream 
  insults. Traditionally, each sparrial in the mob is allowed to 
  draw blood once, and must then give everyone else a turn – 
  though they can obviously follow along.
  In theory, someone could escape a Gauntlet, evading 
  everyone. In practice, unless the angry mob is only a little 
  angry (inflicting minor cuts instead of their best effort) or a 
  significant number of people help the target get away . . . it’s 
  a death sentence.
  Potential subjects of a Gauntlet include serial killers, child 
  molesters, pirates who’ve been egregious about their piracy, 
  people who sell highly dangerous drugs to sparrials, and sla-
  vers. Sparrials won’t necessarily go out of their way to preserve 
  vile specimens for a Gauntlet; pragmatism dictates a fast death 
  if the criminal would otherwise get away. But someone who 
  does bring such people to sparrial justice is given respect for it.
  PRaCtiCing stealtH:  
  liFe as a sPaRRial
  The sparrial term for “growing up” is more literally trans-
  lated as “learning stealth.” Every day is a test of skill, and for the 
  most part, one sparrials embrace with enthusiasm. While they 
  can wait for hours, patiently, for something to happen – even 
  days, if they’re stalking nervous prey – a bored sparrial is one 
  who’ll be looking for new trouble to get into. Still, despite their 
  racial Kleptomania and tendency to be pushy with strangers, 
  sparrials are no more malicious about their lives than humans 
  are – and no less so, overall, despite some humans’ desire to 
  idealize sparrials’ tendency to live in the moment. Tasks that 
  require tools do tend to take longer, between the performer’s 
  terse “Saw that, kid” remarks and having to replace or steal 
  back tools and materials.
  An average day is spent being constantly alert for attempts 
  to pilfer one’s belongings, and for opportunities to pilfer 
  the possessions of others. Showing off one’s physical skill 
  is important, but only a barely grown kid pulls stunts that 
  could inconvenience everyone else if he slipped. Dying would 
  be entirely embarrassing – driving vehicles rarely includes 
  jaywalker-dodging. (Besides, sparrials quickly figured out 
  that if you ran into some vehicle’s way, and it didn’t stop, you 
  got hurt or dead. If it did stop, it proved the driver’s skill, not 
  yours! Sparrials may have only traffic “suggestions,” but they 
  obey them as much as a human would.)
  For a contentious, competitive society, though, sparrials 
  rarely take each other’s thefts and jibes seriously. Their keen 
  sense of smell lets them tell the difference between malice 
  and posturing.
  His and HeRs
  Though females are usually a little larger and males often 
  a bit faster, sparrials have little sexual dimorphism, and their 
  courtships are more akin to bower birds than chimpanzees. 
  Females are romantically aggressive, males build their status 
  and fortunes and wait to be asked, and pair-bonding monog-
  amy is the ideal. Spacefaring sparrials, more used to other cul-
  tures, sometimes have forward males who offer gifts to ladies 
  who’ve caught their eyes. Likewise, mating 
  outside a relationship is less taboo to those 
  “infected” by alien mores.
  In a typical relationship, the female chooses 
  a prospective mate – some humans say “tar-
  get” – and informs him of her interest by leav-
  ing anonymous gifts of food, jewelry, or minor 
  tools. Later, once she’s gauged what he likes,  
  she sneaks not-so-anonymous offerings into 
  his home, workplace, or similar location. 
  For a contentious, competitive society, sparrials 
  rarely take each other’s thefts and jibes seriously. 
  Their keen sense of smell lets them tell the difference 
  between malice and posturing.
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  17
  To signal a lack of interest, the male can discard the 
  gifts or, in later stages, “fail to notice” who is leaving them.  
  A very persistent female may need to be discouraged by 
  a confrontation with shouting and public argument (see 
  Disagreements and Feuds, p. 15).
  If the male accepts the gifts, it indicates he’s at least 
  interested in romance. Publicly thanking the female accepts 
  her proposal.
  In the sparrial ideal, mates are pair-bonded for life and 
  never take another, even if one dies. In reality, even 
  sparrials have promiscuous or cheating members, and 
  widows and widowers may take unofficial mates – espe-
  cially if their partner died while they were still young.
  Same-sex relationships are rarely sexual (the smells 
  just aren’t right for that) but do exist. However, platonic 
  friends can be cuddly enough to confuse non-sparrials. 
  It’s perfectly easy for sparrials to tell who’s involved and 
  who isn’t – scent gives away lovers’ liaisons.
  CHildRen
  Sparrial females are fertile only when certain envi-
  ronmental and nutritional conditions are met, and 
  frequently only with males who meet certain genetic 
  requirements and thus “smell good.” Females can also 
  smell their own fertile times, and choose whether do 
  anything about it.
  Children are born in litters of one to seven, with an 
  average of three or four. They are born blind and open 
  their eyes about a week later. Spacefaring sparrials rarely 
  have more than one or two litters in their lives, while 
  planet-dwelling ones are more prolific. Modern sparrials 
  rarely go above four litters.
  The young stay with the mother constantly until 
  they’re weaned, which happens around their second or 
  third Terran year. Then aunts, uncles, fathers, grand- 
  parents, and older siblings take on various childcare tasks.
  From an early age, many sparrial babies roughhouse like 
  puppies or kittens. So long as no one squawks too much, 
  they’re left to establish their own social order. As they grow, 
  scrabbling for their preferred breast (sparrials have six, only 
  evident when nursing) becomes channeled – by watching 
  their elders – into filching each other’s toys or treats. Those 
  elders also play theft-games with the children directly, 
  which both teaches them how to watch out for a teasing 
  parent and enforces the idea that parents are socially dom-
  inant to their children.
  While adult sparrials rarely wish to acknowledge that 
  someone pilfered something from them, parents often allow 
  their children to swipe minor items. The adults then praise 
  their clever offspring for their accomplishment, much as 
  humans praise their own young for halting performances of 
  “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
  Eventually, children grow up, find mates, and have their 
  own families to care for. In older times, this meant moving 
  away from their parents’ hunting grounds, and even modern 
  sparrials tend to go off on their own. If they consider their 
  parents too domineering, they often leave home the moment 
  they feel they can without starving (which may mean unilat-
  erally attaching themselves to passing starship crews or other 
  adventuring groups). This can result in genuinely concerned 
  – if overbearing – parents chasing after their runaways to 
  bring them back or make sure they’re in a relatively safe place! 
  Even sparrials can have overprotective kinfolk.
  If the parental relationship is more harmonious, children 
  may return to their families with their new mates, to visit or 
  group together in a clan. Sparrials who do not find mates, 
  whether through inclination or poor luck, may also come 
  back to be an aunt or uncle.
  joBs and ResPonsiBilities
  The most visceral role of a sparrial is as the co-head of 
  a family, along with one’s mate: providers and defenders. 
  Before aliens discovered them, sparrials were hunters and 
  gatherers, with animal-keepers and farmers in areas where 
  they settled for a while. Some herders brought their animals 
  along with them, and gardeners tended the edible plants along 
  their nomadic routes.
  Those core identities are still important, with the more 
  recent addition of teachers. To fail to meet the challenge of 
  the galaxy is unthinkable. Being ignorant savages is shame-
  ful. Teaching is both a modern invention on Sparrion and 
  a hearkening back to the wisdom of grandparents who told 
  stories to children. Of all the raw concepts sparrials took 
  from the aliens of the galaxy, universal education is the 
  most obvious.
  Other “normal” community positions are less noted. Law 
  enforcement is entirely absent, though serious crimes are 
  punished by impromptu gangs of vigilantes or lynch mobs 
  (see Military Matters and Police, p. 16). Startowns often have 
  “hobbyist” neighborhood watches. When one family has too 
  much say over what’s “fair” in a town, everyone who disagrees 
  moves away.
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  18
  There are, however, wandering (of course) doctors, teach-
  ers with portable schoolrooms in their vehicles, peddlers, 
  and mechanics. If someone has a problem, communications 
  devices of the appropriate tech level are plentiful enough that 
  an expert can be located quickly. Someone might have to jour-
  ney to get the problem and the solution together, but traveling 
  is rarely considered a hardship by sparrials.
  Startowns and stations have more familiar management, 
  modeled after whichever aliens sparrials deal with most. 
  Behind closed doors, there may be sparrial politics (and shout-
  ing and shoving), but the families who interact with aliens 
  know when to present an unruffled front. As for world govern-
  ments . . . Forget it. If there are Galactic Councils, sparrials on 
  them are generally appointed from among the more influen-
  tial demagogues rather than voted into office. (Sparrials have 
  a rocky relationship with voting; they’ll vote for themselves 
  on a whim as much as if they really want a position – but if 
  they discover they don’t like the responsibilities of a job, they 
  have no qualms about abdicating, even if many other sparrials 
  voted for them!)
  klePt-eConomy
  Surprisingly to many aliens, sparrials came up with the 
  idea of currency long before they were discovered (see Sparrial 
  Bootstrapping, p. 15). The convenience of trading something 
  small and portable, instead of bartering for every-
  thing, was useful – but more useful was the stealability 
  of money! The difficulty in swiping someone’s small 
  food-creatures is more than counterbalanced by the 
  difficulty in carrying the darned things afterward.
  As a point of pride, sparrial groups crafted hard-
  to-forge currencies. Most of these were backed by 
  family organizations, kinfolk who serially run trad-
  ing towns in key locations. (When one member of the 
  family can’t stand hanging around, another steps in 
  to continue the job; sparrials are contrary, not irre-
  sponsible.) The most popular form is a stone, shell, 
  or metal coin (which may or may not be round) with 
  a hole in the center. The usual way to carry money 
  is to loop four to eight coins on a leather cord, then 
  tie the cord to a bandolier, harness, or belt – adding 
  additional loops of coins as necessary.
  Family ties
  To aliens, sparrials seem capricious. One moment, 
  they rebuff someone asking for assistance, and the 
  next, they’re offering any aid possible. While some of 
  this is because they’re more inclined to help someone 
  who smells good, other instances are due to their sense 
  of kinship. Family is family. Someone who smells 
  like a cousin should be helped like a cousin. This can 
  include chosen family! Unrelated sparrials may be close 
  enough friends to declare themselves “siblings,” much 
  like humans may have “blood brothers.” The sparrial 
  word translates to “kin-by-choice.” On starships, spar-
  rials can become fast friends, even kin-by-choice, with 
  alien crewmembers, to the extent of helping relatives 
  or mates of those non-sparrial “kin.”
  A strong exception to a sparrial’s disdain for the 
  troubles of unrelated people is children. Orphaned or 
  abandoned babies or clearly unable-to-survive children 
  are either adopted by even unmated sparrials or passed 
  on to someone who can raise them properly. Sparrials 
  extend this to aliens as well. If they realize one is a child 
  or baby, they’ll give what aid they can while seeking a 
  proper alien parent. Children they can raise themselves 
  may be adopted! It’s a rough life out there, and a kid 
  can’t be expected to handle it alone.
  Children make good Dependents for sparrials, 
  while mates, kin, and kin-by-choice may be Allies. A 
  sparrial family or clan could be a group of Allies for a 
  player character or potentially even a Patron!
  adventuRe seeds
  The stereotypical sparrial propensity for detecting lies and 
  stealing things can make life difficult for the PCs! Here’s a pair 
  of examples to spark the GM’s imagination.
  Busted!
  The PCs are brought in for questioning. Since there’s no 
  hard proof of their misdeeds, the cops send in the standard 
  tough human detective – and his sparrial partner, Mouooli, or 
  “Moe” for short. If the suspects know sparrials can smell lies, 
  they can have an entertaining time trying to answer the detec-
  tive’s questions without telling an outright untruth.
  If the local legal system is akin to that of present-day Amer-
  ica, the PCs may be able to claim that Moe’s presence is a vio-
  lation of their rights; her nose-testimony isn’t admissible in 
  court. A successful Law roll can think of this line of argument. 
  The suspects can also remain silent, but this will convince the 
  police of their guilt as much as Moe’s nose might. In fact, if the 
  group has anything to hide, only brilliant roleplaying will save 
  them from the cops’ suspicion. Hopefully, they’re not guilty of 
  what the cops think they’re guilty of.
  It Takes a Thief
  A scientist, on her way to a meeting where she was to 
  deliver valuable information to a corporation, happened to 
  stare disapprovingly at a sparrial spacer . . . who retaliated by 
  lifting the computer disk from her coat pocket and then went 
  cheerfully off to shore leave. The scientist didn’t realize what 
  had happened until she arrived at the meeting, reached into 
  her pocket, and . . . oops.
  The company wants those plans! And, incidentally, the 
  thief – dead or alive. They hire the PCs, and probably several 
  other independent agencies, to get the disk back.
  It turns out that Trostoo-oee (Stewie, to his human friends) 
  is no professional. He’s just a ship’s cook and cargo-handler 
  who bit off more than he can chew. Stewie would love to give 
  the disk back, but someone else, probably corporate competi-
  tors, heard about the theft when the other company was hiring 
  retrieval experts. The competitor’s agents got to Stewie first 
  and forced him to give it to them. Stewie will do whatever he 
  can to help the party recover the plans – he sees it as the only 
  way to save his skin. He’s a 50-point character, but he can iden-
  tify who took the disk.
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  19
  aRts and enteRtainment
  As a young race, sparrials haven’t had lots of time to 
  develop convoluted arts and sports. They appreciate subtlety 
  and complexity in many things, and co-opt ideas and games 
  quickly if they’re pleasing. Like their civilization, “rough-and-
  ready” is the most common adjective for their pastimes. For 
  example, while sparrials do take up orchestral composition, 
  oil painting, or handmade dressmaking, it’s because they’ve 
  “stolen” the idea and are now using it to demonstrate their 
  skill, drive, and patience.
  Pastimes and HoBBies
  All sparrials steal – or try to – and regard this as a “hobby” 
  no more than humans consider talking to others to be a 
  hobby. True sparrial hobbies highlight an individual’s mental 
  or physical dexterity. They prefer activities that they can show 
  off to others or that produce a result they can use or display. A 
  modern sparrial might indulge in parkour, building a starship 
  in a bottle, or toying with cryptography.
  Many sparrials cook as an art form. Males often do it to 
  attract female attention, while females specialize in recipes 
  they can use as presents for a male of their choice. Even long-
  mated couples smooth over disagreements with a good meal, 
  full of subtly chosen spices and cooked just the right amount. 
  Being able to show off one’s kitchen skills to others is a sure 
  way to applause. Sparrial cuisine is meat-heavy and generally 
  enjoyed by compatible races.
  Storytelling is another fine skill, closely related to teaching. 
  Being able to hold children’s rapt attention is useful both in 
  parenting and for someone who wishes to gain the respect of 
  every harried parent in the area. Gaining exciting experiences 
  to tell adults about is just as good! Good storytellers never buy 
  their own drinks.
  PoPulaR enteRtainment
  In larger groups, sparrials enjoy semi-organized sports – 
  usually variations on capture-the-flag, steal-the-flag, and get-
  the-ball-to-your-base, though forms of tag and hide-and-seek 
  have been adapted to team play. Rules tend to be “anything 
  goes,” with only the goals stated and perhaps the playing 
  area. Imported galactic games are loathed by some sparrials 
  and embraced by others, who figure the complicated rules to 
  remember and obey will show off their skills even more! All-
  sparrial teams exist for any number of sports.
  Sparrials prefer to be in the audience for sporting events, 
  shouting out encouragement and suggestions. They’ll watch 
  recordings or live broadcasts, but with an eye to learning new 
  tricks more than cheering on a team.
  Theater is a form of entertainment that was new to sparri-
  als, but they ran off with it as soon as they discovered the con-
  cept. Sparrial theater performances tend to include not just 
  actors on a stage, but also ringers in the audience, audience 
  members hastily drafted for a few lines, and set design that 
  extends around and above the seating areas.
  CRaFts
  Sparrials prize self-sufficiency. A young sparrial on Spar-
  rion should know how to hunt, cook, hide, weave simple items 
  (bags, ponchos and other useful clothing, tents, and nets), 
  and filch things. Adding high technology doesn’t entirely 
  erase the focus on those skills, but priorities shift to skill with 
  computers, electronic lockpicks, and vehicles. Many sparrial 
  ship crew have only theoretical knowledge of making tents 
  or snares.
  Sparrials still admire good craftsmanship, whether 
  handmade or from a robotic assembly line. Glittery equip-
  ment is for show; simple is fine for durability. Getting both 
  is always appreciated!
  Architecture and Furniture
  For nomadic sparrials, “architecture” is a tent stuck on the 
  ground or tent-pouch hanging from a tree, and “furniture” is 
  a woven mat to sit on. Rachou-riders (pp. 26-27) add wicker-
  work stools and tables, as well as larger tents and the poles to 
  erect them. However, rented rooms and buildings in sparrial 
  towns often come furnished with such luxuries as carved dec-
  orations, heavier chairs, and frames for mattresses. Given a 
  choice, sparrials prefer hanging beds, chairs, and hammocks, 
  and no sparrial would sneer at a dining room with a low 
  wicker table and comfortable mats.
  HigH aRt –  
  oR laCk tHeReoF
  The sparrial worldview is characterized by immedi-
  acy, with little time for what humans call the “higher” and 
  “finer” things in life. Sparrial art and literature are rare, 
  primitive, and obscure. Sparrials love to dance, but their 
  “music” is merely a series of complex rhythms, with no mel-
  ody or harmony.
  Religion
  With their focus on “here and now,” sparrials have few 
  spiritual leanings. Many profess a matter-of-fact belief in 
  reincarnation, but it’s not clear whether they believed that 
  before sparrials encountered other races. Religions with a 
  supreme entity are met with blank noncomprehension of 
  the concept, or an angry sparrial who thinks omniscience 
  is cheating.
  This doesn’t mean that other races don’t try to convert 
  sparrials, nor does it mean sparrials won’t go along with the 
  proselytizers if they think there’s a good caper in the offing . . .
  
   
  tHe Way oF tHe anaRCH 
  20
  RaCe Relations
  Sparrials, as a race, are “live and let live.” Many are curi-
  ous about newcomers, enjoying the stimulation of New People 
  and New Stories, and evaluating ideas (and possessions) for 
  possible theft. Most ignore or are annoyed by assumptions 
  that their lives require change – if they want change, they’ll 
  take it, thank you very much. Aside from those generalities, 
  their reactions to other sapient species are individualistic, just 
  like everything else in their society.
  Naturally, sparrials get along best with species that respect 
  their desire for independence and that can handle their forms 
  of confrontation. They get along poorly with races that prefer 
  rigid organization, a pecking order built on a linear hierarchy, 
  or extreme displays of subservience. Even a sparrial who con-
  siders himself less dominant than someone else has his pride.
  The sparrial sense of smell also influences racial relations. 
  If they like the odor of a given species, they may put up with 
  silly rules just to be near them. Or they may hang around and 
  be irritating while they inhale happily! See The Smell’s the 
  Thing, pp. 6-7.
  Sparrials don’t really pay attention to other races’ idea of 
  status. While they’re affected normally by Reputation, just 
  about any other social advantage (or disadvantage) will have 
  to be backed up in the sparrial’s opinion by the other person’s 
  abilities. Being born into wealth and power never impresses 
  sparrials; they’re only influenced by such displays that were 
  gotten via skill. It’s up to the GM to decide if sparrials respect 
  any given institution enough to assume Rank is earned.
  When other races deal with sparrials, they quickly learn 
  that “trade” is . . . complicated. Sparrials themselves have 
  many patterns, from a straightforward exchange of barter 
  goods or credits (after haggling), to a complicated ritual where 
  one sparrial steals the products while the other steals payment 
  for them. This leads alien shopkeepers to tactics such as hiring 
  employees to stand by the door and request the return of any 
  unpaid-for items, setting out easily filched and inexpensive 
  knickknacks, or investing in very good security systems.
  Visitors to Sparrion or other locations with lots of sparrials 
  are advised to invest in “theft belts” – flimsy plastic chain links 
  with baubles or cheap toys attached. Sparrials enjoy the chal-
  lenge of removing a doodad without getting spotted, and they 
  generally ignore more boring things like wallets or weapons.
  sPaRRials in tHe game
  With a racial cost of 24 points, sparrials are a good 
  choice for PCs in the typical 150-point campaign. Nosy and 
  Wanderlust quirks enable them to be proactive in seek-
  ing out adventure or grabbing plot hooks the GM leaves 
  in their path. Kleptomania is also sure to invite trouble, 
  whether a minor barroom brawl when some non-sparrial 
  objects to losing a wallet, or a campaign starter if they 
  wind up with something Really Important. If a campaign 
  has the “thief/spy” niche open, sparrials are an archetyp-
  ical shoo-in. Sparrials are not very strong, compared to 
  humans; while this may not matter when beam weapons 
  or powered armor are available, players who frequently 
  want to thump things are likely to be disappointed.
  Players of sparrials and the GM should consider the 
  comfort level of other players when doing “intro scenes,” 
  lest the initial racial pushiness be upsetting, not fun. In 
  some groups, a sparrial should take an “Easygoing” quirk 
  or buy off Proud.
  Although “thief” and “smuggler” are valid and com-
  mon roles, sparrials are versatile choices for both PCs and 
  NPCs. They can be medics or counselors, using the Emo-
  tion Sense of their Discriminatory Smell and its attendant 
  Detect Lies ability to get to the heart of a patient’s worries. 
  They might be part of rescue teams, clambering around 
  mountains and forests to find wounded hikers, soldiers, or 
  colonists. Their Night Vision and Temperature Tolerance 
  mean they have a slight edge as first-in scouts or archaeol-
  ogists seeking Precursor sites (see GURPS Space, p. 22). 
  In the right organization, a sparrial who’s (relatively) 
  willing to take orders could be a military scout or sniper. 
  Cultural tendencies produce sparrials who are master 
  chefs, performers, and teachers. Those who fall in with 
  criminals make excellent assassins and blackmailer-spies, 
  but they’re rarely found as common muggers. And finally, 
  sparrial-crewed vessels could be perfectly legitimate pas-
  senger-ships or merchants that hardly ever smuggle any-
  thing. Or anyone. Really.
  No matter their occupation, they’ll still swipe things – 
  and give them back if asked.
  Sparrials for the GM
  As NPCs, sparrials are the obvious choice to remove 
  something from the player characters and get them chas-
  ing after it. They’re excellent nuisances, being small, 
  clever, aggressive, and insatiably curious – much like 
  10-year-olds, only more capable. Sparrials want to see and 
  try everything, and if adventuring looks fun and interest-
  ing, a sparrial might join the first bunch of adventurers to 
  wander by – without asking permission.
  Sparrials can be good Allies, Contacts, and Enemies. 
  They’re especially good at being Rivals (see p. B135), 
  ready to appear, upstage the PCs, foil their plans, and 
  swing off with the gold, glory, and members of the appro-
  priate gender. Or a sparrial can be a ruthless assassin who 
  wants one of the group dead.
  Alanoomi, stay out of the nice  
  bird-alien’s luggage, please.
  
   
  geaR 
  21
  The key element to sparrial gear is lack of weight. They may 
  be strong for their size, but they’re not as strong as humans. 
  They also want to be able to snatch-and-run, even if they 
  consider themselves too clever to resort to that, and thus 
  dislike anything that puts them above Light encumbrance. 
  Frankly, they dislike any encumbrance!
  loCkPiCks,  
  seCuRity, and deFenses
  The first time some sparrial got the bright idea to tie a 
  knot, some other sparrial took it as a personal challenge to 
  untie it, and the race was on. When discovered, sparrials were 
  handcrafting clockwork traps and puzzle boxes, as well as sur-
  prisingly sophisticated key-in-lock structures. Naturally, the 
  species leapt into the high-tech and ultra-tech fields of security 
  systems in all their glories.
  Not all sparrials have the mindset (“the nose,” 
  in sparrial slang) for picking locks, whether 
  mechanical or electronic. Some only wrap their 
  fingers around one or the other. Some work to 
  master both, or at least give a competent show-
  ing. For those with the nose, Lockpicking and 
  Electronics Operation (Security) are the obvious 
  duo, but Traps and Electronics Repair (Security) 
  can also be important. A specialist might add 
  Electronics Operation (Surveillance), giving a 
  better opportunity to avoid being spotted or to 
  spot rivals! A truly dedicated sparrial may take 
  up Engineer (Electronics) and focus on security 
  and surveillance.
  Some useful gear includes electronic “lock-
  picks,” standard lockpicks, nanobugs, night- 
  vision goggles, telescopes (for scoping out a 
  place ahead of time), and web gear (all p. B289). 
  From GURPS Ultra-Tech, consider such options 
  as scent synthesizers (Ultra-Tech, p. 52) for 
  use against other sparrials; passive visual sen-
  sors (Ultra-Tech, pp. 60-61) for either swiping 
  things or catching others trying; and slipspray 
  (Ultra-Tech, p. 83) for squeezing through tight spots, as part 
  of amusing defensive traps, or to slow down pursuit. Further, 
  nearly everything in the Covert Ops and Security chapter 
  (Ultra-Tech, pp. 95-111) will be of interest to sparrials for use 
  in their own thefts (though flesh masks may work poorly with 
  their fur), as something to overcome, or as tools to defend 
  against other thieves.
  CHaPteR tHRee
  geaR: WHat Has 
  it gots in  
  its PoCketses?
  “The vault is empty,”  
  the Organization boss said.
  “Um,” replied the security chief.
  “You said no one could get in 
  here without being spotted.”
  “There’s sensors all over, boss.”
  “So where are my paintings,  
  and why is this bad drawing of me 
  in the middle of the floor?”
  
   
  geaR 
  22
  Few sparrials bother with chemsniffers (Ultra-Tech, 
  pp. 61-62), as they believe their own native abilities are better. 
  Some eschew night-vision gear, too – but while their eyes are 
  exceptionally good, high-tech gear can be a little better.
  Plastex B (Ultra-Tech, p. 88) and other explosives are 
  sometimes used for cracking open safes (or walls), but many 
  sparrials frown on such “brute force.” Those who do use 
  Explosives skill point out the hazards of the tools and how 
  it shows off their abilities to work with dangerous materials 
  without getting blown up.
  Note: All gear, especially that from GURPS Ultra-Tech, 
  should be vetted by the GM for availability.
  ClotHing and aRmoR
  When you have fur that can be rubbed the wrong way 
  and aren’t very strong, you may not want to wear much . . . 
  Nevertheless, sparrials rarely go around completely unclad.
  ClotHing
  Sparrials, equipped with their own fur and a lack of nudity 
  taboo, view clothing as decorative or strictly functional: a 
  poncho to keep off the worst of rain, footgear if the ground 
  is overly spiky, tough pants for wading through brambles, 
  aprons if cooking or otherwise working with hot things, etc. 
  Harnesses, bandoliers, and belts are generally all sparrials feel 
  like wearing routinely, and those only because they can attach 
  pouches or scabbards. Even so, sparrials may wear Hawaiian-
  style shirts or tie-dye muumuus if they like the color patterns, 
  or enjoy annoying someone who doesn’t. They’ll also affect 
  clothing so aliens can tell them apart, or as a role identifier 
  (such as “Startown Mayor”; multiple sparrials may rotate 
  through that office!). Tricky sparrials may get people used to 
  seeing them in something distinctive, like loud ties, so when 
  they take off that marker, they become anonymous and able 
  to sneak around more effectively.
  Sparrials with albinism (see Common Optional Traits, 
  p. 4) typically wear hats and hoods to protect their eyes and 
  ears from sunburn, or sunglasses/visors at higher tech levels. 
  Hats with flared brims, or roomy hoods, are also used in bad 
  weather by sparrials who don’t want rain on their ears.
  Unless they must have full foot coverage, sparrials go bare-
  foot or wear sandals. Sandals have thin soles under the toes, 
  and are cut to allow some use of toes for emergency climbing.
  Customizing geaR
  Sparrials are large enough to use most human gear, 
  especially if equipment is available that’s designed for 
  juvenile humans. (If the campaign has no other races of 
  similar conformation – e.g., a setting with only sparrials, 
  bird-people, and snakemen – getting things to fit is more 
  of an issue!)
  Though sparrials have only three fingers and an 
  opposable thumb, they can wield most human handheld 
  weapons easily, as well as computer keyboards, musical 
  instruments, etc. Some areas where they do encounter 
  minor difficulties include the following items.
  Space Suits: All human ones have an extra finger, 
  which can give an occasional penalty to tasks where it 
  would get in the way. The fastest, cheapest fix is to invert 
  the empty finger and slap a repair patch on it; this doesn’t 
  compromise the suit’s integrity, but pressurizing it may 
  pop the patch off if it wasn’t carefully placed. Suit patches 
  (GURPS Ultra-Tech, p. 188) cost $10 for 10 units and 
  require a Vacc Suit skill roll to place properly. However, 
  without the threat of air leakage, time can be taken for a 
  bonus to skill. Many human suits aren’t comfortable over 
  fur, and sparrials may rely on rescue bubbles (Ultra-Tech, 
  p. 77) for emergencies rather than wear a skinsuit. Bio-
  suits (Ultra-Tech, p. 179) require programming to accom-
  modate fur and the hands; if sparrials are common, this is 
  a $25 (or less!) add-on, but if they’re rare, a programmer 
  could charge $500 or more for a “custom job.”
  Seating: Ground-car and starship seats are all likely to 
  be made for people little shorter than 5’; taller sparrials 
  can usually manage – with extra cushions, if necessary – 
  but shorter ones may be at -1 or more because the con-
  trols are badly placed. Custom seat-adjustments may be 
  as inexpensive as $100, or cost thousands of dollars. Often 
  the easiest (if not always cheapest) fix is a direct neural 
  interface (GURPS Ultra-Tech, pp. 48-49 and pp. 216-217), 
  if the vehicle or equipment in question can be controlled 
  with one.
  Heavy Weaponry: When you reach a certain power 
  output, the spacing of the user’s hands can become more 
  awkward for a weaker, smaller sparrial; consider -1 to -3 
  to skill for human-built weapons that use Gunner skill, 
  depending on the design.
  Adjusting for Sparrial SM
  When in doubt about a given piece of equipment, 
  determine the sparrial’s Size Modifier, and consult the fol-
  lowing table. Multiply the gear’s weight and power require-
  ment by the factor given. For gear that does not require 
  customization, also multiply cost by the factor.
   SM 
  Factor 
  Example
   -3 
  ¥1/10 
  A sparrial child.
   -2 
  ¥1/5 
  A young sparrial, or one with Dwarfism.
   -1 
  ¥1/2 
  An average sparrial.
   0 
  – 
  A tall sparrial, or one with Gigantism.
  Customizing melee weapons of any tech level can make 
  them more comfortable for sparrials. This generally costs 
  4¥ the list price, the same as a “very fine” weapon at TL7+.
  
   
  geaR 
  23
  Sparrial-made ponchos come in many styles. They may 
  have armholes or be a circular cloak (sometimes worn off-cen-
  ter to allow a walking staff to be used). If a style can be imag-
  ined and isn’t too confining, some sparrial probably tried 
  weaving it at least once.
  For a selection of items sparrials might wear, see the 
  Clothing Table (above).
  aRmoR
  On their own, the most armor sparrials tend to wear is fur, 
  leather, cloth, and maybe wooden or metal bracers. Exposed 
  to high tech, they quickly pounce on light, flexible, and sturdy 
  armor – at least, if it works for a furred race with large ears. 
  Still, a sparrial who doesn’t expect trouble will generally ditch 
  everything but the basics.
  Sparrials in the military – or similar organizations, such 
  as system-defense vigilantes and pirate-stalking bounty hunt-
  ers – wear rigid armor when on duty, with complaints about 
  walking around in a body cast. On spaceships, they wear skin-
  suits like the rest of the crew, if they can get ones that fit (see 
  Customizing Gear, p. 22), but most sparrials dislike how it 
  pulls their fur around.
  Clothing Table
  Damage Resistance of individual pieces depends on the 
  material. Fur and cloth garments are generally DR 0-1*, 
  depending on thickness, with cloth weighing the least. Leather 
  is DR 1* or 2, depending on flexibility (and thus thickness). 
  Wood or metal would be DR 2-3, again depending on thickness.
  If made from high-tech materials, reflex fabric (TL9) has 
  DR 6/2* if thin or 12/4* if thick; nanoweave (TL10) is 9/3* or 
  18/6*; monocrys (TL11) is 12/4* or 24/8*; bioplas (TL10) is 
  15/5*; and energy cloth (TL12) is 15* to 30*. Reflex, nanoweave, 
  and monocrys are detailed on p. 172 of GURPS Ultra-Tech, 
  while bioplas and energy cloth are on p. 174 of that book. 
  Split DR provides full protection (the higher number) against 
  some types of damage (piercing and cutting damage for reflex, 
  nanoweave, and monocrys; piercing and burning damage for 
  bioplas), and partial protection (the lower number) versus 
  other kinds of damage.
   Clothing 
  Location 
  Weight (lbs.) 
  Notes
   Bandolier 
  Torso 
  neg. to 1 
  Effectively a long belt, worn cross-body from shoulder to hip, 
    
   
   
   with holes, D-rings, or leather/cloth thongs as attachment points. 
    
   
   
   Fabric bandoliers are lighter but less sturdy.
   Belt 
  Torso 
  neg. to 0.5 
  Usually has attachment points, but may simply have items tied 
    
   
   
   around it.
   Harness 
  Torso 
  neg. to 2 
  There are various designs; the simplest is X-shaped, like two 
    
   
   
   bandoliers fastened together, but some incorporate a belt as well. 
    
   
   
   Includes attachment points. Cloth harnesses are lighter but flimsy.
   Hat/Hood 
  Skull 
  neg. to 0.5 
  May have ear holes. Hats also have under-chin ties, because of 
    
   
   
   the flatter sparrial skull.
   Poncho 
  Torso, arms 
  0.5-3 
  Often leaves the hips uncovered.
   Sandals 
  Bottoms of the feet 
  0.5 
  Often allow the toes to overlap the sole, for easier climbing.
   Web Gear 
  Torso 
  2 
  A TL6 version of a harness; see p. B289.
   Umbrella Shield 
  – 
  0.1 
  TL11^; keeps off rain and pests. May be handheld or built into 
    
   
   
   headgear. See GURPS Ultra-Tech, p. 194.
  The pirate crew stood, hands on their heads, as the 
  military boarders methodically searched and cuffed them.
  “Aren’t you a little short for a space marine?”  
  one snarked at the shoulder-high, armor-suited  
  squad member.
  Eenlanaom rolled her eyes inside her helmet.  
  “Why humans always saying that?”
  
   
  geaR 
  24
  A selection of ultra-tech armor that sparrials would gravi-
  tate toward:
   Armor 
  TL 
  Ultra-Tech Page(s)
   Armored Shades 
  9-12 
  176
   Ballistic Armor 
  9-11 
  172
   Bioplas Armor 
  10 
  174
   Cybersuit 
  11-12 
  184-186
   Armor 
  TL 
  Ultra-Tech Page(s)
   Energy Cloth 
  12 
  174
   Exofield Belt 
  12^ 
  181-182
   Force Shield Bracelet 
  11^ 
  192
   Laser-Resistant Body Armor 
  9-11 
  173-174
   Nanosuit 
  12 
  185-186
   Personal Force Screen 
  12^ 
  191
   Space Biosuit 
  10 
  179
  WeaPons
  The most “traditional” sparrial weapon is the pointy stick 
  (essentially a very cheap javelin, p. B273), but there are other 
  favored implements of combat. In general, sparrials prefer 
  close-combat weapons that can be used among the branches 
  of Sparrion’s forests, and lightweight distance weapons that 
  don’t weigh them down.
  Typical melee weapons include batons (p. B273); black-
  jacks or saps (p. B271); knives (p. B272), especially with 
  options like superfine, monowire, and vibroblade (Ultra-Tech, 
  pp. 163-164); short staves and smallswords (p. B273); and, 
  if they can get them, force swords (p. B272 and Ultra-Tech, 
  p. 166). Sparrials who primarily travel on the plains may also 
  use quarterstaves (p. B273).
  Ranged weapons include thrown knives, javelins, and 
  slings, as well as blowpipes, bolas, and short bows on the 
  plains. (See pp. B275-276 for details.) Higher-tech sparrials 
  like low-recoil projectile weapons (e.g., firearms; pp. B278-279 
  and Ultra-Tech, pp. 135-145), but prefer lighter-weight beam 
  weapons (p. B280 and Ultra-Tech, pp. 113-133).
  Pets and livestoCk
  Sparrials are more likely to eat animals than keep them 
  as pets, but as with all generalities about an entire species, 
  there are exceptions. They generally respect the pets of other 
  races once they’re introduced to the concept, and they would 
  rather filch them for dominance than for meals. Some spar-
  rials have trained native wildlife into something resembling 
  domestication, and they do herd food-beasts as well as follow 
  them. Further, some of the herding clans have accustomed 
  themselves and their beasts to riding.
  Some examples of Sparrion wildlife – and “tamelife” – 
  appear below.
  Chiourra
  ‑73 points
  Chiourra (singular: chiora, but only sparrials really notice 
  the difference) are snakelike creatures with hind legs, vestigial 
  forelimbs, and a shortish tail. They have folds of skin that they 
  can splay out to glide from tree to tree in a manner similar 
  to a cross between a terrestrial flying squirrel and a flying 
  snake, and they look like a diamond-shaped kite while doing 
  so. Chiourra are covered in a very short, fine fur, even on their 
  glide-flaps, in shades of beige.
  There are many subspecies of chiora, with different color- 
  patterns and sizes. The smallest is as long as a sparrial’s fore-
  arm (about 1’), while the largest is some 7’ long and appears 
  to be amphibious. None are known to be venomous; they kill 
  prey by constricting it or by breaking its neck with their pow-
  erful jaws.
  Chiourra are diurnal and crepuscular. They hunt alone, 
  but return to a family nest or burrow at night. They bear live 
  young and regurgitate food for them like birds.
  Some sparrials have trained chiourra to hunt for them. 
  While they’re easily tamed if captured when very young, and 
  will return to their owners, the animals tend to eat what-
  ever they catch when they catch it. To guard against this, the 
  owner weaves a collar and fastens it around the chiora’s neck.  
  The chiora returned to hork up a wild nulea at Naaleraan’s feet.  
  The sparrial displayed the damp kill. “Meat for dinner!”
  The tourists stared, silent and unappreciative. One raised a hand.  
  “Er, could we just have ration bars instead?”
  Naal sighed. The chiora drool was only on the outside, but tourists  
  were fussy.
  
   
  geaR 
  25
  Since the creature eats like a snake, unhinging its jaw and 
  swallowing the dead prey whole, the band prevents the kill 
  from getting very far down. The chiora eventually returns to 
  its master in a high snit, prey in its mouth.
  Chiourra don’t breed well in captivity, though some-
  times a tame one will present its owner with a litter of little 
  chiourra – usually in the middle of his bedding.
  Stats are for a “hunting chiora,” approximately 2-3’ long, 
  that can capture small prey. Chiourra are less effective in 
  plains, though they can slither into burrows after prey. They 
  adapt well to microgravity and can be used to hunt vermin on 
  starships when it’s not feasible just to vent everything to vac-
  uum. (Or when the vermin are resistant to vacuum!)
  ST: 3 
  HP: 3 
  Speed: 6.00
  DX: 14 
  Will: 8 
  Move: 4 (Ground)/4* (Air)
  IQ: 4 
  Per: 12 
  Weight: 3-6 lbs.
  HT: 10 
  FP: 10 
  SM: -4
  Dodge: 9 
  Parry: N/A 
  DR: 0
  Constriction: Victims of equal size or smaller who fail to 
  break free from a grapple might be squeezed to death. Roll 
  the chiora’s effective ST 3 vs. the victim’s ST; victory inflicts 
  crushing damage equal to the margin. This counts as an 
  Attack. Reach C.
  Grapple (14): No damage, but may be followed up by Con-
  striction (above). Reach C.
  Short Fangs (14): 1d-6 large pierc-
  ing. Reach C.
  Traits: Acute Vision 2; Domestic (or 
  Wild) Animal; Double- Jointed; 
  Enhanced Move 1 (Air; Halves 
  deceleration); Flight (Gliding); No 
  Fine Manipulators.
  Skills: 
  Brawling-14; 
  Stealth-13; 
  Wrestling-14.
  Cost: $50-$75 for a wild adult chiora, 
  especially if it doesn’t have to be 
  in good condition; $100-$250 for 
  one young enough to be trained 
  and bond with a master. It’s dif-
  ficult to transfer loyalty from 
  one owner to another, so trained 
  adults are rarely sold; still, a spar-
  rial might be willing part with 
  one, for the right price.
  Notes: Native gravity 0.95G.
  * Higher if diving or towed.
  Nuleou
  Nuleou (singular: nulea; again, 
  only sparrials are likely to get this 
  right) are herbivores, approximately 
  the size of a Terran squirrel. They 
  resemble a cross between a lizard 
  and a fluffy guinea pig with a fur-cov-
  ered, prehensile tail. 
  They come in two overarching 
  varieties: domesticated and wild. 
  Domesticated nuleou can be carried 
  in baskets, though they have to be well-fed so they don’t eat 
  their containers. They breed well in captivity, reproducing 
  quickly after mating – and sporadically, a bit as if chick-
  ens had live young. One breeding can produce blind, nearly 
  hairless young once every day or two for two months after-
  ward. They are adult enough to mate at three months, and 
  fully grown by six. Nuleou have little maternal instinct. They 
  care for their young in a haphazard fashion, with the wild 
  ones returning to suckle them because of engorged mam-
  mary glands.
  Sparrials generally breed nuleou for a placid disposition 
  and plentiful meat, but some select for color and fur length. 
  In colder climes, patchwork nulea-fur cloaks and sleeping 
  rolls are useful, and certain varieties of nulea can be sheared 
  and their fur spun for thread. The “wool” thus obtained is 
  soft, like terrestrial alpaca, and if properly cared for, retains a 
  pleasant odor (to sparrials; other races may or may not agree) 
  for years. Because nuleou are much smaller than sheep, it 
  takes a lot of them to make much thread; nulea-wool items 
  are a valuable commodity.
  Sparrials who go into space are likely to take nuleou with 
  them. Even far from Sparrion, sparrial restaurants may 
  have cages of nuleou, much like seafood restaurants may have 
  tanks of lobsters, so diners can select the animal they want 
  for their meal.
  Stats on p. 26 are for domesticated nuleou. Wild ones are 
  0.5-1 lb. lighter, have less desirable fur, and are more skittish.
  
   
  geaR 
  26
  ST: 1 
  HP: 1 
  Speed: 4.50
  DX: 8 
  Will: 3 (Domestic)/5 (Wild) 
  Move: 4
  IQ: 2 
  Per: 10 
  Weight: 1.5 lbs.
  HT: 10 
  FP: 10 
  SM: -4
  Dodge: 7 
  Parry: N/A 
  DR: 0
  Bite (8): Negligible damage; can draw blood. Reach C.
  Traits: Combat Paralysis; Domestic (or Wild) Animal; Fur; 
  Quadruped.
  Skills: Stealth-10 (12 for wild nuleou).
  Cost: $10-25 for an average nulea intended for consumption; 
  $100+ for wool-producing nuleou.
  Notes: Native gravity 0.95G.
  mounts
  While modern sparrials adore starships and any other 
  high-tech vehicle that allows them to move quickly (hover-
  bikes are very popular, if available), some herders still follow 
  the old ways.
  Rauachon
  17 points
  Rauachon (singular: rachou) are creatures that gener-
  ally need to be seen to be believed; “giant snake-necked 
  sloth-goats” is the most apt description. They are primarily 
  herbivorous quadrupeds, though they’ll munch on carrion 
  opportunistically. They’re covered in coarse, shaggy fur and 
  are about the size of a dairy cow. They have curled claws on 
  their feet, somewhat sloth-like. Their necks are somewhat 
  elongated. They have no horns, but the shape of their heads 
  is indeed goatlike, and they have horizontally set slit pupils 
  like a goat.
  They are marsupials, bearing one to four young at a time, 
  who remain in the mother’s pouch for approximately six 
  Terran months. They then ride on their mother’s back – or 
  that of any other herd member who doesn’t shake them off –  
  for another six months. They become capable of breeding 
  at approximately two years of age. For the first year of their 
  lives, the entire herd will defend them against predators, sit-
  ting shoulder to shoulder and waving their long, clawed fore-
  limbs menacingly.
  Though rauachon primarily travel on the ground, graz-
  ing as they meander along, they are capable of climbing 
  (slowly) and will stray a short way up sturdy trees in search 
  of foliage and fruit. They are equally happy to clamber about 
  on rocks in more mountainous regions. They are capable of 
  bursts of speed, such as when an immature rachou of the 
  herd is threatened, but otherwise rarely bother.
  Rauachon are diurnal, though they also take frequent naps. 
  They prefer to sleep hanging from trees or cliff faces.
  The sparrials who herd rauachon for meat, hides, and 
  fur tend to be among the most patient of the species. 
  Ambling along at the herd’s speed is intolerably slow for 
  many sparrials.
  Rachou-herders frequently accustom their favorites to 
  being ridden – bareback, with a sparrial clinging cheerfully 
  to the animal’s fur as he straddles the rotund body. With the 
  coming of aliens to Sparrion, the concept of “saddles” was 
  introduced to the rachou-herders, who promptly laughed 
  themselves into little piles on the ground before setting out to 
  train their beasts to tolerate harnesses. (It’s inefficient to put a 
  saddle on something that occasionally decides to climb trees 
  or cliffsides.)
  Rauachon are poor choices for pulling wagons, due to the 
  aforementioned climbing. They are also not very milkable, 
  as they object to hands inside their pouches. This doesn’t 
  keep sparrials from trying, but even light-fingered sparrials 
  have limits.
  ST: 20 
  HP: 20 
  Speed: 6.00
  DX: 10 
  Will: 12 
  Move: 6
  IQ: 3 
  Per: 11 
  Weight: 1,200 lbs.
  HT: 14 
  FP: 14 
  SM: +2 (3 hexes)
  Dodge: 9 
  Parry: N/A 
  DR: 2
  Weak Bite (13): 2d-4 crushing. Reach C, 1.
  Talons (13): 2d cutting or impaling. Reach C-2.
  Traits: Acute Hearing 2; Domestic (or Wild) Animal; Fur; 
  Long Arms (+1 SM); Quadruped; Stubbornness; Tempera-
  ture Tolerance 1.
  Skills: Brawling-13; Climbing-13.
  Cost: An untrained rachou that is accustomed to people is 
  $1,000. A rachou who tolerates a rider is $1,500. A rachou 
  who tolerates a harness that a rider can fasten himself to 
  is $1,700-$2,000. Use the higher end of the price range for 
  one that tolerates the thump of bags against its sides as well 
  as the harness they’re attached to. Expect to pay $3,000 and 
  up for a racing rachou, with Enhanced Move 1 (Ground).
  Notes: Native gravity 0.95G. While they have Move 6, they 
  more commonly use a fast amble of Move 3. This can sur-
  prise someone who thought that was as speedy as rauachon 
  ever got.
  Rachou Gear
  Sparrials – or other sapients – can use certain items to stay 
  on a rachou and possibly even steer it. Bonuses to control 
  rauachon only offset penalties to Riding skill; they do not give 
  a net bonus.
  “Doing good!” Naaleraan 
  called to the tourist.
  “It’s upside down!”  
  he yelled.
  “And you not fall off! 
  Great!”
  “It’s going to sleep now!”
  Naal sighed and started 
  up.
  
   
  geaR 
  27
  Ear-Reins (TL1): The animal’s tall, sensitive ears are pierced 
  near the base, and braided leather rings are drawn through 
  the holes. Reins (braided leather or woven rachou hair) are 
  tied to these and allow a rider +1 to control a rachou if using 
  one hand, or +2 if using two hands. $35, 3 lbs.
  Food on a Stick (TL1): Fragrant vegetation, lashed to a long 
  pole, is the minimum gear to have any control over a rachou’s 
  movement. It requires two hands, both because the pole gets 
  heavy for a sparrial, and because rauachon will try to reach 
  up with a foreleg and hook the pole so they can drag it to their 
  mouth. Neighbors will go after the treat, too. $5-$25 (depend-
  ing on if the stick and food are found or bought), 6 lbs.
  Harness (TL2*): A leather or woven rachou-hair harness 
  has many rings (much like the ones used in ear-reins) incorpo-
  rated into it. These serve as anchor points for a rider to tether 
  his own harness to, and any bags he has – if the rachou has 
  been trained to accept bags thumping gently against its sides 
  or back as it climbs. Using a harness and tethers gives +2 to 
  any rolls to avoid falling off a rachou that is moving quickly or 
  over erratic ground, or climbing. $150, 15 lbs.
  Harness Bags (TL1*): Woven from leaves, vines, leather 
  strips, or rachou hair, these incorporate attachment points 
  that let them be bound onto a harness. More modern materials 
  and construction often are lighter and sturdier, and they can 
  carry more. They hold 20 to 50 lbs., and weigh 2-5 lbs. each. 
  Harness bags range from free (for ones personally made) to 
  $100 (for purchased bags).
  Stirrups (TL3): Sparrials generally don’t bother with these, 
  but non-sparrials may wish this aid in Not Falling Off a climb-
  ing rachou, or one going along rough ground; stirrups grant 
  +1 to rolls for this purpose. $125, 20 lbs. (lower weight if made 
  from higher-tech materials).
  * Prior to learning about alien riding beasts and their tack, 
  few sparrials had bothered with more than clinging to the 
  backs of their rauachon, and any packs carried were worn 
  by the sparrial. After discovering saddles and such, sparrials 
  could hardly be outdone by aliens!
  staRsHiPs
  Sparrials favor ships that are compact, fast, and sneaky. 
  They rarely get all three, of course. Many all-sparrial craft are 
  small freighters, known for hauling cargo destined for the 
  outer fringes of civilized space – and for smuggling things to 
  all manner of locations. What they’ll carry is limited only by 
  the size of their secret compartments and the sparrials’ own 
  sense of appropriateness.
  For details on the logistics of taking on (and smuggling!) 
  passengers and freight, see GURPS Spaceships 2: Traders, 
  Liners, and Transports.
  CHoRialooa (tl11^)
  This ship is either a sparrial-built design or adapted for an 
  all-sparrial crew, and uses the rules in GURPS Spaceships. 
  It’s a lightly armored freighter, shaped as a streamlined 135’ 
  winged lifting body (SM +7, 300 tons), and primarily used by 
  mostly legitimate sparrials to haul cargo and the occasional 
  passenger. It can take on a total of 87.5 tons of cargo, and the 
  shielded cargo areas, scattered throughout the central section, 
  can be used for smuggling – or just to protect valuable items 
  from thieves posing as passengers, or pirates doing a smash-
  and-grab. Each segment has an airlock.
  It has ECM, giving -2 against incoming attacks from TL11 
  or below, and a stealth hull; subtract 10 (TL-6 ¥ 2) from rolls 
  to detect it with sensors. It also has a dynamic chameleon sys-
  tem on its hull, giving -4 to Vision rolls to detect it – useful 
  for landing on planets when you don’t want people to know 
  you’re there . . . 
  The Chorialooa uses reactionless thrusters in atmosphere 
  and reactionless warp drives with pseudo-velocity in space.  
  
  If the setting permits, contragrav lifters may be added. 
  There are additional, unshielded cargo holds in the front 
  hull and central hull, for customization by the GM if desired. 
  Options from GURPS Spaceships include refrigerated 
  cargo holds, more passenger cabins, contragrav lifters, addi-
  tional weaponry, or force shields. Adding lower-TL ECM 
  may be useful if pirates are equally likely to have lower-TL  
  sensors/missiles! See Customizing Sparrial Ships (above). 
  If replacing cargo holds with other systems, remember to 
  increase the ship’s cost and reduce its load.
   Front Hull 
  Systems
   
  [1] 
  Light Alloy Armor (dDR 3).
   
  [2] 
  Defensive ECM.
   
  [3-4] 
  Cargo Holds (15 tons capacity each).
   
  [5-6] 
  Cargo Holds (15 tons capacity each).
   Central Hull 
  System
   
  [1] 
  Light Alloy Armor (dDR 3).
   
  [2] 
  Habitat (bunkroom, cabin).
   
  [3] 
  Cargo Hold (7.5 tons, shielded).
   
  [4] 
  Habitat (bunkroom, 5 tons of steerage 
   
   
   cargo).
   
  [5] 
  Cargo Hold (15 tons capacity).
   
  [6!] 
  Medium Battery (two turrets with 30 MJ UV 
   
   
   lasers, one “top” and one “bottom”).
   
  [core] 
  Control Room (C7 computers, comm/sensors 
   
   
   7, three control stations).
   Rear Hull 
  System
   
  [1] 
  Light Alloy Armor (dDR 3).
   
  [2] 
  Habitat (one-bed sickbay, minifac 
   
   
   fabricator).
   
  [3] 
  Engine Room (one workspace).
   
  [4!-5!] 
  Stardrive Engines (FTL-2).
   Rear Hull 
  System
   
  [6!] 
  Standard Reactionless Engine 
   
   
   (1G acceleration).
   
  [core] 
  Fusion Plant (two Power Points).
  The ship has a winged hull. If the campaign has contra-
  gravity technology, add artificial gravity. If it doesn’t have con-
  tragrav, there may still be enough limited gravitic control to 
  allow artificial gravity.
  The Chorialooa can be operated with a skeleton crew of 
  two: a pilot with communications, sensors, and navigation 
  skills, and an engineer with First Aid. The preferred minimum 
  crew is six: three engineers and three pilots who can take 
  eight-hour shifts. The best pilot does the tricky stuff, while the 
  others may have just enough skill to “sit the boards” on the 
  off-watches. The optimal crew, by sparrial standards, adds two 
  more to fill in any gaps in the other crew’s skill-sets; at least 
  one should have enough medical skills to handle the sickbay. 
  The ship can also take on two passengers.
   TL 
  Spacecraft 
  dST/HP 
  Hnd/SR 
  HT 
  Move 
  LWt. 
  Load 
  SM 
  Occ 
  dDR 
  Range 
  Cost
  PILOTING/TL11 (HIGH‑PERFORMANCE SPACECRAFT)
   11^ Chorialooa  
  50 
  -1/5 
  14 
  1G/c 
  300 
  87.5 
  +7 
  10ASV 
  3 
  2¥ 
  $19.41M
  In atmosphere, top air speed is 2,500 mph, and it has Hnd/SR +3/6.
   
  geaR 
  28
  Customizing sPaRRial sHiPs
  Sparrials favor light, agile, speedy craft. They’re also 
  disinclined to pay through their sensitive noses for them. 
  Here are some options the GM may use to give sparrial 
  ships their own flavor.
  Enhanced Systems: The sparrial love of speed has 
  resulted in higher-performance drive systems, cheaper 
  ones, or both (see GURPS Spaceships, pp. 24-25, 36-38, 
  and 40-41). This may be due to the dedication of sparrial 
  engineers, or the cunning of sparrial corporate espionage.
  Four-Finger Discount: If sparrials can steal a starship, 
  or parts for one, they’ll at least consider it. (Leaving spar-
  rial crewmembers alone often requires comm calls of, 
  “Yes, Meera, you stole the ship again. Bring it back now, 
  please.”) Sparrial “chop-shops” can render down stolen or 
  “dubiously salvaged” starships, providing cheaper parts.
  Sparrion Armor: Native materials on the sparrial 
  homeworld are useful as starship armor, granting organic 
  armor (GURPS Spaceships, p. 12) at any TL, reducing 
  ship armor prices for sparrials, or both. Any of these 
  options could make other races eager to trade!
  Tech Level Discount: While many components often 
  remain expensive even when there are higher-tech alter-
  natives, electronics are prone to being discounted, either 
  because they’ve been used to the point of obsolescence  
  or because fabricating them has become trivial. Appropri-
  ate parts are discounted by 10%-25% per TL below the 
  campaign’s TL.
  
   
  index 
  29
  Ability, new psionic, 10.
  Advantages, 8; caused by 
  mutations, 7; common, 8; 
  perks, 6,10; stereotypical, 8.
  Adventure seeds, 18.
  Albinism, 4, 22.
  Allied sparrials, 7.
  Anatomy, 5.
  Appearance, 5.
  Architecture, 19.
  Armor, 23-24; adjusting for 
  size, 22.
  Arts, 19.
  Bad Temper disadvantage, 9.
  Basic Speed trait, 8.
  Biting Mastery perk, 10.
  Blindness disadvantage, 8.
  Bootstrapping, 15.
  Bully disadvantage, 9.
  Characters, 4-12; as NPCs, 20; 
  as PCs, 20; racial traits, 4, 
  8-10; sample, 12; variant 
  sparrials, 7-8; see also 
  Templates.
  Charisma advantage,  
  Smell-Based, 6, 8.
  Children, 17, 18; education, 14, 
  17; see also Family.
  Chiourra, 24-25.
  Chorialooa freighter, 27-28.
  Clairosmia ability, 10.
  Clothing, 22-23; adjusting for 
  size, 22.
  Code of Honor disadvantage, 
  new, 12.
  Companies, 14-15, 17-18.
  Crafts, 19.
  Criminals, as characters, 12; 
  the Gauntlet and, 16; see 
  also Kleptomania, Law 
  Enforcement.
  Cultural Familiarities, 4, 14.
  Cultural traits, 14.
  Currency, see Money.
  Demagogues, 6, 13-14.
  Detect Lies skill, 9.
  Diet, 5.
  Disadvantages, 8-9; common, 9; 
  uncommon, 9.
  Disagreements, 15, 16; see 
  also Dominance, Law 
  Enforcement.
  Discovery of race, 6.
  Dominance, disagreements, 15, 
  16; establishing, 6, 20; social 
  modifiers for, 6.
  Education, 14, 17.
  Enslaved lens, 7.
  Entertainment, 19.
  Family, 5, 17, 18; disagreements, 
  15; education, 14, 17;  
  kin-by-choice, 18; names, 5; 
  organization, 13.
  Fantasy sparrials, 7-8.
  Feuds, 15, 16; see also 
  Dominance.
  Freighter starship, 27-28.
  Furniture, 5, 19.
  Gauntlet (punishment), 16.
  Gear, 21-24; adjusting for size, 
  22; customizing, 22; rachou, 
  26-27; starships, 27-28.
  Genetically engineered lens, 7.
  Gentleman Thief’s Code of 
  Honor, 12.
  GURPS, 3; Aliens, 3; 
  Banestorm, 7; Basic 
  Set, 10; Bio-Tech, 3, 7, 
  11; Dungeon Fantasy, 8; 
  Dungeon Fantasy 3: The 
  Next Level, 8; Fantasy, 3; 
  Low-Tech Companion 3: 
  Daily Life and Economics, 
  5; Magic, 3; Martial Arts, 
  10; Power-Ups 2: Perks, 
  6, 8, 10; Psionic Powers, 
  3, 10; Space, 3, 4, 11, 12, 
  20; Spaceships, 3, 27, 28; 
  Spaceships 2: Traders, 
  Liners, and Transports, 27; 
  Ultra-Tech, 3, 21-24.
  Hierarchy, see Dominance.
  History of race, 4.
  Hobbies, 19.
  Jobs and responsibilities, see 
  Companies, Startowns, 
  Stations.
  Kin, see Children, Family.
  Kin-by-choice, 18.
  Kleptomania, 6, 16; children, 
  17; economy, 18, 20; gear, 
  21-22; race relations and, 
  6, 20.
  Lame disadvantage, 8.
  Languages, 14.
  Law enforcement, 15-17; armor, 
  23-24; the Gauntlet, 16; see 
  also Dominance.
  Leerlaounoora, 12.
  Lenses, pilot, 11-12; racial, 7; 
  see also Templates.
  Lifecycle, 5, 17.
  Livestock, 24-27.
  Lockpicks, 21.
  Magic, 7-8, 10.
  Martial arts style, 9-10.
  Mating, 5, 16-17; see also 
  Children, Family.
  Military, 16; armor, 23-24; see 
  also Disagreements.
  Money, 18; origin, 15.
  Mounts, 26-27.
  Mutations, 7.
  Names, 5; Noomi, 15.
  Nuleou, 25-26.
  Pastimes, 19.
  Perfume perk, 6.
  Perks, 6, 10.
  Pets, 24-26.
  Physical disadvantages, 8.
  Physiology, 4-5.
  Pilot template, 11-12.
  Police, see Law Enforcement.
  Primitive sparrials, 7.
  Professional Skill (Weaving), 5.
  Psionics, 10; new ability, 10.
  Psychology, 5-6, 16-18; see also 
  Disagreements, Dominance.
  Rabble-rousers, 13-14.
  Race relations, 18, 20; dealing 
  with kleptomania, 6.
  Racial, history, 4; template, 4; 
  traits, 4, 8-10; variations, 
  7-8.
  Rauachon, 26-27; gear, 26-27.
  Relationships, mating, 5, 
  16-17; see also Children, 
  Dominance, Family, Race 
  Relations.
  Religion, 19.
  Scent detection, 6-7; Charisma 
  and, 6, 8; Detect Lies and, 9; 
  family and, 18; fertility and, 
  17; race relations and, 20.
  Schools, 14-15; see also 
  Education.
  Scout lens, 12.
  Seating, adjusting for size, 22.
  Security gear, 21-22.
  Single-Minded advantage, 8.
  Size, 4, 5.
  Size Modifier (SM), 4; adjusting 
  for, 22.
  Skills, 9; common learned, 4; 
  new, 5.
  Smelling, see Scent.
  Smugglers, lens, 12; starship, 
  27-28.
  Social organization, 13; see also 
  Companies, Dominance, 
  Family, Race Relations.
  Souoronoomi, legend of, 15.
  Space suits, 22-24.
  Spacers, as characters, 12.
  Sparrial Judo, 9-10.
  Spells, 10; magic, 7-8, 10.
  Ssaralooro, 9-10.
  Starships, 27-28; customizing, 
  28.
  Startowns, 14-15, 17, 18; 
  Cultural Familiarities, 4.
  Stations, 14-15, 18; Cultural 
  Familiarities, 4.
  Subjugated sparrials, 7.
  Tables, clothing, 23; armor, 24; 
  psionic abilities, 10; SM 
  adjustments, 22.
  Tech levels, 7.
  Templates, character, 11-12; 
  GURPS Space, 12; lenses, 7, 
  11-12; racial, 4.
  Urban centers, 14-15; see also 
  Companies, Startowns, 
  Stations.
  Variant sparrials, 7-8.
  Voting, 18.
  Wealth disadvantage, 8-9.
  Weapons, 24; adjusting for size, 
  22.
  Weaving Professional Skill, 5.
  Wickerwork Professional Skill, 
  5.
  Yrth, 8.
  index
  A zealous locksmith died of late,
  And did arrive at heaven gate.
  He stood without and would not knock,
  Because he meant to pick the lock.
  – William Camden
  
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