TEXT: 1 
   
  Hyperspace 
  Messenger 
  1 
  Stun damage, new weapons, 
  and new defenses. 
  
  2 
   
  Hyperspace 
  Messenger 
   
   
  The Hyperspace Messenger™ is a series of very short 
  supplements for the White Star™ role‐playing game. 
  The goal is to create quality usable content which can 
  be completely explored within the scope of only six 
  pages. Although this is only the first supplement in the 
  series, we at DwD Studios hope to release additional 
  supplements in the years to come. 
  Although this supplement is designed to integrate to 
  your White Star™ game, its concepts are fairly universal 
  and you can, with very little effort, modify it for use in 
  other games as well. 
   
    
  Cover Art 
  Sade 
    
  Interior Art 
  Bill Logan 
    
  Author 
  Bill Logan
  1 
  
  1 
   
   
   
   
   
  Stunners 
   
   
   
   
  irearms, swords, laser pistols, grenades, and worse – all waiting to chop 
  your character to bits. Dead. After spending so much time making your 
  character, too. Okay, it’s like 5 minutes, but in this A.D.D.-riddled gaming 
  culture I know that’s an eternity. Wouldn’t it be nice if the security guard robots 
  carried weapons that Stunned enemies? I mean – isn’t killing accidental 
  trespassers against some law somewhere? Wouldn’t it be cool if the bounty 
  hunter with your bounty in mind actually wanted to collect that big “alive” reward 
  for you rather than that smaller “dead” one? There has to be a way to knock 
  someone out, right? 
  Surely whatever galactic law enforcement exists would want to attack with 
  nonlethal weapons. Sometimes you don’t want to kill your enemies. Sometimes 
  you just need them to stop attacking you and just go to sleep so you can steal 
  their stuff and leave them naked in the star port’s restroom. The technology of 
  any sufficiently advanced interstellar society would surely develop such 
  technology! 
  This White Star micro-supplement is designed to provide Referees and players a 
  new type of mechanic that allows non-lethal options. It includes several pieces of 
  new gear which make use of those mechanics. And why not – I’ll throw in some 
  illustrations of some kind too. 
   
   
  F
  
  2 
  Stun Damage 
  A weapon designated with a damage value of “Stun” causes no hit points of 
  damage, instead it simply requires a Saving Throw. When a victim fails his 
  Saving Throw, he falls unconscious for 1d6 turns. That’s right, you have no idea if 
  he’s going to wake up in 10 minutes or an hour. If he succeeds, he remains 
  standing and shrugs off the effect. As an added benefit, since Stun damage 
  mucks with a character’s nervous system, nasty headache side-effects linger long 
  after the encounter whether he succeeded in his Saving Throw or not! 
  Saving Throw Modifiers 
  Sometimes the damage value for a Stun attack includes a modifier which is to be 
  applied to the victim’s Saving Throw attempt. For instance, if your character is hit 
  by an attack which says “Stun-2” then you have a -2 penalty to your Saving 
  Throw. At the Referee’s discretion, characters may adjust a Stun saving throw 
  using their Constitution modifier as well. 
  Creatures and natural animals have nervous systems that differ from sentient 
  beings and resist Stun attacks much easier than robots, aliens, and humans. 
  Animals and creatures receive a bonus to their Saving Throws against all Stun 
  attacks equal to their hit dice. 
  Stun Types 
  There are two types of Stun attacks: electrical and sonic.  
  Electrical Stun – These attacks affect robots too. They assault the nervous system 
  with intense electricity, and attempt to momentarily seize the heart and lungs 
  (and any other muscle) of the target. Electrical Stuns affect robots too 
  because they can ionize the robots circuitry, paralyzing it in place. Any 
  character can immunize himself against electrical Stuns by use of a special 
  implant. 
  Sonic Stun - These attacks don’t affect robots. Sonic Stun weapons fire a highly 
  focused lance of invisible sonic energy and cause no physical impact but pass 
  into the target’s body and resonate internal organs in such a manner as to 
  cause the brain to de-sync and shut down temporarily. Sonic Stun effects are 
  more expensive but there is no way to fully immunize against them. Special 
  Harmonic Armor can be worn which helps dampen the sonic energy, 
  however. 
   
  
  3 
  New Weapons 
   
  Electro-Stunner 
  Damage Stun+2 (electric) 
  Ammo 
  Energy Cell 
  ROF 
  2 
  Range 
  20 ft 
  Weight 
  3 lbs 
  Cost 
  20 credits 
   
  Description – Electro-Stunners fire a powerful electrical charge that resembles a 
  fast-moving 1” diameter charged lightning ball. It makes a familiar “Zzzzt” noise 
  when it fires. It doesn’t have a great range, but it has a great rate of fire and is 
  pretty inexpensive. An energy cell must be installed in the weapon, and 1 charge 
  is drained from the cell each time the trigger is pulled. Electro-Stunners are 
  commonly used by civilian and security forces. Although inexpensive, the weapon 
  is less effective; victims of this weapon receive a +2 bonus to their Saving Throw 
  to resist the electrical Stun effect. Any character class permitted to use a laser 
  pistol may use an Electro-Stunner. 
   
   
  Sonic Stunner 
  Damage Stun (sonic) 
  Ammo 
  Energy Cell (2 charges per shot) 
  ROF 
  1 
  Range 
  30 ft 
  Weight 
  4 lbs 
  Cost 
  45 credits 
   
  Description – Police and bounty hunters don’t trust their targets not to have an ES 
  Implant and so they carry the heavier and more effective Sonic Stunner. A 
  standard energy cell is loaded into the weapon and each time the trigger is 
  pressed it releases 2 charges from the cell. The released energy powers a 
  harmonizer coil which produces a well-known and highly-feared hum. If the 
  trigger is released the weapon fires a powerful sonic lance of invisible energy. 
  Victims hit by the weapon have to make a Saving Throw against the sonic Stun 
  effect. Any character class permitted to use a laser pistol may wield a Sonic 
  Stunner. 
   
  
  4 
   
   
   
   
   
  Tactical Stun Rifle 
  Damage 
  Stun-2 (sonic) 
  Ammo 
  Energy Cell (uses 4 units/shot) 
  ROF 
  1 
  Range 
  100 ft 
  Weight 
  10 lbs 
  Cost 
  120 credits 
   
  Description – When someone wants to make sure they can put a target down, 
  they prefer to employ a Tactical Stun Rifle. It’s a long and inelegant weapon, but 
  it’s frightening when it’s leveled at you. It requires an energy cell but since it drains 
  4 charges from it every time the trigger is pulled, the weapon only gets 5 shots 
  before it must be reloaded. When the trigger is pulled and the harmonic coils 
  charge the hum is most fearsome. When the trigger is released, the invisible lance 
  of focused sonic energy strikes out to a range of a hundred feet and victims hit by 
  it suffer a -2 to their Saving Throw against the sonic Stun effect. Any character 
  class permitted use of a laser rifle may use a Tactical Stun Rifle. 
   
  Stunnades 
  Damage Stun, 15 ft radius (electric) 
  Ammo 
  1 
  ROF 
  1 
  Range 
  30 ft 
  Weight 
  1 lb 
  Cost 
  15 credits 
   
  Description – These relatively inexpensive grenades come embedded with a 
  factory reject and quite unstable energy cell. When the grenade is activated and 
  thrown, it charges while in the air and when it strikes a solid surface (a wall, the 
  ground, someone’s ugly face, etc.) electricity discharges in a 15 ft radius and a 
  thunder-clap is generated. Everyone caught in the area must make a Saving 
  Throw against the electrical Stun effect. Any character class permitted to use a 
  grenade can use a Stunnade. 
  
  5 
  Stun Gauntlet 
  Damage 1d6-1 + Stun+2 (electric) 
  Ammo 
  Energy Cell 
  ROF 
  Melee 
  Range 
  Melee 
  Weight 
  2 lbs 
  Cost 
  25 credits 
   
  Description – The Stun Gauntlet has an insulated layer covered by a series of 
  interlocking duraplastic plates. On the back of the fist is a series of electrodes. The 
  glove is fitted with an energy cell and each time the wearer punches someone the 
  pressure-sensitive electrodes drain 1 charge from the cell and release a powerful 
  arc of electricity. The victim receives 1d6-1 damage from the gauntleted punch and 
  must make a Saving Throw with a +2 bonus to avoid the electric Stun effect. 
  When the energy cell is depleted the gauntlet still causes the listed damage. Any 
  character can use a Stun Gauntlet, regardless of weapon restrictions due to class.  
   
   
   
  Stun Staff 
  Damage 1d6 + Stun+2 (electric) 
  Ammo 
  Energy Cell 
  ROF 
  Melee 
  Range 
  Melee 
  Weight 
  10 lbs 
  Cost 
  15 credits 
   
  Description – This unusual staff is long and made of durable material. It has 
  electric coil bands on one end, where the staff has a slight curve to be used as a 
  heavy cudgel. The wielder of the weapon can strike with it as if it were a normal 
  staff. When desired, he can press a button on the shaft when he strikes to release 
  an electric charge. This forces the victim to make a Saving Throw with a +2 
  bonus to resist the electric Stun effect (in addition to the normal damage). The 
  weapon takes an energy cell and each time the Stun effect is used 1 charge is 
  drained. The staff is also capable of performing a retributive strike when at least 
  10 charges remain in its energy cell. The wielder slams the butt of the staff on the 
  ground and ducks low while activating it. The energy discharges in a flat 10 ft 
  radius pattern. Everyone caught in the arc must make a Saving Throw (without 
  the +2 bonus) against the electrical Stun effect. The energy cell loses 10 charges. 
  Any character class who may wield both a laser pistol and a staff may wield a 
  Stun Staff. 
   
  
  6 
  New Defenses 
   
  Harmonic Armor 
   
  Armor 
  Light 
  AC [AAC] -2 [+2] 
  Notes 
  +2 Saving Throws vs. Sonic Stun 
  Weight 
  15 lbs 
  Cost 
  50 credits 
   
  Armor 
  Medium 
  AC [AAC] -4 [+4] 
  Notes 
  +4 Saving Throws vs. Sonic Stun 
  Weight 
  30 lbs 
  Cost 
  100 credits 
   
  Description – Harmonic Armor is a special type of defensive suit. It works just like 
  light or medium armor but is designed with rows of special harmonic gel material 
  that dampen sonic Stun effects. Light Harmonic Armor provides a +2 bonus to 
  Saving Throws against sonic Stun effects. Medium Harmonic Armor provides a 
  +4 bonus. Any character class permitted to wear light armor may also wear a 
  suit of Light Harmonic Armor. Similarly, any character class permitted medium 
  armor may wear a suit of Medium Harmonic Armor. 
   
  Electro-Shunt Implant 
  Characters can have an ES Implant installed. It is 
  an invasive medical procedure which implants a 
  special device in the character’s brain. Un-
  desirable impulses detected in the nervous 
  system are harmlessly diverted to the implant 
  and discharged safely. The character need not 
  make Saving Throws against electrical Stun 
  attacks; he is immune. He still has to worry 
  about sonic-based Stun attacks, however! Robots 
  may also receive these implants, integrated into 
  their robot electrical circuits. Cost 400 credits. 
  
  1 
  DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY 
  "White Star™" and the “White Star™” logo are copyright and the 
  Product Identity of James Spahn, 2012‐2015. The “Hyperspace 
  Messenger™” logo is copyright and the product identity of Bill 
  Logan, 2015. 
  DESIGNATION OF OPEN CONTENT 
  All other content not designated Product Identity is open content. 
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and 
  is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights 
  Reserved. 
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  2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference Document 
  Copyright 2000‐2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors 
  Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy 
  Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. 
  Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by 
  E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.  
  Swords & Wizardry Core Rules, Copyright 2008, Matthew J. Finch 
  Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox Rules by Marv Breig, copyright 
  2008‐ 2011 Matthew J. Finch.  
  White Star: White Box Science Fiction Rolelpaying, Copyright 2015 
  Barrel Rider Games; Author James M. Spahn.  
  Issues of the Hyperspace Messenger are copyright 2015 
  DwDStudios; Author Bill Logan.
   
   
  
  2 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/White Star/Hyperspace Messenger/White Star - Hyperspace Messenger 01 - Stunners.pdf