Star*Drive Primer
OK, here is a primer of the Star*Drive setting. Its a work in progress, and I'll edit the blank spots to fill them in over the next few days.
Alternity / Star*Drive
This game presupposes a familiarity with the Alternity Rules System and the Star*Drive setting, but doesn't require it.
I'll work with each player to finalize their character vis-a-vis rules to fit their character concepts. Understanding of the setting will be more important than understanding of the rules.
I'm willing to answer questions about the rules and setting, but can only post in the evenings/weekends, and I can't reproduce the entirety of each book (that would be impossible and of questionable legality).
Basically, here's the Reader's Digest version of the campaign setting, followed by a broad-brush outline of the rules system.
Star*Drive:
(With great gratitude to David Eckelberry and Richard Baker, the authors of this setting.)
It is the 26th century. (2501 in fact.) Humans have expanded out from Earth, encountered dozens of intelligent alien species, and colonized hundreds of inhabitable worlds. They have survived two Galactic Wars and formed 12 Stellar Nations. They have integrated five major alien races into their societies. The history of the galaxy is the history of the human race, which dominates all known civilization.
Brief History:
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In 2032, the Internet evolved into a planet-wide Grid, allowing near limitless data storage, lifelike interactive virtual environments, and real-time visual communications. By the 26th century, every developed planetary system has its own Grid (sometimes more than one), but they are not connected in real-time across inter-stellar distances.
In 2047, an efficient fusion generator was invented, avoiding the prospect of global war over the remaining fossil fuel reserves. Technological development heralded an unprecedented era of peace. A new space race ensued, and the near planets in the Solar System began to be colonized. Human lifespan reached about 150 years. Cloning, biotechnology, cybertechnology and psionics begin to be discovered, improved, and utilized.
Megacorporations continued to grow in political, economic and even military power. In 2091, Microtel spawned VoidCorp, originally cartered for space exploration, and destined to be a major player in the 26th century.
In 2106 the mass reactor was invented, which remains the standard power/engine technology in the 26th century. It relies on the use of a nonbaryonic, exotic dark matter named "duodecim", and was a remarkable improvement over the fusion generator. The mass reactor enabled humanity to colonize the rest of the Solar System, and sparked new competition and small-scale, space-based wars.
In 2124, humanity finally met its silent neighbors, the fraal. These aliens had lost contact with their own civilization more than 10,000 years ago, and had settled on Earth, but were unable to make peaceful contact with humans, so they withdrew and lived apart, ever hiding from humanity. As humankind continued to expand across the globe, the fraal continued to retreat, finally leaving Earth for a colony on the Moon, and then hiding on other moons in the system. Finally, they decided it was time to attempt contact again, and in 2124, they revealed themselves. The contact was eventful, to say the least, but peaceful. Despite some major disruption among many nations, faiths, and communities, the fraal negotiated with the nations of earth (at the time, there were six major nations) and were accepted into society as a sovereign state, while individual fraal were free to become citizens of any human nation.
Fraal were (are) natural psionicists (mindwalkers) with a mastery of gravitic technology, such as grav-fusion cells and the gravity induction engine. The fusion of their technology with mass reactors created the only known means of traveling faster than light. The first stardrive was activated in 2160.
The stardrive operates by breaking space, dropping a starship into a previously-unknown dimension, dubbed "drivespace". Even by the 26th century, the physics are not completely understood (and the mystery has spawned the major religion of the Orlamu Theocracy). The larger the stardrive, the farther the jump, up to 50 light-years on the most powerful ships in the 26th century, but every trip takes precisely 121 hours (about 5 solar days). Electronic transmissions can also be passed through drivespace, but only spend 121 minutes in the other dimension. The precise duration of a drivespace jump remains one of its greatest mysteries.
The invention of the stardrive led to a new wave of exploration and colonization, as humanity was finally able to leave its home star system.
The Orlamu Foundation was established as a new religion that studied both the technological and the theological aspects of drivespace. The Foundation left Earth and moved its headquarters to the colony world, Prophethome.
VoidCorp created the first drivespace communications satellite in 2193, allowing quick communication between the colonies, and enabling humanity to create truly inter-stellar societies.
Insight was incorporated in 2198 as a subsidiary of VoidCorp, and tasked with developing an interstellar Grid. They failed to develop a truly interstellar Grid, although they did improve Grid technology, making it indispensible for every civilized government, business and individual. They also created virtual shadow technology, that allowed Grid users to extend their avatars to other Grids separated by light-years.
Stellar nations began to construct kilometer-long fortress-class warships. These super-vessels became indispensible in the arms race that continued to play a central role in international politics.
By 2241, Earth's alliances claimed more than 100 star systems. And of course, the distant colonies began to exert more independence, and various nations moved their capitals off Earth to more central locations. The Borealis Republic, the Rigunmor Star Consortium, Austrin-Ontis Unlimited and VoidCorp all became powerful stellar nations with non-Terran capitals.
In 2246, the Orlamu Theocracy discovered the weren, an alien society with no space-faring technology. The Orlamu quietly negotiated with the weren chiefs, claiming the planet as a natural preserve and making all werens citizens of the Orlamu Theocracy.
Earth tried to maintain its control by proclaiming the Terran Empire in 2250, but it was largely ignored by most citizens. Colonial powers obeyed grudgingly and reluctantly. Various nations were established and fell throughout the years. The Thuldan Colonial Authority sent waves of colonists to new homes, eventually establishing a powerful nation. The Nariac Domain gathered several systems under their control. The Hatire community (thought by others to be religious radicals) founded secret colonies in a desire to be left alone.
The Rigunmor Star Consortium encountered another alien race, the mechalus, which had just begun exploring their own star system. The mechalus were surprisingly eager to sue for peace and joined the Star Consortium as independent allies.
VoidCorp discovered the jungle world of Sheya and quickly made the primitive seshayans perpetual employees of the corporation-state.
In 2296, an independent explorer made contact with the t'sa, an alien species that had colonized several systems around their homeworld using sublight "sleeper ships". Several nations began to struggle to include them within their empires, but the t'sa resisted, and the conflict over the t'sa caused the relationship between the colonies and the Terran empire to deteriorate into open war. Thuldan declared independence in 2298, and many other colonies quickly followed suit. Thus began the First Galactic War. Within three years, all of the nations were dragged into open warfare. The Terran Empire was slowly defeated, and agreed to a settlement. The Treaty of Earth in 2312 officially ended the conflict with the formal recognition of 25 stellar nations and the Union of Sol.
Everyone could see a new war brewing, as various nations began to vie for power and control of more territory. Several smaller nations banded together to form the Orion League as a way of protecting themselves from their neighbors. Technological development proceded at a rapid pace and exploration continued to expand the frontiers of human influence. Far-off regions of space (including the Verge) were colonized during this period.
The mutant uprising of Tau Ceti in 2346 sparked the Second Galactic War. The Solar Union moved to quell the uprising and discovered that the Thuldan Empire had instigated it. The longtime opponents quickly resorted to open fighting, and alliances and defense treaties quickly dragged every other nation into the war. GW2 lasted more than a century, and was the most brutal and devastating war by any measure in humanity's long and bloody history.
After 100 years of bloodshed, it was clear that no nation would walk away and claim victory. In 2465, the leaders of the Orion League, the Rigunmor Star Consortium, and the Thuldan Empire met to negotiate a peace. It took years of negotiation and deal-making, but President Hale (Orion League) managed to keep it together and inspire the others to agree on a final settlement. The Treaty of Concord, signed in 2472, ended the war, and established the Galactic Concord.
The treaty divided human space into 12 distinct nations, and established the Galactic Concord as an independent nation of worlds, people, and resources donated from the war's twelve survivors. The Concord's duty and purpose is to preserve the peace, negotiate disputes between the nations, and oversee humanity and its befriended species in all space. The Concord's mission is to ensure humanity's survival by preventing any future interstellar wars.
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Stellar Nations:
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Austrin-Ontis Unlimited - Rugged, Gun-loving Adventurers. They believe in personal autonomy, individual self-protection and reliance. They love their firearms and believe that violence is a crucible of character. They hold to a somewhat quaint notion of personal honor. Their ideal life is one of action and heroism. "An armed society is a polite society." Think stereotypical American cowboy, and you've got a good idea of their character. They believe that violence is a manifestation of change, discovery and progress. They recognize the inherent human need for violence and don't try to suppress it, but rather they channel it. They tend to be direct, honest folk.
Game benefits: Choose Heavy Weapons or Modern Ranged Weapons. Any use of the chosen broad skill or its specialty skills receives a -1 step bonus.
Borealis Republic - Intellectual Clones. This nation was conceived as a return to notions of aristocracy and nobility, but has become an egalitarian society composed equally of naturally-born humans and clones. Half the population comes into being through a hospital cloning tank. Clones and naturals enjoy equal status under the law, and are equally respected in their culture. The life of a Borealan is a life of intellect, they value intellectual achievement and learning above all other pursuits. They are justly proud of their education system. After more than two decades of general education, Borealan youths select a College of Philosophy, which they join for life. Traditionally, they choose the college of their parents, and marry and live within the company of their college, but in the past generation, it has become more accepted to select other colleges. At present, 12 colleges exist.
Game benefits: Increase Intelligence score by one point (max 15). Also have a moderate (+4) Obsessed flaw.
Hatire Community - Spiritualist Luddites. The Brethren of the Hatire Community disdains the reverence for technological advancement prized by so many other humans. They believe that spiritual advancement is more important to life than mankind's tools. Others accuse them of racism and condemn them as Luddites, and it is true that they have an abiding suspicion of new technology, and particularly abhor technology (such as cybernetics and biotechnology) that alters the human body. They revere the Cosimir, a noncorporeal intelligence that they discovered in the ruins of an alien civilization. They are determined prosyltizers, and intent on spreading the word of their faith to all corners of the galaxy. Their proseltyzation during GW2 and their fearsome mind knights added to their reputation as intollerant fanatics, but they consider this to be far from the truth. They embrace both the actuality and potentiality of human experience, and are redefining themselves as crusaders of peace in the wake of the great war.
Game benefits: Faith perk for free. If you buy the faith perk again, you start with a base -d8 situation die. (Instead of the normal -d4.)
Insight - Gridpilots, Hackers, Artists. Insight is the smallest and youngest Stellar Nation. They broke away from VoidCorp only 40 years ago. They are composed of poets, explorers, and artists who couldn't stand to live under the yoke of VoidCorp. They are masters of the Grid - the division of Insight was in charge of VoidCorp's Grid Technology Development - and it was this technological advantage that enabled them to break away from VoidCorp's control. Many (if not most) Inseers live their lives on the Grid, some never even leaving that environment, and have developed a religion based on their understanding of this transcendent communications medium. The Insightful believe the Grid to be the final expression of intelligence.
Game benefits: -1 step bonus to all computer activies, and a -1 step bonus on all Grid action checks. +1 step penalty on all real-world action checks.
Nariac Domain - Communist, Socialists. The Nariac Domain was established to create an egalitarian society. They despise inequalities brought about by race, species, gender, or social class. As a result, they look beyond themselves to the society, keeping the whole community foremost in their thoughts. The idea of self as an independent individual is alien and absurd. Certainly society is composed of individuals, and individual rights and freedoms are maintained in the Domain, but a Nariac consider himself to be a member of a thriving community first, and looks to his individuality only as a way to contribute to that community. Just as the Domain provides everyone with a livelihood, employment and a place to live, so the worker-citizen contibutes his skill and labor for the betterment of the whole. Individual property ownership does not exist - all goods are owned by the Domain, and workers simply register the use of objects and other possessions. Nariacs respect and value their system while quietly questioning the integrity and motives of their leadership. Cybertechnology makes this utopian socialism possible: its invasive presence-and the utter lack of privacy in the nation-is accepted, but sometimes troublesome even for its citizens. Paranoia keeps most of the people compliant-the nation has many enemies: Orion, VoidCorp, other nations that would seek to undermine the Domain. The Nariacs must be constantly vigilant. Religion is frowned on in the Domain.
Game benefits: one free item of cyber gear worth $5000 or less, and a free implanted security monitor that reports their movements to the Domain. This free item does not count against the heroe's cyber tolerance score. If you take the surgery specialty skill, you get the cybernetic surgery skill rank benefit for free.
Orion League - Freedom and Diversity. "Categorizing an Orion is like traping a wild weren," and "the Orion League defies attempts at definition." Tolerance and diversity illuminate Orion space. The League almost seems ready to sacrifice its own unity in favor of preserving the individuality of its peoples. This diversity keeps their society in a constant state of turmoil. Individual systems have a great deal of autonomy. But in times of crisis, they pull together against outside forces. The Orions are a free society, valuing their freedoms and diverse contributions above conformity and unanimity. Personal freedoms are taken for granted, and they are often surprised by the restrictions on other citizens in their nations. Freedom of religion, speech and personal property and movement are paramount.
Game benefits: add 1 point to Personality, to a max of 15. Gain -1 step bonus on Culture broad skill or any of its specialties.
Orlamu Theocracy - Religious Drivespace Technicians. Drivespace research, stardrive development and the Orlamist religion are the principle focuses of this nation. Much of this population devotes itself to understanding drivespace, which they call the Divine Unconscious. Their investigations place scientific inquiry before religious dogma, and their religiou faith spurs their intellectual curiosity. Their life is an acceptance of contradiction. They do not find their scientific rationalism and religious beliefs conflicting. The search for truth requires realism and a trust in the divine. Their mission is to scientifically explore the divine. The Orlamu hold a great reverence for drivespace, including a blessed class of people known as Starborne - those who were born in drivespace itself. The burning desire to discover fills the Orlamu life and soul. The church and theocratic fovernment are accepted as a matter of course.
Game benefits: -1 step bonus on any Physical Science or Navigation skill. Orlamu mindwalkers reduce cost of all broad and specialty skills by 1 point, and gain a -2 step bonus on the use of the navcognition skill.
Rigunmor Star Consortium - Traders, Scoundrels, Con Artists. Businessmen who value profit above all else. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Profit are inalienable rights of all sentients. The Rigunmors accept a philosophy of life that few understand. Their society is based on harnessing the one constant of human nature: avarice. They believe they can deal with each other in simple honesty, because they are honest about the fact that everyone wants personal gain out of human interactions. Of course, not all people are honest, and many Rigunmors are subtle and manipulative. Many are willing to use any trick, any scheme, to walk away with the better part of a deal. They have a deserved reputation as swindlers and con artists.
Game benefits: -1 step bonus on Deception and Interaction broad and specialty skills. And they pay 1 point less on Interaction-bargain skill. Finally, they get the Filthy Rich perk for free, or they can opt to select 6 bonus skill points instead.
StarMech Collective - Hedonistic Engineers with Robots. StarMech engineers conceive brilliant plans, and then let the robots do the work. Most citizens have at least one personal robot, and robot laborers drive the mechanics of the civilization. StarMech culture lives and breathes the technological advancements of the day. They embrace technology, using robots and other inventions to produce an almost unprecedented level of leisure for their citizens. Idleness and unemployment is common, as there are more people than there is work that needs to be done, and many citizens are content to enjoy the fruits of robotic labor. They are given to religious affiliation and superstition
Game benefits: -1 step bonus to Technical Science broad or specialty skills. You may take the Oblivious flaw and gain double the normal skill points.
Thuldan Empire - Militant Imperialists. The Thuldans are proud and patriotic. They are arrogant and self-confident. In every war they have been in, even GW2, their empire has expanded. They have tough skins, strong arms, and coarse behavior. Their first two decades are filled with stenuous physical and military training. From an early age they are taught the importance of following orders and the chain of command. Most youths dream of joining the Legion, and Legionnaires are the heroes of their society. Widespread genetic manipulation and centuries-long breeding have toughened the Thuldan physique.
Game benefits: you can have a max of 15 in Strength and Constitution (but still have the normal 60 points). If you are a mutant, you reduce your number of drawback points by one.
Union of Sol - Preservers of Earth Culture and Biodiversity. Arrogant nationalists at the center of all human achievement. Humanity has not gone so far as to forget its birthplace. With nearly 60 billion people on Earth, (and the other 100 planets in the core systems being equally congested) Solars are accustomed to a crowded, urban lifestyle. Solars are the sole caretakers of humanity's 4000 years of pre-space history, and have become radical environmentalists. They go to extremes to preserve Earth's biodiversity and native cultures (and to a lesser extent they preserve the biospheres of their colonial worlds). Communities of individuals dedicate their lives to recreating and preserving all known civilizations and cultures from Earth's vast history. Most of these people work to incorporate the essential elements of their culture within a modern technological framework. Thus an imperial Japanese village may be ruled by a lord served by sword-bearing samurai, but they are still Grid-connected and cook with modern devices. Solars show great respect for native life forms, but rarely tolerate mutants or genetically altered humans.
Game benefits: you start with 62 points for your ability scores (instead of the normal 60). You still have the normal human maximum of 14 in any ability score.
VoidCorp - Corporate Slaves. VoidCorp is a galactic corporation and a stellar nation. Its citizens are employees, and its head of government is its CEO (whose identity is a corporate secret). Structure and order are the halmarks of civilization, and are the most sure means to obtain profit and advancement. The system is very Machiavellian and successful. Survival of the fittest is sound business strategy. Every citizen holds a coporate rank from birth, expressed as an Employee Identification Number. VoidCorp does not permit retirement-Employees must work until death. VoidCorp has outlawed the practice of religion. All seshayans that have not escaped to other nations are employees (many would say "slaves") of the corporate state.
Game benefits: Free Business broad skill and 1 rank in business-corporate specialty skill. -1 step bonus on Business broad and specialty skills. Also, you permanently fill in the left box on your achievement track (thus, it takes one less point to advance a level, and you gain one less skill point with each level advancement).
The Galactic Concord - Idealist Peacemakers. The newest nation, the Galactic Concord was established to be mankind's hope for a peaceful future. The Concord has been described as humanity's jury, a moral compass designed to keep the other nations in line. Most who willingly join the Concord have a strong sense of right and wrong. They see their nation as one born with a moral purpose and a well-defined mission for the benefit of all humanity (and the alien races who have joined humanity). Concordans often take great risks to do the right thing, but must always be mindful of their mission to maintain galactic peace, whatever the cost. They embody the finest qualities of humanity: honor, selflessness, and a certain realistic attitude.
Game benefits: +1 to one of your resistance modifiers (Str, Dex, Will or Int)
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Aliens:
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Fraal - Telepathic aliens from an enigmatic and ancient race. They are the most closely integrated alien race in human societies, but remain aloof and unknowable by most humans.
Weren - Large, strong, warlike aliens. They come from a clannish, primitive culture that reveres honor and strength, and have emigrated and integrated into galactic society with a wide degree of success.
Mechalus - Cybernetic, peace-loving humanoids. The mechalus have integrated cybertechnology to a degree unsurpassed by other races.
Seshayan - Winged primitive aliens, excel in stealth and darkness. Enslaved by VoidCorp, the stellar nation claims all seshayan everywhere as its "employees", but many have escaped to become citizens of other nations.
T'sa - Hyper-active reptilian alien technicians. Extremely curious and jittery.
Other species - there are others alien species, but they are found in very small minorities, and are not available for PCs. The five major alien races have integrated into all levels of human society and into all stellar nations. Individuals can be found in all walks of life.[/sblock]
That's it for now... I'll add more details soon, and follow-up with a similar overview on the Alternity rules system. Just enough to help you design your characters. Edit: I nixed the idea of an overview of the rules. Everyone seems to have the books, and the fast-play rules are available online, and you can order PDFs of the books as well.
Ozmar the Busy GM
