Right that was probably either the Titans or Olympians at least or even the Chiraben superpowers...
[Mutants & Masterminds] A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic
- Thread starter Davies
- Start date
Davies
Legend
Varask
Worker
Warrior/ruler
A thousand years ago, the humans of Chirab began to explore their local region of space. The courses that might have taken them to Earth led through space occupied by the Varask Empire, a small multi-system hegemony ruled by the Varask, an insectoid species which had reduced the other species in their sphere of influence to abject slavery. Expansionistic in the extreme, the Varask viewed the Chiraben as their next potential conquest, and so began a lengthy war. Both sides viewed it as an existential struggle that could only be ended in the total defeat of the other, with annihilation or subjugation the fate of the defeated.
So it may come as something of a surprise to learn that it ended in a negotiated peace treaty, and an agreement that the Chiraben would not trespass on Varask space again in exchange for similar guarantees from the Varask. The humans directed their expansion spinward, away from that region, and so set themselves on the path towards the formation of the Imperium. Ironically, the war had done enough damage to the infrastructure of the Varask's empire that it collapsed a few generations after the war's end, but by that point the Chiraben had other concerns.
The apparent similarity of the Varask to insects led to some misunderstandings by Chiraben scholars, many of which persist to this day. There are four sorts of the Varask, initially (and incorrectly) viewed as subspecies. The most prevalent throughout any Varask hive will always be the 'workers', who are responsible for maintaining the hive's structure. Initially viewed as being more or less mindless, with all decisions made by the hive's brain (of which more later) this has since been proved incorrect. While they do lack much in the way of thinking ability, a Varask worker is born with all the knowledge they need to perform their assigned tasks, and are more than capable of maintaining -- or constructing! -- structures that function as starships if that is their function.
Less common, though typically consisting of between ten and fifteen per cent of the hive's population are the 'warriors', intended to defend the hive from attackers, and to expand the hive's territory. They are considerably stronger, faster, and more intelligent than workers, while no less single-minded in their pursuits, and were more than a match for experienced Chiraben soldiers, especially before the unusual energy-resistant properities of their physiology were discovered. Fully able to employ weapons manufactured by workers or salvaged from the enemy, they also employ a poisonous stinger against opponents.
The individuals known as 'knights' or 'myrmidons' were initially assumed to be experienced warriors who had been promoted for successful campaigns, operating as commanders chosen by the 'brains' (or 'queens'.) During the peace negotiations, the Varask representatives (themselves 'knights') finally made it clear to the Chiraben that the so-called 'brains' were nothing more than incubators for their young, and that they themselves were the rulers of their species. They also mocked the notion of themselves as 'queens', as the Varask have six distinct sexes, and egg-laying is not the exclusive purview of any of them.
In the thousand years since the downfall of the Varask Empire, there have been countless wars between the various planets, and the various hives on those planets, that once comprised it. Most Varask who have an opinion now believe that cooperation between hives is profoundly unnatural, especially on the scale typified by the Empire, and would have no interest in restoring it. Their relations with other species tend to be much more peaceful, and they are perfectly willing to trade for supplies rather than raiding and enslaving. In supreme irony, as Chirab itself has become a desert world, it has attracted Varask colonists who are often considered very good neighbors by the human settlements near their hives.
Varask Worker - PL 4/MR 4
Abilities:
STR 1 | STA 1 | AGL 2 | DEX 1 | FGT 3 | INT -2 | AWE 0 | PRE -1
Powers:
Bite: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Chitin: Protection 4 - 4 points
Four Legs: Speed 1 (4 MPH) - 1 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat 2 (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 11 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 14 points
Advantages:
Great Endurance, Skill Mastery (Technology), Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Athletics 3 (+4), Perception 4 (+4), Technology 5 (+3).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Bite +3 (Close Damage 2)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 3, Toughness 5, Will 2
Totals:
Abilities 14 + Powers 31 + Advantages 3 + Skills 6 + Defenses 5 = 59 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation.
Varask Warrior -- PL 7/MR 8
Abilities:
STR 3 | STA 2 | AGL 3 | DEX 1 | FGT 5 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Chitin: Protection 5 - 5 points
Claws: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Four Legs: Speed 3 (16 MPH) - 3 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat 2 (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 10 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 14 points
Stinger: Damage 5, Accurate, Secondary Effect, Alternate Resistance on Secondary Effect (Fortitude) - 14 points
Advantages:
Equipment 4, Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 4, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
20 points as needed (often a Blaster Rifle [Ranged Damage 8].)
Skills:
Athletics 5 (+8), Expertise: Military 6 (+6), Perception 6 (+7), Stealth 7 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +6
Claw +5 (Close Damage 3)
Stinger +7 (Close Damage 5, Secondary Effect [Fortitude 5])
Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7, Will 5
Totals:
Abilities 30 + Powers 47 + Advantages 12 + Skills 9 + Defenses 12 = 111 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation. Others as Needed.
Varask Ruler -- PL 11
Abilities:
STR 4 | STA 4 | AGL 4 | DEX 2 | FGT 11 | INT 3 | AWE 3 | PRE 3
Powers:
Chitin: Protection 7 - 7 points
Claws: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Four Legs: Speed 4 (30 MPH) - 4 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 11 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 12 points
Stinger: Damage 7, Accurate, Secondary Effect, Alternate Resistance on Secondary Effect (Fortitude) - 19 points
Telepathy: Mental Communication 1, Two-Way; Comprehend Languages 3 ("speak" and understand all languages) - 15 points
Advantages:
Equipment 8, Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack Ranged Attack 7, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
40 points as needed, often including an Autoblaster [Ranged Multiattack Damage 8]).
Skills:
Athletics 9 (+13), Expertise: Galactic 8 (+11), Insight 10 (+13), Perception 10 (+13), Persuasion 7 (+10), Stealth 9 (+13), Technology 9 (+12).
Offense:
Initiative +8
Claws +11 (Close Damage 5)
Stinger +13 (Close Damage 7, Secondary Effect [Fortitude 7])
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 9, Toughness 11, Will 11
Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 58 + Advantages 20 + Skills 31 + Defenses 18 = 195 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation. Dispassionate. Others as Needed.
Note: Varask Tenders (still called Queens by those who didn't get the memo) are essentially inanimate objects with Toughness 4 and no other game-relevant traits. However, every Varask in the hive will fight to the death to protect them.
Worker
Warrior/ruler
A thousand years ago, the humans of Chirab began to explore their local region of space. The courses that might have taken them to Earth led through space occupied by the Varask Empire, a small multi-system hegemony ruled by the Varask, an insectoid species which had reduced the other species in their sphere of influence to abject slavery. Expansionistic in the extreme, the Varask viewed the Chiraben as their next potential conquest, and so began a lengthy war. Both sides viewed it as an existential struggle that could only be ended in the total defeat of the other, with annihilation or subjugation the fate of the defeated.
So it may come as something of a surprise to learn that it ended in a negotiated peace treaty, and an agreement that the Chiraben would not trespass on Varask space again in exchange for similar guarantees from the Varask. The humans directed their expansion spinward, away from that region, and so set themselves on the path towards the formation of the Imperium. Ironically, the war had done enough damage to the infrastructure of the Varask's empire that it collapsed a few generations after the war's end, but by that point the Chiraben had other concerns.
The apparent similarity of the Varask to insects led to some misunderstandings by Chiraben scholars, many of which persist to this day. There are four sorts of the Varask, initially (and incorrectly) viewed as subspecies. The most prevalent throughout any Varask hive will always be the 'workers', who are responsible for maintaining the hive's structure. Initially viewed as being more or less mindless, with all decisions made by the hive's brain (of which more later) this has since been proved incorrect. While they do lack much in the way of thinking ability, a Varask worker is born with all the knowledge they need to perform their assigned tasks, and are more than capable of maintaining -- or constructing! -- structures that function as starships if that is their function.
Less common, though typically consisting of between ten and fifteen per cent of the hive's population are the 'warriors', intended to defend the hive from attackers, and to expand the hive's territory. They are considerably stronger, faster, and more intelligent than workers, while no less single-minded in their pursuits, and were more than a match for experienced Chiraben soldiers, especially before the unusual energy-resistant properities of their physiology were discovered. Fully able to employ weapons manufactured by workers or salvaged from the enemy, they also employ a poisonous stinger against opponents.
The individuals known as 'knights' or 'myrmidons' were initially assumed to be experienced warriors who had been promoted for successful campaigns, operating as commanders chosen by the 'brains' (or 'queens'.) During the peace negotiations, the Varask representatives (themselves 'knights') finally made it clear to the Chiraben that the so-called 'brains' were nothing more than incubators for their young, and that they themselves were the rulers of their species. They also mocked the notion of themselves as 'queens', as the Varask have six distinct sexes, and egg-laying is not the exclusive purview of any of them.
In the thousand years since the downfall of the Varask Empire, there have been countless wars between the various planets, and the various hives on those planets, that once comprised it. Most Varask who have an opinion now believe that cooperation between hives is profoundly unnatural, especially on the scale typified by the Empire, and would have no interest in restoring it. Their relations with other species tend to be much more peaceful, and they are perfectly willing to trade for supplies rather than raiding and enslaving. In supreme irony, as Chirab itself has become a desert world, it has attracted Varask colonists who are often considered very good neighbors by the human settlements near their hives.
Varask Worker - PL 4/MR 4
Abilities:
STR 1 | STA 1 | AGL 2 | DEX 1 | FGT 3 | INT -2 | AWE 0 | PRE -1
Powers:
Bite: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Chitin: Protection 4 - 4 points
Four Legs: Speed 1 (4 MPH) - 1 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat 2 (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 11 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 14 points
Advantages:
Great Endurance, Skill Mastery (Technology), Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Athletics 3 (+4), Perception 4 (+4), Technology 5 (+3).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Bite +3 (Close Damage 2)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 3, Toughness 5, Will 2
Totals:
Abilities 14 + Powers 31 + Advantages 3 + Skills 6 + Defenses 5 = 59 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation.
Varask Warrior -- PL 7/MR 8
Abilities:
STR 3 | STA 2 | AGL 3 | DEX 1 | FGT 5 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Chitin: Protection 5 - 5 points
Claws: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Four Legs: Speed 3 (16 MPH) - 3 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat 2 (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 10 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 14 points
Stinger: Damage 5, Accurate, Secondary Effect, Alternate Resistance on Secondary Effect (Fortitude) - 14 points
Advantages:
Equipment 4, Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 4, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
20 points as needed (often a Blaster Rifle [Ranged Damage 8].)
Skills:
Athletics 5 (+8), Expertise: Military 6 (+6), Perception 6 (+7), Stealth 7 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +6
Claw +5 (Close Damage 3)
Stinger +7 (Close Damage 5, Secondary Effect [Fortitude 5])
Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7, Will 5
Totals:
Abilities 30 + Powers 47 + Advantages 12 + Skills 9 + Defenses 12 = 111 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation. Others as Needed.
Varask Ruler -- PL 11
Abilities:
STR 4 | STA 4 | AGL 4 | DEX 2 | FGT 11 | INT 3 | AWE 3 | PRE 3
Powers:
Chitin: Protection 7 - 7 points
Claws: Strength-based Damage 1 - 1 point
Four Legs: Speed 4 (30 MPH) - 4 point
Hive Mind: Area Mental Communication 3, Limited to Varask, Subtle; Enhanced Feat (Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge) - 11 points
Resistant Physiology: Immunity 4 (cold, disease, heat, poison); Immunity 20 (energy damage), Limited to half effect - 12 points
Stinger: Damage 7, Accurate, Secondary Effect, Alternate Resistance on Secondary Effect (Fortitude) - 19 points
Telepathy: Mental Communication 1, Two-Way; Comprehend Languages 3 ("speak" and understand all languages) - 15 points
Advantages:
Equipment 8, Evasion, Great Endurance, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack Ranged Attack 7, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.
Equipment:
40 points as needed, often including an Autoblaster [Ranged Multiattack Damage 8]).
Skills:
Athletics 9 (+13), Expertise: Galactic 8 (+11), Insight 10 (+13), Perception 10 (+13), Persuasion 7 (+10), Stealth 9 (+13), Technology 9 (+12).
Offense:
Initiative +8
Claws +11 (Close Damage 5)
Stinger +13 (Close Damage 7, Secondary Effect [Fortitude 7])
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 9, Toughness 11, Will 11
Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 58 + Advantages 20 + Skills 31 + Defenses 18 = 195 points
Complications:
Loyalty to the Hive--Motivation. Dispassionate. Others as Needed.
Note: Varask Tenders (still called Queens by those who didn't get the memo) are essentially inanimate objects with Toughness 4 and no other game-relevant traits. However, every Varask in the hive will fight to the death to protect them.
I bet they were able to get that peace treaty by exploiting factional rifts between the Varask hives, rifts that later led to the dissolution of their empire.
Davies
Legend
It may have been so.
Davies
Legend
Mahaq
Bouille, a small planet in a system not far from the border between the Crimson Imperium and the Yusei Star Kingdom, is the site of a major engineering project by the Imperial navy. A new shipyard is being constructed, with the goal of introducing a new class of Imperium starships to equal or even surpass the Technate's Declaration II heavy cruisers. The bulk of naval operations take place in orbit around the planet, with only a few expeditions descending to the planet's surface to evaluate its resource extraction potential.
This was determined to be minimal, less because of a lack of potential resources -- the planet has extensive hyperfuel deposits -- than because of the difficulty of extracting them. Bouille is home to a wide variety of dangerous megafauna and -flora, and the cost of guarding the mines and refineries would be very expensive. Nevertheless, a small outpost was set up on one of the planet's continents, and some preliminary explorations have discovered that Bouille is also home to a species of small fuzzy humanoids, deemed to be mostly harmless.
That is a serious misapprehension, as a number of Imperium explorers have learned to their misfortune. (Their commanders assume that they've suffered some misadventure that involves the planet's non-sapient ecology.) The Mahaq, as they call themselves, are much like terrestrial chimpanzees in that they possess much greater strength than their small stature would suggest, and are extraordinarily swift while moving through Bouille's rainforests. While equipped with stone and bone weapons, a hunting party of Mahaq are fully capable of bringing down a more numerous unit of naval troopers in full armor. Some of the bones that make up their weapons are of human origin.
In the course of their encounters with the Imperium, the Mahaq have acquired a small supply of advanced weaponry. They are reluctant to use such devices, less due to any cultural taboos than because they are well aware that these weapons tend to stop working at unexpected and often very inconvenient times. Some very careful scouting has revealed that the off-worlders tend to restore their weapons at their village (the outpost) and the elders are evaluating the potential risks and rewards of an expedition to see whether they can do the same for their salvaged weapons.
Prior to the arrival of the off-worlders, the Mahaq were divided into a number of small nations which regarded each other as competitors, often resulting in skirmishes between their hunting parties. The invasion has convinced them to adopt a truce, as all the Mahaq elders recognize that they are facing a potentially existential threat. This has been strongly encouraged by the species' small number of mystics, who practice a tradition similar to that of the Yusei, involving the propitiation of the natural forces of their home world.
Eventually, the Insurgency will learn about the shipyard being built above Bouille. Eventually, they'll want to take steps and travel there to implement them. When that happens, they might be able to make allies of the Mahaq, if they can convince them that they intend to leave them in peace after removing their mutual enemies. Or possibly they'll end up as the latest addition to their arsenal.
Mahaq Hunter - PL 7
Abilities:
STR 5 | STA 6 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 4 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 1
Powers:
Night Sight: Senses 1 (low-light vision) - 1 point
Small Size: Permanent Shrinking 4 (-1 Strength, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation), Innate - 3 points
Very Mobile: Enhanced Advantage 2 (Improved Initiative 2); Leaping 3 (60 feet); Movement 2 (sure-footed, wall-crawling); Speed 4 (30 MPH) - 13 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Defensive Roll, Evasion 2, Equipment 2, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Teamwork.
Equipment:
Net (Ranged Affliction 6 [Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile], Diminished Range 3, Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Quirk [must be recovered after each use]), Spear (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical)
Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+7), Athletics 4 (+9), Close Combat: Spear 2 (+6), Deception 6 (+7), Expertise: Survival 6 (+7), Insight 3 (+6), Intimidation 6 (+5), Perception 5 (+8), Ranged Combat: Net 4 (+6), Stealth 6 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +11
Unarmed +4 (Close Damage 5)
Spear +6 (Close Damage 8)
Net +6 (Ranged Affliction 6, Resisted by Dodge)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 7, Toughness 8/6, Will 5.
Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 17 + Advantages 10 + Skills 25 + Defenses 4 = 106 points
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Others as Needed.
Note: Mahaq mystics typically have PRE 3, Expertise: Magic +9, and Ritualist, but are often elders (STR 4, STA 5, AGL 2, FGT 3.) Some Mahaq have the advantage Trapsmith, which allows them to devise and construct traps using their Expertise: Survival skill.
Bouille, a small planet in a system not far from the border between the Crimson Imperium and the Yusei Star Kingdom, is the site of a major engineering project by the Imperial navy. A new shipyard is being constructed, with the goal of introducing a new class of Imperium starships to equal or even surpass the Technate's Declaration II heavy cruisers. The bulk of naval operations take place in orbit around the planet, with only a few expeditions descending to the planet's surface to evaluate its resource extraction potential.
This was determined to be minimal, less because of a lack of potential resources -- the planet has extensive hyperfuel deposits -- than because of the difficulty of extracting them. Bouille is home to a wide variety of dangerous megafauna and -flora, and the cost of guarding the mines and refineries would be very expensive. Nevertheless, a small outpost was set up on one of the planet's continents, and some preliminary explorations have discovered that Bouille is also home to a species of small fuzzy humanoids, deemed to be mostly harmless.
That is a serious misapprehension, as a number of Imperium explorers have learned to their misfortune. (Their commanders assume that they've suffered some misadventure that involves the planet's non-sapient ecology.) The Mahaq, as they call themselves, are much like terrestrial chimpanzees in that they possess much greater strength than their small stature would suggest, and are extraordinarily swift while moving through Bouille's rainforests. While equipped with stone and bone weapons, a hunting party of Mahaq are fully capable of bringing down a more numerous unit of naval troopers in full armor. Some of the bones that make up their weapons are of human origin.
In the course of their encounters with the Imperium, the Mahaq have acquired a small supply of advanced weaponry. They are reluctant to use such devices, less due to any cultural taboos than because they are well aware that these weapons tend to stop working at unexpected and often very inconvenient times. Some very careful scouting has revealed that the off-worlders tend to restore their weapons at their village (the outpost) and the elders are evaluating the potential risks and rewards of an expedition to see whether they can do the same for their salvaged weapons.
Prior to the arrival of the off-worlders, the Mahaq were divided into a number of small nations which regarded each other as competitors, often resulting in skirmishes between their hunting parties. The invasion has convinced them to adopt a truce, as all the Mahaq elders recognize that they are facing a potentially existential threat. This has been strongly encouraged by the species' small number of mystics, who practice a tradition similar to that of the Yusei, involving the propitiation of the natural forces of their home world.
Eventually, the Insurgency will learn about the shipyard being built above Bouille. Eventually, they'll want to take steps and travel there to implement them. When that happens, they might be able to make allies of the Mahaq, if they can convince them that they intend to leave them in peace after removing their mutual enemies. Or possibly they'll end up as the latest addition to their arsenal.
Mahaq Hunter - PL 7
Abilities:
STR 5 | STA 6 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 4 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 1
Powers:
Night Sight: Senses 1 (low-light vision) - 1 point
Small Size: Permanent Shrinking 4 (-1 Strength, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation), Innate - 3 points
Very Mobile: Enhanced Advantage 2 (Improved Initiative 2); Leaping 3 (60 feet); Movement 2 (sure-footed, wall-crawling); Speed 4 (30 MPH) - 13 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Defensive Roll, Evasion 2, Equipment 2, Fast Grab, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Teamwork.
Equipment:
Net (Ranged Affliction 6 [Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile], Diminished Range 3, Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Quirk [must be recovered after each use]), Spear (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical)
Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+7), Athletics 4 (+9), Close Combat: Spear 2 (+6), Deception 6 (+7), Expertise: Survival 6 (+7), Insight 3 (+6), Intimidation 6 (+5), Perception 5 (+8), Ranged Combat: Net 4 (+6), Stealth 6 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +11
Unarmed +4 (Close Damage 5)
Spear +6 (Close Damage 8)
Net +6 (Ranged Affliction 6, Resisted by Dodge)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 7, Toughness 8/6, Will 5.
Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 17 + Advantages 10 + Skills 25 + Defenses 4 = 106 points
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Others as Needed.
Note: Mahaq mystics typically have PRE 3, Expertise: Magic +9, and Ritualist, but are often elders (STR 4, STA 5, AGL 2, FGT 3.) Some Mahaq have the advantage Trapsmith, which allows them to devise and construct traps using their Expertise: Survival skill.
Davies
Legend
Vautaro
The Vautaro are, as far as is known, the sole sapient species native to the planet Hasham, the so-called planet of the mystics. Little is known of their history prior to their first contact with the Gebela. For that matter, little is known of their own history after that epochal event, as opposed to their impact on the history of the Imperium. The Vautaro have always been a species that could be considered humble or secretive, depending on one's perspective.
By the time of their first contact, the Vautaro were already a spacefaring species. Where the Seshai and Manguai had independently developed their warp drive, however, it's believed that the Vautaro acquired it from an unknown source. This can be substantiated by the lack of industry on Hasham -- not the removal of industry that occurred on Dhakam, but the absence of any signs of its presence. The Albadine are sometimes considered as a likely candidate to have been this source, though most historians believe that they only arrived in the Imperium long after this time. Those familiar with the Gardeners have often wondered whether there might have been a prehistoric connection between the two groups of mystics.
Regardless, the Vautaro had little interest in the commercial ambitions that drove their rivals, but were more interested in spreading their philosophical influence throughout the region. It should at this point be noted that both schools of mysticism, the Starlight and the Nightmare, have their origins with the Vautaro; at this point, those schools were closely allied. Followers of the Nightmare path acted as guardians, using fear as a weapon to drive away potential threats so that the followers of the Starlight path could engage in their contemplations in peace. The two paths would not diverge until shortly before the Imperium took form; in both cases, power corrupted them.
The corruption of the Starlight path was both subtle and insidious. When the Imperium formed, the mystics offered their assistance as bodyguards and advisers to the Senators, and many accepted. Advice took very little time to become undue influence, and the extent of that influence was exposed during the Schism Wars. Not only were they no longer as fully trusted by their charges as they'd once been, they no longer fully trusted themselves. Despite their victory over the technomancers, most of the mystics were not quite so consequentialist as to be blind to the havoc that had come along with it.
The Vautaro, who remained the heart of the mystics, were particularly ill at ease with what they'd become. In the last century and a half of the old Imperium, only a handful of them left Hasham to engage with the larger universe. The death of their greatest teacher during the rise of the Crimson King further convinced them to withdraw the mystical order back to its birthplace, officially disowning all those who chose to remain and fight. In the decades since, some of the younger Vautaro (those born since the Schism Wars) have questioned this decision, but as yet, they have taken no known actions.
Vautaro Mystic -- PL 12
Abilities:
STR -1 | STA 3 | AGL 4 | DEX 0 | FGT 7 | INT 3 | AWE 5 | PRE 3
Powers:
Bonded Laser Sword: Damage 6, Penetrating 6, Accurate 2; Easily Removable (-4 points) - 10 points
Draw On The Source: Impervious Will 12, Limited to mental effects; Regeneration 5 - 11 points
Long-Lived: Immunity 1 (aging) - 1 point
Sense The Source: Enhanced Defense 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Senses 5 (Accurate, Acute, Ranged Danger Sense) - 13 points
Work With The Source: Array (36 points)
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Extraordinary Effort, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Trance, Ultimate Effort (Will checks), Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+8), Athletics 7 (+6), Close Combat: Laser Sword 5 (+12), Expertise: Galactic 6 (+9), Insight 8 (+13), Intimidation 6 (+7), Perception 6 (+11), Persuasion 6 (+9), Stealth 4 (+10), Treatment 6 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage -1)
Laser Sword +16 (Close Damage 6)
Defense:
Dodge 12/8, Parry 14/10, Fortitude 9, Toughness 8/3, Will 13.
Totals:
Abilities 44 + Powers 77 + Advantages 12 + Skills 29 + Defenses 17 = 179 points
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Unsure What That Responsibility Means.
The Vautaro are, as far as is known, the sole sapient species native to the planet Hasham, the so-called planet of the mystics. Little is known of their history prior to their first contact with the Gebela. For that matter, little is known of their own history after that epochal event, as opposed to their impact on the history of the Imperium. The Vautaro have always been a species that could be considered humble or secretive, depending on one's perspective.
By the time of their first contact, the Vautaro were already a spacefaring species. Where the Seshai and Manguai had independently developed their warp drive, however, it's believed that the Vautaro acquired it from an unknown source. This can be substantiated by the lack of industry on Hasham -- not the removal of industry that occurred on Dhakam, but the absence of any signs of its presence. The Albadine are sometimes considered as a likely candidate to have been this source, though most historians believe that they only arrived in the Imperium long after this time. Those familiar with the Gardeners have often wondered whether there might have been a prehistoric connection between the two groups of mystics.
Regardless, the Vautaro had little interest in the commercial ambitions that drove their rivals, but were more interested in spreading their philosophical influence throughout the region. It should at this point be noted that both schools of mysticism, the Starlight and the Nightmare, have their origins with the Vautaro; at this point, those schools were closely allied. Followers of the Nightmare path acted as guardians, using fear as a weapon to drive away potential threats so that the followers of the Starlight path could engage in their contemplations in peace. The two paths would not diverge until shortly before the Imperium took form; in both cases, power corrupted them.
The corruption of the Starlight path was both subtle and insidious. When the Imperium formed, the mystics offered their assistance as bodyguards and advisers to the Senators, and many accepted. Advice took very little time to become undue influence, and the extent of that influence was exposed during the Schism Wars. Not only were they no longer as fully trusted by their charges as they'd once been, they no longer fully trusted themselves. Despite their victory over the technomancers, most of the mystics were not quite so consequentialist as to be blind to the havoc that had come along with it.
The Vautaro, who remained the heart of the mystics, were particularly ill at ease with what they'd become. In the last century and a half of the old Imperium, only a handful of them left Hasham to engage with the larger universe. The death of their greatest teacher during the rise of the Crimson King further convinced them to withdraw the mystical order back to its birthplace, officially disowning all those who chose to remain and fight. In the decades since, some of the younger Vautaro (those born since the Schism Wars) have questioned this decision, but as yet, they have taken no known actions.
Vautaro Mystic -- PL 12
Abilities:
STR -1 | STA 3 | AGL 4 | DEX 0 | FGT 7 | INT 3 | AWE 5 | PRE 3
Powers:
Bonded Laser Sword: Damage 6, Penetrating 6, Accurate 2; Easily Removable (-4 points) - 10 points
Draw On The Source: Impervious Will 12, Limited to mental effects; Regeneration 5 - 11 points
Long-Lived: Immunity 1 (aging) - 1 point
Sense The Source: Enhanced Defense 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Senses 5 (Accurate, Acute, Ranged Danger Sense) - 13 points
Work With The Source: Array (36 points)
- Feel The Cosmos: Remote Sensing 12 (all senses), Standard Action - 36 points
- Mind Over Matter: Flight 2 (8 MPH); Perception Range Move Object 10, Subtle - 1 point
- Telepathic Communication: Comprehend Languages 2; Mental Communication 2; Cumulative Mind Reading 8 - 1 point
- Telepathic Suggestion: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Hearing Dependent - 1 point
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Extraordinary Effort, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Close, Concealment), Trance, Ultimate Effort (Will checks), Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+8), Athletics 7 (+6), Close Combat: Laser Sword 5 (+12), Expertise: Galactic 6 (+9), Insight 8 (+13), Intimidation 6 (+7), Perception 6 (+11), Persuasion 6 (+9), Stealth 4 (+10), Treatment 6 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage -1)
Laser Sword +16 (Close Damage 6)
Defense:
Dodge 12/8, Parry 14/10, Fortitude 9, Toughness 8/3, Will 13.
Totals:
Abilities 44 + Powers 77 + Advantages 12 + Skills 29 + Defenses 17 = 179 points
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Unsure What That Responsibility Means.
Davies
Legend
Dhakimat
It is taken for granted by scholars of the Crimson Imperium that the humanoid species native to Dhakimat was created from the same original stock as Chiraben humanity by some experimenter -- one of the Progenitors or their successors -- thousands of years ago. Suggesting this to a Dhakimite is a great way to provoke them to violence. It is almost an article of faith to them that their species naturally evolved in Dhakimat's environment and they have what they believe to be the fossil evidence to prove it. That they aren't biologically compatible with Chiraben proves something, but just what it proves remains a mystery for the ages.
The remarkable physical powers that the Dhakimites possess strongly influenced their cultural evolution. They never needed to develop weapons or armor to defend themselves against each other or Dhakimat's other species. Their settlements never had walls, since every one of them could easily fly over such obstructions. They never needed to tame other animals to put their strength to use for them, as they were the strongest animals on their planet. As they never grew ill and recovered quickly from what injuries they did suffer, medical treatment other than midwifery was unknown. Aside from their literacy, they could have been taken for a stone age culture when they were contacted by the Manguai, around nine hundred years* ago.
At that time, Dhakamite civilization was divided between two opposing ideologies, both of which centered around the philosophical question of how best to live one's life. One school, the Optimum, held that the ideal life could only be obtained through the pursuit of personal excellence, regardless of what that pursuit cost any other individual. The other, the Gnostium, held that the ideal life could only be obtained through peaceful contemplation -- though they were still willing to defend their right to do so with force. The followers of these two philosophies had already come to blows, and as both of them had adherents who developed their faculties above and beyond those of average Dhakimites, there was no way of telling which of them would have emerged victorious.
The Manguai observed this for an extended period, developing a plan that would allow them to profit from interactions with both of these movements. They first approached the leaders of the Gnostium and offered to do something about their Optimate rivals, as well as purchasing the mining rights to every other planet in Dhakimat's solar system in exchange for scientific and technological exchanges. Having done that, they contacted the Optimum and, describing the local cosmic region to them, persuaded them to enter into their service as mercenaries and pursue their ideal of personal power through conflict with the Manguai's enemies. Thus, the Gnostium were left on Dhakimat while the Optimum went to the stars.
This was a disaster. The Manguai had no way of knowing that the Dhakimites would lose their powers when removed from Dhakimat's solar system, and were frankly horrified by how easily their new super-soldiers proved to be no more effective than any other mercenaries in their service, and often much less for their lack of experience with technological warfare. Of the thousands of Optimates who went into space with their new patrons, less than a hundred survived to return to their home world, and then only after two decades* had passed. They returned to find that the Gnostics had established cities and industry on Dhakimite and were firmly in control of the planet, and in no mood to surrender it to their returned brethren. Necessarily, they submitted to their rule, though many of them swore that one day things would be different.
That 'one day' came some three hundred years* later. During a time of civil war among their patrons, the Dhakimites opportunistically conquered the various Manguai bases in their solar system, declaring their independence in the process. Having done so, they began planning to expand their own influence with a program of colonization. Aware of their limitations, they didn't send soldiers to seize territory, but instead dispatched scientists and explorers to find worlds where their powers might also flourish. In more than a century, they found a grand total of five such worlds within their reach -- Anacreon was the last, and the furthest from Dhakimat.
The limits of this colonial mission, the lack of profit that it demonstrated, and the foundation of the Imperium all put an end to the idea of a Dhakimite interstellar state. Negotiations of between the Imperium and the government of Dhakimat resulted in an arrangement by which their system would become a protectorate within the Imperium, neither taxed by nor represented within the Senate, and left to their own devices. The cost was the withdrawal of all of the colonies. Anacreon, beyond the Imperium's borders, ignored the order, as did one other colony within the Imperium which also declared its independence and was crushed in a costly war.
Since then, Dhakimat has largely done its best to ignore the universe beyond their sun's heliopause. All of its industry has been removed from the planet and shifted into enormous satellite factories (one of which can be seen in the image above) leaving the world divided among millions of family-run farm/ranches. Lest the impression be given that this is a bucolic existence, the planet is also subject to total panopticon surveillance, with any dissent firmly suppressed. The isolationist government maintains a conscription-based military whose sole purpose is to protect the solar system, though small numbers of 'advisers' are frequently sent to assist the Imperium at its request. This arrangement, begun under the Senatorial Imperium, continues under the rule of the Crimson King; he has no interest in doing anything which will make enemies of the Dhakimites. Yet.
Dhakimite super-soldiers are those individuals who have successfully undergone a training program that allows them the full use of their capabilities. Not all Dhakimites can complete this training, and it's all but unknown in current Dhakimite culutre for individuals outside the military to engage in it. Beyond those powers listed below, some trained Dhakimites can use sensory enhancement powers. In addition to all this, a small number of Dhakimites demonstrate talents that would be considered 'Hyperbrain' abilities in a human. Given the givens, it is probably very well for the people of Earth that the only member of this species who knows that this world would sustain their powers is increasingly disenchanted with her home world's government.
Dhakimite Soldier -- PL 7 / MR 8
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA 6 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 4 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Great Speed: Enhanced Advantages 8 (Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action); Enhanced Defense 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Flight 6 (120 MPH), Aquatic; Quickness 6 - 35 points
Great Toughness: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 6; Regeneration 5 - 21 points
Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action.
Equipment:
Blaster Rifle (Ranged Damage 8), Commlink, and 3 points of equipment as needed.
Skills:
Expertise: Military 4 (+4), Perception 2 (+3), Ranged Combat: Blaster 4 (+5).
Offense:
Initiative +13
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 8)
Blaster Rifle +5 (Ranged Damage 8)
Defense:
Dodge 8/4, Parry 8/4, Fortitude 7, Toughness 6, Will 6.
Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 56 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + Defenses 10 = 113 points
Complications:
Loyalty--Motivation. Power Loss/Weakness (loses all powers and becomes Strength and Stamina Disabled outside of Dhakimat-like environments.) Power Loss/Weakness (as above, when exposed to theonite.) Others as Needed.
Dhakimite Super-Soldier -- PL 10 / MR 10
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA 8 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 6 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Dhakimite Powers: Array (11 points)
Great Toughness: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 8; Regeneration 5 - 23 points
Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action, Ranged Attack 4.
Skills:
Expertise: Military 6 (+6), Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Blast Vision 4 (+5).
Offense:
Initiative +13
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 8)
Hyper-Strength +8 (Close Damage 12)
Blast Vision +9 (Close Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 10/4, Parry 12/6, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will 6.
Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 81 + Advantages 4 + Skills 7 + Defenses 8 = 150 points
Complications:
Loyalty OR Ambition--Motivation. Power Loss/Weakness (loses all powers and becomes Strength and Stamina Disabled outside of Dhakaimat-like environments). Power Loss/Weakness (as above, when exposed to theonite.) Others as Needed.
It is taken for granted by scholars of the Crimson Imperium that the humanoid species native to Dhakimat was created from the same original stock as Chiraben humanity by some experimenter -- one of the Progenitors or their successors -- thousands of years ago. Suggesting this to a Dhakimite is a great way to provoke them to violence. It is almost an article of faith to them that their species naturally evolved in Dhakimat's environment and they have what they believe to be the fossil evidence to prove it. That they aren't biologically compatible with Chiraben proves something, but just what it proves remains a mystery for the ages.
The remarkable physical powers that the Dhakimites possess strongly influenced their cultural evolution. They never needed to develop weapons or armor to defend themselves against each other or Dhakimat's other species. Their settlements never had walls, since every one of them could easily fly over such obstructions. They never needed to tame other animals to put their strength to use for them, as they were the strongest animals on their planet. As they never grew ill and recovered quickly from what injuries they did suffer, medical treatment other than midwifery was unknown. Aside from their literacy, they could have been taken for a stone age culture when they were contacted by the Manguai, around nine hundred years* ago.
At that time, Dhakamite civilization was divided between two opposing ideologies, both of which centered around the philosophical question of how best to live one's life. One school, the Optimum, held that the ideal life could only be obtained through the pursuit of personal excellence, regardless of what that pursuit cost any other individual. The other, the Gnostium, held that the ideal life could only be obtained through peaceful contemplation -- though they were still willing to defend their right to do so with force. The followers of these two philosophies had already come to blows, and as both of them had adherents who developed their faculties above and beyond those of average Dhakimites, there was no way of telling which of them would have emerged victorious.
The Manguai observed this for an extended period, developing a plan that would allow them to profit from interactions with both of these movements. They first approached the leaders of the Gnostium and offered to do something about their Optimate rivals, as well as purchasing the mining rights to every other planet in Dhakimat's solar system in exchange for scientific and technological exchanges. Having done that, they contacted the Optimum and, describing the local cosmic region to them, persuaded them to enter into their service as mercenaries and pursue their ideal of personal power through conflict with the Manguai's enemies. Thus, the Gnostium were left on Dhakimat while the Optimum went to the stars.
This was a disaster. The Manguai had no way of knowing that the Dhakimites would lose their powers when removed from Dhakimat's solar system, and were frankly horrified by how easily their new super-soldiers proved to be no more effective than any other mercenaries in their service, and often much less for their lack of experience with technological warfare. Of the thousands of Optimates who went into space with their new patrons, less than a hundred survived to return to their home world, and then only after two decades* had passed. They returned to find that the Gnostics had established cities and industry on Dhakimite and were firmly in control of the planet, and in no mood to surrender it to their returned brethren. Necessarily, they submitted to their rule, though many of them swore that one day things would be different.
That 'one day' came some three hundred years* later. During a time of civil war among their patrons, the Dhakimites opportunistically conquered the various Manguai bases in their solar system, declaring their independence in the process. Having done so, they began planning to expand their own influence with a program of colonization. Aware of their limitations, they didn't send soldiers to seize territory, but instead dispatched scientists and explorers to find worlds where their powers might also flourish. In more than a century, they found a grand total of five such worlds within their reach -- Anacreon was the last, and the furthest from Dhakimat.
The limits of this colonial mission, the lack of profit that it demonstrated, and the foundation of the Imperium all put an end to the idea of a Dhakimite interstellar state. Negotiations of between the Imperium and the government of Dhakimat resulted in an arrangement by which their system would become a protectorate within the Imperium, neither taxed by nor represented within the Senate, and left to their own devices. The cost was the withdrawal of all of the colonies. Anacreon, beyond the Imperium's borders, ignored the order, as did one other colony within the Imperium which also declared its independence and was crushed in a costly war.
Since then, Dhakimat has largely done its best to ignore the universe beyond their sun's heliopause. All of its industry has been removed from the planet and shifted into enormous satellite factories (one of which can be seen in the image above) leaving the world divided among millions of family-run farm/ranches. Lest the impression be given that this is a bucolic existence, the planet is also subject to total panopticon surveillance, with any dissent firmly suppressed. The isolationist government maintains a conscription-based military whose sole purpose is to protect the solar system, though small numbers of 'advisers' are frequently sent to assist the Imperium at its request. This arrangement, begun under the Senatorial Imperium, continues under the rule of the Crimson King; he has no interest in doing anything which will make enemies of the Dhakimites. Yet.
Dhakimite super-soldiers are those individuals who have successfully undergone a training program that allows them the full use of their capabilities. Not all Dhakimites can complete this training, and it's all but unknown in current Dhakimite culutre for individuals outside the military to engage in it. Beyond those powers listed below, some trained Dhakimites can use sensory enhancement powers. In addition to all this, a small number of Dhakimites demonstrate talents that would be considered 'Hyperbrain' abilities in a human. Given the givens, it is probably very well for the people of Earth that the only member of this species who knows that this world would sustain their powers is increasingly disenchanted with her home world's government.
Dhakimite Soldier -- PL 7 / MR 8
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA 6 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 4 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Great Speed: Enhanced Advantages 8 (Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action); Enhanced Defense 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Flight 6 (120 MPH), Aquatic; Quickness 6 - 35 points
Great Toughness: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 6; Regeneration 5 - 21 points
Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Equipment 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action.
Equipment:
Blaster Rifle (Ranged Damage 8), Commlink, and 3 points of equipment as needed.
Skills:
Expertise: Military 4 (+4), Perception 2 (+3), Ranged Combat: Blaster 4 (+5).
Offense:
Initiative +13
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 8)
Blaster Rifle +5 (Ranged Damage 8)
Defense:
Dodge 8/4, Parry 8/4, Fortitude 7, Toughness 6, Will 6.
Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 56 + Advantages 2 + Skills 5 + Defenses 10 = 113 points
Complications:
Loyalty--Motivation. Power Loss/Weakness (loses all powers and becomes Strength and Stamina Disabled outside of Dhakimat-like environments.) Power Loss/Weakness (as above, when exposed to theonite.) Others as Needed.
Dhakimite Super-Soldier -- PL 10 / MR 10
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA 8 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 6 | INT 0 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers:
Dhakimite Powers: Array (11 points)
- Blast Vision: Ranged Damage 5, Precise - 11 point
- Hyper-Speed: Enhanced Flight 5 - 1 point
- Hyper-Strength: Enhanced Strength 4; Enhanced Strength 3, Limited to Lifting - 1 points
Great Toughness: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Toughness 8; Regeneration 5 - 23 points
Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Improved Initiative 3, Interpose, Move-by Action, Ranged Attack 4.
Skills:
Expertise: Military 6 (+6), Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Blast Vision 4 (+5).
Offense:
Initiative +13
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 8)
Hyper-Strength +8 (Close Damage 12)
Blast Vision +9 (Close Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 10/4, Parry 12/6, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will 6.
Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 81 + Advantages 4 + Skills 7 + Defenses 8 = 150 points
Complications:
Loyalty OR Ambition--Motivation. Power Loss/Weakness (loses all powers and becomes Strength and Stamina Disabled outside of Dhakaimat-like environments). Power Loss/Weakness (as above, when exposed to theonite.) Others as Needed.
Davies
Legend
That's more of a 'listed complications are those that come up frequently' thing, along with the fact that neither Karsa nor Jora have left the solar system since arriving on Earth. It has been noted, though, that Paragon suffers this power loss/weakness at a much slower rate of decline (a week vs. a day) than any other Dhakimite on record, at least when theonite isn't involved.
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