[Starfinder] Dead Suns

[Jab Burrwalky]

I've been itching for a Sci-Fi RPG for some time now. I've never played Starfinder before though. You say in the main post that we need the Core Rulebook, is the Starfinder SRD insufficient?

[Nevynxxx]

Originally Posted by Jab Burrwalky

I've been itching for a Sci-Fi RPG for some time now. I've never played Starfinder before though. You say in the main post that we need the Core Rulebook, is the Starfinder SRD insufficient?

I wont speak for the GM and directly answer your question, but I will point out that the PDF of the core book only costs $10, it's an exact (latest errata) version of the core rule book, that's fully hyperlinked and bookmarked. Also, above the raw rules of the SRD, you get all of the flavour and fluff that way. I in no way get commission from Paizo, but I do think the way they sell PDFs is awesome and to be encouraged.

[ruffdove]

@Jab Burrwalky,
Essentially, I want every player to have full access to the entirety of the Core Rules. Whether that access is digital or hardcopy doesn't really matter to me. If the SRD has all the rules (and the info on the Pact World setting) and you can navigate it effectively enough to participate in a PbP Starfinder Game, then that's good enough for me. That said, the fluff aspects of the Core Rulebook that Nevynxxx alludes to (which I assume includes the artwork) are pretty neat. If you apply to the game and get in--or find yourself with a chance to play SF in the future--I'd recommend the investment.

Whether SF is the SciFi game for you or not is another matter. It's the most fantasy-rooted and Dungeon-and-Dragony SciFi game I've ever played. The setting is a future version of the Pathfinder setting and the rules are pretty close to Pathfinder (and 3.5 to a certain degree), which may or may not give you an idea of how you'll find the mechanics. In addition to reading the Character creation section for your app, you'll also want to give a look at the Starship combat rules and think about the crew role you might want your character to fill.

[Unko Talok]

Name: T'aro (Pronouns: Xe, Xer, Xir)
Race: Shirren
Class: Mystic
Theme: Scholar
Age: 20 Years
Alignment: NG
Home World: Verces

Description: T'aro stands at 5'6" when fully raised, a solidly average Shirren height with a solidly average Shirren weight. Xir skin is a ruddier brown than the more vibrant skin of most Shirrens, which xe attributes to xir host gender. T'aro recognizes most races' discomfort with the Telepathy of Shirrens, and takes great pains to produce noises from xir mouth when possible. This results in a relatively slow, breathy communication, punctuated by clicks and some high-pitched inhales that are, perhaps, more disconcerting than telepathy. Because T'aro understands how difficult it is to speak in another tongue, xe is very forgiving of mispronunciations of xir name as "Taro" or Daro" or sometimes even "Terry", which miss the glottal stop or misconstrue both vowels and consonants. Xe is strongly motivated by an urge to bring joy and pleasure to others, which leads to most of xir downtime activity studying the cultures and physiology of other races, and extensive botanical literature. Xe believes that there are a myriad of possible mental states hidden in the vast and complicated biochemistry available throughout the universe, and that only by exploring these avenues-- and personally experiencing them at times-- can we come to a full appreciation of all possible wonders and our place in the cosmos. Having grown up on Verces, T'aro struggles with where technological augmentation falls in xir worldview. On the one hand, xe sees it as an unnatural shortcut to experience without understanding. On the other hand, xe thinks that if it expands consciousness and eventually leads to understanding, then it should be embraced. Xe sometimes struggles with the possibility of augmenting xirself.

Background: T'aro was born on one of the few Shirren warships that were under the control of the offshoot branch of hivemind creatures that became the "individualistic" Shirrens. Xe we content to live xir formative years in the colony's comforting grasp, expressing xer individuality in much the way other Shirrens did-- by hanging a decoration in an odd part of the room, or dyeing xir clothes a new color periodically. But at the age of 12, an intense desire to leave the ship for some other planet overtook xer. Many of the community objected to xir desires, not least of which were xir committed male and female partners, K'tilm and Xi'ana. They had long believed that their larvae would be hosted by xer. Harsh words were exchanged, and it was suggested that T'aro was succumbing to the addiction of individuality. After weeks of long, bitter fighting, T'aro made plans to depart to the nearest planet, which happened to be Verces.

Once there, T'aro was shocked at the astounding variety of the Line. Such a narrow band of world hosting such vast diversities of creatures, many visiting to sample the planet's Augmentation services. T'aro was also shocked to discover how utterly non-communal the world outside of xir colony was. Within days, xir supply of food had dwindled, and no one would offer xer food! Xe soon discovered the nature of labor, goods, services, economy, and money. Beginning xir free life as a humble translator of desire for a small Augmentation clinic, T'aro slowly began to build a knowledge of the cultures, desires, physiology, and speech of countless species. Xe also became increasingly concerned about the nature of augmentation, what it did to an individual, and the potential for abuse and loss of an individual's essence. Xe spent xir evenings consorting with the God-Vessels of the world and various religious sects, learning of religious beliefs and finding a mystical connection with experience and service. After two years of employment and study, T'aro made the radically individual (and exceedingly neurally gratifying) decision to leave xir employment and open a business of xir own.

For the past five years, T'aro has been running a naturalistic service that aids visitors in recovery from Augmentation implants-- a run-down shop in an overly cramped but cheap location in the undercity. Its sign reads Misplaced Insertions in a dozen or more languages, with additional signage added as T'aro learns new ones. The shop's title is a clever bit of wordplay in Shirren-- a pun on augmentation, implantation of larvae, and healing remedies. While the name falls flat in virtually every other tongue, it still conjures up ideas of implants and augmentations that aren't quite sitting right, and at least it draws enough customers to assure T'aro does not go hungry. The shop's services consist of massage, the use of herbs, and extensive use of mind-altering drugs to both prepare a person's mind for their change in experience and help in acceptance and understanding of their newfound sensations. Deep down, xe hopes to help more people before their augmentations to assure that it is truly what they want. But xe is more than happy to aid people in the recovery phase, so long as xe is helping others. This only depened xer impulse to learn of the universe's vast array of flora, fauna, cultures, personalities, and their networks of interactions.

Two years ago, T'aro was introduced to Duravor Kreel when he arrived on Verces seeking information on alternative "alloys" of Shelynium Ice. While T'aro was unable to help him, xe was incredibly interested in both his strange and rare species as well as the opportunity to aid him on his foray into Darkside. Duravor collected an unlikely amalgamation of people from the Line and lead them into the planet's dark and icy hemisphere. Great adventure was had. T'aro rescued more than one of xir companions from the edge of life, and they saved xer from certain death by the hands of some of the Outlaw Kingdom agents that roamed the land. But that adventure is too detailed to relate here. But the affair must have left a strong impression on the dwarf. For not two standard days ago, xe received an offer to join the Starfinders. Xe had only to take transport to Absalom station and meet him there... It would mean abandoning xir well-established, if humble, business. But, then it would also mean novelty, a chance to learn, and oh-so-many choices.

T'aro savored the anticipation of the vast neurotransmitter release that awaited xer. Xe did not know which choice xe would make. But oh-- OH!-- what a choice this would be!

Roleplaying Sample: T'aro meets a new client species recovering from Augmentation implants, who becomes annoyed at xer slow pace.

Discovery The woman-- woman?-- that entered was unlike anything T'aro had yet seen, in person or in xir xenobiology texts. Extremely short, the creature lithely moved into the shop, with hardly a sound as her shoes touched the aged and usually-creeky hardwood. The woman's fiery-red hair (she had hair, and that narrowed down the physiology, probably) was straight, and pulled back into a single bundle. The right side of her face was obscured by metal and glass. An info-display implant, one of the more common augmentations. The skin around it was swollen and red. Most likely an infection, but possibly some kind of innate tissue reaction, rejecting the metal alloy. The woman was a bit shorter than Duravor Kreel-- the dwarf from last year. But the body type wasn't right... No, not a dwarf. The proportions were more like a Human's. But not a human. T'aro would need to consult the Encycle for this. As xe began moving towards xir second-hand (or third-hand) datapad, xe reached out to the newcomer with xir mind. Do you speak the common tongue? "Ach! Yes, yes! None of that telepathy. I only want extra stuff in my head if I invite it there!" T'aro was used to that reaction, but it was always so much easier to try telepathy first, in case there was not a shared language. Filling xir lungs with a large gulp of air, xe readied a reply. "Ahpologies, miss," T'aro began. "Whhhat iss trouhbling yhou?" The words were understandable, but spoken as if by a human with some respiratory condition. Breathed, as much as said. The woman jerked the first two fingers of her hand toward her eye-implant. Fine motor dexterity. That would make the species search easier. "This thing. This is the problem. It never stops itching, and today the headache is getting near unbearable." T'aro could pick up tones in the voice that xe thought were signs of annoyance, frustration. It was a common feeling when entering Misplaced Insertions, but just as often absent when the client left. "Spent damned near my last credit on it, so I can't afford to head back to the clinic that installed it. They won't see someone without at least three hundred down. I heard that you were cheap and effective." T'aro feel a small burst of pride at the thought, but responds in measured tones, the only kind xe is capable of with the mouthspeech of most languages. "Ayhe strhive to beeh. One momhent whhile Ayhe refrhesh myhe mhemory..." T'aro was furiously flipping through rarer species with the narrowing search specifications-- bilateral exterior body plan, restricted hair growth, five digits at four extremities, etc, etc. Finally, Xe found a matching profile. "Ah! Yhes... Half-ling." Xe was bluffing, as though xe had worked with a halfling client before. No one wanted to be someone's first. "A strhange nhame for a species, ihf Ayeh mayh sayh so... Why arhe the Humans noht Twice-lings?" The comment might have gotten a chuckle from a client if they weren't in a fair amount of pain. But this one didn't laugh. She just grumbled. The implant was probably quite painful. "Yeah, yeah..." she said. "Can you fix it's the thing?" There was an edge of increased annoyance in the client's voice. T'aro took the cue to not ask about payment until afterwards. "Ayhe... belhieve so. Plhease. Lie dhown." T'aro spent some time feeling about the muscles in the Halfling's neck and back. More than once, xe had to stop and consult xir data-pad and the Encycle, which seemed to elicit increased annoyance from the client. At one point during the half-massage, half-chiropractic procedure, T'aro touched the fleshy portion of the halfling's body where her two legs met her back, and the woman became extremely irate. T'aro noted that this information was absent from the Encycle, and decided to remember it herself and suggest a change to the info-page. After a half-hour's examination, T'aro offered the woman a simple regimen of herbs and a cream to rub on the implant and surrounding skin. Xe explained that the herbs would reduce annoyance, and the cream would, over a few weeks, coat the interior of the implant and stop tissue rejection. Regular massages to decrease muscle tension for the headache were recommended, but not required. T'aro knew xir client could not pay well, so offered a modest price for the treatment. It was accepted. As the client was about out he door, she stopped and turned around. Something was clearly bothering her. "This thing-- it damn near reads my mind and displays whatever information is available on stuff that I'm looking at. I instantly knew you were a Shiren. Host gender. All kinds of stuff about your species and its history. Took me just a few seconds. But I had to stand and sit around for minutes at a time while you shuffled back and forth, typing in crap on that datapad and scrolling through Encycle pages... You're sitting here at the very hub of Augmentation. You could have the knowledge of the cosmos at your beck and call in an instant, along with so many other things. So why the hells are you using a Data-pad like some kind of Luddite?!" T'aro did not know this word, Luddite. But xe did not need to look it up. Xe experienced it, learned its meaning from context. It was not a dry definition, displayed on a screen. It was a word. A special piece of the world. A flavor. A sound. An experience. How could this halfling not see that data was only the lesser part of knowledge? That experience, processing, and the slow, plodding pace of thinking counted for so much more? If someone didn't understand that, how could they be helped to? T'aro considered xir response, wondering how best to describe xir meaning. It took so long in part because xe wondered (and worried) that this halfling had a point. Finally, T'aro breathed, "Cahn't your ihmplant ahnswer the question?..."

[Pendragon]

Name: Jespen Corok (Tarin Lirossa)
Race: Elf
Class: Technomancer
Theme: Outlaw
Age: 98
Alignment: Between Neutral and Neutral Good
Home World: Castrovel

Description: Jespen has copper skin and hazel eyes that peer out from under a shock of ginger hair that he keeps cut to the current styles on Absalom. Jespen has an easy smile a calm demeanor that tends to put people at ease. He isn't overly fussy with his appearance, a simple tunic with a duster on top and a pair of comfortable pants. He doesn't seem like anything impressive, just a young forlorn elf among the hundreds that call Absalom home. This of course is part of his MO, he likes to keep a low profile, being an elf is one strike, standing out beyond that is too close to being singled out for his comfort. He doesn't carry any visible weapons, but there is a knife in a sheath at the base of his back, a gift from Radak.

Background:

The Lirossa Family of El, on Castrovel, Luxury Ship Design Firm The Lirossa Family are the leading designer of fast sub-light ships, used mostly for thrill seekers and the odd space races. They do often make drift ships, but speed is less an issue with a drift ship and form tends to take a back seat to function. The patriarch of the family is Shial Lirossa, father of Egra and Tarin, a rare set of twins and even more rare they are bother and sister. Shial Lirossa came forward as a master of sleek design and an expert in reducing solar drag, a rare savant in ship design and harmonics. In all of El there was no one that understood more about atmospheric aerodynamics, the family was called on to design the shuttles as well as a drift enabled craft for the royal family. When the contract came in for the ship the twins were 89 years old and both had taken to working with their father on the design of the ships. Egra had a natural talent for the task, taking after their father the ideas poured from her and ships formed in the holomatrix before her like they were drops of rain, destined to have fallen in just a way to maximize both their speed and beauty. Where Egra was elegant Tarin was impatient and unfocused, his efforts were often derivative and impractical. His father often found him practicing simple magical tricks at his sister's expense. Egra for all her talent with design did not possess any magical ability, Tarin was alone in his gift, a fluke in the bloodline. Tarin was not cut out for the business, but a father always wants to see the talents in their children, even if they aren't there, and selfishly kept Tarin from pursuing any magical talent he might have. Tarin struggled with even the most basic of designs while his father kept insisting, "It will come in time my child, do not force it, the stylus must flow like the wind through the trees." Tarin felt stifled and useless. At the age of 96 he left. He said nothing to his mother, father or sister. They searched all of El for him, but the young elf was no where to be found. The prototype of the royal ultralight drift vessel that Egra had received so much praise for was missing. The family understood, Tarin would never return.

Jespen Corok the Proud Forlorn "Hey, kid, an elven design ship complete with royal crest isn't going to fetch you a fortune you know. The elves are going to spot this thing from a million miles out, come in hot and vaporize anyone stupid enough to take it up," the grime covered human stood in front of the young elf who couldn't quite manage to maintain eye contact with the dazzle and electronic glamour of Absalom Station. Jespen managed a nod and said, "Just find me a buyer, if you don't I won't be able to cover my docking fees." Panic crossed the human's face, "You mean to say you aren't paying me? You better get in that ship and head your butt back home fey boy!" Jespen sighed and put his hands on the mans shoulders, looking into his eyes with a charming smile, "Stop calling me boy, I am nearly one hundred years old. My name is Jespen, and this ship is the fastest you will find outside of drift in all the system." The human looked unimpressed, but had some eye for design and the royal crest did pull some weight, giving the story some legitimacy, "Don't make me regret this, come back tomorrow, if I have a buyer I will give you your cut. If I can't drum up interest you are back on your ship." The Next Day Jespen walked back into the docking bay where his ship was, it has been a hard night, with no money he couldn't buy food or lodging. For all the electric allure of Absalom she was hard an unforgiving. When he walked through the doors he made sure to be smiling, he wanted Garet to think he had everything under control. What he walked into was an empty dock, which off the bat wasn't a bad sign, so the smile remained. It took him a moment to realize that Garet didn't have a smile, he was tied to a chair and sporting purple and yellow bruises on his face. Surrounding him were a Ysoki, Android and a Lashunta. It was the Ysoki who spoke first, "Ol' Garet wasn't lying, you came alone in that flying pearl necklace?" The Ysoki was intimidating for something so small, Jespen wasn't sure how to handle this situation, his quiet life of affluence hadn't prepared him. Looking at the pain riddled form of Garet did a little to loosen Jespen's lips, "Yes. It was my ship. Where did you take it?" A smile played across the little rodents face, "Oh didn't Garet tell you he would find a buyer? We bought it, but in exchange for buying it you owe us. There is a lot of labor gonna be put in that ship. Gotta strip it to the chassis, learn all we can, and piece'er together again. But that ain't the whole issue of it, we gotta pay to move it, she flies but she ain't invisible. People saw her and they're gonna ask questions. Palms will need to be greased." The Ysoki took a few paces forward and turned slightly, "You got anything to grease those palm? You got anything to pay my boys who are already strippin my new ship? You got anything to pay me for taking time out of my busy schedule to come and see you? Garet here tells me you don't. I believe Garet, he wouldn't lie to me again. Not after the talk we had earlier, " he walks back to Garet and places a hand on his knee, Garet flinches slight at the touch. "Now, little run away, your people probably won't take you back, and you owe me a huge sum of money. There is only one way I can think of for you to make things right," the Ysoki trailed off for a moment. He looked at the android, who spoke in a cold feminine voice "Suitable build, likely adequate reflexes, possible latent magical talents based on species, and keen senses. Earning potential above average, young age and overall appearance can be factors that work in his favor." The Ysoki nods, "Thanks Orchid. The smartest person here has spoken and she thinks you could pay off your debts, you just have to come and work for little ol' me. By hell, I'll even let you pay Garet here first, you parked in his dock saying you had money to pay him and then dropped this giant burden at his feet. And, as you can see he wasn't prepared for the kind of trouble that brought his way. Orchid, honey, could you please give Mr. Garet three hundred for his time and as an apology from our new friend." Jespen wasn't sure what to do, he had stood gobsmacked at first but his mind had been racing as the little rat blathered on justifying his robbery and making things right in his own mind. Jespen didn't fall for the lies in the situation, he wasn't an idiot, but he did need something. He needed a job, a place to belong, and money. This imagined debt that the rat was making for him would have to be repayed but at the end of it he would be free and he would truly understand how people other than elves operated. Jespens mind jumped to a thought, "Three hundred? It looks like he wasn't very forth coming... Mr..." Jespen held out his hand gesturing for the Ysoki to fill him in, which he did, "Call me Mr. King" "Yes, Mr. King, it looks like Garet wasn't as helpful has he could have been, perhaps only half would be sufficient. I agree to work off the debt, but fair is fair Mr. King, Garet had a hand in his own troubles, didn't he? And besides I am more talented than your Orchid can know." With a flourish of his hand an Orchid of shining glass forms twisting around his wrist and blooming from his his fingertips. The orchid lacks color and definition but it is modeled well after the purple and yellow ones found all over El. He snaps his fingers and the Orchid shatters into a millions pieces which are reabsorbed into the aether. Mr. Kings mouth parted in a bucktoothed grin, "I can see you will make a fine addition to my organization, son. What do we call you then?" "Jespen Corok," and with those words Jespen felt like he belonged for the first time in a long time. 1 Year Later, In bound from Idari Jespen still thought about Mr. King from time to time. He was like a father to him for the brief time that they spent together. There is always a bigger fish in the sea, or so the saying goes. Orchid was still doing fine and Radak was well also, both working for Kalem. The prototype ended up getting scrapped in a sad turn of events. Mr. King was right about the heat on the ship, it was like flies on crap. Mr. King had tried to hold it over his head, making like Jespen owed him even more, but Jespen wouldn't have any of it. Jespen was a free agent now. This was his second job and the next was already lined up with a dwarf named Duravor Kreel back on Absalom. Duravor and Jespen had spent a few nights downing pints and swapping stories. Most of the time it was Jespen listening, he hadn't really been interested in divulging the full details of his life to the dwarf and Duravor didn't seem to want to force the issue. Duravor was a Starfinder, and there was a chance that Jespen would only need to work two jobs as a freelancer after all, his hopes rested on Duravor making him an offer to join, but he wasn't sure what hoops the dwarf would need him to jump through. His invite over coms had sounded genuine but Jespen had learned that there were always strings attached, especially to the best offers. As for the job at hand, moving ten pounds of refined aetherite tax free is a walk in the park for Jespen, even on the average passenger ship like this one. He really didn't mind the low risk jobs after the fiasco that ended Mr. King. He would never forget the look on Kings face when he and the crew turned and walked away, he knew they would but Jespen thought that in the end it hurt the Ysoki more than the torture that eventually killed him. Absalom loomed large outside the window. His home, flashy and dangerous, dirty and mean, the only place he had ever felt at home. A city so full of memories, even in the short time Jespen had spent there.

Roleplaying Sample: Included in Background

[Unko Talok]

Whoo, man. When I finally had the time to write up my character app, I didn't realize that I'd be making the fourth Mystic application. No regrets, I'd love to play this character. And I know that ruffdove has mentioned an openness to having multiple character types. But I'm still feeling like the competition is stiff! Good luck, everyone!

[Nevynxxx]

Originally Posted by Unko Talok

But I'm still feeling like the competition is stiff! Good luck, everyone!

You're too right there! Good luck!

[ricktur63]

Reading up on the new $10 buck Starfinder Core Rule Book. See if I can rework my application to fit better.

[ruffdove]

Interesting point, Unko. But the thing about Starfinder is that whether by design or by accident, it is a game that I think is a lot more forgiving of class imbalance in the party than most other FRPGs I've played. I suspect this was by design. Technology is much more of an equalizer and it can make up for both a lack of spell casters and a lack of martial combatants. And skill points are more plentiful all around, so even the lack of an operative isn't too big a disadvantage.

Also, regarding the Shirrens... There are three sexes: male, female, and host. Males are he/him/his, females are she/her/hers, and hosts are they, them, their. As it happens, there is a Shirren host NPC in the AP. I thought the xe/xer/xir was a nice creative flourish for your app, unko... But for the sake of readability (and my sanity keeping it straight) this game will stick with the appropriate English pronouns.

[suburbanplankton]

I've finally found the time to update the app for K'Sarrik based on earlier feedback.

[Unko Talok]

Originally Posted by ruffdove

Also, regarding the Shirrens... There are three sexes: male, female, and host. Males are he/him/his, females are she/her/hers, and hosts are they, them, their. As it happens, there is a Shirren host NPC in the AP. I thought the xe/xer/xir was a nice creative flourish for your app, unko... But for the sake of readability (and my sanity keeping it straight) this game will stick with the appropriate English pronouns.

Honestly, thank god. I looked up subject/object/possessive pronouns for non-binary genders and poured over what I wrote several times trying to make sure I had it right. I really wanted to try and do justice to the concept. I'm entirely okay with switching to they/them/theirs. I really like the idea of RPing a non-binary character, but it was pretty stressful, and I'm happy to take an easier route.

[ruffdove]

Thanks suburbanplankton - I will give it a look!

[Pendragon]

@Unko - I think I read the same thing as you a few years ago trying to write a homebrew non-binary race with four genders. I never finished writing that race up. It became too complicated lol

[Silk]

I used Shi, Hir, and Hir's but it still sounded like the female pronoun.

[Silk]

The Background in my application is QUARENTEENED!

I decided to redo the background for Aja slightly a little more or less in some places. I have reworded the Roleplaying Sample very slightly. Just changed the last sentence Aja said in it and removed the two sentences after it. Sorry for making you reread my character application multiple times Ruffdove. I know it's not THAT entertaining