[WoD] Emperor of the Fading Suns: Cloak & Dagger

[Roastbeef]

Game Name Emperor of the Fading Suns: Cloak & Dagger

Game System World of Darkness

Theme The players will be taking on the roles of new agents and one junior intelligence officer in the Imperial Eye on Pandemonium. Their duty is to gather information, keep an eye on the current explosive situation, keep enemies of the Phoenix Throne at bay and always, always further / protect the Emperor's interests. Covert and overt missions will be the order of the day.

Flavour Low Fantasy (magic, psychics and the supernatural exist out there, but these things are fairly uncommon and rare) Science Fiction dystopia, Investigation, Small unit tactics (characters will have control over Imperial Eye security personnel that can be used at times), Combat, Strategy, Politics, Intrigue, Team work, Slow burn tension and all that good stuff.

Plot Summary Game Name: Gray Area. Plot Summary: Nobles. Priests. Aliens. Knights. Starships. Barbarians. It is the dawn of the sixth millennium and the skies above all worlds are darkening, for the suns themselves are fading. Humanity reached the stars long ago, building an enlightened Republic of high technology, democratic ideals and universal emancipation -- and then squandered it, fought over it, and finally lost it. A new Dark Age has descended upon humanity, for their greatest of civilizations has fallen and even the stars all over the Known Worlds are dying. Now, feudal lords rule what is left of humanity's planets, vying for power with fanatical priests and scheming guilds. The Fading Suns world is a very much low fantasy / hard science-fiction universe, but much of the Known Worlds have fallen back to medieval technology and politics. Buried Second and First Republic relics and lost technology from another era are always in demand by everyone. Literacy and education are very much only luxuries for the rich and the nobility. Superstition and a deep distrust of all things strange and of advanced technology is the rule of the day. Most aliens (Ur-Ukar, Ur-Obun, etc) are treated as second class citizens and must live in segregated colonies or within confined ghetto-like neighborhoods in human cities. There is very little social mobility in this society; whereas most people are born and die in the same neck of the woods. There is a great contrast on most planets between high technology and no technology; you can have fielded armies that sport serfs with nothing more than single shot bullet firing carbines standing next to elite shock troops outfitted with the very best that genetic engineering / cybernetics have to offer along with personal energy shields, plasma assault rifles and state of the art ceramsteel full body armor. Economics and space travel is almost completely dependent on the usage of jump gates that allow vessels to jump to other parts of the Known Worlds. The ability to build hyper drives, jump drives or even have starships be able to travel near the speed of light has long been buried with the break up of the Second Republic. Noble houses, guilds and a monolithic (Catholic Church inspired) church control most of the power in the known human universe. There are also "barbarians" (the Kurgan Caliphate.. think Space Persians. The Vuldrok... think space Vikings). There are also pirates. There are also the Symbiots representing the ever present alien menace (think the Borg.. albeit entirely biological and parasitic). Finally, there are also sometimes more sinister things that live in the darkness between the stars. These are the things that the Church call demons. The Second Republic and the First Republic were made up of many more worlds, but they have since been lost and any human / alien civilizations on those planets have probably evolved on their own after having been separated from everyone else during the collapse of the Second Republic. You can visit the following website for more information on the general setting (or you can always browse around the net): Fading Suns Wikia. http://fadingsuns.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page The game will take place mostly upon the House Decados owned backwater, frontier world of Pandemonium. More specifically, the characters will be spending most of their time in the capital city of this world: "The Hub." (and the surrounding areas / regions on this planet). You are freshly minted agents (and one of the characters will be the junior intelligence officer of this group) in the grand, sprawling institution which is the Imperial Eye. Normally speaking, being deployed to some dust bowl planet with a very small population is not exactly the most desirable of locations for ambitious agents looking to make a name for themselves and advance their careers. However, now, with the very recently re-discovered planet of Iver (a previously lost world), which can only be accessed via the Pandemonium jump gate, there has been a flurry of major activity on this previously unimportant planet. Pandemonium itself boasts a very small population and is wracked with totally unpredictable and dangerous weather. Desert storms, hurricanes, severe thunder storms, tornadoes and great winds can happen at any time almost anywhere outside of the Hub. This is due to past failed terraforming attempts (or very sloppy terraforming) and faulty equipment that has permanently damaged the planet's climate. Leaving the main capital city of the Hub should only be attempted by experienced world dwellers or with the help of a guide. To bolster the currently very meager Imperial Eye manpower and assets on Pandemonium, your group is probably the first in a long list of agents and personnel that will be soon sent in order to ensure that the Eye can control emerging events on this world. A few of the evolving situations that urgently require Imperial Eye attention: (Heat between the Chauki and House Decados / Hazat): Both the House Hazat and Decados have claims against this new world and more specifically against House Chauki, the long time rulers of Iver. The Hazat in particular feel very much threatened by the newly discovered Chauki family, as the Hazat themselves were nothing more than the military arm and bodyguard order for the Chauki. They earned their nobility by overthrowing their masters and stealing up their holdings and fiefs on all their worlds. They worry that the Chauki may somehow petition Emperor Alexius to re-claim their lost lands. As of yet, the Emperor has yet to formally declare his intentions on what to do with either Iver or the Chauki. Rumours abound that he is inclined to send a small group of Imperial Questing Knights as ambassadors to the Chauki in order to feel them out. However, for the moment, the Phoenix Throne remains silent on this issue for now. (Tensions rising between the Hazat and the Decados over the Iver / Chauki issue):Nonetheless, the Decados have stepped up troop and fleet deployments to their world of Pandemonium. You can also expect a hearty boost of Jakovian agents in and around The Hub as well. And while the Hazat have yet to be allowed access to Decados space, they will without a doubt be sending their own Archons to Pandemonium in order to keep their information on the Chauki up to date. In the meantime, they grumble and have made a declaration (a demand some might say) to the Decados Prince in order to be allowed to send their own forces to the world of Pandemonium. Presumably, to aid the Mantis in eradicating the Chauki if they decide to go that route even without Imperial consent. (Power struggle between the Scravers and Muster): Guild Dean and Scraver Boss Chivenns Graff, the self proclaimed mayor of The Hub and also burglar, multiple murderer and all around gangster, has put himself right in the headlines with the disappearance of a Guild Muster associate. As usual with the Scravers, there are no witnesses and no proof of Graff's implication in this mystery. However, nonetheless, this doesn't placate the Muster Dean, General Simon Solace any one bit. There are mumblings that he considers the loss of this associate as the first shot in a war against unchained Scraver aggression and ambition. According to some sources, he intends to return the shot with many of his own. The situation has grown so desperate that a diplomatic team from the capital guild world Leagueheim have been dispatched to patch together whatever can be salvaged from the fallout. However, it could be weeks or even months before this team arrives. In the meantime... Boss Graff and General Solace are free to come at each other on the streets as much as they wish. (Anti-Republic Groups and Temble Avesti): Members of the rabidly anti-Republican vigilante group known as the "Noose of Grellic" have been surfacing upon Pandemonium. Even without the means to pay their voyage, even with several long criminal records, these Freemen with a zest for extremist politics have been able to somehow charter their way to this far off world. Many suspect the Church, more specifically, the Avestites for secretly endorsing their trips. One vocal Avestite friar by the name of Mizraim Reuss in particular has seemed to have capitalized on the growing fear of Iver, the Incarnates and the supposedly Chauki funded Republican "Golden Torch" underground army that seeks to overthrow the established politics of the Known Worlds. No stranger to playing to the crowd and even orchestrating lynchings of aliens or riots, the scheming friar has managed to sideline the Orthodox clergymen in the Hub. Even the world's Archbishop has been forced to give the low ranking Avestite more say so and sway in the Church governing of Pandemoniun. Reuss enjoys a great following of believers and is not shy about using them to bolster his ideology on the planet. He is one that must be watched at all times. (Assassins & Criminal Scum abound): The growing fire of instability and power shuffling of those in charge upon Pandemonium has inevitably lured some big names in the independent mercenary and assassin / criminal worlds to this insignificant planet. To name a few: Bitash The Sniper (independent bounty hunter and assassin), Emola Debt (Church backed vigilante and bounty hunter), Shade a.k.a Wayland Blackthorn (Charioteers Guild Killroy agent), Beliah Black a.k.a "The Devil Beliah (Notorious pirate, murderer and mercenary leader now in the employ of House Decados). These independent operators can only serve but to further frustrate Imperial Eye efforts upon Pandemonium. (Golden Torch): If the rumors are true, a new Republican group has surfaced upon this already deeply troubled world. Calling themselves "The Golden Torch", this group is supposedly opposed to Iver's new found contact with the rest of the Known Worlds. Founded and operated by the people of Iver and their Pandemonium sympathizers, depending on who you ask, these Torchers are isolationists, radicals, terrorists and seek to unite with other like minded groups to topple over the current social system. Very few would dare to openly declare that the Torcher ideology matches their own. More worrisome, are the many rumors that claim that the Golden Torch answers directly to House Chauki itself and is but one branch of their own intelligence services. Even more worrisome are the whispered claims that this group is nothing more than a front organization created and used by the Decados Jakovian agency with which to blame their own black operations against other Known Worlder groups. While anything major has yet to be pinned on the Golden Torch, they are said to be out there and just waiting to spring upon the world of Pandemonium. System: A slightly modified White Wolf point system used in the Old World of Darkness line of games. (* I've tinkered around with the basic attributes and have re-defined many of the abilities). See below for the exact details (the next post). The original Fading Suns rule system is quite clunky and I think is one of the main reasons that the game hasn't caught on more than it should have over the years. There was a D20 version released a few years back. Unfortunately, I didn't get a copy of that rulebook and I am still quite ignorant with all things D20. Again, see the next post below for all the specifics.

Xildur. Done and done.
Beez. Almost done. Just missing the finishing touches with regards to the physical description and personality.
The Rogue Trader. Almost done. Just a few minor things to go over.
sageheart. Work in progress.
Scarabus Almost done. Just needs to add the extra allotted points or re-work the character sheet with more points.

Wolesz. Work in progress. Early stages. ???
Wineballs. Work in progress. Early stages. ???

[Roastbeef]

Rules & Character Creation.

My first golden rule on the rules: I'm all about role playing over roll playing. I don't care about your experience with the rule system used in this game. I don't care if you've never even touched an OWOD darkness book or game in your life. As the ST, I do not mind guiding you along and telling you what you need to roll as the game progresses (generally speaking, I will be telling you what to roll depending on the actions you wish your character to take anyways). Please, by all means, do not make the decision to not apply to this game based solely on the game system being used because you do not understand / know it.

The only thing that I do care about is having a solid and reliable gang of players in this game. Your experience with the WOD dot system has no impact on your chances of getting into this game.

The WOD / White Wolf dot system conversation to this universe is highly experimental and largely unfinished. This was done fairly on the fly because I wanted a basic operating system that more players can understand (it is also still a work in progress). The Emperor of the Fading Suns universe itself is not exactly very widespread out of all the RPG lines out there. The EFS original rule system is even less widespread and is probably one of the worst systems in existence (in my own humble opinion). Trying to communicate that madness to EFS newbies is not something that you or I will enjoy. This is why I wish to use an already established gaming system instead.

Thus, for all intense and purposes, this game will be using the Old World of Darkness dot system. *I only own VTM and Mage. I do not own the 20th Anniversary edition of these gaming lines. Thus, for my own purposes, rules will be primarily drawn from the original OWOD source books.


CHARACTER CREATION GUIDELINES / APPLICATION.

*** CHARACTER SHEETS, STATS, BIOGRAPHIES / HISTORIES ARE ALL TO BE KEPT SECRET AND ONLY SUBMITTED TO THE ST. ONLY YOUR CHARACTER'S PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, PERSONALITY AND ANY GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIM / HER (STATUS, REPUTATION ETC) ARE TO BE POSTED OUT IN PUBLIC.

* All characters are human by default. None of the alien races can be used.

First Name:

Last Name:

Choose a character concept. This can be a few words or a few sentences.

Physical Description:

History:

Personality:


Choose your character's nature and demeanor. Any of the nature - demeanor archetypes available in any of the OWOD books are up for grabs.

Select Attributes. Prioritize the three categories: Physical, Social and Mental.
Each Attribute automatically starts with one dot.
No attribute can be above 5 for starting characters.

Primary: You get 13 points to spend.
Secondary: You get 10 points to spend.
Tertiary: You get 7 points to spend.

Select Abilities. Prioritize the three categories: Talents, Skills and Knowledges.
No Ability can be above 5 for starting characters.

Primary: You get 18 points to spend.
Secondary: You get 14 points to spend.
Tertiary: You get 9 points to spend.

Select Advantages. (Backgrounds, Virtues and Powers).

(*)Powers / Augmentations: 3 points to spend.
Backgrounds: 5 points to spend.
Virtues: 7 points to spend.

15 Freebie points to spend.

All starting characters automatically start the game with the following backgrounds:

Resources: 2 (Imperial Eye starting salary for entry level agents).

Resources: 3 (Imperial Eye starting salary for a junior intelligence officer / only one character will be selected for this slot).

All Imperial Eye personnel enjoy free room and board, meals and equipment.

Alternate Identity: 4 (Background)

Imperial Eye Lore: 2

Imperial Eye Status: 1 (Known).

* Only the humanity path is allowed for starting characters.
Humanity is equal to your character's Conscience + Self-Control.
Your character's Willpower is equal to Courage.

Spend freebie points. All players get 15 points to spend on their character sheets.

(*) Powers: The Emperor of the Fading Suns allows for psychic, theurgy and other supernatural powers. Rather than establish a predetermined list of concrete powers and their rankings (which would take a great deal of time and I'm too lazy), I will allow players to have full creative control over these powers. Basically, this means that you can pick out disciplines, powers, paths and other "kewl" special abilities in the OWOD books that would be fitting for the EFS universe. For instance: If your character has nascent psychic abilities, she could take a few dots in Dominate, Movement of the Mind, Presence etc.

As the ST, I will need to approve your powers before they remain on your character sheet.

Also be sure to keep in mind that their could very well be social ramifications for characters who do indeed possess supernatural / odd powers. Your character can be branded an antimonist or an infernalist by the more close minded folk in town. The Church and inquisition might arrest them and tag him or her a heretic. Psychics are generally very much controlled by the Church and noble Houses. As can be imagined, it is not a good idea to openly discuss and display your character's powers in public. The Imperial Eye itself might even have a secret psychic research program that they may wish to whisk your character off to with or without their consent. Your character will then spend the rest of his days as a caged guinea pig to be pricked and probed at will by a team of scientists.

Augmentations: If you wish to play a straight up vanilla / mundane human, you can always replace the powers for augmentations (bio enhancements, cybernetics etc). However, again, keep in mind the very real social ramifications that can come about for having a character who is very much visibly "suped-up." Most peasants and freemen will not react kindly to the walking tin man or the genetically engineered freak. The Universal Church also has a doctrine that basically claims that any living being who has more than 50% of their bodies outfitted with either bio / cyber wear are to be considered "soul dead." This means that your character will be excommunicated and then probably singled out for a speedy ecclesiastical trial that will end with a Church sanctioned execution.

Consider yourself warned!

Of course almost every faction and intelligence agency out there has some hardcore drastically engineered black operations people out there hiding in the woodwork. However, they keep these people very much well hidden and only use them in serious situations. Everyone at least tries to pretend that they are respecting the rules while in public.

Players should note that the bio / cyber enhancements that you have access to in the beginning are very limited (see the list below). For one thing, a great deal of cyber / bioware is restricted and outright illegal (both by Church and noble law). Having the option of even getting augmentations done requires serious influence / contacts in the underworld or through a faction that is known to regularly engage in this very controlled market (intelligence agencies, etc). Secondly, even the smallest augmentation can cost somewhere in the hundreds of firebirds. Thus, being low level government employees, you are probably not going to have the cash or even the connections (to secret clinics) to yet have access to the more upper scale augmentations. Due to the scarcity and cost of augmentations, the majority of bioware / cyberware outfitted people belong to the upper classes, the nobility, the guilds or are somewhat high ranking officials / employees in a faction. Thirdly, again, you are brand new Imperial Eye agents with no reputation and practically no status whatsoever. It is more than likely that the Imperial Eye will not yet deem it wise to invest hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of firebirds out of their budget into untested, nobody agents. Generally speaking, your characters will be able to tap into more sophisticated and powerful augmentations when they start accomplishing things that the higher ups in the Eye will talk about. However, usually the Imperial Eye will offer some of the lower scale augmentations to even the greenest agents.

Like the above powers, players are free to be creative and come up with their own augmentations... see a few examples below:

Bioware:

Adrenaline Booster Level 1. Cost: 1 point. This tailored piece of bioware allows the subject to mentally cue an adrenaline surge as long as they haven't done so too often and recently.

Bio-Spurs Level 1 (Bone chitin). Cost: 1 point The chief benefit of bio-spurs is that they equip the subject with a weapon that easily avoids scans for dangerous weaponry or cyberware.

Cardiac Booster Level 1. This procedure involves the incorporation into the subject of a special organ that stimulates the subject's heart and ability to breathe, it likewise aids in making the subject easier to resuscitate if their heart or breathing stops and enhances endurance and overall health appreciably.

Chitin Augmentation Level 1. This process involves altering the composition of the subject's skeleton, making his or her bones both more resilient to injury as well as stronger. Likewise this augmentation adds weight to the subject's over all physique.

Muscle Augmentation Level 1. Through the attenuation of the subject's own vat grown muscle the subject's resilience and strength can be markedly increased.

Neural Bridge. This handy little bit of bioware is a bundle of cultivated nerve tissue that links the motor coordination areas of both sides of the brain to make the subject ambidextrous. Effects: Character gains the merit "Ambidextrous."

Olfactory Boost. By means of this extensive process the subject's sense of smell is extraordinarily heightened.

Toxin Screen. Protect yourself with toxin screen, a cluster of sensory tendrils in the stomach that detect poison in any food or drink ingested and automatically trigger the stomach to empty by reflex vomiting.

Vision Upgrade. This process involves utilizing specialized nanosurgeons to rebuild the user's retinas and optic nerves changing the ratio of rods and cones, giving the user the ability to naturally perceive the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum.

Cyberware

Knuckle Spikes (Carbon Steel) Level 1 . Available in stand-out version only, this process molecularly grafts a set of rivets to the subject's knuckles for additional damage in hand to hand combat.

Hand Razors (Carbon Steel) Level 1. Available in both retractable and non-retractable versions, hand razors are either grafted to reinforced fingers/fingertips, or secreted within specially crafted bionic bio-ceramic fingertip housings, allowing the subject to use their edged fingertips as close-combat slicing talons.

Shock Touch Level 1. This modification involves the inception of tailored, insulated induction pads being set just beneath the skin of the subject's palms, fingertips, knuckles, feet, etc. This allows the subject to utilize a devastating touch, punch, kick or grappling attack that can render foes unconscious and even in some instances kill.

Bone Lacing (Kevlar) Level 1. In this extensive process, the subject's bones are reinforced to provide greater cohesion and strength, allowing for additional durability in physically stressing situations and added raw power in unarmed combat.

Enhanced Articulation Level 1. By treating the primary joints of the subject’s body the subject gains an impressive degree of speed, combined with a contortionist's range of movement.

Body Compartment. In addition to the fingers or teeth, other parts of the body can be hollowed out or otherwise modified to act as compartments for use in holding small items, devices or substances.

Low Light. This simple process alters a subject’s eyes or cyber optics, to access lower ranges of light. This grants the user the ability to see in near any amount of visible light as if it were a dull form of broad daylight.

Targeting Optics. This option allows a subject's natural, or cyber-optic eyes to superimpose a personalized targeting display on the inside of their retina.

Thermal Sight. This process allows the subject’s eyes or cyber optics, to discern heat signatures.

X-Ray Optics. This ware allows the subject's cyber optics to emit and receive X-rays and convert them into images. The subject can see through up to 1 foot of brick or stone, 1 inch of metal or composite alloy, and 3 feet of wood, plaster, or dirt.

REVISED ATTRIBUTES
ATTRIBUTES

As opposed to the usual ranking of 1-5, Attributes are ranked from 0-7.

0: Abysmal / Diseased / Handicap.
1: Very Poor.
2: Poor.
3: Average. Nothing special to see here folks.
4: Above Average. You are the best in your hometown or city.
5: Exceptional. You would be considered among the best on a planet.
6: Amazing. Champion. You would be considered among the best throughout the Known Worlds.
7: God-like. A living legend.

* Specialties may be chosen starting at level 4. An additional specialty can be chosen for each extra level after 4 (for a maximum of 4 specialties).

[PHYSICAL]

Strength: The brute strength of your character. Determines how much weight she can lift, push or carry. Determines how far you can throw objects (knives, rocks, loads etc). Determines hand to hand combat damage (unarmed striking), and also the character’s strength generally adds to a melee weapon’s damage as well (on a successful hit). Characters with a high rank in strength also enjoy increased defense against being held, pulled, tackled or forced from their feet during an attack (being knocked down). They are less likely to be knocked down during a successful hit.

Specialties: Iron Grip, Powerful Arms, Fists like Anvils, Unbraking Wall etc.

Dexterity: This attribute is a mix of eye hand coordination and athleticism. Determines the character’s speed of movement, agility and overall bodily grace. Determines character’s ability to use ranged weapons or throw objects with accuracy. Determines character’s ability to regain or maintain their balance. Includes the character’s ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Characters with a high rank in Dexterity also enjoy an increased defense against damage incurred from falling / landing from heights.

A character’s Dexterity level is also used to avoid incoming attacks. Characters with a high Dexterity rank enjoy a higher difficulty level to hit as opposed to the standard difficulty of 6. For each rank after 3 (4,5,6,7), the character enjoys a +1 difficulty level to hit. (Maximum of 10 at the rank of 7 in Dexterity). * However, keep in mind that negating factors such as wearing heavy armor, fighting in water, being ambushed / backstabbed, attacked by an unseen ranged attack (arrows), fighting in close quarters etc can eat away at your character’s high difficulty to hit level (just as these factors can penalize any character).

Specialties: Feline Grace, Lithe, Swift, Quick Hands etc.

Stamina: This attribute represents the character’s overall cardiovascular health and physical endurance. This attribute determines how long your character can work without suffering consequences. Whenever the character engages in prolonged physical activity or even short lived physical activity that can be considered to be taxing upon one’s endurance, Stamina checks are frequently made to determine if the character can continue the activity. Walking around for hours in full plate mail armor, swinging a broadsword around a few dozens times, running, lifting, climbing, swimming, punching, wrestling and every other physical activity comes under the jurisdiction of this attribute. Other compounding factors such as very hot weather, slogging through mud, doing several exerting activities at the same time (climbing a cliff while swinging at someone with a heavy melee weapon) having a cold, being hung over etc. can also increase the difficulty level of passing a Stamina check. The Stamina attribute is also used to determine the length of time a character can hold their breath while under water.

Failing Stamina checks can result in your character simply being unable to continue the activity. At the very least failing a Stamina check will have your character crumple down from exertion and gasp desperately for air. Serious failures and botches can even result in the character passing out or suffering a heart attack.

Specialties: Tireless Runner, Human Fish, Lifter, Pack Mule etc.

Constitution: This attribute is a rough gauge of your character’s physical toughness, pain resistance and her body’s immune system. Constitution checks are made regularly whenever your character succumbs to serious damage and the resulting pain. Failing Constitution checks will prevent your character from being able to continue to ignore that badly broken collar bone when he’s going in for another swing of his ax. If a character is knocked unconscious, seriously injured or is near death, Constitution checks are made to determine if they stay conscious for another round or slip back into la la land.

Constitution is also used to determine if a character contracts an infection, disease or virus (if they come into contact with one). Even if infected or diseased, having a high rank in Constitution can nullify the penalties associated with the ailment. Poisons, toxins and other dangerous substances and their negative effects are also fought against with this attribute.

The Constitution attribute is also used in order to soak bashing damage. Characters with a high rank in Constitution are understood as being able to shrug off a hit more easily than others. Each rank in Constitution allows the character to ignore each successful hit against them by an opponent (if the dice roll nicely). i.e 4 ranks allow you to roll against 4 successful hits. Obviously, aggravated (fire, acid, magical etc) and lethal damage cannot be soaked.

Finally, the Constitution attribute is also used to determine your character’s ability to heal physical damage. Characters with a high rank in Constitution enjoy decreased time frames for recuperating their lost health levels.

Specialties: Punching Bag, Hard Head, Leathery Skin, Unbreakable Bones, Snake Eater etc.

[SOCIAL]

Charisma: Charisma is the character’s ability to entice and please others through his personality.

Specialties: Graceful, Smooth Talker, Eloquent Speaker, Genteel, Urbane, Innocent aura etc.

Appearance: Your character’s raw sexual appeal from his physical appearance or perhaps a combination of dress style and appearance. As much as we would like to say the contrary, a person’s physical appearance always goes a great way in garnering a positive outlook from the general population. Doors are often more easily opened for the beautiful people.

Specialties: Exotic, Body of a God, Mesmerizing Eyes, Enchanting voice etc.

Empathy: This attribute measures your character’s attunement with his own emotions and those of others. This does not necessarily mean that your character cries for hours on end at every personal crisis (or it can), but rather that she can practically feel the subtle tugs and shifts in the moods of others. Empathy can be very important in combination with practically any of the more social oriented abilities. After all, a compulsive liar (Subterfuge) may be talented in telling a good tale, however, without Empathy he will have no idea how effective his words are upon the audience. He will also be unable to make sudden changes or shifts in the details of his story if he cannot judge whether or not his audience are buying it. Another example: Leadership. A leader without empathy can still be effective in commanding troops or running a unit. However, he will be unable to pick up the tell tale yet hidden signs of discord, disgruntlement and mutiny that are just there underneath the surface. An empathetic leader can literally feel the mental health of his unit and knows just how to push their buttons or play to their motivations in order to get them working more efficiently. Empathy generally increases your character’s efficiency with any of the social abilities.

Specialties: Group think, Motives, Gaining Trust, Body Language etc.

Composure: This attribute is a measure of your character’s mental toughness. It his ability to withstand factors of mental duress such as fear, lust, hate, anger, shame, embarrassment, confusion and other negative emotions that may just take away their freedom of will. A high rank in Composure does not necessarily mean that the character is an unfeeling sociopath, but rather that she possesses the ability or self-discipline to control that great fear running through her at the moment or even channel it to something more productive. There might indeed be a great war of emotions boiling within her, however her poker face is so tight that no one on the outside will even notice a change in her body language.

Composure checks are made when the character is in situations that cause mental duress. Failing a Composure check can render the character a babbling mess of nervousness, lose himself in a fit of violent rage, fall to attempts of seduction or begin sweating and stammering profusely when caught in a lie. Characters with a high rank in Composure are more resistant to negative emotions and also to magical (or other) things or substances that may play on their emotions. Composure is also used defensively against other characters rolling for Empathy / Perception checks on your character or other abilities that can pick up current emotions or a change in emotions.

Specialties: Bold faced liar, Asexuality, Adrenaline Junky, Public Performer etc.

[MENTAL]

Intelligence: This attribute refers to a character’s grasp on facts and knowledge and the ability to retain information long term. It also governs the character’s ability to reason , solve problems and properly evaluate situations. A character with a high Intelligence rank is also more adept at critical thinking and has a more flexible train of thought. She may be dull-minded or have narrow-vision. She may be book-smart, or she may simply be able to grasp concepts, interpret situations and solve problems quickly.

Specialties: Book Smart, Analytical, Creative, Problem Solver etc.

Wits: The Wits trait measures the character’s ability to think on his feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also covers fast adaptability and overall cleverness. The Wits Trait measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits Traits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surroundings with striking expedience.

Specialties: Snappy Patter, Changes in Strategy, Ambushes, etc.

Perception: This attribute measures the character's ability to observe the environment through their 5 senses. Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. It can warn a character of ambushes, help a character identify the slightest of changes in their surroundings, distinguish a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden detail in the physical environment.

Specialties: Attentive, Insightful, Careful, Discerning, Experienced, etc.

Wisdom:The wisdom attribute measures a character’s common sense, judgement and all around intuition. There is a concrete difference between being intelligent and wise. An intelligent person may be able to be quick with numbers and retain all the precise information in 5 texts, however this same person may always misplace their personal items, think it's a good idea to pull out cash in a shady part of town and not necessarily have any common sense either.

[Roastbeef]

ABILITIES

As opposed to the usual ranking of 1-5, Abilities are ranked from 0-7.

0: No potential whatever in this ability.
1: Very Poor.
2: Poor.
3: Average. Nothing special to see here folks.
4: Above Average. You are the best in your hometown or city.
5: Exceptional. You would be considered among the best on a planet.
6: Amazing. Champion. You would be considered among the best throughout the Known Worlds.
7: God-like. A living legend.

* Specialties may be chosen starting at level 4. An additional specialty can be chosen for each extra level after 4 (for a maximum of 4 specialties).

TALENTS

Alertness: This is the character's basic knack for noticing physical stimuli and things in the physical world that go on around you, even when he is not actively looking for them. Alertness describes the attention you pay to the outside world, whether occupied or not.
Linked to: Perception.

Specialties: Noises, Eavesdropping, Ambushes, Hidden Weapons, Crowds etc.

Animal Ken: You can understand animal body language and most of their behavior patterns. A character with a high score in this talent is understood as having a close connection with animals. This talent deals with both domestic and wild animals. Without at least a rank of 1 in this ability, the character will not be able to ride or operate transport vehicles with beasts of burden.
Linked to: Wisdom. Empathy.

Specialties: Falconry, Attack Training, Horses, Beasts of Burden, Animal Breeding etc.

Awareness: While perception and alertness deal with the actual tangible, physical world, the Awareness talent deals with the supernatural and unseen. Anything that is just beyond the mundane five physical senses falls into this talent. Your character's sixth sense allows her to feel and notice sources of otherworldly power (or changes in this flux of power as well). The higher the number of dots in this talent, the more detailed the information that the character garners from this talent. Higher ranks in this talent allow your character to track down supernatural energy or focal points even over great distances.

It should be noted however that with the lack of Occult knowledge, your character will not be able to necessarily understand exactly what it is he or she is sensing.
Linked to: Perception. Wisdom.

Specialties: Talismans, Places of Power, Tainted areas, Spirits, Wyrd energy, Psychic energy, Antimony etc.

Athletics: This talent represents your character's basic athletic development and ability. Any formal training in specific sports or other physical activities will fall under the governance of this talent.
Linked to: * Depends on the specialty or chosen fields. Stamina for running, Dexterity for gymnastics, etc.

Specialties: Throwing, climbing, swimming, mountain climbing, running etc.

Brawl: The brawl talent covers the character's ability in hand to hand combat and other tooth and nail fighting situations.
Linked to: Strength.

Specialties: Dirty fighting, Kicks, Haymakers, Throws, Holds, Wrestling etc. * A level 4 is required to unlock a martial art ability (Iron Heel / Muster Guild fighting style, Jox Kai Von / Ur-Ukar Martial arts, etc.)

Diplomacy:This is the character's ability to deal with people (and perhaps aliens as well) of all walks of life, relate to them (or at least appear to) and bring them together for a common goal. A character with a high score in this talent is usually capable of settling most problems between individuals or even groups without conflict.
Linked to: Wisdom. Charisma.

Specialties: Conflict Resolution, Prolonged negotiations, Sit Downs, Arranging Meetings etc.

Dodge: This talent is the character's knack for getting herself out of harm's way at a moment's notice and counteracting attacks. With this talent, the character can attempt to avoid incoming blows, missile fire or even vehicles baring down on them.
Linked to: Wits. Dexterity.

Specialties: Sidestep, Fancy Footwork, Leap, Taking Cover etc.

Expression: This talent measures just how well spoken and well written your character can be and how well he gets his point across to others. This talent governs all forms of communication, whether verbal or written (even the more fancy areas like poetry or literary works with a penchant for communicating a certain set of values or opinions and engaging the reader). A character with a high measure of Expression can phrase their opinions and beliefs in a manner that cannot be ignored (even if their opinions are totally biased, worthless or misinformed).
Linked to: Wisdom. Intelligence.

Specialties: Debating, Marketing, Fiction writing, Propaganda, Poetry, Creative writing, Witty Conversationalist etc.

Intimidation: Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. A character with a few dots in this talent knows how to be particularly pressing when the situation calls for it.
Linked to: Strength (for more obvious forms of intimidation) and Charisma for the more subtle ways of intimidation.

Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling rank, Physical coercion, Blackmail etc.

Intrigue: This talent represents your character's knack for intrigue in the halls of power and on the grand stage of politics. While the Subterfuge talent deals with personal acts of intrigue (lying, telling a fabricated story etc), Intrigue deals more with grandiose acts of intrigue dealt through entire groups of organizations. A character with a few dots in this talent can manipulate and use their own power base (within an organization) to the best effect without causing a confrontation with other groups.
Linked to: Wisdom. Charisma.

Specialties: Fence sitting, Power Brokering, Playing all sides against each other etc.

Instruction: This talent covers your character's ability to impart her own knowledge upon others and make an impression upon them when attempting their education. The more dots in this talent, the larger amount of people your character can successfully train or teach. *Note: Your character cannot raise another character's level of knowledge beyond her own.
Linked to: Charisma. Wisdom. Empathy.

Specialties: One on One sessions, Large classrooms, etc.

Interrogation: Your character is efficient in breaking down another person's mental defenses and being able to get them to open up. Through asking the right questions at the right time and also a careful balance of threats and bluffing, your character will eventually be able to get some cooperation out of the target.
Linked to: Charisma. Empathy. Wisdom.

Specialties: Rapid fire questions, Offer of Rewards, Bluffing, Careful Threats etc.

Leadership: Your character is an example to others and can inspire them to do great things (or at least what she wants most of the time).
Linked to: Charisma. Empathy.

Specialties: Noble baring, Oratory, Friendly etc.

Performance: The performance talent governs your character's ability to execute artistic endeavors such as singing, dancing, acting or playing a musical instrument. This talent not only deals with the technical know how and raw talent, but also the character's ability to work an audience and enrapture them with her show.
Linked to: Appearance. Charisma.

Specialties: Dancing, Public Speaking, Singing, Acting, Opera Singing, Stage Acting etc.

Search: This talent covers your character's ability to actively seek something specific in a given area. Unlike Alertness (which is passive / reactive), the player must declare that their character is using this talent to look for something.
Linked to: Perception.

Specialties: Persons of Interest, Items, Caches, Hidden Doorways, Hidden weapons, Traps etc.

Scrounging: This talent allows your character to find the most unlikely of things in the most unlikely of places. It represents the character's flair and nose for finding items wherever they may be hidden or offered (through even the most secret of channels) and being able to supply a good amount of what is requested of them at a moment's notice. The higher the dot score in this talent, the more rare items the character can uncover.
Linked to: Perception. Charisma.

Specialties: Illicit drugs, Weaponry, Restricted chemicals etc.

Streetwise: The streets can provide a lot of information, access to restricted items or money to those who know the language. This talent allows your character to blend in without any fuss into the local scene, pick up gossip and travel around the more questionable of subcultures with ease (criminal groups, ostracized groups etc).
Linked to: Charisma. Wisdom.

Specialties: Contraband, Fencing, Illegal weapons, Illegal augmentations, Rumors, Local gangs, Scravers etc.

Subterfuge: Your character knows how to conceal his motives and project what he would like others to see. This talent defines your character's ability for personal intrigue, secrets and double-dealing. Masters of this talent can become ultimate seducers or brilliant spies.
Linked to: Charisma. Wisdom.

Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Feigning vulnerability, Playing dumb etc.

[Roastbeef]

ABILITIES

As opposed to the usual ranking of 1-5, Abilities are ranked from 0-7.

0: No potential whatever in this ability.
1: Very Poor.
2: Poor.
3: Average. Nothing special to see here folks.
4: Above Average. You are the best in your hometown or city.
5: Exceptional. You would be considered among the best on a planet.
6: Amazing. Champion. You would be considered among the best throughout the Known Worlds.
7: God-like. A living legend.

* Specialties may be chosen starting at level 4. An additional specialty can be chosen for each extra level after 4 (for a maximum of 4 specialties).

SKILLS

Acrobatics: The character is a trained tumbler, acrobat or glorified stunt person. He is able to perform feats of agility beyond the capabilities of any untrained character. For each success with this skill, the character ignores all health loss from falling damage (or from being thrown against a wall, thrown away or being taken off their feat during combat). Bonuses can also be granted for climbing, jumping and other related actions.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Flips, Easy climb etc.

Animal Ken: This is the character's ability to have a connection with both domestic / savage wildlife. It is also the character's ability to understand an animal's behavior patterns and body language. The basic rank of 1 in this skill is necessary to be able to successfully ride beasts of burden or use vehicles pulled by animals.
Linked to: Wisdom.

Specialties: Specific animal race, Animal Training, Riding, Falconry, Beasts of Burden etc.

Archery: Even this day in age, the arrow is still fairly common on most worlds. This skill covers your character's proficiency with the more dated ranged weapons. Dated or not, no one can argue that custom / more advanced arrows (made of advanced metal alloys complete with explosive heads, heat seeking guiders etc) can be just as deadly as any other type of ranged weapon out there.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Bows, Crossbows, Long Bows, Short Bows etc.

Crafts: The skill covers the character's ability to make things or objects of value with their hands. For more complex or electronic items, the character will need to also know the Technology knowledge.
Linked to: Dexterity. Intelligence.

Specialties: Jewelry, Leather Working, Tailoring, Blacksmith, Carpentry etc.

Demolitions: The character has the know how with explosives and demolitions that allows him to set off and create (at higher levels) all types of bombs (either controlled explosions or deliberately messy ones). Additionally, the character knows the techniques for disarming or manipulating explosives and knows where best to place a bomb to do maximum damage on the target in question (building, vehicle etc).
Linked to: Intelligence.

Drive: This skill covers the character's ability to operate most land based vehicles and some basic watercraft. Everything from desert crawlers to old school motorized vehicles to more advanced vehicles.
Having a zero in this skill means that the character cannot operate even the simplest of vehicles.
Linked to: Dexterity. Wits.

Specialties: Crawlers, Skimmers, Bikes, Trains, Cars etc.

Energy Weapons: This skill covers the character's ability with more sophisticated ranged weapons such as blasters, plasma guns, laser weapons and other more high tech hand held ranged weapons.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Blaster Rifles, Blaster Pistols, Plasma Rifles, Laser Rifles etc.

Exotic Melee: This skill entails the more rare and high tech melee weapons: everything from flux swords to wireblades.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Wireblades, Flux swords, Nitobi Blaster Axes, Mist Swords etc.

Firearms: This skill covers the character's ability with your basic slug guns (bullet - ball firing weapons).
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Submachine guns, Gunsmith, Assault rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles etc.

Gunnery: The character's ability to successfully operate and fire star-ship mounted weaponry.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Ion Canons, Blaster Canons, Laser Gatling guns etc.

Heavy Weapons: This skill covers the character's ability with the more heavy class hand held ranged weapons such as missile launchers, fusion guns, 50. caliber machine guns, grenade launchers and other powerful arms.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Missile launchers, Heavy assault guns, Launchers etc.

Knavery: This skill covers the more criminal tool sets: being quick with your hands and being able to make a decent living from outside the law (or somewhere in the questionable grey zone).
Linked to: Wits. Dexterity.

Specialties: Sleight of Hand, Concealing items, Forgery, Gambling, Pickpocketing etc.

Meditation: Concentration, focus and dedication are paramount in the working of magic, channeling unseen energies and practicing other supernatural arts. Through this very useful skill, the character centers her mind, stills her thoughts and puts all her attention to the task at hand. With this skill, the character can defend from distracting factors (pain, being suddenly attacked, loud noises, distractions) and not botch or fail their attempts to use any supernatural abilities. Rolls are made with this skill to avoid failing an attempt to use these types of abilities if suddenly distracted or when surrounded by chaos (battlefield, a desert storm etc).
Linked to: Composure.

Specialties: Stress Management, Clarity, Biofeedback, Zen etc.

Melee: Melee covers the character's skill with basic hand to hand weapons of all forms, from swords and clubs to the more uncommon weapons like scythes, flails or sais.
Linked to: Dexterity.

Specialties: Swords, Clubs, Daggers, Blades etc.

Pilot: This is the character's technical know how with small air or even space based craft.
Linked to: Intelligence. Dexterity.

Specialties: Star fighter, Hoverpack, Hoverbike, Hovertank, Kestrels, Flitters, etc.

Security: This skill entails familiarity with the tools and techniques for picking locks, deactivating vehicle or facility alarms, hot-wiring vehicles or even safe cracking. Everything regarding breaking and entry or by-passing most intrusion alarms is covered in this skill.
Linked to: Intelligence. Dexterity.

Specialties: Safe cracking, Electrical Alarms, Pressure Plates, Deadbolts, Vehicles etc.

Stealth: This skill is the ability for the character to move about without being detected, whether hiding or moving at the same time as well.
Linked to: Dexterity. Wits.

Specialties: Hiding, Silent movement, Shadowing, Following, Urban environments etc.

Survival: This skill allows your character to survive outside the trappings of civilization. A character with a high rating in this skill can find shelter, track down animals to eat, live off the land, navigate their way across the wilderness without any equipment or aid and avoid any nasty creatures that may inhabit the lands.
Linked to: Intelligence / Wisdom. Perception. Wits.

Specialties: Woodlands, Desert, Jungle, Arctic, Hunting etc.

Tactics: The character's ability for small unit (squad, company sized unit) direction and leadership for the best effect.
Linked to: Wisdom. Intelligence.

Specialties: Assaults, Defense, Hit and Run attacks etc.

Technology: This skill covers the character's understanding and practical know how concerning more advanced, high tech items or equipment. Personal shields, advanced armor, electrical panels, rudimentary think machines, magic lantern table tops, high tech tools, fusion cells and other things of this nature. Having a zero in this skill means that the character cannot operate or use these types of equipment. For a more advanced understanding of technology, higher forms of technology (2nd Republic technology) or being able to create, customize or manipulate technology, the proper knowledge abilities must be possessed.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: The item in question.

Tracking: (*The survival skill covers the wilderness, country land and animals) The character can identify a trail of a person and follow it in your usual urban environments. The difficulty of such a feat varies according to the conditions (i.e following fresh snacks in deep snow is easier than following week-old tracks across a cement road).
Linked to: Intelligence / Wisdom. Perception.

Specialties: Human Litter, Footprints, Fingerprints, etc.

Remedy: This skill entails the character's proficiency with basic first aid medical treatment. (Anything more advanced than this is covered in the Knowledges - Abilities).
Linked to: Dexterity. Wits.

Specialties: Blood loss, Neutralizing Toxins, Setting bones etc.

[Roastbeef]

ABILITIES

As opposed to the usual ranking of 1-5, Abilities are ranked from 0-7.

0: No familiarity whatsoever with this knowledge.
1: Some passing general knowledge in this area.
2: You've read up on a few texts in this area .
3: Average. You have received some formal education / training in this area.
4: Above Average. Bachelor's level degree. Well educated on the topic.
5: Exceptional. PHD level degree. Very well educated and trained on the topic.
6: Amazing. Champion. A recognized expert on the topic.
7: God-like. One of the best known experts in the Known Worlds.

* Specialties may be chosen starting at level 4. An additional specialty can be chosen for each extra level after 4 (for a maximum of 4 specialties).

KNOWLEDGES

Academics:The Academics knowledge reflects your character's level of formal education in the more general / liberal arts. A great deal of the Known Worlds' population is in fact illiterate and uneducated, so any levels in this knowledge is uncommon.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: History, Art, Music, Literature, Architecture, Writing etc

Archeology:The character has studied the remains of the past and the processes by which they're preserved and discovered. You can interpret archeological remains and identify the likely origin of ancient artifacts; you know a fair amount about one or more ancient cultures.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Annunaki, Second Republic, etc.

Astronomy: The character has studied the heavens and their movements from a scientific rather than a mystical standpoint. You can identify most constellations, operate a astronomical equipment, navigate your way around space, predict sunspots, eclipses, and comets, and identify most heavenly phenomena.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Space Navigation, Planets, Quasars, Stars, Deep space travel etc.

Bureaucracy: The character understands the inner workings, the chain of command and endless mazes of data files, texts and other inane minutiae that make up most organizations. The character can use this knowledge to more easily advance her causes, manipulate certain processes and otherwise smooth over anything she wishes within certain organizations.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Universal Church, Phoenix Throne, Temple Avesti, Reeves Guild etc

Finance: Your character knows how to handle his firebirds and has a savvy mind for good investments, evaluations, brokering deals and other ways to grow his own financial wealth. The Financial knowledge includes both legal and illegal ways of growing and securing your own income.
Linked to: Intelligence. Wisdom.

Specialties: Accounting, Investments, Laundering, Guilds etc.

Herbalism: The character has a working knowledge of herbs and their properties, medicinal and otherwise. You can find and prepare herbs, and know which herb or blend of herbs to use in any situation. This knowledge (coupled with the Occult ability) can provide the character with the magical lore of plants, including what a plant can do with regard to supernatural effects.
Linked to: Intelligence. Wisdom.

Specialties: Culinary, Hallucinogenic/Narcotic, Medicinal, Poisonous, Spirit etc.

Investigation: Forensic exploration, establishing links and all other forms of investigative work fall under this knowledge. Perception, search and tracking deal with finding clues whereas the investigation knowledge is the character's ability to decipher them and make sense of the entire body of collected clues.
Linked to: Intelligence. Wisdom.

Specialties: Crime scenes, Weapons, Poisons, Murder, Theft etc.

Law: A character with this knowledge has a good working ability with local laws, planetary laws, Imperial laws and the more formal codes that govern the factions of power in the Known Worlds.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Guild Law, Church Ecclesiastical Court, Noble Law, Imperial Law, etc.

Linguistics: All characters in the game start with basic Urthish (Common tongue in Imperial space and the Known Worlds). Any other languages need to be purchased through this knowledge. A high score in this knowledge denotes the character with an in-depth understanding of the language, thereby knowing the underpinnings and history of the language itself. A low score in this knowledge means that the character can basically speak the language, but cannot otherwise write it or speak it as a native can (you sport an accent) and thus will immediately be identified as an outsider.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Latin, Local dialects, Dead Languages, Slang, Scraver Cant, Kurgan, Vuldrock etc.

Lore: This knowledge represents the sum total of the character's information on a certain organization, House, group or other types of factions in the Known Worlds. (Even outside factions such as aliens, barbarians etc) The higher the rank in this knowledge, the more secrets and intimate information the character holds on the faction.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: The Phoenix Throne, Noble Houses (minor or major), Universal Church etc.

Mathematics: The universal language; numbers are the building blocks of most systems and transcend all races or cultures. The character has studied the science of numbers; and is able to perform complex calculations and understand mathematical concepts beyond basic arithmetic. Given part or all of a calculation, you can probably decipher what it's intended to achieve.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Cryptography, Mechanics, Statistics, etc.

***(off shoot of Mathematics) Cryptography***: The character may skillfully compose and interpret codes and ciphers. You can construct a code that can only be cracked by someone who scores as many successes as you have dots in this Knowledge. You can also crack a code, rolling your Knowledge against a difficulty assigned by the Storyteller depending on the code's complexity.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Letter Shifts, Mathematical Encryption, Obscure Character Sets etc.

Medicine: This knowledge gives the character an understanding of human biology (humanoid / alien biology as well with the proper specialization). This knowledge can be used for both constructive, repair and destructive purposes. Remedy is the basic first aid understanding of biology, whereas this knowledge is more encompassing. Higher levels of this knowledge allow the character to successfully diagnose, treat ailments, perform surgery and use high tech medical equipment.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Research, Pathology, Genetic Engineering, Surgery, Bio-Engineering, Joints, Pharmaceuticals, Xeno-Biology etc.

Military Science: Through intensive study or actual battle experience, the character is familiar with the techniques needed to conduct a large scale military campaign. The character's knowledge spans the spectrum of war, from the tactics required to command a regiment or more sized unit to the grand strategy needed to command whole armies. You know how best to deploy your forces, cut off supply lines, and capture vital territory.
Linked to: Intelligence. Wisdom.

Specialties: Space warfare (Navy), Ground warfare (Army), Sieges, Offensives, Defensives etc.

Occult: This knowledge is the sum total of your character's depth of the occult and the supernatural happenings in the Known Worlds (and perhaps beyond). Mysticism, curses, strange creatures, Antimony and anything else related to the supernatural. The knowledge includes standard practices and a more intimate understanding of the various secret cults or factions that engage in these activities.
Linked to: Wisdom. Intelligence.

Specialties: Antimony, Psychics, Magic, etc.

Politics: The character is very much familiar with the current politics of the moment, including those in charge and how exactly they came to assume these positions. The character also knows the best way to use her own power and how to grow it.
Linked to: Wisdom.

Specialties: Radical politics, Church Politics, Populism, Noble politics etc.

Psychology: Your character has a deep understanding of what makes most people tick. She can probably understand most types of behavior and properly diagnose certain pathologies and other disorders.
Linked to: Empathy.

Specialties: Xeno-Psychology, Psychiatry, Psychology, Subconscious Thoughts etc.

Science: This knowledge describes your character's familiarity with the applied physical sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, geology and all manner of new and old sub-branches in these areas of study.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Cybernetics, Terraforming, etc.

Thinking Machines: All computer / programming endeavors fall under this knowledge. The higher the rank in this knowledge, the more complex computer systems and programming languages the character can override, manipulate, customize or otherwise play with as she sees fit.
Linked to: Intelligence.

Specialties: Programming, Hacking, Artificial Intelligence, Viruses, Data Retrieval etc.

[Jaegster]

This looks crazy. I am sooooooo interested right now. This looks like a mix of Warhammer 40K and D&D.

[Roastbeef]

Greets Jaegster!

Emperor of the Fading Suns borrows a bit from the Dune universe (among other influences), but anyone who reads a bit into the game setting will definitely see within a short time that the EFS universe is very much unique in it's own right. I positively love the setting.
I own most of the books.. not the D20 remakes, but the old ones from the 1990s.

If you would like to try your hand at this, by all means you're invited.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you have them.

[Stormhammer]

Posting interest I just have to research the setting.

[Roastbeef]

Well..well Mr.Stormhammer... my arch nemesis. We meet again. Thank you for the interest.

Sure, take your time. There is plenty out there on the net besides the main link I have provided.

[Connor]

Does this use the d10; d8 success, 10 = explosion dice rules of standard WoD? Because if so, then I am already intimately versed with the rules. If the "feel" of the setting is DUNE (i.e. Herbert), than I am already equally at home with the theme.

So, please consider me interested heavily. I'll write up a synopsis of my concept before long. I'm moderately interested in the Intelligence Officer's position... but I'm also considering a rough and tumble guardsman ala Gurney. Smart, tough, and a little brash and cocksure. He can back it up... until he get's overwhelmed.

"I don't hear or see them, sir... I "feel" them. Like ghosts upon the wind!"

 

Concept Name: Abraham (Abe) Secundus Alias: Johnny (John) Herald Concept: Physical grunt-type, who keeps his disarming intelligence hidden. Physical Description: Short but wild locks, rich with an ebony luster coupled with a beard of equal hue lightly streaked with softer tones, frame a moderately handsome visage. Crow-lined azure orbs peer out from beneath a thickly-boned and heavily-haired brow ridge, deep lines wrinkle his forehead, while soft bags ring his eyes. An aquiline nose, thinning from the brow at the ridge but widening at the nasal, centers the man's weather-worn face. Thick lips, slightly chapped and cracked, yet visibly luscious belying his sex, rest above a chin thickly forested by his beard. A well-muscled body, oft clothed in professional but comfortable cotton's and tweeds, contrast well the man's age with his youthful figure. He stands tall, and wears his weight well, but he is undoubtedly proportional in both form and function. Despite his vigor, and his age, the man appears equally at home in a suit as he would be garbed in a military or security-based uniform. Personality: Johnny is bravado personified. He's stoic, but not incapable of humor... even if he himself should be the target. He works hard, and if reasonable, plays equally as hard. Though, whether self-ingratiated or taught, he waits to celebrate himself until those he's accepted personal responsibility for are well taken care of first. He's seen as chivalrous by the opposite sex, and often as a brother in arms to his own gender. This generally makes him well-liked. Unfortunately his stoic demeanor and his task-centric work ethic can also have the opposite effect on those he often collaborates with. He can come off as stodgy and frank at first... but this is oft overcome due to his reliability and his never-give-up attitude. He's the sort of man who never bets high, but never loses high as a result. Background History: WIP

[Roastbeef]

Greetings Connor! Nice to hear from you. Thank you for the interest!

The EFS universe is similar to Dune, but not exactly in the same mold. So far, I don't have anyone here who is even familiar with the setting. So, you can do some research before getting a solid feel for it.

Concerning your questions on the rules: Yes, hitting a 10 on a d10 means a crazy success / victorious explosion of some sort. Whereas hitting a 1 means a botch that cancels out a success. Don't worry too much about the rules. As I stated earlier, I don't mind guiding newcomers to the OWOD system (or even rusty folks). If you can churn out an interesting character, then I'm satisfied. That's the important thing as far as I'm concerned.

The basic idea is that one character will be the nominal leader of the group (the officer) whereas the others are members of the team / cell. We can decide later on who exactly will fill this position once all the characters have been submitted.

Feel free to ask more questions!

[Roastbeef]

Looks like I've already got the game board set up by the site moderators. That's good news!

Also, I've left much of the rule system intentionally vague (backgrounds, powers, equipment etc.) Feel free to take anything in the books that would fit in the EFS setting... you can even tweak them to fit in more. Obviously though, I do want to approve anything before the game starts. A lot of this is improvised and I think most players will enjoy the extra creative control that this gives them with their characters.

All characters will be starting with the Alternate Identity background with 4 dots. It would make sense that operatives for the known worlds' largest intelligence service would have a fake identity with which to operate under. So, give your real name and fake name when submitting your characters.

For equipment: Your character can probably get their hands on most common and even uncommon forms of weaponry / armor / personal energy shields. There is no need to possess a huge background in contacts / allies or many dots in Streetwise for this to happen... it only makes sense that the Imperial Eye would be able to furnish decent "tools of the trade" for it's agents.

A word on weapons: Energy weapons (plasma, lasers, blasters) do aggravated damage and cannot be soaked. Only energy shields and certain types of armor can stop a hit.

Normal bullet firing weapons ("slug guns" as they are called) follow the standard rules for damage.

Energy shields give the character extra health levels before their own health levels are touched.

Anyways, I'm around to handle your questions on anything.

[Jaegster]

I think I am just going to make a concept/background and work out the details if I get accepted to the game.

First Name: Mitch

Last Name: Johnson

Choose a character concept: A calculating and cruel killer

Physical Description: Mitch is medium hight with buzzed dark hair. He wears a necklace emblazoned with the letters FG. He is 5'9" and weighs 165 pounds.

History: Mitch had an unusual upbringing. His destiny was decided for him, long before he was even born. Mitch was born in a laboratory. The product of beautiful science. His genetics were perfect. He was the perfect tool for the imperial eye. After long years of genetic manipulation, they had finally found him. The perfect puppet for the Imperial Eye.

He was immediately brought to a specially built room meant to ensure perfect mental and physical development. He grew up with many other children. All like himself in weight, height, strength, and intelligence. The only thing the other kids were missing, was Mitch's motivation. Mitch soon surpassed all of the other children, studying late into the night, exercising twice as much as the other children. Mitch was soon where he belonged. At the top. He was the best and he took pride in that.

On Mitch's 16th birthday all of the children were brought to a gigantic hall. The hall was an industrial steel with purple tapestries lining it. At the far end of the hall stood a tall lean figure with white hair looking down at the young men and women from a balcony with a purple tapestry emblazoned with a great eye hanging from it. He said to them "Today is the day that you were created for. Your entire lives have been leading up to this one day. You have been training and studying for today and today alone. Only one of you will make it out of here alive". There was a pause and the old man turned his back to the children and then whipped around exclaiming "Oh wait, I meant to say that NONE of you will make it out of here alive. You have all been failures. Even perfect genetics can't create the perfect human". The man turned around and left the balcony as steel doors shut behind him. Men covered in metal and wires walked out from the far end of the hallway. They were armed with all sorts of weaponry. Mitch stared these mechanical monsters down and knew that this was not his fate. He was not going to die here. He refused. While all around him, people he had grown with from his birth were laying down and accepting their fate, Mitch would not. He would fight. As the mechanical men crept closer toward the children Mitch too lay down on the floor. Not to die. To survive. Mitch waited until one of the abominations was within arm's reach to spring up and knock the feet out from underneath the creature and grab it's weapon. He fire into it's head. As the thing's head cracked so did Mitch's mind. His vision was filled with red. He experienced rage and adrenaline like he had never before. Minutes later, Mitch lay on the floor bruised and shot. Surrounded by the dead he quietly accepted his fate. Mitch put his head on the ground and waited for the deep sleep to take him. But it didn't.

Mitch awoke several hours later, surrounded by white. Mitch looked around the room to find himself in a medical bay. The man who gave the speech earlier walked in. He put his hand on Mitch's shoulder and said to him "You've had a rough day boy, haven't you? We have a great deal of work ahead of us. A great deal of work."

Personality: Mitch is socially awkward, but determined and intelligent. He is extremely analytical to the point of being excessive. He holds a deep hatred for the Imperial Eye and is forced to work with them. He is numb to violence and could kill anything the Eye points him at.

[Roastbeef]

Jaegster: Looks like a solid start so far.

Ideally, I'd like about 5-6 players. So far, I got about 3 interested people involved in this thing. So, everyone just might get in by default. Don't worry too much about being accepted or not. Sometimes it's good to go all in when you create your character and make a lasting impression on the ST.

Just one note though: Cloning / extensive genetic-cyber enhancing is not something that is particularly widespread in the EFS universe. The Church frowns heavily upon this sort of thing. Even androids, advanced artificial intelligence and other robotic creations are probably either beyond present technology or are heavily restricted due to Church doctrine. However, it would not be unheard of for certain organizations to secretly dabble in this area. I can accept that your character may have been born from some kind of experimental or super secret program... it's not something that is too way off. That being said, please realize that your character is a starting character and thus will probably not have enough points / dots to come off as a genetically engineered super being.

[Roastbeef]

*Self promoting bump..*

I hope that we can find some other interested people out there.