Valence

Valence Science-Fiction
Roleplaying
Valence is copyright © 1993-2004 Valent Games. All rights reserved. Valence is a trademark of Valent
Games. This book is the second edition of Valence 592, also written and published by Valent Games.
Valence was created on several generations of Macintosh computers, and assembled (in this version) using
Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat. Artwork was scaled and touched up with Adobe Photoshop. This book
uses the fonts Garamond and Optima. Valent Games can be found online at http://www.valentgames.com/
Credits Writer’s Notes
It started more than ten years ago, and when I look
2nd Edition at all those old computer files I tend to cringe. So many
things have changed since then, and they all needed
Writer: Colin Fredericks changing, most of them badly... and yet the seeds were
Contributors: Eric Tapley, Eric Garrison, Kate there.
Tapley, Sarah Campbell, and James Kilbride.
Editors: Dan DiTursi, Anna Tatro Valence is a labor of love for all of us. Even though
Artwork: Jennifer Meyer, Andy World, Heather most of the original design team has fallen by the
Vellante, and TauCeti Deichmann wayside, or moved on to other things, none of the old
Distributors: Valence can be found at both guard can say that they aren’t still at least a little bit
www.RPGNow.com and www.DriveThruRPG.com. interested in what’s going on with their old creation.
I’m glad to keep the torch lit, to keep Valence up to
date and keep improving it, and I hope they like what
I’ve done.
1st Edition (Valence 592)
For most of you, this is the first time you’ve seen the
Writers and Design Team: Eric Tapley, Eric Garrison, game, and all this nostalgia means nothing. So let’s get
Cameron Betts, Nik Heikkila, Colin Fredericks, James on with it, right? What is this game about? Why play
Kilbride it? You’ve got your choice of dozens of science fiction
Editors: Colin Fredericks, Heather Vellante games; what’s going to make this one any better?
Printers: DeHart’s
• History, both in and out of game. In game, you’ve
Playtesters got a ten-million-year timeline to pull ideas from,
historical details from all ten species and the
present-day cultures, and plenty of “secrets from
James Kilbride, Jason Raff, Andrew Konopaki,
the past” hidden in the backstory. Out of game,
Sean Edwards, Brian Koshnick, Dave Vershaw, TauCeti
we the writers have been continually updating and
Deitchmann, and dozens of friendly con-goers at
improving the game for years, and we like to think
Genericon (Troy, NY), ConBust (Northampton, MA),
that it’s gained a certain amount of polish because
and OurCon (Amherst, MA) for the last several years.
of it.
• Culture. This book doesn’t assume that species and

culture are the same thing. We have thousands of
cultures here on Earth; why should aliens have
just one apiece? Culture isn’t just a miscellaneous
piece of background information, either: it’s
an integral part of character creation. Ditto for
character backstory.
• Internal consistency. The world of Valence, like

almost all science fiction worlds, has its own
idiosyncrasies and oddities. It would hardly
be science fiction without them. What’s more
important (in our view) is that the world hangs
together properly. In a galaxy with expensive
interstellar travel, you won’t find starships that
haul iron ore — it doesn’t make enough money.
Novel and innovative solutions to a problem
don’t disappear overnight once the problem is
gone. When Earth was devastated, people didn’t
forget about it or leave it alone. There haven’t
been technological dark ages in a galaxy where
information transfer and storage is ubiquitous, and Inspirations
there are no “space barbarians.” People who shun
technology and Lording end up marginalized. Of all the TV shows we watched, of all the ones
Planets don’t have universal climates, terrains, or we pulled interesting plot points and themes from,
even cultures. It makes the galaxy much more Babylon 5 would have to be the big one. Most of it’s
complex... and much more believable. hidden in the metaplot, but it’s there. Of course, sci-
ence fiction would probably be nowhere without Star
• An enormous setting. The galaxy has billions of Trek and Star Wars, and everyone in the sci-fi market
planets, and not all of them are explored. The ones owes them at least a little.
that are have hundreds of millions of individuals.
Within the boundaries of the game’s technology In a somewhat related category, Macross and
and other such factors, almost every type of culture Robotech provide some inspiration for the space-
you could imagine exists. True, there are some related parts of the game. Valence does indeed have
huge cultures that span hundreds of thousands of mecha, though you’ll have to wait for the rules.
star systems, but even they aren’t everywhere.
Our favorite science fiction authors include Isaac
• Separated metaplot. The metaplot for Valence isn’t Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke, Diane
going to be interwoven through every book we Duane, Madeline L’Engle, Ursula K. LeGuin, Larry
publish — it’s going to be contained in a single Niven, and David Weber. There are others, of course,
volume, the Little Book of Metaplot. That way but these provided a formative impact for Valence. If
people can feel free to include or ignore it as they we ever publish a book to advance the timeline, look
see fit. It’s a strong metaplot, but it’s not one that for high-tech stuff from Wil McCarthy, Dan Simmons,
literally everyone has to deal with. and Charles Stross — all good authors, but their tech is
a bit beyond what we use.
I’m not saying Valence is perfect for every kind of
game. It doesn’t work so well for gritty noir cyberpunk, Dungeons and Dragons was our first RPG, just
Buck Rogers style space opera, or “hard” science fic- like most gamers our age. Corner me at a convention
tion (after all, there is a magic-like power in the game, and I’ll tell you an interesting story about the Budetug,
and FTL travel, and some cloaking devices — it’s dif- Dwarves, and the early days of Valence. Strangely
ficult to play hard sci-fi without stripping those out enough, they aren’t where we got our dice-rolling
first). system...
What Valence does well is stories about black ops Sadly, there have been few good sci-fi movies out
teams, government and military operatives, culture there overall. Most of them cross into horror or fantasy
clash, interstellar adventure, and changing the world. or both, and the writing is generally unimpressive.
If those things sound like your cup of tea, you’ve come Most of the better ones concentrate on themes that
to the right place. Valence isn’t concerned with. Here’s hoping some
better ones come out soon.
What we have written is only the beginning.
What are Role-Playing ates a character for the story that they’re in. There are

some rules to describe when characters can or can’t
Games? do things, and to add some extra flavor to the game.

The rules provide a common framework that a group
of people can get together and work from.
So then, what is role-playing? Is it people with
dice and books, playing out the adventurers of char-

Valence is a game about the far future, roughly a
acters in some long-forgotten world? Is it two kids
thousand years from now. It takes a bit of creativity,
with cards and counters, fighting for control of a
imagination, and suspension of disbelief to role-play

fictitious island? Is it that high school play you were
in a setting like that. You and your fellow players will
in where everyone was given characters and had to
probably have characters who look and act noth-
make up the story as they performed?

ing like you. This is why gaming is often compared
to improv theater: you need to play a certain role
In essence, a role-playing game is one in which
without much preparation. Gaming’s advantage is
you and your friends sit down around a table and

that you create the character. You could play almost
determine the fate of your own imaginary universe.
anything — a prince or a princess, a scientist or
RPGs have been compared to playing Cops and
magician, a politician or a general. This breadth of

Robbers, to improvisational theater, and to interac-
possibility provides opportunities for expression that
tive storytelling. All of these have some element of
are unavailable in most other activities. How often
the truth, but they fail to capture the basic appeal of
does your Chemistry teacher let you pretend to be a

RPGs.
six-foot-seven winged humanoid bent on revenge?
Role-playing games are appealing because your

Single stories in Valence are called Adventures.
characters can do anything that you wouldn’t or
These can cover one night of role-playing, or a few
can’t. You would never steal, run away across the
weeks. They typically focus on a single goal, and
world, or jump through a crowded room with guns

finish when that goal is achieved or some other end
blazing. You can’t conquer the world, make a billion
comes about. For example, if the adventure’s goal
dollars on the stock market, or jump tall buildings
is to locate a prince, and he dies before your group

in a single bound. Your character in a role-playing
finds him, your goal was not met but the adventure
game can.
will end anyway. Adventures can be part of a larger
story, or can stand on their own.
Page 5
Is this a form of escapism? Certainly. Role-play-
ing games are just as escapist as watching a movie
A string of interrelated adventures is called
once a week, or reading a book every night, or
an Epic. (Other games use the term “campaign.”)
going to see a play. Each of these activities takes
Most epics keep the same characters through their
you away from the real world and drops you into a
entirety, and can last for many adventures. Within
Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction

fantasy world. The differences are, first, that RPGs
an epic a character and her friends could start as
require you to be social and hang out with your
peasants, amass power and wealth through their ad-
friends, and second, that RPGs allow for a greater
ventures, and eventually rule as queens. Role-play-
control of the story’s events and feel. All you can do
ing groups do not have to engage in epic play, but in
if a movie sucks is refuse to see it again (or, if you’re
our experience the most fun comes from developing
really unimpressed, walk out in the middle). When
a character and playing him or her in a lot of con-
a book takes a boring or nonsensical turn, you have
nected stories.
two choices: wait it out in the hopes of better writing
later, or stop reading.
Now that you have an idea of what role-playing
is, we encourage you to read ahead and explore the
If, on the other hand, your role-playing games
world we have created for you.
aren’t what you wanted or expected, you can change
things. After all, that’s the point: change a world,
even if it’s just an imaginary one.
RPGs are typically played by having one person

act as the “Game Master” and the others act as
“Players.” The GM describes the world, and the play-
ers interact with it and each other. Each player cre-
What You Need to Play Tips for Players
To play Valence every player needs a piece of Here are a few things which will hopefully make
paper, their favorite writing utensil (pen, pencil, things easier for you, the other players, and the GM:
Palm VII, etc), and some ten-sided and twenty-sided
dice (at least one of each, easily found at a hobby or • Know the rules that apply to your character.
gaming store, and some comic book shops). That’s Everyone should know the basic game
about it. mechanics (like skill use and Hero Points),
but you should especially know your own
You probably also want at least four people, so character’s capabilities. If you’re a soldier, know
you can have one acting as the Game Master and the the combat rules. If you’re a diplomat, know how
other three as Players. You probably don’t want more to participate in a battle of conviction. If you’re
than about nine people, as a party of eight Main an archmage, know the capabilities of your
Characters is a lot for any GM to handle. spells. This will speed things up immensely.
• Try to be understanding when bad things happen

Starting the Game to your character, as they inevitably will. It
happens to everyone, and it’s an unavoidable
Assuming you have all the materials mentioned part of the story.
above, you’re ready to start.
• Remember that when your GM says something
Most people who play RPGs play them about that contradicts the rules, you can bring up
once a week, so you need to set up a time and loca- the rules, but your GM has the right to change
tion that all the Players and the GM can agree on. them.
While crashing in the living room works just fine
for most people, places like public libraries, gaming • Bring snacks. Everyone likes food.
shops, student centers, and dorm lounges are also
fine places to play (as long as you have permission, • Get into your character! Try to have your
and don’t get too loud and disturbing). character act as he or she would, not necessarily
as you yourself would act. Know your character’s
Page 6
The first session of play should be reserved for culture and species well.
character creation. That way the GM can understand
who all of the characters are, and those characters • Most importantly, be polite to the other players.
can meet each other too. While some movies and Your character can be a rude bastard to everyone
books start off with the main character adventuring else’s character, but you should be nice to

alone for a little while, it’s best to keep that to a mini- the other players or people will start taking it
mum. In Valence all of the players’ characters are personally. And remember: if your character
main characters, and no one should get more play is a rude bastard, the other characters aren’t
time than anyone else if you can help it. necessarily going to be nice to him or her.
Before the players start creating their characters,

the GM should lay down the law as to where in the
galaxy the game will happen, what sort of characters
are allowed, and any other important details (such
as extra background points). The players should also
talk to each other and ensure that they don’t all come
up with the exact same character concept.
Character creation usually takes some time con-

sulting with the GM. You don’t have to wait for other
people to create their characters before you work on
yours — you should probably try to put some ideas
down on paper while you wait.

Introductions certainly the most intelligent. They had little to do

with galactic politics.
Now that we have the real basics out of the way,

The Archangels (ARK-ain-gels) were a mystery to
let’s talk about this game for a minute. What’s it our scientists as much as to every other species’. A
about? What’s going on in the galaxy? built-in inability to lie? A warrior culture that seemed

to have intentionally destroyed most of its technol-
Current Affairs ogy? It was bizarre, but there they were, larger than
life.

The galaxy is picking itself up from one of the
biggest disasters it’s ever faced. It was the end of an The plantlike Nesti (NESS-tee) were the
empire — and not a noble end, either, as Earth itself Valorians’ polar opposites — warlike, argumenta-

was rendered uninhabitable by an artificial asteroid tive, and dumb as a post. They often found it hard
strike. to fit into past empires, and the Caractingessen were

their only real allies.
Humanity shares the galaxy with a number of
other species, all of whom have been around some- The Sa’crontor (sa-CRON-tor) were young com-

what longer than us. When we use the past tense pared to most species, but still managed to worm
below, it is to remind you that the galaxy is no longer their way into every part of the galaxy. They were
organized by species, not to imply that any of these ambitious, talkative, and agile, and loved investigat-

species have disappeared or been hunted to extinc- ing new things.
tion. All of them are alive and well.

The two Ogre (OH-grr) species were the most
Species recent species before Humanity was discovered. Not
very bright, but strong and loyal, they had served the

The Inuueliting (IN-you-ELL-ih-ting), as the Caracts as bodyguards and shock troops before their
galaxy’s oldest species, were our first contact and liberation.
our intermittent allies in our quest for an empire.

They are physically the most human-like of all the Because of their age and experience, these spe-
species in the galaxy, sharing our general shape and cies initially underestimated Humanity. Because of
that, it was much easier for us to create a galactic
Page 7
form with a few alterations.
empire in the first place — Humans, as it turns out,
The appearance of the Budetug (BOO-deh-toog) are the galaxy’s fastest-thinking and most creative
matches some of our worst nightmares, with a dozen species. Taking the inventions of other species, im-
legs, great crab-like pincers, and a hard exoskeleton. proving them, and adapting them to our needs, we
Innovative and pragmatic, they turned out to be spread out like wildfire and in a mere hundred years

much less fearsome in personality than in appear- had essentially conquered the galaxy.
ance.
Cultures
The Caractingessen (car-ACT-in-GESS-en), on
the other hand, were just as fearsome as they ap- In the end, our impact was felt not in conquering
peared. Since their appearance was that of a dino- the galaxy, nor in the laws created by our ill-fated
saur crossed with a dragon, one can imagine that empire. The innovation Humans introduced was the
their tempers were anything but mild. idea of groups based on ideologies and corporate
structures rather than genetic differences, and the
The Halla (HALL-ah) were another species some- concept caught on like wildfire. These cultures still
what like humanity in appearance, but smaller and play a huge role in the galaxy today.
quite wrinkly, with just enough physical difference
to be unsettling. Their short-lived trading empire had Genetech (JEEN-tek), arguably the most power-
collapsed a few hundred years before Humanity’s ful culture in the galaxy, controls about a third of it.
appearance, leaving chaos and instability. Their pull stems from an exceptionally strong media
presence and powerful personalities. Behind the
The amphibious Valorians (val-OR-ee-ans) were scenes, their Ultramercenaries (drug-controlled,
possibly the most quiet species in the galaxy, and
genetically engineered combatants) keep the peace Duelists, who can suspend the limits of Lording in
when nothing else will. very specific ways.
The Coalition controls another third of the gal- Tesseracts were another. These portals allow
axy, being the remnants of the old Human Empire. starships to cross vast distances instantaneously, and
They are a strong central government, controlling take very little energy to create. It was through these
their thousands of worlds through law and order. portals that the Inuueliting came to our solar system.
They recruit new worlds with humanitarian aid and While we had hoped for hundreds of years to find
the appeal of a more moral society. something that would carry us between the stars
without spending millennia in the journey, we had
Ægis (A-jiss), formerly an armor design firm, is thought it physically impossible. The Tesseract Drive
now home to the galaxy’s cultural and technological proved us wrong.
best and brightest. They are also one of the strongest
voices for peace and unification, though sadly these Your Characters
suggestions are ignored more often than not.
Whether the galaxy will recover and find strength
Armageddon Industries, once just a weapons in unity, or crumble back into a factionated mess is
broker, is now the home for all manner of rough- still to be seen. Your characters come into this world
and-tumble sorts who prefer to live their lives with with the potential and power needed to change it.
vigor, gusto, and big dangerous weapons. They sup-
ply much of the galaxy’s refined materials as well. Starting characters in Valence are not inexpe-
rienced “newbies.” They can be seasoned combat
There are also dozens of Communal cultures veterans, well-connected politicians, starship-own-
scattered across the outer galaxy, who are starting to ing merchants, or Ultramercs who survived their first
become more organized and cohesive as the galaxy mission. They have seen things like the interior of
rebuilds. a star and the darkness between our galaxy’s spiral
arms. Moreover, they are well-positioned to effect
The remnants of the proud and ancient Inuuel real change in the galaxy. In short, if the world is the
Empire, as well as the reinvented Budetug Core, re- same at the end of an Epic, it is because they have
main strong voices in the galactic milieu. While they acted to preserve the status quo, not because they
are tiny cultures compared to the others, they have were ineffectual.
Page 8
the authority of age and experience, and still pull a

good amount of political weight. We hope that this brief introduction piqued your
interest and oriented you to the galaxy. Now, on to
The Unexpected the meat of the game.

When Humans met the Inuueliting, there were

a few things that the Inuuel showed us. Some, like

efficient fusion engines, we expected. They were a
natural outgrowth of technology we already had.
Other things came as a total surprise, and the two
most important were (and still are) Lording and
Tesseracts.
A natural ability for which humans had little

aptitude, Lording is a direct control of the laws
of nature by will. Though limited in area, it’s very
powerful in effect, and can do things that are totally
impossible to accomplish technologically. It also
has various limits, most noticeably its inability to
affect living matter. All species have some capability
for this power, though not to the same extent, and
there are even some humans who practice it in this
day and age. There are also individuals known as

The Species of

Inuueliting

the Milky Way Homeworld: Ll’Anderanth
Common Names: Inuuel; Wisps, Golds, Silvers,

This section details the individual species of Darks, or Platinums, depending on race.
the galaxy, describing them physically and socially, Average Lifespan: 700-900 Years

and giving an overview of their history. The social Tesser Capability: 6 Million BC
comments should not be taken as gospel — many
individuals differ from the norm, especially among The Inuueliting are a bipedal humanoid species

the more creative species, and culture tends to be broken into a five-caste system which has predomi-
more important than species to those living in 592. nated their society for over 6 million years. They be-
Think of this more as a common heritage than as an lieve themselves to be the oldest race in the galaxy

overriding inner nature. and pride themselves on being the Eldest of the five
Elder races (the Inuueliting, Caractingessen, Halla,

Species are listed in the order in which they were Budetug, and the Valorians). Most stand between
introduced to the galaxy. six and seven feet tall, depending on age and class.
Older Inuueliting are taller than their younger breth-

Also included at the end of each species descrip- ren, as they slowly grow over the centuries.
tion are game statistics for each species. The statistics
given are in the following format: The five castes, detailed below, serve various

functions for the Inuueliting society. The largest
Attributes: The base attributes for a member of this caste is the Maltec’inuueliting, the worker caste. As
species. The meanings of these attributes are the ones who provide food and goods they are the

explained on page xx. The typical range is 1-10. most respected caste in Inuueliting society but have
Vision: The approximate range at which members the least power. The other castes tend to respect the

of this species can distinguish one individual wishes of Maltec’inuueliting in all matters except
from another by sight, assuming good visual foreign affairs and military matters.
conditions.
Page 9
Hearing: The range at which a quiet conversation After the fall of their Empire in 1.4 million BC
can be heard, assuming that there is little else the Inuueliting withdrew from their colonies and
around. refocused their efforts on the oldest sectors of their
Speed: The first two numbers are meters per round space. Many now believe their race is in decline
when walking or running in combat, respectively. and spend their time trying to record or rerecord the
The last number is daily movement in kilometers, vast Inuueliting histories and biographies for others
Valence Main Rulebook: Species

assuming an eight-hour march. to learn from. Others live their lives in denial that
Natural Armor: The species’ built-in armor value. their great empire could ever have fallen at all. It is
Attack Damage: The amount and type of damage common for an Inuueliting to refuse taking an action
done by the species’ natural attacks. or accept new ideas and beliefs because it is “not in
Size: The species’ size rating, used for figuring how tune with what the ancestors have done.”
many wound levels the character has.
Saving Throws: The bonuses or penalties this species Inuueliting refer to each other by their
has to saves versus blindness, deafness, or caste names, so a Dai’inuueliting would greet a
disease. Daishaining’inuueliting with “Daishaining” or
Special: Other abilities or drawbacks which do not “Shain.” Formal greetings (at political or social
fit in the above scheme. events), always include the Inuueliting race-name for
honor’s sake. This custom has carried over into their
dealings with other races, causing the Inuueliting
endless grief. Their greeting of “Human, good day
to you,” is usually viewed as arrogance, not honor.
Budetug are particularly sensitive to the Inuueliting
custom of racial-name address, a problem which is
compounded by the tendency of Dai’inuueliting and
Daishaining’inuueliting to mispronounce their name other castes, once again causing fighting to erupt on
“bu-det-ug.” the homeworld.
The Daishaining’inuueliting worked out a

compromise with the other castes late in the war
Inuueliting History as Ll’Anderanth lay around them in ruin. The
Maltec’inuueliting would be the worker caste
The Inuueliting evolved from tree-top-dwell- as a punishment for their attempt to control the
ing animals 10 million years ago. Over the next Pool of Radiance, but they would be allowed to
four million years they slowly evolved into the grow their population to dwarf the others so that
caste-races of today on five different continents on no Maltec’inuueliting would live in fear of be-
their homeworld, Ll’Anderanth. Trade between the ing overpowered again. Only the Dai, Silke, and
different castes began and a global civilization de- Maltec’inuueliting would be allowed to submit
veloped. candidates to the Pool to be leaders of the race.
These candidates would be submerged at birth in
Inuueliting space exploration began when the the Pool and then raised by the other castes until
Maltec’inuueliting ran out of resources on Verdas, they reached maturity and took their rightful places
the third continent of Ll’Anderanth, and turned to as leaders. Historians often refer to this decision as
the planet’s moons for minerals and rare metals. They the Compact of Radiance.
slowly depleted the resources on the moons and
were forced to travel to other planets in the system Over time each caste became accustomed to the
to support the growing Inuueliting society. By that changes and honored the others for their strengths.
time infighting between the castes had begun as they With the tesser power of the Daishaining’inuueliting
struggled for resources and space on homeworld. ships began to travel outside their home system and
The Dai’inuueliting and Silke’inuueliting forged an colonies were started on other worlds.
alliance and began to engage in open warfare against
the Maltec’inuueliting and Danlecting’inuueliting Careful research by Maltec’inuueliting scientists
castes. resulted in the first mechanical tesser device, based
on the Daishaining’inuueliting stone, 5.5 million
The network setup by the Maltec’inuueliting years ago. With the capability to explore without
to ferry resources into the planet from around the
Page 10
the aide of a Shain, the Inuueliting began expand-

solar system was slowly destroyed, and all the caste ing at a faster rate. They encountered the Budetug,
societies began to collapse. The Maltec’inuueliting Caractingessen, Halla, and Valorians by 3.1 million
suffered the highest causalities and their population BC.
began to plummet below that of the other castes.
The Danlecting’inuueliting realized that no single By 3 million BC tension between the Inuueliting

caste could unite the Inuueliting so they performed and Budetug resulted in a galactic war. The
a powerful rite to create the “Pool of Radiance,” a
Inuueliting won and forced the Budetug back to
chamber pool filled with a special substance which their homeworld, a humiliating defeat they have
would create a new breed of Inuueliting from those never forgotten. For the next one and a half million
who were submerged into it. years the Budetug worked as a thorn in the side of
the Inuueliting Empire, finally overthrowing their
Inuueliting submerged into the Pool of Radiance rule in 1.4 million BC.
were imbued with platinum-colored skin and a
small stone in their foreheads capable of producing Since their disposal over a million years ago the
a tesseract once they reached maturity. With this Inuueliting population has decreased by more than
new power the few Danlecting’inuueliting who un- fifty percent, and their homeworlds have stopped
derwent the initial transformation began to end the new research, colonization, and exploration.
fighting and gain the respect of the other castes. However, some of them proved more adaptable, and
it is this more hardy breed that is often seen across
A small band of Maltec’inuueliting, calling the galaxy.
themselves the Al’nav Roshen, tried to take control
of the Pool for themselves so their people would
never again have to face the wrath of the other
castes. They failed to take the Pool and infuriated the

The greatest Inuueliting scientists have always

Dai’inuueliting, or Dai been Maltec, including those who unlocked the
secret of the tesser stone found in the Shains’
Dai, commonly referred to as the Wisps or High, foreheads. Many of these scientists began to resent

are tall, winged Inuueliting people. They are typi- the upstart Humans who swept through the galaxy
cally the most beautiful and delicate caste, boasting and improved upon inventions which Maltec had

broad butterfly-like wings twice their height with worked on for ages.
wingspans of 8 meters and intricate color patterns.
Their skin is a pale hue which often resembles the

coloring in their wings.
Danlecting’inuueliting, or Danlec
Dai typically live in cloud cities on established

Inuueliting worlds and are the leaders of their Danlec are often referred to as “Darks” by those
society. These cities are complex floating caverns, outside Inuueliting society. Their skin absorbs the
riddled with chambers and passageways only navi- light from stars and so usually appears to be a shade

gable during flight. of dull black. When not in starlight their skin has a
golden tint, similar to that of the Silke. Their hair is

tinted with silver or golden hues and streaks.
Silke’inuueliting, or Silke
The energy absorbed by the Danlec is usually

bled off slowly, but can be channeled in bursts if
The Silke are four-armed, golden skinned they wish. In addition to their energy abilities
Inuueliting commonly referred to by most races Danlec have an uncanny affinity for the Lording.

as “Golds.” They constitute the majority of the Budetug mothers tell their children horror stories
homeworld military, boasting greater strength and about Danlec sneaking into their rooms and blasting
stamina than the other castes. Golds rarely grow

them with horrible burning fire if they are bad.
taller than 170 cm, but are the strongest of the
Inuueliting. Most golds are born ambidextrous, al- After the creation of the Pool of Radiance the

lowing them to use multiple weapons at once with- Danlec have seen themselves as the protectors of the
out much increased effort. Inuueliting. They live as recluses in corners of popu-
lated Inuueliting worlds, secretly keeping tabs on
Page 11
Miklar’halien Silke’inuueliting, generally re- the Daishaining’inuueliting and the candidates for
garded as the greatest warrior in Inuueliting history, the Pool of Radiance. Some estimate that there are
is especially revered among the Golds. His exploits fewer Danlec than the other castes, but because of
during the first Inuueliting/Budetug war helped their nature no one is really certain how many exist.
clinch victory during that struggle. Once every two
hundred years the best warriors of the caste gather

Since the arrival of Humans on the galactic
on a forested moon or small planet and participate scene, Danlec have been seen outside Inuueliting
in war games honoring Miklar’halien, hoping to re- circles for the first time in millions of years. This

ceive the coveted medal which shares his name. more outgoing behavior, despite the collapse of the
Human Empire and the typical Inuueliting tendency
to shun others and the new ideas they bring, is a
Maltec’inuueliting, or Maltec good sign for the galaxy as a whole.
Commonly referred to as “Silvers,” the Maltec

are the shortest of the Inuueliting people. They stand Daishaining’inuueliting, or Shain
roughly five and a half feet tall and look like thin
Humans with longer arms and a wider midsection. Daishaining are the tall, platinum-colored lead-
Silvers perform most of the work in Inuueliting soci- ers of Inuueliting society, born of caste mothers but
ety as a result of the Compact of Radiance, and those altered in the Pool of Radiance. Humans typically re-
who live outside of the Ancient Inuuel society are fer to them as “Platinums,” but other races honor this
often seen continuing this legacy. caste with the term “Shain,” a term which many also
use to honor great leaders in their own societies.
Only candidates who are pure of heart and mind
survive the submersion in the Pool of Radiance.
After the ritual those who survive reappear as plati- Budetug
num-skinned Inuueliting with a tesser stone in their
forehead. They inherit the same features and body Homeworld: Portenthar
structure as their earlier caste but usually feel no Common Names: Budetug, Bugs, Crackers
allegiance to their parent caste. Some claim later in Average Lifespan: 180-220 Years
life that they felt the calling of the Pool as youths, but Tesser Capability: 52 Million BC
as most candidates are submerged only weeks after
birth these claims are often met with skepticism. The Budetug are a race of insectoid creatures
characterized by twelve thin legs, dexterous pincers,
After conversion the Shain are raised by mem- and wide skin flaps which arc out from either side
bers of all the castes except other Shain. They are of their heads. Budetug are roughly five feet tall
required to work alongside their fellow Inuueliting, when standing on their rear six legs, their customary
so most become familiar with fighting, research, posture in public. When moving on all 12 of their
warfare, and Lording. Once they have reached ma- spindly legs they usually only stand three feet tall at
turity and have completed their education the Shain the shoulder.
once again enter the Pool of Radiance to prove their
purity. Only then can they take their place as the Budetug bodies are covered with chitinous
honored leaders of all the castes. Most survive the exoskeletons, but they also have a complex internal
second submergence. Those who don’t disappear skeletal system to support their weight. They are born
into the depths of the Pool. with 4 body sections, but by maturity the middle two
grow together into an hourglass-shaped midsection.
The Inuuel in Game Terms Most Budetug tattoo their midsections as a “rite of
passage” once they have reached maturity, using the
Attributes: Most subraces have Agility 9, Creativity 1, family symbols of their mothers’ ancestors.
Dexterity 9, Intelligence 5, Lording 6,
Mental Endurance 2, Stamina 1, Strength 1, Unlike many Earth insects the Budetug are not
Visualization 1. Golds have Dexterity 5, controlled by a singular queen or hive mind, instead
Strength 2, and Stamina 2. each has an individual personality and nature. In
Page 12
Vision: 2 km in daylight, 1 km at night groups of their own kind, however, the Budetug
Hearing: 40 meters will often suppress their individuality for the greater
Speed: 15/30/30. High Inuueliting have concealable whole. This trait and their multiple “hands,” make
wings which allow them to fly at 25/50/50. the Budetug well suited to construction. They are of-
Natural Armor: 0, Golds have 2 ten contracted to build cities, space stations, homes,

Slap Damage: None whatsoever. and planetary infrastructure.

Size: 5
Saving Throws: -2 to save against blindness or Most races harbor a great respect for the
deafness Budetug and their diligent work ethic. However,

Special: All but Gold Inuueliting have very fragile some Inuueliting still harbor grudges left over from
bones, and must be careful not to break them. the Third War in which the Budetug overthrew their
Gold Inuuel have Human-like bones. Golds have Empire, and Humans are constantly offending the
four ambidextrous arms, but must pay double Budetug by calling them “bugs,” instead of using
cost for any armor they purchase. They also have their real name. Budetug elders on Portenthar are
an A’Darn gland, described on page xx. Platinum especially sensitive about the pronunciation of their
Inuuel have a Tesseract Stone embedded in their racial name and have been known to kill offending
forehead, described on page xx. All Inuuel parties.
except Silvers start with 15 Background points
instead of 20. The surface of Portenthar, the Budetug
homeworld, is constantly bombarded with high lev-
els of ionizing radiation due to the relatively young
age of Ithnos, its F-type sun. This radiation leads to
very high mutation rates, and consequentially short
lifespans, for anything that lives primarily on the

surface. Long before they had any sort of formal Budetug slowly yielded to the greater Inuueliting

science, the Budetug knew that exposure to the sun forces. Beaten in spirit and body the Budetug finally
was unhealthy, and they became cave dwellers. Their relented when all but a few of their colonies had been

natural aptitude for construction led them to modify destroyed or captured. In the fire of hatred after the
and expand these caverns, a process that continued war the Inuueliting swept out into the galaxy again
for literally millions of years. The result is that every and organized into what would later be recognized

square mile of Portenthar’s surface — whether it be as the second phase of the Inuueliting Empire.
plain, mountain, or ocean — has been hollowed out
to make room for the sprawling cities and tunnels of Conflict continued intermittently over millions of

the Budetug. years as the growing Budetug peoples encountered
resistance from the Inuueliting again and again. By

On their homeworlds the Budetug sleep during two million BC the two races had participated in
the day and mobilize at night to search for food, thousands of minor wars and brewed potent ani-
either hunting or scavenging. When hunting they of- mosity. Within Budetug core worlds a plan started

ten gather in family packs of 100 or more and comb which would prepare the race for a great war against
the land in search of food. In times of scarcity the
the Inuueliting, building up to such a conflict for
Budetug have been known to strip animal life from hundreds of thousands of years.

miles of wilderness, but they traditionally are selec-
tive about their hunting, preferring to be caretakers In 1.4 million BC the Budetug swarmed out from
of the life on their planet. their colonies and fought ferociously to overthrow

the Empire. They persevered against incredible
Budetug were once fiercely against genetic al- odds, often struggling for days for seemingly lost

terations and diSilke mutations. Historical records causes. The Third War, as it has commonly known,
show “cleansing tests” on Portenthar to make sure is filled with tales of Budetug heroism in which
newborn children had not been affected by the ra- many Budetug fought to the death. The Inuueliting

diation on the planet. Today’s Budetug Core Worlds war machine — and its spirit — was broken by the
Collective shuns this ancient practice, and any who tireless push of the Budetug warriors. Elated, the
try to carry out such measures face strong punish- Budetug drove them back into their core worlds and

ments. pushed forth to explore previously unknown parts of
the galaxy.
Page 13
Budetug History The Budetug Empire explored and colonized as
many worlds during its 1.4 million year reign as the
The Inuueliting were the first race to make Inuueliting had in nearly five million years. They built
contact with the Budetug and immediately realized great cities and temples on all of their worlds, erect-
their potential as workers. Industrious, resilient, but ing underground “monuments to time” so splendid

“obviously inferior,” the Budetug would make an ex- they rival the majesty of the Inuueliting cloud cities.
cellent slave force to fuel the expanding Inuueliting Most of the old Budetug worlds were honored with
society. So it was that Budetug families were trans- great space stations which became hubs of com-
ported to Inuueliting worlds to construct the great merce and activity early in the new Empire.
cloud cities of the Dai’Inuueliting or work in vast
mining communities. During this time the Budetug During their reign the Budetug focused inward
patiently resented their captors, learning more about on their worlds, creating wonders but neglecting the
their weaknesses, technology, and habits. other races in the process. The Empire slowly began
to crumble, first by losing influence with the other
The first Budetug-Inuueliting war occurred races. Later, trade routes shifted to take advantage
around three million BC. The Budetug had spread of the lucrative interstellar commerce encouraged
throughout the Inuueliting colonies, and though by the other races. It was with great shock that the
still vastly outnumbered, filled many key positions Budetug met the Caractingessen at the Battle of
in the Inuueliting machine. When fighting started Lisharnok in 2315 BC, and even greater shock when
thousands of worlds ground to a stop, leaving the the Empire fell little less than a thousand years later
Inuueliting to fend for themselves as Budetug scur- to the very same foe.
ried around wreaking havoc on vital systems and
stealing whatever weapons and ships they could.
The war carried on for thousands of years and the
mense physical strength, and the wisdom which
The Budetug in Game Terms comes with years.
Attributes: Agility 2, Creativity 5, Dexterity 5-9 Our soldiers and archmagi have wrought the
Intelligence 3, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 4, events which have helped shape the galaxy and our
Stamina 5, Strength 1, Visualization 6 scholars have been present to record those changes
Vision: 500 meters in daylight, 500 meters at night. for posterity. We have helped the younger races in
Infrared vision at a range of 400 meters. their times of trial and fought against the elder races
Hearing: 20 meters in their times of tyranny.
Speed: special, see below.
Natural Armor: 2 It is through the great Caractingessen that the
Pincer Damage: 5 Blunt Universe shaped what was and forges that which is
Size: 4 to be. Ours is an Empire of Eternity, the embodiment
Saving Throws: No modifiers of Destiny. Share in our joy on this, the first day of
Special: Budetug are born with twelve legs and two forever.”
large pincers. Ordinarily they walk on six legs
and use the other six as “hands.” This gives them — Excerpt from the Inauguration speech of
a 5 Dexterity and a movement rate of 9/18/18. Lord Olan Shanok, first and last Emperor of the
They can use more legs to manipulate objects, Caractingessen Empire
increasing their Dexterity by one point for each
set of legs, and can curl their bodies up to use The Caractingessen are a race of large, lizard-
their pincers as well (providing a total +4 to like creatures which evolved on a large, green,
Dexterity). Alternately, they can use more of lush world. They are characterized by a long, scale-
their legs to walk, giving them +3/+6/+6 to their covered body with square jaws and bodies, blocky
movement rate for each additional pair of legs heads, and a long tail. Caractingessen have taloned
used to walk, to a maximum of 18/36/36 with all claws on each of their four feet which they are some-
legs in use. times seen sharpening against flat, ceremonial rocks,
in age-old Caractingessen warrior tradition. They
boast about their size — often — and usually live up
to the tales: some have grown as large as 40 meters
Caractingessen
Page 14
long and 10 meters tall at the shoulder, though most

are less than half that size.
Homeworld: Necrontor There are two main lines of Caractingessen:

Common Names: Nors, Sentels, Gess Greats and Serpentines. Greats are stockier and
Average Lifespan: 3,500-4,500 Years stronger, but typically slower and less dexterous

Tesser Capability: 2.7 Million BC than their Serpentine cousins. Greats also have
thick, leathery wings that provide them with the abil-
“We are the People of Time, and remember ity to fly (though they are slow at times, especially
much that others forget as their parents and parents’ when taking off). When not in use these fold onto
parents quickly live and die. We are the People of their back much as bat wings do. Greats comprise
Sight, those granted with long lives that enable us nearly 80% of the Caractingessen population. On
to find in history that which others overlook. We are the Caractingessen homeworlds there are other sub-
the People of the Universe, able to harness the great races, legacies of millennia of genetic manipulation,
powers that are, to shape our worlds and ourselves. but they typically cannot survive for long outside of
We are the Caractingessen. their environments.
When the first of our People cracked his shell Serpentine Caractingessen are slender and have
and spread his fledgling wings to dry in the light of longer tails than the Greats. They are not as strong
Necrontor’s sun two great gifts were bestowed upon as the Greats but make up for a lack of strength with
us: an understanding of ourselves and the strength agility and intelligence. The Serpentines are more
needed to remain strong in the light of truth. Over social and usually become the ambassadors or poli-
time the People have cultivated these strengths and ticians of their species.
now boast legendary control over the Lording, im-

Page 15

A Caractingessen with a Human rider — a more and more common sight in recent times. While the
stereotypical Gess is at once noble and savage, refusing to let any other species ride them, some have gained
a great respect for humanity because of their conquest of the galaxy. There are still some Gess alive who
remember their own empire, and who dream of one day sharing a new empire with the Humans.
Among some Serpentine families there is
a long tradition of recording the history of the The Caractingessen spread throughout the gal-
Caractingessen, starting with the first contact they axy and never gave much thought to the other races,
had with the Inuueliting. Members of these families except to occasionally trade with them or work
are known as the Kharec Dainar, or the Keepers of as mercenaries. They never were concerned with
Time. Lord Olan Shanok, the only Caractingessen politics or global — let alone galactic — affairs. So
Emperor, was from a well respected Kharec Dainar it was an incredible shock to the Budetug when the
family. Caractingessen not only stirred from their collective
slumber but struck out to take over the galaxy for
Caractingessen are taught from birth to sense themselves.
the Lording, further enhancing their already superior
natural Lording abilities. This innate power makes As a young Caractingessen the Serpentine Olan
Caractingessen strong mages. Some Caractingessen Shanok was ambitious, energetic, and disillusioned
learn at a young age how to alter their size, spe- with the status quo. He wanted something more
cifically to shrink themselves. This facilitates in- than his prestigious Kharec Dainar family could of-
teraction with other races for the relatively large fer, more than he could find anywhere on the colony
Caractingessen. Their natural physical and Lording worlds of Necrontor or the worlds of the other races.
strength helps to make them excellent soldiers, but Olan Shanok had a vision of a galaxy ruled by the
their belligerence often makes these soldiers more strong, powerful, and “wise” Caractingessen.
trouble than they’re worth.
Over hundreds of years Olan Shanok began
Since first encountering Humans the changing the tide of the Caractingessen public. For
Caractingessen have felt a special bond with “the the first time ever the Greats began working with
young ones.” After the Human Empire overthrew the Serpentines and each other to train soldiers,
the Halla, who had previously destroyed the short build a fleet, and prepare for what Olan referred to
lived Caractingessen Empire, the relationship grew as “the Great Beginning.” All of these preparations
even stronger. Many older Caractingessen who still was performed in relative secrecy. When word of
remember their Empire view the Halla as parasites the Caractingessen buildup reached the other races
and Humans as benevolent saviors of the galaxy, if they scoffed at it as “ludicrous” rumors. Then, under
only temporarily successful ones. Shanok’s leadership, the Caractingessen struck at the
Page 16
Budetug Empire.
Out of this bond a fairly recent and unusual sort
of comradeship has grown: Humans are sometimes Once fighting began it took nearly a thousand
found riding Caractingessen during flight! The stron- years for the Caractingessen to wear down their op-
gest of the Greats sometimes take riding partners ponent. In many cases the Caractingessen blockaded
and consider their riders a respected — and integral Budetug planets and outwaited their opponents,

— part of their families. knowing that their view of time was different than
that of the comparatively short-lived Budetug.
Eventually the Budetug surrendered, broken and
disillusioned.
Caractingessen History
Once the Empire was established Olan Shanok,
For much of their long history the Caractingessen by this time known as Lord Olan Shanok, worked
were content to leave the politics of the galaxy to to entrench the Caractingessen Empire across the
the rest of the races — after all, they had troubles of galaxy. Every planet felt the presence of the Empire.
their own. Greats never get along with each other or Shanok then started a galactic patrol fleet of Halla
with the Serpentines, and try as they might to avoid pilots to keep the shipping lanes free from piracy and
it these disagreements often end in violence. It is to enforce justice.
rare for one Caractingessen to kill another, but too
often they find an empty field (or make one by clear- As Lord Shanok grew old, however, his energy
ing some forest), and fight until one or the other is started to dissipate. With it so to did the strength
incapacitated. Serpentine fight much less frequently, of the Empire. The Caractingessen were spread too
and when they do they avoid fighting Greats, but thinly across the galaxy and there was no clear path
occasionally even the “social” Caractingessen are of succession. Infighting began again in earnest, and
prone to violent outbursts.

Shanok grew sick. He lost heart over a hundred years

before his death, and just weeks before he died the
Empire fell to the Halla fleets it had helped to con- Halla

struct.
Homeworld: Galbrzu
After the fall of the Empire the Caractingessen Common Names: Hol, Fuzzers, Rats

returned to their old ways of infighting and compe- Average Lifespan: 130-170 Years
tition, but not to the degree of pre-Empire condi- Tesser Capability: 2.9 Million BC
tions. Many secretly harbor desires to resurrect the

recently fallen Empire and see the Caractingessen in Halla are relatively short, gray-brown skinned
charge of the galaxy again. Some say this is why the humanoids. Their thick skin is covered with a fine

Caractingessen work so closely with the Humans, fur, save for their eyes, which are covered by a nicti-
because they may be the only ones who have the tating membrane. The inner membrane is clear, and
power to bring the galaxy together again. Others feel usually closed to protect their eyes. The outer mem-

the Caractingessen are just biding their time until
brane closely resembles their skin. Most Halla have
they can once again leave the shadows of politics
small holes for ears, tightly held to the sides of their
and sweep across the galaxy.

face below their cheekbones, flaring nostrils beneath
their ears, and a small mouth on the underside of
Either way, the Caractingessen are much more their chin. (A few Halla have a recessive trait which
active than ever, and some of them have even causes them to have large prominent holes as ears.)

learned the power of working together.
Male and female Halla look similar, save for the

The Caractingessen in Game Terms birthing pouch on the midsection of the females. This
pouch gives the females more of a rounded look, es-
pecially when pregnant. Halla children reside in the

Attributes: Agility 1, Creativity 1, Dexterity 1, pouch for three months, after which time they are
Intelligence 4, Lording 8, Mental Endurance 1, too big to be carried by the mother.

Stamina 9, Strength 6, Visualization 2. Serpentines
receive +1 to Agility and Visualization, but -1 to Halla typically are dexterous and mentally
Stamina and Strength. quick. They sport an insatiable curiosity and are
Page 17
Vision: 3 km in daylight, 1 km at night renowned as explorers. As a result many become
Hearing: 40 meters pilots, foraging out into the unknown for profit or
Speed: 80/160/160 on four legs, 5/10/10 when enjoyment. Over millions of years this has fostered
reared up on hind legs (whether for height the impression of Halla as the best pilots in the gal-
advantage or simply for tool use). Greats can axy, a distinction they are proud to hold and quick
fly at 150/300/300. Serpentines move on the to defend.

ground at 100/200/200.
Natural Armor: 5 Unlike many of the other species in the galaxy

Claw Damage: 10 Slashing the Halla are close-knit and have few, if any, internal
Size: 10 for Greats, 9 for Serpentines conflicts. They learned to work as teams in order
Saving Throws: -10 to save versus Blindness, -6 to to survive on Galbrzu and continue to encourage
save versus Deafness, +8 to save versus Disease. internal harmony to this day. Despite this they thrive
Special: Armor costs are quadrupled. Cybernetics on competition, seeing dogfights as a chess games
costs are tripled. Food costs are quadrupled. and death as a most honorable end if the result of a
Sense of smell is exceptional — Caractingessen duel.
have a base 60% chance to track someone by
smell, and may add +6 to skill rolls where this Until the arrival of Humans on the galactic
sense is relevant (such as hunting or cooking). scene, the Halla were the undisputed masters of
space. Their scientists adapted Inuueliting tesseract
drives to Budetug ships and created some of the
most powerful starfighters in the galaxy. Halla engi-
neers constantly improved upon their work to enable
great explorers to go farther faster. Since the arrival of
Humans some of the Halla shipyards and engineer-
ing labs have become silent. As a result some Halla ship design, and appeared to be a growing force
hold grudges against the Humans, and take pride in which the Inuueliting hoped would help stave off
the fact that the Human Empire, like their own, fell. violence with the Budetug. Halla scientists worked
with the Inuueliting to develop tesseract drives in
Aside from their minor squabbles the Halla have exchange for access to raw materials and informa-
no real enemies in the Galaxy, instead preferring to tion about the galaxy. The Halla began to explore the
live in unaffiliated communities scattered through- stars, first as pilots for the Inuueliting and later as a
out the inhabited systems. They sell their services as free people.
pilots to anyone who will pay, and often set out on
exploration missions for months at a time. Curiously, For millions of years the Halla peacefully coex-
few mention the short-lived Hallan Empire. isted with other races, serving as pilots for warships,
transports, and deep space exploration ships (their
favorite). Anyone who would pay for their services
found the Halla to be honorable and dependable.
Hallan History They quickly became integrated into the galaxy,
growing communities in nearly every system.
The Halla homeworld is arid and harsh. Vast During this time the Halla remained independent,
expanses of dry land are separated by increasingly however, and maintained tight communication with
shallow seas, brushed continually by steady dust- the homeworld.
laden winds. Galbrzu was an old world when the
Halla evolved, and all know that it is slowly dying. After millions of years as silent members of the
Some speculate the reason for the Halla’s unstop- galactic community the Halla began to clamor for
pable urge to explore the galaxy is an attempt to find more power in the galaxy. After all, they were the
a new homeworld, to inhabit once Galbrzu is gone. ones who ran most of the shipping lanes. They were
Others believe they are trying to find a powerful ally the ones who piloted the fighters for many of the
to reinstate the short-lived Hallan Empire. great space battles. But they had little or no say in
the way the Empires ran things. So the Halla secretly
Other species on Galbrzu were well-developed planned among themselves to make a stand, and
by the time Halla evolved 4.8 million years ago, but have a say. With the fall of the Caractingessen Empire
none had yet gained sentience. The species which the Halla saw their one chance for power emerge.
had survived were some of the most violent in the They already controlled the shipping lanes, military
Page 18
Milky Way. With oceans filled with violent, powerful machines, and communication arrays of the galaxy.
predators and the land equally dangerous there was With a short, swift coup, the Halla took over.
little room for the Halla to grow. They were forced
into the difficult corners of Galbrzu, the craggy cliffs But it was a short-lived Empire, one many don’t
of the shoreline and the hard, angular mountain- consider to be an Empire at all. The Halla had never

sides. To cope with their environment and protect considered creating a government (they had lived as
themselves the Halla quickly developed advanced semi-independent communities spread throughout
technologies. space for millions of years), and they didn’t want
anything from the other races. So after little more

Small groups of Halla began to voyage through- than a hundred years the other races realized the
out their world, using newfound technology, and bluff which had been played and fought back, easily
founding the honorable tradition of exploration overthrowing the few Halla who claimed authority
among their kind. Soon these explorers had de- over the galaxy. Chaos ensued.
veloped mechanical devices which enabled them
to overcome physical limitations and subdue the Today some Halla have gone back to their tra-
violent predators on their planet. Once they had ditional ways, working for anyone who will give
conquered the land Halla continued into the ocean, them a ship and a chance to see the stars. They don’t
and eventually into space. engage in politics anymore and have given up any
notions of a galactic Empire. The new Halla vision is
Inuueliting encountered the Halla in 4.2 mil- to continue exploring, only this time their sights are
lion BC and kept watch on them. First contact oc- set much higher: beyond the Milky Way.
curred around 3 million BC as tensions between the
Inuueliting and Budetug grew. By this time the Halla
had populated their system, worked wonders with

The Halla in Game Terms
Valorians
Attributes: Agility 4, Creativity 2, Dexterity 4,

Intelligence 3, Lording 6, Mental Endurance 6,
Stamina 4, Strength 2, Visualization 5 Homeworld: Hdfvbn (Valoria)
Common Names: Amphibs, Rockies

Vision: 1 km in daylight, 10 meters at night,
ultraviolet vision to a range of 200 meters. Average Lifespan: 1,900-2,100 Years
Hearing: 20 meters Tesser Capability: 4.1 Million Years

Speed: 8/15/15
Natural Armor: 4 Hdfvbn (or Valoria as it is more commonly
Punch Damage: 2 Bashing known) is a world covered in water. The planet on

Size: 3 the whole is very level, with few mountains or can-
Saving Throws: +1 to save against Blindness yons. Due to its proximity to its sun, the polar ice
caps are almost nonexistent. The Valorians evolved

Special: The Halla have nicitating membranes
which cover their eyes and protect them in an isolated shallow region, protected by reefs and
against windblown sand and grit. They have mountains. They are a silicon-based life form, as are
all others on their homeworld. Needing only light

the side effect of allowing them to see perfectly
underwater. and an occasional meal of rock, the Valorians had
a great deal of leisure time in their early history to

spend on artistic and scientific pursuits.
Valorians form families for life. Their large,

extended families often keep in touch across vast
reaches of space. While they do lay eggs, both male
and female Valorians have strong parental instincts.

A clutch of Valorian eggs can take up to ten years
to hatch, and can yield a clutter of up to fifty larval

Valorian children. After about 100 years the larvae fi-
nally mature into the adult form of the species. Only
one out of every five Valorian larvae will survive past
Page 19
the first three years.
The Valorians have a truly dizzying array of

senses. Their eyesight, while short-ranged, is capable
of seeing nearly any frequency of light. Their hear-
ing and scent organs — the antennae on their heads

— are more sensitive than most scientific devices.

Valorian History
Valorians were first discovered by the Inuueliting,

who passed them over because they felt that “some-
thing that ugly could never be intelligent.” The Vals
were almost unaware of the contact, not having any
satellites in orbit at the time. Millions of years later, a
Budetug scouting party rediscovered the race.
Initially, the Budetug were glad to find another

race so visually similar to themselves. However, the
ideologies of the two proved to be incompatible.
Valorian culture is oriented towards introspection,
careful forethought, and meditation. Budetug cul-
A Valorian firing microwaves. It’s bad joke. ture, on the other hand, is more oriented towards
hard work, instinctual decisions, and teamwork. on their head. Their eyes, while lacking long-range
While the two races are still officially allied to this vision, are compound and well-protected.
day, they have little in common.
Valorians originally evolved in shallow seas on
Valorians have never been heavily involved Hdfvbn, and are well-adapted to the water. Valorian
in galactic politics, preferring to remain neutral lungs can breathe water and their bodies are stream-
and safe. Because of their massive intellect they lined. Adapted to moving through viscous waters,
are heavily recruited for think tanks and research they are surprisingly agile on land. They can fire
firms. They played a small role in the second and microwave bursts from their antennae.
third Inuuel-Budetug wars, siding reluctantly with
the Budetug. Their small population forced them to Valorians are a peacelike race, and always have
withdraw early and they were never able to contrib- been. They discovered explosives and nuclear phys-
ute significantly to the war effort. ics, but never tested a single nuclear bomb. The
species as a whole is known for being ruled more by
Valorian culture is primarily oral. Their nearly logic than by emotion.
photographic memories, strong voices, and sensitive
hearing organs have always kept their race con- Valorians make great engineers, historians, and
nected since their prehistory. Valorian epic poems mathematicians.
are rivaled only by those of the Inuueliting and
Humans.
Valorians in Game Terms
One area where Valorians are not well-respected
is in the artistic world (with the possible exception Attributes: Agility 9, Creativity 1, Dexterity 4,
of music). While they are excellent technical writers Intelligence 10, Lording 0, Mental Endurance 2,
and artists, Valorians lack the creative spark which Stamina 1, Strength 1, Visualization 8
drives Human and Sa’crontor artists. There is no Vision: 3 meters in daylight, 3 meters at night.
Salvador Dali of the Valorian art world. Nor are there Valorians can see into the infrared and ultraviolet
any great architectural accomplishments. When a spectrums with a range of 10 meters.
Valorian creates a building, form follows function Hearing: 200 meters. The Valorian sense of hearing
precisely. This lends a sort of alien beauty to their is so acute as to be able to pick out heartbeats at
a range of 20 meters.
Page 20
dwellings, making other races uneasy.

Speed: 50/100/100 (Swimming: 10/20/20)
On the Valorian homeworld, in the middle Natural Armor: 12
of Crater Ocean, is a building financed by both Jab Damage: 2 Blunt. May also fire a microwave
Caractingessen and Valorian homeworld govern- burst from their antennae, doing Disintegration
ments. Known as the Hall of Time, it contains exten- damage equal to their Intelligence, to a range of

sive historical records from every species and almost 5 meters per point of Mental Endurance.
all colonized worlds. It contains firsthand reports Size: 4
from all three major Inuueliting-Budetug wars, the Saving Throws: +10 to save against Blindness.
colonization of the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, the dis- Special: Their outstanding minds and photographic
covery of the Human and Ogre races, and thousands memories give Valorians a +4 to the Knowledge
upon thousands of other events. The one thing miss- attribute. They can also use their hearing
ing from the Hall of Time is early Archangel history range instead of their visual range when firing
— much of it was never written down. A project is weapons. They also have an incredible sense of
currently underway there to understand the trends smell, which gives them an 80% chance to track
and cycles that last millions of years of galactic his- someone by smell, and a +8 to skill rolls where
tory. this sense might be relevant (such as Hunting or
Cooking).
Valorians are one of the more alien-looking spe-
cies in the galaxy. Their bodies stand approximately
five feet tall at the head, and three feet at the shoul-
der. They have four dog-like legs, four dexterous ten-
tacles sprouting from their thorax, and four antennae

can be maneuvered into most weapons and elec-

Nesti tronic controls, allowing them to interface directly
with these devices. As a result Nesti are quick and

deadly. It is considered sacrilegious by their society
Homeworld: N’tal’ing Geth to use this ability on anything but weapons, how-
Common Names: Flowers, Weeds, Shrubbery, ever, so be wary if you find see a Nesti pilot a ship by

Whirling Sagebrush putting her appendages into the controls...
Average Lifespan: 100 Years
Tesser Capability: 1.3 Million BC When they are not fighting or moving around

the Nesti can stand almost perfectly still — fooling
Nesti are a race of intel-

ligent, mobile plants with a
tendency towards violence.
Typically no taller than five

feet, they often appear de-
ceptively large by moving
their branches and tendrils

around into larger shapes.
Each of these appendages
can work as an arm or hand,

giving them immense flex-
ibility. The Nesti are biologi-

cally mobile shrubs. They
are composed of a tangled
mass of red gold tendrils that

writhe with motion while
they are active. This fluidity
of structure has made them

quick and adaptable, if not
really all that bright.
Page 21
The society on the Nesti
homeworld honors its war-
riors and has little time for
anything else. They disdain
the ‘intellectual’ pursuits

of the other races, mostly
because Nesti aren’t able
to understand them. As a
result Nesti tend to find work Valence Main Rulebook: Species
which doesn’t require much
thought but has at least a
chance for fighting.
Nesti talents for battle

are not by themselves sig-
nificant factors — they are
not great tacticians or inspi-
rational leaders. But because
of their multiple appendages
the Nesti can operate many
A Nesti adult (middle left) and a pair of sprouts (above and below the
weapons at once. The tiny
top bridge) walk around their home. Nesti blend into their houses well,
shoots on their appendages
as the houses are literally made from their ancestors.
(analogous to Human hair),
many people into thinking they are either stationary
plants (you know, the regular kind), or asleep. Nesti
guards have been known to get great enjoyment out Nesti History
of startling passersby or even comrades. Humans are
the most frequent recipients of this treatment, and N’tal’ing Geth, the Nesti homeworld, is a slowly
provide the most colorful responses when startled. rotating, windy planet with very little radiation. It
Some noncombatant Nesti have found their talents takes roughly 9 Earth months to complete a rotation,
with plants — specifically their ability to nurture creating hot and cold sides of the planet.
plants, and create lighting specifically tailored to
plant growth — very lucrative. Many Nesti live in Nesti developed as wind-borne carnivorous
farming colonies spread throughout the galaxy, hap- plants which ate insects and small flying creatures
pily harvesting the “lesser plants” for the consump- as they sailed on the wind, much like a venus fly
tion of others. trap version of sagebrush. As they evolved Nesti
gained the ability to move their appendages to better
Unlike many of the other races in the universe control their flight, and eventually developed limited
the Nesti have no sexes. They could, theoretically, intelligence and began to forage on the ground.
reproduce by pollinating their own flowers. On the
homeworlds this is viewed as incestuous behavior, N’tal’ing Geth is a moist planet with varied
punishable by death. In other places it is simply ecosystems, and the settling Nesti quickly evolved
looked down on as inbreeding. Instead Nesti will into slightly separate subspecies. As they migrated
find any number of partners when flowering, pol- to avoid the dark side of the planet these subspecies
linate each other, and then carry 15-20 offspring in eventually began to interact. At first their relations
growing buds for about 6 months, until they are able were peaceful, but as populations grew fighting en-
to survive on their own. sued. From that day forth the Nesti have embraced
warriors and fighting.
Nesti can go years without flowering, but usually
do flower when they are not involved in any conflict With limited technological advancements the
and have sufficient resources (sunlight, water and Nesti were able to construct Null Cities, windless en-
nutrients) available. Sometimes this is used to their claves rich in nutrients, water, and light. Incremental
advantage — a scouting troupe can land on a hostile improvements continued and eventually the Nesti
developed artificial light, enabling them to build
Page 22
plant and ‘breed’ a force of Nesti to attack.

permanent civilizations without fear of dark sleep,
Law is a simple concept to the Nesti. They devel- the Nesti hibernation period during lightless times.
oped ritual combats to deal with territorial disputes
on N’tal’ing Geth, and some still adhere to the ‘old Fighting became more fierce during this time as
ways’ when a problem arises. Participants are the more and more Nesti flocked to the cities. Groups

individuals involved, or, in cases against the Nesti fought for control of the scientists, for the best
State, the offender and members of the military. If the resources, and the most light. Decades of chaos
accused can survive six consecutive combats they ensued, nearly destroying Nesti civilization (but
are presumed innocent and the case is dismissed. provoking an arms race that resulted in more tech-
nological advancements than the Nesti have since
When Nesti die they harden like coral, and are created). For a short time after this, the Great War,
used as the building material for dwellings. When an peace ensued as the Nesti struggled to rebuild and
old Nesti realizes that it is about to die, it will weave repopulate the planet.
its tendrils into the walls of its building, becoming
one with the structure. A Nesti building is literally During this lull the Inuueliting visited N’tal’ing
made out of ancestors, and many say that this is why Geth and made first contact with the Nesti. They
the Nesti will fight so hard to defend their homes. saw great potential in these plant-beings as subjects
Eventually the bodies become a hard stone, and and made an effort to incorporate them into the
Nesti buildings look like woven bands of rock. Even Inuueliting Empire — to no avail. The Nesti quickly
those who die in battle have a place — they become combined their previously separate forces into a
the foundations. Many Nesti villages are built on old defense force and fought off the Inuueliting. After
battlegrounds. a brief victory celebration they once again began
infighting for training purposes, this time with a cau-
tious eye to the sky.

When it became clear that the Inuueliting in-
vaders were not coming back (something that took Archangels

the Nesti a million years to realize), they decided
that they would have to go off-world to find their Homeworld: Natoenthar
ancient enemies. The Nesti worked diligently to de- Common Names: Archs, Cops, Avangelinté

velop spaceships and after nearly two million years Average Lifespan: Unknown, presumed immor-
achieved tesser capabilities. Nesti hordes left their tal. No Archs die of old age.
homeworld to join the Galactic society.

Tesser Capability: Unknown
Nesti in Game Terms The Archangels appear to be a race of animated

plate mail. Covered in precious metals they have
Attributes: Agility 5, Creativity 6, Dexterity 8, ingested, they are an intimidating sight. Each suit of
armor is very different from the other, but while they

Intelligence 1, Lording 4, Mental Endurance 6,
Stamina 5, Strength 7, Visualization 1 appear vastly different they all share certain charac-
Vision: No ordinary visual sense at all. Nesti are teristics. They each have a steel-hard exoskeleton

blind to ordinary light, and cannot read or see as well as an internal endoskeleton. They all have
colors. They do have an active radar sense with “feathered” wings composed of the same biometal-
a range of one kilometer, which often makes up lic substance as their shells. A complex internal

for their lack of sight. This sense works in all gland uses magnetic forces to actually lift their mas-
directions at once. sive weights off the ground. Archangels hands are
Hearing: 120 meters. This is accomplished through covered in metallic blades, razor -sharp and capable

a sensitive vibrational sense rather than normal of slicing through battle armor when combined with
hearing, but the effect is the same. the awesome musculature they possess.

Speed: 15/30/30
Natural Armor: 4 Archangels must be strong in order to bear their
Punch Damage: 4 Disintegration own weight, but they have been provided with even

Size: 4 more strength then would otherwise be suggested.
Saving Throws: Immune to blindness (unless their They have a muscular system more akin to hydrau-
radar sense is overloaded). lics than normal muscles. This, combined with their
Page 23
Special: Nesti can mesh their tendrils into weapons, “claws,” allows them to inflict massive damage to
giving them a +2 to attack rolls. They can also their enemies.
root themselves to the ground, making it almost
impossible to knock them over. Either of these As if their physical abilities were not frightening
takes one action to do. All Nesti require light if enough, Archangels have tremendous gifts when
it comes to commanding the arcane forces of the

they are to be active at all, and must go to sleep
after being in the dark for one hour. They wake Lording, although they can only learn certain repeti-
up after half an hour of exposure to light. Nesti tive methods of using it.

can also extend single tendrils a short distance
outside of their body (about 5 meters), and can With their tough shells, flight, Lording, and im-
see and hear with them, though they cannot mense strength, Archangels are a race that seem to
lift anything with just a single tendril. They have been specifically designed for combat. Who
effectively have two “arms” for most purposes. designed them is unknown, but to some it seems
highly unlikely that nature could have produced
such killers on her own.
Archangels can not lie. While this is true, it can

be misleading for many people. If an Archangel tells
you something flat out, you can believe it. He or she
will literally die from telling a lie. The trick is that the
truth Archangel tells you is the truth as they see it. “A
few Humans on the other side of the hill” can mean
any one of several different things. It can mean just
what it says: There are a few people on the other side
of the hill having a party. It can also mean that there Millennia later the Budetug Empire came with
a few homicidal Humans toting lasers over there much more advanced technology and a love of
who are lusting for blood. It’s all the same to some orbital bombardment. The stubborn Budetug simply
Archangels. If they are attacked they deal with the refused to admit defeat, and had sufficient numbers
problem in the most expedient manner available. If to keep throwing themselves at the Archangels. It
not, they are content to leave well enough alone. was only when the Archangels were told that they
After all, a few Humans with lasers is not usually could govern their own world that they capitulated.
much of a threat to an Archangel. Until the Human Empire, they were content to be
withdrawn to their homeworld.
Archangelic History During the Human Empire, the Archangels were
given the opportunity to act as an elite police force.
The Avangelinté were discovered by the This fit well with their culture and sensibilities,
Inuueliting in 3 million BC. At that time they already and the Archs agreed. Since then, many “younger”
had a flourishing civilization with complex technol- Archangels (some of them over a hundred thousand
ogy and fabulous Lording capabilities. There were years old) have found work in law enforcement and
several odd gaps in their technology. For one, they investigation firms.
had no space travel, nor do did they seem interested
in such. Their weapons technology was also strangely Archangels compose only a tiny fraction (far less
archaic for a society with radios and artificial flight. than 1%) of the galactic population. Despite this,
they remain a very important part of galactic culture.
The most startling discovery occurred soon after The Father, leader of the entire Archangel race, is de-
they were found: the Archangels were not natives of termined to ensure that they stay so. He encourages
the planet they called their home world. After allow- his species to stay involved in the galactic culture
ing Inuueliting scholars to view their most ancient — who knows when the next galactic empire will
artifacts it was soon concluded that these “savages” arise?
had indeed possessed extremely advanced technol-
ogy and had exiled themselves to this world of their Despite the technology on the Archangel home
own volition. world and the advanced sciences that created their
most holy artifacts the Archangels have no idea
The discovery of advanced technology fright-
Page 24
where it came from. They accept the conclusion that

ened many Inuueliting who felt that perhaps the they came from a different world although they have
Avangelinté were merely biding their time to one no idea which one. The eldest members of the race
day conquer the galaxy. It was inconceivable to the may know, but if so they are not forthcoming with
Inuuel that another race would have no desire to as- information.
sume command. The Gold Inuuel were called in.

The Inuueliting armada was in for a rude sur-

prise when they attempted to take the Archangel Archangels in Game Terms
homeworld. The Archangels, despite their lack

of space vehicles, were quite capable of defend- Attributes: Agility 1, Creativity 1, Dexterity 2,
ing their home from spaceborne attackers. Giant Intelligence 5, Lording 10, Mental Endurance 6,
weapons of unknown technology sliced the incom- Stamina 9, Strength 7, Visualization 2
ing fleet to shreds. When they managed to land on Vision: 750 meters in daylight, 3 meters at night.
Natoenthar itself, the Gold Inuueliting were simply Hearing: 6 meters
no match for the well-armored, Lording-rich opposi- Speed: 15/30/30. Concealable wings provide a flight
tion. Their only advances were made late at night, speed of 50/90/90
when the night-blind Archangels retreated to their Natural Armor: 10
homes. Inuuel archmagi drained themselves dry try- Punch Damage: 5 Slashing. Wings can also be used
ing to counteract the Archangel Lordings, realizing to do 5 slashing damage.
too late that they were outmatched. The Inuueliting Size: 5
retreated in shame, having received their second Saving Throws: +10 to save versus Blindness.
major defeat. Special: Must eat four times as much as most species.
Can never lie. Armor cost is doubled.

the wealthier Sa’crontor, who rarely venerate the

Trickster, and the younger, who are much more de-
Sa’crontor vout. A Sa’crontor thief is much more likely to steal

from a Sa’crontor merchant than one from another
Homeworld: Tsauria race.
Common Names: Snakemen, Slimies

Average Lifespan: 200-250 Years Sa’crontorian History
Tesser Capability: 720,000 BC

The Sa’crontor believe that the first truly evolved
The Sa’crontor are a race of beings who resemble one of their species, known as the Trickster or Great
the snakes that evolved on Earth. They are approxi- Thinker, was the one who protected their race in

mately three meters long, with a cobra-like hood, its infancy and taught them the secrets of ambush,
fangs, and a forked tongue. Their eyes are beady, sneak attacks, and dirty tricks. It was he, their reli-
black slits which most races have little trust for. Most

gion states, who taught them how to defend them-
Sa’crontor are green, grey, or brown. When coiled selves from the giant mammals.
up to a “standing” position, they are about one and a
half meters tall. Their shiny scales make them look as

When wars broke out amongst the Sa’crontor, di-
if they were wet, though their skin is always dry. rect assaults were a seldom-used tactic. More often,
guerilla tactics and subtle Lording tricks were used

Sa’crontor arms are small, looking almost like to lure enemies out into the open or into an ambush.
those on a Tyrannosaurus Rex (without the claws). Most Sa’crontor to this day keep that heritage both in
They have two fingers and a thumb, and the whole combat and in political dealings.

arm may be folded into a chest cavity, allowing the
Sa’crontor to slither along at higher speeds. Despite Eventually, the Sa’crontor advanced technologi-
their appearance, they are not cold-blooded.

cally to the point of building a tachyon transceiver.
When they translated the messages coming through
The Sa’crontor evolved in a swampy section of it, they were overwhelmed by the galactic culture

their homeworld, where they hid from predators around them! They realized quickly that their world
in the mud and in trees. Giant, carnivorous mam- was in a “backwater” section of the galaxy, almost
mals were a constant threat. The Sa’crontor culture impossible for another species to stumble onto.
Page 25
evolved in caves and treetops, away from the dead- Intercepting the plans for an Inuuel tesseract drive,
lier mammals of their world. the Sa’crontor determinedly created a ship to carry
it, and entered galactic culture in full force. Here
Having evolved in a little-traveled section of the was an entire galaxy that could benefit from the
galaxy, the Sa’crontor were isolated from contact Trickster’s ideals!
until after the third Inuueliting-Budetug war. This

and their status as a “young race” meant that it was After their millions of years of dealing with intel-
they who discovered the rest of the galaxy, not the ligent mammals, the Sa’crontor had a bit of trouble

other way around. believing that the Inuuel and Halla weren’t out to
get them. Once the Ogres and Humans were dis-
Since their religion advocates dirty tricks, the covered, though, the Sa’crontor warmed up to the
Sa’crontor are well known for them. Very few opportunities presented to them.
people trust the snakemen. This is offset by the
natural persuasiveness of their voices, and the fact Sa’crontor are very political beings, and are
that many Sa’crontor are merchants and thus some- always attempting to forge new alliances and “break
what wealthy. One fraction of the species lives in into” the older alliances which formed before they
opulence, spending their wealth on comfortable sur- evolved. Their best relations are with Humans,
roundings and generally enjoying the good life. Valorians, and Nesti. Budetug and Inuueliting both
consider them a waste of time, which is the main
The vast majority of Sa’crontor, however, are not reason they are so often left on the sidelines of the
so lucky. Those who are not persuasive enough to current alliances. The Sa’crontor species government
overcome their reputation, and those who have less is trying to maneuver their race into a place where
skill as a merchant, often end up as bums, thieves, all treaties are negotiated by Sa’crontor, as “the only
and mercenaries. There is a growing schism between truly neutral race.”
The Sa’crontor in Game Terms Ogre Races
Intelligence 5, Lording 3, Mental Endurance 1, Homeworld: Grizzen
Stamina 1, Strength 1, Visualization 1 Common Names: Ogres, Apes, Bricks
Vision: 1 km in daylight, 6 meters at night. Average Lifespan: 50-80 Years
Hearing: 20 meters Tesser Capability: No
Speed: 30/60/60
Natural Armor: 2 What most people naively call “Ogres” are
Punch Damage: 0 Blunt. They may also fire a laser actually three separate species: Titans, Trolls, and
from their eyes, doing 10 Piercing damage, to a Draconians. They never had a word for their own
range of 5 meters per point of Intelligence. species in their own languages — it was not until
Size: 5 Humanity came to Grizzen that they began calling
Saving Throws: No modifiers themselves Ogres. Once they learned the history of
Special: Sa’crontor have retractable arms. Their the name, most Ogres were more than happy to ac-
“walking” speed is only 25/50/50 with their cept it.
arms out; with them in they can slither along
more quickly. The Ogre homeworld of Grizzen is a planet
covered in jungles. The vegetation is not particularly
tall, but is all very large and sometimes blocks out
the sun. Wood taken from these jungles is prized for
its resistance to acid and flame. Grizzen is a high-
gravity world, resulting in many forms of aquatic life
and not many tall land-dwellers. The Ogres are an
exception to that.
Towering more than a foot over the average

Human, all Ogre races resemble large apes just
approaching the Human form. They have long arms
Page 26
and short legs for the size of their body. Titans and
Draconians are husky and grey-skinned, while Trolls
are scrawnier and green-skinned. All races are com-
pletely hairless for reasons which will soon become
obvious. Ogre races are all but immune to fear, and

are also able to see through illusions created with

the Lording or with a holographic projector. Most
Ogres wear very durable fabrics and never wear
gloves. Ogre races are not very bright. They also

have trouble with the concepts of past, present, and
future, which only compounds the problem. They
are universally strong, stubborn, and tireless.
Trolls are the most common species of ogre.

Special glands in their skin allows them to secrete
a corrosive acid, which can eat through metal and
skin. Unfortunately, Trolls have no control over this
ability. It is automatically activated in times of stress,
such as combat or pursuit. Because of this, many
Trolls who travel away from Ogre worlds have taken
to wearing Syntheglass clothing (a sort of high-tech
fiberglass suit) that can withstand the acid but still al-
low it to pass through. They are naturally immune to

any kind of acid. Trolls are asexual creatures — there Meanwhile, the Titan and Troll continents on

is no such thing as a “male Troll” or “female Troll.” Grizzen had just discovered each other, thanks to
a land bridge. Trade and travel, such as they were

Titans are the least common type of ogre. Glands at that time, flowed between the two cultures. Not
underneath their skin tap latent heat energy, allowing knowing anything about genetics, each Ogre race
them to burst into flame with no harm to themselves. naturally assumed that the other was a long-lost

As a side benefit, Titans are nearly immune to heat, brother race, separated when the land bridge last
taking no damage from regular fires and only half dissolved. It was hundreds of years later, when the
damage from plasma. Like Trolls, they wear special Budetug explained the situation (several times), that

clothing when traveling off-world. Also like Trolls, Titans and Trolls realized they had no common an-
they have no conscious control over their abilities cestor within the past half-billion years.

and the flames manifest at any time of stress. Both
Titan and Troll glands are triggered by adrenaline. Ogres were discovered at the simple hunter-
Unlike Trolls, Titans have both male and female gatherer phase of their society. No one will ever

genders. know what might have happened if they were al-
lowed to evolve further. When the Caractingessen
Draconians are a offshoot of the Titan race, Empire failed, the Gess experimentation with the

created by the Caractingessen. The Gess modified Ogres was revealed. A contingent of Budetug was
the Titan gene structure to transform them into a sent to see how things were going on that planet,
parody of their own form. Draconians have plated and to offer Ogres the chance to join the galactic

skin and large bat-like wings which they can fold culture. After much explanation, the rediscovery of
behind their bodies. Draconians are the only Ogre the third continent and the Draconians on it, and a

race with control over their skin abilities — they can radical shift in lifestyle, Ogres became the youngest
activate a flame aura like that of a Titan at any time. race to ever take to the stars. Relations are still excel-
Unfortunately, the added control makes the effect lent between the three “subspecies,” who still think

weaker, and Draconians are not immune to fire or of each other as brother-races.
plasma except their own.

Ogres in Game Terms
Ogre History
Page 27
The youngest of all the races in the Milky Way, Intelligence 2, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 10,
the Ogre race is not even one million years old yet. Stamina 9, Strength 6, Visualization 1
Even Humanity is two million. Titans and Trolls are Vision: 300 meters in daylight, 10 meters at night.
examples of parallel evolution: they were two sepa- Hearing: 60 meters
rate species evolving on separate continents of the Speed: 20/40/40. Draconians have non-concealable

same world, filling the same niche in the environ- wings that allow them to fly at 85/170/170
ment. The Ogre social structure was approximately Natural Armor: 1 for Titans, 5 for other species
at the level of cavemen when the Gess discovered Punch Damage: 2 Blunt. Titans may add 10 Disint

them. damage from fire; Trolls add the same amount
from acid. Draconians add 5 from flames. Only
The Caractingessen, still feeling the loss of Draconians can control their flames; the other
their Succubus servants, tried once again to create species’ glands activate in times of stress.
a “perfect” slave race. Abducting a settlement of Size: 6
Titans, the Gess tweaked Titan genetic material and Saving Throws: No modifiers
create Draconians. These servants were sent back to Special: Ogres have no sense of smell whatsoever.
Grizzen to test their mettle. Some were seen as holy Titans take no damage from ordinary fire, and
beings by the local Titans, and were worshipped. half damage from fire or plasma based weapons.
Others were seen as demons, and were forced to Trolls are immune to most acids. Draconians
flee or be destroyed. After many years of testing, the have no such immunities.
Caractingessen decided that Draconians were too
stupid to be useful as front-line troops or slaves, and
left them behind on the third continent.
Human History
Humans
Humans evolved on their Earth over the past
Homeworld: Earth two million years, achieving civilization only about
Common Names: Humans, Earthlings 13,000 years ago when they discovered agricul-
Average Lifespan: 100-200 Years tural techniques. They quickly developed advanced
Tesser Capability: 2225 AD technologies which enabled them to dominate their
homeworld, extend Human capabilities through
Humans in the Valence universe closely resemble inanimate machines, manipulate their own genetic
their ancestors of 20th century Earth in facial features code, and expand beyond their own solar system.
and body structure. They stand roughly six feet tall,
have two eyes, ears, one nose and one mouth, and In 2225 AD, the Humans encountered an
the requisite number of appendages and digits. Over Inuueliting trader during one of their exploratory ex-
the course of the last thousand years Humans con- peditions beyond the ninth planet of their solar sys-
tinued to add languages, skin tones, hair colors and tem. The trader seized the opportunity to begin trade
body enhancements to their repertoire, as well as negotiations with the Humans. They quickly became
religions, philosophies and ways of living. Humans an important source of information for the Inuueliting
now represent the most physically and intellectually and built their trade networks on the backbone of the
diverse group in the galaxy. remaining Inuueliting infrastructure.
Most Humans embrace new technologies and The galaxy in the 24th century was a chaotic
thus boast a few cybernetic enhancements. Other place. For the first time in tens of millions of years
races often disregard Humans as ‘serious players’ in it was without unified leadership, leaving a gap
the galaxy because of the way they look and their the Humans quickly filled. Within a century they
variable social habits. As hard to understand as they subdued resistance to their rule and unified most
may be, however, Humans have shown themselves of the known worlds under one government. Each
to be remarkably powerful as a group, either because planet was allowed to rule as an autonomous entity,
of or in spite of their differences. provided it adhered to general guidelines set forth
by the Empire regarding commerce and racial rights.
As the most creative species in the galaxy, With the beginning of the Empire the Humans initi-
Page 28
Humans boast more inventions in the past two thou- ated a new dating scheme to help the races “start
sand years than most races with millions of years fresh.” The first year of the Empire is universally
of history. Their ability to adapt and integrate new referred to as GY 1.
technologies and ideas with their own aided greatly
Under this rule the galaxy flourished. The

in their quick rise to galactic prominence after first

contact with the Inuueliting. During the reign of the Inuueliting began to reverse their million-year-long
Human Empire thousands of research organizations trend of withdrawing from galactic society, Budetug
were created around Human scientists and research and Caractingessen began to cooperate, Nesti,
specialists. Valorians, Sa’crontor, Ogre races, and Archangels

were awarded greater respect and the standard of
After the Empire dissolved many organizations living for galactic peoples increased significantly.
retained their Human leaders and scientists. Even
without the government behind them Humans have In an effort to further improve the state of the
maintained their strong presence in the galaxy. galaxy the Human Empire created a division of the
Human music and art is all the rage in the 31st government called Genetechnologies Research and
century. Development (commonly known as Genetech). It
was chartered with the sole purpose of manipulating
Humans are well regarded as scientists, artists, plant, animal, and sentient species to improve their
information specialists, and engineers. genetic code.
Genetech quickly became one of the sole pro-

viders of unique and innovative genetic solutions to
racial and food production problems. Many critics

began to claim that Genetech unfairly competed

with other similar corporations because of its gov- Ariels
ernment ties.

Homeworld: Cathexis
Genetech began to research cross-species genet- Common Names: Ariels
ic combinations, commonly known as crossbreeds Average Lifespan: 250-300 Years

or Demons. These beings were manufactured in Tesser Capability: 1.5 Million BC
Genetech labs and leaked to the public for trial-bal-
loon feedback. Initial responses were positive when Early in Human history the Inuueliting visited

they passed as new races or natural born offspring, Earth and found underdeveloped Humans. They ge-
so Genetech upped their campaign to mass-produce netically altered the Humans to be more compatible

these beings. with their own people, then took a group back to
Ll’Anderanth and further altered them to be a worker
The short, bitter “War of Cleansing” followed. A caste in Inuueliting society. In order to serve better

purist movement grew in which genetic and natural in the Inuueliting cloud cities, the Humans were
crossbreeds were sought out and tortured or killed. imbued with broad, feathery wings, thin bones, and
The full story of the Demons is told elsewhere (see powerful muscles. As a result, Ariels have a fine coat

page xx). Suffice it to say that the Demons fought of feathers instead of hair. They are shorter than mod-
back, eventually bombarding Earth and destroying ern day Humans — most only stand five feet tall.
the main fleet of the Empire. With the Empire’s sup-

port gone the purist movement subsided. It was GY During the third war with the Budetug the Ariels
495, the war was over, and the galaxy was again were retrained to be an elite strike force which served

torn. Genetechnologies rose from the ashes of the as protector of the Inuueliting civilians. Near the end
Empire as a powerful company run by scientists and of the war a large force of Ariels fought their way into
politicians who had once worked in the Genetech a slave world and saved millions of Inuueliting cap-

division of the government. tives. For such selfless duty the Inuueliting people
choose to free the Ariels from service and provide
Most of the Empire’s holdings in the galactic them with a homeworld to call their own. Since that

core are loyal to the Coalition of Sentient Races in time the two species have boasted a close relation-
GY 592, but all other sectors of the galaxy pledge al- ship, and Ariels still serve many Inuueliting to this
legiance to local governments or racial ties. Humans day as hired hands.
Page 29
are still influential in their old circles from prewar
times, but the galactic unity wrought by their vision Ariels on their homeworld are trained from early
and creativity has been destroyed. childhood to work in groups as strike forces and
aerial guards. Even after maturing into full adults
they often participate in monthly retreats aimed at
Humans in Game Terms

honing their military skills and training them with
new weapons or techniques. Those in other cultures
Attributes: Agility 4, Creativity 10, Dexterity 4, remember some of this martial heritage, but typically

Intelligence 4, Lording 1, Mental Endurance 2, abandon it for more peaceful positions.
Stamina 4, Strength 2, Visualization 2
Vision: 1 km in daylight, 6 meters at night Ariels are often found working as guards, couri-
Hearing: 20 meters ers and scouts. They lose the point of natural armor
Speed: 15/30/30 that ordinary Humans have, but gain winged flight
Natural Armor: 1 with a movement rate of 50/100/200. These wings
Punch Damage: 2 Bashing cannot be concealed. Ariel start with 2 fewer back-
Size: 5 ground points than ordinary Humans.
Saving Throws: No modifiers
Special: No special abilities
Succubi lose the point of natural armor that
Succubi ordinary Humans have, but gain winged flight with
a movement rate of 75/150/150. These wings can-
Homeworld: Eden not be concealed. They also gain the Drop-Dead
Common Names: Succubi, Slinx Gorgeous background. Succubi start with 6 fewer
Average Lifespan: 1,800-2,200 Years background points than normal Humans.
Tesser Capability: 1080 AD
Succubi are tall, slender, stunningly beautiful

Human females modified during the reign of the
Caractingessen Empire. The Gess were attempting
Minor Species
to produce a better race than the Inuueliting had
with the Ariels, and expected that by choosing more These ten species are the most common and
modern Human females as their subjects they would powerful species in the galaxy. They are not by
succeed. The Humans were physically enhanced any means the only species — another ten intel-
and given a lifespan of nearly two thousand years, ligent species are known to live in our galaxy and
and trained in seduction and subversion skills to be the closely neighboring ones. Many of them are
used against males from other cultures, especially significantly more alien, and will be detailed in
the Inuueliting. The Succubi were outraged when future supplements. That’s no reason that your GM
they discovered what their positions were to be! can’t create another species for people to play. The
They fought against their Caractingessen captors, galaxy’s a big place, after all.
defeated them, and took the planet they were being
held on for their own. Introducing another minor species will prob-
ably not shift the balance of power significantly.
After the Caractingessen were driven out, the Introducing one with game-breaking abilities, such
Succubi modified ships, left the planet, and tried to as shapeshifting or telepathy, will absolutely change
return home to Earth. They found that it was possible the world. Take care before introducing species with
to breed with Humans and tried to start families back abilities that are outside the realm of both current
on their homeworld. The Succubi landed in small technology and current Lording abilities.
groups and slowly attempted to integrate themselves
Page 30
into existing towns or cities in medieval Europe. Introducing another major species that has been
Many Succubi and their Human mates became frus- around for a long time will skew the galactic timeline
trated and left Earth, returning to the planet they had somewhat. They would have to be pretty insular to
taken from the Caractingessen to start again without have stayed out of the half-dozen galaxy-wide wars
prejudice. As a gesture of their intent they renamed that have occurred since the Inuuel’s time, and pretty
the planet Eden. Succubi strongly believe in their powerful to have avoided being conquered by one

principles and often refuse to compromise them empire or another.

even in the face of death.
All of the minor species we plan to introduce

Children of a Succubus are Human if male and later are just that: minor. They have little impact on
Succubus if female. Since the males don’t share the the setting as a whole, and things will work just fine
lifespan of a Succubus, most take many mates during without them. You can feel free to create your own
their lifetime. As a result they don’t have any prob- as well.
lems with open sensuality or “free love.” This has led
many modern Succubi into positions in both the re-
spectable and disreputable sections of the entertain-
ment industry. Difficult situations often arise when a
Succubus finds that the desires or preconceptions of
clients don’t match their own principles.

Page 31

An Ariel warrior waits calmly at a medal presentation on the Armageddon homeworld. An implanted
radio transmitter can be seen covering his ear (Ariel, like birds, have very small but sensitive ear-holes). Ariel
are completely hairless; the genetic engineering process that took Human cavemen and gave them wings
has the side-effect of replacing all hair with feathers. This one has shaven his head-feathers off, but retains
one on his weapon.
The Galaxy Today Cultures and Nations
Below we describe the major cultures active
in the galaxy in the year 592. When you create a
Overview character you should decide what culture he or she
grew up in.
It is Galactic Year 592: five hundred and ninety-
two years after the creation of the Human Empire. Each major culture has dozens of subcultures, in
It is one hundred and twenty-five years after the fall the same way that the United States has individual
of that empire. The galaxy passed through a time of towns which make up the “fabric of the nation.” Very
great turmoil, with warlords attempting to control
few worlds have nations or city-states any more;
parts of the galaxy for themselves, and with few
most people identify themselves with a culture at the
people able to stand up to them. system-wide level or larger. Each planet or system is
a “state” within the “nation” of the culture. However,
The strongest powers which have emerged since with the way the Tesseract drive works, these states
the Fall are economic ones: Genetechnologies could be light years away from each other, with
Incorporated, Aegis Corporation, and Armageddon many worlds of other cultures inbetween.
Industries own entire planets outright, and con-
trol many others through puppet governments. Some solar systems have a mix of these cultures,
Governmental bodies such as the Coalition of but more often the whole system is devoted to a
Sentient Races, the ancient Inuueliting Empire, and single culture. In fact, many cultures are composed
the Budetug Core still hold sway, but most cultures of thousands of systems. Remember that even a rela-
are ruled more by corporation than government. tively small culture can have a huge impact. Ægis’
Open warfare is rare in the galaxy today; economic culture may only cover ten percent of the galaxy,
means to an end are much more common. but that’s 100,000 inhabited worlds, with nearly a
billion people each!
In the reckoning of Old Earth it is the thirty-first
century, but no one uses Old Reckoning any more Also included are cultural briefs which contain
now that Earth is devastated. The events of the Fall a quick overview of the culture’s most important
left it cloud-covered and barren. points, and a list of skills that each culture teaches
Page 32
its children. Newly created characters from these

Despite the loss of their beloved homeworld, cultures start with all of these skills at level 5, and
Humans have continued to be a strong factor in the may raise them normally during character creation
evolution of their galaxy. Some might say that they and afterwards.
are more accepted than ever — having tasted the

same defeat that so many other Empires did in the

past, they are no longer considered young upstarts
or usurpers by the galaxy’s other species.
Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures
Some citizens of the galaxy believe that peace Blanket Statements

is close at hand, and the recent wars and strife will
soon be forgotten. Others look at the webs of inter- As much as some megacorps would like
dependency that the galaxy’s cultures have built, and it, there is no single unified galactic culture.
wonder if the whole structure might come tumbling This makes it difficult to talk about the galaxy
down tomorrow. Both viewpoints have some validity as a whole. It would certainly be easier to say,
to them. It is up to your characters to tip the balance “everyone in the galaxy goes to church on
one way or another. Saturday,” but it’s just not true. It’s not even true
that the whole galaxy uses one currency. Most
It is a time of hope, and a time of great poten- planets use the Section (§), but there are lots
tial. of maverick worlds out there. Beware blanket
statements — there’s always at least one world
out there who can prove them wrong.

It won’t last, of course, but it does make Genetech’s

citizens surprisingly well-educated about the rest of
Genetechnologies, the galaxy’s culture.

Incorporated Genies are universally accepting of genetic
manipulation. Having altered DNA is normal, to

Genetech is perhaps the most influential corpo- the extent that anyone who doesn’t have some sort
ration in the galaxy. The culture that has grown up of modification in their family is considered a little
strange. Some people from the poorer parts of town

around it is likewise quite influential, and is also ex-
ceedingly large: GT has about a third of the galaxy’s actually buy cheap prosthetics to look like they
population under its influence. Two hundred and have the more expensive genetic manipulations.

ten trillion people, across more than half a million If someone were to walk down the street with ten-
planets. tacles instead of arms, it might be a bit unusual, but
only because that kind of surgery is expensive. More

How is that influence maintained? From sitcoms Genies would do that kind of thing if they had the
to news programs, GT either creates or pays for ev- money.
ery image that its citizens see.

Unlike the Coalition, Genetech does not care for
Genetech’s culture is highly media-driven. all of their citizens equally. Those without the money
to keep up with fads are very much have-nots in this

Everyone talks about the latest and greatest, their
favorite icons and idols, what’s happening on the lat- society. Oh, GT runs some soup kitchens and welfare
est soap operas and sitcoms, and what it takes to be programs, but mostly for the image of trying to help.

part of the in crowd (even if being “in” means acting The truth is that the have-nots will never be cool, and
like you’re “out”). The Board of Directors puts a lot if you’re not cool in GT space, you’re nothing.
of money into creating new celebrities, and there

are entire systems devoted to the creation of mov- GT is very good at looking like they don’t do all
ies. Imagine what a director could do with a whole of this. Most Genies don’t realize that they’re being
planet as her set... manipulated, or that GT really manipulates anyone.

If anyone does get suspicious, they usually suspect
Every day it’s something new — even if that “new” Five Galaxies Information (a media megacorp that
is borrowed from another culture, or just something GT works with often), or some sort of false front
Page 33
retro and recycled. And it’s not just one new thing: for which Genetech provides all the material. The
it’s one new thing and a thousand variations on it, laws in this culture allow for easy secret control of
from a hundred thousand planets and star systems. corporations — there is no such thing as freedom
If earring-sized voice-activated computers are in of information unless Genetech decides that people
vogue today, there will be a million shapes and sizes need to know something.

available before noon. The sad thing is that despite
all this variety, it’s all very much the same. Each trend In all honesty, GT does a great job of creating an
artificial culture. They do such a good job that they
has a thousand unimaginative variants on the same
idea. People like a lot of options, even if everything rarely need police or enforcement, though people in
works the same way underneath. Everybody wants the know realize that the Ultramercs will show up if
their watch personalized, even if it’s all personalized something really bad happens. Genetech uses their
in the exact same way. Sometimes, despite the vari- media image and their culture as recruitment tools,
ety, it’s all rather bland. insinuating them into a planet’s existing culture until
that planet becomes a Genetech state in fact, if not
Genetech often “borrows” things from other yet in name. The treaties to seal the deal will inevi-
cultures to keep itself fresh. Correspondents travel tably follow.
the galaxy looking for things that aren’t well known
in GT space. When they find something, it becomes Genetech portrays the Ancient Inuuel culture
a fad, at least for a short time. A good example might as a rather backwards group who haven’t been able
be the sport Cage Wrestling (popular in Armageddon to keep up with the times for millennia. Aegis and
space). This could spawn a whole range of possible Arm are simply other states in the galaxy, sometimes
fads, from carrying cyberballs around to dressing like allies, sometimes not. The Coalition is portrayed as
the players or refs to actually trying to play the game. a threat, but a very small one and not one worth
worrying about. The Communal cultures are ignored Weapon Accessibility: Low to Nil (citizens have
entirely, while the Budetug Core is made to look no rights to carry weapons)
like James Bond style villains — humorous and in- Drug Accessibility: Medium
competent, with a touch of danger and insanity. The Punishments: Light, except for crimes against
Demons are vilified utterly. the state.
Crime Rate: Low for serious crime, high for petty
Recently, though, some people on the Board of crimes
Directors have grown tired of Genetech’s constant Family Views: GT still subscribes to the old “nuclear
battle with the Coalition, and of its universally shal- family” model — a mother, a father, and
low culture. They see the possibility for a greater two children are the ideal. Homosexuality is
union, of the return of a Galactic Empire. These accepted, though one of the pair will be expected
forward-thinkers are the ones in charge of Project to be notably more masculine, and the other
Endeavour. It’s still very much a secret, but it’s an more feminine. Due to excellent contraceptive
important one, and it won’t stay secret forever. and disease-control programs, and fast-paced
culture, sexual relations are relatively casual,
Example subcultures include those who look and sex is an open subject.
for some meaning in life beyond the flash that GT Typical Clothing: Most clothes sold in GT space
presents, totally media-obsessed planets who can’t are made with optically active fibers, allowing
stand to be away from the information flow, the quick changes of color and print. Many also
groupie cultures that follow various celebrities, and have electrically controlled semi-rigid fibers that
the Renaissance. allow reshaping for the latest fashions.
Official Religions: None. Genetech’s fast-changing
culture insures that many cults and “fad”
religions sweep through the population on a
Genetech Pop Cultural Brief monthly basis.
Entertainment: As if following the constant deluge
Common Names: GT, Genetech of trends wasn’t enough entertainment, there is
Citizens are called…: Genies, Rim-dwellers also a massive amount of state-subsidized holo-
Major Imports: Clothing, ore, machinery, rare theater entertainment, both on the large and
valuables small screens. GT carefully considers and edits
Major Exports: Food, genetic engineering
Page 34
everything that its citizens see.

knowledge
Official Language: Trade Inuuel
Symbol: An organic molecule with the company Genetech Cultural Skills
name. Which molecule it is changes every day.
Government: Genetechnologies teaches its children the skills

Capital: Allah System, Sector 52, Risen of Carousing, Persuasion, Style, and Bargaining.
Quadrant
Governing Body: Board of Directors (appointed)
Local Governance: Chief Planetary Officer

(appointed) Exporting Food?
People’s Voice: Low
Region of Greatest Influence: Risen and Chosen Exporting food in the sense of actually
Quadrants growing it and shipping it is a perfectly sen-
Style of Control: Media-based sible notion on Earth in the 21st century. For
Technology Levels: an interstellar culture, it’s a horrible idea. The
Computing and Communications: High cost of taking a starship full of corn across a
Genetic and Biological: Very High thousand light-years to another planet is pro-
Military and Civil: Medium hibitive.
Legal Practices:
Freedom of Speech: Low (privately owned GT and the Budetug Core (which also
broadcast media are illegal) “exports food”) actually sell other cultures the
Mobility of Citizenry: Low (difficult to get papers genetic codes for better-quality produce and
to travel off-world) livestock.

either they make themselves so likable that people

don’t believe they have any real force, or they come
The Coalition of on too moral and righteous for most peoples’ tastes.

Sentient Races The Coalition has a very for-us-or-against-us stance,
and rarely forgives an enemy, especially when it
comes to anyone who sides with Genetechnologies

Hope. Safety. Basic decency. Rights for all living in any matter.
beings. These are what draw people to the Coalition
of Sentient Races. Portraying themselves as the The Coalition and Genetech never really got

last bastion of hope in a beleaguered galaxy, the along, even when both were part of the Human
Coalition seeks to unite everyone in a more peaceful Empire. Genetech was a government-run megacorp,

and cooperative Galactic Empire. and the Coalition was the Empire’s public house of
representatives... but back then the Coalition was
The Coalition is the one major culture which is never allowed any control over GT. The Coalition

drawn together more by a government than by a cor- government still sees Genetech as a rogue corpora-
poration or a species. While there is a certain amount tion who needs to be reigned in and come back to
of corporate influence, most of it comes from the the “real” empire, which is a grave underestimation

Coalition Engineering Corps (C.E.C.), a government- of GT’s strength. Among the core-dwellers GT is por-
run megacorp. Unlike the Empire’s hands off-stance, trayed as the archetypal “evil empire,” though the
Coalition has been backing off on this recently.

the Coalition’s government is everywhere.
Protection and welfare are two huge benefits The Coalition is, as most people are, against

that core-dwellers get under the Coalition. One of the Demons in a big way. They have a more active
the CSR’s mottoes is “leave no one behind,” and program of seeking out the Demons than any other
they mean it. As an example, genetic engineering group. For Genetech it’s good PR to clean up their

has advanced to the point where it is possible to old mistakes; for the Coalition it’s a passion. To this
make weeds that grow in the cracks in the sidewalks end the Coalition trains a lot of mercenaries and
that are completely nutritious and give you all the bounty hunters, and does a good deal of espionage

vitamins you need for the day. You could even color- in the name of finding the Demons. Along the way
code them by what species they’re best for. None of that espionage steals a lot of technology from other
groups, but that’s almost incidental.
Page 35
the other cultures does this; only the Coalition does.
It may not be the best way to survive, but it can be
done, and it is done. The Coalition also subsidizes The Coalition’s most important project right now
local police departments, militias, and defense fleets, is one they’re keeping secret from the rest of the gal-
to help protect their worlds and their citizens. axy, and even from their own citizens. It’s called the
Endeavour project.

Security is relatively tight in the Core. ID cards
are required of all citizens and most visitors as well. Example subcultures include some almost in-
dependent worlds at the edge of the Coalition, the
Neighborhood watch groups are almost ubiquitous,
customs officials are careful and thorough, and order Unionists who want to reunite the Empire, planets
is kept through general vigilance. Law and order are with local legal systems so complicated that you
important to most core-dwellers, and are promoted have to grow up there to understand them, pleasure
not only by punishing wrongdoers, but also by re- planets, and some “renegade” worlds who ignore
warding those who do good and selfless deeds. The the government’s laws and become decadent and
Coalition has some of the safest worlds in the galaxy. opulent.
It also has the greatest number of developed urban
centers, since it has fewer planets than Genetech
and a roughly equal population.
Unfortunately, the Coalition could stand to take

some lessons in public relations from GT, of really
any other group in the galaxy besides the Demons.
While they are better-liked than the old Empire was,
the local Coalition reps tend to one of two extremes:
The Coalition Religions dictions is that they seem to be correct more
often than not. If a Gherej priest tells you that
The Coalition sponsors four major reli- there is something special about someone,
gions: Judaism, Parism, Gherej, and Kinoism. you had better believe it. The exact nature of
There are also a handful of smaller religions, each messiah is different, of course, but cer-
which receive far less money per capita than tain facets remain the same. The messiah must
the main religions. There’s no real way to be selfless, must be strong in the Lording, and
categorize the “lesser” religions - any type must display an almost emotionless face, no
can apply to the Coalition Senate for funding, matter what happens. More conservative sects
although they may wait years to see results. No only allow for Caractingessen messiahs; others
religion will receive funding unless it is the of- allow for saviors of any species.
ficial religion of at least one planet, colony, or
important space station (1 million adherents, Kinoism is a religion in which it is believed
minimum). that coincidence is the ultimate god. Kinoism
is a very popular religion, especially among
Judaism is virtually the same religion it the younger races, such as Humans, Ogres,
always has been - if you don’t know too much Mek’hwe’l, and Sa’crontor. It is very close
about it, just read up on it at the library. It has to being a religion about luck, but asking a
absorbed some Christian and Islamic values Kinoist about luck will get you an earful of lec-
over time, so it is somewhat a cross between ture. Kinoists believe that every coincidence is
the three, but the core remains Jewish. The Ten part of a plan, and that the plan is set forth by
Commandments have survived to this day, and one of many different higher beings. Debating
are still relevant to the galaxy and sentient be- which being set forth which plan (and thus,
ings as a whole. We leave the exact details of how the plan will end) is the main duty of
the integration to the GM. Kinoist holy men.
Parism is also a combination of religions

from Earth: Buddhism and Hinduism. While
Judaism came to its current state in a haphaz-
Page 36
ard manner, Parism came to be when leaders

of both religions realized that they were dying Coalition Cultural Brief
out in the late 22nd century. Through long
deliberation about what should be saved Common Names: the Coalition, the CSR
and what not, about what could be brought Citizens are called…: Core-dwellers

together and what must be left behind, and Major Imports: Food, processed data
most of all, what was good and unique, Parism Major Exports: Rare valuables, starship components
was born. The GM is encouraged to read up on Official Language: Trade Inuuel
both these religions and create his or her own Symbol: Interlocked color rings on a flag,
melding. Yes, there are Parist monks just like symbolizing strength and unity.
there were Buddhist monks, and yes, there is a Government:
creator/preserver/destroyer trinity as there was Capital: Gilgid System, Core Zero
with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Again, we Governing Body: The Coalition Congress
leave the details up to the GM. (elected)
Local Governance: Planetary Governor
Gherej is a religion which originated with (elected)
the Caractingessen. Simply put, it is the belief People’s Voice: Moderate
in messiahs; extraordinary people who will Region of Greatest Influence: Core and Tertiary
lead their chosen ones to the chosen land. Sectors
Gherej priests are more like oracles and Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement
scholars than anything else, always attempting Technology Levels:
to predict when the next major messiah will Computing and Communications: High
appear. The interesting thing about their pre- Genetic and Biological: Medium
Military and Civil: High

Legal Practices:

Freedom of Speech: Low
Mobility of Citizenry: Medium Ægis Corporation

Weapon Accessibility: Very Low
Drug Accessibility: Very Low Every major culture leads the galaxy in one thing
Punishments: Strict or another. For Genetech it’s fashion and genetics.

Crime Rate: Very Low For the Coalition it’s safety. For Arm it’s military hard-
Family Views: The Coalition is very traditional when ware. Ægis sets the pace for the galaxy in two areas:
it comes to family. A family with mother, father,

morality and advanced science.
2.3 children, and some sort of pet is still the
ideal, and the most common. Homosexuality Of all the corporations in the galaxy, Ægis’

is not persecuted by any stretch of imagination, Research and Development sector is the best by far.
but is not particularly supported either. Most They come up with more inventions each year than
laws have been carefully written to remove any the rest of the galaxy combined. Whereas Genetech

kind of sexual, species, or preference bias. Sex in has fads, Ægis has long-term improvements. This is
general is an open subject. supported at every level of society: scientists and
Typical Clothing: Bright colors are currently in

academics are respected and looked up to in their
vogue in the Coalition. Most people emulate neighborhoods, schools have many tracks to support
Human clothing types, with the usual pants, those who learn at faster or slower rates, and there is
shirt, and hat. A Coalition city street is a real

a much longer schooling process than in most cul-
rainbow of colors. tures. Humans are typically in school until their late
Official Religions: Four religions are currently official 30’s rather than their early 20’s. With other species it

faiths within the Coalition: Judaism, Parism, varies depending on their lifespan and learning rate.
Gherej, and Kinoism. There is no separation Becoming a legal adult in Ægis space is a longer
of church and state. Other faiths are tolerated, process than in other cultures.

but do not receive official endorsement. The
Coalition believes in religion as a way to bring Many educational tracks require students to par-
people together.

ticipate in study abroad — with “abroad” typically
Entertainment: Most Coalition citizens are meaning a different culture entirely. Many Ægis re-
surprisingly interested in the news, and searchers are successful because they integrate ideas
spend great amounts of time catching up on
Page 37
from across the galaxy. Traveling, seeing new things,
happenings in their own area and across the and meeting new people are favorite pastimes of the
galaxy. Music and organized sports are popular, average Ægis citizen. The journey is indeed more
as are interactive, immersive movies. important than the destination to Shieldbearers.
Ægis schools also receive a lot of students from else-
where in the galaxy, and the company makes a lot of

Coalition Cultural Skills money that way.

The Coalition teaches its children the skills of All of this intellectualism, while effective at pro-
First Aid, Computer Operations, Persuasion, and ducing the most educated and literate populace in
Stand Ground. the galaxy, does have a few small drawbacks. First,
Ægis produces a lot of high-quality leaders but few
good followers. There are a lot more thinkers than
doers in Ægis space. Second, some of the educa-
tional tracks focus on depth instead of breadth, leav-
ing some citizens in overspecialized jobs, unable to
change professions.
Ægis is a very egalitarian society, believing that

everyone has equal abilities (if not in the same areas)
and equal rights. Their citizens are generally quite
articulate when defending their morality, which is
how Ægis typically recruits new worlds. Exploitation
is almost unheard of in Ægis space, which unfor-
tunately means that the corporation misses a lot of
opportunities as well. Ægis is actually running a bit
Ægis Cultural Brief
low on money, though only other megacorps would
know it. Common Names: Ægis, the Ivory Tower, the Shield
Citizens are called…: Shieldbearers
Ægis is also very conscientious about what they Major Imports: Food, machinery, ore, Xenite
research. They leave most biological and cybernetic Major Exports: Clothing, processed data, military
research to Genetech, because they realize the mor- hardware
al problems inherent in creating life. They prefer to Official Language: Trade Inuuel
create protective systems than offensive ones (after Symbol: A yellow crescent sunrise with rays,
all, their name is an ancient word for “shield”). Ægis symbolizing the light of knowledge and
researchers know that not every area needs to be reminiscent of an upturned shield.
looked into right away. They prefer to be on the cut- Government:
ting edge of technology, not the “bleeding edge.” Capital: Victor Quadrant
Governing Body: Board of Directors (elected)
Recycling is also important to those in Ægis Local Governance: System Supervisor
space. It may not be as cost-effective as finding new (appointed)
resources, but it sure makes their worlds look nicer, People’s Voice: High
and keeps them cleaner for the future. This recycling Region of Greatest Influence: Chosen Quadrant
and conservation ethic extends to almost everything Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement
used in Ægis space. As a simple example, clothing Technology Levels:
here is made to change color and pattern at the Computing and Communications: Very High
touch of a button, and can be repaired an almost Genetic and Biological: Low
unlimited number of times. If someone’s sick of their Military and Civil: Medium
old clothes, they don’t have to buy new ones, just Legal Practices:
download new patterns and colors for the current Freedom of Speech: High
ones. These clothes eventually made their way into Mobility of Citizenry: Very High
GT space, where they’re used to support the daily Weapon Accessibility: Low (armor is high)
fads that sweep the outer sectors, but here they’re Drug Accessibility: Medium to Low
just plain practical. Punishments: Moderate
Crime Rate: Low
Page 38
Something that most people don’t realize about Family Views: Ægis takes a pragmatic view on family
Ægis is that they have one of the largest intelligence life: anything that works for the individuals
organizations in the galaxy. Most of their work is involved is fine by them. Some subcultures put
data analysis from “back home,” but they also have more or less value on nuclear families; those
a number of agents in the field. Most exchange who do value it tend to trace families on the

students are agents whether they realize it or not mother’s side. Sexuality is not considered a
— when they return, their school reports will be topic for when one has guests over, but is still
discussed among friends.
analyzed carefully for details about other cultures.

Ægis also runs a lot of counter-intelligence, trying to Typical Clothing: Utilitarian garb is common among
prevent people from stealing their inventions. This older citizens. Younger and trendier Shieldbearers
is a little bit less successful than their information- tend towards more rugged and stylized clothes.
gathering ventures. White is the most common clothing color.
Most citizens only have two or three sets of
Example subcultures include ruthless and mili- neomorphic clothing instead of buying dozens
tant planets, planets which are exceedingly conde- of pants, shirts, cloaks and the like.
scending to outsiders (and to other parts of Ægis as Official Religions: None. Ægis allows its citizens
well), and those who take the recycling ethic to the religious freedom.
extreme of recycling or reusing their dead (can you Entertainment: Ægis supports the fine arts, and most
say Soylent Green?). towns have an art gallery of some kind. The
gallery typically has tables for board and strategy
games, from old standbys like Go and Chess
to the flashy new Galactic Domination game.
Mass media is primarily nonviolent, though

some “reality shows” are the exception (those signed to help keep people’s egos in check. Armites

following the police or military in their actions). tend to be very proud of themselves and their abili-
ties, and they have the ego to match.

Armites treat cyberware the same way Genies
Ægis Cultural Skills treats biomods and genetic manipulation — it’s ex-

pected, and if you don’t have it, you must be some
Those who go through Ægis’ long schooling kind of loser. As people grow older they tend to have
process will understand History, Research, Military their cybernetics concealed, but add more of it when

Intelligence, and Computer Operations by the time they have the money. Because of this the life expec-
they are through. tancy in Arm space is just as high as elsewhere in the

galaxy, despite the relatively poor medical facilities.

Many of the galaxy’s more “lawless” worlds

joined up with Arm. Some never had any law to
Armageddon Industries begin with, and on others law never really took
hold. Undeveloped frontier worlds are quite com-

mon, some with a somewhat “old west” feel. Armites
If Ægis is the intellectual side of the galaxy, then on these worlds are known for taking the law into
Armageddon is made up of the hicks and the mafia their own hands, and for the most part Arm’s law

put together. enforcement looks the other way when that hap-
pens. Punishments can be quite brutal. Whereas

A very rough-and-tumble culture, Armageddon GT and Ægis are more political and prefer to push
puts a lot more emphasis on immediate results than someone out of society or jail them, Arm might have
other cultures in the galaxy. Children have much someone assassinated or “cowboyed” (a very public

less schooling than the norm, and are encouraged to assassination intended to scare people into obeying
pick a useful trade early in life. This makes for a less the laws).
educated but more active populace. Those who are

chosen to become “bosses,” who will climb the so- When the Human Empire fell many Budetug
cietal ladder, are given a few more years of training choose to live in Armageddon space because of
but are expected to pick up most things on the job. the strong worker ethic it espoused. Organization is
Page 39
Armageddon is probably one of the most vital cul- important to Armites on a large scale, even if they
tures around, with the exception of Genetech. Many prefer to think that they are in control of their own
important positions are held by young people, even lives on the local scale. Arm is also home to many
if their elders are really the ones pulling the strings. Caractingessen because it lets them indulge some of
their more violent instincts.

Conflict is important to Armageddon. The local
media is paid to portray other cultures in stereotypi- Armites are known as fans of rugby, demoli-
cal and sometimes racist ways, and naturally most tion derbies, boxing, and other violent sports. Cage
people who grow up watching that media think Wrestling (a sort of cyber-powered pro wrestling Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures
that way. The standard feeling is that individuals of with jetpacks; no projectile weapons are allowed
other cultures may be an exception to the rule, but but anything else goes) is very popular amongst the
most are either stuck-up ninnies or somehow infe- working class these days. Amateur leagues are com-
rior. Armite colonists often start conflicts with other mon, and participating is a good way to improve
colonists, which is one of the ways Armageddon in- one’s status in society, if not one’s health.
creases its influence base. Armageddon may interact
with other galactic cultures for sales purposes, but its The company itself works through the good-old-
citizens are very distrustful of others. boy network: if you don’t know someone who’s in,
you probably won’t get in. This makes Arm space
Internal conflict is also seen as a strengthening very difficult to penetrate for outsiders. Getting into
measure. Many people walk around armed all the the managerial structure requires more than just
time. Pistols are standard. Visible power is very im- connections, it requires years of carefully working
portant in Armageddon space. Part of this is due to your way up from position to position.
the amount of organized crime, but part is also de-
The “upper crust” of Armageddon society is quite Legal Practices:
different from the working-class masses. The people Freedom of Speech: Medium to low
who actually run things in Arm space are quite savvy Mobility of Citizenry: High
individuals, organized in tight families and afraid of Weapon Accessibility: Very High
no one. Ruthlessness is a way of life among the fami- Drug Accessibility: High
lies. Everyone here has paid their dues and knows Punishments: Severe
it, so egos clash on a daily basis. You could drop a Crime Rate: Low for petty crimes, High for
1920s Chicago gangster into this society and he’d serious crimes
feel right at home. Family Views: Family is very important in Arm space.
Most Armites strive to have a strong and cohesive
Armageddon’s biggest problem right now is that nuclear family. Turning your back on your family
it has too many factions working at cross-purposes. is the most horrible thing most Armites can
The doctrine of internal conflict has gone a bit too imagine, worse than murder or rape. Families
far, and many of the families don’t trust each other are primarily traced down the father’s side. Sex
any more. The company is slowly falling apart at is almost never discussed seriously, but usually
the seams, and needs a strong leader to pull it back shows up in jokes. Homosexuality is looked
together. down upon.
Typical Clothing: For most people, earth tones and
Example subcultures include the Organization in greens tend to dominate, with an occasional
Broken Quadrant (a solely mob-based subculture), flash of red. For the bosses, black and white
robotics nuts, A.I. fundamentalists, and those who formal clothing is more common, still with the
have thrown off the “boss” system and are governing occasional red.
their planets more democratically. Official Religions: Each family has an “official”
religion, whether it’s one that is followed in the
galaxy as a whole or simply within that family.
Entertainment: Cage Wrestling is by far the most
Armageddon Cultural Brief common form of entertainment in Armageddon
space. It appeals greatly to the masses, and the
Common Names: Arm, the Arm bosses often wager large sums of money on the
Citizens are called…: Armites champion from their hometown. Gambling,
Major Imports: Food, clothing, information drinking, and carousing are also popular.
Page 40
Major Exports: Ore, machinery, military hardware, Hands-on is the keyword for entertainment in
antimatter Arm space.
Official Language: Trade Inuuel
Symbol: A cluster of asteroids plunging towards the
ground. While supposedly a tip of the hat to

the asteroid miners who make up the culture’s Armageddon Cultural Skills
backbone, the message is clear: “We remember
what happened to Earth. Screw with us and Arm teaches its children the skills of Drive
you’ll get the same.” Truck, Martial Arts: Offensive, Interpret Sensors, and
Government: Carousing.
Capital: Risen Quadrant
Governing Body: The Thousand Families
(hereditary)
Local Governance: Boss (mostly hereditary)
People’s Voice: Medium
Region of Greatest Influence: Risen and Broken
Quadrants
Style of Control: Social pressure and
enforcement
Technology Levels:
Computing and Communications: Medium
Genetic and Biological: Low
Military and Civil: HIgh

very least. Only those who really become rebels will

be asked to leave, and usually these individualists
The Proud and will be quite happy to go out and explore the galaxy

Venerable Inuueliting instead of staying home and “stagnating.”
Star Empire As you may have guessed, this culture is very

slow to react to outside change. After all, it’s been
over a million years since the Budetug defeated
Born at the same time as the Pool of Radiance, the Inuuel, and these people still think they have

this culture typifies what people think of as the a Galactic Emperor. Fads are almost unknown, and
“true” Inuueliting (even though only five percent of fashion changes so slowly that glaciers look speedy

the Inuuel in the galaxy follow these ideals). in comparison. Technology is slow to catch on, espe-
cially genetic work, and the core worlds are happily
As mentioned in their species description, the “stuck” at inorganic TL 3 and organic TL 1. While

Inuueliting are divided into sub-races. In this cul- media corps such as Five Galaxies Information try
ture, these races still serve as the castes they origi- to bring new ideas into the ancient Inuuel culture,
nally represented. The Silvers are workers, Golds the attempts are doomed to fail. Tradition and the

are warriors, Darks are sorcerers, and the High and old ways are far more important to these people than
Platinum lead. Always. To defy these ideas is to leave any passing fad.
the culture of the ancient Inuueliting.

Many things are sacred to the ancient Inuueliting,
While this culture is small compared to those of the most sacred being the Pool of Radiance. Without

Genetech or Armageddon, it is still large enough to this ancient lording artifact, this culture would fall
hold the Inuueliting homeworlds against any war- apart overnight. It is this pool which turns other kinds
lords who may come knocking. All told, about ten of Inuuel into Platinum Inuueliting, the rulers of their

thousand planets follow this culture, primarily con- society. Platinums are very rare — not everyone is
centrated around the Inuuel homeworlds. The large changed by the Pool, and not everyone survives.
Xenite deposits on these worlds provide a good por- Family lines are traced from the last Platinum to

tion of the culture’s exports, and Ægis and Genetech arise, rather than from the father’s or mother’s side.
are always willing customers. Each enclave of this culture which lives away from
the homeworlds has a sacred place which it treats
Page 41
The Inuuel traditionalists are ruled by the Galactic as sort of a surrogate Pool — some have a glade of
Emperor, always a Platinum Inuueliting. After all, trees, some use natural hot springs, and so forth.
they will tell you, the Inuuel Empire was never re-
ally defeated — it just grew smaller. The Emperor, One Inuueliting town is shown on page xx, with
as benevolent dictator, passes decrees down to the some High Inuuel flying from level to level. Lower

noble families of the High Inuuel, who in turn pass castes use the ladders or stairs.
their own interpretation of the decrees down to their
Gold, Dark, and Silver subjects. Each family has The ancient Inuuel observe many rituals in their
its own crests, colors, flags, and eye colors. Infant daily and yearly lives, commemorating the change of
Inuueliting receive the Eye-Dyeing Ceremony just seasons, the birth of a child, the ascension of a new
after birth, and those who are born with the right Platinum, and other important events. Many of these
eye colors for their family often are accorded greater rituals have a Lording aspect to them, and those who
importance than other children. can participate at this “deeper” level are often seen
as wiser and more complete individuals.
Parents care deeply for their children, and take
great pains to steep them (some would say “indoc- Advancement is difficult in this society. The
trinate” them) in the grand traditions of the Inuuel Inuuel are quite long-lived, and a desire for fast
peoples. Family lines are traced to the last Platinum advancement is seen as impolite in a culture which
Inuueliting to come from this family. No member of values politeness over almost anything. Involvement
an Inuuel family is ever ignored or neglected — even in the Inuuel military is the quickest track to respect
someone who has failed at everything their parents and social standing in these still-troubled times.
expected will not be kicked out of the manor, and Associating with the outside world is necessary to
will have food, shelter, and clothing provided at the some extent, to seem worldly and cosmopolitan, but
too much outside influence often makes others won- Style of Control: Social Pressure
der about one’s virtues and devotion to the Empire. Technology Levels:
Computing and Communications: Low
Joining the Inuueliting Empire is possible, though Genetic and Biological: Low
it rarely happens. Marriage is one of the few options Military and Civil: Low
available. Aiding the Inuuel military against outside Legal Practices:
forces will also win some trust and, if you’re lucky, a Freedom of Speech: Medium (few restrictions,
place at the table. Deep down, the Inuueliting know but rarely exercised)
that if their culture does not accept some outsiders Mobility of Citizenry: Low (social pressures)
from time to time it will continue to shrink a little bit Weapon Accessibility: Medium
each year. Some radicals go so far as to make their Drug Accessibility: Low
world a tourist resort where outworlders can come to Punishments: Moderate
“see the ancient Inuuel live as they have for millions Crime Rate: Very Low
of years.” They think of it as a sort of passive recruit- Family Views: Family lines are traced to the most
ment, and it works. The idea that there is a “simple recent Platinum Inuuel, rather than along the
life” out there appeals to many people, regardless of mother’s or father’s line. Family is very important.
species. These newcomers are usually kept on the Parents who hate each other will suffer in silence
outside of Inuuel society. Their children or grandchil- in order to help raise their children. Sex is a
dren may some day be considered real Inuuel. taboo topic.
Typical Clothing: Complex, courtly dress is favored
Example subcultures include groups of ex- at any sort of social event. More practical garb
treme traditionalists (who eschew tool use as the is worn at work and at home, but even that will
first Inuuel did, relying solely on the lording to have some amount of layering. Light colors and
manipulate the world around them), a world with pastels dominate. Jewelry is common, and is
caste roles reversed (for instance, a world with Dark often millennia old.
Inuuel as workers and Silvers as mages), those who Official Religions: Contrary to popular opinion, the
embrace high technology, xenophobes, and a small ancient Inuuel do not worship their Emperor.
but vocal group who believe that the Inuueliting There is no official religion for the Empire,
Empire should begin expanding once again. Rumors though ancestor worship is not uncommon.
occasionally surface that members of other species Entertainment: Courtly intrigue (or gossip about it) is
Page 42
are still kept as slaves on the homeworlds, but these the most common form of entertainment. When
have been unsubstantiated thus far, and the Inuuel that is unavailable, gossip will suffice. Athletic
Emperor vehemently denies such claims. competitions (both physical and Lording-based)
are also popular. Genetech-style holo-dramas
rarely penetrate this culture.

Inuuel Empire Cultural Brief
Common Names: the Inuuel Empire Inuuel Empire Cultural Skills

Citizens are called…: the Old Guard, Imperials

Major Imports: Technology, food The Inuuel Empire teaches its children the skills
Major Exports: Xenite of Persuasion, History, Aerobatics (or Climbing
Official Language: High Inuuel. Trade Inuuel is if part of a flightless race), and the Lording skill
spoken by all. Complexity.
Symbol: A fractal design, its self-repeating nature
symbolizing eternity and longevity.
Government:
Capital: Ll’Anderanth, Tertiary Sector #11
Governing Body: The Great and August Emperor
(hereditary)
Local Governance: The Platinum Magistrate
(appointed)
People’s Voice: High
Region of Greatest Influence: The Inuueliting
Homeworlds

Page 43 Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures
of the corrupt Human Empire. Both cultures were
The Budetug Core Worlds known to support the Demons’ agenda, though for
different reasons.
Collective Individuality is the center of Budetug upbring-
ing. Budetug children are told, much as children on
The defining moment of the Budetug core cul- Earth were, that they can be “whatever they want to
ture was when the Budetug Empire was defeated by be.” There is no talk of predestination or birthright,
the Caractingessen. At the time, of course, it was one no such thing as being born into an influential fam-
of the most horrific moments in their history. They ily. Everyone makes their way on their own virtues,
had just had power wrenched away from them after at least in theory. Those reared in the Budetug core
a long, debilitating siege. In later years, a sort of revi- culture make very good inventors and entrepreneurs.
sionist view of their whole Empire was embraced. Never satisfied with the way things are, they are
always looking for new and innovative ways to do
Like the ancient Inuuel culture, the Budetug things.
core is a “small” culture, comprised of about ten
to fifteen thousand planets. Unlike their longtime Innovation comes in a technological vein with
foes, the Budetug know that their Empire is dead the Budetug as well. They have always been famous
and gone forever. They have embraced change, even for their engineers and scientists, but recently have
if that change must come in the form of a massive become more and more well-known for their geneti-
overthrow of the current order. It is this quality that cists. For those who don’t trust Genetech or simply
leads so many Budetug to join organizations such don’t want to work with them, the Budetug are a
as the Renaissance, or to be loyal to the Demons. good place to turn. Their knowledge and skill are
When they see a situation that needs changing, few nearly on par with GT’s, though it shies away from
Budetug will shy away from changing it. such things as Ultramercs.
At the same time, this culture is deeply tradition- The Budetug ruling body is the Core Consensus,
al, almost to the extent that the ancient Inuuel are. an artificial intelligence whose actions are deter-
They believe that change is possible without losing mined by votes cast by every citizen of the Core,
the “inner core” of their species: the importance of every day. Every Loyalist spends about five minutes
family, unity, and innovation.
Page 44
(often more) looking at the day’s important issues,

and choosing their stance on the issue. Their choices
Take, for example, the matter of Budetug chil- — not just simple yes/no answers, but complex para-
dren. The Budetug homeworld was high in radio- graphs as well — are sent in via tachyon comunica-
active materials, leading to many mutations and tions, and form the basis of the Consensus AI. The
stillbirths. To this day the Budetug species is more Consensus then chooses how the Core will act on a

prone to mutation than any other. Any child which given issue. There have been a few scandals involv-
was born deformed was killed just after birth, to keep ing code tampering, and many more accusations of
their species “pure.” In modern times the Budetug the same, but for the most part things run smoothly.
have rebelled against the “barbaric” habits of their
ancestors by learning as much about genetics as Example subcultures include anti-genetics birth
possible. Now, instead of killing mutated infants, the traditionalists (most of whom live on high-radiation
Budetug modify their children at a genetic level to worlds; these “throwbacks” still kill deformed chil-
“correct” serious problems. Minor mutations, such dren), some few who want Budetug empire back,
as differing skin and eye color, are just beginning to and one planet which is very interested in, some
gain acceptance. An older tradition thus maintains might say fanatical about, using genetics to become
itself under a newer, better guise. immortal (even to the extent of searching after myths
and legends).
The Budetug loyalists consider the old Inuuel
to be somewhat quaint, but totally obsolete, which
naturally causes more tension between the two spe-
cies. Luckily, their cultures are not in close physical
proximity. Ironically, the two cultures have had some
reason to forge alliances recently, in the downfall

common among those who must live away from

Budetug Core Cultural Brief the homeworlds. The more wealthy Budetug
sometimes enjoy hunting, and sections of

Common Names: the Budetug Core, the Hive Portenthar have been set aside for this. Some
Citizens are called…: Budetug Loyalists outsiders see the Consensus as entertainment;
Major Imports: Organics, rare valuables the Budetug see it as civic duty instead.

Major Exports: Genetic knowledge, bioforms,
machinery, food
Official Language: Trade Inuuel and Traditional

Budetug Budetug Core Cultural Skills
Symbol: The Maze of Circles, which leads to the
same center regardless of the path you take. The Budetug Core Worlds Collective teaches its

Government: children the skills of Appraisal, Body Development,
Capital: Portenthar Grappling, and Basic Engineering.

Governing Body: The Core Consensus (a non-
representative democracy)
Local Governance: Local Consensus (a non-

representative democracy)
People’s Voice: Overwhelming — the people’s
Communal Cultures
voice is law

Region of Greatest Influence: Budetug While most of the galaxy’s major cultures are am-
Homeworlds, Victor Quadrant bitious, powerful, and sometimes even vicious, not
all of them are that way. Some are content simply to

Style of Control: Legislation and enforcement
Technology Levels: stay out of the way, live life simply, and turn inwards
Computing and Communications: Medium for answers. All across the galaxy are small pockets

Genetic and Biological: High of communal cultures. While they were each started
Military and Civil: Medium independently, they are slowly beginning to link
Legal Practices: together to share resources and knowledge. They are

Freedom of Speech: Extremely High beginning to operate under a common name: the
Mobility of Citizenry: Medium Ascripti, Latin for “members of a community.”
Weapon Accessibility: Medium
Page 45
Drug Accessibility: Low While each culture is still quite unique, they
Punishments: Strict, sometimes severe share certain facets. Each is based on the idea of
Crime Rate: Moderate shared ownership: no one owns something com-
Family Views: Budetug children are raised by their pletely; all property is shared by the community as a
community, though they are still taught to revere whole. This applies to everything from blankets and

their parents over others. Children have no say playing cards to starships. People from these cultures
whatsoever in their own lives until their 20th who travel to the rest of the galaxy are often carrying
birthday. a good deal of their community’s wealth.
Typical Clothing: Many Loyalists wear nothing
whatsoever, since nature has provided them Ascripti children are raised by the community
with a tough exoskeleton. Some wear jewelry, as a whole, with neighborhoods acting as a sort of
piercings, or other adornments, and others wear extended family. Children in more extreme branches
functional harnesses when working, but most of this culture may not even know who their real par-
wear nothing. ents are, as everyone becomes their aunt or uncle.
Official Religions: Tug-ran, sometimes known as the
Budetug Worker’s Creed, is the most common Most people assume that communal cultures are
philosophy in the Core Worlds Collective. It totally peaceful and defenseless, and once this might
was once the Core’s official religion, but is not have been true. However, the plague of warlords in
so today. the past few years gave everyone incentive to shore
Entertainment: Games of chance and skill are up their defenses (or get conquered, in which case
common among the Budetug, as are organized the warlord built defenses for them!). The Ascripti are
sports. In fact, organized anything is pretty very protective of their way of life and don’t want
popular. Fantasy sport leagues are particularly to see their paradises spoiled by outside invaders.
Trying to attack a commune is like getting between a
mother bear and its cubs.
The Communal cultures are strongest in the rim Communal Cultural Brief
of the galaxy, away from the worst conflicts between
other groups. That suits most other cultures just fine Common Names: Communes
— they don’t want their own people getting “con- Citizens are called…: Ascripti
taminated” by Ascripti ideals, or running off to join Major Imports: few
the communes. On the surface many communes Major Exports: few
seem poor and undereducated, which makes many Official Language: Trade Inuuel
people look down on them. In truth, most Ascripti Symbol: The Ascripti use a circular twisted rope,
are spiritualists, caring more about nature and its green and blue for simplicity and unity. Other
cycles than about book learning. Communal cultures have their own symbols.
Government:
One of the most important things in communal Capital: n/a
cultures is that everyone works. No one can afford to Governing Body: loose organization; no central
just sit back and have someone else do it for them, government
and even the most reticent get pressed into labor Local Governance: Council of Elders
eventually. The communes are typically run on a lo- People’s Voice: Very strong
cal basis by a council of elders, who take everyone’s Region of Greatest Influence: Rim sectors
work and distribute the benefits to all the citizens. Style of Control: varies, typically social pressure
Corruption is a danger, but most people watch out with some enforcement.
for any signs that someone might be playing favor- Technology Levels:
ites. Computing and Communications: Medium
Genetic and Biological: Medium
Unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy, many of Military and Civil: Medium
these cultures harbor fugitive Demons. The Demons’ Legal Practices:
belief systems mesh well with those of the Ascripti Freedom of Speech: Extremely High
— freedom, peace, and self-governance are very Mobility of Citizenry: Low (little opportunity)
important to them. A small number of communal Weapon Accessibility: Low
Drug Accessibility: Medium for natural
Page 46
cultures were actually started by Demons, as a back-

lash against GT’s overly consumer-oriented culture. substances, Low to nil for manufactured
Surprisingly, a good number of communal cultures Punishments: Ostracism and banishment are
were started by the Caractingessen. Most of the common for severe offenses.
galaxy’s species are well-represented. Crime Rate: Moderate
Family Views: Children in most communal cultures

This culture is one of the smaller ones in the gal- are raised by their parents in a sort of extended
axy because its enclaves tend to be a little more vul- nuclear family — some “aunts” and “uncles”
nerable to attack. Some get subsumed by other cul- are really friends of the family instead of actual
tures, some get wiped out because they’re harboring relations. Children are valued above all else.
Demons, but most keep a low profile and get along Sexuality is typically discussed only with close
well. Good relationships with their neighbors are friends.
very important to the health of Ascripti enclaves. Typical Clothing: Plain and simple clothing are
common. There is a certain beauty to this
Example subcultures include strict isolationists simplicity, but none of the flashy appeal that
who allow no outsiders onto their planets, conso- some other cultures have.
lationists who believe that the communes should Official Religions: Some communes have official
adopt more of the outside world’s culture, and ex- religions, while others outlaw public religion
tremely low-tech worlds which have no computer entirely. This is one of the issues preventing the
network, little electric power, and may go for dozens many disparate communal cultures from binding
of years without seeing a starship. It is important to more tightly together. The Coalition religions
remember that this culture has more variation than tend to be popular among Communal cultures.
most others, and every Communal planet is its own Entertainment: Unlike many other cultures,
unique subculture. the Ascripti haven’t lost the value of a good

conversation. Visiting with family and friends is a permanent loss of respect. This is part of why fe-

the most common form of entertainment. Most male Caracts attempt to kill the males after mating
entertainment is passive (movies, conversation, — it’s one of the only ways they can gain power and

reading) because the daily work in a communal respect in their society. Sadly, the double-standard
culture is so hard on the body. continues, and females who do kill their males are
given a “black widow” reputation. Only the daring

or foolish will try to befriend them or mate with
them.
Communal Cultural Skills

The Caractingessen culture is patriarchal in the
Most Communal cultures teach their children extreme. Most don’t even care who their mother is.
the skills of Cooking, Persuasion, Bargaining, and Being hatched from eggs, baby Gess don’t require as

Observation. much motherly attention as, for example, Human or
Inuuel babies.

Being quite territorial, they rarely form enclaves
Caractingessen of their own species. Caractingessen are more often

found living within other cultures, and their own
Species Culture culture only comes to the fore in dealings with their
own species. Caracts don’t really respect the laws of

other cultures, but they do respect the power behind
Unlike the Ancient Inuuel and Budetug Core cul-
those laws. Laws are made by those with power,
tures, the Caractingessen culture is shared by nearly

and if those in power can’t enforce their laws, they
every Gess in the galaxy. Much of it is an inborn
must not have as much power as they think. When
response, an instinctive culture rather than a learned
someone loses power, it’s perfectly okay to ignore
or chosen one. Occasionally some Gess do wean

their laws. If a Gess sees a chance to gain power,
themselves away from this culture and join others,
but it involves breaking a law, most won’t hesitate
but they’ll always fit into this one regardless of how
to break that law. They can be quite destructive to

“civilized” they become.
communal cultures, where the idea of having power
over someone else is abhorrent.
The Caract culture is also a distributed one.
Page 47
There is no center or core to the culture, no leader
All this makes for a very volatile society. It
or ruling body. It is a galaxy-spanning part of the
also helps explain why the Caractingessen Empire
Caractingessen genome.
died with their emperor. The few remaining
Caractingessen-only cultures are on worlds domi-
Caractingessen are very power-oriented, and are
nated by very strong warlords, and run like police

especially concerned with physical and personal
states.
power. The personal control of a dozen troops is
seen as more important than acting as an admiral for
For the most part, the Caractingessen are mixed
a thousand starships but never actually commanding
in with the rest of galactic culture, and adopt the
them. Physical strength, and strength in the Lording,
conventions of the culture they’re surrounded by. A
will be the first factors in determining whether one
Gess in Ægis space will probably believe in the equal
Caract will defer to another. If two Caracts meet and
rights of all people, be silently observant, and act
it’s not immediately clear which one is the stronger
quite cultured and refined... except when it comes to
party, they will typically fight for dominance. Most of
other Gess. Then their dealings return to the primal
those who live among other cultures retain enough
dominance struggles of a titanic, powerful species. It
sense that they will take the fight into the air, so as
can be a very frightening transformation to see.
not to harm their friends or call down the wrath of
the authorities.
Because of its spread-out and instinctual nature,
there are practically no major subcultures within the
Male Caractingessen tend to be stronger than
Caractingessen species culture.
the females (not excessively stronger, but notice-
ably), so males have more power in their society.
Females have to fight for respect from their male
friends, sometimes literally, and losing can mean
Caractingessen Species Caractingessen Species Skills
Cultural Brief
All Caractingessen children can learn these
skills, though they do it at the expense of the skills
Common Names: n/a they would normally be taught in their larger cul-
Citizens are called…: Caractingessen (Caracts, ture: Aerobatics, Martial Arts: Offensive, the Lording
Gess) skill Magnitude, and the Lording talent Flame
Major Imports: n/a Generation. Caractingessen characters may swap
Major Exports: n/a any of their normal cultural skills for any of these
Official Language: n/a skills at character creation.
Symbol: n/a, though some Caracts use their Empire’s
flag, with one green clawed fist raised in
victory.
Government:
Capital: Necrontor
Minor Cultures
Governing Body: n/a
Local Governance: “Governed” by strongest If none of the major cultures appeal to you, you
individual should talk to your Game Master. There are thou-
People’s Voice: Low to none. sands of minor cultures in the galaxy, some of which
Region of Greatest Influence: Caract homeworlds are very different from the norm. Your GM may al-
Style of Control: Enforced whims low you to invent one of these minor cultures and
Technology Levels: n/a play someone from it, as long as you describe it well
Legal Practices: enough, or your GM may even have some minor
Freedom of Speech: Low to nil cultures already created for you to use.
Mobility of Citizenry: n/a
Weapon Accessibility: n/a In game terms, the minor cultures should give
Drug Accessibility: n/a a selection of four different skills, each at level 5.
Punishments: Harsh These skills should say a lot about the culture, so
Crime Rate: High in-culture, moderate when choose them carefully. Any reasonably successful
Page 48
dealing with others. culture should teach its children basic social skills.
Family Views: Caractingessen mating is quite Warlike cultures should include some sort of combat
violent. Children are typically left to fend for training. Highly legalistic societies should teach Law
themselves. or Bureaucracy, and so forth. Lording-oriented soci-
Typical Clothing: Most Caracts wear little to eties might teach some kind of spell or power to their
nothing, but some drape themselves in cloth children, but it had better be important and useful if

with particular styles, to indicate what larger literally everyone from a certain planet knows how
culture they are a part of. to do it.
Official Religions: Gherej comes closest to being an

official religion. If a culture isn’t large or strong enough to warrant
Entertainment: Most Gess participate in whatever these skills, you might consider creating a custom
entertainment their larger culture endorses. They Walk of Life (see page xx) instead. These work better
tend to enjoy the more violent ones. Opera is for organizations, corporations, and localities than
also a major draw. for cultures, but they can be used in that way as
well.

In this excerpt from the Caractingessen opera Dakath M’conak (Thunder’s Dance), we see the villain
about to eviscerate Shernaia, the female lead. The opera’s protagonist, Dakath’min (Thunder-son in their

language) swoops towards them in an attempt to rescue Shernaia (the feminine version of Shernak, one
of the earliest known Caractingessen messiahs). This being opera, he does not succeed, and there are dire
consequences for all involved as Dakath’min loses his mind in anguish. There are indications that the gen-
Page 49
der roles were originally reversed in the first version of this opera, written some three million years ago,
but despite excellent record-keeping this is hard to verify. Dakath M’conak is considered one of the finest
Caractingessen operas, indicative of their culture as a whole. The actress playing Shernaia is not actually
eviscerated during the performance, contrary to popular rumor.

Budetug: The Bugs are just as diligent and hard-
Filling in the working in their love lives as in their professional
lives. They will never leave a relationship until all
Details
hope of making it work out is gone. There are almost
no Budetug crossbreeds — much like the Halla, the
Budetug have a habit of keeping their racial lines
This section fills in some of the smaller details pure.
about life in our galaxy in 592. The broad picture has
already been painted; now it’s time for some of the Caractingessen: The Gess are a very violent
more day-to-day details. race. It’s predictable that their relationships with
each other are often violent as well. Caractingessen
mating rituals are best conducted in wide open
places away from major population centers, to
Love in the 31st Century minimize damage to local life forms. One final word
of caution to Great Caractingessen players: as often
as not, the female attempts to kill the male after the
Let’s face it... they’re not human. They don’t ritual is finished. If this does not happen, the two are
always act the same way you or I would. Aliens do considered to be mated for life. Serpentine Gess are
things differently from the accepted human norm, a bit more reasonable, but that doesn’t mean it never
and that includes their friendships, relationships and happens.
romances. Some of them are funny, some interesting,
some just plain strange. Some of them have ways of Halla: The Halla are much like humans in their
relating to each other that we, as Humans, simply relationships. The only exception is that they take a
don’t have words for. dim view of crossbreeds. No, that’s an understate-
ment: any Halla who tries to marry someone of
It is important to note that these are not hard another race is excommunicated from the race. They
and strict rules; they are only racial tendencies, and have spent a long time keeping their bloodline pure,
as such are not necessarily true for all members of and mixing it with other races is simply abhorrent.
a particular species. Your culture has just as big an
impact as your species when it comes to love. Humans: Other than an increase in interracial
Page 50
marriages, little has changed in the way humans re-

Archangels: Archangels are often in long-term, late to one another. After all, how much does it mat-
long-distance relationships. Though they may stay ter that your kid is dating someone whose skin looks
together for thousands of years, the words “until different? It’s not like she’s dating the 12-legged guy
death do us part” will rarely cross their lips. After all, next door. By the same token, Human/Inuueliting
“married for life” could really mean forever. marriages are comparatively common.
Valence Main Rulebook: More Setting
As the defenders of all good and right, Archangels Inuueliting: Inuuel have particularly delicate
tend to be hopeless romantics. Just as this is usually and sensitive hands. Because of this, they tend to
concealed beneath their warlike exterior, so too is place great importance on the hands. Holding hands
another form hidden beneath their imposing, ar- is considered far more serious and pleasurable than
mored skin. All Archangels, upon coming of age, the strange human custom of kissing (or lip-mashing
instinctively learn a special Lording unique to the as some of the Silvers call it). Relationships are strict-
Archangel. When this power is activated, the armor ly split down caste lines — a Gold Inuuel will almost
slowly becomes transparent, and within five minutes always end up with another Gold Inuuel. There are,
is completely gone, its molecules scattered about the however, a good number of Human/Inuuel marriag-
Archangel. This reveals the Archangel’s true form, es. Each side sees the other as an exotic attraction.
that of a stunningly beautiful humanoid, devoid
of any facial features. For the Archangel to assume Nesti: Being plant life themselves, Nesti have a
this form in front of anyone is a show of the utmost soft spot for flowers of all types. When a Nesti is in
trust, for the Archangel is then deprived of all natural bloom, they might welcome advances from other
weapons and may not utilize any other Lordings un- Nesti. When not in bloom, there’s just no chance.
til the armor is again donned, a process which takes This often leads to relationships of such short term
another five minutes. that they may not outlast the day, but sometimes the

pair find enough in common to stay together for a each group can keep a roster of members, deciding

few years. Nesti children are born by budding — a for themselves whether (for example) someone is
small “shoot” grows on each parent and eventually really a Navajo or not, and whether it’s a matter of

breaks off on its own. blood relations or marriage or whatever.
Ogres: Contrary to popular opinion, Ogres do When you apply this idea to nations of people,

not go out and club their mates, dragging them you get a strange phenomenon: nations are no longer
home. However, the tradition of the “lover’s chase” necessarily connected to their homeland. Imagine if
permeates Ogre culture. One of the pair will at- Chinatown in San Francisco was actually a legal part

tempt to chase down the other. If the target of this of China! Likewise, the American part of Beijing (if
wonderful affection refuses to run, they have effec- such exists) might be a part of the US. A nation could

tively refused to get married. If the chase goes on, the be spread across Earth — or, in Valence, across the
chances are good that no matter who wins there will stars — instead of localized in one particular conti-
be children in the future. nent or land mass.

Despite their similarities, Trolls and Titans are Mull that over for a minute while we talk about
two different species, and are very different when Common Law.

it comes to having children. Titans and Draconians
bear their children in the same way that Humans, Making laws that apply to everyone is equally
Halla, and Inuueliting do (though their pregnancies hard. When you have thousands of cultures, with

are a bit shorter due to their shorter lifespan). Trolls, their own mores and values, legality is difficult to
on the other hand, are asexual. They reproduce by define. Trying to tie together ten or more intelligent

rubbing their backs together. In a few months, a species, each with their own subcultures and hun-
bulge will form in the back of one partner, mak- dreds of religions, would be a nightmare if the Empire
ing them appear to be a hunchback — that Troll is wrote the same kinds of laws that most governments

pregnant. There are occasionally Titan or Draconian today do. The Empire probably took one look at the
crossbreeds, but Trolls cannot have children with old Inuueliting law archives (known as the planet of
anyone but other trolls. Moruush) and said “I won’t live long enough to read

through that.” Instead of confining themselves to
Valorians: Valorians have some of the best specific laws, the Empire wrote sweeping principles
senses around due to their sensory antennae. It’s and relied on local magistrates to interpret it all.
Page 51
little surprise, then, that Valorians find it terribly
stimulating to entwine their antennae with those of The Human Empire very effective organization,
another Valorian. Non-Valorians always find this a sometimes frighteningly effective. They might have
strange sight... wouldn’t you? Vals are usually more done some pretty heavy-handed stuff, and some
attracted to someone for their voice than what they very shadowy deals, but what they did worked.

look like. A first date usually involves a concert or Common Law was based on a few principles that
the opera instead of a movie. were common to all species. The most important are
as follows.
Cultures and the In all the cultures on Earth and elsewhere, pro-
ducing for the community and for one’s self was im-
Common Law portant. Whether that meant spiritual contributions
or monetary, one must be able to support oneself
and help support the community. Crimes against this
For any law to deal with ethnic, racial, and cul- were the most serious.
tural groups is very difficult. Defining such a group
is like asking to get shot. There is, of course, the Murder falls into this category. When you kill
possibility of letting a group define itself, but parsing someone, you have taken away their ability to sup-
that into legal terms can be touchy too. port themselves and others. Ditto for such things as
blinding someone, chopping off body parts, etc. —
A different way to do things is to define certain the more you impair, the worse things are. Temporary
protocols that apply to “social groups,” and a way for impairments (e.g. getting mugged) are not as serious,
those groups to register with a central authority. Then
because they only delay the contribution; they don’t Appearing approximately one year after the
permanently reduce your ability to do so. fall of the Empire, AT came out of nowhere. Riding
Genetech’s coattails, they originally seemed to be a
Personal freedom is also a big deal to many division of that corporation. Everyone knows better
species — not as in freedom to go anywhere and in 592, though there are always rumors. Where GT
do anything, but as in control over what happens to won a legal battle, AT capitalized. When GT bought
you. Impairing someone’s control over themselves a planet, AT sold them ships. When GT caught flack
is a crime. Rape falls under this umbrella, as do about the Demons, AT said that their ships would
many other acts of brutality and which (technically) obviously never do such a thing. AT achieved promi-
wouldn’t prevent you from producing for yourself or nence this way and then cut themselves off from GT
the community. This also leads to the idea of self- when they had a large enough client base. AT seems
governance: that all the individual tribes could gov- to have little interest in buying out and incorporat-
ern themselves however they pleased, as long as (a) ing other companies. Instead, they undercut their
they let people leave whenever they want, (b) they competition’s prices and run them into the ground.
were up-front about what the requirements are to Genetech doesn’t care about Astrotech as long as AT
join, and (c) they respect the rights of other tribes. keeps selling them ships.
So let’s be honest — the Common Law was prob-

ably a clever way for the Empire to enforce their own Five Galaxies Information
idea of morality on the galaxy in general. However,
it was probably also an effective set of laws that Not big enough to qualify as a true megacorp,
could apply to almost anyone of any culture. FGI is still a galaxy-wide organization with plenty
of clout. They provide about 50% of the galaxy’s
These days, of course, everyone has said “we can media, from news to sitcoms to talk shows. Their
do better” and ignored the old Common Law when it obvious weakness is local coverage, but a less
suited them. While the Coalition and GT still operate obvious one is the lack of a true “galactic culture.”
by it for the most part, they can’t resist adding their While they are able to dominate the market of many
own stipulations, manipulations, and loopholes. planets on a one-by-one basis, they simply do not
(and, at the current time, cannot) appeal to everyone
in the galaxy.
Page 52
FGI’s main hold is in Coalition- and GT-domi-

Important Corporations nated space, where the gigantic governments help to
homogenize the population and their values. Their
main customers (those who buy advertising time)
Not every corporation has a strong enough ethic are other megacorps, with the microcorps primar-
or enough force of “personality” to create a culture ily going with smaller media companies. Despite
around itself. Some are simply large money-making their name, FGI has no influence outside our own
entities. Here are three of the more important ones: galaxy.
Among FGI’s most popular programs are such

Astrotech shows as No-Delay News (a galaxy-wide current
events program), Life On My Planet (a sitcom),
Astrotech is known for cut-rate, reliable, service-
Andromedan Dreams (a soap opera), and The CG
able, bland starships. They also sell components for
Hour (a cartoon with characters so realistic it might
starships which are compatible with the ships made
be hard to tell). FGI employs some of the galaxy’s
by the Coalition and Pëmct Starflight Constructions.
best-known and most talented actors, but every
These components are also cut-rate, reliable, ser-
show is nonetheless touched up by on-the-fly com-
viceable, and bland. All AT products bear their
puter editing.
logo on a plate (which can be removed with the
proper tools). AT produces approximately 54% of
FGI has a strong partnership with Intersoft, the
the starships in the galaxy, with the Coalition next at
galaxy’s premier computer manufacturer, and has
24% and Pëmct contributing 10%. The remaining
no corporate enemies that could challenge it on a
12% is from smaller independent companies.
galactic scale. Part of the reason for that is that all

the megacorps are willing to help out FGI behind the

scenes in return for some free publicity.
Cults and Minor Religions

Most people don’t know that FGI will just as
readily take money to stop a commercial from run-
ning as they will to run it. The megacorps use this to Religion is an exceptionally strong force, one

ensure that no bad press gets out about them. which can bring nations together and tear them
apart. No discussion of the current state of the
Galaxy would be complete without an examination

Intersoft of its religions.
Intersoft is the result of the merger of half a Besides the major religions in the galaxy (see

dozen computer giants in GY 545. These companies the Coalition section in the major culture writeups),
saw their profits disappearing as more powerful, there are any number of “minor” cults and spinoff
religions. A few examples are given below. We dis-

better-known corps like Armageddon Industries.
moved in on their turf. The merger was not seen tinguish cults from religions primarily by size, but
as the best alternative for many of the companies also by their distance from other religions.

originally involved in it — after all, they had been
traditional rivals for years, and having to settle for a
lesser vote on a larger company board didn’t sit well
Sa’cherin

with everyone. Some companies broke off from the
fledgling Intersoft conglomerate and formed their Of all the religions in the galaxy, this one is the
own megacorporation, Nanocomputing Industries. easiest to misunderstand.

NI fell on hard times early, as the bigger-name The Sa’crontor, as mentioned earlier, have his-
torically followed a trickster religion. They say that

companies in Intersoft received larger projects from
other megacorps. The final death knell of NI came all the first truly sentient Sa’crontor taught the rest of
too soon, when the Coalition awarded Intersoft the them how to play tricks on the many predators who
roamed their world, letting the Sa’crontor survive to

job of supplying computers for all government facili-
ties and starships. Reduced to half of their market, the present. Rather than relying on physical strength,
the corporations in NI broke apart and can now only Lording, or planning, the Sa’crontor relied on under-
Page 53
be found as “niche” brands. handedness and traps.
Intersoft is known not only for its ubiquitous This religion took a real nosedive when the
products (after all, nearly everyone buys a computer, Sa’crontor encountered the rest of the galaxy, who
and nearly all computers are Intersoft-made), but for didn’t always appreciate being used as trick practice.
Most Sa’crontor quickly learned to take a more phil-

high quality. About half of Intersoft’s impressive staff
are beta testers: in-house professionals paid to crash osophical and pragmatic approach to their religion
computers until they are built to be uncrashable. when off their homeworld.

With Intersoft’s connections to both the Coalition and
Ægis, supplying battle computers that don’t crash is Of course, anyone brave enough to visit the
extremely important. Intersoft also has a non-com- Sa’crontor homeworld is fair game.
petition agreement with Armageddon Industries,
stating that Arm has the rights to embedded proces- Most non-Sa’crontor see Sa’cherin as an excuse
sors while Intersoft will sell home computers and to pull practical jokes. There’s really more to it than
mainframes. Neither party takes the agreement too that, and it runs deeper, providing a subtext for all
seriously, and they try to keep up an appearance of traditional Sa’crontor life. Modern Sa’cherin boils
competition for those outside the industry, but nei- down to four basic principles:
ther one cuts into the other’s profits.
1. The use of direct force is evil. This can apply to
both physical and social situations.
2. Value your friends — teach them to think on their

feet, and they will return the favor. Fairness is for
your friends, not your enemies.
3. Honor those whose craftiness and skill exceeds It should be stressed that most branches of the
your own. FCCD don’t think this way, and many of those who
do simply preach that mages should be convinced to
4. Be ready to adapt to all things. mend their ways, and should reject their foul pow-
ers. More ignorant cults believe that all mages could
It is important to remember that not all Sa’crontor become Duelists if only they tried hard enough
follow Sa’cherin. The major religions have their share (which is false; Duelists are born, not made).
of followers among the Sa’crontor as well.
The worst branches of the FCCD preach that all
mages must be destroyed. These are often led by an
The First Church of Christ Duelistic insane or power-hungry Duelist. While these cults
are a minority, they are always in the news. They’re
Founded in GY –45 by a group of Human revi- what most people think of when they think of the
sionist scholars, the FCCD believes that Jesus Christ FCCD. Shutting down the whole church would be
was a Duelist (see page xx). a waste of time and effort — they do a lot of good.
However, any mage might eventually run afoul of
It’s not that strange of an idea — Duelists can the worse cults. This can make for a good adventure
heal and create matter, both of which Christ was hook, or a good long-term enemy for an Archmage
said to have done. The FCCD doesn’t deny the idea character. Conversely, it can make for a good ally or
that Jesus was the son of God. Instead, they believe contact for any Duelist.
that all Duelists are holy. This wouldn’t be such a
problem if there weren’t so many splinter cults from The FCCD is made up primarily of Humans,
the FCCD who vilify ordinary Lording. After all, if Budetug, Ogres, and Valorians, with some other
Duelists are from God, then archmagi, who follow a low-Lording species.
different set of rules, must be from Satan.
The New Papists
Holy Books in Valence Another cult religion, but significantly worse

than most others. A straight line can be drawn from
Page 54
the KKK in modern times to the New Papists in 592.

Each religion has its own set of holy writ-
ings and scrolls. Here are a few to add flavor to They are human supremacists. Not even Ariel or
your game. Mulunism is a religion described in Succubi are allowed in — they are tainted by their
the Starbound supplement; it is large enough “association” with other species. The New Papists es-
to be considered major but is not as big as the pecially hate Demons and crossbreeds, and will go
others. to almost any length to kill them or drive them out.
Non-humans are treated with total intolerance.
Major Religions
Gherej: Book of the Prophet Olan Shanok To the Coalition’s chagrin, the New Papists are
Judaeism: The New Torah primarily located within the Core, on Human-domi-
Kinosim: Words from the Spirits nated worlds. They take their name from their leader,
Mulunism: The Long Land Pope Joseph, who declared himself such when the
Parism: Tao of the Stars Pope on Earth was killed during the Fall.
Cults and Minor Religions The New Papists are vicious, but luckily have lit-
Elementalism: Book of Four tle support. They sometimes work with other human
FCCD: Book of Secret Worlds supremacist groups. They would make an excellent
New Papists: Rise and Fall long-term enemy for any Ultramerc, crossbreed, or
Sa’cherin: The Tasesh Demon character.
Tüg-ran: the Contact

Tüg-ran revolves around “The Contract,” a

Elementalists relatively short document (as holy books go) which
describes the proper relationship of worker to over-
This cult started as an anti-scientific reactionary seer. Most of The Contract can be followed without

group. Believing all of today’s science to be unin- any agreement or even knowledge on the overseer’s
spired and boring, they promised to found a new part.

and more interesting approach based on the four
traditional elements: air, fire, earth, and water. Some of the more important “provisions” The
Contract makes for its adherents include the follow-

In this, they largely failed. Their approach was ing:
simply not up to explaining things like quantum
physics and relativity — after all, it was overthrown • Whatever work you are made to do, your mind

during the Renaissance on Earth. In time some is your own. Someone who asks you your mind
people turned away from this path, and the philoso- must receive whatever you are willing to give.
phy became all the more entrenched in those who

stayed, until it reached the cult status it holds today. • When you are under agreement to perform a
job, you will perform it, without exception and

The Elementalists venerate the four elements, and without complaint.
those from each of the homeworlds who originally
discovered them. They have ceremonies four times a • Insuring safety is the job of the worker; but the

year, each one held for a certain element: air in the overseer must aid in this or provide for himself.
winter, water in spring, fire in summer, and earth in
autumn. These ceremonies generally involve chant- • Mistreatment need not be endured; the longer it

ing, rituals, prayers, and (when possible) gathering is endured, the larger the debt you may collect.
near a large amount of the element. Ceremonies are

always held outside. Many Budetug historians say that it was this
last provision which sparked the second and third
It turns out that each of the species (except the Inuuel-Budetug wars.

Archangels and Ogres) have, at one point, held an
elemental belief. The cult often uses this fact as
leverage to recruit new members. In general this
Page 55
cult is not particularly harmful, though many of its
members reject as much modern technology as they
can. The only reason it is classified as a cult and not
a full religion is that it has few constituents. Most of
its followers are from Broken Sector.

Tüg-ran
This philosophy started amongst Budetug slaves
after the first Inuuel/Budetug wars, 50 million years
ago. A surprising number of Budetug around the
galaxy still follow this straightforward code, and it is
often known as the “Budetug Worker’s Creed.”
The primary reason Tüg-ran was created was

to keep Budetug culture alive while the Inuueliting
continued to enslave and “integrate” them. Since
then it has been taken up by business-minded, no-
nonsense members of other species as a model for
doing business. In some places it’s a very eye-for-an-
eye philosophy.
Hallan writings and stories are famous galaxy-
Quality Entertainment wide. The best known cover dozens of generations
of a family, chronicling both the everyday and the
extraordinary. The commentary written in the mar-
What is there to do for fun in 592? gins is, in some ways, more important than the book,
making each copy unique and special.
The traditional draws of nightlife, clubs, bars,
and dance halls haven’t faded. If you’re looking Humans make most of the galaxy’s movies and
for dinner and a movie, you can still find it. The films, synthesizing many different art forms into one.
movie may be holographic/immersive, but it’s still Acting, writing, music, and computer effects in one
just a movie. For those interested in something a production — Humans seem to be good at bringing
bit more sophisticated, try hanging around near an these all together.
Inuueliting royal court. It’s great entertainment if you
can get yourself invited. The Inuueliting are known for their epic poetry.
Nothing is written small in these stories. Every prob-
Card and video games are still around, as are lem is world-shaking, every emotion is overwhelm-
RPGs. Adventure cruises are becoming more popu- ing, and it all fits together into something very mov-
lar for those who have the money. You get taken on ing. The old alliance of Humans, Inuuel, and Caracts
board a cruise ship or starliner, given your “iden- is still alive and well in the entertainment business,
tity for the weekend,” and see how things play out as the Inuuel write operas, Humans produce them,
— sort of a three-day-long dinner murder mystery. and Caractingessen act in them.
If you’re totally bored, you can always look through
the Lattice and find out how many web sites there One of the most bizarre art forms in existence
are about, for instance, dog hair. is Nesti architecture. The original Nesti buildings
were made out of the remains of their ancestors, and
In general, entertainment in 592 is no more the newer ones still look that way, with intertwined
risqué or violent than in modern times. It was more vines everywhere and a very organic feel. Nesti ar-
so until the 200’s, but since then things have quieted chitects often contract out to Budetug sculptors who
down. Back then there were more direct-neural-link can render their visions in stone.
dramas; with interface jacks universally shunned
Page 56
these days, there’s little call for such totally immer- Ogres enjoy painting. They put a lot of visceral
sive psychodramas. emotion into it, which comes out quite clearly in
the final product. Despite their low Creativity index,
We’ve talked about cultural preferences ear- Ogres are more than capable of making emotional
lier in the book. Each species is known for its own and unique paintings.
contributions to the art world. While every species

dabbles in every sort of art, some species are better The Sa’crontor make the galaxy’s best-known
known for their contributions to certain art forms. clothing, at least for those brave enough to wear it.
Much of it is quite slinky and sheer.
The Archangels are known for their murals.
Many of their ancient buildings bear the history of Valorians are known for their music, which is
their species since ancient times, painted across the complex, precise, and moving. Having four tentacles
walls, and the art form is still popular. make them capable of playing some rather odd in-
struments!
The stone-loving Budetug are known for carv-
ings and sculpture. From carved doorways to free-
standing statues, the Budetug use the most common
materials in their homes to make those homes more
beautiful.
The Caractingessen have the best-known operas

across the galaxy. Drama and violence seem to
come naturally to this species, and their lung capac-
ity makes singing easy. See page xx for a picture.

Middle Age of the Galaxy
A Timeline History
3.5 million BC: The Nesti evolve to sentience — first

of the Galaxy of the “Young Races.”

3.1 million BC: Inuuel contact and subjugate the
What follows is a brief timeline history of the
Budetug
Milky Way from its earliest days, when even the
Inuueliting were still banging rocks together to make

3 million BC: The Inuueliting attempt to subjugate
fire.
the Nesti homeworld and are crushed.

Elder Age of the Galaxy 3 million BC: The flourishing civilization of the
Archangels is discovered. Inuueliting-Archangel
war, Inuuel suffer their second major defeat.

10 million BC: The Inuueliting evolve to sentience
on their homeworld Ll’Anderanth. In their oldest
form they are arboreal and winged. 3 million BC: The Budetug create their first Tesseract

drives independently of the Inuueliting. First
7 million BC: the Inuueliting discover the Lording. Budetug-Inuueliting war.
Their physical form evolves into its present state

over the course of the next million years. 2.9 million BC: The Halla create their first Tesseract
drives.
6 million BC: The Inuueliting create the Pool of

Radiance during the War of Radiance. First 2.7 million BC: The Caractingessen create their first
Daishaining’inuueliting, first use of Tesseracts in Tesseract drives.

the galaxy. Begin Inuuel Empire.
2.3 million BC: The Sa’crontor evolve to sentience.
5.5 million BC: Maltec’inuueliting create the first

mechanical tesseract devices, allowing the 2 million BC: Second Budetug-Inuueliting war
Inuuel empire to expand explosively.
2 million BC: Humanity evolves to sentience from
Page 57
5.3 million BC: The Budetug evolve to sentience from apes.
a species of multi-legged insectoid predators.
1.5 million BC: Inuueliting visit Earth for the first
5 million BC: The Caractingessen evolve to time and create Ariels.
sentience. They are not active in galactic politics

until 2315 BC. 1.4 million BC: Third Budetug-Inuueliting war. Begin
Budetug Empire.
4.8 million BC: The Halla evolve to sentience on the
cliffs and shorelines of their homeworld. 1.3 million BC: The Nesti create their first Tesseract
drives.
4.5 million BC: The Valorians, the galaxy’s only
silicon-based species, evolve to sentience, 1.2 million BC: Budetug-Archangel war, finally
and are largely passed over until the Budetug settled when Archangels are allowed to govern
Empire. their own planet.
4.1 million BC: Valorian mathematicians discover

Young Age of the Galaxy
the principles behind Tesseracts, but never build
one.
900,000 BC: the Ogres evolve to sentience.
4 million BC: Official end of the “elder age” of the
720,000 BC: The Sa’crontor create a Tesseract drive
galaxy.
and immediately join galactic culture.
500,000 BC: the Ogres are discovered by Budetug million-and-a-half years, developed agriculture,
scoutships and invited into the galactic culture. built the pyramids, and landed on the moon. How
is this possible?
200,000 BC: Humanity evolves into its current
form. Part of it is due to the low Creativity of the
Inuueliting, but not everything can be attributed to
30,000 BC: Earliest discovered Human art. that. To really answer this question, we must split
evolution up into three interrelated categories: ge-
10,000 BC: Beginnings of Human agriculture netic, cultural, and technological.
2315 BC: Battle of Lisharnok, Caractingessen defeat The “laws of genetics” as we know them are only
Budetug. Beginning of Caractingessen-Budetug really applicable for a “short term” species. That sort
war. of species must evolve quickly to meet the challenges
its environment presents it with. The Inuuel have not
115 BC: Implosion of the star Vociferous Prime. been such a species for a long, long time. Once they
Begin Caractingessen Empire became a spacefaring species, their technological
evolution (or in their case, Lording evolution) had
1080 AD: Caractingessen visit Earth for the first time taken the place of their genetic evolution. Rather
and create Succubi. than their physical bodies changing, their Lording
and technology did.
1862 AD: Caractingessen empire collapses. Begin
Hallan Empire. Why, then, is there not rampant ultra-high tech-
nology? The truth of the matter is that the longer a
1976 AD: Hallan empire collapses due to neglect. species lives, the less often it learns. All species learn
about the same amount over the course of their lives
2225 AD: Humans create their first Tesseract drive (Valorians are the exception). Most species learn in
and quickly join the galactic culture. “spurts,” lasting perhaps ten years apiece. The first
hundred years of human life is one long learning
2318 AD: Humans begin their crusade for a Galactic spurt.
Empire.
Page 58
Unfortunately, as we all know, once you’ve

2437 AD: Begin Human Empire. GY 1. learned a certain amount it becomes much harder
to learn any more. Thus, when technology becomes
GY 495 (2932 AD): Human empire collapses advanced enough, it becomes impossible to learn
in “The Fall” (see below). The Coalition and enough about it to make a contribution to that tech-
Genetechnologies split. Ægis and Armageddon nology. If it takes a human one hundred and fifty
cultures formed. years to learn how to build a tesseract drive, he or

she has very little time left in which to actually apply
GY 592 (3029 AD): Present day. that knowledge.
Back to the issue of genetic evolution, the Inuuel

did not physically change in those 4.5 million years.
How Many Years and This is due in part to their technology, and also in
Nothing Happened? part to their compassion for elders and the sick.
All species care for their elderly, and most care for
The official reign of the Inuueliting Empire was their weak and sickly. People who might otherwise
from 6 million BC to 1.5 million BC. In all this time, not survive to reproduce, such as those with blood
the Inuuel Empire was largely unchanged, and the disorders, are kept alive through technology. In the
Inuueliting themselves (in defiance of what we think case of the ancient Budetug, their “sacrificing” of
of as the laws of genetics) did not evolve significant- crippled and mutated children destroyed as many
ly. Their culture was almost unchanged, and their useful genes as it kept.
technology only improved when the Budetug and
Valorians came along. Keep in mind that over this Cultural evolution is somewhat similar to ge-
time, Humanity evolved from apes, and in the next netic evolution in that it undergoes a change at high

technologies. What once was a progression towards

civilization becomes cyclic: something which is in The Demons reached Earth with the clandestine
style now will be so again in time. help of the galaxy’s other species, and perhaps even

from some within the old Empire who saw the need
With every species there is a point at which their for violent change.
science can advance no more, and technological

progress slows to a halt. Most species get stuck in a The Demon fleet came to Earth from the galactic
“rut” of technology. Only exposure to new knowl- core, where they had devastated the under-defended
edge will change that. Empire Station, home to the Human Empire’s mili-

tary forces. The attack was completely unexpected
One way or another, all species stop evolving and showed how effectively the Demons had been

physically and culturally once they reach TL 2 (see created — adapting their fleet to any almost any
page xx for Tech Level descriptions). Technological threat, organizing with stark efficiency, and using
evolution reaches a plateau at each Tech Level, and tactics both unexpected and brilliant.

it takes a big push to move it to the next level. The
appearance of the Valorians and the liberation of The fleet gathered after millions of Demons
the Budetug pushed the galaxy’s TL from 1/3 to 2/4. turned on their slavemasters, capturing capital ships,

Humans and their creativity are the push to TL 3/5, communications networks, sometimes entire space
which should be complete in another two hundred stations. The timing of their assault was impeccable.
years. If contact with Andromeda is successful, we

can look forward to yet another period of growth. If This assault came as a result of the treatment the
not, look for things to stagnate for a long, long time. Demons had received at the hands of their masters.

Sold as a slave species, “owned” by the most impor-
tant and wealthy individuals in the galaxy, they saw
firsthand the benefits of freedom, but were denied

The Fall it utterly... and sometimes violently. Their first, last,
and only effective revolution began with no one
more violent than a secretary, who had been engi-

“It started with pride, as many falls do. neered and trained to organize people secretly. As it
turns out, she did her job a little too well.
Page 59
Along the way, it encompassed all the other
deadly sins that scholars of ancient Humanity may The Demons were created and sold by
remember. The years before the Fall were among Genetechnologies Incorporated, which, in the pre-
Humankind’s worst and darkest, all the more so Fall days, was an officially sanctioned part of the
because they had chosen this way of life. Rather Human Empire. Genetech itself was created by the
than looking at the causes before the effects, let us Coalition of Sentient Races, which, in pre-fall days,

go backwards, so that we can understand how it was was the public congress of the same Human Empire.
all uncovered in the end. Oversight was lax in those days; no one really knows
whether the Coalition actually knew about the
The Demons are scattered to the four winds Demons, but it is absolutely certain that someone in Valence Main Rulebook: More Setting
in this day and age because of the efforts of the Empire must have known, and approved.
Genetechnologies and the Coalition. Their once-
mighty fleet is destroyed, and their remaining vessels The Demons were sold because somewhere
can find little safe haven anywhere in the galaxy. along the line, those in charge of Genetech had lost
sight of basic “human” decency. Instead of giving
Those two great monoliths of galactic culture their greatest creations the freedom they deserved
have harried the Demons from the day their fleets as sentient beings, they decided that profit must be
defeated those of the Demons on the doorstep of more important. They forgot their original mission
Earth itself. Sadly for those on that beautiful blue — to use genetic engineering to improve the lives
globe, the Demons had already exacted their ven- of the galaxy’s masses — and used it to fill their own
geance, driving Deimos from its orbit around Mars pockets instead.
and into a collision with Earth. Seas boiled, rock va-
porized, and the planet is shrouded in impenetrable The Demons were created simply because
clouds to this day. Genetechnologies could. They were supposed to be
the pinnacle of GT’s engineering knowledge: beings
who carried the genetic codes of all the galaxy’s spe-
cies in a single race. At this, GT miraculously suc-
Tesseracts
ceeded. They were supposed to be controllable. As if
all that evolutionary potential could stay locked up. Space is, to the dismay of all developing cul-
tures, unfathomably huge. Stars are separated by dis-
Now you know the story farther back than most tances that simply cannot be crossed in an ordinary
know it. Both Genetech and the Coalition misrepre- lifetime. The Tesseract was discovered (first by the
sent the facts to their citizens, playing up the defeat Inuueliting) as a sort of “shortcut” way to move from
of the Demons and their own shame at what their one star system to another.
predecessors had done. Aegis and Armageddon
were not idle during these times either, though their The simplest way of explaining it is this: think
role is yet to be understood. Certainly the remnants of the four-dimensional spacetime that we live in as
of the ancient Inuuel and Budetug Empire saw the the two-dimensional surface of a globe. This globe
evil of the slavery the Demons endured, and must is rippling all over from gravity waves and other
have helped them behind the scenes, but if they did, disturbances. Matter creates dips in the surface, and
neither group speaks of it. There must have been no black holes create big dips but don’t puncture it.
one in the galaxy untouched by the Fall, and yet Wormholes connect different parts of it, but those
few people know even this little piece of the story. are hard to find. What a Tesseract does is, just for
Hopefully you can find some more of the truth. one moment, pull two points on the globe up and
touch them together, creating a portal. Don’t ask
Still here? You expect a lesson or a moral, per- how, because it twists the mind of even the best
haps? This is not a fable. This was life — and death. mathematicians. Tesseracts open a portal in front of
Learn from it as you should from all such things: a ship, which the ship then moves through.
learn how to live a better life.”
Tesseracts can work in funny ways. Sometimes,
— Preface to the suppressed text “Demons: The when you’re too close to a lot of gravity, a tesser is
True History of The Fall” wildly inaccurate. If you’re even closer, the tesser
portal will distort, and spread you across space like
creamy peanut butter. Each star has a range of space
Page 60
around it, about where the orbit of Jupiter is for our

star system. Tesseracts cannot be opened effectively
within this radius. The less gravity around, and the
less there is between you and your target, the better
and farther you can jump. The farthest that most or-
dinary jumps go is about two thousand light years.
Most space voyages consist of a few days of

travel out to the safe-tesser zone, instantaneous tran-
sit from one star system to another, and a few more
days traveling into the new system.
Almost all starships use something called the

TGD — the Tesseract Generating Device — to cre-
ate their tesseracts for them. Jumps can also be made
with the aid of a skilled Archmage, or a Platinum
Inuuel, but their range is usually significantly shorter,
and they take much longer to move large masses.
A crippled Budetug works to repair a satellite.

Interplanetary Galactic Cartography

Communication
The galaxy was originally colonized by the

Inuueliting, but the quadrant and sector names used
Almost all planets are connected via the Lattice.
by the Caractingessen during their empire are still in
Essentially the internet of 592, the Lattice runs on
use today.
three different technologies for three different scales.

On the local scale, on a single planet, it runs on
There are four quadrants to the galaxy, with
fiber-optic and laser communication technology. All
names based on the Caracts’ messianic religion.

computers can talk to each other using tiny beams
Galactic “East” is towards the Caractingessen
of light, though not all of them are communicating
homeworld, and also towards Earth. The Eastern
all the time. On a larger scale, between planets and
Quadrant is called Chosen Quadrant, the Southern

between nearby systems, tachyons are used. These
one is Victor, the Western one is Broken, and the
faster-than-light particles allow for almost instanta-
Northern one is Risen. Each Quadrant has four Rim
neous communication across many light years of

sectors along its outside, named after various mytho-
space.
logical figures.

On the largest scales, the Lattice sends infor-
Each Quadrant has twenty sectors, which are
mation through tessercoms. These delicate pieces
typically named after the ancient Inuueliting prefec-
of equipment are mounted in safe places in deep
tures which controlled them, or after Human explor-

space, and few people actually know where they
ers who led the second wave of galactic exploration
are. Tessercoms pick up signals meant for the other
during the Human Empire. Each sector is, in and of
side of the galaxy and send them through a marble-

itself, a vast region of space, with both occupied and
sized tesseract that stays open all the time. There are
unoccupied star systems. Sectors are broken down
relatively few of these — perhaps a thousand — but
into more manageable subsectors, and those into
their placement insures that no message will take

individual systems.
more than a day to cross the galaxy.
The center of the galaxy is laid out in a different
Page 61
Each tessercom is linked to the others around it,
manner. The very center is named Core Zero, and
creating a complex nexus of wormholes. In fact, it
contains the Coalition’s center of government and
might be fair to say that each of them is linked to ev-
the supermassive black hole in the middle of the gal-
ery other tessercom in the galaxy. A severe accident
axy. Surrounding these are eight Core Sectors, and
at one comm station can knock other nearby stations
surrounding those are sixteen Tertiary sectors, which
out of alignment, and the shockwave of an explosion

are numbered rather than named.
would be carried through the tesseract, knocking it
out of alignment. The Coalition still maintains most
Above and below the galaxy are huge extra-

of the galaxy’s tessercoms, since it was the Empire
galactic sectors which expand outwards from the
that created them in the first place, and they are very
Milky Way halfway to the neighboring galaxies. In
territorial when it comes to letting ships approach
theory, when starships reach Andromeda, it will be
them.
divided in the same way that our own galaxy is... but
the Andromedans may have something to say about
Sending a message across a single planet ranges
that.
in cost from cheap to free. An hour of transmission
might cost ten credits at the most. Interplanetary
The Milky Way is still a vast place, a hundred
communications cost about five times that.
thousand light years across, and there are still many
star systems which have not been surveyed.
Intercultural Trade
Beyond the Milky Way
Five of the galaxy’s most influential cul-
The Milky Way has a few neighboring galaxies: tures, including the two biggest (the Coalition
the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, the Large and Small and GT), came about during the rise and fall
Magellanic Clouds, a few uninhabited dwarf galax- of the Human Empire. Because of their close
ies, and Andromeda. Andromeda itself has a few association in those dangerous and chaotic
dwarf galaxy neighbors, and the Triangulum spiral days, and feelings of Human-centered patrio-
galaxy is not far away (in relative terms). tism, there were major trade agreements struck
which many of them now regret, but feel they
The Clouds and Sagittarius are both inhabited, cannot escape.
by indigenous life and by colonies from the Milky
Way. While technically dwarf galaxies, they are rela- Therefore, it is not uncommon to find (for
tively large, and have many young stars. example) a firearms store in Coalition space
owned by a corporation which is really a
The many dwarf galaxies are populated by very subsidiary of Armageddon. Ægis-made cloth-
old stars, with few heavy elements and a small num- ing can be found all across Genetech space,
ber of dead planets around select stars. Colonies and while it might not be the majority of the
could be established here, but they would serve little market, it’s still very substantial.
purpose other than research. The Milky Way’s neigh-
boring dwarfs include the Fornax, Draco, Sextans, In general these sales are made by wholly-
Ursa Minor, Carina, and Sculptor galaxies. Each of owned subsidiaries rather than the parent com-
these contains a few million stars at most. pany, for public relations reasons. In the end,
the money goes to the same place.
Triangulum is slightly smaller than the Milky
Way, and Andromeda is twice the Milky Way’s
size, but both seem to be uninhabited. Long ago
the Inuueliting sent probes to these galaxies in
the hopes of finding more intelligent species, but
Page 62
the probes came back with nothing. The Budetug

Empire focused on exploring the Milky Way instead
of outside, and the Caract and Hallan Empires were
too short-lived to do much exploration. The Human
Empire was rumored to have a plan for exploring
Andromeda, but if so, it must have been interrupted

by the Fall.
Since then the galaxy has been relatively cha-

otic, and only recently has enough order returned to
the galaxy that such far-reaching explorations might
be possible. The new tesseract drives developed in
the last 500 years will also be a great aid to these
explorations, if any of the current cultures and cor-
porations can muster enough foresight to launch this
great an undertaking.

Character

Classed Character

Creation Creation Checklist

Your character is how you interact with the world Use this checklist to create a classed character or
of Valence. Characters are the most important part of a Duelist. You may want to print out or photocopy a
character sheet to make things easier.

the game, with no exceptions. A player character is
sometimes referred to as a PC. The GM will also have
several characters. Most players will just have one 1. Come up with a concept for your character.

character, but the GM is in charge of everyone the You should check with your Game Master to find out
PC’s meet during the game. Those are called non- whether he or she has certain restrictions on what
player characters, or NPC’s. kinds of characters will be allowed in the game. You

might also want to check with the other Players as
In the game your character will be defined by well, to insure that there is a good mix of abilities
many things — attributes, skills, special abilities, dis- amongst the characters.

advantages, and so forth. This chapter tells you how
to figure out all of these abilities and what they do. 2. Select a Culture. Cultures are listed on page
xx through page xx. Every culture in the galaxy has

This chapter is important for both Players and its own “personality,” which should shape your char-
Game Masters. Players, of course, need it for creat- acter’s personality to some extent. Whether you’re a

ing characters of their own. Game Masters need to dedicated follower of your culture or a defiant rebel,
create the non-player characters who inhabit their it still has some impact on you. In game terms, each
world, but also need to understand the capabilities culture also lists four skills which all members of that

of the Players’ characters. culture learn while they’re growing up. You may put
these skills on your character sheet at level 5.

Valence has two basic types of character: Classed
characters and Ultramercenaries. Classed characters 3. Select a Species. Species are listed on page xx
are people from one of the galaxy’s major species through page xx. Each species has a set of base at-
Page 63
who have special training that makes them more tributes, which you should record on your character
suited to “adventuring.” Ultramercs are genetically sheet.
engineered beings created by Genetech and loaned
out to other companies. There is a third type called 4. Select a Class. Classes are listed on page xx
a Duelist, who is essentially a Classed character through page xx. Each class gives a set of skills, some
with some extra capabilities. Ultramercs cannot be base levels of Charisma and Knowledge, and a spe-

Duelists. cial ability. All of these should be written down on
your character sheet. If any of your Class and Species
skills overlap, add the two levels together. For in-
Valence Main Rulebook: Character Creation
It’s very important to know your character. Think
about what they look like, how old they are, and stance, Merchants start with a Persuasion skill of 5,
what they wear. Think of how they would react to and Communal cultures also teach Persuasion at 5.
certain things, what they think about other species A Communal Merchant will start with Persuasion
and classes, and how they use their skills. If you’re 10.
stuck, a look through this book should give you a
few ideas as to what kinds of characters are avail- 4. Increase Attributes. You have 11 points to
able. This will help you “get into the game” more, spread among your attributes. You cannot put more
and will always make things more fun. than six points into any one attribute (in fact, this is a
general limit — characters can never naturally raise
an attribute more than six points above its base).
5. Choose your Backgrounds. Each character

has certain things they have gone through during
their life which cannot easily be represented by
their skills. These are represented by advantages,
Character Attributes remembering things, and may even have memory
disorders.
These are your character’s eleven attributes Lording (Lrd): This is your skill with command-
(occasionalyl referred to as “stats”). They are typi- ing the almost magical force known as the Lording.
cally ranked from zero to 10, though they may rise This attribute covers your raw undeveloped power
above 10 for exceptional individuals (such as player and how easy it is for you to summon the negative
characters). dimensional energies. Characters with zero Lording
are incapable of commanding the energies of the
Agility (Agi): Agility lets you move your whole Lording.
body around gracefully and quickly. This affects
most combat skills, acrobatics, gymnastics, and Mental Endurance (MnE): Mental Endurance
most athletics skills. Characters with zero Agility is the toughness of ones mind, stubbornness, and
often trip over their own feet, and have difficulty willpower. It affects strength of will, mental for-
moving around. titude, and some aspects of Lording. Characters
with zero Mental Endurance will agree to almost
Charisma (Cha): Charisma is your oration abil- anything you say to them, though they may agree
ity, personability, and ability to lead. Charisma af- with someone else in a few minutes.
fects almost all interpersonal skills. This attribute is
determined by a character’s class, not their species. Stamina (Sta): This is one’s physical endurance,
Characters with zero Charisma are incapable of toughness, and constitution. Stamina affects the
making friends, or being tactful or diplomatic, even length of time that one can participate in com-
under the best circumstances. bat, and how long until you just get “worn out.”
Characters with zero Stamina cannot stand or walk
Creativity (Cre): Creativity is a combination of without severe exertion.
intuitive thinking, imagination, ability to improvise,
speed of thought, and cunning. It affects inven- Strength (Str): Represents your character’s
tion and problem solving. Characters with zero lifting power and physical strength. This affects
Creativity are, quite frankly, the most boring people damage and physical power. Characters with zero
in the universe. Strength cannot lift much more than their own body
Page 64
weight - even their clothes feel heavy.

Dexterity (Dex): This is your ability to manipu-
late objects, press buttons, and do other fine work Visualization (Vis): Visualization is your ability,
with your hands (or tentacles, or whatever you not to imagine new things, but to picture things
have). It helps when performing skills such as pilot-
around you in your mind. Affects prediction, learn-

ing, defusing bombs, and picking locks. Characters ing, and piloting skills. Your senses are also dictated
with zero Dexterity should avoid holding sharp to some extent by Visualization. Characters with
objects, as they often drop what they pick up. zero Visualization are almost oblivious to the world
around them, and are incapable of holding a men-
Intelligence (Int): This is the ability to un- tal image or planning for the long term.
derstand what is happening around you. Affects
learning, problem solving, and logical thought.
Characters with zero Intelligence are incapable of
thought beyond that needed to survive day-to-day Attribute Checks
existence.
An “attribute check” is something you roll
Knowledge (Kno): This is a representation when you need to do something that’s based
of what you know and/or have learned. Affects only on inborn talent, not on anything your
scholarly skills and almost everything else dealing character has learned. Roll 1d20 plus the
with knowing things. It also deals with the ability to appropriate stat. If you roll a 12 or higher,
memorize facts and spit them back out, but it won’t you have succeeded. Stamina checks are the
help you understand those facts. This attribute is most common type, as all “saving throws” are
determined by a character’s class, not their species. based on a Stamina check.
Characters with zero Knowledge have difficulty

disadvantages, and Walks of Life. All of these can

be found starting on page xx. You have twenty back- 3. Select a Mentor. All Ultramercs have a non-
ground points to spend there, and can choose one UM menot who guides them through their early

Walk of Life for free. You will probably want to spend life and trains them for their intended profession.
some of these background points to get some money Mentors are listed on page xx through page xx.
for your character.

4. Purchase Skills. Your character has some skills
6. Purchase Skills. Your character by now has from his or her Mentor. In addition, all Ultramercs
certain natural abilities gained from her class, spe- are trained in Computer Operations, and Martial Arts

cies, upbringing, and culture. Her skills cover every- Offensive and Defensive, all at level 5. They may
thing else she is able to do. Rules for purchasing and also use some of their starting budget to purchase

using skills can be found starting on page xx. Your skill training. Ultramerc skill packages are listed on
class will give a certain number of skill points which page xx through page xx.
you can spend there.

5. Increase Attributes. You have 11 points to
Special Note: before purchasing their skills, any- spread among your attributes. You cannot put more
one intending to play a Duelist should examine page than three points into any one attribute (in fact, this

xx, to understand more about their options. is a general limit — characters can never naturally
raise an attribute more than three points above its
7. Buy Equipment. Take the money you received base).

from your Backgrounds section and buy some nifty
Equipment. See page xx for general equipment, page 6. Choose your Backgrounds. Each character

xx for weapons, page xx for armor, and page xx for has certain things they have gone through during
cybernetics. their life which cannot easily be represented by
their skills. These are represented by advantages,

That’s it! Your character is complete and ready disadvantages, and Walks of Life. You have twenty
for play. background points to spend there, and can choose
one Walk of Life for free. All of these can be found

starting on page xx. Some backgrounds are not
Ultramerc Character available to Ultramercs; so be sure to check the list
carefully.
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Creation Checklist 7. Buy Equipment. Take the money you received
from your Backgrounds section and buy some nifty
Use this checklist to create an Ultramercenary. Equipment. See page xx for general equipment, page
You may want to print out or photocopy a character xx for weapons, page xx for armor, and page xx for

sheet to make things easier. cybernetics. Many Ultramercs are also outfitted by
Genetech instead of outfitting themselves; check
1. Come up with a concept for your character. with your GM to see if this is the case in your story.
You should check with your Game Master to find out Valence Main Rulebook: Character Creation
whether he or she has certain restrictions on what That’s it! Your character is complete and ready
kinds of characters will be allowed in the game. You for play.
might also want to check with the other Players as
well, to insure that there is a good mix of abilities
amongst the characters.
2. Select your Genes. Every Ultramerc is built

gene-by-gene for greatest effectiveness. The list of
genes begins on page xx. You have a §5 million
budget with which to purchase genes, a mentor, and
skills for your character. Leftover money is wasted
(or, more accurately, was never in the budget in the
first place) and cannot be used to purchase other
things.
Now we have 11 points to distribute among our
Attributes. There’s no real reason to increase her
Two Sample Characters Lording or Visualization, but Stamina could definite-
ly use a boost, as could Mental Endurance. Charisma
can help her get out of problems that her reckless-
ness got her into. After that we’ll play to her strengths
Example #1: Daria the Explorer to make her even more effective. After this step her
attributes are Agility 10, Charisma 6, Creativity 9,
Our first character will be a classed character. Dexterity 6, Intelligence 6, Knowledge 8, Lording 1,
Let’s say that we want to play an explorer; someone Mental Endurance 2, Stamina 3, Strength 1, and
who gets to fly around the galaxy and examine new- Visualization 1
ly discovered worlds to see if they have the potential
for intelligent life. We want to play someone who’s Now we have to pick some Backgrounds for
a little daring, and maybe a little reckless, with a lot Daria. She has 20 background points to start with.
of ambition. We need a name... let’s call her Daria We’d like a few more than that, so let’s take a disad-
Windcourt. vantage: a Medium Enemy sounds like fun; someone
in her field whom she discredited years ago and
Almost any culture could be appropriate for who now seeks to thwart her. No one deadly, but a
this character (except perhaps the Ancient Inuuel). recurring antagonist to play against. That’s worth four
Let’s choose the Coalition. They have the kind of re- extra points. Now for Advantages. Light Sleeper can
sources to support these ventures, and the Coalition be useful when exploring unusual worlds, as can
is certainly known for ambition. Daria starts with the any of the enhanced senses or an enhanced immune
skills of First Aid, Computer Operations, Diplomacy, system. We’ll take Light Sleeper (5 points), 120,000
and Stand Ground, all at level 5. § worth of money (6 points), a Medium Contact (her
old department head in school, 5 more points), Team
Now we need a species. Again, any of them Player to help her fit in betterin an adventuring-type
could produce someone like Daria, but certain game (4 points) and spend the remaining four on
species are a little better suited to her job. We want Additional Skill Points (bringing Daria’s total skill
a species that is fast, creative, and smart, and the points up to 75). Our Backgrounds are spent.
Sa’crontor definitely fit that bill (even if they are a lit-
Page 66
tle on the wussy side). We record Daria’s attributes: A Walk of Life is next. Daria can pick any of the
Agility 9, Creativity 7, Dexterity 5, Intelligence 5, general Walks, any which are specific to Scholar
Lording 1, Mental Endurance 1, Stamina 1, Strength classes, or any of the Coalition walks. We could take
1, Visualization 1 Explorer, but Early Journeyman also seems appropri-
ate; let’s go with that one. We note that Daria will
Some classes are totally unsuitable for explora-

tion duties, but none of them are explicitly designed
for it. A Bio Doc could help us determine whether How old is my character?
the planet has the potential for life, a Tech Doc could
specialize in planetary sciences instead of engineer- If your character is a Human, you will
ing, a Space Jockey could fly around in her own ship, probably be about 30 years old at the start
or a Merchant could look for new cultures to trade of the game. For other races this varies
with. A Bio Doc seems to be the best choice out of widely – Inuueliting are usually around 110,
all of these — the medical training will help keep Caractingessen near 300, and Ogres only 18
Daria alive, and if this career ever falls through she or so. It depends on the life expectancy of each
could still practice medicine elsewhere. The Bio Doc race.
class gives Daria the following skills and abilities:
Medical Doctor skill at 10, Biology skill at 5, First However, if your character is an Ultramerc,
Aid skill at 5 (which raises her total in that skill to you are only 10 years old at the most. While
10), Charisma 4, Knowledge 7, and 65 skill points. UM bodies are fully developed at “birth,” the
In addition, if Daria ever dresses in traditional Bio training takes place in the span of a few years.
Doc garb, she will be left alone in combat, which is Starting Ultramerc characters are 8 years old
a nice ability to have when things get hairy. on average.

get a +2 bonus to Bargaining, Carousing, Streetwise,

and one Martial Arts skill once she’s done buying Example #2: Ajax the Warrior
her skills.

Our second sample character will be an
Now for purchasing skills. We want to pay spe- Ultramerc. We’ll make him a bit stereotypical: com-
cial attention to the Medical, Computer, and Science pletely loyal to Genetech, powerful but inexperi-

skills because they’re easier for her to learn, and try enced, and somehow just... not all there. His name?
to avoid Espionage or Street skills. Unfortunately, Genetech tends to go in for mythological names for
her character concept makes those skills difficult to their ultramercs, so let’s cal him Ajax (after the pow-

avoid. Here’s what we buy: erful warrior in the Trojan War). We think of him as
sort of an enforcer type, taking orders and pounding
whomever GT high command tells him to pound.

Medical Doctor goes up to 20 (6 points)
First Aid goes up to 20 (3 points)
Biology goes up to 15 (2 points) We need a list of genes for him first. Mental ca-

Cybernetics at 10 (4 points) pacity isn’t particularly important for this character,
Genetic Engineering at 10 (6 points) but physical fortitude and power certainly are. We
Biomedical Technology at 5 (3 points) probably want to give him one or two Lording abili-

Programming at 10 (4 points) ties down the line, just to have some diversity in his
Interpret Sensors at 15 (3 points) firepower. We’ll also want to try to balance speed
Geology at 10 (2 points) and toughness, since very tough characters also

Martial Arts: Defensive at 15 (6 points) tend to be quite slow. Lastly, there are some options
Pistols at 10 (4 points) which are just plain too expensive to consider. We

Bargaining at 5 (3 points) can’t make him into a superman (as much as GT’s
Carousing at 10 (6 points) press would like everyone in the galaxy to believe).
Streetwise at 5 (3 points)

Observation at 10 (8 points) Here’s our list of genes for Ajax:
Make New Contacts at 10 (8 points) Budetug Brain (§370,000)
Halla Eyes (§20,000)

Now we need to get Daria some basic equip- Ogre Ears (§60,000)
ment. Let’s get her some Street armor (basically some Ordinary Olfactory (§25,000)
extremely rugged clothing), a cheap Sonic Resonator Corded Muscle (§30,000)
Page 67
pistol in case she gets into trouble, a first aid kit, a Heavy Calcium Bones (§175,000)
nice pocket computer, a few Blood Stoppage Patches Large Humanoid Body (§20,000)
and Rejuvenation Patches, a flashlight and backpack, Basic Bipedal Movement (§100,000)
a Coalition Multipass, a watchcom, and some neo- Caractingessen Wings (§400,000)
morphic clothing for when she’s not working. She A’darn Gland Biomod (§130,000)

still has roughly 83,000 sections left for purchases Nicitating Membrane Biomod (§20,000)
later in the game, which might come in useful if she Golden Inuueliting Arms (§250,000)
needs to rent a hotel room or buy a car. Silicon Chemical Base
Cybernetic Immune System (§200,000)
That’s it — we’re all done! Daria’s completed Caractingessen Epidermis (§200,000)
character sheet can be found at the end of the book.
You’ll notice that her skills have been grouped by We’ve created someone who is about eight
type, and that all of the wound levels and fatigue feet tall, with a 20-foot wingspan, covered in thick
levels that she doesn’t have are shaded in. scales, with four arms and small purple eyes. Kind of
a frightening sort, isn’t he?
His Mentor is our next decision. Ajax would

probably work well as a Close Combat Specialist
or Heavy Weapons Specialist, though making
him a Lord is not out of the question. Let’s use the
Heavy Weapons Specialist Mentor. This runs us §
1,500,000. So far we’ve spent 3.86 million sections
on Ajax. That leaves 1.14 million to purchase some
additional skill packages. Let’s get Drive, Heavy
Weapons, Covert Operations, Combat Lording, and Now it’s time for some Backgrounds. Enhanced
Basic Lording (choosing Magnitude for our other Sight is an obvious choice for someone who’s going
Lording skill, we’ll worry about the spells later). to see a lot of long-range combat. Enhanced Touch
We’ve successfully used up our entire budget. isn’t a bad one either. Our GM informs us that this
will be an all-Ultramerc game and GT will be pro-
Now it’s time to spend our 11 bonus Attribute viding equipment, so we don’t have to worry about
points. The most important Attributes for Ajax are his money, but it would still be nice to have a little for
Agility, Dexterity, Mental Endurance, and Stamina. ourselves. We’ll spend 4 points to get §80,000.
After we place some points in each of those (and one Last, we’ll take the Terrifying advantage, to help
or two elsewhere), Ajax’s final attributes are Agility 5, us intimidate people. While there are a few tempt-
Charisma 1, Creativity 6, Dexterity 8, Intelligence 3, ing disadvantages (like Tarnished Past), we decide
Knowledge 1, Lording 2, Mental Endurance 5, against them, since it’s always nice to start with a
Stamina 7, Strength 6, and Visualization 6. clean slate.
As for a Walk of Life, we’d like something that Most of the heavy weaponry is out of a starting
enhances his existing skills, but Ajax isn’t really a character’s league money-wise, so it’s a good thing
very social person, and almost all Walks give bo- GT will be providing it on this mission. Ajax’s player
nuses to social skills. Let’s just pick one to add flavor will probably get told what equipment he has by the
to the character: Urban Asssignment. He’s been GM early on in the game.
working in some of the galaxy’s nastier slums, clean-
ing out gangs who have way too much firepower on That’s it — we’re all done! Ajax’s character sheet
their side. He gets bonuses to Carousing, Streetwise, can be found at the end of the book. Like Daria’s, his
a Drive skill of choice, and a Combat skill of choice. skills are grouped by type, and the wound levels and
Those will be reflected in his final skills below: fatigue points he doesn’t have are shaded in.
Disintegrators at 15
Gatling Lasers at 17
Grenade Launchers at 10
Grenades at 10
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Missile Launchers at 10
PDS’s at 15
Plasma Weapons at 10
Drive A.P.C.’s at 5
Drive Car at 5
Drive Truck at 7
Drive Tanks at 5
Drive Race Car at 5
Ride Motorcycle at 5
Camouflage at 5
Concealment at 5
Pick Locks at 5
Stealth at 10
Lording Development at 10
Complexity at 5
Magnitude at 10
Range at 5
Targeting at 5
Carousing at 2
Streetwise at 2
He’s not quite as skilled as Daria, but he’s pretty

good for an Ultramerc. He’s also very focused (typi-
cal for an Ultramerc), and very combat-oriented.

How do I choose skills? How Smart is a Valorian?

There are a lot of skills in Valence, and the Smarter than you, that’s for sure. No, this
choices may seem overwhelming at first. Here isn’t an insult. It’s just that any Valorian is
are a few things to remember when choosing smarter than any Human, period. No question.

your character’s starting skills: It can be quite a challenge playing a character
who scored an 800 on their IQ test. Here are
1. Start by improving on the skills you some tips to make your character seem more

already have. Pick skills that work well with like a genius.
these – for instance, a Space Jockey might

want to know a little about fixing her ship, or First, ask the GM for information. Vals have
a Merchant might pick up Humor & Wit to put +4 to Knowledge, and that means almost pho-
his customers at ease. tographic memories. If your character read it

somewhere, he or she will probably remember
2. Be really good at at least one thing, it. Also, their incredible senses can pick up
preferably something related to your Class. You obscure clues that most people would miss,

should probably pick up a few 15s and a 20. like hearing stress in someone’s voice when
However... they speak.

3. Don’t overspecialize. You have enough Second, make contingency plans. We
skill points to branch out a little; don’t be afraid Humans are great at thinking on the fly, but

of picking some skills that don’t fit in perfectly Valorians are better at strategic planning. No
with your character. We all learn an odd assort- Val would ever do something without con-
ment of skills as we go through life. sidering the consequences, and that can be a

great advantage. Make some plans between
4. You won’t be killing things all day long, game sessions.
so don’t take just combat skills, but conflict is

almost inevitable in Valence so don’t overlook Third, buy skills that take advantage of your
them either. At the very least, take Martial Arts: intellect. Your brain is going to waste with skills
Page 69
Defensive and one other combat skill. like Gambling and Quarterstaff. Remember:
anything based on Intelligence is probably go-
5. Lastly, don’t worry if you personally ing to have a +4 bonus to your roll! Make those
don’t know anything about these skills. Skills stats count! Just don’t make every skill based
represent character knowledge, which doesn’t on Intelligence. You might want things like
have to have anything to do with player knowl- Martial Arts: Defensive, so that your enemies

edge. don’t blast you out of existance. Better yet, take
stuff like Make New Contacts and Carousing,

so that you don’t make enemies in the first
place. Your character’s brain isn’t any good if
it’s splattered on the pavement.
Classes
can be used for very talented but inexperienced
individuals.
Each of the Classes below is a profession which

Most jobs are specialized in GY 592. In part this
might lead one to an “adventuring” life. Your Class
is a result of having some of the longer-lived species
describes your job; it’s what your character does for
around, who can devote thousand-year lifetimes to
a living. You might know how to do many things,
the perfection of a single job. It’s also due in part
but this is what you’ve specialized in over the years.
to a large bank of specialized knowledge which is
Don’t think that these are the only jobs out there –
needed for the better-paying jobs. Oh, sure, you
you could play an accountant, but most accountants
can work in retail without knowing too much about
don’t do anything particularly exciting in their lives.
what you’re selling, but sooner or later someone will
come along, even in retail, who does know what
In game terms, your Class will give your char-
you’re selling and take your job. For better and bet-
acter his or her initial Charisma and Knowledge at-
ter-paying jobs the case is even stronger.
tributes, starting skill points, some starting skills, skill
cost modifiers, and one or two special abilities. The
Another reason for specialization is the demands
skills are explained later on page xx, for now, just
of the megacorps. When you have thousands of
write them down on your character sheet.
planets to choose your team from, you can afford to
choose the best of the best. Specialization is a way to
Specialization may be necessary, but it’s not
insure that you get picked for these jobs before your
without its price. Changing your Class is difficult,
thousandth birthday (if you’re lucky enough to be
taking at least three years of game time and 100 XP
from a species that has thousandth birthdays).
to represent the arduous, time-consuming process.
After all, this is the equivelant of going through
Because of this, most “adventurers” in the
medical school, or a few years of military training,
Valence universe have a Class. Even Ultramercs are
or spending so much time in a city that people think
taught by their Mentors for very specific purposes.
you were born there. You retain your old class’s spe-
Those who are untrained or still learning should
cial abilities, but change to the new Class’s skill cost
consider starting with the “No Class” Class, which
modifiers instead of your old ones (representing a
new outlook and way of doing things). You do gain
Page 70
the starting skills and special abilities of the new

class, but not the skill points.
Types of Classes
Much of this section assumes that the character
Classes in Valence are separated into three
is working for a megacorporation, government, or
broad categories: Soldier, Rogue, and Scholar.
mercenary company. If this is not the case for your

This primarily comes into play when selecting

Walks of Life.
Notes on Soldier Classes

Valence Main Rulebook: Classes
Soldier classes include the Arctic and Star

Commandos, Space Troopers, Furies, Paladins,
and Space Jockeys. Soldiers are known for dis- The Arctic Commando is just one of the
cipline and the ability to beat the living hell out many kinds of specialized soldiers the armies
of people in one way or another. of 592. You may want to use this class (and
the Star Commando and Storm Trooper classes
Rogue classes include Assassins, Bounty later on) as templates for building similar
Hunters, Merchants, Ninja, Operatives, Street professions. All soldiers will be employed by
Thieves, and anyone with No Class. Rogues are a mercenary company, government, or large
known for ingenuity and sneakiness. corporation. They may not be working for the
people who originally trained them, but there’s
Scholar classes include Archmagi, Bio no such thing as an untrained freelance sol-
Docs, Diplomats, Interface Knights, and dier. These people are professionals. If you’re
Tech Docs. Scholars are known for collecting looking for a born-on-the streets “fighter”-type
knowledge and avoiding combat. character, try the Fury.

group, you may have to adapt some of what we say blue lightning and rushing winds, and is rather dif-

here to your own character’s background. ficult to miss.

Archmage Arctic Commando

An Archmage is a master of the Lording. He These specialized soldiers have been specifically
has spent years trying to master and understand it. trained to survive and excel at combat in arctic en-

An Archmage carefully nurtures the powers within vironments. The Arctic Commando is trained in the
himself, making them grow. In return for mastering use of all the equipment necessary to survive in all

the Lording, most Archmagi neglect the more mun- cold weather climates. Cold planets often are rich
dane and physical side of life. Even more simply, in minerals and frozen gases. Genetech developed
Archmagi aren’t trained for combat. Some choose to this soldier program in order to take over and control

be mercenaries, but most take a more contemplative these mining areas.
view of life. There is always a call for someone who
can manipulate the basic forces of the universe, and One of the most dangerous missions an Arctic

Archmages can find work in nearly any industry if Commando can receive is to make planetfall on
they apply their talents correctly. a frozen world that is being used as a defensive
platform. The Commando must be parachuted onto

If you want to play an Archmage, you should def- the planet’s surface, and then they must cross open
initely read the Lording section (starting on page xx), country to the main enemy position to demolish it.

because it’s the core of what your character does. Veteran Arctic Commandos are very mentally tough,
Note that Duelists can select the Archmage class, and will often have high Mental Endurance scores.
but they recieve no benefit from Overdrawing (see

below), as they do not use spell points. They learn Genetech is still the culture that makes the great-
Summoning and Traveling instead of Complexity est use of Arctic Commandos, with Armageddon and
and Range. the Coalition following them. Most other cultures

have little use for storming someone else’s castle,
Most modern Archmagi are trained in the old but GT has been known to rent AC’s out to virtually
Page 71
Danlecting’Inuueliting school of Lording, but some everyone. The Inuuel, Sa’crontor, and Valorians are
are not. Those who follow different traditions should not well-suited to being Arctic Commandos because
still pick this class, but may want to consider some of their poor stamina.
of the Walks of Life listed in the Lording section. All
cultures train Archmages, and they can come from
nearly any species, though the Valorians are particu- Special Abilities

larly bad at controlling the Lording.
Having been practically born and raised in the
frozen wastes, Arctic Commandos move at their
Special Abilities normal rate there, while everyone else is reduced
to half speed. An Arctic Commando’s Stealth score
An Archmage, because he spends so much time is doubled when in any terrain of snow and ice. An
with the Lording, is able to draw greater amounts Arctic Commando may bury himself just beneath the
of power than a similarly skilled non-mage would surface of the snow, and wait to leap out and attack
be able to draw. This is known as Overdrawing. An the next being to pass by, gaining automatic surprise.
Archmage may overdraw a number of spell points An Arctic Commando will always gain surprise this
equal to his Mental Endurance times twenty. This way unless his opponent is specifically immune to
can only be done once in a particular location each surprise.
week, as it depletes the Lording energies for 100
meters around. Other mages can still cast spells in
that region, but cannot overdraw. Overdrawing also
causes almost imperceptable structural damage to
all surrounding objects – not enough to be important
in-game, but noticeable for those who see it happen.
An Archmage who overdraws is surrounded by dark
second. For an Assassin the point is just the opposite:
Assassin they’ll never see you coming.
Assassins are trained killers. They are hired by Armageddon trains most of the galaxy’s
people who don’t just want their opposition to crum- Assassins. The only species that doesn’t do well are
ble before them, they want their opposition dead. Caractingessen, since their size makes stealth dif-
ficult.
Assassins and Ninja have a longstanding rivalry.
Ninja prefer to focus on martial arts, discipline, and
tradition, but Assassins are much better at what they Special Abilities
like to call “discrete removal of the opposition.”
Assassins are killers for the lower classes. In order An Assassin suffers no range penalty when fir-
to compete with their Ninja competitors, Assassins ing any ranged weapon, as long as he or she takes
charge lower rates. However, as Assassins don’t at least one action to aim. Assassins may use their
guarantee their kills, Ninjas are in more demand. backstab skill in ways that other characters may not,
The whole point to hiring a Ninja is that your op- using ranged weapons to “backstab” any opponent
ponent sees death looking him in the face in the final who is unaware of the attack, or is otherwise sur-
prised by the attack.
Archmage Class
Primary Skills Level Bio Doc
Lording Development 5
Complexity 5 Bio Docs are everyone’s best friend. Skilled in all
forms of surgery and first aid, and with easy access
Range 5
to information about biological science, cybernet-
Skill Cost Modifiers ics, and genetics, Bio Docs are well liked and well
Lording easier trained. Some work in hospitals, others work with
mercenary companies, and a few have retired from
Science easier
the limelight and set up private practices. Bio Docs
Page 72
Military harder can also be found in medical research centers across

Attributes the galaxy.
Charisma 0
Knowledge 3
Assassin Class

Starting Skill Points 65

Primary Skills Level
Arctic Commando Class Silent Kill 10
Primary Skills Level Backstab 5

Arctic Movement 5 Camoflague 5
Plasma Weapons 5 Skill Cost Modifiers
Martial Arts: Offensive 5 Combat easier
Skill Cost Modifiers Espionage easier
Athletic easier Street easier
Combat easier Computer harder
Street harder Military harder
Attributes Attributes
Charisma 0 Charisma 1
Knowledge 2 Knowledge 3
Starting Skill Points 55 Starting Skill Points 65

Every culture trains Bio Docs, but Ægis is known find someone, they roll a skill check with the target

for the best ones, with Genetech close behind. number determined by the GM. The GM should not
Ogres make the worst Bio Docs out of all the species reveal the target number to the Bounty Hunter until

in the galaxy, born with neither the intellect nor the after the roll. If the roll is successful, they eventu-
manual dexterity necessary, but some tough it out ally find their quarry. If not, they search in vain for a
anyway to become competent doctors. while and can re-roll after a time. Others can learn

this skill with the right teacher, but for them it has a
base cost of 4.
Special Abilities

Bounty Hunters can also be connected with law-
Bio Doc are not attacked when on the field of enforcement agencies in the same way Merchants
battle, so long as they do not attack others. Only

and Diplomats can hook up with their organizations.
the most disreputable and dishonorable mercenary This gives them a measure of legitimacy, but requires
companies will attack doctors, especially since it that they report back often, and their employer

means open season on their own! In order to gain
this benefit the Bio Doc must wear a prominent red
cross, on a white background. This won’t prevent the
Bio Doc Class

Bio Doc from getting mugged, but it sure helps them
do their job in a combat zone. Primary Skills Level
Medical Doctor 10

First Aid 5
Bounty Hunter Biology 5

Skill Cost Modifiers
Bounty Hunters have a knack for finding people. Computer easier

They are known for their ability to find and/or fol-
Medical easier
low people through crowds, over wilderness, and
even through space. Some have connections with Science easier

law-enforcement agencies, others work alone. Most Espionage harder
are disliked by the general populace. It’s a simple
Street harder
reason: they can find you wherever you hide, and
Page 73
people don’t like that. They represent authority, and Attributes
people don’t like that either. And worst of all, some- Charisma 4
times they’re hired (knowingly or not) to retrieve Knowledge 7
slaves. Luckily, most Bounty Hunters can overcome
their reputation with a little effort and conversation, Starting Skill Points 65

and some close examination of the jobs they take.
Bounty Hunter Class
Police detectives and private investigators are often
Bounty Hunters. Primary Skills Level

Tracking 10
Law 5
The Budetug Core culture trains some of the
galaxy’s best Bounty Hunters, taught to use a mix Make New Contacts 5
of intuition and reasoning in following their tragets. Investigation 5
Archangels seem to be the species with the best Skill Cost Modifiers
temperment for this class, though any intelligent or
Combat easier
creative species does well.
Espionage easier
Science harder
Special Abilities
Attributes
Bounty Hunters have a special skill all their own. Charisma 2
It’s called (naturally enough) Tracking. Tracking has
Knowledge 3
a base cost of 2, and is based on Knowledge and
Creativity. Every time a Bounty Hunter wants to Starting Skill Points 65
can send them on a mission of their own at any are not accustomed to combat, except for possibly
time. Independent Bounty Hunters will often find some self-defense tactics, nor are they particularly
themselves harried by legitimate law enforcement likely to know some of the more technical or under-
agents. handed skills. In any social situation, though, count
on the Diplomat.
While all cultures rely on Diplomats for relations

Diplomat with each other, the Communal cultures seem to
provide the calmest, most level-headed, and best-
A Diplomat is a master of any social situation. trained Diplomats around. Any species can make a
Whether acting as a translator on a starship, set- good Diplomat, since the most important attributes
tling a dispute between two countries, or simply are Knowledge and Charisma, both provided by
carousing with his friends, a Diplomat is always in Class instead of species.
the thick of any social event. Their high Charisma
and Knowledge allow them to be personable and in-
formed, important qualities in their profession. They
Special Abilities
Diplomat Class After studying a certain conflict or group for a
Primary Skills Level sufficient time (GM’s ruling is final), a Diplomat may
Bureaucracy 5 add +4 to his/her/its Charisma rating for the purposes
of dealing with that group. The larger the group, the
Public Speaking 5 less time needs to be spent, as mob mentality can
Persuasion 5 be trusted more than individual opinion. A Diplomat
Humor/Wit 5 can also, at the player’s option, have the backing
of one of the larger organizations in the Valence
universe, such as the Coalition or Genetech. This
Leadership easier can tie the character down and make them more re-
Professional easier sponsible for their actions, but sometimes it’s worth
it for the ability to say “I speak for all of Ægis.” All
Combat harder
Diplomats will have extensive contacts in their field,
Page 74
Attributes whether or not they are tied to an organization.

Charisma 4
Knowledge 6
Starting Skill Points 70 Fury

Fury Class
Furies are men and women specially trained for
Primary Skills Level urban combat. Some are trained by militaries; others
All Martial Arts 5 are self-trained – they just grew up in the worst parts
Any three Archaic Weapons 5 of the inner city and know nothing else. Because
urban combat usually involves large numbers of
Skill Cost Modifiers people in a mob or riot situation, Furies are trained
Athletics easier to fight more than one person at a time. In fact, a
Combat easier Fury is actually better against multiple attackers.
Because urban combat is so unpredictable, Furies
Street easier
are also familiar with all manner of archaic and
Engineering harder improvised weapons.
Pilot harder
Armageddon’s conflict-laden culture produces
Attributes
the greatest number of Furies. Nesti and Gold Inuuel
Charisma 1 tend to make the best Furies, since their temperment
Knowledge 1 and bodies are both suited to it. Archangel Furies
are rare, but quite effective, as they can lash out

with both hand-held weapons and their razor-sharp an instinctual understanding of any operating or file

wings. systems the computer might have.

Special Abilities Merchant

A Fury is superb at facing multiple opponents. Merchants are as good at business as Diplomats
He or she uses the attackers’ numbers against them are at social interaction. In casual conversation and
by causing them to interfere with each other. The informal meetings, a Merchant may be even better.

Fury gains one extra action each round per oppo- However, their real skill lies in buying, trading, and
nent, up to a maximum of ten actions per round. selling. Merchants know how to get the best prices,
Opponents are penalized one point on attack and

where to sell for the highest profits, and who consid-
damage rolls, while the Fury adds one point to attack ers what to be valuable. More technologically savvy
and damage rolls. Merchants may even decide to go into the danger-

ous field of buying and selling information over the
Interface Knight Lattice. Whether a regular Merchant or Information
Merchant, the character will be versed in all forms of

trade, commerce, and economics.
Interface Knights are the best hackers, crack-
ers, and computer jockeys around. They are often The Communal cultures produce a large number

described as being their own sub-culture which of good Merchants, but Genetech’s could sell ice
transcends race, sex, and age. This, of course, is bull, to a penguin. The Sa’crontor are famous for their
but it’s a nice idea, isn’t it? The original group known

Merchants, though each species is good at their own
as the Interface Knights were formed by a unifying style of negotiation.
distaste for Intersoft. It is rather ironic, then, that

most current Interface Knights now work for Intersoft
and its partners. Special Abilities

The original group of crackers who called them- A Merchant can always find some way to buy
selves The Interface Knights set the standard for all goods at 10% off. Whether through sympathy, hag-
who followed. It is generally assumed that none of gling, extra incentive, an offer they can’t refuse, or
Page 75
the members are still alive, though it is not incon-
ceivable that a few might have survived from GY
Interface Knight Class
350 to the present day. IK’s as a rule are primarily
concerned with computer interactions, and are not Primary Skills Level
known for interacting particularly well with living Computer Operation 5

beings (especially those of the opposite sex). There
Programming 5
are always exceptions, though.
Create Portal 5

Every culture trains Interface Knights, though Create Virus 5
those of the Inuuel Empire are woefully behind the Create Guardian 5
times. Valorians make excellent Interface Knights, as
their brains are very computer-like to begin with. Skill Cost Modifiers
Computer easier
Special Abilities Engineering easier

Science easier
Interface Knights are distinguished from regular Combat harder
programmers in that they have a mental computer
Athletics harder
interface built into their heads, usually just behind
the ear. Not only does this give a +1 bonus to all Attributes
computer-related skills and an extra action per Charisma 1
round when using computers, it also allows almost
Knowledge 5
instant access to any of a computer’s functions, and
whatever other means, Merchants can buy stuff for
cheap. Operative
Much like their social counterparts, Merchants An operative is a spy and infiltrator. They are
can chose to be affiliated with any of the larger or- adept at sneaking and hiding, and many also have
ganizations in the Valence universe; typically their some training with disguise. They are able to infiltrate
home culture. This gives the benefit of an additional strongholds during the night, gather information, and
10% off products made by that group, and the ability leave. They often get needed information where an
to deal as their representative, but it also means that Interface Knight might fail. And, while movies might
the character will have to produce regular profits for portray people fighting their way in and out of a
the group. heavily-guarded installation, most Operatives would
prefer never to see combat at all.
While Ægis has an excellent spy network, most

of theirs are a little more passive than this. Genetech
trains a lot of Operatives, but they aren’t always
Merchant Class very good. The Inuueliting Empire, strange as it may
Primary Skills Level seem, once had an excellent reputation for their
Appraise 5 Operatives, and the lack of any visible operation
doesn’t mean that it’s gone away... Humans make
Bargaining 5 excellent Operatives, as do Sa’crontor and Halla.
Persuasion 5
Skill Cost Modifiers Special Abilities
Professional easier
An Operative has his or her stealth scores
Street easier
doubled in darkness. Also, because Operatives have
Medical harder trained in total darkness, they gain a three-point
Attributes bonus to attack and damage rolls in the dark, while
other characters are at the usual ten-point penalty
Charisma 6
while acting in the dark. An Operative is never sur-
Page 76
Knowledge 4 prised in the dark, relying on other senses to warn of

Starting Skill Points 70 danger.
Operative Class
Ninja


Stealth 5
Energy Pistols 5 Ninja combines superb fighting skills with
stealth, making them nearly unbeatable warriors.

Computer Bypass 5 Unfortunately, no one particularly likes them, and
Skill Cost Modifiers most Ninja can’t talk their way out of a paper bag.
All that training leaves little time for socializing.
Espionage easier
There are very few of them in the galaxy, but they
Computer easier are very much in demand for sheer style of assas-
Athletics easier sination.
Leadership harder
The Ninja were a Human invention, and
Military harder Humans are still the most numerous species in the
Attributes school. Where exactly this school is, no one has
ever said – Ninjas are trained to die before revealing
Charisma 2 its location. It seems to be somewhere in Chosen
Knowledge 3 Quadrant, where Earth is located, but that’s a big
Starting Skill Points 65 chunk of space.

cies, Ogres make suprisingly good Paladins. While

Special Abilities their Lording abilities may not be very good, the
Ogre races exemplify the single-minded devotion
A Ninja has three special abilities. The first is that Paladins are known for.

that any attack melee they make (even with bare
hands) has a pulse rating of 1. The second ability is
Special Abilities

that when a ninja has dealt someone their last mortal
wound, that person is dead. Not unconscious and
nearly dead – they’re flat-out dead. During combat a Paladins may surround their melee weapons

Ninja constantly analyzes an opponent’s weaknesses with auras of eldrich power. The eldrich power adds
and uses them to the best advantage. Third, Ninjas twice the Paladin’s Mental Endurance stat to all dam-
are never surprised under any conditions. age rolls. This power may not be combined with a

Duelist’s sword. A Paladin’s presence also inspires
people to greater heights. When a battle starts a

Paladin may roll his or her Military Leadership skill
No Class

This is for someone who is either a jack of all Ninja Class
trades, or who has never had any particular special
training. It also represents the average person on the

streets of the galaxy (though a truly average person All Martial Arts 5
would have many fewer skill points!). Intimidation 5

Silent Kill 5
Special Abilities Stealth 5

The average person the street will have no par- Skill Cost Modifiers
ticular special abilities. Athletics easier

Combat easier
Espionage easier
Paladin
Page 77
Leadership harder
Pilot harder
Paladins are those who lead by example and
inspiration. They are warrior skilled in both armed Attributes
combat and the use of Lording. They have also been Charisma 0
trained to be leaders, and as such they are very good

at public relations skills. Paladins in their early years Knowledge 2
are typically very idealistic, with a great amount of Starting Skill Points 55

energy and lots of ideas for how they’re going to
make the universe a better place. Some manage to No Class
keep this energy throughout their life, while others Primary Skills Level
lose that idealism and join up with the galaxy’s re-
maining warlords. Cooking 5
Drive Car 5
Some Paladins choose that name for themselves
intentionally, swearing to codes of honor similar to
those held by the original paladins back on Earth. Miscellaneous easier
Others simply fall into this class by virtue of their Professional easier
abilities, whether or not they use those abilities with
any virtues at all. Attributes
Charisma 2
The Coalition produces the greatest number of Knowledge 3
Paladins – somehow their outlook seems to mesh
well with members of this class. Of the galaxy’s spe- Starting Skill Points 75
at difficulty 25. If the roll is successful, all of his or
her allies within earshot gain +1 to damage rolls.
Special Abilities
Space Troopers have several special abilities
which make them terrors in space. When armed
Space Jockey with a photon blade they may cut a human-sized
hole in nearly any substance in six seconds. A Space
Trooper gains one extra action per round when
These are the high-flying fighter pilots who make
weightless. They also start play with a photon blade,
the spaceways so deadly for the unprepared. Space
their equivalent of a graduation present.
Jockeys were much in demand in past years, as the
warlords of the universe need them to invade adja-
cent territories, and everyone else needs them to de-
fend against the warlords. Anyone can pilot a shuttle;
that’s a waste of a Jockey’s skills! They are able to
coordinate the complex systems involved in piloting Paladin Class
starships faster than most pilots, and most aren’t too
bad at shooting people down either. Unfortunately,
if there’s one thing they’re bad at, it’s coming back Martial Arts: Defensive 5
down to to the ground and facing reality there. Military Leadership 5
Lording Development 5
Special Abilities Skill Cost Modifiers
Regardless of their actual skill levels, Space Combat easier

Jockeys have certain advantages when it comes to Leadership easier
space combat. They only need half the usual time Lording easier
necessary to generate a tesseract. They may initiate
or trigger a tesseract without using any actions – that Espionage harder
is, they may generate tesseracts while simultane- Street harder
ously firing weapons and piloting the craft through
Attributes
any sort of maneuver. Space Jockeys also gain one
Page 78
extra action per round when attacking with any kind Charisma 8
of vehicle-mounted weapons. Knowledge 2
Space Jockey Class

Space Trooper Primary Skills Level

Pilot Starfighter 5
Space Troopers are soldiers deployed in capital

ship battles. During combat they are given environ- Gunner: Fighters 5
mentally sealed suits of armor which let them float to Tesseract Operations 5
an enemy ship (going slow enough to pass through Interpret Sensors 5
the shields), pull out a Photon Blade, and start slicing
into the hull and other important parts. Large, slow- Skill Cost Modifiers
moving ships are their usual targets, since fighters Pilot easier
move much too quickly.
Military easier
The Budetug Core invented Space Troopers and Combat harder
is still well-known for them. The humanoid species Attributes
tend to do best as Space Troopers, since their en-
Charisma 2
vironmentally sealed armor costs much less. High
Agility is a must for members of this class. Knowledge 1

off the star’s energy, beaming it to the planets that

Star Commando needed such energy. When the Empire fell many
warlords were at a loss — there was no easy way to

Star Commandos are soldiers given a special suit take a station from an enemy. Conventional space
of armor with gravity suppressors and a special min- forces were simply not trained to move inside of
iaturized version of Starshielding. They are the only stars. Genetech came up with an answer: the Star

people trained to move and work inside of stars. Commando.
The high power requirements of the Empire Only Genetech currently has the technology and

brought novel ideas. It was discovered that, through the know-how to train Star Commandos. GT will,
a combination of the Lording and existing shield- however, train anyone who agrees to work for them,

ing techniques, living beings could survive on the and eventually the knowledge will spread. Any spe-
surface and inside of stars. The possibilities were im- cies can do well as a Star Commando.
mediately recognized. Power stations were placed

within the stars themselves. The stations fed directly
Special Abilities

Space Trooper Class A Star Commando has extensive training in their
environment. They are at plus five (+5) to hit and
Primary Skills Level damage when on the surface or inside of a star. As

Photon Blade 5 the inside of a star is very bright, all types of senses
Martial Arts: Defensive 5 and and sensors are nullified. A Star Commando
has become adept at using something akin to a sixth

Grenades 5 sense to detect danger. Star Commandos are never
Zero-G Movement 5 surprised inside a star, and only at half of the usual

chances under other conditions. They also receive
the starshielding modification on their starting armor
Combat easier at no cost.

Military easier
Computer harder
Page 79
Attributes Tech Doc
Charisma 2
A Tech Doc is a master of technology. He or she
Knowledge 1 is able to build and repair all types of machines. If an
Starting Skill Points 55 intelligent race made it, then a Tech Doc can fix it.

While not as good with the Lording as an Archmage
Star Commando Class or Paladin, they apply a more scientific viewpoint
Primary Skills Level to their studies of Lording and get a good deal out
of that approach. A surprising number of Tech Docs
Solar Movements 5 are Duelists.
Martial Arts: Defensive 5
Ægis and the Budetug Core produce a large
Energy Rifles 5
number of good Tech Docs. Any species with a
Skill Cost Modifiers good Creativity or Intelligence will do well as a Tech
Athletics easier Doc.
Combat easier
Computer harder Special Abilities
Attributes A Tech Doc’s weapons never malfunction. Other
Charisma 2 devices might, but not their guns. Tech Docs also
Knowledge 2 gain +1 when using any technological device for
any purpose – as long as they have a skill that ap-
Starting Skill Points 55 plies to it at Basic rank or better. For instance, a Tech
Doc with Weapons Repair and Modification skill
would get a +1 to attack and damage rolls with any Tech Doc Class
weapon. One that knows Starship Mechanics would Primary Skills Level
get a +1 bonus to piloting starships.
Basic Engineering 5
Any one other Engineering skill 5
Computer Operation 5
Thief Skill Cost Modifiers
These characters grew up on the streets of the Computer easier
urban sectors. Product of the inner city, they have Engineering easier
many skills that no other class can match. They
are able to make their way through urban sectors Lording easier
unharmed, where any other character would have Espionage harder
to display firepower to be left unmolested. The Thief
Leadership harder
remains unharmed by urban predators by becoming
one. Knowing the benefits of cybernetics (and the Attributes
dangers) the character most likely has a few im- Charisma 2
plants. Thieves are the masters of the urban sprawl.
With the possible exception of the Fury, none may Knowledge 8
gainsay a Thief in his own turf. Starting Skill Points 65
Armageddon produces a good number of Thief Class

Thieves, though rather inadvertently. The Coalition Primary Skills Level
produces almost none. Humans, Inuueliting, and
Sa’crontor make good Thieves. Streetwise 5
Make New Contacts 5
Special Abilities Bargaining 5
In cities the Thief comes alive. Thieves double
Page 80
Combat easier
their stealth score (if any), opponents are at -1 to
attack and damage them, and their time to find new Espionage easier
contacts is halved. A Street Thief will almost never be Street easier
a target in a city, as they know how to fit in. Even if
the Thief is the most conspicuous of the party, he or Military harder

she will usually not be the target of the local preda- Piloting harder
tors (his companions, on the other hand...). A Thief is Attributes
never surprised in any urban area.
Charisma 3
Knowledge 6

Backgrounds
A note on Contacts

The Contacts background is quite common, and

may need a bit of extra explanation. A contact is
All characters have a history and a story. Even not a servant. They are beholden to the character in
some manner, but wield power in their own right.

Ultramercs are not created totally out of nothing. In
order to show how a character’s past has impacted A character may ask his or her contact for favors or
his or her development, each character is given a information. The better the contact, the more likely

certain number of background points, and must they are to be able to deliver. A contact may also
choose a Walk of Life. Player Characters, being the refuse a request for any number of reasons: they may
heroes of the story, are assumed to be competent be busy, they may be unable, or they just may not

enough that they can deal with most situations well. want to. The GM is encouraged not to overuse the
Thus all starting characters are given 20 background last reason. The greater the power of the contact, the
points and one Walk of Life. These points may be more likely they are to busy. Conversely, the lower

used to obtain Advantages, such as money, contacts, the value the more likely they are to be unable to
or minor traits. complete the request. Contacts are most often used
to gain information, but higher levels might let a

Note that the only way a character may start character requisition equipment, or might look the
with money is to acquire it with background points. other way while the character does something ques-

It is strongly suggested that some fraction of the tionable. Contacts may be beholden to the character
character’s background points be spent on starting for any number of reasons — they may owe a debt
capital, so that equipment can be purchased. This is of honor, a debt of money, or may simply be the

all the money a character will have at the start of the character’s friend. Low contacts are often in fiscal
game. debt to a character. Their inability to pay means they
will perform favors in return for more time to pay off

A character’s past was probably not all fun and the debt. They are unlikely to be able to do so any
games; bad things happen to all people. This can time soon.

be represented in game terms by Disadvantages.
Associated with each Disadvantage are a number Contacts maybe changed over the course of a
of bonus background points. These bonus points campaign. They can die, pay off their debt, be turned
Page 81
maybe spent on more Advantages. It is not usually a to the enemy’s side, etc. Any character who looses a
wise decision to take more than 20 points worth of contact in this manner should be given the chance to
Disadvantages. A GM may allow a character to take make a new contact of the same power. For instance,
more than this with good reason. a daughter vowing to pay her father’s debt. The GM
should not permanently remove a contact without
There are many advantages and disadvantages good reason; after all, the player did pay character

that may be taken more then once. You can usually points for this benefit.
identify such types by their costs, which have the
Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

notation “# per”. Try to use common sense when de-
ciding whether or not an advantage or disadvantage
can be taken more then once. Obviously a character
with two arms can not be ambidextrous twice, but
anyone can have more money by taking the money
advantage twice or more.
Some Backgrounds are not available to

Ultramercs, and are marked as such. Walks of Life
are listed after the Advantages and Disadvantages,
and there are a few extra notes listed about them.
Enhanced Immune System: Your character has a
+5 to save versus disease. For some people this is a
Advantages genetic fluke; for others it is an intentional biomodi-
fication or cybernetic implant. Costs 5 background
Aesthetically Pleasing: While not necessarily points.
sexually attractive, your character has a certain aes-
thetic or artistic appeal. Members of all species will Enhanced Sight: Add 50% to the distance a
find you pleasing to look at, though they may not be character can see with all types of vision. This also
romantically attracted. Costs 2 background points. gives +3 to skill checks when vision is important,
such as Observation. Includes radar and vibrational
Additional Skill Points: Costs 1 background senses. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for
point per 2 starting skill points. others it is an intentional biomodification or cyber-
netic implant. Costs 7 background points.
Ambidexterous: You are equally capable with
both hands (or all 4 in the case of Valorians or Gold Enhanced Smell: Your character gets +4 to any
Inuuel). You pay half the normal cost for off-hand Tracking or Hunting rolls made when smell would
weapon skills. Costs 8 background points. help. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for oth-
ers it is an intentional biomodification or cybernetic
Beautiful: Members of your own species (and implant. Costs 5 background points.
very closely related ones) find your character at-
tractive. Your recieve +2 on any rolls to persuade Enhanced Taste: Your character has a knack for
or seduce someone who would normally find your being able to tell something’s composition by tast-
gender attractive. Costs 2 background points. Does ing it. Not only is this useful when cooking, but it
not stack with Drop-Dead Gorgeous. allows you to detect most toxins and poisons if they
are placed in your food. Tasteless poisons cannot be
Contacts: As described earlier, a Contact is detected, of course. Costs 4 background points.
someone your character knows who has a worth-
while amount of power and influence. A Low Enhanced Touch: Grants +2 to your character’s
Contact (costs 2 background points) would indicate Dexterity. For some people this is a genetic fluke; for
a local politician, gang, or an arms dealer. A Medium others it is an intentional biomodification or cyber-
Page 82
Contact (5 points) would indicate someone like a netic implant. Costs 7 background points.
mayor or regional manager, with more power and
responsibility. A High Contact (10 points) would be First World Upbringing: Your character was born
fairly influential on a planetary or sector-wide level, and raised on a high-tech world, such as Genetech’s
such as a Coalition senate representative, a planetary homeworld or Earth before the Fall. He or she has
had the best access to medical care cybernetics
dictator, or a member of the Board of Directors on a

small corporation. The Greatest Contacts (15 points) and nutrition. Add one to any of your character’s
are those such as CEOs of major corporations or suc- attributes, and +5 to resist disease. Costs 5 back-
cessful warlords. ground points. This background is not available to
Ultramercs.
Drop-Dead Gorgeous: As per Beautiful, but
more so. People may follow you around or stalk you. Fleet Footed: Add 25% to all of your character’s
Your recieve +5 on any rolls to persuade or seduce movement speeds. Costs 5 background points.
someone who would normally find your gender at-
tractive. Costs 4 background points. Does not stack Genetic Variant: Your character (and most mem-
with the Beautiful advantage. bers of his or her family) have some sort of genetic
advantage as the result of previous tinkering. Choose
Enhanced Hearing: Add 50% to the distance your one Biomod from the Ultramerc section (starts on
character may hear. This also gives +3 to skill checks page xx). Costs 10 background points. The GM may
when vision is important, such as Observation. For adjust the cost of this advantage on a case-by-case
some people this is a genetic fluke; for others it is an basis, as not all biomods are equally useful. This
intentional biomodification or cybernetic implant. background is not available to Ultramercs.
Costs 7 background points.

Gifted with Animals: Your character is gifted with Property: Real estate, housing, deeds, or other

animals, and may get them to behave in a manner to not easily liquidated property. Costs 1 background
which they are not usually accustomed. Any Mount point per §100,000 of worth. Ultramercs are not al-

skills recieve a +4 bonus, if they need to be rolled lowed to own this kind of property, but may use this
at all, and even hungry wild animals will generally background to provide extra money with which to
leave you alone. Costs 8 background points. build their body.

Heroic: Your character is a particuarly heroic Starship: Your character is in possession of a
and upright person. You must roleplay this advantage starfaring vessel. This should be created by the GM.

or lose it. You recieve an extra Hero Point at the end Costs 20 background points. (Note: the Starbound
of each gaming session. Costs 5 background points. sourcebook will be very useful for your character.)

Hostile Birth World: You were born on a world Team Player: You can spend Hero Points for
where the harsh environment has shaped its inhabit- other people. Costs 4 background points.

ants. Desert worlds, frozen planets, some jungle
worlds, and a few others fit into this category. You Terrifying: Your character looks fearsome or
can add +1 to any two physical statistics (Agi, Dex, hideous Your recieve +2 on any rolls to persuade

Sta, Str). Costs 6 background points. This background or intimidate someone. Since people are generally
is not available to Ultramercs. used to dealing with weird aliens, you normally have
no penalties to social rolls, but you may have some

Improved Genome: Grants three additional trouble in less worldly cultures. Costs 2 background
points which may be added to your character’s at- points.

tributes in any way. Can only be taken once. Your
character is either the luckiest genetic fluke alive, or
the result of some high-quality genetic manipulation

before your birth. Costs 10 background points.
Disadvantages
Legendary Past: Your character has either done

something which makes him or her famous (in the Backwater: You come from a very small cul-
case of positive Renown), or has been wiped from ture with low technology and little contact with
Page 83
records across the galaxy (in the case of negative the outside world. You are unfamiliar with modern
Renown). See the description of Renown on page technology, and cannot take any Computer, Science,
xx. Costs 2 background points per point of Renown, or Engineering skills above level 5 at character cre-
whether positive or negative. You cannot have both ation. You can still use weapons and armor normally.
positive and negative Renown. Provides 7 background points.

Light Sleeper: Your character has no trouble Blacklisted: You are unwelcome in all of the
waking up on short notice, and suffers no penalty galaxy’s major cultures, and some of the minor ones.
after getting up. Costs 5 background points.
More importantly, you are unwanted in whatever
culture the game starts off in. If anyone finds out
M.A.C.: Your character owns a Mechanized who you are, you will be immediately deported or
Assault Craft. It should be created by the GM. Costs jailed. High levels of Stealth and Disguise skills are
20 background points. (Note: the M.A.C. source- recommended. Provides 16 background points.
book will be very useful for your character.)
Bounty: There is a price on your character’s head
Money: Starting capital for your character, to be of more than one million sections. The reason is up
spent in any way he or she desires. Costs 1 back- to you, but the higher the bounty, the worse the
ground point per §10,000 (ten thousand sections). crime was, and the more bounty hunters will come
after you. Provides 5 background points, or more
Multicultural: You were raised in two different at the GM’s discretion. Ultramercs cannot take this
cultures, and are familiar with both. You recieve both disadvantage unless they have fled Genetech — in
sets of cultural skills. Costs 6 background points. This which case they effectively have this disadvantage
background is not available to Ultramercs. already, but recieve no points for it.
Cyber-allergic: Your body rejects cybernetics of Heavy Sleeper: When waking up your character
all kinds. You cannot even recieve the most basic of suffers a -10 penalty to all actions for a period of
replacement limbs. Provides 10 background points, 10 rounds while awakening, and will be groggy for
or more at the GM’s discretion. This background is several minutes. Provides 4 background points.
not available to Ultramercs.
Phobia: Your character is deathly afraid of some-
Debt: Your character is deep in debt. You prob- thing relatively common — spiders, cats, water,
ably receive annoying mail from these people, heights, enclosed spaces, etc. You will refuse to en-
which, if ignored long enough, will lead to having all ter any place involving your Phobia, and must make
yoru stuff repossessed (and possibly your kneecaps a MnE check at -5 to even approach it. Provides 5
broken, depending on who you owe the debts to). background points.
Provides 1 background point per §250,000 of debt,
up to a maxiumum of 8 points. Poor Sense of Hearing: Your character’s hear-
ing ranges are halved. You also take -3 to any skill
Defective Genome: Someone tried to tinker rolls on which hearing is very important, such as
with your genome before birth, and shouldn’t have. Observation or Sing. Nesti have their vibrational
They obviously didn’t know what they were doing. sense range halved. This may be due to a genetic
Instead of the normal 11 points to spread around on malformity, or some kind of accident, or even mal-
your attributes, you have only 8. Provides 10 back- functioning cybernetic implants. Provides 6 back-
ground points. ground points.
Disfigured: Your character is severely disfigured Poor Sense of Smell: Your character’s sense of
in a way that calls attention to itself at all times smell is small to nonexistant. If your species can
and disturbs others. Severe acid burns are a good normally track by scent, your character cannot. This
example. You suffer a -2 penalty on most social rolls. may be due to a genetic malformity, or some kind
Provides 2 background points. of accident, or even malfunctioning cybernetic im-
plants. Ogres cannot take this disadvantage, as they
Enemy: An Enemy is someone who hates your can’t smell a thing anyway. Provides 4 background
character’s guts, and who has a worthwhile amount points.
of power and influence. Enemies don’t always want
your character dead, but if you piss them off enough
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Poor Sense of Sight: Your character’s vision

they will. A Low Enemy (provides 1 background ranges are halved. Valorians with this disadvantage
point) would has less power than your character, but cannot see at all. You have -3 to any skill rolls for
can be a nuisance nonetheless. A Medium Enemy (4 which vision is very important, such as Observation.
points) has power roughly equal to your character, Nesti have the range of their radar sense halved. This
such as an Interface Knight’s old duplicate self (see may be due to a genetic malformity, or some kind
page xx). A High Enemy (9 points) would be fairly of accident, or even malfunctioning cybernetic im-
influential on a planetary or sector-wide level, such plants. Provides 4 background points.
as a Coalition senate representative, a planetary
dictator, or a member of the Board of Directors on Poor Sense of Touch: Take -2 to your character’s
a small corporation. A Nemesis (12 points) is a very Dexterity score. This may be due to a genetic mal-
powerful foe, such as a CEO of major corporations formity, or some kind of accident, or even malfunc-
or a successful warlord. tioning cybernetic implants. Provides 6 background
points.
Flat Feet: Your character moves at 75% of
the normal movement rate for his or her species. Severe Phobia: As per Phobia, but you simply
Provides 4 background points. cannot approach the object in question, and must
run away, drop the floor and cower, or spend a Hero
Guilty/Tarnished Past: Your character did some- Point every round while in its presence. Provides 8
thing in the past that he is afraid will be found out background points.
in his current life. If it is found out, this could be
turned into a Renown or a Blackmail! Provides 5 Sterile: Your character is sterile and may never
background points. have children by any means. Provides 1 background
point.

Tagalong: You have a follower who is more of a
liability than an asset. He or she is often in trouble Walks of Life

and needs bailing out, and may be underfoot at inop-
portune times. Your character is responsible for this Each character may choose one of the Walks of
follower, possibly by choice, possibly not. Provides Life given below. No starting character may have

4 background points. more than one, though more advanced characters
sometimes do.
Terminal Disease: Your character will die of

disease sometime within the next few years. There is A Walk of Life (known also as a Tour of Duty for
no known cure. Provides 3 background points. The Soldier classes, a Shady Path for Rogues, or a Course

GM may feel free to increase the payback for this of Study for Scholars) helps to flesh out the character’s
background in a long-running campaign. background even more. Some available to anyone,
some depend on class, and some are available only

Third World Upbringing: Your character was to characters from a certain culture. Each Walk gives
raised on a low-tech world. He or she has not al- a +2 bonus to the listed skills. Once you are done
ways had the best medical and cybernetic care. You

purchasing skills, add these bonuses on.
are at -5 to save versus disease, must take -1 to two
attributes (chosen by the player), and cybernetics are Walks of Life can also be used to pass time
completely unavailable at character creation. The

quickly in the game. Each Walk is considered to have
damage done is on a cellular level and can only taken one year of the character’s life to complete. If
be repaired by Genetech, in what is sure to be an your GM says “hey, I’m going to advance the game

expensive procedure indeed. Cybernetics may be by five years. What are your characters doing?” you
purchased as usual over the course of a campaign. should look to this page. Just pick one Tour per year,
Note that not all third-worlders suffer from this and add the +2 bonuses to your character’s skills.

disadvantage. Only characters who are from an
impoverished upbringing should take this. You may One last note: unless you buy the appropriate
take both this and Hostile Birth World. Provides 14

Advantages above, your Walk of Life has no impact
background points. This background is not available on your character at the start of the game other than
to Ultramercs. the bonus skills. For example, if you choose “Struck
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it Rich,” you are not still rich. If you choose “Leading
Victim of Blackmail: Some one holds something Edge Researcher,” however, you might still be one at
over your character’s head. They may try to extort the start of the game, since it will have no significant
money, information, or favors from you. If you don’t effect on game play.
pay up (and continue to pay), this person will reveal
something terrible about you to the world as a whole.

Provides 5 background points. This background
is not available to Ultramercs — anyone trying to
blackmail an Ultramerc will probably end up dead.
General Walks of Life
Available to All Characters
College Days: You spent a little more time than
usual in school. Either you really enjoyed it there,
or were afraid to face the real world. Bonuses to
Bureaucracy, Research, one Miscellaneous skill
of choice, and any one skill not from Combat or
Espionage.
Cultured Upbringing: Mummy and Daddy were

quite rich, weren’t they! You led a rather sheltered
life. Bonuses to Make New Contacts, Politics, Public
Speaking, and any one Drive skill.
Early Journeyman: You left school early, eager

to strike out on your own. Bonuses to Bargaining,
one Martial Arts skill of choice, Streetwise, and Instructor: At one point in your life you taught
Carousing. at a military academy or for wealthy individuals.
Bonuses to Intimidation, Public Speaking, Command
Lording Training: You spent a bit of time when Communications, and Law.
you were younger learning the basics of the Lording.
Bonuses to Lording Development, any one Lording Officer: You know what it’s like to command. At
skill, and gain 8 XP worth of spells. Note: this Walk one time you were in charge of a small- to medium-
is not open to Paladin or Archmage classes, who sized team of individuals in a pressure situation,
already have extensive training in the Lording. and you learned from it — fast! Bonuses to Military
Leadership, one combat skill of choice, Persuasion,
Microcorporation Affiliate: Instead of and Command Communications.
working, as most people do, for a branch of a
megacorporation, you have worked for smaller in- Peacekeeper: You served on a mission where
dependant companies who are trying to keep their killing was looked down upon very severely — your
heads above water. Bonuses to Computer Operation, job was to keep the peace, not win a war. You had
Make New Contacts, Bargaining, and any one skill to change your tactics as a result. Bonuses to any
relating to your profession. one Martial Arts skill, Public Speaking, Military
Leadership, and Intimidation
Scholar of the Streets: Your family was relatively
poor; you spent a lot of time on the wrong side of Planetary Assignment (nasty planet): This dif-
the tracks as a child. Bonuses to Streetwise, Pick ficult assignment pitted you against a superhot,
Pockets, Stealth, and Concealment. freezing, desert, or jungle planet, or a very harsh
environment. Perhaps you were part of an arctic
training mission. Receive a bonus to First Aid, one
Tours of Duty combat of choice, Survival in one particular terrain,
Available to Soldier Classes and Body Development.
and most Ultramercenaries Planetary Assignment (normal planet): You
have served planetside, probably as local or regional
Note on Tours of Duty: “one combat skill of guard. You had to deal with people as well as protect
choice” may be replaced with a Lording or Piloting your employers. Bonuses to Martial Arts: Defensive,
Page 86
skill in the case of Paladins or Space Jockeys, respec- one combat skill of choice, Survival in one particular
tively. If MAC Pilots are used in your game, they are terrain, and Intimidation.
a Soldier class and may take Drive or Gunner skills
instead of a Combat skill. Reconnaissance/Scouting: You’ve been part of
a scouting team planetside, either doing recon for
Abyss Sector: You have served as Scum Patrol in an army or doing non-war intelligence gathering.
Abyss Sector, or another region known for its smug- Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Equipment, Stealth,
glers and illegals. You had to almost sink to their level Observation, and Advanced Radio.
to make it out. Bonuses to Make New Contacts, one
combat skill of choice, Streetwise, and Stealth. Tertiaries: You have served as a patrolman,
bodyguard, or hired gun in the Tertiaries (or another
Deep Space: You lived and worked onboard a highly political region of the galaxy). Bonuses to
starship in deep space for at least one year. Bonuses one combat skill of choice, Humor/Wit, Military
to Pilot Starfighter, Tesseract Communications, Leadership, and Make New Contacts.
Gunner: Starship, and Zero-G Movement.
Urban Assignment: You’ve operated for an ex-
Extended Training: You spent a bit more time at tended period of time in cities and towns, probably
your academy than others, not because you were as part of a police force. Bonuses to a combat skill of
held back, but because you went more in-depth and choice, Carousing, Streetwise, and either Stealth or
got better training. Bonuses to Military Leadership, a Driving skill of choice.
Tactics, Military Intelligence, and one combat skill
of choice. Warlords Zone: You have served as a ground
troop in Core-7 Sector or some other region where

there are many warlords vying for control. Bonus to

Military Formations, Military Intelligence, Missile Space Station: Part of your life was spent on
Launchers, and Martial Arts: Defensive. a large space station rather than a terrestrial city.

Bonuses to Bargaining, Make New Contacts,
Computer Bypass, and Climbing.
Shady Paths

Available to Rogue Characters Struck it Rich: At one time in your life you had
a whole lot more money than you do now. Maybe it
was from inheritance, maybe from the lottery, maybe

Back to School: You took a few years and went
back to school, to learn all that stuff people say you you just found it or (gasp) got it honestly! Bonuses
should really know. Bonuses to Accounting, Basic to Accounting, Appraise Goods, one Drive or Pilot

Engineering, one Professional skill of choice, and skill of choice, and Carousing. Note that you do not
Computer Operation. still have that money unless you buy the appropriate
Backgrounds.

Big Boss: You, at one point, were the head of a
small crime ring or group of merchants. It didn’t last Thirty Altarian Dollars a Day: It was the coolest
long, but it taught you a lot in a short time. Bonuses vacation of your life. Bonuses to Carousing, Law,

to Command Communications, Persuasion, Humor/ one Martial Arts skill of choice, and Pick Pockets.
Wit, and Make New Contacts.
Unemployment: You’ve been down in the dumps

Con Man: There’s one born every minute, and for for a significant amount of time. No work was to be
a while you found every one. Bonuses to Gambling, found, or else the work was so bad that you preferred

Persuasion, Concealment, and Sleight of Hand. going hungry! Bonuses to Pick Pockets, Streetwise,
Burglary, and Play Musical Instrument
Gone Respectable: It’s every crook’s nightmare:

willing or not, you worked for the “right” side of
the law. They say that some people live that way all Courses of Study
Available to Scholar Characters

the time! Most Merchants call this “working for the
man” rather than “gone respectable.” Bonuses to
Bureaucracy, Law, one Drive or Pilot skill of choice, Note on Courses of Study: when given an
Page 87
and Make New Contacts. “Engineering skill of choice,” Bio Docs may choose
Medical skills and Archmagi may choose Lording
Fallen in Love: You’ve met the girl, guy, or Nesti skills if they so desire. Diplomats may take a
of your dreams. They’re pretty important to you, but Leadership skill. Interface Knights should be allowed
all your friends think you’ve gone nuts. Bonuses to to take a Computer skill of choice.
Humor/Wit, Persuasion, Carousing, and either Sing,

Play Musical Instrument, or Art. Administrator: You got saddled with the nor-
mally boring job of administrating a school, hospi-

Hired Muscle: You normally work only as a high- tal, or training facility. Bonuses to Public Speaking,
ly-trained specialist... but sometimes you just have to Bureaucracy, Administration, and Persuasion
grit your teeth and take the grunt job. Bonuses to a
combat skill of choice, a Martial Arts skill of choice, Big Secrets / Suppressed Research: Whatever
Intimidation, and Body Development. you did, they still won’t let you tell people about
it. Either your research uncovered something so
The Organization: You’re a gambino, a mafioso. dangerous that you refuse to talk about it, or the
You’ve worked for either the Organization or some government put a lid on it fast. Bonuses to one
other, lesser Mafia. You’re part of the family. Bonuses Engineering skill of choice, Law, Bureaucracy, and
to Intimidation, a combat skill of choice, Appraise Lording Development.
Goods, and Humor/Wit.
Extended Schooling: You went back to get a sec-
Smuggler: You’ve helped run illegal goods past a ond (or third, or fourth...) degree in a different field,
blockade. Whether it was morally right or not is up or to strengthen your knowledge of your current
to you. Bonuses to one Piloting or Drive skill, one field. Bonuses to any one skill of choice, Research,
combat skill of choice, Running, and Stealth. an Engineering skill of choice, and Bureaucracy.
to Carousing, Bargaining, Make New Contacts, and
Field Research (deep space): You’ve been on- Humor/Wit.
location to study phenomena that only occur in
the vastness of space. Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Working Stiff: The working world sucks, don’t
Equipment, Zero-G movement, one Science skill it? Bonuses to Accounting, one Engineering skill of
of choice, and Advanced Radio. Diplomats instead choice, Interpret Sensory Equipment, and Humor/
receive bonuses to Zero-G Movement, Psychology, Wit.
Xenopsychology, and Streetwise.
Field Research (planetary): You had the opportu- Special Walks of Life
nity to study something where it naturally occurs on a Available only to characters with cer-
planet. Bonuses to Interpret Sensory Equipment, one
Engineering skill of choice, Survival in one particular tain Mentors or Classes — see descrip-
terrain, and one Science skill of choice. Diplomats tions below.
instead receive bonuses to Persuasion, Make New
Contacts, either Psychology or Xenopsychology, and Code Monkey: Day 1: log in, slog through code,
Xenobiology. fix code, write code. Day 2: see day 1. Repeat ad
nauseum. Such is the life of the code monkey. Man
Forced Enlistment: Uncle Sam wanted you, and are you glad you got out of that job! Bonuses to
you weren’t given the choice of saying no. Bonuses Programming, Computer Operation, Bureaucracy,
to one combat skill of choice, one Martial Arts skill of and Research. Available only to Interface Knights.
choice, Body Development, and Interpret Sensors.
Defense Sysop: Not many code monkeys make
Historian: You know more about what’s hap- it to this position. You were in charge of the defense
pened before than most other people in the field. of a large computer network or particularly sensitive
Bonuses to Research, History, Appraise Goods, and data on one computer. Bonuses to Programming,
Computer Operation Create Portal, Create Guardian, and Law. Note that
you may or may not know what that sensitive data
Leading Edge Researcher: You are or were once is... it’s up to your GM. Available only to Interface
at the top of your field, doing cutting-edge work Knights.
Page 88
and research. Bonuses to Basic Engineering, one

Engineering or Science skill of choice, Accounting, Demon Extermination Tour: You were sent after
and Research. the most hazardous race in the galaxy — or so they
told you. Bonuses to Xenobiology, one combat skill
Lecture Tour: You spent some time traveling of choice, Zero-G movement, and Gunner: Starships.
around, talking about your latest discoveries or Available only to Ultramercs.
theories, or just your experiences. Bonuses to Public

Speaking, Make New Contacts, one Drive or Pilot Deputy Warlord: You served under a warlord
skill of choice, and one Engineering skill of choice. — exactly which one and how he/she treated people
is up to you — but you rose to a high rank in that or-
Military Association: You worked closely with ganization, and had some level of control. Note that
the military at one point; either local armed forces you are not still affiliated with that warlord unless
or megacorp-level. You probably did some kind you take some appropriate Backgrounds. Bonuses
of weapons research. Bonuses to Physics, Basic to Military Leadership, Command Communications,
Engineering, one other Engineering skill of choice, one combat skill of choice, and one Lording skill of
and one weapons skill of choice. choice. Available only to Paladins.
Professor: You’ve worked as a lecturer or teacher Early Bloomer: You probably learned to code
at some level of education (most likely college). before you learned to write. You started out very
Bonuses to Public Speaking, Research, Bureaucracy, young and learned some of the nastier aspects of
and Make New Contacts. the Lattice as a result. Bonuses to Create Virus,
Computer Operations, Make New Contacts, and
Sabbatical: Vacation time! You took some time Basic Engineering. Available only to Interface
off from your studies to get away from it all. Bonuses Knights.

Protector: You were one of the real Shieldbearers,

Extended Officer Training: You’re being troops who defend Ægis from outside forces. Bonuses
groomed to become a trainer in your future. Bonuses to one Combat skill of choice, Tactics, one Military

to Military Leadership, Command Communications, skill of choice, and Interpret Sensors.
one combat skill of choice, and Military History.
Available only to Ultramercs. Recycling Engineer: Your personal area of

expertise was turning trash into usable materials.
GT Homeworld Tour: Some say it’s a cushy tour, The job might have stunk (pardon the pun) but you
but it requires a great deal of vigilance and a psycho- can get employment almost anywhere. Bonuses to

logical profile that few Ultramercs have: the ability to Basic Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, and
deal with people. Bonuses to Humor/Wit, one com- Lording Development.

bat skill of choice, Command Communications, and
one Pilot skill of choice. Available only to Ultramercs Traveler’s Society Member: You belong to the
and those working directly for Genetechnologies. largest and most prestigious group of “independant”

adventurers and explorers in the galaxy. Bonuses to
Test Pilot: You were entrusted with testing the Observation, Make New Contacts, Bargaining, and
newest, fastest, and most powerful starships around. Xenopsychology.

Bonuses to two different Piloting skills, one Gunner
skill, and Military Intelligence. Available only to
Space Jockeys. Armageddon Walks of Life

Lords-Favored: You are one of the few Duelists Asteroid Miner: You’ve spent time in the danger-
ous profession of “belt mining,” hauling ore from the

who know of and have actually met one of the
enigmatic Lords of the Negative Dimension. You asteroid belt into inhabited regions. Bonuses to Zero-
occasionally do jobs for them in the material world, G Movement, Martial Arts: Sweeps and Throws, First

in exchange for information and favors. Bonuses to Aid, and Geology.
Lording Development, Healing, Summoning, and
Traveling. Available only to Duelist characters. Boss: Whether by placement in your family or

hard work on your part you’ve been placed in a posi-
Medical Tour: Regardless of your profession you tion of leadership in Armageddon. Now you need to
have helped out with a medical organization. Your hold onto it. Bonuses to Command Communications,
Page 89
Duelist skills came in particularly handy. Bonuses Make New Contacts, and reccieve one Medium
to First Aid, Paramedical, Healing, and Lording Contact background (your boss in Arm).
Development. Available only to Duelist characters.
Cage Wrestler: You beat the crap out of people
for a living. Well, to be honest, it’s all scripted, but
Cultural Walks of Life

the blood is real. Bonuses to Body Development,
Cybernetic Weapons, Martial Arts: Defensive, and
Only characters from the listed culture may take Acting.
these Walks of Life. They are not available to others.
Prospecter: Some people mine asteroids; you Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds
It should be noted that not all of these Walks are
typical of someone in the culture – in fact, some tell ‘em which ones to mine. Bonuses to one Pilot
of them are specifically for those who are rebelling skill of choice, Geology, Interpret Sensors, and
against the prevailing culture. Gunner: Light.
Redneck: It don’t really need an explanation,

Ægis Walks of Life do it? Some things never change. Bonuses to Rifles,
Cook, Drive Truck, and Hunting.
Intelligence Gatherer: You are paid and trained
by Ægis to snoop around other people’s cultures Techhead: Some people love cybernetics, but
— discreetly, of course — and find out what’s go- you really love your cybernetics. Perhaps a bit too
ing on. Bonuses to Observation, Interpret Sensors, much. Bonuses to Cybernetic Weapons, Cybernetics,
Stealth, and Advanced Radio. First Aid, and Interpret Sensors.
Peacekeeper: No one starts fights on your watch.
Ancient Inuuel Walks of Life This is identical to the Peacekeeper Tour of Duty
for Soldier classes, but is open to any Coalition
Convert: You weren’t always part of the Imperial citizens.
culture, but you’ve been accepted by at least one
court. Maybe your children will be accepted by the Separatist: The Coalition: take it or leave it?
High Court itself. Bonuses to Language (Ancient Frankly, you’d rather leave it, as soon as possible.
Inuuel), Stand Ground, Politics, and Make New Bonuses to Make New Contacts, Law, Bargaining,
Contacts. and Streetwise.
Noble: Millions of years of breeding and high
society culminate in you — the ultimate noble, the Communal Walks of Life
ultimate gentleman or lady. Bonuses to Make New
Contacts, Appraise, Language (Ancient Inuuel), and Farmer: Working the land might not be exactly
Persuasion. the same as it was a thousand years ago, but it’s
changed less than most things. Bonuses to Cooking,
Biology, Body Development, and Fishing.
Budetug Core Walks of Life
Proselytizer: You’re trying to convert people to
Genesmith: Maybe you can’t get the same market the communal way of life. Bonuses to Persuasion,
share that Genetech has, but you can sure give them a Bargaining, Humor/Wit, and Carousing.
run for their money. Bonuses to Genetic Engineering,
Biology, Xenobiology, and Cybernetics.
Genetech Walks of Life
Consensus Junkie: You spent a little too much
time hooked into the Consensus, but came out very Ad Executive: You like to think of yourself as
well-informed. Bonuses to History, Investigation, being above the images you create — those are
Persuasion, and Politics for people who don’t really know what’s going on.
Bonuses to Style, Bargaining, Persuasion, and Art.
Caractingessen Walks of Life Biohead: All of this “genetic purity” stuff is a load
Page 90
of crap as far as you’re concerned. You’ll take any

Pacifist: Unlike almost all the Caractingessen in genes that seem interesting. Bonuses to Biomedical
the galaxy, you try very hard to keep your temper Technology, Biology, Xenobiology, and First Aid.
under control, and make it a policy never to fight. Or
perhaps you just tried it that way for a year. Bonuses Counterculture: You prefer the oldies station,
to Persuasion, Bargaining, Humor/Wit, and Martial you wear last week’s jeans, and no one can make
Arts: Defensive. you change, man. You want to make culture for your-
self, not have someone else do it for you. Bonuses to
Coalition Walks of Life Style, Streetwise, Art, and Musical Instrument.
Crusader: Right makes might, or at least you’d Pop Idol: A little bit of talent, a lot of hype,
like to think so. You’re the Coalition’s biggest fan. the attiutude of the week, and voila — millions
Bonuses to Public Speaking, Make New Contacts, of screaming fans. Isn’t show biz great? Bonuses
Carousing, and Persuasion. to Perform, Sing, Streetwise, and recieve one Low
Contact background (your agent).
Drifter: God bless the Coalition for taking care
of its bums and vagrants so damn well. You were Renaissance Mole: By day, you’re Chris Citizen.
happy living off the streets. Bonuses to Streetwise, By night you aid the revolutionary group known
Stealth, Concealment, and Gambling. as the Renaissance. Bonuses to Lying, Stealth,
Concealment, and Observation.
Explorer: The Coalition sends you out to find
new worlds and explore them. Bonuses to Interpret
Sensors, one Pilot skill of choice, Geology, and Law

Dolts In Space

Let’s say you’ve got a character from one
of the greatest combat species in the game: an
Ogre or Nesti. You’ve got great strength, can

fight for hours on end, and can take loads of
damage. You’ve just got this one problem: your

character is so DUMB! How did he even get
this job?

Ogres are incredibly persistant (high
Mental Endurance scores), and if they really
put their minds to it, they can learn just as well

as anyone else. Most Ogres just don’t learn or
A cargo-hauling starship. Most cargo-haulers are
think very quickly. Also, one of the reasons an
built relatively small, compared to those found on
Ogre’s Intelligence is rated so low is their poor

Earth in the 21st century, because of the great ex-
time sense. Ogre’s aren’t quite as stupid as they
pense of spaceflight. Almost all traders carry small,
appear. They just don’t understand past, pres-
expensive goods rather than bulk materials (i.e. gem-

ent, and future, and will confuse ideas such as
stones instead of pig iron).
“yes, I already defused the bomb” and “I will
defuse the bomb really soon.” Everyone dreads

an Ogre saying the words, “Yes, I do that,”
because it could mean that said Ogre has, is
currently, or will eventually, do whatever it is.

The only way to know is to double-check.
Nesti can react quickly, as indicated by

their good Creativity scores, but they learn
very slowly. It’s like trying to teach a slug tricks
Page 91
(or more accurately, a shrub). They are also
very bad at learning from their mistakes. While
Nesti can eventually understand such things
as the hyperdimensional mathematics needed
to build a tesseract drive, it may take forty or
fifty years. Once they learn something, though,

they are almost as good as Humans when it
comes to adapting it to new situations.
In short, play to your character’s strengths. Valence Main Rulebook: Backgrounds

Ogres are stubborn as all hell - use it! If your
GM says you can’t understand part of a book,
tell him your character is staying up all night
for half a week reading it. Most characters
would be asleep on their feet, but not you!
Nesti aren’t quite as stubborn, but they are
much quicker in applying what they already
know. They may not apply it to the right thing,
but that’s the price you pay. If you wanted a
brainiac, you should have played a Valorian.
Ultramercenaries Brain Types
Ultramercs are genetically engineered beings
created by Genetechnologies Incorporated. Genetic Brain types are either a standard species brain
and bionic technology have allowed for living crea- type or a hybrid brain type in which computer aug-
tures to be built from the ground up. Science has mentation has been added. There are advantages
progressed to the point where living tissue can be and disadvantages to all types.
grown onto an inanimate frame. Life can be bonded
to unlife almost flawlessly. Almost. Note that hybrid brains do not short out when
hit with an EMP (or EM damage). Unlike ordinary
In GY 592, purist minds believe that the only computers, they are not completely electromechani-
acceptable forms of life within the galaxy are those cal structures, and the organic parts can take over
which are naturally born. Genetech, the developer in an emergency. Instead, they take -4 to all mental
of the Ultramercs, cares little for the prejudices of statistics for the next minute as the brain’s organic
such “uneducated bigots.” Dozens of species form side kicks in and compensates for the loss of the
the pool from which UM characters may draw their computerized side. Note that in combat this will
genetic components. slow down reaction times.
In order to design an Ultramerc you must build Archangel Brain

him or her gene by gene. Each gene expresses
itself differently when combined with the whole.
Cost: 500,000§
The Archangel brain uses crystallized iridium
In this way there are thousands of combinations to
to facilitate brain communications. It is a brain
make. Ultramercs get a 5 million section budget
with incredible links to the powers of the Lording.
(5,000,000§) with which to create the character.
Unfortunately, its ability with the Lording allow
This must pay for his or her genes, mentor, and
only the purchasing of powers; this brain type does
skills.
not handle spells (see the Lording chapter for more
detail on spells and powers). Another aspect that
The table below is a checklist of the genes which
defies explanation is how this race’s moral code is
make up each Ultramerc. Make sure you take at least
Page 92
genetically implanted. All Archangels have impec-

one of each, and two locomotion types.
cable moral codes and can never lie.
Creativity: +1
Ultramerc Gene Checklist Intelligence: +5
Lording: +10
1 Brain Type
Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries
Mental Endurance: +6
2 Eye Type Visualization: +2
3 Ear Type
4 Olfactory Type Archangel Hybrid Brain
5 Muscular Type Cost: 750,000§
6 Skeletal Type Extremely successful, this type of mind works
around the brain lobes with connections that
7 Body Type minimize Lording loss. However, the brain retains its
8 Locomotion Type strong moralistic code, restriction to powers rather
than spells, and inability to lie.
9 Biomodifications
Creativity: +0
10 Manipulation Type Intelligence: +7
11 Chemical Composition Lording: +8
12 Immune System
Visualization: +3
13 Epidermis Type

brain. It has the usual drawback of reducing the

Budetug Brain Caractingessen’s natural Lording powers.
Cost: 370,000§ Creativity: +0

Budetug have the ability to manufacture top Intelligence: +6
quality goods. This is due to their high Visualization Lording: +6
and Creativity skills. Unfortunately, their lower Mental Endurance: +3

Intelligence means that most of their innovation is Visualization: +4
hit-or-miss.
Creativity: +5

Inuueliting Brain
Intelligence: +3
Lording: +2 Cost: 400,000§
The Inuueliting brain type has relatively high rea-

Visualization: +6 soning skills and massive Lording abilities. The draw-
back is that this brain type has a low Visualization

score and is not tolerant of pain and duress.
Budetug Hybrid Brain Creativity: +1
Cost: 450,000§ Intelligence: +5

Some of the reasoning problems have been Lording: +6
solved in this version of the Budetug brain, but the Mental Endurance: +2
price is a total lack of Lording abilities. Creativity is Visualization: +1

not bad for a hybrid brain. Characters with this brain
type often seem very stubborn.
Inuueliting Hybrid Brain

Creativity: +4
Intelligence: +5 Cost: 520,000§
Lording: +0 This has the abilities of the Inuueliting brain but

Mental Endurance: +5 with a better Visualization score. The Lording abili-
Visualization: +8 ties of this brain type plummet rapidly because of its
machine nature. That is made up for with a greater

ability to grasp real-world problems.
Caractingessen Brain Creativity: +0
Cost: 450,000§ Intelligence: +7
Page 93
This is a peculiar brain type with many strengths Lording: +4
and weaknesses. All Caractingessen tend to dislike Mental Endurance: +4
Caractingessen of the same gender, and dislike the Visualization: +3
other gender except under certain, um... special...
circumstances. They are, however, the masters of
Hallan Brain

magic, and have high reasoning capabilities. Their
low Mental Endurance manifests itself as whimsy, Cost: 420,000§
and many Caracts are incapable of focusing on The Halla are known as the best fighter pilots in
anything for long periods of time. All Caractingessen the galaxy because of their high Visualization and
brian types are built on the more agile and coopera- Mental Endurance scores. However, they are not
tive Serpentine brains. always the smartest of creatures. Ultramercs with
Creativity: +1 Hallan brains are treated as Halla for all purposes
Intelligence: +4 relating to the use of Tesseracts.
Lording: +8 Creativity: +2
Mental Endurance: +1 Intelligence: +3
Visualization: +3 Lording: +6
Visualization: +5
Caractingessen Hybrid Brain
Cost: 670,000§ Hallan Hybrid Brain
This is an excellent combination that elimi-
nates the whimsical nature of the species’ normal Cost: 600,000§
Even better pilots than before, those with Hallan
hybrid brains can focus tesseracts more often and
over longer distances than the original. Their abil- lusions as well as those created using the Lording.
ity to communicate directly with computers makes They also have the highest Mental Endurance in the
them unmatched as navigators. The previous com- galaxy, making them virtually immune to terror and
ments about tesseracts still hold (see above). torture. Their sense of time is notoriously bad.
Creativity: +1 Creativity: +1
Intelligence: +5 Intelligence: +2
Lording: +4 Lording: +2
Mental Endurance: +8 Mental Endurance: +10
Visualization: +6 Visualization: +1
Human Brain Ogre Hybrid Brain

Cost: 400,000§ Cost: 500,000§
This type of brain is an immensely creative When Genetech wants to create an intelligent,
structure. While its other statistics are somewhat me- unstoppable servant with little inclination to deviate
diocre, this creative ability sets Humans apart in the from their instructions, this is the brain type they use.
universe. Lording connections are unfortunately al- The few Ultramercs with this brain type are almost
most nonexistant, and most of these minds need a lot completely immune to pain and suffering.
of training in Visualization and Mental Endurance. Creativity: +0
Creativity: +10 Intelligence: +4
Intelligence: +4 Lording: +0
Lording: +1 Mental Endurance: +12
Mental Endurance: +2 Visualization: +2
Visualization: +2
Sa’crontor Brain
Human Hybrid Brain Cost: 410,000§
Cost: 500,000§ This is a brain type that excels at both Creativity
This is a strong brain type, with excellent and Intelligence. They are not as creative as humans,
Creativity for a hybrid form. This brain type has a nor as intelligent as Valorians, but the middle ground
good ability to communicate with computers and between the two makes the Sa’crontor the greatest
Page 94
deals well with reasoning skills. Lording skills are merchants in the universe. They also love the plea-
next to impossible for someone with this kind of sures that come with being rich merchants.
brain. Creativity: +7
Creativity: +9 Intelligence: +5
Intelligence: +6 Lording: +3
Lording: -1 Mental Endurance: +1
Mental Endurance: +4 Visualization: +1
Visualization: +3
Sa’crontor Hybrid Brain
Nesti Brain Cost: 570,000§
Cost: NA Sa’crontor hybrid brains further improve their
The Nesti brain type is not possible in any other Intelligence score, and give the species more disci-
creature but a Nesti, as it requires that the owner be a pline, but reduce their creativity.
plant. Genetech does not yet allow the development Creativity: +6
of intelligent plants. See “Processing Displacement Intelligence: +7
Fibers” in the Biomod section (page xx). Lording: +1
Visualization: +2
Ogre Brain
Cost: 370,000§
While incredibly stupid, those with these brain
types are immune to holographically generated il-

Valorian Brain Archangel Eyes
Cost: 500,000§ Cost: 40,000§

An alien psyche in a mind with low lording pow- These eyes, like the Archangels themselves,
ers but stunning deductive powers makes this an in- are nearly invulnerable to harm. They are actually
credible brain type. These beings learn quickly when recessed inside the skull. In reality the eyes them-

young, but have low average Mental Endurance and selves look backwards at a forty-five degree angle at
Creativity scores. Those with this brain type gain an a mirror mounted inside the back of the skull. This
automatic +4 to their Knowledge attribute. makes the eyes virtually impossible for someone to

Creativity: +1 poke out, and gives the Archangel to appearance
Intelligence: +10 of having no eyes. The down side is that this is not
very efficient, and reduces the range of the eyes. It

Lording: +0
Mental Endurance: +2 also gives the Archangels terrible night vision, which
Visualization: +8 explains their notorious aversion to the night.

Range: 750 meters
Save vs. Blinding: +10
Valorian Hybrid Brain Night vision: 3 meters

Cost: 750,000§ Infrared: None
A partially successful endeavor, this combina- Ultraviolet: None
tion of nature and machine partially negates the

lack of mental endurance, but essentially destroys Basic Eyes
creativity in the process. The reasoning capabilities
Cost: 25,000§

are astonishing, but intuitive leaps and Lording use
are essentially impossible. There is a whopping +8 Normal Human or Sa’crontor eyes with 20/20
to knowledge with this brain type, as the brain be- vision. Their effectiveness in low-light conditions is

comes an even more capable data storage device. horrible.
Creativity: +0 Range: 1 km
Intelligence: +12 Save vs. Blinding: 0

Lording: -2 Night vision: 6 meters
Mental Endurance: +4 Infrared: None
Ultraviolet: None
Page 95
Visualization: +9
Cybernetic/Robotic Eyes
Cost: 100,000§
Eye Types These eyes are very powerful. They are virtually

immune to overload, have excellent focus over long
distances, and can see a reasonable distance in both
Eyes are a very integral part of intelligent life.
the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums. They do, un-

Races like Valorians, who depend on their hearing
fortunately, shut down when hit with an electromag-
and sense of smell, often have trouble in a civiliza-
netic pulse (or EM damage).
tion where all technology is based on sight.
Range: 7 km
Certain listings below may merit explanation.
Night vision: 1 km
All ranges are the maximum range at which these
Infrared: 1 km
eyes can distinguish one individual from another,
Ultraviolet: 1 km
given good visual conditions (no fog or haze). Night
vision is the ability to see under low-light condi-
tions (moonless nights, for example), but not in total Caractingessen Eyes
darkness. Infravision lets you see in the infrared Cost: 40,000§
spectrum, which effectively allows you to see heat. These powerful eyes are excellent for long rang-
Ultraviolet vision is helpful mainly when starlight is es, but are very vulnerable to assault due to their size
the only source of light. and fragility. Small characters with this eye type will
often look as if they have “anime eyes.”
Range: 3 km
Save vs. Blinding: -10
Night vision: 1 km
Valorian Eyes
Infrared: None Cost: 15,000§
Ultraviolet: None These multifaceted eyes are almost invulnerable
to damage, but have poor conventional sight. They
can see into the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums,
Budetug Eyes but the range is not much improved. Ultramercs with
Cost: 30,000§ Caractingessen body types, or those who will do a
Capable of seeing into the infrared spectrum, but lot of flying, are advised to steer clear of this eye
with a limited range, these eyes are typically used for type.
Ultramercs who will be sent on nighttime missions Range: 3 meters
in urban areas. Save vs. Blinding: +10
Range: 500 meters Night vision: 3 meters
Save vs. Blinding: 0 Infrared: 10 meters
Night vision: 500 meters Ultraviolet: 10 meters
Infrared: 400 meters
Ultraviolet: None
Inuueliting Eyes
Cost: 30,000§
These eyes are exceptional but frail, and damage
easily. They come in strange colors, such as purple
and gold.
Range: 2 km
Night vision: 1 km
Infrared: None
Ultraviolet: None
Page 96
Halla Eyes
Cost: 20,000§
These eyes have exceptional ultraviolet vision,
but are vulnerable without their nictating membrane
(see the Biomods section).

Range: 1 km
Night vision: 10 meters
Infrared: None
Ultraviolet: 200 meters
Ogre Eyes
Cost: 25,000§
These eyes are very durable, but generally not
very good. They have poor range of normal vision,
but better night vision than humans.
Range: 300 meters
Night vision: 10 meters
Infrared: None
Ultraviolet: None

Save vs. Deafness: -6

Ear Types
Inuueliting Ears

From hearing a conversation to noticing some-
Cost: 50,000§
Inuuel ears are acute, but are somewhat fragile.
one sneaking up on you, hearing is sometimes con-

They are pointed, and tend to lift the eyebrows of the
sidered the next most important sense after vision.
creature who possesses them into a perpetually ar-
The ranges listed below are the maximum range for
rogant look. They break rather easily due to a hollow

hearing a quiet conversation, assuming that other
bone running along the outer ridge.
noise is minimal.
Range: 40 meters
Save vs. Deafness: -2

Archangel Ears
Cost: 20,000§ Nesti Ears

Archangel ears, much like their eyes, are re-
cessed into their skull. They are protected well from
Cost: NA
Technically speaking, the Nesti do not have ears.
physical damage, but not from simple overload by

Their excellent vibrational sense is due to the com-
loud noises.
position of their body, not to any one part of it. At
Range: 6 meters
this time Genetech is researching a way to recreate

Save vs. Deafness: 0
this vibratory sense, but they want to avoid another
Doctor Watt incident (see the Biomod section for
Basic Ears

more info).
Cost: 25,000§
These ears are similar to the human ears of today. Ogre Ears

If you don’t know what they look like try looking at
some one else, or even the mirror. Many species pos-
Cost: 60,000§
These are extremely adept, but they are large
ses ears with these same capabilities.

and obvious. They look like Inuuel ears except that
Range: 20 meters
they have large tufts of hair coming out of them.
Save vs. Deafness: 0
These sensitive hairs, along with the large fin-like
Page 97
shape, allow the Ogres some of the best hearing in
Cybernetic Ears the galaxy.
Cost: 50,000§ Range: 60 meters
These ears are fairly good, but their largest ben- Save vs. Deafness: 0
efit is that they match the body’s normal ear type

in appearance. They have all the usual benefits and Valorian Antennae
penalties that go along with cybernetics, such as
Cost: 100,000§
vulnerability to electromagnetic pulses. In addition,
These are among the most sensitive devices
they can be neutralized by large electromagnetic
known to collect vibrations. They are so sensitive
fields, making the character hear static.
that characters with these antennae can’t be sur-
Range: 30 meters
prised so long as the person surprising them makes
Save vs. Deafness: +2
any noise whatsoever (e.g. a heartbeat, breathing,
movement). They can pick up heartbeats at a range
Caractingessen Ears of 20 meters. They are also very obvious, seeing as
Cost: 40,000§ they’re two feet long.
These ears are exceptional in their abilities, but Range: 200 meters
they are also extremely vulnerable to damage. They Save vs. Deafness: 0
are composed of several spiny protrusions webbed
together. The overall effect is rather like a large fan.
Needless to say these look very comical on most
humanoids.
Range: 40 meters
Olfactory Types Muscle Types
This affects your character’s strength. You may
Ordinary Olfactory Senses need to take a certain bone type to attach these
Cost: 25,000§ muscles to; otherwise you might be snapping or
Archangels, Humans, Inuueliting, Budetug, bending your own bones.
Nesti, Sa’crontor and Halla all have similar senses of
smell and taste, which offer no particular powers or
disadvantages. Normal Muscle Type
Cost: 25,000§
A conventional muscular system composed of
Ogre Olfactory muscles responding to nerve impulses by contract-
Cost: free ing and pulling a bone structure. This is found in
Ogres have no sense of smell at all, and are im- Humans, Inuueliting, Budetug and Halla, and can
mune to tear gas and other horrible-smelling things. be attached to any bone type.
The drawback is that they won’t know when they Strength: +2
smell something dangerous (like a gas leak).
Corded Muscle Type

Advanced Olfactory Senses Cost: 30,000§
Cost: 40,000§ Similar to the Normal muscle type above, but
Caractingessen can track in a manner similar to many times more powerful. This is typically due to
that of a bloodhound. They have a 60% chance to high concentrations of metals in the muscle cells. It
follow a trail, with a -5% chance for each day the is found in Caractingessen and Ogres. This muscle
trail is old. Tracking through rain is very difficult type must be attached to Heavy Calcium, Living
and imposes a -30% penalty. Terrain and wind can Steel, or Titanium bones.
impose a penalty based on GM discretion. They are Strength: +6
also more vulnerable to certain kinds of gaseous
Page 98
attacks. You should specify whether this is an or-

ganic or cybernetic system. You recieve +6 to skill
rolls where this sense may come in handy (such as Fluid Muscle Type
Hunting or Cooking). Cost: 50,000§
Fluid muscles surround the bone equally on
all sides, making the structure weaker but allowing

Valorian Olfactory more maneuverability. They are found naturally in
Cost: 60,000§ Valorians and Sa’crontor.
Valorian secondary antennae are the most Strength: +1
powerful olfactory senses known. Those with this +1 to Dexterity and Agility
sense have an 80% chance of success when tracking
solely by scent, with a -5% penalty for each day the
trail is old. Tracking through rain imposes a -20% Hydraulic Muscle Type
penalty. Wind and terrain can alter this percentage. Cost: 40,000§
Your character also recieves +8 to skill rolls where Not as powerful or precise as the electromagnet-
this sense may come in handy (such as Hunting or ic muscular drivers, but still very powerful. These do
Cooking). not have the susceptibility to electromagnetic pulses
that the electromagnetic systems do, as they are fully
organic. The muscles work by using a natural fluid
that fills the character’s bone structure. The body
can pump fluid in or out, to flex in a manner similar
to other muscle types. Its only drawback is that the
character must eat four times the normal amount in
order to meet the muscles’ energy demands. If the

character does not, his strength will decrease by 1 in Humans and Halla. It has no particular disadvan-

point every day until it drops below zero, at which tages, which, in itself, can be used as an advantage.
point the character dies of starvation. This muscle Agility: +4

type is found in Archangels, and must be attached to Stamina: +4
Living Steel or Titanium bones.
Strength: +6
Heavy Calcium Bones

Cost: 175,000§
Electromagnetic Muscle Type A very tough system capable of withstanding

Cost: 80,000§ massive amounts of stress. However, it doesn’t offer
Extremely powerful and precise, this is the op- fine, graceful body movements due to the weight of
timum of cybernetic musculature. It has only one the bones. It takes a lot of punishment, but doesn’t

weakness: if your character takes even one level of deal well with coordination. Found in Budetug.
EM damage, he or she will convulse helplessly for Agility: +2

thirty seconds. This muscle type can only be con- Stamina: +5
trolled by Hybrid brains. This is a form of cybernetic
musculature, which can be attached to any bone
“Living Steel” Bones

type.
Strength: +9 Cost: 325,000§
+1 to Dexterity and Agility This bone structure has large, smooth deposits of

iron in it. This makes the bones extremely resilient
but very heavy. Usually found in Archangels, Ogres

and Caractingessen.
Agility: +1
Skeletal Types Stamina: +9

Titanium Bones
Your character’s bone type influences both

Agility (through the lightness and flexibility of the Cost: 750,000§
bones) and Stamina (how much marrow can be in The toughest skeleton Genetech has so far creat-
ed. Titanium is both strong and light. Unfortunately,
Page 99
the bones and support an active character). Through
the Stamina increase, your bones also affect how if the bones break, they must be replaced; they aren’t
tough your character is and how many wound levels capable of automatically repairing themselves like
he or she has. the other bone types. This can be quite expensive.
Agility: +6
Stamina: +7

Light Calcium Bones
Cost: 250,000§
This is a bone structure very similar to that found
in Earth birds. It is very light and mobile, yet not Valence Main Rulebook: Ultramercenaries
without a certain strength. The hollow bones of this
structure make it very light, but susceptible to strong
attacks. It offers better agility than any other skeletal
structure. Usually found in Inuueliting, Valorians,
and Sa’crontor.
Agility: +9
Stamina: +1
Medium Calcium Bones

Cost: 100,000§
The standard Human system. Well balanced, of-
fering an equal stamina and agility. Found most often
Serpent Body
Body Types Cost: 40,000§
Large and menacing, this form is huge and has
the advantage of having large amounts of wound
Your character’s body can be created indepen-
levels. It is sinuous and long rather than bulky. It is
dently of any other choices — a human brain in a
one of the Caractingessen forms.
serpentine body type with Ogre ears is no problem
Size: 9
at all. (You’ll look hilarious, but you can do it.) The
Armor Cost: Four times normal
larger your body is, the more durable it will be, but
Height at Shoulder: 170 to 210 cm
the less armor you will be able to afford.
Length: 8 to 25 meters
Note that your body choice should coincide
with your choice of epidermis, or you will stick out Reptilian Body
quite badly and will certainly not be able to pass as Cost: 50,000§
a normal individual. Sometimes that’s not a concern, Enormously massive, this is a powerful form with
but some Ultramercs are built to be stealthy. great durability and also great size. In order to enter
human-sized dwellings and buildings, it is a good
Basic Humanoid Body idea to learn size reduction Lordings.
Size: 10
Cost: 15,000§ Armor Cost: Five times normal
The standard Human and Inuueliting form.
Height at Shoulder: 1 to 2 meters
Take a look in the mirror. This body type can also
Length: 12 to 30 meters
represent a Sa’crontor body, which has similar stats
despite its very different shape.
Size: 5 Insectoid Body
Armor Cost: Normal Cost: 32,000§
Height: 160 to 200 cm A spongy body type, its size is close to that of
the human form. It doesn’t have the resilience of the
Short Humanoid Body basic humanoid shape, but it has the benefit of add-
Page 100
ing to the armor value of an exoskeleton (should the

Cost: 10,000§ player take that as an epidermis type). If you wish
This body type is primarily found in Halla,
this body type you must either take insectoid motion
and resembles simply a smaller Human body. This
as one of your locomotion forms, or Budetug legs as
helps those who want to be fighter pilots or techies
one of your manipulation types.
(squeezing them into smaller spaces), but it also
Size: 4
means that they don’t take hits as well as most.
Armor Cost: Two times normal
Size: 3
Height: 170 to 200 cm standing up
Armor Cost: Normal
85 to 100 cm while walking
Height: 75 to 160 cm
Large Humanoid Body

Cost: 20,000§
Ogre body types are large, and therefore rare
in areas where Human-sized people or smaller are
preferred, such as piloting starfighters. The increased
size does lead to increased durability, however.
Size: 6
Armor Cost: Twice normal
Height: 190 to 320 cm

Body Type Walking Running Per day
Locomotion Types Short Humanoid 15/1 30/2 30/5

Basic Humanoid 30/8 60/15 60/15
These are how your character gets around. All Large Humanoid 40/10 80/20 80/20
Ultramercs have two movement types; typically one

flying and one walking. The first two numbers listed Serpent 100/5 200/10 200/10
are in meters per round (10 seconds) when walking Reptilian 80/5 160/10 160/10

or running in combat, respectively. The last number
is daily movement in kilometers, assuming an eight-
hour march. See Movement, page xx, for more info. Insectoid Locomotion

Cost: 50,000§
Changing from one type of movement to another This type of locomotion is only appropriate for
typically involves one second of delay as your char- insectoid bodies. No other type will support, or is

acter bends down, unfurls wings, lands, etc. designed to accommodate this type of locomotion.
Four insect like legs hold a thorax up, much like a

praying mantis. It is one of the faster types of ground
Basic Bipedal movement.
Cost: 100,000§

Standard two-legged walking and running. As
with most locomotion types, the exact speeds de-
pend on body type. This is good for a character who Insectoid 50 100 100

would like to maintain an acceptable pace while
keeping his hands free for other actions.
Vehicular Ground

Cost: 125,000§
These systems of locomotion involve wheels or
Short Humanoid 7.5 15 15 treads. The lower body is typically replaced with a

Basic Humanoid 15 30 30 cybernetic housing. In any of the Caractingessen
body types the underbelly becomes a flexible hous-
Large Humanoid 20 40 40
Page 101
ing. The advantage to treads is the fact that they
Serpent 7.5 15 15 can climb all but the steepest of inclines, while the
Reptilian 7.5 15 15 wheels are limited to a more civilized environment.
Moment rates are the same no matter what the body
type. Bigger creatures can have larger engines, but
Partial Bipedal need them to move their more massive bodies. Light

Cost: 75,000§ Calcium bone structures should not be used with
This what most Caractingessen have. They are these movement types.

comfortable on two legs standing or walking slowly,
but running or walking normally requires all four Vehicle Type Cruising Max Per day
feet. This allows for fast movement when on all fours,
Treads 100 200 200
but the hands are not free for other actions. While
on two legs it is possible to take other actions (such Wheels 125 250 300
as using tools or weapons), though movement rate is
drastically reduced. The number before the slash is
Inuueliting Wings
on four legs, the number after it is on two.
Cost: 500,000§
These are beautiful but delicate wings, similar to
a butterfly’s but larger. When fully extended these
wings tower fifteen feet over the head of the character
and descend down to the calves. Despite their size
they may be folded and concealed beneath robes or
other large clothing. They are the pride of the High
Inuueliting, being a symbol of their station, so they
rarely conceal them. Ultramercs with this wing type,
however, frequently hide them. A light calcium bone Body Type Cruising Max Per day
structure is need for these wings to be any more use Short Humanoids 25 50 100
than decoration, and they are insufficient to lift any Basic Humanoids 50 100 200
characters whose Size is greater than 6.
Body Type Cruising Max Per day Serpent 110 220 440
Short Humanoid 30 60 60 Reptilian 90 180 360
Basic Humanoid 25 50 50
Large Humanoid 20 40 40 Metallic Wings
Serpent 100 200 200
Cost: 500,000§
These are the metal-feathered wings found on
Reptilian 50 100 100 Archangels. They are not very fast, but have differ-
ent sorts of uses. The feathers are sharp, and when
used as weapons do level 5 Slashing damage. They
Caractingessen Wings
are also easily folded up and concealed beneath
Cost: 400,000§ cloaks and jackets. In order to hold aloft the mas-
These are the wings found on the Great sive loads these wings must carry, they come with
Caractingessen, Draconians, and Succubi. On Great a disk-shaped gland located under the skin at the
Caracts and Draconians, these wings are large and base of the wing, which subconsciously manipulates
hideous, covered in bone-like spikes. Succubi wings electromagnetism to lift the wearer off the ground.
are a marvel to perceive; small and delicate in com-
parison, yet still an image of power. No matter how The possessor of these wings does not have
they appear, Gess wings are well suited to flight, and conscious control over the gland, so it can only be
are faster than any other wing types. They cannot be used to aid flying. GT is working on this problem.
concealed because of their size and bulk. The gland is what actually keeps the user aloft and
moves him or her around; the wings are primarily
Body Type Cruising Max Per day there for maneuvering purposes. Their DNA is tied
inextricably to that of the gland. GT’s working on
Page 102
Short Humanoids 40 80 80
that too.
Basic Humanoids 75 150 150
Large Humanoid 85 160 170 Body Type Cruising Max Per day
Serpent 100 200 200 Short Humanoids 20 40 40
Reptilian 150 300 300 Basic Humanoids 50 90 90

Feathered Wings Serpent 105 210 210
Cost: 350,000§ Reptilian 85 170 170
Found commonly on Ariels, these wings are sim-
ilar to a falcon’s or eagle’s. While fast, these wings’
primary ability is to travel long distance, as they can Anti-gravity Propulsion
be “locked” into place for gliding. They may not be Cost: 900,000§
concealed. More correctly called Gravitational Propulsion,
this is a cybernetic propulsion system located within
the chest cavity. It is still somewhat experimental,
since gravitational technology still has a long way to
go in 592. The system also partially cancels inertia,
allowing for incredible maneuverability (+1 Agility
while flying) and giving all body types the same
movement speed.

Maximum Speed Per Day
60 120 Biomodifications

Some species have very unique abilities, which
“Rocket” Propulsion Genetech has isolated and refined from their genetic

Cost: 750,000§ code. Biomodifications are primarily taken from
This form of cybernetic propulsion is the fastest existing species, but some are the unique creation

of all Ultramerc movement types. All body types will of Genetechnologies. These are also available to the
have the same speed. It can propel the user at any general public at the same cost, though the DNA re-
speed (up to a maximum of about Mach 3) through patterning can take anywhere between three weeks

space or an atmosphere. Should you be unfortunate and six months.
enough to hit something at top speed, you and it

both take a level 90 Blunt attack (in your case, to the A’darn Gland
head). Maneuverability is terrible (-2 to Agility while
airborne). Cost: 130,000§
This is the gland found in the Golden Inuueliting

which gives them their excellent reflexes and metab-
olism. The gland releases an organic compound into
Maximum Speed Per Day

the blood system which Genetech markets under the
10,000 20,000 name “super-adrenaline,” and indeed it works very
much like a super-powered hormone. While the

gland is activated the character gains 3 extra attacks
per round and deals +1 damage when using melee
weapons. The gland may only be used for sixty

rounds (6 minutes total) each day. The user may turn
the gland on or off at will, as an instinctive reaction.

The user must eat double the normal amount of food
during any day that the gland is used or lose 2 points
of Str and Sta for the next day.
Page 103
Aquatic Adaptation
Cost: 65,000§
Contrary to its name, this biomod does not actu-
ally make someone a half-fish, half-person. Instead it

grows gills on their necks so they can breathe under
water, and grows webs on their fingers and toes. The

gills close and excrete a mucus-like substance when
out of the water, which eventually hardens (after
about 1 hour) into a shell to protect the sensitive
membranes. Aquatic Adaptation allows a person
to attain depths of 200 meters and stay underwater
almost indefinitely.
Atmospheric Sensory Adaptation

Cost: 25,000§
Everyone has some amount of natural weather
sense. This biomod enhances it. Characters with this
biomod have a 90% chance to successfully predict
the weather for the next day, a 75% chance for two
days, a 40% chance for 3 days and a 10% chance
for 4-5 days. Of course, if the biomod doesn’t work,
your character can still just make a guess based on
the season. In order for this biomod to work properly Chameleon Modification
the character must have three weeks of experience Cost: 180,000§
on the specific planet and biome they are working This modification includes two aspects of a
in, or the chances are halved. chameleon’s genetic code: changing skin colors,
and independently focusable eyes. When the mod
is activated, the character will begin to blend in with
Biological Radar
his or her surroundings. Green, brown, yellow, or
Cost: 200,000§ flesh tones are easiest to imitate. This gives the char-
This is the type of sensory adaptation possessed acter between +2 and +8 on Stealth rolls, depend-
by the Nesti. It allows the character to “see” the area ing on how little clothing he or she is wearing. The
nearby through radar waves. It involves two organic independently focusable eyes allow the character to
“reciever” disks being implanted in the character’s take no penalty when using two weapons on two
skull, and an “emitter” array inside the character’s different targets.
torso. The character may use radar to a maximum
range of 1 mile. The character cannot be surprised
except by foes equipped with “stealth” systems or in- Cold Regeneration Cells
visibility Lordings. The reverse is also true — anyone Cost: 250,000§
with this sense active cannot sneak up on people who Early in the 22nd century, Humans discovered a
use radar systems to detect intruders (for instance, process whereby the rate of a cell’s reactions could
many battlesuits and all military installations). Range be sped up thousands of times without complete cell
can be adversely impacted by surroundings in much deterioration. The problem was that the increased
the same way that normal vision can. Radar doesn’t rate of cellular processes caused a buildup of heat
see through trees very well. in the body. This can easily injure anyone with this
biomodification, due to the extreme body heat
Note: if one is blind to normal light waves, certain generated. Conversely, however, the character can
kinds of tasks that are normally taken for granted can withstand extreme cold without a problem. Each
be very difficult. For example, the Nesti can not read hour that a character with this biomod is in tempera-
printed script. They can not see a computer monitor tures above 40 degrees F, lose 1 stamina point. Each
other then as a strangely-shaped block. This can be a hour that your character is in temperatures under 40
Page 104
serious disadvantage. Genetech rarely builds mercs degrees F, regain one stamina point per round, until
without regular sight in addition to radar. maximum points are reached.
This biomodification became the mainstay of the

Biological Radio Transceiver
human Arctic Commandos during the early stages of
Cost: 90,000§ the empire. A character with the adaptation regener-

Anything you could normally say can be broad- ates his or her least threatening wound each round,
cast over about a 5-mile range. Range gets better on and if bleeding, also reduces the bleeding level by
a mountaintop or a plain, and worse in a starship or one per round. A character with Cold Regeneration
a valley. You can also receive radio waves, but you Cells can even regenerate from death, as long as the
have to turn off normal hearing while you’re listening brain is undamaged! Curiously, characters with this
to them. The advantage of this over cybernetic mods biomodification are also unable to feel pain, and
is that there are no inorganic components which suffer only half the normal Impairment penalties for
might show up on a scan. There is no encryption on wounds.
this broadcast, so anyone with a radio tuned to your
frequency can hear what you’re saying. GT often The process that induces this Biomod is not
trains operatives with this biomod in a special code reversible. Works only on carbon-based creatures.
language. Heat based attacks do double damage, and cold
based attacks do half damage.

a laser. Thanks to these lenses, the eyes have no

Fur pupils, so they merely appear as glassy surfaces in
Cost: 40,000§ the character’s head. This has a disconcerting affect

Thin fur, like that on a cat, lets one survive cold on the other species, as it is never possible to tell
weather down to -20 degrees. It gives no defensive exactly what a Sa’crontor is looking at. This biomod
bonus. Thick fur, like that on a bear, gives tempera- can not be combined with cybernetic eyes.

ture tolerance down to -45 degrees F and +1 to natu-
ral armor. Unfortunately, it can cause heat stroke or Attack rolls are made with Martial Arts: Offensive.
heat exhaustion in weather above 20° Celsius. Those The range is the user’s Intelligence in meters, and the

with an Ogre epidermis cannot buy this for obvious beams do 10 Piercing damage.
reasons.

Metabolic Enhancement
Glide Cost: 100,000§

Cost: 25,000§ This gives your Ultramerc the world’s best cast-
This biomod actually contains three different iron stomach. You also gets the extra-tough teeth of a
modifications in it. First, the ability of a cat to twist rat — given enough time, you can chew concrete. A

in midair and land on its feet. Second, the character character with Metabolic Enhancement can live on
develops flaps under the arms, webs in the fingers, almost anything he or she can get down (not includ-
etc. like a flying squirrel. This helps add to wind re- ing poisons). The down side is that the merc has to

sistance and slow the fall. Last, some extra cartilage chew hard materials or grind his or her teeth to keep
in the leg joints helps absorb shock. Subtract 15 them from growing excessively. Also, the things one

meters from the distance of any fall, and then take can eat are not always very nutritive.
only half damage from the remainder if you make a
successful Agility check.
Minor Regeneration

Cost: 100,000§
Heat Regeneration Cells This biomod will enable a person to regenerate

Cost: 225,000§ small extremities if they are cut off or otherwise
Characters with this biomod have their cells removed. The process takes about a month. These
made much more sensitive to heat. Higher tempera- include fingers, toes, ears and noses. It excludes,
Page 105
tures allow the character’s cells to repair at extraor- however, reproductive organs and other complex
dinary rates when damaged. In temperatures over or large body parts. It also allows a character to
90 degrees Fahrenheit, a character with this biomod repair damage to statistics (such as that done by
regenerates his or her least threatening wound each Disintegration damage) at a rate of one point per
round, and reduces the bleeding level by one per day. This biomod has no effect on ordinary combat

round. However, this is the characters only means damage.
of healing. The process works in reverse, as well.
Temperatures below 0 degrees F will cause the body
Nesti Structural Support
to begin converting tissue into energy. The character
will take one wound level (of the lowest type avail- Cost: 450,000§
able) per hour in these conditions. Cold-based at- During their experimentation with sentient
tacks inflict double damage. Heat based attacks do races, Genetech discovered a technique for improv-
half damage. ing endo-structures. They took a Nesti seedling (an
embryonic Nesti) and stripped out its neural fibers,
connecting them to an animal’s nervous system.
Laser Optics Genetech had effectively created a Nesti controlled
Cost: 300,000§ from a central brain instead of their usual distributed
These are the infamous “sting of the Sa’crontor.” nervous system. However, this was not of use to
Two glands are located in the eyes, in small notches them. GT was about to scrap the project when a bril-
in the surface of the eye’s wall. When the glands are liant young geneticist named Dr. Watt (then a rising
lowered, a chemical reaction occurs, creating a brief star in Genetech) took the experiment in a new di-
flash of light. Flaps of tissue protect the retina of the rection. He took the idea of a brain controlled Nesti
eyes. Several lenses in the eyes focus the beam into
and thrust it into the internals of a fully functional
sentient animal — in this case an Earthling. Nictating Membrane
Cost: 20,000§
When Nesti tendrils were connected to the Character develops a second see-though eyelid
subject’s brain, the brain instinctively used the ten- which snaps down automatically. Gives perfect
drils to strengthen the body’s endostucture. Tendrils normal vision underwater and +4 to save vs. blind-
spread through her body, permeating both bone and ing. Found naturally in the Halla to protect them
muscle. She was able to control the tendrils as if they from stinging wind-driven sand on their windy
were a part of her own body. she could extend them homeworld.
out of her skin and permeate objects with them. She
was strong, and resilient. Genetech didn’t realize
how strong, and one night she escaped from mini- Phosphorescent Glands
mum security observation labs and is suspected to Cost: 15,000§
have departed Allah some months later. Dr. Watt had First developed for the entertainment industry,
the information he needed, though, and was able to this essence allows the host to “glow” at vary-
tweak the experiment to minimize future danger. ing degrees of luminosity and hue. Popular urban
culture has recently become caught in a fad over
A Nesti structural support system is a network this essence, and it is not unusual to see a group of
of Nesti tendrils interwoven with one owns bone teens on the street all glowing different colors with a
and muscle. It adds +2 to your Strength and +1 to cheap version of this biomod.
your Stamina. In addition, it allows its host to expel
tendrils for use as manipulators. Tendril ends can The luminescence of this essence is only visible
be expelled from the hands or feet, causing serious in poor lighting or at night. Once acquired, the es-
damage to the epidermis where they are expelled sence is always active. It can be turned “down” or
(two Bruised wounds). They are prehensile, and have the hue can be adjusted, but never really turned off.
a Dexterity of +2. If used to augment standard ma- The brightest effect that can be achieved is a 2-foot
nipulation (such as plunging them into a hand-held glow radius.
weapon), they add another +1 to Dexterity. Tendrils
close to the skin give the host a reddish-gold tint.
Processing Displacement Fibers
Page 106
The host must spend at least two hours in the sun Cost: 400,000§
each day in order to maintain the tendrils, and drink After the success of the Nesti Structural Support
twice the normal amount of water. If the tendrils do System (see above), Dr. Watt was encouraged to
not receive nourishment for an entire week, they continue his exemplary work involving Nesti experi-
begin to wilt and all bonuses and abilities gained mentation. Continuing his theme of using Nesti parts
from them are lost. If this continues another week, to enhance other beings, Dr. Watt, aided by an expe-
the tendril will die, causing the loss of 4 points of rienced Valorian Neurologist, began development of
Stamina and Strength as they leave holes in the host’s a second biomodification using Nesti tissue.
bone and muscle. The host will be prone to breaking
bones until the damage is healed. This time Dr. Watt decided to use what he had
thrown away in the previous experiment, namely the
The Nesti elders on their homeworld have re- neural fibers. Mimicking his previous procedures, he
cently learned of this Biomodification and are none connected the neural fibers up to a sentient brain.
too pleased. Since the process involves stripping a Through months of experimentation and multiple
seedling of its neural fibers, they consider every host test subject they discovered that the Neural fibers
of this biomod to be a murderer. The wrath of the were displacing the central thought processes, so
Nesti is not to be taken lightly. that every part of the body was capable of small
amounts of sentient thought. This meant that, while
Note: This Biomod cannot be taken with the brain was still the intellectual center of the body,
Processing Displacement Fibers. See below. it was no longer necessary for life.
This biomod allows the host take a devastating

hit to the head and keep running. The loss of intel-
ligence is huge (-8, to a minimum of zero, at which

the body will still function on instinct), but having

your head removed is not the end of the line (unless
Titan Flame Glands
you bleed to death). It also has the side effect that Cost: 320,000§

if any other part of your body is removed it can act These glands draw on geothermal energy. The
independently of the main body, until it runs out of geothermal energy is converted to an enzyme that
recourse to live. Granted, this is not very long, but it permeates the skin to cause the metabolism to

is usually long enough to (for instance) activate the change, releasing energy. This causes a shimmering
self-destruct sequence on your enemy’s starship. of air in the vicinity, the “Fiery Aura.” There are two
types of these glands. Titans have a more powerful

While this second experiment was not as dra- version (10 points of Disintegration damage on
matically successful as the first, Dr. Watt still basks contact), while the type found on Draconians can
be drawn into the flesh, making it possible to ‘turn

in the glory of his accomplishment.
off’ the aura. However, this version is less powerful
Note: Cannot be used in conjunction with the (5 points instead of 10) due to the added muscle. The

Nesti Structural support system. The result of doing Titan version automatically activates under stress,
this is the creation of a sentient Nest within the host’s while the Draconian version can be turned on and
body. The one time this was done the hosts battled off.

for control of the body, and it resulted in both beings
dying.
Transmortifier Lobes

Cost: 200,000§
Tesseract Stone These are the glands that are found in the
Cost: 500,000§ Valorians. They allow the Valorians to manipulate

When an Inuueliting becomes a Platinum ambient energy, drawing it into the glands on the tips
Inuueliting, the liquid from the Pool of Radiance is of a Valorian’s tentacles. While the energy is held

coalesces into a perfect diamond embedded into the there, the tips of the tentacles (hands of humanoids,
new Platinum’s forehead. GT has mastered a process between the eyes for Caractingessen) appears to be
where the diamonds of dead Inuueliting are implant- glowing nimbus of energy around the area. It is then

ed into an Ultramerc’s forehead and activated. possible to expel this energy in the form of a con-
densed microwave beam. The number of shots per
When the user attempts to create a Tesseract the round is limited by number of input/output areas on
Page 107
diamond appears to draw in all light, then emit it as the creature (Caractingessen have one shot a round,
twinkling, multicolored motes. Unlike mechanical Humanoids have two, and Valorians and Golden
tesseract devices, the user must merely have visited Inuueliting have four). The limb must be pointed a
or be able to visualize the destination. No calcula- the target, so Caractingessen can point their heads to
tions are required Like all tesseracts, it must be used attack with the microwave beam and do something

in deep space. Preparation time is based on the else with their claws.
size of the objects to be tesseracted away. The users
own body can be tesseracted with just a second of Attack rolls are made with Martial Arts: Offensive.
preparation time. For every ton over the weight of The beams deal Disintegration damage equal to the
the user, there is one minute of preparation. It can character’s Intelligence, to a range of 5 meters per
take hours to tesseract a starship. Preparation must point of Mental Endurance.
be renewed after each jump, so it is not possible
to tesseract a ship into a combat zone, decide it’s
not such a great place, and go back right away. The
range is a number of light years equal to five times
the user’s Visualization. The accuracy of this tesser-
act is astounding, never off-target by more than a
few centimeters.
This gland may not be used more than once per

day per point of Mental Endurance.
are not used for manipulation. Must be taken with
insectoid locomotion.
Manipulation Types Dexterity: normally +5, +1 for each extra set
of legs helping out, to max of +9 when not walking.
An Ultramerc’s manipulation type determines Damage from pincers: 2 Blunt
what kind of hands the character has, and thus how
dexterous he or she is. It should be noted that these Caractingessen Claws
genes include far more than just hands — there are
mental and physiological changes that give the dex-
Cost: 100,000§
These giant, sharp, gnarled claws have perhaps
terity modifier. Not to mention arms.
the worst Dexterity in the galaxy, but make up for it
with lethal amounts of damage.
Archangel Hands Dexterity: +1
Cost: 120,000§ Damage from Claws: 10 Slashing
Archangel hands deal quite a bit of damage, but
are not very dexterous. They are covered with sharp Golden Inuueliting Arms
blade-like protrusions that enable then to inflict
great gaping wounds.
Cost: 250,000§
Golden Inuueliting have four arms each with
Dexterity: 0
seven fingers. This manipulation type gives the
Damage from punch: 5 Slashing
character the ability to use four weapons and take
his usual number of attacks with each. Due to the
Basic Humanoid Hands greater complexity of four arms and greater hand
Cost: 100,000§ power this manipulation type is not as dexterous as
These are the hands found on many humanoids the primary Inuueliting type.
throughout the galaxy. Halla have six fingers per Dexterity:+5
hand, Humans have five, and Ogres have four. All Damage from punch: 1 Blunt
provide the same overall motor coordination.
Dexterity: +4 Nesti Tendrils
Damage from punch: 2 Blunt
Page 108
See the “Nesti Structural Support” Biomod.

Basic Inuueliting Hand Genetech does not build Ultramercs with that as
their only manipulation type, as it damages the body
Cost: 130,000§ on every use.
These are slender seven-fingered hands that are
extremely long compared to other species’. They are

some of the most dexterous form of manipulation Sa’crontor Retractable Arms
known. The one drawback is their delicate fingers: Cost: 200,000§
an Inuueliting may not lift more then ten pounds The Sa’crontor possess two fingered hands and
with his or her hands. Because of this the Inuueliting an opposable thumb. What makes this type of ma-
never really developed tools the way other species nipulation so different is that the arms themselves
did — Lording was their real tool. are retractable. The arms have cavities built into the
Dexterity: +9 chest that house them when they are retracted. The
Damage from slap: none at all only real advantage to retracting the arms is that the
character can move faster. It adds +3 meters per
Budetug Manipulation round to a walk or run when using a Serpentine or
Sa’crontor body type.
Cost: 200,000§ Dexterity: +5
The Budetug are equipped with twelve spindly Damage from punch: 0 Blunt
legs and two large pincers. Ordinarily the character
walks on three pairs of legs and uses the rest as
hands. Each hand on its own is not very good, but
Budetug are able to coordinate them quite well. This
will not fit on a small humanoid body. The pincers

Valorian Tentacles
Cost: 200,000§ Immune Systems

Valorian Manipulation is composed of four
tentacles sprouting from the the torso. While they Good for what ails you, so to speak.
are fairly strong, they do not have a great ability to

perform detail work. Like the Gold Inuueliting, they
have the ability to wield up to four weapons. Basic Immune System
Dexterity: +4 Cost: 100,000§

Damage from jab: 2 Blunt This is the system found in most species. It works
well with all the various modifications that charac-

ters will make on their bodies. It won’t reject symbi-
onts, cybernetics, or any other implants. No bonus to
Chemical Compositions save against disease.

There are two major types of chemicals that

beings are composed of: silicon-based, and carbon- Cybernetic Immune System
based. Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Cost: 200,000§

There is no particular cost for having one or the Tiny miniaturized robots hunt out particles un-
other. necessary for the body’s functions. The robots are
armed with tiny little disintegrators. These are very

small scale weapons, and are used only to destroy
Carbon foreign substances in the body. Costs for medical
services and cybernetics are unmodified because the

Carbon based life forms have no modifications. system is programmed to recognize these unnatural
They are life forms similar to Earth creatures. Must implants. This can be the system’s downfall, how-
eat half their body weight in food per week to stay ever, as some dangerous substances masquerade as

healthy. Almost all species are carbon-based. beneficial agents. Some symbionts react negatively
to this system, not liking what they consider to be in-
Page 109
Silicon vaders patrolling the body. +4 bonus to save against
disease.
Silicon based life forms are perhaps the most
alien to humans minds of all life forms. The silicon Caractingessen Immune System
in the creature makes it able to convert solar energy
Cost: 300,000§

directly into electrical energy which powers the
This is the most powerful of the immune sys-
body. Silicon-based creatures must eat an amount of
tems. For years it bothered scientists, as it actually
rocks equal to one quarter their body weight every

will fight against any modifications to the body’s
month. Amongst the galaxy’s major species, only the
original form. Cybernetics and genetic enhance-
Valorians are silicon-based.
ments seemed to be useless because the body al-
ways rejected them. It took hundreds of thousands
Titanium of years before Caractingessen scientists learned the
correct enzymes to neutralize this effect. Even then,
The Demons were a titanium-based species; the modifications needed to be “cloaked” to fool the
Genetech isn’t creating any more until they under- immune system into believing that they were natural
stand their first failure. No Ultramercs will have a parts of the body. On the plus side, a Caractingessen
Titanium-based physiology. is virtually immune to toxins and diseases, recieving
a +8 bonus to save versus disease. A character may
pay triple cost to implant cybernetics, but he may
not receive symbionts at all. The immune system will
kill them in under eight hours.
Dark Inuueliting
Epidermis Types Cost: 300,000§
The epidermis of these creatures draws energy
A note on body-skin combinations: if you are from the stars and converts it for the character’s use.
mix-and-matching body and skin types, you may Any exposure is enough to generate an energy burst.
need to take a Background to underscore your Damage rating is level 10, Piercing critical. It has a
strange appearance. A Caractingessen-sized body range of 30 meters. Martial Arts: Offensive is used to
covered in Human skin will look quite ugly indeed. make the attack roll. The energy can also be released
slowly so that the character can direct the energy
as a flashlight. Dark Inuuel skin provides no natural
Archangel Plate Mail Armor Value.
Cost: 200,000§
A series of metal plates cunningly “created” to
Golden Inuueliting
protect the muscle beneath the skin offers the best
protection of any epidermis. Gilded with precious Cost: 150,000§
metals, this is wonderful to look upon, although Golden Inuueliting have skin which not only
somewhat disconcerting. Recently some Archangels looks good but also gives some protection. Gold
have been killed by unscrupulous sentients for the Inuuel skin provides a natural Armor Value of 2.
valuable metals in their skin. Archangel skin pro-
vides a natural Armor Value of 10. Hallan
Cost: 180,000§
Budetug Wrinkled gray skin that is very tough and wind-
Cost: 120,000§ proof, but not very nice to look at. Hallan skin pro-
This skin is sturdy but very pale, the result of vides a natural Armor Value of 4.
spending millennia underground. It is more typically
found on an insectoid body type, but may be applied High/Silver/Platinum Inuuel
to any kind. Budetug skin provides a natural Armor
Value of 2. Cost: 100,000§
Page 110
High Inuueliting skin is naturally chestnut brown.

Those of the Platinum and Silver Inuuel are the same
Caractingessen color as their respective metals. These skins provides
Cost: 200,000§ no natural Armor Value.
These are the scales found on Caractingessen.
They are quite strong, and overlap well. Gess skin Human
provides a natural Armor Value of 5.
Cost: 110,000§
This is the familiar look of the Earthlings, Succubi,
Cybernetic and Ariel. The epidermis is available in a variety of
Cost: 400,000§ colors. Ariel skin grows tiny feathers instead of hair.
Human skin provides a natural Armor Value of 1.
This is a layer of armor that can be placed be-
neath the surface of another type of skin, or it can be
the skin itself. These titanium, ceramic, and neokev- Insectoid Exoskeleton
lar plates offer excellent protection. Agility takes a
penalty of -2 if this is under another skin. There is no Cost: 230,000§
Agility penalty if it is the skin itself, though appear- This is the exoskeleton found on Valorians. It is
ance suffers. Cybernetic skin provides a natural composed of tough plates and joint covers similar to
Armor Value of 10. kevlar. When combined with the insectoid body, it
provides more protection than any other epidermis.
This skin’s natural Armor value is normally 8. With
an insectoid body type this rating becomes 12.

Sa’crontor
Cost: 200,000§

Found on the Sa’crontor, these tiny scales are
like those of a snake and are unpleasant for most
humans to view. While not wet, they look so, and

their smoothness make the character very slippery.
Opponents have a -10 to attack when trying to wres-
tle with a character with this skin type. Sa’crontor

skin provides a natural Armor Value of 2.

Titan
Cost: 150,000§

Tough, lumpy skin that is almost impervious
to heat energy. A character with this skin takes no
damage from fire, flame throwers, or heat, and takes

half damage from plasma hits. Titan skin, contrary to
popular belief, does not catch fire. See Titan Flame
Glands under Biomods above. Titan skin provides a

natural Armor Value of 1.

Troll
Cost: 380,000§

This skin secretes a acidic jelly when the charac-
ter is excited. The acid adds 10 Disintegration dam-
age to martial arts and other hand-to-hand attacks.

It can not be “turned off,” so if the character wishes
to enter regular society he must wear a suit designed
for it. Troll skin provides a natural Armor Value of 5.
Page 111

Ultramerc
the skills common to all Ultramercs. This may seem
attractive at first (leaving more money to spend on
a jacked-up body), but in the long run such tactics
Training
will most likely cause the merc to be a failed experi-
ment.
Ultramercs buy their skills with their starting All Ultramercs are trained in the following skills.
budget. After you buy your Ultramerc’s body, and These skills are taught to all, regardless of mentor,
any cybernetics, remaining money can be used to and are considered necessary in order to make an
train the character. If you’ve overspent a little, you effective Ultramerc.
might want to use the “Property” advantage to give
your Ultramerc a little more budget money. Martial Arts: Offensive: 5
Martial Arts: Defensive: 5
The first thing to do is select a mentor. A mentor Computer Operation: 5
is the first person that the newly formed Ultramerc
is exposed to, just after he or she emerges from the Ultramercs have Charisma and Knowledge of 1
growth vats. This person will guide the character to start the game (if not specifically increased during
throughout the rest of his or her career. They put character creation). Social training is not high on the
the first ideals and goals into the character’s young list of important things for a young Ultramerc, and
mind. It is they who effectively determine what the Genetech only wants them to be able to remember
merc’s primary function will be within the Genetech orders — everything else is superfluous.
hierarchy.
Some mentors are on a trial status, and mercs

with these mentors will receive more attention by
superiors as they are even more experimental than
usual. Note also that two characters can have the
same typeof mentor, but have two totally different
people teaching.
Ultramercenaries and Discipline
Page 112
Ultramerc training is direct and brutal, with

a sink-or-swim approach. No punches are pulled Ultramercs are perhaps the best-organized,
when instilling the disciplines required by Genetech. most powerful fighting force in the galaxy. Each
Combat training is up-front and full-contact, usually one is unique, but they can act as a cohesive
involving instructors and students going at each oth- whole. Most amazingly, they always follow
er as if it were the real thing. Modern energy weapon orders, seemingly without any personal emo-
training is done with electrodes that cause real dam- tion. Most people who know about Ultramercs
age each time a merc takes a hit. These electrodes believe them to be mindless killers.
deliver enough power to send the average human
into shock. Computer training in the Lattice is done The truth is something different. Ultramercs
simply by putting the student in and letting them go. do have emotions, but thanks to the highly clas-
Young hackers are paid to attack the Ultramercs. sified drug Eme-5, they are extremely muted.
Mercs who survive often leave young bravos brain- Fear, love, regret, and all other emotions can
dead in front of their machines. appear in an Ultramerc, but they are almost
unnoticable as long as the UM has a steady
Not all Ultramercs survive this training, but supply of Eme-5 (about one dose a week).
none of them fail for lack of trying. Genetech is
quite profit-oriented, and makes sure that each and When they go off the drug, though, many
every mercenary knows exactly how much money repressed emotions can come through, and the
was spent to create them... and how displeased the ‘merc may have a difficult time adjusting to
management will be if it goes to waste. the change. This is one reason there are so few
runaways who survive: many of those who are
It is possible for an Ultramerc to not have a men- not captured eventually committ suicide.
tor. They may just have trainers, or even only have

Mentors

Command Officer
Cost: 2,000,000§

Close Combat Specialist Command Officers are an experiment to see if

Cost: 1,500,000§ Ultramercs can be taught to lead effectively. They are
being field-tested commanding squads of Ultramercs,
squads of normal people, and some mixed groups.

Close Combat Specialists are trained extensively
in hand-to-hand combat, both armed and unarmed. GT has decided that more testing is necessary, and
They are also trained to close the distance to melee the Command Officer program has been given five

as quickly as possible. These characters can operate years to prove itself. COs are typically dispatched
as very effective assassins when given a little auxil- to advise Chief Planetary Officers who are facing
iary training, but are more typically hired as body- armed conflict and have little experience with it.

guards for VIPs. Those loaned out as mercenaries are
typically given heavy weapons training. So far tests have been excellent in some areas
and poor in others. They excel in field command, but

This is one of the longer-running and better- have trouble relating to others out side of a conflict.
known mentoring programs that Genetech provides. Since Ultramercs are force-grown to adulthood and
It is also one with a relatively low lifespan. The old- trained in just eight years, they have little emotional

est Close Combat Specialists have been active for no maturity. They may follow orders well, but their lack
more than 10 years. of typical life experiences makes it difficult for other

to strike up a conversation with them. It’ll be a long
time before GT introduces a “Politician” mentorin
Special Ability program.

The character gains one extra action per round
when using melee weapons and unarmed combat. Special Ability

They can also rush into battle, adding 50% to their
movement over short distances. Those who are following the direct orders of a
Command Officer recieve +2 to any skill checks that
Page 113
the officer orders. This takes up most of the CO’s
Close Combat Specialist time, and he or she can only command a number
Primary Skills Level of people equal to five times his or her Charisma
rating.
Martial Arts: Offensive +10

Martial Arts: Defensive +10
Command Officer
Ancient Weapon: Sword +10
Photon Blades +5
Command Communications +10
Ancient Weapon: Daggers +5
Military Leadership +10
Ancient Weapon: Staves +5
Intimidation +10
Tactics +10
Combat skills easier
Military Intelligence +5
Interpret Sensors +5
Military skills easier
Leadership skills easier
Street skills harder
Computer Operator Engineer
Cost: 1,200, 000§ Cost: 1,300,000§
Computer Operators are often trained to seek out Engineers are another experimental project of
and neutralize Interface Knights who are bothering Genetech’s. They are closely guarded and watched
Genetech. These characters are also given the task over. They seem to be extremely successful in the
of going on dangerous missions where a hired IK field, but are less satisfactory outside of a mission.
may get killed, as they can typically withstand more They are considered to be too expensive for the
punishment then true IK’s. While they are quite good return and will most likely be discontinued soon.
at breaking into computer systems and writing virii, Much like most Ultramercs, Engineers are socially
they rarely have the breadth of skill that marks a true inept, almost incapable of sharing important discov-
IK. eries with others.
The Computer Operator program was created Almost no Engineers have been trained with bio-
to counter a specific threat, but has proven useful medical technology, and none have been trained to
enough to keep around for the long term. It has one create other Ultramercs, or even to give medical aid
of the longest life expectancies of all the mentoring to wounded or damaged UM’s.
programs, and some of the original Computer Ops
from 30 years ago are still around.
Special Ability
Special Ability
Special Ability
It takes an Engineer half as long as normal to
Computer Ops have brain jacks, and can men- repair or modify a system, as long as they can work
tally interface with properly prepared computers. on it alone. When they have to advise others there
Not only does this give a +1 bonus to all computer- is no time improvement. Some things can only be
related skills and an extra action per round when modified by Tech Docs; consider an Engineer as a
using computers, it also allows almost instant access Tech Doc under these situations.
Page 114
to any of a computer’s functions, and an instinctual

understanding of any operating or file systems the
computer might have. Engineer
Computer Operator Basic Engineering +15
Primary Skills Level Tweaking +10

Computer Operations +15 Weapons and Armor +10
Programming +10 Two other Engineering skills +10
Create Portal +15 Computer Operations +5
Create Virus +15 Skill Cost Modifiers
Create Guardian +5 Computer skills easier
Computer Bypass +5
Computer skills easier

Fighter Pilot Heavy Weapons Specialist
Cost: 1,400,000§ Cost: 1,500,000§

These are the remnants of Genetech’s attempt to The heavy weapons specialist is the oldest of

create a self-sustaining race of fighter pilots better all the Ultramerc training programs. It teaches the
then the Halla. The most successful pilots are based mercs to use their superior strength and physical
on a lot of Hallan DNA, although many other char- abilities to wield the most powerful weapons avail-

acters have also trained under a Fighter Pilot mentor. able. When properly equipped, these characters can
While their training concentrates on starfighters, literally devastate entire armies. Unfortunately for

most Fighter Pilots find themselves driving troop GT, these characters are rarely equipped so well and
transports more often. are forced to rely on their wits and skill. They have
proven remarkably effective at this.

This mentoring program has been very success-
ful, and it looks as if Ultramerc Fighter Pilots are Genetech’s most trusted Ultramercs come from
here to stay. Life expectancy has been surprisingly this program. They are ones most likely to be loaned

high, but this may be due more to the unwillingness out as mercenaries for other corporations’ armies.
of combatants to risk multi-million-dollar spacecraft Genetech is typically very careful to pick a single
than to the skills of the pilots. side in a conflict when loaning out mercenaries

— and then positively insure that that side wins the
fight. It’s good for their reputation, which is far more
Special Ability

valuable than simple profits.
Fighter Pilots get one additional action per round
Special Ability

when in any sort of space vehicle.
A HWS gains one extra attack per round when

Fighter Pilot

using the following weapons: disintegrators, gatling
Primary Skills Level lasers, missiles, particle beam guns, ultra cannons,
and plasma guns.
Page 115
Pilot Starfighter +15
Pilot Battle Cruiser +10
Pilot Jet Fighter +10
Heavy Weapons Specialist
Gunner: Fighters +15
Disintegrators +10

Gatling Lasers +10
Grenade Launchers +10
Pilot skills easier
Grenades +10
Missile Launchers +10
PDS’s +10
Plasma Weapons +10
Comabt skills easier
Lord Naval Officer
Cost: 2,500,000§ Cost: 1,300,000§
Lords are Genetech’s Ultramerc archmagi. These Naval officers are trained to operate large
creatures are trained from their first conscious mo- spaceborne vessels. They are the compliment to the
ment to harness and command the powers that flow fighter pilots. Naval Officers are typically given roles
from the Lords dimension. These characters come as navigators, gunners, copilots, or other non-com-
close to the skill that the naturally-born Archmagi mand positions. More experienced N.O.’s are hired
wield with the Lording but don’t quite equal it. They as executive officers and first mates. None have been
typically make up for that with sheer power. These hired as captains yet.
mercs are very closely watched, like the engineers
and command officers. Genetech is actually attempting to see how
successful an all-Ultramerc ship would be. It has
One of the three original mentoring programs Ultramerc fighter pilots, marines, officers, engineers,
(along with Heavy Weapons and Close Combat), the and even an Ultramerc commander. So far the ship
Lord program has been fraught with more problems (the Absolution) has a mediocre record, though it
than any of the others. Its greatest failure was the has persevered in the face of overwhelming odds.
total inability of GT scientists to isolate the gene re- Consequently this program has come under heavy
sponsible for Duelist powers — no Ultramerc Duelist fire, and may soon be canceled. When combined
has ever been produced. Lording-trained Ultramercs with normal officers this training program has proven
also tend to go rogue more easily, perhaps due to an very successful.
independant streak in their mentors, perhaps due to
their ability to operate without expesive equipment.
The average lifetime for a Lord is 10 years, but the Special Ability
average is misleading. Most either die within the first
two years, or live well beyond that. It takes Naval Officers half the usual time to
generate a tesseract.
Page 116
Special Ability
Naval Officer
This training allows a character to overdraw on Primary Skills Level
the lording in the same manner as an Archmage (see Pilot Battle Cruiser +10
page xx).
Pilot Star Cruiser +10
Gunner: Starships +10

Lord
Advanced Radio +10
Sattelite Communications +10
Lording Development +10
Tesseract Operations +10
Complexity +10
Tesseract Communications +10
Range +10
Area of Effect +10
Military skills easier
Magnitude +15
Lording skills easier

Scientist Sniper
Cost: 2,700,000 Cost: 1,500,000§

The Scientist training program was implemented The sniper is Genetech’s Ultramerc assassin. They

about the same time as the Engineering program. It specialize in the use of long-range weapons, and
was intensive lobbying by scientists who claimed most of their targets never know what hit them. They
that their creation were often smarter then they were, nicely compliment the Close Combat and Heavy

and should therefore be allowed to assist in creating Weapons Specialists in a firefight, but are more often
the next generation of Genetech products. The sci- deployed on solo missions with no backup.

entist training program has been a big success. The
Ultramercs take rapidly to scientific endeavors with Snipers are one of GT’s more stable mentoring
their highly organized minds. Unfortunately, their programs. They were created in the “second wave”

lack of social skills makes them less able to share
of programs, along with Stalkers and Fighter Pilots.
their genius then their colleagues. Snipers rarely go rogue, and are typically the best-
conditioned of all Ultramercs. GT takes special care

Ultramercenary scientists are never trained in to insure their conditioning, as the idea of a rogue
the medical science necessary to take care of other assassin with an Ultra Cannon is more than a little
Ultramercs. They may work peripherally on related frightening.

projects, but the real work is left to Genetech’s natu-
ral-born scientists.
Special Ability

Special Ability When a sniper aims any weapon he or she suf-

fers no penalty for range. The character must use at
Scientists are trained to make connections that least one attack to aim, however. Snipers may also
others might not see. They take half as long as usual use their Backstab skill with ranged attacks, as long

when using the Observation, Interpret Sensors, or as their target is unaware of their presence.
Research skills.
Page 117
Sniper
Scientist Primary Skills Level
Primary Skills Level Backstab +10
Biology +10 Arc Throwers +10

Xenobiology +10 Energy Rifles +10
Chemistry +10 Rifles +10

Physics +10 Silent Kill +10
Research +10 Camouflage +10
Basic Engineering +10 Skill Cost Modifiers
Computer Operations +10 Espionage skills easier
Science skills easier
Stalker Ultramerc Skill
Cost: 1,200,000§
The Stalker mentor trains their charges in a man-
Packages
ner similar to that of the Operative class. Stalkers are These packages are available to any Ultramerc
trained to break into an area and find information on at character creation, regardless of Mentor. Prices
computer or in hard copy. Unlike most Operatives, are as listed below. These skill packages can be pur-
these mercs usually know how to handle combat chased more than once.
and often kill people who get in the way. They are
more successful in getting information out of low- An Ultramerc may not gain any skill above 21
security areas then an Operative because they are at character creation. Buying a skill package that
not squeamish about death, but this same tendency would put a skill above 21 puts it at 21 instead.
makes them less successful at breaking into high-
security areas.
Stalkers have a survival rate which is inversely

Assassination
proportional to the importance of the missions they Cost: 250,000§
are sent on. Unfortunately for them, the more ex- Silent Skill: +5
perienced they are, the more difficult the missions. Backstab: +5
Stalkers are almost never rented to other corpora-
tions or cultures, as GT is too worried that someone Athletic Training
could deploy Stalkers against them. Only the most Cost: 250,000§
loyal are chosen for sale and rent. pick two athletic skills at +5
Special Ability Basic Engineering

Cost: 200,000§
Stalkers have an intuitive grasp of security sys- Basic Engineering: +5
Page 118
tems, especially computer-based ones, and recieve

+3 on any rolls to defeat one (+4 if it’s computer-
based).
Basic Lording
Cost: 300,000§
Lording Development +5
Stalker Complexity +5
Primary Skills Level Sense +5

30 XP for Lording spells
Computer Bypass +15
Burglary +10 Biosciences
Stealth +10 Cost: 250,000§
Demolitions +10 Biology: +10
Xenobiology: +5
Pick Locks +10
Skill Cost Modifiers Blades
Espionage skills easier Cost: 275,000§
Ancient Weapons: Swords: +5
Ancient Weapons: Daggers: +5
Ancient Weapons: Battlecleaver: +5

Civlian Starcraft Drive

Cost: 250,000§ Cost: 200,000§
Pilot Starship: +5 Drive A.P.C.’s: +5

Pilot Star Cruiser: +5 Drive Car: +5
Drive Truck: +5
Drive Tanks: +5

Combat Lording
Drive Race Car: +5
Cost: 350,000 § Ride Motorcycle: +5
Area of Effect: +5

Magnitude: +5
Range: +5 Grenades
Cost: 250,000§

Targeting +5
Grenades: +5
Communications Grenade Launchers: +5

Cost: 250,000§
Advanced Radio: +10 Gunnery
Cost: 350,000§

Satellite Communications: +10
Tesseract Communications: +5 Gunner: Light: +5
Gunner: Heavy: +5

Computer Hacking Gunner: Fighter: +5
Gunner: Starship: +5
Cost: 350,000§

Computer Bypass: +5
Create Virus: +5 Heavy Weapons
Create Portal: +5 Cost: 300,000 §

Create Guardian: +5 Gatling Lasers: +5
Disintegrators: +5
Computer Use PDSs: +5

Cost: 250,000§
Computer Programming: +5 Infiltration
Page 119
Computer Operation +5 Cost: 350,000 §
Stealth: +5
Covert Operations Persuasion: +5
Lying: +5
Cost: 350,000§ Language: +10
Camouflage: +5

Concealment: +5
Pick Locks: +5 Jets
Cost: 250,000§
Stealth: +10
Pilot Airliner: +5
Cybernetics Weaponry Pilot Jet Fighter: +5
Cost: 100,000§
Cybernetics Weapons: +5 Leadership
Cost: 300,000 §
Demolitions Command Communications +5
Public Speaking +5
Cost: 250,000§ Persuasion +5
Demolitions: +10
Linguistics
Cost: 300,000 §
Three Languages: +15
M.A.C.s
Cost: 250,000§ Photon Weapons
Pilot M.A.C.s: +10 Cost: 250,000§
Gunner: Heavy: +5 Photon Blades: +10
Martial Arts Physical Sciences

Cost: 250,000§ Cost: 300,000§
Martial Arts: Offensive: +5 Chemistry: +10
Martial Arts: Defensive: +5 Physics: +10
Martial Arts: Sweeps&Throws: +5
Pistols
Missiles Cost: 250,000§
Cost: 250,000§ Energy Pistols: +5
Missile Launchers: +10 Pistols: +5
Gunner: Light +5
Plasma
Military Intelligence Cost: 250,000§
Cost: $400,000 § Plasma Weapons: +10
Tactics: +5
History: +5 Repair
Military Intelligence: +5
Cost 300,000 §
Auto Mechanics: +10
Military Starcraft Weapons and Armor: +5
Cost: 375,000§
Pilot Starfighter: +5 Rifles
Pilot Battle Cruiser: +5
Cost: 250,000§
Energy Rifles: +5
Page 120
Observer Rifles: +5
Cost: 350,000 §
Observation: +5 Spellcasting
Interpret Sensors: +5
Investigation: +5 Cost: 250,000 §
60 XP for Lording spells
Off-Hand Weapons Package

Tesseracts
Cost: special
Take any other weapons skill package listed here, Cost: 250,000 §
but the skill applies for off-hand weapons instead. Tesseract Operations +5
Remember that your skill level with your better hand Tesseract Communications +5
must be at least equal to your off-hand skill.
Urban Operations
Paramedics Cost: 400,000 §
Cost: 350,000 § Carousing: +5
First Aid: +10 Make New Contacts: +5
Medical Doctor: +5 Stealth: +5
Streetwise: +5
Psychology
Cost: 250,000§
Psychology: +5
Xenopsychology: +5

The Demons
in the end, was the largest population of Demons

and those who were most instrumental in the Fall.

While the majority of the galaxy is unaware
of it, the research used in creating the Demons is still
Ask anyone what the biggest mistake
being used today, in the creation of Ultramercenaries.
Genetechnologies ever made was, and you get one

Advanced gene-splicing techniques, used to transfer
answer: the Demons. The term “Demon” was coined
carbon-based DNA to a silicon-based life form, and
when the first batch of then-unnamed creatures were
the drug EME-5, are direct results of Demon testing

hatched. The first, named Chi, possessed a ruddy red
and research.
body and small wings which made him fit the typical
description of a demon. There is nothing supernatu-

ral or satanic about the Demon race. The Demons Demons in the Present
were (and, contrary to popular rumor and hope, still
are) a race of genetically engineered beings capable Most Demons today live on starships or on plan-

of interbreeding with every race in the galaxy. They ets that have long been abandoned. Most of their
were designed to serve as a slave race, though that population is concentrated in the Rim sectors, away

goal was never specifically stated. Naturally, GT cre- from GT’s sphere of influence (and the Coalition’s as
ated the best slave race they could. No one wants well).
a weak, slow, or stupid servant — Demons were

created to be strong, fast, and smart. What Genetech Demonic culture is highly stratified; a result of
could not program in, though, was subservience. their genetic variances. Those cursed with a large
number of “junk genes” (such as those for high

It would be quaint and comforting to say that strength or armored skin) are ruled by those who
the Demon Revolution in GY 495 started small. recieved genes for creativity and brilliance. The
The truth is it was a flash fire. To this day, Genetech

younger Demons see this as a necessity — those
doesn’t understand how so many widely separated who can see lead the blind. For the leadership of the
groups of Demons were able to coordinate their race, this is officially supported, though often seen

efforts and rise up simultaneously. Once the revolu- as an unfortunate arrangement. The oldest Demons
tion was in full swing, there was no stopping it. The see it as no better than the slavery Genetech sold
Demon Revolution became the Demon War, and them into.
Page 121
finally, less than a year later, the Fall.
At this time the Demon culture is organized
Many of the non-human species in the galaxy almost like large terrorist cells, with isolated groups
secretly sided with the Demons, sending arms and scattered around the edge of the galaxy. This is
ships. Some, such as the Budetug, did so openly and slowly changing as the Demons consider returning
defiantly, daring the human-dominated Empire to

to the Milky Way. The “Alpha Cell,” so to speak,
retalliate. Some species, especially as the Budetug which leads the entire Demon race, is composed
and Halla, felt that the Demonic DNA structure was of second-generation Demons who were born after

a blasphemy of genetics. Others, such as the Nesti or just before the Fall. Alpha Cell has no official
and Valorians, felt that the Demons deserved to be headquarters, and is always on the move to avoid
delivered from their slavery. While blame eventually Ultramerc patrols.
was distributed away from the Human race, some
remnant of it still dogs Genetech and humanity in There are three primary goals for Alpha Cell: aid-
general to this day. ing the Renaissance, subverting the upper echelons
of GT, and securing planets in which to expand.
Before the Fall, Demons were used as servants
by many representatives and ambasadors in the The Renaissance is growing in strength and
Empire. Most were treated as good servants, though membership. The Demon leaders believe that it has
some were beaten. Some also underwent testing in a good chance of becoming more than just a terrorist
Genetechnologies labs — testing which would nor- group — that it could really challenge GT and the
mally have been done on animals or clones grown Coalition some day. Thus, many Demons throw their
without a mind. A small but important number were weight behind this group. However, no one wants
“lost” from GT labs and literally sold as slaves. This, another Fall, so....
Alpha Cell realizes that right now, in 592, which can determine how a Demon’s children will
Genetech is still capable of creating a new slave turn out.
race. Most feel that the Ultramercs are nothing better
than slaves, and want to either stop their produc- Because of this, some Demons are vastly supe-
tion or give them more freedom. Thus, any Demon rior to others in their “litter.” One child may be born
who closely resembles a Milky Way race will be with both great agility and intelligence, while an-
contacted in an attempt to recruit them. If they are other ends up brutish and stupid. Demonic society
recruited, they are used to infiltrate galactic culture is very stratified, with those born “better” ruling over
and try to find slowly subvert Genetech. By subtly those with “unfortunate” or “inferior” genes. This is
converting the management of Genetech over to seen as a necessity, protecting the lower classes from
their viewpoint, the Demons hope to prevent the themselves. For more implications of this, see the
need for another bloody war. page on Demons in the present.
Another consequence is that the Demonic sense

The Future of aesthetics is quite different from that of most
other races. Some Demons feel that beauty is totally
The population of Demons in the galaxy is on worthless. Others see every member of their race as
the edge of an explosion. Unless a planet is found more beautiful than other species. Realist art rarely
where many members of the race can settle perma- if ever appeals to a Demon — they are most likely
nently, there will be serious space and suppy prob- to be attracted to more cubist, impressionistic, or
lems. Overcrowding and malnutrition will become spontaneous arts.
common.
Demons are neither carbon-based nor silicon-
Alpha Cell is currently negotiating with the based creatures. Their DNA structure is based on
Outsiders (a race which lives in the nearby galaxy the element Titanium. This allows them to interbreed
Sagittarius) to obtain an out-of-the-way planet where with every race in the Milky Way, from Humans to
their race can spread and live in peace. What they Valorians. The child of a Demon and any other race
don’t know yet is that the Outsiders condone inden- will be a Demon, though some features of the non-
tured servitude, which is just a small step away from Demon parent may show through.
slavery. Once they find out, they’ll have one heck of
Page 122
a moral dilemma on their hands — let people starve The combination of ability to freely interbreed
while finding a new planet, or settle with a species and “warped” aesthetic sense confuses many
with very different morals and ideals. Demons as they grow up. Most are quite isolated
from galactic society as they grow up. They are
Eventually, evolution and mutation will cause the unable to rely on the opinions of their friends and
Demon race to split into several distinct subraces, family as to what the “born races” look like. For most
but this will not happen for hundreds of thousands of the younger Demons, their first experience in the
of years. Galaxy at large is very frightening. Some Demons
come away with a sense of morals as strange as their
Demon Psychology sense of beauty.
Part of understanding Demon psychology in- As a whole, Demon society is a mish-mash

volves understanding their physiology. The most of a thousand different viewpoints and personali-
important thing about Demons from a cultural stand- ties. Moreso than even Humans, Demons are very
point is that they do not breed true. As an example, individualistic and strike off in their own direction.
a man and woman who are both native Chinese will Holding a group of Demons together takes a very
have children who retain Chinese features. In the charismatic leader indeed.
case of the Demons, this is not true. Every Demon
contains the genetic structure needed for each trait
their race can evince. Two Human-looking Demons
might have one child with bat-wings, another with
a tough outer skin, and a third with moth-like fur
covering their body. There is no rule of genetics

born a Duelist. Treat Demons as any other Classed

Creating Demon Characters character for other purposes, such as buying skills
and spending experience.

Demon characters are a bit unusual, so you
should check with your GM before assuming that you All Demon characters should keep track of the
can play one. They are somewhat outside of normal total number of Hero Points and Experience Points

galactic cultures. Their own culture teaches them the earned. Do not subtract those spent for this purpose
skills of Martial Arts: Defensive, Xenobiology, Lying, (i.e. keep the running total separate from this total).
and Computer Operation. Once the Hero Point total reaches 200 or more, and

the Experience Total reaches more than ten times the
Demons are each born in a way appropriate to character’s starting total Skill Points, the character’s
their mother. Much like the formation of any em-

body will metamorphose. The morphing process
breyo or egg, a Demon’s DNA determines its size, takes about two days, and the character will enter a
shape, and some mental factors. However, statisti- greyish coocoon for the whole time. When the char-

cally speaking, there is no such thing as an “average acter emerges, they will have an entirely new body
Demon.” Each one is as genetically unique as an built “from scratch” with 3.5 million sections instead
Ultramerc and as mentally unique as a Human. of the original 3 million sections. The new body can

be similar to the old or completely different, but it
Demon DNA does have a built-in “balancing” will always be better adapted to the character’s life-
factor, insuring that their wild recombinant DNA will style and profession.

never produce a non-viable being. Every Demon
will have its own strong points and weak points, but This metamorphosis can be particularly danger-

some will have more than others. ous to the Demon if it comes at an inopportune place
or time. The GM has complete control over exactly
One little-known factor that was slipped into when the coocoon will form, and need not inform

Demon DNA at the last minute was the ability to re- the player. However, we suggest to the GM that most
combine in vivo, later in life. A Demon will undergo coocoons should happen at times of relaxation, not
a massive genetic transformation at a “cusp point” in times of stress. A Demon’s genetic code knows when

their life. The Demon’s personality will be preserved, is a bad time to transform — but sometimes it just
but their body changes utterly and even some mental can’t delay the change any longer.
faculties may change. This change is triggered by a
Page 123
certain amount of experience accumulating in the
Demon’s mind, allowing subconscious processes to
model new DNA structures and adapt the Demon to
their surroundings.

In layman’s terms, each Demon will, at some
point in their life, suddenly adapt to their lifestyle
perfectly. A warrior may find himself with improved
adrenal glands and a thick skin. A doctor may find
herself with steadier hands and better memory. This
change is not instantaneous, of course — it takes
three weeks of time in a coccoon, and the newly-
emerged Demon will be ravenous with hunger
— but the change will always adapt the person in
question to their lifestlye.
In game terms, build a Demon as if they were

Ultramercs with a three million section budget.
Do not buy skills or a mentor with those sections,
though — just the body. Demons must pick a Class
just like other Classed characters, with one crucial
exception: no Demon may ever, under any condi-
tions, be a Duelist. No Demon has or ever will be
Skills Skill Checks
Skills determine what your character can do. Skill checks are used to find out whether your
Anything you can do which is not inherited from character succeeds when trying to use a particular
your species, or learned as a special ability from skill. The GM will set a “target number” for a certain
your class or mentor, will have to be bought as a task, such as bargaining for food, fixing your gun, or
skill. Skills are essential for combat, Lording, and tracking down a friend. The higher the target number
most importantly, for everyday life. is, the more difficult the task is. You can see a chart
on the next page that gives sample target numbers. It
Every street character will have a certain number assumes that highly skilled characters also have rea-
of skill points to spend, depending on their class. This sonably good attributes to go along with their skills.
is listed in the description of that class. Ultramercs
purchase the majority of their skills with their initial To see if you succeed, roll 1d20. Add this to your
funds, but they do receive an additional 10 skill skill level, and add the base attribute. For skills that
points with which to customize their character. have two base attributes, use the more favorable
one for your character. If you roll higher than the
Skills are rated in “levels” and “ranks.” Your rank target number, you succeed. Note that if your skill
is based on your level — it’s a description of how is higher than the target number, there is no need to
skilled your character is, relative to others in the gal- roll — you succeed automatically.
axy. Skill levels are more important. They determine
exactly how good your character is.
Special Cases
No skill may be raised higher then level 21 at
character creation. This is to discourage players from If you roll less than the target number, then you
overspecializing. Characters who are more skilled fail. If you roll exactly the target number, you just
than this will certainly begin to acquire a reputation barely succeed. If you roll a natural 20 (that is, a 20
for a high level of expertise. The acquisition of this on the die before any modifiers), you have some sort
kind of knowledge and reputation should be role- of outstanding success. If you roll a natural 1, you
played rather than simply purchased. have some sort of outstanding disaster.
Using combat skills usually goes a bit differently;

Buying Starting Skills
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see the combat section on page xx.
At character creation skills can be bought at one If you don’t have the right skill for a particular
of four levels: 5, 10, 15, or 20. Spend your starting situation, you might be able to roll using a different
skill points as per the table below. To raise your but related skill. The GM will assign a penalty from
starting skills from one level to another, just pay the -2 to -10 depending on how different the skills are.
Valence Main Rulebook: Skills
difference in cost.
Some classes make it easier or harder for your Examples

character to buy skills. Cost for easier skills is shifted
left one column; costs for harder skills are shifted Example #1: Let’s say you’re driving your car
right one column. through a twisted alleyway, at high speed. This might
have a target number of 25. If your skill in Drive Car
For instance, Dave the Archmage wants to buy is 25 or more, you succeed automatically. Let’s say
the Magnitude skill at level 15. Magnitude has a base that you have a 10 skill, and your Dexterity is 3,
cost of 3, so at level 15 it would normally cost 9 skill giving you a total modifier of +13. If you roll a 7 or
points. Since it’s easier for Archmagi to buy Lording more, you get through without a scrape. If you roll
skills, Dave would instead spend 6 skill points. less, you probably dinged the car up to a lesser or
greater extent. If you roll a natural 1, you might have
Once you’re done buying skills, you can choose a crash — it’s up to the GM.
to increase four different skills by one point. In return
you must lower four different skills by a point.

Example #2: Your character and her arch-nem-

esis are both trying to convince a judge that they Skill Rank Level Range
are correct. The GM decides that the judge is a very Unskilled 1-5

by-the-books type, so your nemesis and you both Basic 6-10
roll your Law skills. Your Law skill is 15 and your
Knowledge attribute (best of the three options) is a 7, Professional 11-20

for a total of +22. Your opponent has a Law skill of Master 21-25
13 and a Creativity of 10 (her best option), for a total
Grand Master 26+
bonus of +23. Looks like it’s going to come down to

the roll. You get an 8, and your opponent rolls a 14,
for totals of 30 and 37. You’ve lost this one — your Starting Skill Costs

opponent was more convincing.
Base Cost
Example #3: Your character is shipwrecked on
Level 1 2 3 4

an inhabited planet, and needs to find some new
friends quickly to find a way off the planet. The GM 5 1 2 3 4
knows that this is a friendly planet (since she’s the 10 2 4 6 8

one who wrote its description in the first place),
so she sets the target number at 20. Unfortunately, 15 3 6 9 12
your Make New Contacts skill is only a 5, and your 20 5 10 15 20

Charisma is a whopping 2. You need to roll 13 or
better to succeed. You roll a 6. You decide that this is

important enough to whip out the Hero Points (see
page xx): you spend 7 Hero Points and succeed at Skill Target Numbers
the roll, finding someone who can help you get off
Target Difficulty in Layman’s Terms

the planet.
1 If you can’t do this, you must be in a
Example #4: Your character facing a very mean coma.

person in single combat. Unfortunately, this person 5 This should be easy even for most
has a plasma cannon, and your character is in his Unskilled people.
underwear, so simply taking the hit isn’t an option.
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10 Not too hard, even for someone with
Not really fair, is it. You roll Martial Arts: Defensive to
Basic skills.
dodge, and roll a 1. Crap. You spend 10 Hero Points
to re-roll this unfortunate result, and avoid becoming 15 Average difficulty for someone with
a charcoal briquette. Basic training.
20 Very difficult for Basic-rank characters,

but Masters can do this in their sleep.
25 Routine task for a well-trained and

talented Professional.
“Cap” Skills
30 50-50 shot for a Professional.
Certain skills “cap” or are are “capped by” 35 Professionals find this very difficult
other skills. For instance, Aerobatics acts as a 40 50-50 shot for most Masters.
cap to all Martial Arts skills while flying. This
means that, while the character may know 45 Very hard for Masters, and not a breeze
Martial Arts: Defensive at level 15, his poor for Grand Masters either.
Acrobatics skill of 5 prevents him from us- 50 Grand Masters can do things this hard
ing all of his knowledge, and he acts as if his on a good day.
Martial Arts: Defensive skill were a 5.
This is particularly common with Athletics,

Engineering, and Combat (off-hand) skills.
Skill Cost Reference Tables Computer Skills
Skill Name Cost Base stats
Athletic Skills Computer Operation 2 Int, Kno
Skill Name Cost Base stats Create Guardian 3 Int, Kno
Aerobatics 1 Agi Create Portal 3 Int, Vis
Arctic Movements 2 Sta, Str Create Viruses 3 Cre, Int
Climbing 1 Agi, Str Programming 3 Int, Kno
Gymnastics 2 Agi, Str
Jumping 1 Agi, Str Drive Skills
Running 1 Sta, Str Skill Name Cost Base stats
Solar Movements 2 Agi, Vis Drive A.P.C. 2 Dex, Vis
Swimming 1 Agi, Str Drive Car 1 Dex
Throwing 1 Agi, Str Drive Tanks 2 Dex, Vis
Zero-G Movement 2 Agi Drive Truck 1 Dex
Drive Off-road Vehicles 2 Dex, Vis
Combat Skills Pilot MAC 3 Dex, Cre, Vis
Skill Name Cost Base stats Ride Motorcycle 1 Agi, Dex
Arc Throwers 3 Dex
Ancient Melee Weapons 2 Agi Engineering Skills
Ancient Missile Weapons 2 Dex Skill Name Cost Base stats
Cybernetic Weapons 2 Agi or Dex Aircraft Engineering* 3 Cre, Int, Kno
Disintegrators 3 Dex Auto Mechanics 2 Dex, Kno, Vis
Duelist’s Sword 2 Agi Biomedical Engineering * 4 Cre, Int, Kno
Energy Rifles 2 Dex Basic Engineering 3 Int, Kno, Vis
Energy Pistols 2 Dex Civil Engineering* 3 Int, Kno, Vis
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Gatling Lasers 2 Dex Robot Engineering* 4 Dex, Kno, Vis

Grappling 2 Agi Starship Engineering* 3 Cre, Int, Kno
Grenade Launchers 2 Dex Tweaking* 4 Cre, Vis
Grenades 1 Agi Weapons and Armor 4 Cre, Int, Kno
Martial Arts: * Can be no higher than Basic Engineering

Defensive 2 Agi
Offensive 2 Agi
Sweeps & Throws 2 Agi
Missile Launchers 2 Dex
Off-hand Weapon * *
PDS 3 Dex
Repeated Skills
Photon Blades 2 Agi
Pistols 2 Dex A few skills (such as Persuasion) fall under
multiple categories. When buying and using
Plasma Weapons 2 Dex
these skills you may treat them as if they were
Rifles 2 Dex in whichever category is more advantageous
* See skill description for your character.

Espionage Skills Medical Skills
Skill Name Cost Base stats Skill Name Cost Base stats

Backstab 2 Agi, Str Cybernetics 3 Cre, Int
Burglary 2 Cre First Aid 2 Dex, Kno

Camouflage 2 Cre, Int Genetic Engineering 4 Int, Kno
Computer Bypass 3 Int, Kno Medical Doctor 3 Dex, Kno

Concealment 3 Dex, Int Pathology 4 Int, Kno
Demolitions 2 Int, Vis

Lying 4 Cha, Cre Mount Skills
Pick Locks 2 Cre, Vis Skill Name Cost Base stats

Silent Kill 3 Agi, Dex Increase Speed 2 Agi, Str
Stealth 2 Agi, Mne Riding: Land 2 Agi

Riding: Flying 2 Agi, Str
Leadership Skills Riding: Exotic 2 Agi

Trick Riding 3 Agi
Bureaucracy 2 Cre, Kno
Humor/Wit 2 Cha Military Skills

Intimidation 2 Cha, Str Skill Name Cost Base stats
Military Leadership 3 Cha, Int. Advanced Radio 2 Cre, Int

Persuasion 3 Cha, Cre Gunner: Fighters 2 Dex
Public Speaking 2 Cha, Cre Gunner: Heavy 2 Dex, Vis

Stand Ground 3 Kno, MnE Gunner: Light 2 Agi, Dex
Tactics 2 Cre, Kno Gunner: Starships 2 Dex, Vis
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Interpret Sensors 2 Kno, Int
Lording Skills Military Intelligence 2 Cre, Int
Skill Name Cost Base stats Satellite Comm. 3 Int
Area of Effect 2 Lrd, Agi Tesseract Comm. 3 Int, Vis

Complexity 3 Lrd, Cre
Duration 2 Lrd, Mne Miscellaneous Skills

Healing* 3 Lrd, Cha Skill Name Cost Base stats
Lording Development 2 None Art 3 Cre
Magnitude 3 Lrd, Int Body Development 3 None
Range 2 Lrd, Dex Cook 1 Cre, Int
Sense 3 Vis Dance 2 Agi, Cre
Summoning* 3 Lrd, Sta Fishing 2 Cre
Targeting 2 Lrd, Vis Hunting 2 Int, Vis
Traveling* 3 Lrd, Kno Language 2 Int, Kno
* These are Duelist skills and can only be taken by Musical Instrument 2 Cre, Vis.
Duelists. For more information see page 119.
Observation 4 Int, Vis
Sing 1 Cre, Sta
Style 2 Cre, Vis
Street Skills
Pilot Skills
Appraise Goods 2 Kno, Int
Hang-glide 2 Agi, Dex
Bargaining 2 Cre, Kno
Pilot Airliner 2 Dex, Vis
Carousing 2 Sta
Pilot Battle Cruiser 3 Int, Vis
Gambling 2 Cre, Vis
Pilot Jet Fighter 2 Cre, Dex
Make New Contacts 3 Cha, Cre
Pilot Star Cruiser 2 Dex, Int.
Persuasion 3 Cha, Cre
Pilot Starfighter 2 Dex, Vis
Pick Pockets 3 Dex, Int
Pilot Starship 3 Dex, Vis
Sleight Of Hand 2 Cre, Dex
Tesseract Operations 3 Vis
Streetwise 2 Cha, Kno
Professional Skills
Accounting 3 Kno, Int
Administration 2 Int, Vis
Firefighting 2 Kno, Sta
Fundraising 1 Cre, Kno
History 2 Kno
Investigation 2 Kno, Vis
Law 2 Cre, Kno, Int
Plumbing 1 Kno, Str
Politics 2 Cha, Cre
Science Skills
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Biology 2 Kno
Chemistry 2 Kno
Geology 2 Kno
Interpret Sensors 2 Kno, Int
Physics 3 Kno
Psychology 2 Kno, Int
Research 1 Kno, Int
Xenobiology 3 Kno, Int
Xenopsychology 4 Kno, Int

Throwing: 1
Skill Descriptions Used primarily in sports. This is not usually a

combat skill, as thrown weapons such as grenades
are covered in their own skills. Based on Agi and
Athletic Skills Str.

Aerobatics: 1 Zero-G Movement: 2
Only flying characters may take this skill (others You have been trained to move around carefully

should look to Hang-Gliding). This skill acts as a cap but quickly in the absence of gravity. Substitute this
on all Martial Arts skills while flying, and is used for almost Acrobatics, Aerobatics, Gymnastics, and

in situations where Gymnasics might be used for Jumping when in zero or very low gravity. This skill
ground-based characters. Based on Agi. is also acts as the cap on all of a character’s combat
and athletic skills in zero-gravity situations.

Arctic Movements: 2
Skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and arctic sur-
vival are the mainstays of this skill. Mostly used by
Combat Skills

arctic commandos. Based on Sta and Str.
Most Combat skills are self-explanatory, giving
the character the ability to hit someone with the

Climbing: 1
listed weapon, so no description will be given for
This is skill in climbing walls with or without
them. These skills are:
equipment. Failure on a Climbing roll results in a

fall, so rope is highly recommended. Based on Agi
Arc Throwers: 3 (Dex)
and Str.
Disintegrators: 3 (Dex)

Energy Pistols: 2 (Dex)
Gymnastics: 2
Gatling Lasers: 2 (Agi)
This is skill in tumbling, tightrope walking, vaults,
Grenade Launchers: 2 (Dex)
and other such maneuvers. Contrary to comic-book

Missile Launchers: 2 (Dex)
logic, it will not help you dodge attacks (use Martial
PDS: 3 (Dex)
Arts: Defensive for that). Based on Agi and Str.
Pistols: 2 (Dex)
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Plasma Weapons: 2 (Dex)
Jumping: 1
Rifles: 2 (Dex)
Skill in leaping great distances or heights.
Includes pole vaulting. Based on Str and Agi.
Other combat skills have special notes listed
below.
Running: 1

Used to run marathons or escape bad people
Ancient Melee Weapons: 2
chasing you. Based on Str and Sta.
Your character’s skill with a particular broad class

of ancient hand-to-hand weapon. The skill must be
Solar Movements: 2
taken once for each variety of weapon — axes,
Moving inside a star is very difficult. Most sen-
swords, clubs, polearms, Nesti battlecleavers, etc.
sors are virtually useless, and the ones that do work
Based on Agi.
are not very forthcoming with information. For this
reason you must have the Solar Movements skill to
Ancient Missile Weapons: 2
maneuver inside a star. The greater your skill, the
Your character’s skill with a particular class of
faster you can move. Caps all Combat skills, Interpret
ancient ranged weapon. The skill must be taken
Sensors, and Observation while inside a star. Based
once for each variety of weapon — bows, cross-
on Vis and Agi.
bows, slings, thrown knives, etc. Based on Dex.
Swimming: 1
Cybernetic Weapons: 2
How to move through water. Valorians, as am-
All built-in cybernetic weapons use this skill, re-
phibious creatures, do not need this skill, though
gardless of their type. Based on Agi or Dex, depend-
they may substitute it for Martial Arts: Defensive
ing on the weapon (ranged use Dex, close-combat
while underwater. Based on Agi and Str.
use Agi).
Duelist’s Sword: 2
Computer Skills
Skill in using a Duelist’s Sword as a weapon.
They are totally unlike any other weapon. Only Computer Operation: 2
Duelists may learn this skill, as no other characters Skill in using a computer. Skill above level 5
can summon the blade. Based on Agi and Dex. indicates some experience with troubleshooting.
Based on Int and Kno.
Energy Rifles: 2
Based on Dex for sniper-type weapons, or Agi Create Guardian Programs: 3
and Dex for assault weapons. This is skill in how to make a defensive program
to keep interface knights out of a system. See the
Grappling: 2 Lattice chapter for how this works. Based on Int and
Covers all forms of wrestling. If you hit with a Kno.
Grappling attack, each subsequent time you hit you
may choose to maintain the same amount of damage Create Portal: 3
you rolled last time, or you may make another attack This is used to travel between computer systems.
roll in an attempt to get more damage. Grappling It is further detailed in the Lattice chapter. Based on
attacks do the same damage as punches. Based on Int and Vis.
Str and Sta.
Create Viruses: 3
Grenades: 1 This is how to create program meant to break
Includes both throwing the things and using the into or defeat a system or guardian. It is further de-
timer to your advantage. Based on Agi and Str tailed in the Lattice chapter. Based on Int and Cre.
Martial Arts — Defensive: 2 Programming: 3

See Combat for full uses. Highly recommended The ability to create programs not designed for
for all characters, regardless of whether the game is offense or defense. Good for creating everything
combat-oriented. Based on Agi and Mne. from operating systems to astronav programs to
video games. Good, in essence, for everything we
Martial Arts — Offensive: 2 haven’t talked about above. As usual, more informa-
See the Combat chapter for full uses. All “natu- tion can be found in the Lattice chapter. Based on Int
ral” attacks, whether with fists or microwave bursts, and Kno.
use this skill (unless they’re trying to knock someone
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down; use Sweeps and Throws for that). Based on Str Drive Skills
and Agi.
Drive A.P.C.s: 2
Martial Arts — Sweeps and Throws: 2 Piloting Armored personnel Carriers. Based on
See Combat for full uses. Based on Dex and Sta. Dex and Vis.
Off-hand Attack: special Drive Car: 1

Any character who wishes to attack with two Driving automobiles. A skill of more than 5 indi-
weapons in a single action must buy this skill. Your cates some racing experience. Based on Dex.
normal weapon skill is an “on-hand” skill which
you buy normally; you must also buy an off-hand Drive Tanks: 2
attack with the same weapon. It costs half as much Driving tanks and other armored assault vehicles.
as the regular skill does, and is based on the same Based on Dex and Vis.
attributes. Off-hand skills may not exceed on-hand
skills. See page xx for more info. Drive Truck: 1
Driving big automobiles, such as 18-wheelers.
Photon Blades: 2 Based on Dex.
Does not include the Space Trooper ability to cut
through any object. Based on Agi. Pilot M.A.C.s: 3
The skill of piloting and using Mechanized
Assault Craft. Based on Dex, Cre, and Vis.

Pilot Off road Vehicles: 2 specialize in either fighter-scale craft or capital ships.

Skill in using ATV’s an other vehicles designed If your skill is 11 or above, you are equally familiar
for hostile terrain. Based on Dex and Vis. with both. You are also familiar with starship-scale

weapons, tesseract drives, armor plating, artificial
Ride Motorcycle: 1 gravity, power supplies, etc. Based on Kno and Vis.
The use of self propelled two wheeled vehicles.

Based on Agi and Dex. Tweaking*: 4
You’re good at convincing your equipment to
go the extra mile. When using another skill to make

Engineering Skills alterations that would enhance a particular device
(such as increasing a weapon’s damage rating) you
* Skills marked with an asterisk are capped by recieve a bonus to your roll equal to 1/5 of your

the character’s Basic Engineering skill. Tweaking skill (rounded down). Based on Cre and
Kno.

Aircraft Engineering*: 3
Skill in designing or modifying aircraft. Weapons and Armor: 4
You can design, build, and repair modern weap-

Auto Mechanics: 2 ons and armor. This is a particularly difficult skill, as
You know how to fix engines and make cars all the components are miniaturized and pack a lot
run again. At higher levels of skill you’re probably of power for their size. Based on Dex and Cre. Note

familiar with aircraft engines as well. Based on Dex that Basic Engineering is not a prerequisite.
and Vis. Note that Basic Engineering is not a prereq-
uisite.

Espionage Skills
Biomedical Engineering*: 4

You can design, build, and repair devices that Backstab: 2
deal with living beings, such as artificial hearts, Each level of Backstab adds directly to the criti-
cybernetic devices, and medical scanners. Based on cal level done during a surprise attack. Most people

Int and Vis. must literally stab someone in the back with a pierc-
ing or cutting attack for this skill to work; blunt or
Basic Engineering: 3 ranged weapons don’t work (but see the Assassin
Page 131
You know the basics of how to put devices to- class or Sniper mentor). Based on Agi and Str
gether, measure stresses and torques, and generally
build things that won’t fall apart. Good for making Burglary: 2
bridges, ramps, steam turbines, and other feats of This is skill in quickly finding valuable items
engineering. This skill caps many other engineering when searching time. Based on Cre.

skills (marked with asterisks). Based on Int and Kno.
Camouflage: 2
Civil Engineering*: 3 This is the ability to use one’s surrounding for

You are familiar with most types of civilian con- concealment. It is also the skill which influences
struction: bridges, skyscrapers, tunnels, roadwork, detection of camouflaged opponents. Based on Int
office buildings, etc. An excellent way to earn a liv- and Cre.
ing. Also a useful skill for demolitions experts. Based
on Int, Kno, and Vis. Computer Bypass: 3
This is skill in defeating security systems on a
Robot Engineering*: 4 computer directly. This is not something you use
You can design, build, and repair Mechanized through a network; it’s essentially how to bypass
Assault Craft (and smaller robotic systems as well). computers through hardware rather then software.
You’re probably also familiar with their subsystems, Based on Int and Kno
such as mecha-scale weapons and armor. Based on
Int and Kno. Concealment: 3
This is skill in concealing small objects. It in-
Starship Engineering*: 3 cludes the ability to palm objects and secret things
You can design, build, and repair starships of all on one’s person. Based on Dex and Int.
makes and models. If your skill is 10 or less you must
Demolitions: 2 Public Speaking: 2
This is skill in using explosives. It does not in- How to talk in public and get the desired re-
clude the ability to use grenades, but does include sponse. Useful for giving speeches at graduations,
things like C4 and dynamite. Based on Int and Vis. rousing mobs, or changing public opinion. Includes
the ability to gauge a croud’s mood. Based on Cha
Lying: 4 and Cre.
Your character is trained in lying to others unde-
tectably. Based on Cre and Cha. Stand Ground: 3
You are good at holding onto your beliefs, or are
Pick Locks: 2 just very stubborn. This skill is used to resist attempts
This is the ability to pick a mechanical lock. It to persuade you. Based on Kno and MnE.
does not include the ability to pick an electronic
lock. Based on Cre and Vis. Tactics: 2
Knowledge tactical situations, from troop de-
Silent Kill: 3 ployments to boardroom struggles to tense negotia-
This is the ability to kill ones opponent in such a tions. Based on Kno and Cre
manner that they do not make any noise. Based on
Dex and Agi.
Lording Skills
Stealth: 2
This is a characters ability to hide. Based on Agi Many of these spells are described in the Lording
and MnE. chapter, and need no extra description here. These
skills are:
Leadership Skills Area of Effect: 2 (Agi, Lrd)

Complexity: 3 (Cre, Lrd)
Bureaucracy: 2 Duration: 2 (Lrd, MnE)
Good for clearing up paperwork and cutting Healing: 2 (Duelist-Only Skill) (Cha, Lrd)
through red tape, or giving other people those prob- Magnitude: 3 (Int, Lrd)
lems. Based on Kno and Cre. Range: 2 (Dex, Lrd)
Summoning: 3 (Duelist-Only Skill) (Lrd, Sta)
Humor/Wit: 2 Traveling: 3(Duelist-Only Skill) (Kno, Lrd)
How to tell a joke people will laugh at. Based
Page 132
on Cha. This skill can actually benefit from both The skills which merit special mention are:
beauty-related advantages and ugliness-related dis-
advantages. Lording Development: 2
Lording Development has no base stats. Every
Intimidation: 2 level of it grants ordinary characters 5 extra spell
How to scare people into doing what you want. points, or grants Duelists an extra point of fatigue
Based on Cha and Str. which can be used only for their special powers.
Note that this skill is not based on the Lording at-
Military Leadership: 3 tribute.
How to command people and motivate them
to do as you order. The difference between this and Sense: 2
Intimidation is sometimes a thin line, but with Mil. Characters with this skill are able to sense the
Leadership inspires fear and respect instead of just use of Lording and the presence of Lording artifacts,
fear. Based on Cha and Int. often at great distances. Based on Vis (note that this
skill is not based on the Lording attribute).
Persuasion: 3
How to persuade people to do what you want. Targeting: 2
Includes the ability to guess at what they really want. The ability to actually hit something with a
This is a one-on-one appeal; for a wider audience Lording-based attack, or to accurately use a power
use Public Speaking. This is also a Street skill. Based with a fine touch. This is typically used as a combat
on App and Cha. skill, and has little bearing on how powerful a spell

is — it just determines whether the spell hits. Based Gunner: Light: 2

on Lrd and Vis This includes weapons that are mounted on a
vehicle or tripod. Based on Dex and Agi.

Medical Skills Gunner: Starships: 2
Use of large starship mounted weapons. Based

Cybernetics: 3 on Dex and Vis.
This is a general knowledge of cybernetics. This
skill is necessary to implant cybernetics into a host, Interpret Sensors: 2

whether for replacement or augmentation. It also Allows a person to decide what a set of sensors is
helps you design them. Based on Int and Cre. telling him. Often used to defeat cloaking devices or
gather tactical information. Based on Int and Kno.

First Aid: 2
This is a quick substitute for paramedical skill. It Military Intelligence: 2

allows a person to stop bleeding and attempt to keep Allows a character to discover information via
a person in a coma alive until better attention can be spying or other means. Based on Int and Cre.
received. Based on Kno and Dex.

Satellite Communications: 3
Genetic Engineering: 4 Gives a working knowledge of satellite com-
This skill allows a character to design new life munications, which also covers most planetside

forms and Ultramercs. Can not be higher then medi- communications. Based on Int
cal doctor and biology. Based on Int and Kno

Tesseract Communications: 3
Medical Doctor: 3 Allows a character to set up and use the delicate
This is skill at being a doctor. It is used to per- tesseracts used in communication. Based on Int and

form surgery, and to diagnose diseases and decide Vis.
on a cure. Requires at least a Basic level of First Aid.
Based on Dex and Kno
Miscellaneous Skills

Pathology: 4
Knowledge of the many millions of bacterial and Body Development: 3
Page 133
viral infections the galaxy has to offer. High levels of Each level off Body Development skill adds di-
skill indicates experience in creating or neutralizing rectly to Fatigue. This bonus is also applied when de-
bio-weapons. Based on Int and Kno. termining how many wounds a character can suffer.
Cook: 1
Military Skills

How to make a meal that people want to eat.
Includes a knowledge of the dietary prejudices of
Advanced Radio: 2 the various races, so you know what common foods

Allows a character to use advanced communica- might poison them. Based on Cre and Int.
tions techniques and scrambling. Based on Int and
Cre. Dance: 2
How to perform graceful moves that impress
Gunner: Fighters: 2 some people. Based on Agi and Cre
Includes the weapons that are usually mounted
on jet fighters and starfighters. Based on Dex. This Fishing: 2
cannot be substituted for the other Gunner skills How to get a stupid animal to bite a hook so you
because fighter combat tends to happen much more can eat him. Valorians think this is great. Based on
quickly, and from a faster moving vehicle. Cre.
Gunner: Heavy: 2 Hunting: 2

Includes regular vehicle mounted weapons, How to find animals so you can shoot them
including those on M.A.C.s. Based on Dex and Vis. and, preferably, eat them. Based on Vis and Int. If
This skill and Starship Gunner can be substituted for you don’t have at least a Basic level of Stealth, you
each other at -3, since they are very similar.
take -3 to all rolls. Can also be used to follow people Riding: Exotic: 2
through the wilderness. How to ride a particular strange creature. You
must specify a type of creature each time you take
Language: 2 this skill. Based on Agi
You have learned a language besides Trade
Inuueliting (the galactic standard language). At an ef- Trick Riding: 3
fective skill of 5 (counting attribute bonuses) you’ve How to do fancy things on your mount to im-
learned how to find the bathroom and insult people. press people. Based on Agi
At effective skill 10, you can hold simple conversa-
tions. At 15 you’re a good non-native speaker. At
21 or above you’re a master of the language and Pilot Skills
better than most native speakers in both accent and
vocabulary. You must have at least one skill level in Hang-glide: 2
a particular language to use that language at all. You The trick of using a flimsy piece of cloth and
may buy the skill multiple times to acquire multiple aluminum/ceramic to keep yourself aloft. Based on
languages. Dex and Agi.
Musical Instrument: 2 Pilot Airliner: 2

How to make cool sounds with an object. Buy This is how to make a flight comfortable for peo-
the skill once for each kind of object (woodwinds, ple who are not used to flying. Typically used with
strings, percussion, keyboards, etc. etc.) Based on passenger aircraft. It covers how to fly in a manner
Cre and Vis. least likely to induce nausea. This is useful for any
sort of plane from a two-seater to a 400-seater. Based
Observation: 4 on Int and Dex.
You have trained yourself to notice things that
others might not. Useful for foiling Stealth attempts Pilot Battle Cruiser: 3
and spotting liars, among other things. Based on Int This covers the use and piloting of Cruiser-class
and Vis. and larger starships. This includes the use of short-
range tesseracts. Based on Int and Vis.
Sing: 1
How to make cool sounds with your voice. Pilot Jet Fighter: 2
Based on Cre and Sta. Skill in using military-style jet aircraft. Based on
Dex and Cre.
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Style: 2
You are good at keeping up on fads and trends, Pilot Star Cruiser: 2
and dressing to impress. Often useful in social situa- This covers piloting any large civilian ship de-
tions. Based on Cre and Vis. signed for travel in space. Most often used for trans-
ports and traders. This does not include the use of
short-range tesseracts. Based on Cre and Dex.
Mount Skills
Pilot Starfighter: 2
Increase Speed: 2 This is skill in piloting small fighter sized ships
How to temporarily coax more speed out of your that include a tesseract drive. This includes the use of
mount. Each level of skill corresponds to the number short-range tesseracts. Based on Vis and Dex.
of extra meters you can get in ten seconds. Based on
Agi and Str. Pilot Starship: 2
This is skill in piloting smaller civilian starships.
Riding: Land Creatures: 2 This class includes flitters, shuttles, tugs, and small
How to ride large creatures that do not fly, such cargo transports. Generally this means civilian craft.
as horses and camels. Based on Agi This does not include the use of short-range tesser-
acts. Based on Vis and Dex.
Riding: Flying Creatures: 2
How to ride large flying creatures. Would-be Tesseract Operations: 3
Caractingessen riders should take this skill. Based This is the character’s skill in creating long-range
on Agi and Str. tesseracts to get from one star system to another. It

doesn’t include skill in fixing tesser drives — use Plumbing: 1

Starship Enginering for that. Based on Vis. How to fix leaks and design anything with a pipe
or conduit involved. Based on Str and Kno.

Professional Skills Politics: 2
How to get elected. Maybe. Also covers knowl-

Accounting: 2 edge of current political events. Based on Cha and
How to make 2-million-section budgets bal- Cre.
ance and make sense. Also covers investment and

stock-market tricks at the higher levels. This works
well with Law: having a Professional level in Law Science Skills
gives you +2 to skill checks and allows you to run a

company well. Based on Kno and Int. Biology: 2
The study of everything that squirms or lives in
any way. This gives you an insight into every carbon-

Administration: 2
How to run a big organization effectively and based life-form (which is most of them). Like most
efficiently. This works well with Bureaucracy: having sciences, this is a wide field, and it pays to special-

a Professional level in Bureaucracy gives you +2 to ize. Genetics is a favorite specialty. Based on Kno.
skill checks. Based on Int and Vis.
Chemistry: 2

Firefighting: 2 The study of chemical reactions. Often used by
How to effectively and safely put out a fire. characters to make things go boom. Based on Kno.
Based on Sta and Kno.

Geology: 2
Fundraising: 1 More important than it would seem, this is the
How to raise money for a large organization study of rocks, fossils, and tectonics (the stuff that

with advertising campaigns, §1000-a-plate char- causes earthquakes and volcanoes, in layman’s
ity dinners, and phone-call campaigns. Bakes terms). This also covers the physical side of terrafor-

sales work too, if not quite as well. This works well ming. Based on Kno.
with Accounting: having a Professional level in
Accounting gives you +2 to skill checks. Based on Interpret Sensors: 2
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Cre and Kno. Allows a person to decide what a set of sensors is
telling him. Often used to defeat cloaking devices or
Investigation: 2 gather scientific information. Based on Int and Kno.
You’ve been trained as a police officer or pri-
vate investigator, and are good at evaluating crime

scenes, digging up evidence, and finding witnesses. Physics: 3
This skill works well with Observation, Make New The study of the laws of reality. Often used by
Contacts, and Law (though it does not receive any characters to understand why things went boom, or

bonuses from having them). Based on Kno and Vis. to cheat the GM on technical measures. Based on
Kno.
History: 2
Knowledge of things that happened long ago. Psychology: 2
Historians may also recognize trends and habits of The study of how people think. This works
long-running cultures, such as the Inuuel Empire. for your “group” of species. Humans, Sa’crontor,
Based on Kno. and Budetug are one group. Nesti, Valorians, and
Caractingessen are in another group. Inuueliting,
Law: 2 Halla, Ogres, and Archangels are in the last major
The knowledge of how people set laws up, the group. Based on Kno and Int.
law of your home system (or of some multi-system
governments), and how to bend them. A must for all Research: 1
good law enforcement agents. Based on Kno, Cre, The ability to find out what you don’t know.
and Int. This skill and Make New Contacts are completely
different — research is only for scientific or book
knowledge, and the two will rarely overlap. Based
on Kno and Int. Pick Pockets: 3
How to get money and other small items out of a
Xenobiology: 3 pocket or purse. Usually some one else’s. You don’t
The study of everything that squirms or lives in have to roll this to open your purse. Based on Dex
any way other than the usual ones. This is needed and Int.
to understand non-carbon-based races like the
Valorians, and will also help with any strange new Sleight Of Hand: 2
alien races. Based on Kno and Int. How to make people look one way while you
do something else. Useful for entertaining children,
Xenopsychology: 4 palming small objects, etc. Based on Cre and Dex.
The study of how thinking happens in the first
place; used to understand how aliens and those Streetwise: 2
outside your “group” think (see Psychology). Based A knowledge of how to survive on the dangerous
on Int and Kno. streets. This will help you find food and shelter at
night, interact with frightening street people without
getting your ass kicked, and possibly avoid arrest.
Street Skills Based on Kno and Cha.
Appraise Goods: 2
The ability to tell how much a given item is really
worth. Based on Kno and Int.
Bargaining: 2
How to get the best price for goods where barter-
ing is still done. Based on Kno and Cre.
Carousing: 2
The ability to drink the other guy (or gal or it) un-
der the table. Based on Sta. This is a dangerous skill
— some species are more prone to alcoholism than
others. Ogres, in particular, are more susceptible to
becoming alcoholic than most species. It can also be
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used “in moderation” to have a good time out on the

town and make a few friends.
Gambling: 2
How to cheat so that you win and don’t get
caught. Also includes a basic understanding of the

odds in various common games. Based on Cre and
Vis
Make New Contacts: 3

How to make friends when visiting unfamiliar
places. This can also be used to gather information.
Based on Cha and Cre. Having levels of Leadership
skills will help — GM’s discretion.
Persuasion: 3
How to persuade people to do what you want.
Includes the ability to guess at what they really want.
This is a one-on-one appeal; for a wider audience
use Public Speaking. This is also a Leadership skill.
Based on App and Cha.

Examples
Improving your Skills
Example #1: Let’s say Dave the Archmage wants

to increase his Complexity skill from 15 to 16. Dave
You can improve your character’s skills by spend- needs to spend 4 XP (Base cost 3, Professional-rank
ing Experience Points. In fact, this is pretty much the skill, -1 to the cost because he’s an Archmage). If he

only use for Experience Points. wanted to increase his Martial Arts: Defensive from 5
to 6, he would also have to spend 4 XP (Base cost 2,

Experience Points (XP) are your Game Master’s Basic-rank skill, +1 because he’s an Archmage).
way of rewarding you. Money comes and goes, pos-
sessions can be lost and destroyed, but no one can Example #2: Having been defeated in court (see

take your experience away. After each night of game example #2 for skill use), you decide to improve
play your character will typically gain experience. your character’s Energy Rifles skill. Call it a bad
These points may be spent as indicated. example of lateral thinking. Anyway, you’re playing

a Merchant with an Energy Rifles skill of 7. The base
Most nights your character will gain experience. cost is 2, your target skill level is 8 (which is Basic),

Experience is awarded by the game master. A typi- so you pay 3 skill points.
cal night will award 6 XP. Some games you might
gain more xp than this; some games you will not. It Example #3: Your character is an experienced

all depends on how well you play your character. Diplomat increasing his Persuasion from 25 to
Good players will usually gain more XP then bad 26. Persuasion has a base cost of 3, and getting a
ones. People who stay in character, solve in-game level of Persuasion at Grand Master rank costs 7

problems, and try not to annoy the other players are XP. However, it’s easier for Diplomats since it’s a
good players. Shooting everyone in a bar (in-game, Leadership skill. You pay 6 XP for the increase.
of course) because you had a bad day at work might

be entertaining, but it is not usually good roleplay- Example #4: Jimmy the Space Jockey has been
ing. Likewise, playing a character that makes the getting clobbered in fistfights all game. He wants

game less fun for others is also poor playing and you to start learning how to get out of the way of other
will likely receive a smaller award of XP. people’s fists. Buying the first point of Martial Arts:
Defensive will cost him 3 XP. It would normally be 2,
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Spend the amount of XP indicated on the table but Combat skills are harder for Space Jockeys.
below for each level you increase the skill by. If your
Class or Mentor makes it easier for you to buy skills,
spend one fewer XP per level. If your Class or Mentor
makes it harder, spend one more XP per level.

Other Uses of XP
Ultramercs must spend 1 XP each session
to control their inner struggles with sanity.
Failure to do so will result in the Ultramerc
Experience Point Costs for Skills gaining some sort of psychosis, which will
Skill Base Cost grow stronger the longer it is ignored (i.e. the
longer you fail to spend XP).
Current Rank 1 2 3 4
Unskilled (0-5) 1 2 3 4 XP may also be used to improve your
Basic (6-10) 2 3 4 5 character’s stats: Spend 20 XP to increase a stat
by one. You have a maximum of 6 more than
Professional (11-20) 3 4 5 6 your racial modifier. For instance, Nesti have
Master (21-25) 4 5 6 7 an Intelligence modifier of 1 to start. A Nesti’s
Intelligence can never be more than 7.
Grand Master (26+) 5 6 7 8
Rules Heroic Advantages
Basic System While the characters of Valence aren’t super-

competent to the level of an action movie hero, they
are very skilled and and important people. To deal
You’ve already read the most basic rules in with the dangers in their lives, they have a few ad-
Valence: the skill system. For those who skipped vantages that help to keep their heads above water:
ahead a bit, or would like a refresher, here’s how it Hero Points and Renown.
works:
Hero Points
For each task there is a target number. Sometimes
the target number is set by the GM, sometimes it’s set
All player characters start play with 20 Hero
by someone else’s skill check (if you’re competing
Points, and can gain more as the game goes on. Most
with them). To succeed, you have to roll equal to
NPCs don’t have these. Some heroic NPCs have a
or higher than that target number. See page xx for
few, like firefighters. “Adventuring” NPCs are sure
sample target numbers.
to have at least 10 if they’re important to the plot.
Important villains may have Villain Points, which
Rolls are made using a twenty-sided die (1d20).
work in an identical manner. If your game is the kind
Skill checks are made by rolling 1d20 + your skill
that has a “Main Villain,” don’t be surprised if he or
level + the appropriate attribute. A “natural” (un-
she has 50 or more Villain Points.
modified) roll of 1 is always a failure. A natural roll
of 20 always means success.
Hero Points can be spent on a one-to-one basis
to increase your dice rolls, or decrease someone
Other Rolls else’s. This can be done after rolling. You may also
spend 10 Hero Points to ignore the effects of a previ-
There are three other important kinds of rolls in ous dice roll and make an entirely new one, which
Valence. One kind is that made during combat; we will let you avoid the bad effects of rolling a 1.
have a whole section for that later on so we won’t
talk about it here. Suffice it to say that things are Hero Points can be spent to reduce the amount of
damage you take during combat, or to increase your
Page 138
slightly different when someone’s got a gun pointed

at you, but the system remains very similar. own damage roll, at a two-to-one cost. They can also
be used in place of Fatigue at a one-to-one cost. Five
The second kind is an Attribute Check. This Hero Points will raise one of your Attributes by one
is used when you’re attempting to do something point for a single action.
that has little to do with any particular skill, but
Valence Main Rulebook: Rules
relies more on your innate capabilities. To make an Lastly, Hero Points can be used to directly op-
Attribute Check, roll 1d20 plus the appropriate at- pose the use of other Hero Points. If you declare that
tribute. The target number for this is always 12. you’re using 5 Hero Points to add to your attack roll
and insure that you hit your target, the GM could
The last important roll is a Saving Throw. There have one of the bad guys pay 5 Villain Points to in-
are three kinds of these: Disease, Blindness, and sure that you don’t. Once both sides have declared
Deafness. These are made as a Stamina Check, but their expenditures, no one can go back and change
the target number is 20. Many species have bonuses things — there are no “bidding wars” of Hero Points.
or penalties to these due to strong immune systems, The general rule is that the aggressor, if there is one,
delicate eyes, or well-shielded ears. The target num- must declare first.
ber is so much higher because of the general effec-
tiveness of devices built to blind, deafen, or infect.
If they only worked half the time, no one would use
them.

Renown Renown
What you did
earned

Renown represents how famous your character Very publicly saved entire galaxy from 10
is The higher your Renown is, the more people in or destruction
out of your profession will know who you are. The Blew up giant battle-station, saving 8

exceptions are the classes such as Assassin and Street rebels
Thief, since being well-known is a disadvantage Blew up unusually large moon, 8
in many cases. Their levels of Renown make them

crushing puny rebels forever
more famous only among their clientele, until they
Became planetary governor or 6
get busted. Then they’re famous all over. Most PC’s
Warlord
start with a Renown of zero — they’re nobodies.

Defeeated Ultramercs with 5-1 or 5
The GM has complete control over Renown. If worse odds

you don’t keep doing impressive or important things, Successfully hacked any corporate 4
if you don’t make the big deal or win the big battle, HQ and can prove it.
in short if you don’t keep your reputation going, the Founded a colony, or had it named 3

GM can decide to decrease your Renown. This is after you
usually temporary, since you can always make a Recognized as best cook on a certain 2
comeback. Conversely, if you’re the young pilot who

planet
just blew up the giant battle station, you might get a
Completing a mission successfully 1
temporary (or even permanent) addition to Renown.

Best combat move seen in ages 1
Doing something completely opposite what you Worst combat move seen in ages 1
usually do can also decrease your Renown, but it’s
Blowing a mission. 0

more likely not to alter it: as some people think less
of you, others think more. Renown only really de- Went into hiding or cold sleep -1
creases when you’re out of the public eye. Got killed (except when martyred or -2

“honorable death”)
Renown checks are made to see whether Continued mediocrity -2
someone recognizes you, has heard your name, or
Page 139
otherwise would be influenced by the words “do Any of the three above for more than -3
ten years in a row
you know who I am?” Should they recognize you,
their reaction will depend on their own personality, Virus wipes your name from any -5
and your exact type of reputation. Good, law abid- unprotected records
ing citizens will react poorly to both thrill-seekers

and warlords, while street punks will react well to Renown Check Modifiers
someone with a bad-ass reputation. Or who knows,
Person is from...
maybe they’re spoiling for a fight and want to test that
rep. One great fighter pilot will respect another, but Your hometown +4
neither of them will get much reaction from a foreign if you have a big hometown +3
diplomat. Being known can be great for some things,
the same country/corporation +2
but don’t count on it for everything.
a different country, but the same planet +1
To make a Renown check, roll 1d20 and add your A different planet, but the same sector +0
entire Renown score. The standard target number for Different sector, same quadrant -2
this is 20. This can be modified for distance, and for
difference of culture or profession, by the chart on A different quadrant -4
the next page. Modifiers from different categories Person’s job is....
are cumulative, but not two from the same category Same job/class +2
unless it’s the “works in the media” modifier.
Works in the media or info-gathering +1
Related profession/class +0
Unrelated profession/class -2
on any tasks for which vision is important but not
totally necessary (such as active defenses in combat
Specific Rules and the Observation skill).
These rules are not useful at all times, and might Some races, such as the Nesti and Valorians, use
not come up in all games. They apply to particular senses other than normal vision for almost all tasks.
special situations or environmental conditions, or to The GM will have to decide how much darkness af-
rarely-asked questions. fects such characters, and what counts as “darkness”
for them.
Attribute Scaling Falling
While it won’t be important in most situations, Falling is a strange thing — some people are hurt
it may be helpful to know that a character with two quite badly by falls just a little over their body height,
more points in a particular attribute is effectively while others suffer only a broken bone from a fall of
twice as good. For instance, someone with Agility 4 over a mile. This rule tries to model that variability.
reacts about twice as fast as someone with Agility 2.
Characters who fall a distance more than their
Strength, in particular, can benefit from a table. height take 1d10 Blunt damage plus their Size, mi-
The table below shows how much a character can nus their Stamina. Every two meters above that adds
lift above his or her head with a given Strength score another roll of damage (minimum of zero on each
(assuming Earth-normal gravity). Large characters roll, but a roll of 10 always means one point of dam-
with a lot of leverage (such as the Caractingessen) age). Characters capable of flying typically do not
can double this number. For those who are unfamil- fall, but if they fall while unconscious they take half
iar with the metric system, one kilogram weighs a damage as their wings provide a substantial amount
little over two pounds. of drag force and slow them down. This doesn’t ap-
ply to Archangels, whose wings are almost purely
decorative.
Strength Max Lift
1 25 kg Armor Value does not protect from falling dam-
age, but Defense Grids and Force Fields do.
2 35 lbs
Page 140
3 50 kg
Hostile Environments
4 70 kg
5 100 kg Severe cold, unrelenting heat, sandstorms, caus-
6 140 kg tic fogs, and golf-ball-sized hail are environmental
conditions that can be found on many worlds in the
7 200 kg galaxy. Characters caught out in truly severe condi-

8 280 kg tions can suffer heat stroke, frostbite, or a really nasty
dent in the forehead.
9 400 kg
10 560 kg For exposure which would kill an unprotected
11 800 kg human in one day (such as walking through the
Sahara desert or northern Canada), a character
12 1120 kg should take one Bruised wound every hour. More
13 1600 kg or less severe conditions should scale appropriately.
Good protective measures, such as warm clothing in
the arctic and light armor with a breathing mask in
Darkness a sandstorm, can reduce or eliminate this damage.
A successful Survival roll can have equally good
Darkness imposes a -15 penalty on all tasks effects. Proper preparation and a good Survival roll
which totally require the use of sight (attack rolls, should let a character avoid any ill effects from nasty
driving, and painting, for instance) and a -8 penalty environmental conditions. For instance, an Arctic

Commando without his or her gear, on a supercold GM has the final decision as to whether a skill is af-

planet, would probably take two or even three fected or not.
Bruised wounds per hour. The gear would reduce

this to one point per hour, and an Arctic Movement Energy attacks, whether from Lording or weap-
or Survival roll would eliminate the damage en- ons, deal half damage underwater, and energy
tirely. weapon damage gets halved again for every 100

meters the beam travels. Projectile attacks suffer the
same penalty every 20 meters instead of 100.
Poison and Disease

If a character cannot breathe water, or has no div-
These conditions are very difficult to model in ing gear, he or she must make a Stamina check every
most role-playing games. The Andromeda supple- round or start to suffocate, taking a Bruised wound

ment will have a great deal more on the topic of every round until unconsciousness and death.
diseases, but for now, use these guidelines.

Poisons and Diseases both reduce a character’s Zero Gravity
attributes, typically Stamina and Strength. Those

which drain other attributes are somewhat rare; The Zero-G Movement skill acts as a cap on
paralytic poisons drain both Dexterity and Agility, all Athletics and Combat skills while a character is
while fevers can drain mental attributes. Poisons in a weightless environment. Physical skills can be

typically act much more quickly than diseases, used at a level no higher than the character’s Zero-
sometimes even fast enough to be effective in com- G Movement skill. It can also be used in place of
bat. Dangerous poisons and diseases drain large almost all Athletics skills.

amounts of attribute points quickly, and have a very
short onset time. Less dangerous diseases, like the Zero-G environments have other dangers as

common cold, might only drain a single point of well. First, they can be quite nauseating for those
Stamina over the course of a few days. Poisons and who aren’t familiar with them. Anyone suddenly
diseases typically do not inflict wounds, but they can entering a zero-g environment must make a Zero-G

reduce the number of wounds characters can take by Movement skill check, target number 15, or become
decreasing their stamina. nauseated and possibly ill. Second, all planet-born
species (including all the ones in this book) can lose
Page 141
Attributes recover by one point per week, or one bone mass and muscle tone quickly if they live in
point per day of complete bed rest and first aid. An zero-g conditions. Working out for two hours per
attribute drained more than 4 points will not recover day maintains the character’s Strength and Stamina.
to its full amount; it will always be one point lower Less than two hours means a reduction of one point
than normal until the character recieves medical at- per week.

tention. Having your character’s attributes reduced
to zero often has dangerous or deadly consequences; Exposure to a zero-pressure environment (like
see page xx. outer space without a space suit) results in one

Bruised wound level per second of exposure, and
one cumulative level of Bleed each round (so the
Underwater damage accelerates quickly). When the character
returns to a pressurized environment the bleeding
Fighting and moving underwater are very diffi- continues until medical attention can be found.
cult for most people. Aquatic or amphibious species
(such as the Valorians) may move at their full rate
while underwater, and may fight with hand-to-hand
skills normally. All other characters move at one-
tenth normal speed. The Swim skill replaces almost
all Athletics skills while underwater.
Swim also acts as a cap on many skill ratings

while underwater — most skills can be used at a
level no higher than the character’s Swim skill. This
applies only to physical skills, not mental ones. The
Actions Table
Physical Combat Creativity
0 1 2-4 5-7 8-10 11-12 13+
The combat system in Valence is basically an 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Agility
extension of the skill system, with a few minor dif- 1-2 1 1 2 3 3 4 5
ferences and a lot of options. For example, defensive
3-4 1 2 3 3 4 5 6
skills do not use attributes in the normal manner.
Attributes often matter more in the fast pace of a 5-6 1 3 3 4 5 6 7
fight, an as such are reflected more in combat bo- 7-8 1 3 4 5 6 7 7
nuses. 9-10 1 4 5 6 7 7 8
11-12 1 5 6 7 7 8 9
Actions 13+ 1 6 7 7 8 9 10
Combat is divided into rounds. Each combat

Initiative Table
round is ten seconds. Most characters can act more
than once in a round, with the number of actions # Actions Seconds Character May Act On
determined by fast your character thinks and how 1 5
fast he or she moves. These are represented in game
2 3, 8
terms by Creativity and Agility scores, respectively.
3 2, 5, 9
The chart on the top right is used to decide the 4 2, 5, 7, 9
number of actions each character has in a round.
Along the left side are ranges for the character’s 5 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
Agility. Read down to find the range in which the 6 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10
character’s Agility falls. Then read across the top of 7 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10
the chart where ranges for Creativity are listed. The
number at the intersection is the number of actions 8 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
your character has. Example: Grog the Ogre has 9 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
a Creativity of 2 and an Agility of 3. He has three
10 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
actions per round. These actions may be attacks,
dodges, movement, etc.
Page 142
Each round characters act on certain seconds,

depending on their number of actions. The Initiative
table (middle right) shows what seconds they act on
in the round. The GM will call out the seconds as
they tick past, and all the characters who act on that
second should speak up and declare their actions.
Each action is about what one can do in a sec-

ond. Because a second is a small unit of time, what On Yelling
happens in each second is more or less simultane-
ous, and it’s completely possible for two people to Communication during combat is impor-
shoot each other simultaneously. tant, but takes up time. Yelling something like
“Help!” or “Nail ‘im!” or “Die, you fools!”
If two characters attack each other in the same does not take up an action. Yelling something
second neither may dodge, but they may both parry. like “Everyone with a disintegrator focus on
A character may save actions for later in the round, the big guy!” does take up an action. If you
but loses any actions that they wait through. It is not wonder why, try timing how long it takes to say
possible to have more than ten actions in a round that. Save your mad supervillain speeches for
— living bodies just don’t move fast enough. outside of combat.

Compare the attacker’s and defender’s totals. The

Attack and Defense person with the higher total gets things their way.
Ties goes to the defender. If the attacker wins, go on

The table on the previous page lets you know to Damage, below. If not, the defender is safe. Move
who goes when. Each player should, on their sec- on to the next person’s action.
ond, declare what his or her character is doing. The

table below gives a summary of the most typical ac- Example: Grog the ogre decides he will kill the
tions that are declared in a round. pesky humans in front of him. They want to use their
actions to attack, so they don’t actively dodge. In

Let’s assume that you want to hit someone. order to hit them he takes out his trusty Battlecleaver
Maybe he insulted your mom. To determine whether and attacks. He rolls one twenty sided die, getting
an attack hits, start with the attack roll as described a result of 12. Not a bad roll but not great either.

below. The attacker has just used his action for the Fortunately for Grog he is pretty skilled with his
second. Battlecleaver. His weapon skill is a 15. Adding 15

to 12 gets 27. His Agility of 2 adds two points for a
The target may almost always attempt to dodge, total of 29. The humans have Martial Arts: Defensive
and may sometimes attempt to parry. Any melee at- at level 12, a Creativity of 10 each, an Agility of 3,

tack may be parried (exception: photon blades may and a Vis of 1, for a total passive dodge of 26. Grog
only be parried by other photon blades or a duelist’s easily beats the passive dodge value of his victim and
sword). Ranged attacks cannot be parried, except for connects with his sword. Now he has to get through

thrown weapons, which are parried at -5. the armor...

A character’s passive dodge or parry is the target The chart on this page shows the totals for vari-
number to hit him or her with an attack. Since this ous actions, how much fatigue they cause per round,
typically isn’t very high, many people choose a more and whether they cost an action. Reloading and

active route. An active dodge requires that the de- switching weapons both cost an action.
fender forfeit his or her next action. An active parry
is the equivalent of going totally defensive — you
If a character rolls a natural 1 on an attack, he

forfeit the remainder of your actions in the round
or she automatically misses the target. It is up to the
when you use it. If you have no more actions left in GM as to whether something more catastrophic hap-
the round, you cannot actively dodge or parry! pens. This is meant to show that combat is always
Page 143
uncertain. Likewise, someone who rolls a natural 1
The choice to take active or passive defense must on his or her defense has just dodged right into the
be made before the attacker rolls. shot, no matter how badly aimed. A roll of natural
20 on an attack adds +4 to damage. A natural 20 on

Combat Actions
Type of Roll Total Fatigue Action?
Attack Ranged 1d20 + weapon skill + Dexterity 0 yes Valence Main Rulebook: Rules
Melee 1d20 + weapon skill + Agility 1 yes
Spell 1d20 + Targeting skill + Vis 1 yes
Dodge Passive Agi + Vis + Cre + Martial Arts: Defensive skill 1 no
Active Passive Dodge + 1d20 2 yes
Parry Passive Agi + Dex + Vis + any Melee Weapon skill 1 no
Active Passive Parry + 1d20 2 all
Movement Run no total needed 1 yes
Walk no total needed 0 no
Reload no total needed 0 yes
Switch Weapons no total needed 0 yes
defense avoids any attack that the character could beaten wounds were filled, then he would take an
concievably avoid. injured wound, and so forth.
“Bleed” is a very common result, and bears

Damage a bit of extra description. For each level of Bleed
your character is suffering, take one damage level
Now that we can determine whether or not (of the least severe type) at the end of the round. If
someone gets hit, we need to find out what happens the bleeding is halted prior to the end of the round,
afterwards. no damage is suffered from the loss of blood. The
damage inflicted by the wound itself is still in effect.
Damage in Valence is recorded in Wound Bleed is not cumulative! If you are hit once for 2
Levels, which you can see on your character sheet. bleed, and hit again later for 3 bleed, you still only
The number of wounds your character can stand is bleed at 3 points per round (not 5).
determined by his or her Size and Fatigue (see next
page). The number of wound levels you take from a When your character takes his or her final Mortal
hit depends on the Damage Rating of the weapon wound, he or she is unconscious. Another Mortal
you were hit with, and your own armor values. wound will kill that character. If the character is
bleeding when knocked unconscious, he or she will
When you hit someone with an attack, roll 1d10 die in a number of rounds equal to his or her Stamina
and add it to the weapon’s Damage Rating (plus minus Bleed level. If the bleeding is stopped, the
your Strength for melee weapons). Subtract off the character is unconscious but stable, and will regain
target’s Armor Value (see page xx for more informa- consciousness when at least one wound heals.
tion about armor, including the effects of things like
Defense Grids and Force Fields). The end total is There are other effects of wounds as well.
called the “Critical Step.” Look up the Critical Step Impairment is listed on your character sheet next
on the following table to determine what Wound to each wound level. Impairment is a measure of
Levels the target takes. broken bones, pain, dizziness, and other problems.
Impairment must be subtracted from all rolls while
Damage Chart you are wounded. Mental Endurance reduces
Impairment on a one-to-one basis (but never below
Critcal Step Wound Dealt
zero), so if your character is at -5 Impairment and
1-4 Bruised has a Mental Endurance of 3, you subtract 2 from all
5-8 Cut, 1 Bleed dice rolls until your wounds heal.
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9-12 Beaten, 1 Bleed

13-16 Injured, 2 Bleed Different types of damage affect your character
in different ways. There are four basic types of dam-
17-20 Maimed, 2 Bleed age, and their effects are shown below:
21-24 Crippled, 3 Bleed
25+ Mortal, 4 Bleed Blunt: +1 Impairment until wounds heal.

Multiple blunt wounds do not keep increasing
These wound levels are not cumulative (i.e. if Impairment.
you are hit with a level 23 critical step, you take just Piercing/Cutting: +1 to Bleed. Multiple wounds
a Crippled wound and 3 points of Bleed). When one do not keep increasing Bleed.
category of wounds is filled, any further wounds of Electromagnetic: Ignores Armor Value. Very
that type are advanced to the next open category. dangerous to cyborgs, see the following page for a
They are never reduced in severity, only increased. full description of the effects.
Disintegration: Reduce one of the character’s
Example: A character takes a crippling wound attributes by 1 until the wounds heal. The attribute
and survives for the moment. He then takes a cut. should be selected randomly from anything but
Just because he has taken a crippling wound does Lording. These effects can be cumulative.
not mean the cut is advanced in severity. Assuming
he has cut wounds left he only takes a cut. If he had
taken all the cuts he was capable of taking, then the
next cut wound would inflict a beaten level. If all the

spend must rest for at least one action; they have no
Wound Levels Chart choice.
Cruppled

Maimed
Combat actions cost fatigue per round, not per
Bruised
Injured
Beaten
Mortal
action. All fatigue is assessed at the end of the round.
Cut
If your character has actively dodged twice, attacked

twice with a laser pistol, and cast a spell, she loses 3
Fatigue + Size
<10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Fatigue at the end of the round.
11-12 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

13-14 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 At the end of a fight, your character loses one
point of Fatigue that will not return until he or she
15-16 2 2 2 2 1 1 1

has slept for a night. He or she essentially has one
17-18 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 less point of Fatigue available for the rest of the day.
19-20 3 3 2 2 2 2 1

21-22 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 Other Combat Rules
23-24 4 3 3 3 2 2 2

Since combat is such a large part of most RPGs,
25-26 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 there are a number of other situations which will
27-28 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 probably come up in your game. Here are some

rules for the more common ones.
29-30 5 4 4 4 3 3 3
31-32 6 5 4 4 4 3 3
Aiming: Aimed Shots are a possibility when us-

33-34 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 ing firearms and even antique missile weapons like
crossbows and bows. Thrown weapons may not be
35-36 8 7 6 5 4 4 4

aimed in this manner. The aiming rules are simple.
37-38 9 8 7 6 5 4 4 For each second (not action) that a character aims his
or her weapon, add +1 to hit. Aiming may not grant
39-40 10 9 8 7 6 5 4

a bonus higher then +10 in this manner, or +5 if the
>40 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 target is moving. The shooter must be able to see the
target clearly for the whole time in order to aim (or
Page 145
The table above shows how many Wound Levels otherwise sense them, for Valorians and Nesti).
your character can take. These should be recorded
on your character sheet. The number on the left- EM Damage: This ignores Armor Value, but
hand side is your character’s Fatigue + Size (see Force Fields and Defense Grids are still effective
below for Fatigue). against it. EM damage is especially deadly against

cyborged characters — all of their cybernetics are
rendered useless for one minute per level of damage,
in addition to the wounds they are dealt. Some ar-
Fatigue
mors have electromagnetic shielding built in, which
act as Armor Value against this damage.
Combat is strenuous exercise and takes a lot of
energy. To represent this all characters have Fatigue
Explosions: Explosions are a fact of life in the
points. The Combat Actions chart explains which ac-
Valence universe. Characters will inevitably be the
tions cost Fatigue. Other actions can cost Fatigue as
unfortunate recipients of large nasty devices that try
well, such as using Duelist abilities.
to smash them into tiny pieces. Many things deal ex-
plosive damage — anything in the game with an area
Characters have Fatigue equal to two points plus
of effect is considered an explosion. This includes
twice their Stamina.
but is not limited to grenades, TNT, plastic explosive,
fire breath, and many anti-matter attacks. The Acid
A character may regain lost Fatigue points by
Spray lording spell is a good example: though noth-
taking a moment to catch their breath. For each
ing is actually blowing up, there is still an area of
combat action that your character does nothing, not
effect, so the spell is treated as an explosion.
even walking or defending, he or she gains back one
Fatigue point. Characters without Fatigue points to
Explosions cannot be completely dodged, but Agility check or fall down, and spend one action
a successful dodge roll will yield half damage. You standing up. Very heavy or stable characters (such as
may not parry it. Explosions are assumed, for the Archangels and Caracts) may use Strength instead of
sake of simplicity, not to damage anyone’s personal Agility when being tripped by slighter characters.
gear.
Natural Weapons: Many species have natural
Half Damage: If your character takes “half dam- weaponry that they can bring to bear. Valorians have
age” from something, it means half of the critical microwave bursts, Sa’crontor have optical lasers, the
step, not half of the wound on the table. When this Danlecting have energy bursts from their hands. Any
halving is applied is important; halving before armor attack made with these weapons uses Martial Arts:
is much more powerful than halving after armor. In Offensive as the skill, and either Agility or Dexterity
general, “half damage” means half after armor, since for the attribute (depending on whether the attack is
it is an innate quality of the character rather than of melee or ranged, respectively).
the armor he or she is wearing.
Range: If the attacker can see the target with per-
Lying Down: Characters who have fallen, are still fect clarity, and the target is within the range listed
in bed, or (in the case of Budetug) are using all of for the weapon, then no penalty is applied. If the tar-
their limbs on a particular task, are easier to hit. Their get is outside of the the weapon’s range, but within
Martial Arts: Defensive skill is cut in half. Standing twice the that range, the a -3 penalty is applied. If the
up quickly without taking an action can be done target is between two and three times the weapon’s
with a Gymnastics check (TN 20); failure wastes the range, the penalty to hit is -10. No weapon may fire
action. and hit a target at more then three times its range. No
one may fire farther than their visual range without
Massive Damage: Sometimes a character will the assistance of computer targeting. Remember to
be hit so hard that, even after armor, he or she takes use common sense here. Characters with senses out-
a critical step greater than 25. If this happens, the side the human spectrum may have advantages. For
target suffers a level 25 critical, and then suffers example, camouflaged targets are easy to see with
another hit of damage equal to the damage level infrared vision, and Valorians can use their incred-
minus 25. If the resulting damage is still over 25 he ible hearing to target anyone with a heartbeat.
takes another level 25 and so on. Example: Grog
the Ogre gets hit with a large explosion. The critical Standing Still: Characters are assumed to be
step, after all his armor is accounted for, is a whop- moving, weaving, taking cover, etc. to some extent
ping 64 points. Grog is in serious trouble. First he during combat, even if they don’t take use an action
Page 146
takes a level 25 critical (1 Mortal, 4 Bleed). Being an for anything. Anyone who is standing completely
Ogre, Grog manages to survive this. He then takes still is considered to have a passive dodge value of
a second level 25 critical (64-25=39, still over 25). 1. Anyone making an aimed shot is standing com-
This knocks Grog unconscious. He takes a level 14 pletely still.
critical, dealing an Injured wound, and is quickly on
his way to bleeding to death. Surprise: When two groups meet each other
suddenly, and the GM thinks there is a chance for
Martial Arts skills: The three Martial Arts skills one or the other to be surprised, have the affected
are used extensively in unarmed combat. For these characters roll Creativity checks (1d20 + Creativity,
rules, Martial Arts do not necessarily have any mental target number 12). Those who fail are surprised and
or spiritual component — they are simply a means may not act for five seconds. Those who succeed
to defend yourself or disable others. MA: Defensive may take a half-round of actions before combat starts
sees use as the “dodge” skill. MA: Offensive is used (treat it as a combat round starting on second 6, then
for natural attacks (see below). go on to the next round as usual). Some classes and
mentors give characters the ability to surprise others
MA: Sweeps and Throws is a little different. It more regularly, such as the Arctic Commando’s abil-
can be used in almost the same way as Offensive, ity to jump out of snowbanks. Some classes are also
for any melee natural weapon (fists, wings, pincers, immune to surprise, such as the Star Commando.
etc.), but it deals half damage after armor is applied.
Any character hit with a Sweeps & Throws attack,
whether or not it deals damage, must make an

Armor Pulse Factor
Your armor is very important in Valence. A There are some modern weapons which have

quick look through the weapon damage ratings what is called a” pulse factor.” A pulse factor is used
will probably convince you that you never want to to model an automatic weapon that achieves higher

be hit — but since you will be eventually anyway, damage yields by firing many shots over a very short
you should know how armor works. There are three time period (in game terms, basically simultane-
basic elements to armor: the Armor Value (AV), the ously). These attacks do more damage, assuming

Force Field (FF), and the Defense Grid (DG). they penetrate a person’s armor, but they can also
eat up ammo very quickly.
Defense Grids are energy fields that deflect in-

coming fire. They are the state of the art in damage The way a pulse factor works is the following.
control. If you have one, lucky you, subtract the DG First, roll to hit and determine damage as described
rating from the critical step of any damage dealt to above. If there is damage remaining after defense

you. In addition, Lording cannot be used in through grid, multiply the pulse by the damage. This is how
a defense grid. Someone can still throw a fireball at much damage the force field takes. If this reduced

you, but they can’t set your armor on fire. Spells can the force field to zero, then the force field and the
still be cast out from inside the grid. Defense Grids defense grid collapse as normal. No damage is taken
cannot be overlapped. by the target.

If you still have a critical step above zero after If there is no Force Field (or it and the DG
the Defense Grid rating is subtracted, it’s time to look have been knocked out) then things are different.

at the Force Field. These are protective fields that Calculate damage as normal. This will give you the
absorb the energy of incoming attacks. The damage damage of the first shot. There are a number of shots

is reduced by the force field on a 1:1 ratio, and the remaining equal to the pulse of the weapon. Each
force field’s strength is reduced by the same amount. of these shots deals one critical step of damage less
If a 35-point attack hits a 100-point force field, the then the last. The target takes all criticals in the range

attack is completely nullified and the force field is from the critical step down to (critical step minus
reduced to 65 points. If your Force Field goes down, pulse rating).
you lose your Defense Grid until the Force Field
Page 147
comes back up! More details can be found in the Example: Grog the ogre has just been shot by
armor section. Force fields cannot be overlapped. VT-49, an Ultramerc with a Gatling Laser. All Gatling
Lasers are pulse weapons, so the damage is going to
Last, and most common, is Armor Value. Just include the pulse rating of 4. Grog has 10 points of
like Defense Grids, these subtract from the damage armor on his body. The Critical total is 25 (a roll of

done to the target. For simplicity’s sake, armor is not 5, Weapon damage of 30, 10 armor). 25 minus 4 is
destroyed until the person inside is killed, so your 21, giving us a range of 25-21. Grog takes a level 25
Armor Value will not go down as you get hit. Many critical first, then a 24, a 23, a 22, and a 21. Grog

species’ skins have a natural Armor Value. Armor is probably a pile of flesh riddled with multiple burn
Values do not simply add together. Rules for over- marks.
lapping armor can be found on page xx.
Example: Grog gets hit by a big gun which does

40 points of damage. He has on armor with a DG of
5, an FF of 50, and an AV of 15. The first hit gets its
critical step reduced to 35 by the DG, and takes the
FF down to 15 points. The second hit gets reduced to
35 by the DG, destroys the FF, and barely gets past
the AV to deal a level 5 critical. The third hit, and any
further shots, will only have to deal with the AV and
will do level 25 criticals.
If a sensory organ is hit (eye, ear, antenna), roll
Optional Combat Rules to save against Blindness of Deafness with a penalty
equal to the amount of damage dealt.
The following rules are all completely optional.
Consult with your GM before you assume that these Attacking With Multiple Weapons
rules are in effect. Most of these cover unusual cir-
cumstances. We personally suggest that you make Many characters will want to attack with more
use of all these rules, as they greatly enhance game than one weapon at a time. This is commonly known
play, but they can sometimes slow things down. as Dual-Wielding, and can be seen in various sword-
fighting styles (for swordplay) and in many Chow-
Called Shots Yun Fat movies (for gunplay). Note that this is differ-
ent from having more then one weapon in the same
Characters trained in combat skills don’t just try gun (like a combination rifle/grenade launcher).
to “hit the guy,” they aim for a particular location.
However, hitting a particular part of a creature is The rules for fighting with two weapons at the
more difficult than simply making contact. How same time are fairly simple. In order to be an effec-
difficult depends on the size of the target. Apply the tive multi-weapon fighter, your character must have
following penalties to called shots, with the poten- an Off-Hand Weapon skill in the desired weapon.
tial benefits listed below. If the character misses the For instance, using two Laser Pistols requires a
called shot by up to three points, the attack still hits Laser Pistols skill and an Off-Hand Laser Pistol skill.
his target, but in the wrong place. Species with multiple “off hands” (Gold Inuuel and
Valorians, for example) can purchase multiple Off-
Large targets: -3 Hand skills to use more of their hands.
(torso, legs, wings, or a near miss)
Medium targets: -6 Roll one die as normal to attack. Add the skill
(arm, feet, tail, guts, armor power source) levels for the weapons separately, according to the
Small targets: -10 skill with which they are wielded. It sounds compli-
(head, groin, hands, weapon) cated, but it’s quick once you get the hang of it. Only
Very small targets: -15 one defense roll is made; anything above that total
(eye, ear, antenna, throat): hits. Apply damage one hit at a time — don’t add the
damage together before applying it.
Page 148
A near miss gives a +3 bonus to subsequent Example: Brog (must be Grog’s brother) is wield-
Intimidate rolls. ing two laser pistols. He is firing at a Human who
wants to collect the bounty on his head. He has skill
If a limb is hit with a shot that deals an Injured levels in laser pistol as follows; level 7 in his “on”
wound or worse, it is numbed. Actions taken with hand and level 4 in his “off” hand. Brog’s attacks are
a numbed arm are at -2, and running speed with a at +2 because of his Dex, for total attack bonuses of
numbed leg is halved. Characters with a numbed +9/+6. Brog rolls his 1d20 and gets a 10. His attack
wing cannot fly. total is 19/16. The target is not actively dodging, and
has a passive dodge value of 18. Therefore, one shot
Any hit to a vital spot (such as the head, groin, or hits and the other misses. Damage is applied for the
neck) deals +4 damage and +1 Bleed. shot that hit. Had both shots hit the target would
have taken damage from each shot separately.
If a weapon is hit for 10 or more points of dam-
age, that weapon is rendered useless unless it is a A character using multiple weapons is assumed
melee weapon. For melee weapons the defender to be concentrating on a single target. If your charac-
must make a Strength check (1d20 + Strength, tar- ter wishes to fire at multiple opponents, she suffers a
get number 12), minus the attacker’s Strength if cumulative penalty of minus five (-5) to hit for each
the attacker was using a melee weapon. If the de- target beyond the first. All weapons the character is
fender fails the strength check, he or she drops the wielding suffer this penalty equally.
weapon.

There is no rule that says a character has to be Step 1 and 2. Not much, but it’s better than nothing.

wielding all the same weapons. Your character is For the attackers, that is.
free to mix and match weapons as much as he or

she likes. Use common sense, though, when letting
characters do this. For instance, it would be physi- Combat Maneuvers
cally impossible to use two longbows at the same

time. Also remember that no “off” hand skill may be In the interest of making combat something more
higher then the “on” hand skill. than just “I shoot him!” (roll) “You miss.” “Damn!”
“You gonna dodge him or not?” “Yeah.” (roll) “He

Characters who have no proficiency in fighting misses.”, we introduce these optional combat ma-
with multiple weapons may still try to do so, but neuvers. Hopefully they’ll help to spice up the game
with great penalty. The “on” hand weapon is fired or without adding an unnecessary amount of detail.

swung with -10 to hit. The “off” hand recieves -20.
Body Shield: Some people just have that self-sac-

rificial bent... or maybe just better armor than their
Firelink friends. You attempt to jump in front of someone else
and take a hit for them. Roll Martial Arts: Defensive

Firelinking is the act of matching multiple com- as if you were dodging, but a successful “dodge”
puter-guided weapons together so that they fire as a means you get hit instead of your friend. On suc-
single unit. Weapons mounted on a character’s suit cessive rounds you can shield the same target from

of armor may be firelinked if the armor is equipped the same attacker at +5 to your “dodge” roll. This
with an Enhanced System Readout option and can maneuver only works if you’re right next to the tar-
power all the weapons simultaneously. Vehicular get, and know in advance what direction the attack

weapons can also be firelinked. You can not firelink is coming from. This uses up one of your actions, just
melee weapons. like any other active dodge.

One attack roll is made, just as when attacking Coordinate: You’re more of a tactician than a
with two weapons. The character uses the worst skill grunt. Roll Tactics or Military Leadership with a tar-

level of the weapons included in the link. The at- get number of 15. For every 5 points you succeed by,
tacker must have some skill in all the weapons to be you can give +1 to anybody on your side of the battle
used in this manner. (so if you roll a 25, you could give one ally +2 to hit,
Page 149
or two of them +1 to dodge). This takes one action,
If the attack hits, damage is dealt by all weapons, but the effects last all round and are cumulative.
in order from the most powerful (highest damage
level) to the least. Needless to say, this can be a High-Low: Fake high, hit low. Or vice versa,
devastating attack. If the attack roll fails, all weapons whatever works. Use one action to make an attack

miss, and no damage is dealt. that isn’t really meant to hit (and, for game purposes,
has no chance of doing so). Your next attack is made
at +2 to hit. This can work in ranged combat, espe-
Concentrated Fire
cially if the first attack is with a grenade. Works well
with Off-Tempo Attack, but beware giving up too
For each shot that hits the a target in one par- many actions and getting pummeled.
ticular second, the Armor Value or Defense Grid (as
appropriate) is reduced by 1 for each shot. This lasts Off-Balanced Attack: You don’t care how if you
only for that second — the AV is not permanently fall on your face, you just want to hit this guy! Give
reduced. Firelinking and Dual-Wielding can both up your next action for a +4 to damage on this attack.
take advantage of this rule. This option only works in hand-to-hand combat.
Example: Brog gets hit by three gauss pistol shots. Off-Tempo Attack: By delaying your attack by
He ordinarily has an Armor Value of 15, and the pis- one second, you ruin your opponent’s expectations
tol shots have damage ratings of 10, 13, and 14 after and have a better chance of connecting. You have
some really bad rolls by the attackers. Normally this +2 to hit, and you continue your round normally on
would do no damage whatsoever. However, being your next action. You can’t use this to take two ac-
hit by three shots at once reduces Brog’s AV to 12 for tions in one second.
that second, so he takes two wounds, with Critical
Roaring Charge: I’d be worried if a screaming
Caractingessen was stomping my way, wouldn’t
you? Roll Intimidation while attacking, opposed by Healing
your opponent’s Stand Ground roll. If you succeed,
your opponent takes a -2 penalty on defense against
all attackers until their next action. Works for both Natural Healing
hand-to-hand and ranged combat. This only works
once per combat, until someone with a higher This method of healing is free, and does not
Intimidation skill comes along. require any special equipment or training. However,
natural healing can take a long time, especially for
Swoop: Dive in, fly out, and do some damage those with a low Stamina. Each week, a character
along the way. Flying characters who take one ac- will “downgrade” a number of wound levels equal
tion to gain altitude can get +3 damage on a melee to their Stamina. Start with the most serious wounds.
attack, and can take head shots (both ranged and “Downgrading” means that the wound is not re-
melee) at only -5 penalty instead of the usual -10. moved completely — just reduced to the next lower
level. If the next lower level is filled, downgrade
Suck it up: You’ll gladly take a hit from his fist one of those down as well. Repeat this process each
if you can stab him with your knife. You can only week. Downgrading a Bruised wound heals it com-
take this action in a second in which you are both pletely.
attacking and being attacked. You have +5 to hit one
person who is attacking you, but your dodge value Remember that the Body Development skill,
is only a 6 for this round — even someone who isn’t while it grants more wound levels, does not improve
very good has a high chance of hitting you. healing speed. Very tough characters (i.e. those with
lots of Body Development) who take more than one
Warn Comrade: “Joe, watch out: he’s gonna mortal wound may be out of comission for months.
charge!” This maneuver is used to counteract
someone else’s special maneuver. Make a Military A character undergoing natural healing must re-
Leadership roll, opposed by a Tactics roll made by cieve some form of first aid each week or be forced
the person who’s doing the maneuver. If you win, to make a saving throw versus disease. The sever-
their maneuver fails. You must use an action to warn ity of the disease will depend on the conditions.
somone, and they must be able to hear you. This Healing in a garbage dump is much harder then
maneuver is especially useful for Interface Knights healing at home.
who are watching by camera and communicating by
Page 150
radio instead of taking part in the combat.

Rejuvenation Patches
Rejuvenation patches basically accelerate the
natural healing process. Instead of checking weekly
to see how many wounds are healed, a character
using a rejuv patch immediately heals in the same

manner as natural healing (see above).
A character may not use more than two rejuv

patches per day without causing irreparable damage
to bodily systems. The third patch does not work,
and the character looses one point of stamina per-
manently. This stamina may only be recovered by
spending XP or paying for genetic reconstruction, an
expensive and dangerous process.
A character using a rejuv patch to heal does

not need first aid. A rejuv patch does not remove
secondary effects such as bleeding or attribute dam-
age, but it does reduce Impairment. Characters need
to make First Aid checks, target number 15, to see

if they can correctly apply the patch under combat

conditions. When not in combat characters are as- First Aid
sumed to take the time to make sure they do it right,

and don’t need to roll. Doing it one handed while The First Aid skill is used to stop bleeding
moving to save your life can be tricky. If the check and reduce Impairment. The usual target number is
is failed, nothing happens and the character my 15, or 20 during combat. All bleeding is stopped,

try again on his next action. The rejuv patch is not and Impairment is reduced by 1. This check can only
“wasted” or destroyed. be made once by any particular person, and multiple
checks are not cumulative.

Rejuvenation patches are generally not addic-
tive, but they can become a psychological crutch
Medical Attention

for many people, who start applying them at the
least injury. This can wear down a character’s natural
The level of medical technology in Valence
immune system and lead to infection and disease.
is relatively impressive, but still has strict limits.

Details are left to the GM.
Missing limbs can be regrown, but your character
will be taking medicine for a month to make sure

Regeneration her body doesn’t reject her new arm. A leg might be
cybernetically replaced, improving your character’s
Some characters in the Valence universe can durability, but he’ll have some very large hospital

heal so quickly that it is nearly impossible to perma- bills coming. The Cybernetics section can be found
nently damage them. Duelists are the most notable on page xx; assume that the price for regrowing
example, but there are other ways to obtain the abil- limbs is about half of what’s listed for military-grade

ity to regenerate. cybernetic enhancements.

There are two main kinds of regeneration: top- Attention from a full-scale hospital is significantly
down and bottom-up. In top-down regeneration a more effective than simple first aid. The process list-
character completely heals one level of damage. The ed under “Natural Healing” (above) happens every

level of damage removed is always the least serious day instead of every week, and you can double your
one. Bruises will heal first and mortal wounds last. character’s Stamina to find out how many wounds
All secondary effects will remain until they have are downgraded. Most characters will be out of the
Page 151
either run their course normally or all wounds are hospital in a few days.
completely healed. Some biomods allow this kind of
regeneration. Genetic reconstruction, to restore lost attribute
points or improve a character’s capabilities (such
Bottom-up regeneration is the type possessed as by adding a Biomod) takes a minimum of one

by Duelists, and is significantly more powerful. month in a sealed chamber, and costs a minimum of
Damage is removed in order of most severe to least. §10,000 in addition to the cost of the modifications.
Thus mortal wounds heal first, and bruises last. These If used simply for healing purposes, the character

characters can probably shoot themselves in the gut will come out with all damage to his body restored,
be perfectly fine ten seconds later. a year taken off his life, and soft, baby-like skin (or
carapace, in some cases). Genetic “improvements”
In all other respects bottom-up regeneration is can also be added, which typically extend the
like top-down. Both kinds will heal bleeding at the isolation period and require quite a bit of getting
rate of one level of bleed each round. Attribute dam- used to. Something as “simple” as permanently
age will go away when the damage that caused it is changing someone’s skin tone or eye color can take
healed. Regenerating characters usually heal at the five months; adding wings can take a year or more
end of the round. and cost millions. The GM should set the price at
whatever the market can bear — and “the market” is
If you get confused as to which kind of regenera- billionaires from across the galaxy.
tion is which, look at the character sheet: the most
severe wounds are at the bottom, thus “bottom-up”
is the better regeneration type.
Let me into that room. (Intimidation)
Drop your weapon. (Intimidation)
Battles of Be a little grumpier. (Intimidation)
Conviction Give me all your cash. (Intimidation)
Stand right there. (Lying)
Believe my story. (Lying)
Physical combat is sometimes a necessity in Stay in formation. (Military Leadership)
Valence. The galaxy still has many wild and danger- Hold your fire. (Military Leadership)
ous places. However, there are often better ways to Let me look in your wallet. (Persuasion)
achieve your goals, and you may find yourself in an Change this data for me. (Persuasion)
area where combat is quite inadvisable. In these Hold this for me. (Persuasion)
circumstances you can use various social skills to Applaud for me. (Public Speaking)
make things go a bit more smoothly for your party, Reconsider your position. (Public Speaking)
convincing people to see things your way. Battles Sell me some drugs. (Streetwise)
of conviction are also more versatile than physical Let me into the bar. (Streetwise)
combat. Physical combat only has two possible out-
comes: one side or the other is dead or unconscious. There are limits to what a battle of conviction
A battle of conviction, on the other hand, lets you try can achieve. Good results are of short duration, are
to convince people of many different things. things to which the target is not strongly opposed
(except for Intimidation results), have light or non-
A battle of conviction can only be started when obvious results, and go along well with the skill
someone is actually listening to you. It’s easy to get used. Bad results are those which require long-term
out of one: just put your hands over your ears (of work, things to which the target is ethically opposed,
course, in many cases this constitutes losing the and anything with nasty consequences. Examples of
battle...). Battles of conviction usually cannot be unacceptable commands include the following:
started in the middle of physical combat, though the
GM may allow particularly persuasive characters to Fall unconscious.
do so. Believe this obvious lie.
Come home with me.
The point of a Battle of Conviction is to issue a Take a trip to Tahiti.
single command to the loser which they must obey, Stand there forever.
at least in the short term. Here’s a quick list of what Kill that guy.
you might be able to convince people of, and what Don’t dodge my attack.
Page 152
skill would be appropriate for doing so:

A Battle of Conviction is run in much the
Lend me five bucks. (Bargaining) same way as physical combat. Your character has
Sell me some of that. (Bargaining) Conviction Levels, with the number based on
Buy this from me. (Bargaining) Charisma + 2 + (2 x Mental Endurance) instead of
Bring the price down. (Bargaining) Size + Fatigue. Use the same table as you did for
Kiss me. (Carousing) Wound Levels.
Have a drink. (Carousing)
Be a little friendlier. (Carousing or Humor/Wit) You use an appropriate social skill to “attack,”
Laugh at my joke. (Humor/Wit) and other skills to resist. The Social Actions table be-
Get out of my way. (Intimidation) low shows some typical actions to take. If you have
Social Actions
Type of Roll Total Fatigue Action?
Convince Talk 1d20 + social skill + Charisma 0 yes
Bully 1d20 + Intimidate + Strength 0 yes
Resist Passive Cha + Kno + MnE+ Stand Ground skill 0 no
Active Passive Resistance + 1d20 0 yes

appearance modifiers from your Backgrounds, they

may come in handy here. Returning Conviction

Just like in physical combat, if your roll to con- Conviction levels return at the rate of about one
vince is higher than your opponent’s resistance roll, per round once the battle is over, regardless of your
you have “hit” them — found a particularly convinc- character’s statistics. Once they have all returned,

ing argument that will reduce their conviction levels. the command given is null and void (if it even lasted
A passive defense in social combat is the equivalent that long to begin with). The least severe levels return
of just listening along and perhaps joining the con- first.

versation, while an active defense is intentionally
trying to resist persuasion and possibly coming up Other characters may also use the “battle of con-
viction” mechanic to return a character’s lost con-

with counter-examples. More severe actions (such as
entering physical combat or hanging up the phone) viction levels instead of taking them away. It can be
can simply end the combat immediately. very helpful to bolster you friend’s will when some-

one is trying to convince him or her to do something
The number of social actions you can take is de- wrong. When you “attack to heal” this way, you can
termined by your Charisma and Creativity instead of remove any one Conviction wound that’s equal to

Agility and Creativity. The conviction “damage” that or less than the result you recieve on the Conviction
you deal is equal to your Charisma + the ranks you Damage Chart. For instance, if your friend has taken
have in the skill you used. Your opponent’s “armor a Troubling level, you can heal that by getting the

value” is his or her Mental Endurance + Knowledge. same result or better (conviction damage of 13+).
The following table shows the effects of this convic-

tion damage: This is another place where Interface Knights can
shine. Many IKs prefer to sit in a secure location and
watch their team’s progress through cameras and mi-
Conviction Damage Chart

crophones. Though most of them don’t have much
Critcal Step Wound Dealt social ability, they can often help stablize a character
1-4 Secure who is rapidly losing a conviction battle.

5-8 Unfazed
9-12 Confused Long-Term Conviction
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13-16 Troubled
Battles of conviction are typically most use-
17-20 Doubting
ful for short-term persuasion. However, if you use
21-24 Waffling them over a long period of time, you can change
25+ Convinced someone’s way of thinking. The exact number of

times is up to the Game Master, but a good guideline
Conviction levels dealt by people trying to give is the character’s Mental Endurance score, with no
different commands do not stack, and may even be more than one contest allowed per day. The com-

counterproductive, “healing” levels that the other mand given in this case should be something like
character had inflicted! “reconsider your religion” or “see the merits of my
political position” or even something like “give in to
Once you’ve taken all the conviction damage the dark side.”
you can for a certain level, more “wounds” of that
level roll over to the next more severe level, just like This technique can also be used for brainwash-
wounds in physical combat. ing, if used over an even longer period of time.
Again, the details are left up to the GM, but we
Once a character takes his or her last Convinced suggest a number of days equal to three times the
level, he or she must follow one command as speci- character’s Mental Endurance, as a minimum.
fied by the person who dealt that last level.
This is one of those occasions when it helps to
have friends. If your archenemy is trying to convince
you to join his side, your friends can convince you
not to just as well. It’s almost impossible to brain-
wash someone while their friends are around to help evidence you find. Very strong evidence that is hard
them. to understand may give +5 to damage, while easily-
understood but weak evidence may give +5 to the
“attack” roll instead.
Long-Distance Conviction
Below we list a few sample conviction weapons,
Battles of conviction happen every day, but not and the skills with which they are most useful:
all of them are face-to-face. Much of modern adver-
tizing could be considered a very short battle of con- Bargaining:
viction (a 15-second advertisement is only a round “Maybe I’ll just look elsewhere.” +2 damage
and a half long, after all), though we don’t suggest Whipping out a price guide: +2 damage
trying to play out a thousand battles of conviction Carousing:
every time your characters watch TV. A good makeup job: +2 to hit
Good booze: +2 damage (or more)
Characters who are the target in long-distance Humor/Wit:
conviction battles often have the ability to think A partner act: +3 to hit
things over more carefully, pause recordings, re-read Intimidation:
letters for hidden intent, and so forth. All characters “I know where you sleep.” +3 damage
involved in long-distance battles receive +4 to their A large gun or sword: +2 to hit
Mental Endurance for the purposes of “mental ar- Military Leadership:
mor,” to help represent these factors. Higher rank: +4 damage
References to old battles: +2 to hit
The length of a “round” for such long-distance Streetwise:
battles can lengthen to minutes, hours, or even days Dressed like a mafioso: +2 to hit
for hand-written letters. Conviction levels dealt in “The Boss sent me.” +4 damage
this long-term, long-distance battle can take longer
to return as well. The exact duration is up to the
GM. Conviction “Armor”
In the same way that some comments can be
Public Speaking particularly devastating, others might come across
as laughable or pathetic given the situation. Bribing
Changing the opinions of large audiences can be a poorly-paid official to look the other way is easy,
Page 154
done by taking a -5 on the roll. The actual “Public but a well-paid bureaucrat who loves her job will
Speaking” skill does not take this penalty, but can be very difficult to persuade. Bribing a guard whose
only be used for very limited purposes when com- life depends on doing his job well will likewise be
pared to skills like Initmidation, Persuasion or Lying. exceptionally hard.
Defensive actions are still allowed on an individual
basis. For these circumstances, we suggest a certain
level of “conviction armor,” which reduces convic-

Conviction “Weapons” tion damage in much the same way as ordinary
armor reduces physical damage.
There are typically no weapons in a battle of con-
viction. The amount of damage done is determined The more that depends on a character’s not being
by your character’s skill levels. However, there can persuaded, the higher conviction armor gets. Losing
sometimes be “conversational bombshells”, so to a bad job might not count as armor at all. Losing a
speak, that will work well on a particular person or good, well-paying job might count as 3-4 points of
group. armor. The possibility of incarceration might count
as 5-6 points, while death would raise conviction
For example, if you’re trying to convince some- armor to 8-10 points.
one that a supposedly loyal senator is really a traitor,
it will help to have some evidence. Your GM may The exact amount of armor will vary greatly
assess a bonus on attack or damage (or both) of be- depending on the situation. The GM will have to
tween +3 and +10, depending on the strength of the adjudicate conviction armor carefully.

Lording
sary — the Nesti can target through their radar and

vibratory senses, and Valorians almost always use
their amazing sense of hearing.

Also, magi as of yet have been unable to pierce
The Laws of Magic the complexities of the time stream. This law is

known as the Principle of State or the Principle of
Continuum. No archmage has been able to travel
Lording is power that stems from another dimen- backwards in time, though some have traveled for-

sion. What this dimension is, or where in relation to ward by trapping themselves in stasis fields.
our universe, continues to baffle scientists and math-
ematicians alike. There is no current explanation for

its existence. The most popular theory at the moment Powers of the Lording
is that dimensions (such as length, width, and depth)
extend not only in the positive direction but also in

The Lording can still do some rather remarkable
the negative one. While problematic, this definition things, despite these limitations. Its powers are not
seems to model the power better then any other. limited by the speed of light, and it can even be used

to teleport objects. While matter is complex and
Little is known about the Lording as a force or difficult to move in this way, energy is often moved
dimension. The capabilities of those who wield it quite easily. One can even choose a particular patch

are better documented. Even the miraculous pow- of space and all its contents to be moved, thus allow-
ers these men and women exhibit have some severe ing for living matter to be moved. Magi call this the
limitations. Power of Reach or the Power of Transfer.

It is also useful for altering the odds of particular
Limitations of the Lording

event. While no one has been able to change destiny
or fate (if such things exist), the Lording can be used
It is impossible to affect any living organism to quite effectively cheat at cards or dice. Of course,

directly through the use of the Lording. The whole such events must operate under the usual laws of
power seems to revolve around the difference be- physics — improbable events can be made more
tween living beings and unliving matter. If a creature likely, but nothing truly impossible can be made pos-
Page 155
is living, then the Lording can not directly effect that sible. This ability is known as the Power of Chance.
creature in any way. This means that things which
require a direct use of the Lording’s power on a per- The Lording can also bend space and time, thus
son, plant, or animal are not possible. Mind reading, allowing a caster to generate a field of slow time or
mind control, and shape changing are all impossible fast time, alter the effective distance to a target, or
with the Lording because they require a living target

generate a hole in space known as a “tesseract” with
of the Lording’s powers. Magi refer to this as the the Lording alone. Lords who have mastered such
Principle of Life powers are in great demand as crewmen aboard
Valence Main Rulebook: Lording

space-faring vessels, as they can act as backup
This does not mean that it is impossible to, for stardrives! This ability is called the Power of Warp.
instance, throw a snowball at a living target. The
snowball is created and shaped through the Lording,
and propelled by it, but the snow itself is real and
natural once created, and will act like normal snow.
The Lording also requires that the caster under-

stand the target’s location relative to his own place-
ment in the universe. Remote sensing via cameras,
microphones, robots or even cybernetic implants in
other people does not allow a character to accurately
target a spell. The lack of connection is so great that
even the most powerful magi cannot attempt such a
feat. This law is known as the Principle of Vision. It
should be noted that actual vision is not truly neces-
Spells are a learned thing. The number of experi-
The Common ence points it takes to learn a new spell is listed un-
School of Lording der each spell. Characters must attain a certain level
of understanding of the Loring in order to learn each
The most common teachings that people follow spell. In game terms, your character’s Complexity
when learning about the Lording come from the skill level must be equal to or higher than the
Dark Inuueliting. It was they who originally formu- Complexity of the spell in order to cast it at all. There
lated the methods of controlling the Lording and the are two Complexity ratings listed for each spell,
concepts of Spells and Powers some millions of years separated by a slash. The first and higher number
ago. There are other schools, which will be discussed is level of Complexity it takes a character to cast a
in various other books, but the Dark Inuuel school is spell with mind alone, simply by concentrating. The
the most common and the easiest to understand, so second and lower number is the level of Complexity
it will be presented here. needed to learn the spell with words and gestures,
or by ritual. Each spell requires a certain number of
All Characters start the game knowing about spell points to cast. These are listed with each spell
the Lording, if not how to use it. There are two ways description.
in which the power of the Lording can be used:
consciously or instinctively. Conscious use of the When buying a spell at character creation, divide
Lording is called a Spell, while instinctive use is the XP cost by 3 to get skill point cost. Round up.
called a Power. The use of the words “conscious”
and “instinctive” can be somewhat misleading. All Powers are a more ingrained thing than spells.
use of the Lording is activated by thought, and each They are learned through months upon months of
use of a power costs a certain number of actions repetitive casting, until the spell not only is mastered
(usually one) to initiate. The difference is that powers but is understood on an instinctual level. Archangels
are instinctively used, while a spell is a learned and may only make use of the Lording through powers.
practiced skill. There are advantages and limitations
to each. The prime difference between a spell and a
power is that a power maybe used at will. There
The use of Lording requires energy from the user.
Nothing can be gotten for free in this universe, even
when the laws of physics are bent beyond recogni- Defense Grids and Lording
tion. A character casting a spell must expend Spell
Points in order to do so. There are two ways to do
Page 156
Defense grids have changed the face of

this. One is to expend spell points only when the armed combat. While most of the young races
spell is actually cast. This allows greater diversity of don’t know exactly how they came about,
power, but limits the number of times a spell can be it was after the second Inuuel-Budetug war
cast. The other option is to use a Power, locking the that the Budetug invented them. During that
spell points permanently within the thought pattern war, a spell became popular amongst Inuuel
that make up the spell. This method removes spell Archmagi and Paladins, a spell which can
points permanently from the character’s spell point best be translated as “Transmute Heavy Battle
pool, but allows the character to cast that spell at Armor into Nitrogen.” During the third war,
will, with no cost. when this spell was revived, it quickly went
out of use.
A character’s maximum number of Spell Points is
five times his or her Lording Stat, plus five per level Defense Grids are impassable to Lording.
of Lording Development Skill. No spell or power can penetrate a Defense
Grid. This is not to say that a Lording-cre-
A character may use Fatigue in place of more ated plasma bolt cannot attack a defense grid.
Spell Points at the rate of 2 fatigue for 1 Spell Point. However, creating plasma inside the grid is
Hero Points may be used in this way at the rate of 1 impossible. The Inuuel offensive was left with-
Hero Point per Spell Point. Spent spell points return out a major weapon against Budetug battlesuit
at the rate of one every 10 seconds. divisions, contributing to the eventual Budetug
victory.

is no noticeable drain on a character’s resources

when a power is used. As with spells, a character Lording Control Skills
must have the required Complexity skill level before Skill Abbreviation Base Attributes

he may choose a Power. The level of understanding
required to learn a Power is always equal to the Area of Effect Ae Lrd, Agi
mental casting complexity (the higher number). Complexity Cm Lrd, Cre

The character must spend twice the skill points or Duration Du Lrd, MnE
XP needed to learn the new power, and, instead of
spending spell points each time the spell is cast, the Magnitude Mg Lrd, Int

character permanently “burns off” spell points equal Range Rn Lrd, Dex
to twice the number needed to cast the spell. These
Targeting - Lrd, Vis

spell points are permanently lost, but the character
no longer needs to spend them in order to use that
Example: Rhogan the Great Caractingessen
particular Power. These points do not regenerate
knows the Flame Generation Lording as a power,

with time and rest. They are permanently gone. This
since he was taught when he was growing up.
limits the number of spell points a character has for
However, his path in life has taken him far from
other applications.

anything to do with Lording — he’s an accountant.
Despite that, he still can use the Flame Generation
It is possible to possess both powers and spells
power as if he had 8 levels in all the appropriate
(unless one is an Archangel).

Lording skills, because his Lording score is an 8. So
the jet of flame from his mouth will reach 8 meters,
Note: All spells may be “maintained” (have their
do 8 blunt damage, and affect an area with a radius

duration extended) simply by spending an action to
of 8 meters.
pay the casting cost again each time the spell’s dura-
tion runs out. Powers may be maintained indefinitely,
The Targeting skill works like a combat skill

as long as the caster can spend an action. They can-
that determines whether a hit is scored. Note that
not be maintained during sleep or unconsciousness.
Lordings that target a willing person do not need

an attack roll. The are assumed to automatically
Lording Control Skills succeed. Spells that target their caster also always
succeed.
Page 157
Lording Control Skills govern the use of Lording
powers. They are similar to normal skills, and are
Preventing Lording
purchased in the same way. All are based on the
Lording attribute. Unlike normal skills, they are rare-
The Dark Inuuel teach that each magus is the
ly used individually to accomplish a task. Instead,
endpoint of a conduit from the Lording dimension.

they determine what spells a character may learn
Power flows through this conduit from the negative
and how effective those spells are.
dimensions to the positive. If this conduit can be

severed, either by brute force or wiley skill, it will
Also unlike ordinary skills, you always add the
reattach quickly. It is possible to suppress or cancel
skill’s base attribute to the skill’s effective level when
an opponent’s spell by carefully timing the severing
using it to cast a spell or activate a power. Most
of this conduit. Even powers can be canceled, as
Inuueliting will have an effective level of at least 6 in
they too draw on this pipeline of energy.
all Lording skills simply because they have a mini-
mum Lording score of 6. This is only for the purposes
There are two ways to do this. One is to use
of Lording, not for buying skills.
brute magical force to bludgeon the conduit so that
the caster cannot grasp the energy needed to use the
spell. This requires a Lording roll. Both the caster
and the person attempting to cancel roll 1d20. Each
adds his or her Lording stat to the roll, and the higher
total wins. The caster wins ties, though there may be
interesting consequences (GM’s call).
It is also possible to “finesse” a cancellation. This Modifier Interference
is done much like the above. Each participant rolls 0 No other Lording use on planet
a d20 as above, but rather then adding the Lording +5 Planet with low Lording use
stat to the roll, they add their Complexity skill to the +10 Most worlds
d20. The higher number wins and ties are resolved +15 Any Lording use near you (within
as above. Both participants must (subconsciously) about 100 meters)
agree to this method, however — you can’t mix and +20 Planet with constant Lording use.
match. If either participant refuses to use finesse, the
cancellation must use brute force. Sensing someone that you can see casting a
Plasma Bolt at you would have a target number of
Each time a person attempts a counter they must 20 on most worlds. Sensing someone casting the
expend spell points equal to the spell’s casting cost. same spell on the far side of an average world would
Each spell may only have one cancel attempt against have a TN of 40.
it. If two people try to cancel the same spell, the one
with the higher Lording makes the attempt of his Sensing is not automatic; it takes an action to fo-
choice and any other attempt has no result. If your cus and “listen” for active spells. This sense is unable
power is countered, you don’t expend spell points, to narrow down the exact location of the Lording
but you cannot use your power again for a number power to an area less than the size of a football field.
of seconds equal to the spell point cost. If your character is within that 100-meter-wide area,
he or she can make another Sense roll (TN 20) to get
a rough idea of what the spell or artifact does (attack,
Sensing Lording defense, space warping, etc.)
The Sense skill allows your character to know
when Lording is being used around her. This is only Earthlings and the Lording
a very general sensation — it will not pinpoint invis-
ible characters, or identify which of the objects in a Earthlings have a special ability when it comes to
room is a Lording-powered artifact. It will not even canceling Lording: they work together. The Human
indicate Archmagi or other powerful Lording-users. subconscious somehow is able to combine to ne-
It can, however, give a warning when someone’s gate Lording. If Earthlings are in the area of effect
about to Wrath of God you, and that alone is reason for a hostile spell they may combine Hero Points in
enough to learn the skill. order to cancel the spell. This means that in most
Human cities hostile spells are all but impossible. In
Page 158
The ability to sense Lording use relies on three any given population there are about 5 hero points
things (besides your character’s skill): distance, pow- per 100 humans. This means there are a lot of points
er, and interference. Add together the modifiers from available in a very large city.
the following two tables to find out how difficult it is
to sense your target. This ability is not effective for Ariel or Succubi,
something that the Inuuel and Caracts of old were
Modifier Target’s range quite disappointed to discover.

+5 Line of sight
+15 Line of sight, but blocked by walls Example: Maleketh the Inuueliting is angry. The
+20 Beyond the horizon Earthlings have just killed his love. In a fit of rage
+25 Sense from orbit he unleashes the fury of an Archmage. Anti-matter
+30 Other side of planet will fill the city. The Earthling subconscious minds
around him recognize that this will kill them all. They
Modifier Power combine their hero points to get (1 million times an
+5 Ordinary spell average of 5 per 100= 50,000) a very large number.
+0 SP cost 25 or higher, inactive Needless to say the spell will not be happening, but
Lording artifacts Maleketh loses those spell points anyway.
-5 SP cost 50 or higher, most Lording
artifacts in use

Walks are available to any character, even those with

no other Lording skills. As we all know, just because
Other Schools you went to school doesn’t mean you learned any-

of Lording thing.
Here is one example of an alternative school:

The Dark Inuueliting school of thought is far
from the only one. There are many philosophies,
schools, traditions, and martial arts which teach their
Risen Quadrant Elementalist

practitioners Lording skills, and while they are not as
Elementalists espouse an Aristotelian view of the
common, they are all equally functional.
universe, wherein everything is made up of some

proportion of air, water, fire, and earth. They believe
It’s important to note that regardless of what
that these “atoms”, in all their various types, can
someone thinks they’re doing with the Lording, the

be manipulated to affect the world around them.
same things are happening. One person might see
To the Risen Quadrant Elementalists, an instinctive
the spell Weather Control as asking weather spirits to
view of reality will be the most effective one in com-
move the clouds and bring rain, another might imag-

prehending it. After all, we’re made out of the same
ine seeing pressure and temperature gradients and
elements as everything else — our instincts are the
moving them around to induce rainfall, and another
best things we have to teach us about the real world.

might simply think that he or she is creating water
Elementalists have a mental block against learning
out of nowhere and making it fall from the sky.
spells; it takes 1 more XP to learn one. However, it
takes 2 fewer to learn something as a Power instead

The truth is that the Lording works the same way
of as a Spell. Bonuses to Magnitude, Area of Effect,
no matter who uses it and what they think. Someone
and Lording Development. Learn one element-
casting Weather Control is controlling probability

oriented spell (Flame Generation, Mud Puppet,
to improve cloud formation, moving large masses
Airwalk, etc) for free.
of air to reduce the pressure, and transmuting air to
water when necessary. No spirits involved, no matter

what your view is. Likewise, the Plasma Bolt spell is More Sample Schools
superheated gas, stripped of its electrons, and forced
Page 159
towards a target. It’s not a fire elemental, no matter The Shen Spirit School uses martial arts as a way
how much one would like it to be, because such of instilling discipline and morals. They emphasize
things just don’t exist. a discipline of inner calm, self-defense, and use of
Lording in daily life. They commonly teach such
Likewise, all schools learn the same skills to con- spells as Airwalk, Flame Generation, Flight, Force
trol the Lording (Complexity, Magnitude, etc.). This Field, Invisibility, Light Control, Silent Tread, Sphere

is more for simplicity’s sake than anything else. The of Silence, Telekinesis, Telescopic Vision, Tesseract,
Elementalists below probably learn about fire magic, and Weather Control. Bonuses to Complexity,

water magic, etc. instead of learning Lording theory Lording Development, Martial Arts: Defensive, and
in general. pick any one of the above spells.
That aside, people believe some pretty strange The Kundalara School emphasizes oneness with
things, and they don’t like changing their beliefs. The nature and a connection to natural forces. They also
immutable laws and powers of the Lording are seen teach that Lording is a resource which can be used
in many different contexts. up, and that it’s best to avoid using it whenever pos-
sible. This is absolutely wrong, but they still believe
If your character is particularly Lording-oriented it. Bonuses to Complexity, Duration, Range, and
(such as an Archmage, Paladin, or some rare Tech Area of Effect.
Docs), you might want to consider taking one of the
following Walks of Life, or creating one of your own. Transmetropolitans use the elements of a mod-
These represent some alternate schools of Lording, ern city — concrete, steel, glass, and electricity — as
and a slightly different way of looking at the world. the basis of their spells. They are similar in outlook
The first one is developed in a little more detail; the to the Elementalists, but substantially more modern.
others are just bare bones for you to flesh out. These
Bonuses to Complexity, Area of Effect, Martial Arts: Flame Generation because it’s essentially Flame Gen
Offensive, and Streetwise. without any magnitude.
The New Cygnus Islanders are very bound to the Something that wouldn’t be a good cascade is an
stars as seen from their planet. Each constellation Alkaline Spray instead of an Acid Spray, or Frost Gen
has its own personality and its own spell associated instead of Flame Gen. Those are major variants on
with it in your belief structure. You watch the stars for the spell, not minor spells which lead up to it.
your fellow Islanders, and are quite familiar with the
Lording. Bonuses to Range and Duration. You may Cascades can be bought as powers in their own
learn two “constellation” spells from the following right, using the Complexity and Spell Point cost
list: Lightning Blast, Telekinesis, Circle of Silence, guidelines given above. There is no skill point or XP
Light Control, Change Waves (a spell for calming cost, since your character has already paid the cost
choppy seas), Teeth of the Deep (their version of Ice to learn the full spell.
Storm), Weather Control, Adhesion, Luck’s blessing,
Wrath of God, Sky Message (a form of skywriting),
Flight, Telescope, and Force Shield. Any constella- Creating Your
tion spells are cast with a +5 to all skills involved. Own Spells
You spend 3x the normal amount of experience to
learn non-constellation spells. Many Characterswill want to create their own
spells. Most of them will want to do it because they
want to create a spell that gives them some advan-
More Lording Info tage over their foes, or because it does something
that existing spells don’t. This makes perfect sense.
After all, those are the two major reasons that people
research new anything — technologies, chemicals,
Spell Cascades biotech, why not spells? Many people are trying to
create new Lording powers, and there’s no reason
No matter what school of Lording your character your character couldn’t do so as well.
uses, he or she doesn’t just learn a single spell. There
are many lesser spells that build up to the more pow- Creating new spells can take a lot of time and
erful ones. Each spell has a “cascade” of lesser spells effort. It’s probably faster for your character to search
which your character also knows, and can cast. the Lattice and see if someone else has made a simi-
lar spell first. The most important skills to use when
Page 160
These spells typically are of 2/3 the Complexity creating a new spell are Complexity and Lording
of the main spell, cost half as many spell points, take Development. These two represent your character’s
longer to cast, and are more limited than the main innate understanding of the Lording, and ability to
spell in some way. bend reality in new ways. Skill levels of 15 or higher
are a necessity.
If your character has internalized a spell as a
Power, he or she has only internalized the full ver- Details of the spell (such as required Complexity
sion, not the cascades. However, you may still use and other skill effects) are left to the GM, who
the cascades as ordinary spells, paying the Spell should use the existing spells as a guideline. A well-
Point cost for them. researched, optimized, honed spell that throws an
explosive bolt of ice would be very similar to Plasma
Spell cascades are listed along with the descrip- Blast, for example, and should have similar stats.
tion of each spell. You can also suggest new cascade
spells that your character might know to your GM. The really nasty part, though, is that all the spells
Good cascades are spells which lead up to the main in this book have been optimized over the course
spell, not variations on it. For instance, an Acid of (in some cases) millions of years. Your character
Touch spell might be a good cascade for the Acid could probably re-create Plasma Blast from scratch
Spray spell, because it is basically Acid Spray with- given a few months and some good skill checks...
out any range. Likewise, a spell to light a bunch of but it would cost two to three times as many Spell
candles simultaneously might be a good cascade for Points to cast, because it’s still sloppy. Incredibly tal-
ented people have been figuring out better variants

on the current spells for millenia; don’t expect your

character to do it in a weekend. Transmutations which yield heavy metals (Silver,
Gold, Platinum, Cesium) have a Complexity of 30/

15, cost 60 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes
Lording and Transmutation 12 XP to learn.

One of the most useful abilities of the Lording is Transmutations which yield superheavy elements
to transmute one material into another. This can also (Uranium, Xenite, Neutronium) have a Complexity
be one of the hardest effects to adjudicate, so here of 50/25, cost 100 Spell Points to cast, and the spell

are some guidelines for it. takes 15 XP to learn.
Each transmutation effect is a separate spell.

Some materials have other qualities which make
Change Steam to Ice is a different spell from Change them difficult to transmute to. If your result is a
Air to Ice. Change Stone to Water is a different spell simple molecule (like water), or is naturally radioac-

from Change Stone to Wine. Some spells will obvi- tive, add +10/+5 to Complexity, +10 to SP cost, and
ously be more useful than others. +3 to XP cost.

When transmuting, mass is always conserved! If Difficult compounds can double this modifier
a kilogram of water changes into a kilogram of iron, (in the case of durasteel, reinforced concrete, wood,
there will be much less volume to the iron. This is most stones, and wine) or even triple it for the very

especially true of the air — transmuting air to some- complex (for such materials as Layered Actonite,
thing denser will usually cause a breeze, as more Tri-fuse, and computer chips). Such end results may
air flows into the target zone. This is much more

require a high skill level pertaining to the end result,
noticeable in a confined or airtight area, such as the at the GM’s discretion. For example, creating a com-
interior of a starship. plex chemical compound would probably require

the Chemistry skill.
All transmutation spells follow this general for-
mula: This modifier will also apply if your spell has a

very complex starting point (such as the infamous
Area of Effect: one kilogram of material Transmute Heavy Battle Armor to Nitrogen), or if
Complexity: see below your subject undergoes a significant change in en-
Page 161
Duration: permanent effect ergy (such as changing steam into ice). Ordinarily,
Range: Rn meters however, you only apply modifiers which pertain to
Spell Cost: see below your end result.
XP Cost: see below
Most Lording effects already work on transmuta-

The complexity, spell cost, and XP cost depend tion, even if it’s not explicitly called a transmutation
on your desired end result. The starting material spell. Ice Storm, for example, does not draw mois-
makes no difference at all. Use the following guide- ture from the surrounding environment — instead,
lines: it changes the air itself into ice. Acid Spray turns air
into a corrosive acid and then propells it.
Transmutations which yield lighter elements and
gasses (Lithium, Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, Neon)
have a Complexity of 10/5, cost 10 Spell Points to
cast, and the spell takes 3 XP to learn.
Transmutations which yield heavy gases and

light metals (Chlorine, Argon, Aluminum, Sodium,
Magnesium) have a Complexity of 16/8, cost 20 Spell
Points to cast, and the spell takes 6 XP to learn.
Transmutations which yield ordinary metals

(Iron, Titanium, Cobalt) have a Complexity of 20/10,
cost 30 Spell Points to cast, and the spell takes 9 XP
to learn.
Acid Spray
Spell List Complexity: 5/3
Spell Cost: 10
XP Cost: 5
The next few pages contain a list of standard
Range: Rn meters
spells that are known across the galaxy. Your GM
Damage: Mg/2 Disint
may have a few more that are specific to his or her
Area of Effect: Ae meters
campaign, especially if it’s run on just one world.
Duration: Du seconds
Each spell is described both visually and in game
This spell causes a gout of short-lived acid to
terms. Many abbreviations are used in the table on
spring from the caster and splash a target area. Those
the previous page; here’s what they mean:
at the edge of the area (up to 5 meters in from the
edge) may dodge normally, but those in the center
Ae: Area of Effect skill
may not. Those covered in the acid take damage
AR: Armor Rating
equal to half the caster’s Magnitude skill for each
Cm: Complexity skill
second that they remain covered (the acid may be
Du: Duration skill
washed off by a bucket of water). The strength of
EM: Electromagnetic damage
the acid dissipates at the spell’s end. Acid damage
FF: Force Field
does not cause Bleed, as it cauterizes the wounds
kg: kilograms
immediately.
km: kilometers
Cascade: Transmute Air to Acid, Protect Hands
Lrd: Lording stat
from Acid, Acid Touch, Spray Liquid
m: meters
Mg: Magnitude skill
Rn: Range skill Adhesion
SP: Spell Points Complexity: 7/4
XP: Experience Points Spell Cost: 10
XP Cost: 4
Some abbreviations are written as “2 Rn m”, Range: Self
which is read as “Twice the caster’s Range skill, Damage: n/a
measured in meters.” A caster with a Range skill of Area of Effect: self
10 would be able to target this spell up to 20 meters Duration: Du rounds
Page 162
away.
This spell allows a character to stick to solid
Area of Effects are often given in meters. This surfaces by adjusting the adhesive properties of the
represents the radius of the effect. All areas of effect surface he is touching. The caster can climb walls
are spherical unless otherwise specified. Sometimes or ceilings at a movement rate equal to one half his
it’s given as Ae Targets, which allows the caster to ground movement. If the character is touching a
choose a number of targets equal to his or her Area surface when the spell ends, the bond is permanent!
of Effect skill. All of them must within the caster’s Also good for sticking someone’s furniture on the
field of vision (or other perception for some species) ceiling.
and within the spell’s range. Cascade: Various spells that cause particular ma-
terials to stick together, and Spread Out Force (keeps
It is possible for a spell to have an Area of Effect the weight of the character’s body from ripping his or
without having a Range (the effect is just centered her hands off). Some versions of the spell, instead of
on the caster), or a Range without Area of Effect (the causing materials to bond in defiance of chemistry,
spell hits a single spot or target). transmute the air into a glue and then transmute it
back when the spell ends.
Unless a spell’s parameter depends directly on
the Lording attribute, casters can freely “pull their
punch” when casting the spell, reducing its magni-
tude, range, size, etc.

This spell differs from flight in that the caster is

Aid Flight literally walking on air. It can be much faster than
Complexity: 18/9 the Flight spell, depending on species. Gaining or

Spell Cost: 20 losing altitude happens at 1/10 walking rate as the
XP Cost: 7 character ascends or decends a spiral staircase of
Range: Self hardened air.

Damage: n/a Cascade: Harden Air, Arrange Air
Area of Effect: Self
Duration: Du minutes

Amplify Sound
This spell is used to improve a flying character’s Complexity: 8/4
speed and maneuverability by creating giant “wings” Spell Cost: 5

of solidified air. In some versions of this spell those XP Cost: 3
wings are visible. This spell works for characters who Range: Rn meters

can fly naturally as well as those using the Flight Damage: n/a
spell. Characters using this spell get +2 to Agility Area of Effect: Ae meters
while airborne, and double their flight speed. As a Duration: Du rounds

nice side effect, the hardened air also provides a
windshield to keep bugs and small rocks away from This spell causes sound at the target destination
the character’s face. to be carried to the caster’s ear as a whisper. Only

Cascade: Telekinetic Shove, Wings of Air, characters with exceptional hearing will be able to
Dampen Inertia, Transfer Reaction eavesdrop at the caster’s end. The sound is not am-
plified through the intervening space, so it is impos-

sible to intercept the transmission. This spell can also
Air Bubble be cast in reverse, creating a megaphone-like effect.
Complexity: 15/8

Cascade: Amplify Energy, Direct Sound, Filter
Spell Cost: 15 Sound (to hear just your target)
XP Cost: 4

Range: Rn meters
Damage: n/a Antimatter Generation
Area of Effect: Ae meters Complexity: 25/13
Page 163
Duration: Du minutes Spell Cost: 30
XP Cost: 13
This spell causes all air entering the range of the Range: Rn kilometers
spell to become breathable by the caster. Spells that Damage: 3 Mg Disint
affect the air which are cast within the sphere are Area of Effect: 5 Lrd km
Duration: Instant

unaffected. Only air that passes through the surface
of the sphere is transformed. This will also keep
good air from escaping, making it a valuable spell This is one of the most powerful offensive spells

for someone who has been tossed out an airlock! known to any species. It works by transforming
Cascade: Redirect Air, Transmute Impurities hydrogen molecules within the area of effect into
to Air, Transmute CO2 to air, Adjust Temperature, antihydrogen. The resulting explosion can be cata-
Adjust Pressure, Immobile Air Bubble strophic. Note that this spell works even in space, as
there is always some residual hydrogen to transform.
It should also be noted that, due to the random na-
Airwalk ture of the transformations, the Area of Effect skill
Complexity: 10/5 is not used with Antimatter Generation. This means
Spell Cost: 10 that the area of effect cannot be controlled. If five
XP Cost: 4 times your Lording stat is higher than your Range
Range: Self skill, you may be in trouble.
Damage: n/a Cascade: There is no cascade for Antimatter
Area of Effect: Self Gen, which is part of why it’s so hard to learn — you
Duration: Du minutes go from knowing nothing to knowing the whole
spell. Leaving off any part of the spell would be
either pointless or suicidal, so you have to learn it
all at once.
Acid Spray
Complexity: 12/6
Spell Cost: 10
Bottle of Force XP Cost: 6
Complexity: 14/7 Range: Self
Spell Cost: 5 Damage: n/a
XP Cost: 4 Area of Effect: Ae meters
Range: Touch Duration: Du rounds
Damage: n/a
Area of Effect: 10 centimeters By randomly changing the phase of nearby light
Duration: Du hours you wreak havoc on anything that has to do with
lasers. Laser weapons are reduced to half damage
A small “bottle” of force is created, enough to within this field, and most computer data is ruined
hold about a gallon (4 liters) of liquid. Useful for (most computers in 592 rely on photonic data stor-
holding dangerous substances such as acids and age). Computers will have to reboot from a backup
very hot or cold liquids. The bottle has an effective to function again.
Armor Rating equal to your Magnitude score. Cascade: Randomize, Warp Light
Cascade: Harden Air, Adjust Temperature,
Insulate, Redirect Movement
Lording Skills and Powers (Table 1)

Area of
Name of Spell Cm SP Cost XP Cost Range Effect Duration Effect
Acid Spray 5/3 10 5 Rn m Mg Disint Du seconds Ae m
Adhesion 7/4 10 4 Touch Climb Walls Du rounds Self
Aid Flight 18/9 10 7 Self Maneuverability Du minutes Self
Air Bubble 15/8 15 4 Rn m Clean Air Du minutes Ae m
Airwalk 10/5 10 4 Self Walk on air Du minutes Self
Page 164
Amplify Sound 8/4 5 3 10 Rn m Loud Sound Du rounds Self

Antimatter Generation 25/13 30 13 Rn km 3 Mg Disint Instant Lrd km
Bottle of Force 14/7 5 4 Touch Container Du hours 10 cm
Decoherence Field 12/6 10 6 Rn m Ruins Lasers Du rounds Ae m
Discontinuity Bubble 26/13 30 10 Self Special Du seconds Ae m
Douse Energy 10/5 15 4 10 Rn m Special Instant Ae m

Earthquake 18/9 20 6 Rn km Mg/2 Blunt Du min 10 Ae m
Electromagnetic Pulse 10/5 15 6 2 Rn m Mg/2 EM Instant 1 Target
Flame Generation 5/3 10 2 Rn m Mg Blunt Instant Ae m
Flight 15/8 15 8 Self Fly Du minutes Self
Force Shield 15/8 10 5 Self AV: Mg Du rounds Self
Ice Storm 8/4 10 5 2 Rn m Mg Slashing Du rounds 2 Ae m
Illumination 4/2 1 1 Rn m Light Du minutes 5 Ae m
Invisibility 20/10 15 7 Self Invisible Du rounds Self
Killing Field 14/7 15 8 Self Mg/2 Disint Du rounds 3 Ae m
Lead Magnet 16/8 10 7 Rn m Easy to hit Du seconds Ae targets
Light Control 30/15 15 11 Rn m Illusions Du rounds Ae m

Cascade: Time Distortion, Distance Distortion,

Discontinuity Bubble Intensify Distortion, Shear Space
Complexity: 26/13

Spell Cost: 30
XP Cost: 10 Douse Energy
Range: Self Complexity: 10/5

Damage: n/a Spell Cost: 15
Area of Effect: Ae meters XP Cost: 4
Duration: Du seconds Range: 10 Rn meters

Damage: n/a
This difficult and complex spell literally separates Area of Effect: Ae meters
the caster from the regular space-time continuum. Duration: Instant

Outside observers see a silvery bubble. Inside, the
caster is free to take any action which does not Useful for putting out fires, cooling down a

further draw on the Lording — the bubble is fragile, room, and turning off unprotected electrical devices
and further manipulation will collapse it. Nothing (i.e. household appliances, not battlesuits or cars).
can cross this spell’s boundary short of a supernova Can also drain the power from an energy cell, but

shockwave. Duelists in the Lords Dimension can see only by touch.
through the bubble and move through it without any Cascade: A bunch of spells for one specific type
problem, but can’t leave the Lords Dimension to of energy, such as heat or electrical energy, etc.

enter it because there just isn’t room.

Lording Skills and Powers (Table 2)
Area of

Name of Spell Cm SP Cost XP Cost Range Effect Duration Effect
Magma Control 19/10 12 4 Rn km 2 Mg Disint Instant 5 Ae m

Mud Puppet 25/13 20 8 Rn m Lrd = Str Du Rounds Special
Plasma Blast 10/5 15 10 Rn m 2 Mg Disint Instant Ae m
Page 165
Poison Gas 14/7 15 7 2 Rn m 2 Mg Blunt Du rounds Ae m
Probability Involution 20/10 20 9 Rn m Improbable Du minutes 1 Target
Purify Common Scrap 18/9 20 5 Touch Purifies Instant Ae kg
Sculpt by Hand 10/5 10 5 Touch Special Du minutes Self
Silent Tread 14/7 10 3 Self + Mg Stealth Du rounds Self

Shape Armor 20/10 10 7 Touch Creates Armor Instant Ae kg
Shrink Self 20/10 10 9 Self Size/2 Du min Self
Sphere of Silence 16/8 10 4 Rn m Quiet Du min Ae m Valence Main Rulebook: Lording
Telekinesis 10/5 1(20) 6 Rn m Lrd = Str 1 round 1 Target
Telescope 4/2 5 3 Rn km See Far Du rounds Self
Temperature Shift 12/6 5+ 4 10 Rn m Change Temp. Instant 10 Rn m
Temporal Distortion 16/8 10 11 Rn m Bend Time Du minutes Ae m
Tesseract 30/15 50 13 2 Rn LY Tesseract Instant 10 Ae tons
Time Shield 24/12 40 12 Self +Mg/2 defense Du rounds Self
Unexpected Reach 20/10 5 8 Rn m long reach Instant Self
Unstable Phase Change 14/7 10 6 Rm m solid/liquid/gas Concentration Ae kg
Weather Control 30/15 20 4 Rn km Weather Du Minutes Ae km
Web 17/9 15 2 Rn m Wounds: Mg Special Ae targets
Wrath Of God 16/8 25 9 2 Rn m 2 Mg Disint Du rounds 3 Ae m
wounds, and thus the damage is Blunt and causes
Earthquake no Bleed.
Complexity: 18/9 Cascade: Heat Shield, Sculpt Fire, Amplify
Spell Cost: 20 Energy, Touch-only version, Focus Energy
XP Cost: 6
Range: Rn kilometers
Damage: Mg/2 Blunt Flight
Area of Effect: 10 Ae meters Complexity: 15/8
Duration: Du rounds Spell Cost: 15
XP Cost: 8
This spell aggravates local plate tectonics on Range: Self
planets. The resulting earthquake can be quite se- Damage: n/a
vere, depending on the caster. This spell can cause Area of Effect: Self
massive structural damage on a wide scale. It should Duration: Du minutes
always be used with care. Note that high-tech build-
ings are less susceptible to earthquakes than those of While many races can fly by natural means,
the twentieth century. others need machines or Lording. While the Lording
Cascade: Pressure Change, Break Earth, Amplify may not affect a living object, it can alter wind pat-
Vibrations, Attract Seismic Waves, Shuddering Earth terns and limit gravitational forces. Through careful
control it is possible to fly using the Lording alone.
Due to its short duration, such flight is most useful
Electromagnetic Pulse in reaching otherwise inaccessible places or dur-
Complexity: 10/5 ing combat. The rate of movement is based on the
Spell Cost: 15 Magnitude skill of the caster: Mg / 2 Mg / 10 Mg.
XP Cost: 6 This is expressed in the standard movement format,
Range: 2 Rn meters Walk/Run/Daily. While it is unlikely any character
Damage: Mg/2 EM will have enough Duration skill to use the daily
Area of Effect: 1 target value, it is included for completeness and for those
Duration: Instant with the spell bought as a Power.
Cascade: Levitation, Airfoil, Assisted Jump, Mid-
This is a relatively old spell, but it has seen Air Dodge, Airbrakes
much more use in recent times as cyborgs became
popular during the Human Empire. This spell creates
Force Shield
Page 166
a directed electromagnetic pulse which shorts out

electronics and shuts down cyborgs. See page xx for Complexity: 15/8
more detail about EM damage. Spell Cost: 10
Cascade: Electric Field, Magnetic Field, Direct XP Cost: 5
EM Pulse, Funnel EM Pulse Range: self
Damage: n/a

Flame Generation Duration: Du rounds
Complexity: 5/3
Spell Cost: 10 This spell creates a flexible, magnitized region of
XP Cost: 2 hardened air just outside the character’s clothing or
Range: Rn meters armor. It helps to protect the character by diverting
Damage: Mg Blunt impact and disrupting electromagnetic attacks. The
Area of Effect: Ae meters field acts like an Armor Value (see combat section)
Duration: Instant equal to the character’s Magnitude skill. Spending
double the Spell Points allows the caster to use the
This common spell allows the caster to use fire spell with an Area of Effect of Ae Meters, or with a
for a wide range of activities. From lighting a candle range of Rn meters, so as to include others in the
to acting as a flame thrower, this spell is highly effect.
adaptable and useful. Note that this spell is not Cascade: Magnetize Air, Harden Air, Flex
useable in environments without combustible mate- Hardened Air With My Movement, Allow Air Throgh
rial (e.g. outer space). The heat of the fire cauterizes

Field, Hand-held Sheild (allows martial arts parries in the visible, infrared, or ultraviolet spectrum,

of dangerous weapons) except for his or her eyes, which will be almost
impossible to spot (Observation check with target

number equal to 30 + Magnitude). Characters with
Ice Storm acute senses of smell and hearing (such as Valorians
Complexity: 8/4 and Caracts) will not be fooled. Characters who are

Spell Cost: 10 inside an Invisibilty spell will find it difficult to see,
XP Cost: 5 and take -10 to any checks related to vision while
Range: 2 Rn meters inside (including attacks).

Damage: Mg Slash Cascade: Bend Light, Mirrored Shell, Immobile
Area of Effect: 2 Ae meters Invisibility Shell
Duration: Du rounds

Ice Storm causes the atmosphere over the target
Killing Field

area to rapidly drop in temperature. This rapid cool-
ing causes vast amount os sharp jagged ice to rain Complexity: 14/7
down on the target area. Anyone caught in this at- Spell Cost: 15

tack receives Mg slashing damage each round he or XP Cost: 8
she stays in the area affected. Range: Self
Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Water, Freeze, Damage: Mg/2 Disint

Sharpen, Downwards Pull, Ice Slick, Freezing Wind, Area of Effect: 2 Ae meters
Hail, Cool Room Duration: Du rounds

This spell takes existing light, even the infrared
light radiated by warm bodies, and turns it into
Illumination

deadly gamma laser blasts. Anyone in the area of
Complexity: 4/2 effect, with the exception of the caster, takes Mg/2
Spell Cost: 1 Disintegration damage. Friends and foes are hit

XP Cost: 1 equally.
Range: Rn meters Cascade: Intensify Light, Invoke Light Coherence,
Damage: n/a Frequency Shift
Page 167
Area of Effect: 5 Ae meters
Lead Magnet
For the listed radius a soft light is shed, just about Complexity: 15/8
enough to read and see colors by. The light can be of Spell Cost: 10
any color you desire. XP Cost: 5

Cascade: Intensify Light, Frequency Shift Range: self
Damage: n/a

Invisibility Duration: Du rounds
Complexity: 20/10
Spell Cost: 15 The name of this spell is somewhat inaccurate.
XP Cost: 7 What it really does is make the spell’s subject a target
Range: Self for any hazardous phenomena, such as gunfire. Stray
Damage: n/a bullets just seem to be drawn towards him or her,
Area of Effect: Self and lasers reflect in the oddest ways off the build-
Duration: Du rounds ing behind the target. In game terms, add half of the
caster’s Magnitude to any rolls to hit the target in
The Invisibility spell makes the caster invisible combat. The reversed version of this spell, making
by warping space around him. This altered space a target harder to hit, can be learned as a separate
causes light waves to bend around him and exit the spell with the same statistics.
field on the same course they originally took. While Cascade: Hex (-1 to all of target’s rolls), Increase
this spell is in effect the caster is almost completely Probability (target gets +2 or -2 to do one particular
invisible. There are no tell-tale traces of his existence thing).
This spell must be cast on an existing patch of
mud. Though it is perfectly legal to lug around a
Light Control bucket of water and make your own mud, it may
Complexity: 30/15 be rather heavy. When cast, a monster will rise up
Spell Cost: 15 from the mud, under the caster’s control. It can fol-
XP Cost: 11 low him or her around, cary objects with a Strength
Range: Rn meters rating equal to the caster’s Lording stat, attack foes
Damage: n/a (Damage: 5 + Lrd Blunt, use Targeting instead of
Area of Effect: Ae meters Martial Arts: Offensive and Defensive), or do pretty
Duration: Du rounds much anything else that a humanoid mound of mud
could do. It can slip through cracks in a door, but this
This potent spell allows the caster to create re- is typically useless because the caster would not be
alistic illusions in mid-air! The believability of these able to see the monster and thus could not direct the
illusions is usually governed by the way they appear. spell. The monster has a Stamina of Mg/2 and a size
For instance, having a half-dozen mecha appear from of 5 for the purposes of determining wound levels.
nowhere may not be very believable. Having a pair Cascade: Mud Pillar, Mud Statue, Harden Mud,
enhancement suits walk around the corner is much Strengthen Mud, Glove of Mud (hand is clean after-
easier to believe. As with all illusions, Ogres can see wards), Clean Up
right through them. Some Archmagi have taken to
hiding inside their illusions and using a Laser Blast
spell to give their illusions some bite. Plasma Blast
Cascade: Bend Light, Shift Light Color, Focus Complexity: 10/5
Light, Refracting Space, Mirror, Invoke Coherence, Spell Cost: 15
Boost/Drain Intensity, Persistence of Light, Sculpt XP Cost: 9
Light, Holographic Accuracy Range: Rn meters
Damage: 2 Mg Disint
Magma Control Duration: Instant
Complexity: 19/10
Spell Cost: 12 By superheating the air around his hand and
XP Cost: 4 throwing it at his opponents, an Archmage can do
Range: Rn km impressive amounts of damage. Plasma damage is
Damage: 2 Mg Disint considered to be half fire damage and half impact
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Area of Effect: 5 Ae meters damage for creatures such as Ogres (some of whom
Duration: Instant take less damage from fire). The plasma blast will
also explode when it hits, doing damage to every-
By casting this spell the caster unleashes a geyser one within Ae meters. This is similar to many other
of magma on his foes, injuring ground troops and generic attack spells, like Laser Blast, Cold Blast, etc.
even low-flying aircraft. This spell only works if ad nauseum.
there is existing rock available and visible — if the Cascade: Superheat Gas, Touch Plasma, Plasma
caster knows there is rock beneath the metal floor, it Touch, Project Plasma, Hot Air
doesn’t count, due to the Principle of Vision.
Cascade: Massive Heat Increase, Shape Stone,
Throw Magma, Pressure Change Poison Gas
Complexity: 10/5
Spell Cost: 15
Mud Puppet XP Cost: 7
Complexity: 25/13 Range: 2 Rn meters
Spell Cost: 20 Damage: 2 Mg Blunt
XP Cost: 8 Area of Effect: Ae meters
Range: Rn meters Duration: Du rounds
Damage: Special
Area of Effect: Special This spell creates a region of poison gas, similar
Duration: Du rounds to mustard and tear gas. Anyone inside the area of
effect will take 2 Mg Blunt damage per round until

they leave. Full environmental armor will provide Damage: n/a

100% protection, but oxygen masks will only give Area of Effect: Self
an effective Armor Rating of 5. The caster should Duration: Du minutes

beware any sudden shifts of the wind, which could
send the poison gas flowing back at him. There’s no reason that a sufficiently skilled
Cascade: This is really just a transmutation spell Archmage couldn’t just soften, bend, harden, and

with range added on. No cascade. sculpt materials by force of will alone, but it sure
helps to have it all guided by your own hands. Any
rock, metal, or plastic can be sculpted as if it were

Probability Involution clay when this spell is used.
Complexity: 20/10 Cascade: Soften Rock and Metal, Harden Rock
Spell Cost: 20

and Metal, Telekinetic Glove, Change Plasticity
XP Cost: 9
Range: Rn meters
Silent Tread

Damage: n/a
Area of Effect: 1 Target Complexity: 14/7
Duration: Du minutes Spell Cost: 10

XP Cost: 3
For targets of this spell life is a bit strange. Things Range: Self
that should go horribly wrong end up turning out just Damage: n/a

fine, and the best efforts lead to the worst results. In Area of Effect: Self
game terms, any rolls involving the target turn into Duration: Du rounds
21 minus the roll. Natural 1’s always succeed, and

natural 20’s always fail. Things are just plain weird The Silent Tread spell is a perfect addition to the
for the target as well; these effects are up to the Invisibility spell — it removes any sound that the

GM. caster makes. Breathing, walking, even talking, are
Cascade: Reverse Probability (the no-duration masked so that not even the caster can hear himself.
version), Weirdness Magnet (the self-only version), Add Magnitude to the character’s stealth skill when

Hex, Blessing invisible, or one half Magnitude when not invisible.
This spell has no other effects.
Cascade: Dampen Sound, Countervibration
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Purify Common Scrap
Complexity: 18/9
Spell Cost: 20 Shape Armor
XP Cost: 5 Complexity: 20/10
Range: Touch Spell Cost: 10
Damage: n/a XP Cost: 7

Area of Effect: Ae kilograms Range: self
Duration: Instant Damage: n/a

Area of Effect: Ae kg
This spell takes metal scrap and turns it into nice Duration: Instant
neat blocks of base metals. Useful for removing pol-
lutants and impurities from existing metal as well, or The next step up from “Shape By Hand,” this spell
turning raw ore into workable metal. The Inuueliting takes raw materials and turns them into a hardened,
never figured out how to smelt Aluminum ore into folded, tempered titanium suit of plate mail. No
pure Aluminum; they just used this spell. touching, no time investment, just pure magic and
Cascade: Various and sundry transmutation transmutation. To cast this spell the mage must have
spells. working knowledge of how to create such armor in
the first place — level 15 skill in the Weapons and
Armor skill should be sufficient. The resulting armor
Sculpt by Hand has an AR of 10.
Complexity: 10/5 Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Titanium, Shape
Spell Cost: 10 Titanium, Fold Metal, Harden Metal
XP Cost: 5
Range: Touch
Area of Effect: 1 target
Shrink Self Duration: 1 round
Complexity: 20/10
Spell Cost: 10 The normal cost for telekinesis is 1 spell point
XP Cost: 9 per round (continuous casting is required; no
Range: Self other actions are possible). If bought as a Power
Damage: n/a Telekinesis costs the character 20 permanent spell
Area of Effect: Self points. This spell allows the caster to pick up objects,
Duration: Du minutes manipulate buttons and levers, and do anything he
or she could do by hand. The Strength rating is equal
Caractingessen and Ogres are quite fond of this to the caster’s Lording stat, with Visualization replac-
spell, as it allows them to cut their size in half and ing Dexterity.
enter Human-sized buildings. The caster’s statistics Cascade: Tow (just pulls something behind you),
are not affected at all. Anything the caster is carrying Shove, Tactile Telekinesis (replaces your Strength
is also shrunken to half its normal size. Casting this with your Lording for hand-held use)
several times in a row is cumulative — for instance,
an Archmage might cast this spell three times and
be reduced to one eighth of his or her true size. Telescope
However, if the caster is caught in an area too small Complexity: 10/5
for him or her when the spell wears off, he will Spell Cost: 5
take his own Strength in damage when expanding, XP Cost: 3
and will be forced out into the nearest space that Range: Rn kilometers
will hold him or her. This spell is often bought as a Damage: n/a
power, in which case it can be turned on and off as Area of Effect: Self
the caster desires. Duration: Du rounds
Cascade: Compress Space, Distance Distortion,
Reduce Mass, Shrink Object (by touch) The caster is able to see things up to Rn km away
as if they were just one meter distant. This can also
be turned into a Microscope spell, allowing the
Sphere of Silence caster to view very small things. Remember, this
Complexity: 16/8 spell won’t let you see through walls or around cor-
Spell Cost: 10 ners! It will, however, allow you to see into different
XP Cost: 4 spectrums, such as infrared or ultraviolet light.
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Range: Rn meters Cascade: Lens of Air, Distance Distortion,

Damage: n/a Frequency Shift
Temperature Shift
This spell is similar to Silent Tread, in that it Complexity: 12/6
masks all sound. However, those who are inside Spell Cost: 3+
the sphere can hear each other perfectly, and can XP Cost: 4
even hear those outside the sphere. Anyone outside Range: 10 Rn meters
the sphere cannot hear what is going on inside. The Damage: usually n/a
spell can also be reversed, so that those inside can- Area of Effect: 10 Ae meters
not hear anything happening outside. Duration: Instant
Cascade: Dampen Silence, Immobile Sound
Shell, Lesser Countervibration This seemingly simple spell has dozens of appli-
cations for the inventive. The number of spell points
funneled into this spell determines the severity of the
Telekinesis temperature change.
Complexity: 10/5 3 SP: Mild shift. Up to 5 degrees Celsius or 10
Spell Cost: 1 (20) degrees Fahrenheit. Enough to make things comfort-
XP Cost: 6 able.
Range: Rn meters 10 SP: Strong shift. 15 degrees C, 30 degrees
Damage: n/a F. Enough to make things quite uncomfortable, and

make people wish they were wearing different cloth-

ing.
Tesseract
20 SP: Severe shift. 30 degrees C, 60 degrees F. Complexity: 30/15
Spell Cost: 50

Enough to turn the hottest day into bitter cold.
40 SP: Radical shift. 60 degrees C, 120 degrees XP Cost: 13
F. This will turn an already hot or cold day downright Range: 2 Rn light years

deadly, inflicting up to 5 Blunt damage per round. Damage: n/a
Armor doesn’t protect unless it is environmentally Area of Effect: 10 Ae tons
sealed or insulated. Duration: Instant

80 SP: Wrenching shift. 120 degrees C, 240
degrees F. Enough to instantly boil liquids in the af- This is one of the most potent and difficult
Lordings known. It allows the caster to instantly

fected area, or freeze carbon dioxide into solid form.
Inflicts up to 20 Blunt damage, maximum of caster’s teleport a small starship many light-years away.
Mg score. There is one important limitation on this — the ship
must begin and end the trip far away from a planet or

160 SP: Extreme shift. 240 degrees C, 480 de-
grees F. Enough to boil plastics, melt some soft met- star, since the gravity would tear the tesseract apart
als, or turn the air into liquid form. Inflicts up to 50 and destroy the ship. For Halla, this Lording is much

Disint damage, to a maximum of twice the caster’s easier to learn, requiring only 15/8 Complexity.
Mg score. Cascade: Line-of-sight Tesseract, Spatial
The caster is affected by this spell if he or she Corridor, Personal Tesseract (no extra mass), Spatial

is in the area of effect. Once the shift is cast the Connection (makes jumps easier from the other
surrounding conditions begin to return the area to side).

normal immediately. This spell is best used in con-
fined areas. Using it in an open field will mean that Time Shield
the shift lasts only a few rounds, while a sealed room Complexity: 24/12

could take an hour to return to normal. Spell Cost: 40
Cascade: Intensify Heat, Reduce Heat, touch- XP Cost: 12
only version, non-ranged version Range: Self

Damage: n/a
Temporal Distortion Area of Effect: Self
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Complexity: 16/8 Duration: Du rounds
Spell Cost: 10
XP Cost: 11 By slowing time in front of himself or herself the
Range: Rn meters caster makes it easier to dodge incoming attacks.
Damage: n/a Add half of the caster’s Magnitude score to his or her
dodge and parry ratings. The effect is quite notice-

Duration: Du minutes able, as anything that goes through the area of effect
will be slowed, light included! The caster will seem

This spell causes time to run slightly faster or to be surrounded by a bubble of water or dense
slower in the area of effect. This will be totally un- plastic.
noticeable to those inside, but will make interaction Cascade: Temporal Distortion, Slow-time
between outside and inside difficult and humor- Bubble, Immobile version
ous. The maximum effect that can be achieved is
a doubling or halving of timeflow. This is useful for Unexpected Reach
speeding chemical reactions, slowing bomb timers, Complexity: 20/10
getting your laundry to dry faster, or just for mischeif. Spell Cost: 5 (40)
If used in combat it can give up to +2 or -2 actions XP Cost: 8
per round (to a minimum of one action per round) to Range: Rn meters
anyone who stays inside the bubble of effect. Damage: n/a
Cascade: Adjust Watch, Catalyze Reaction, Area of Effect: Self
Accelerate Self, Slow Bullets (gives +2 to dodge) Duration: Instant
By warping space for one tiny instant, you can
take a hand-to-hand attack at someone who is a dis- Weather Control
tance away equal to your Range skill. For instance, Complexity: 30/15
someone with Range skill of 10 could hit someone Spell Cost: 30
with a sword from 10 meters away. If your target isn’t XP Cost: 4
expecting this kind of attack, you recieve +5 to hit Range: Rn kilometers
— it’s quite surprising to have someone punch you Damage: n/a
from across the room! Note that this is not useful Area of Effect: Ae kilometers
for Space Troopers trying to cut through things. Their Duration: Du minutes
ability requires constant contact with the surface
they’re cutting. Controlling the weather is a very taxing feat.
If you know this spell at the lower Complexity However, it is possible for the determined. The
level, you have to cast it with one action and attack weather created need not be appropriate to the
with your next action. If you know it at the higher area — it is possible to make snow fall in the des-
level (or as a Power), you can activate the spell as ert, though it will not fall for very long after the
you attack. If this spell is learned as a power, the spell ends. The caster has almost total control over
mage must permanetly 40 Spell Points instead of the temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and other
usual cost. This spell is limited by the Principle of factors. This may not create natural disasters — no
Vision, so you can’t punch someone standing on the hurricanes, blizzards, torrential downpours, or tor-
other side of a wall. The spell is also of rather short nadoes. The spell also takes eight minutes to cast.
duration, so picking a pocket is impossible (though Every 20 Spell Points added to the casting cost will
quickly snatching something off a table is possible). cut the casting time in half. Remember the Principle
Cascade: Distance Distortion of Vision: this spell can only affect weather that the
caster can actually see or otherwise perceive. If your
character is inside, looking out through a south-fac-
Unstable Phase Change ing window, then only the southern sky’s weather
Complexity: 14/7 can be changed.
Spell Cost: 10 Cascade: Transmute Nitrogen to Water, Water to
XP Cost: 6 Nitrogen, Pressure Shift, Temperature Shift, Humidity
Range: Rn meters Shift, Move Air, Static Buildup, and spells for specific
Damage: n/a weather conditions, such as hail, rain, flurry, wind,
Area of Effect: Ae kilograms etc.
Duration: Concentration
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A block of material, which could be on its own Web

or could be part of a larger object, changes phase. Complexity: 17/9
Solid objects can be turned into liquid or gas, Spell Cost: 15
and vice versa. The material’s temperature doesn’t XP Cost: 2
change; the caster has effectively rewritten the laws Range: Rn meters
of chemistry so that (for instance) water isn’t a liquid Damage: n/a

at room temperature any more. Quite useful for get- Area of Effect: Ae targets
ting out of locked rooms, picking up a cube of water Duration: Permanent
when you don’t have a bucket, turning someone’s
armor into a little titanium puddle, etc. When used This spell causes thousands of spider webs,
against armor this spell reduces Armor Rating by which shoot forth from the caster’s hands and cover
half the caster’s Magnitude skill. This spell is called an area in front of him. These webs stretch from
“unstable” because it lapses as soon as the caster ceiling to floor, across the hall, from ground to tree,
stops concentrating, not because of any explosive or and person to person, all connected to each other.
chemical instabilities. They will completely trap anyone inside, requiring a
Cascade: specific spells for various materials, damage level equal to the Mg of the caster to break.
Strengthen Material, Weaken Material The webs are permanent once created, but may be
burned off or broken.
Cascade: Transmute Air to Gunk (yeah, yeah, we
know, it’s a technical name), Sticky Hands, Spray of
Webs, Sticky Floor, Velcro Wall

Duelists

Wrath of God
Complexity: 16/8

Spell Cost: 25 Most Archmagi will tell you that one of the
XP Cost: 9 fundamental limits of Lording is its inability to affect

Range: 2 Rn meters living beings. Sure, you can transmute a vial of blood
Damage: 2 Mg Disint to acid, but try to do that to the blood in someone’s
Area of Effect: 3 Ae meters veins? Nothing happens. There is something innate

Duration: Du rounds about the Lords dimension that forces even the most
powerful practitioners of Lording to affect only unliv-
The caster of this dangerous spell must take care ing objects. You can pick a person up and move him

not to catch himself inside the area of effect. Anyone or her around, but you can’t really change anything.
inside will take 2 Mg Disintegration damage as
Another limitation, so the archmagi say, is that

plasma rains from the sky, whether they are friend,
foe, or the caster. This will continue for a number of nothing can be created or destroyed. Matter can be
rounds equal to the caster’s effective Duration skill, transmuted, energy can be moved around, but you

as long as they targets stay within the area of effect. never really create anything.
Unlike Antimatter Generation, the caster may vary
the area of effect, so as not to take damage from their However, there is a small percentage of the

own spells. population who are known as Duelists. Instead of
Cascade: Plasma Blast is a cascade spell for this the normal Lording skills of Magnitude, Complexity,
one. Wrath of God is really just Plasma Blast with and so forth, Duelists learn only five skills: Healing,

a bunch of stuff tacked on (or, to think of it another Lording Development, Sense, Summoning, and
way, Plasma Blast is Wrath of God with a lot of limi- Traveling. Only Classed characters can be Duelists,
not Ultramercs. Archangels cannot be Duelists.

tations).
Duelists are not made, they are born. Anyone who
wants to play a Duelist should note it on their char-

acter sheet somewhere.
Before discussing what Duelists can do, you
Page 173
should be aware of the drawbacks of playing
one. First, you can never learn any other Lording
skills, with the exception of Lording Development.
Second, Duelists have fewer skill points to spend:
10 less than what their class gives them. The training

needed to focus Duelist abilities is substantial. Third
and last, Duelists are not always free to do what they
want. Sometimes a direct command will come from

the Lords (see below). The Duelist must follow it, or
risk losing favor.
The benefit of being a Duelist is that you can

break those two “Laws of the Lording.” With the
Healing skill, you can remove grievous wounds from
your allies. Not only that, but you regenerate amaz-
ingly quickly — at the end of each round (remember,
a round is 10 seconds), remove the most damaging
wound on your character sheet, until you are healed.
You cannot regenerate from death. Your Summoning
power lets you create a weapon from nowhere, and
other objects too if you’re good enough. Traveling,
possibly the most potent ability a Duelist has, lets
them travel back and forth between the Lords dimen-
sion. Duelists do not use Spell Points, but their abili-
ties do cost them Fatigue points. If the Duelist has leave very confusing corpses, with no obvious cause
insufficient Fatigue points remaining, the universe of death.
makes up the difference and the power still works,
but the character is knocked unconscious for 10 sec-
onds for each point of Fatigue they’re short. Healing
The exact number of Duelists out there is up Roll versus Healing skill using the table below to
for debate. There seems to be about ten or twelve heal someone’s wounds. You must actually touch the
of them for every billion people, so they are quite person, skin to skin, for this to take effect — someone
rare. Different species have different percentages of in environmentally sealed armor cannot be healed!
Duelist, with the largest being Humans, Budetug, Remember also that this does not affect cybernetics
and Ogres. Species with a high Lording index tend — only living organic matter may be healed. First
to have fewer Duelists among them. There are no aid may still be administered before or after this at-
Archangel Duelists, nor are there any Ultramerc tempt. Healing always costs some Fatigue points. If
Duelists. Duelists seem particularly rare among not enough Fatigue points are available, the Duelist
Platinum Inuueliting, but their population is so low is knocked out for 10 seconds for each point he or
anyway that it’s hard to tell. she is short.
Latent Duelists Healing Chart

Target Effect
It is possible to create a character with “latent” 10 Stop external bleeding, costs 1 Fatigue
Duelist powers, as long as that character has no
other Lording skills. He or she has the potential to 12 Remove dizziness or other similar
become a Duelist, but has never trained sufficiently condition, costs 2 Fatigue
to activate the powers. By spending 100 experience 15 Heal one wound, costs 3 Fatigue
points over the course of a few in-game years a char-
17 Stop internal bleeding, costs 4 Fatigue
acter can open up his or her potential as a Duelist,
gaining the ability to regenerate and access to the 20 Mend sprain or hairline fracture, repair
four Duelist skills. temporary blindness or deafness, costs
5 Fatigue
Latent Duelists are very rare indeed. Most people 25 Mend broken bones, costs 6 Fatigue for
with this sort of potential discover it early in their large bones or 3 for small ones
Page 174
lives and develop it as soon as possible. You should

check with your GM to make sure he or she is will- 28 Mend shattered bones, costs 7 fatigue for
ing to allow your character to be a latent Duelist. large bones or 4 for small ones.
45 Regenerate a limb! Eyes, ears, antennae,
etc. not allowed. Must be an arm,
A Duelist’s Powers leg, tentacle, or wing. This costs 20
Fatigue. Can only be tried twice by

any one Duelist.
Regeneration
Summoning
Duelists heal their own wounds astoundingly
quickly and without any effort on their own part. A Duelist with this power can create a power-
At the end of each round remove the most severe ful, unbreakable sword from out of nowhere. While
wound on the Duelist’s character sheet. You should not all Duelists choose swords as their weapon,
also remove one level worth of Bleed. This ap- most tend towards that. Target number to Summon
plies only to physical combat, not mental combat. a Duelist’s Sword is 16. The sword disappears when
Duelists who take their last Mortal wound can still it is no longer needed, and the Duelist may only
regenerate (since they are still alive, just bleeding have one at a time. No spell points need to be spent.
to death). The bodies of Duelists who are killed do (Note: even if a Duelist has a hand chopped off,
still regenerate, but the character is still dead. They the sword will appear in a different hand instantly!)
The sword’s damage rating is equal to the Duelist’s

Summoning skill plus their Lording attribute, and it Archmage). The roll to stay in the Lords Dimension

does Slashing criticals. is target number 15, and must be made every round
(+2 per person brought along). Returning to the

Duelist swords may parry photon blades. Much Positive Dimension is automatic. The crossing in
like a photon blade, they do not add Strength to either direction takes 2 seconds and costs 2 fatigue.
damage.

Summoning other matter is much more difficult.
Not only is the target number higher, but bad luck (a Lording Development

roll of 1 on the skill check) brings something that is
harmful to the Duelist. The more that is summoned, Most mages use Lording Development to gain
extra spell points. However, Duelists don’t use spell

the harder the roll will be. Also, a Duelist cannot
summon complex matter, such as a computer board, points. Instead, they use fatigue. When a Duelist
handgun, or anything more complex than a wind-up learns Lording Development, each level of skill adds

toy. Swiss watches are out of the question. one point of Fatigue, which can only be used to fuel
Duelist powers.
All summoned material is brought directly to

the Duelist’s hand. The abbreviation “kg” stands for
kilograms in the table below. For those unfamiliar Sense Overdraw
with the metric system, a kilogram is roughly two

pounds. This power is very confusing to most Duelists,
since there is no obvious reason for its existence.

Summoning Chart Those Duelists who are on better terms with the
Lords have some idea of why it exists, but no cer-
Target Number Fatigue Material Summoned
tain proof. The Duelist may automatically sense the

per kg amount of damage done to the Negative Dimension
12+5 per kg 1 Benign Gas (oxygen, in the surrounding area — in other words, how
nitrogen, helium)

much someone has overdrawn recently. GM’s dis-
13+5 per kg 1 Benign Liquid (water, cretion as to how long ago it can be sensed. Heavy
alcohol, oil) overdrawing can be sensed up to two weeks in the
Page 175
15+5 per kg 2 Non-metalic solid past, while a spell point or two of overdraw might
vanish within an hour.
(wood, ice, stone)
20+5 per kg 3 Light Metal (aluminum) No concentration is required — this is as easy
25+5 per kg 4 Poison Gas (chlorine, as hearing, and no skill check is required. The GM
nerve gas) must tell a Duelist when someone has overdrawn

25+5 per kg 5 Poison Liquid (mer- recently. By making a Sense roll, target number 25,
cury) the Duelist can try to find out something about what

kind of spell was cast with the Overdrawn spell
30+5 per kg 6 Heavy Metal (gold,
points.
iron)
40+5 per kg 7 Radioactive material
(Uranium, Plutonium)
Traveling
This difficult but incredibly useful power al-
lows the Duelist to travel to the Lords dimension
(also known as the Negative Dimension, described
below). Target number is 25. The Duelist may bring
other people along with him or her, at +5 to the
target number per person (or +10 if that person is an
How long someone can stay in the Lords
The Lords Dimension Dimension depends only on the favor of the local
Lords. Annoyed Lords who don’t want to be both-
Otherwise known as the Negative Dimension, ered have the power to kick unwanted visitors out of
this strange universe borders our own, touching it at their domains, and back into the real world.
every point. The landscape in the Lords Dimension
is a mirror of our own in terms of where objects are Making Deals
— a wall will be in the same place, a desk will have
papers on it. None of these may be moved within The Lords typically only ask for one or two dif-
the Lords Dimension, though someone who is there ferent things when making deals with Duelists. They
may pass through them easily. The Lords Dimension either want a certain Archmage tracked down and
seems somewhat dim and hazy to visitors from our punished for overdrawing, or a certain Lording arti-
dimension. fact recovered and brought to the Lords dimension
for them. Once in a while they will ask the Duelist
Any object which is damaged in the Positive to act as messenger, or ask for strange, incomprehen-
Dimension (what most people would call the sible things (“Go to Melenkurion Station and circle
“real world”) becomes more solid in the Negative it three times, in the direction of its spin, in a shuttle
Dimension. Overdrawing is the worst culprit, mak- weighing no more than one hundred metric tons.”).
ing areas turn nearly solid for days on end. Solid
objects still cannot be moved, but they cannot be In return, the Duelist can ask for a favor. This
passed through either. This is somehow harmful to could either be more intense training in the ways of
the Lords, who sometimes enlist Duelists to hunt a Duelist (there are several advanced powers which
down Archmagi who overdraw too often. Many will be discussed in a later supplement), or ask for a
Duelists, however, know next to nothing about the longer stay in the Lords Dimension. During this stay
Lords. the Duelist will be accompanied by the Lord for the
entire duration, and might be able to stay for several
The Lords are large, shadowy, immortal beings. days without needing to roll Traveling. The Lords can
Most of them seem humanoid, though some are also, if they feel that they have gotten a very good
shaped like nothing ever seen. They have no power deal from a trusted Duelist, transport people from
over the physical world, but are nearly omnipotent one point in the Lords dimension to another.
in the Lords dimension, and a Duelist who is on
Page 176
good terms with his or her Lord can sometimes trade The Lords always honor their bargains. Anyone
favors. While this is not useful in combat (it just takes who stiffs them had better be prepared for some seri-
too long to strike the bargain), the favors can be quite ous righteous supernatural anger.
helpful. Lords may never manifest in the physical di-
mension. Some say that they are trapped there, oth-
ers say that they simply have no positive part to them
and exist only in the negative dimension.
When in the Lords dimension, a Duelist can pass

through physical objects, speak with nearby Lords,
directly see the effects of Overdrawing, and seek
asylum from pursuing foes who aren’t Duelists. This
isn’t all fun and games, though. Bullets also appear
in the Lords dimension, and they are considered to
be heavily damaged from the rifling on a gun barrel.
Fragments of grenades are also considered “dam-
aged,” and can rip apart a Duelist in the Negative
Dimension just as easily as in the Positive. Duelists
can still be hurt by projectile weapons while in the
Negative Dimension, and shooting a door (without
destroying it) will make it impassable to a Duelist for
up to an hour.

The Lattice
BS. Image enhancement is good, but not that good.

A computer program cannot “extrapolate” to figure
out what the other side of an object looks like.

5. Computers are not creative. They are extreme-
An Overview ly literal for the most part. Artificial Intelligences and

especially Independent Thinkers (described on page
xx) might have some small measure of creativity, but
The galaxy-wide communications network in no ordinary computer will ever give you worthwhile

the Milky Way is officially known as the ITCS — the original suggestions on how to solve a problem. This
Interstellar Tesseract Communications System. Most is not to say that a computer can’t be programmed
people, though, simply call it the Lattice.

with useful hints or tips, but a living person has to do
the programming.
The Lattice is the internet of 592. Much like the
internet in the 21st century, it is primarily filled with

out-of-date information, poorly written content, and
pornography. Also like the current internet, it has a Parts of the Lattice

vast amount of useful information for those with the
tools to find it. The Lattice is made up of home computers, gov-
ernment and business computers, tachyon relays,

Before we dig into the nitty-gritty rules for using and (most importantly) tesseract relay stations. These
computers in a game of Valence, let’s go over what relay stations that form the “backbone” of the Lattice,
computers can and can’t do. This will sound really and allow for almost instantaneous communication

simplistic to some people, but it’s important stuff to across the galaxy.
know.

The information found on the Lattice could be
1. Anything that’s not in a computer cannot be stored in almost any computer, but the larger and
accessed by computer. If something never got typed more popular sites are all “housed” in servers that

in, never got spoken into a microphone, and never are designed specifically for high-bandwidth trans-
got captured on camera, then it’s not in a computer. fers. Very popular sites, such as Genetech’s public
Ditto for something that’s stored on a dataring — Joe site, are dupicated on thousands of computers across
Page 177
the Banker might have an important document on a the galaxy so that everyone can have easy access
dataring that he carries with him, but the chance that to them. While most people in the galaxy write a
he left it in his computer is pretty slim. homepage for themselves as a grade school project,
it won’t get many visitors.
2. Computers that are not connected to the

Lattice cannot be contacted through the Lattice, Most communications on a planet will be
no matter how good of a hacker you are. Likewise, through fiber-optic cables or satellite relay. This is
a computer virus cannot infect a computer that is so inexpensive that your average housewife can’t
Valence Main Rulebook: The Lattice

not exposed to it. If you keep disks away from your tell from her phone bills whether the kids have been
computer and don’t connect it to the Lattice, then calling someone next door or someone on another
it’s completely immune to any hacker (unless you’re continent. Sending a message off-planet requires a
dumb enough to leave that computer sitting on the
park bench one day).
Dorks Only
3. It always takes less time to encode something
than to decode it. If your rival encodes his e-mail in Warning: If your character has a computer
30 seconds, it will take significantly longer for you solely for the purpose of conducting internet
to decode it. If you have a worse computer, it may searches, e-mail, buying things online, and
take years. maybe a few games, you should skip the rest
of this chapter. It’s only for those who are re-
4. You know that stuff in the movies where a ally interested, such as those playing Interface
computer enhances a grainy, fuzzy image to perfect Knights. Just pick one of the computers on page
clarity, so you can read the serial number of a dollar xx; it’ll be plenty good enough.
bill from a mile away? That’s a load of hooey. Total
tachyon relay, which can cost a few dozen sections
to set up (depending on how far the message is sent). A few years before the Fall, the Empire funded
For communications from one sector to another, the an ambitious project to explore alternate com-
cost can run anywhere between §100 (for neighbor- puter concepts abandoned hundreds of years ear-
ing sectors) to §15,000 (for a comlink all the way lier. After the Demon invasion, just as the Empire
to the Greater Magellanic Clouds). Only the really finally crumbled, many new computing ideas finally
successful Interface Knights, or those sponsored by proved profitable. A new renaissance in computer
corporations, can afford to hack their way across the technology has come, and speeds are still climbing.
galaxy. While computers are not as pervasive (and perhaps
invasive) as they once were, they are still important
to everyone from housewives to starship captains.
Computers in 592
Computing Power
In the early days of the Empire, computers were
How powerful are computers in 592? One the
an important and ubiquitous part of Human life. The
size of your thumbnail would have more computing
older species had always used computers, but not to
power than all of the machines in early 21st century
the pervasive extent that Humanity did. In the long
Earth put together. Describing Valence computers in
run, this turned out to be an instinct that served the
modern terms just wouldn’t make sense, so for game
older species well. For Humanity, however, cyber-
terms we use abstract measures of Speed, Power,
netic interfaces and powerful microscopic comput-
Flow, and Memory.
ers gave them an edge that many were reluctant to
surrender.
Speed measures how fast a computer can per-
form a single task. It is roughly equivelant to mod-
The effectiveness of the galaxy’s computers
ern-day megahertz, gigahertz, or terahertz. In 592
had plateaued during the Budetug empire. Electric
the average “home computer” has a Speed of 10.
computers had been stretched to their limits for
millennia. When Humanity came onto the scene,
Power measures how well a computer can coor-
their mixture of Valorian quantum equations and
dinate multiple operations and perform them simul-
Sa’crontorian optics designs blew away traditional
taneously. This is sometimes called “multitasking,”
computers. While it was only a matter of time until
though more synergistic effects exist than that term
the galaxy as a whole caught up, the trade in com-
implies. Power is roughly equivelant, in 21st-century
puter technologies gave Humanity an “in” to the
Page 178
terms, to having multiple processors. A computer

galactic exchange.
with higher Power can perform more complex op-
erations, and run more programs at once. In 592 the
In the early days of Humanity’s quest for an
average “home computer” has a Power of 10.
empire, the ideas used in cybernetics were routinely
coupled to powerful computers. Even the Halla were

Flow measures how quickly a computer can
unable to defeat Human pilots in space battles, and
push information through itself. This is roughly
parallel processors allowed for far-ranging battle
equivelant to having a higher-bandwith connection
planning and troop placement calculation. Massive
in modern times. Computers with higher Flow can
vessels were run by one cyber-enhanced individual
analyze more information at once, and make good
and a horde of computers.
high-volume Lattice servers. In 592 the average
“home computer” has a Flow of 2. For each point of
Once intelligent computers were introduced to
Flow the computer can move one block of Memory
the equation, things changed radically. No longer
into, through, or out of itself per second.
could a ship be run totally by computer, the way
they were during the forging of the Empire. The pos-
Memory measures how much data a com-
sibility that a computer loyal to the other side could
puter can store at once. This is roughly equivelant
take over a pilot’s cyborg half, and the rest of the ship
to modern-day gigabytes, terrabytes, and petabytes
with it, was too dangerous to risk. The Fall cemented
of memory (not hard drive space). A computer with
this idea, as many intelligent computers sided with
more Memory can have more data easily available,
the Demons. Research into cybernetics ground to a
and can have more programs running (or ready to
halt.

run at a moment’s notice). In 592 the average “home size and have +3 to Cost,

computer” has a Memory of 20. but some people use Cost Chart
them anyway.

Remember, Memory doesn’t rate a computer’s Cost Multiplier
hard drive; it’s more like its RAM. Computers in 592 Miniaturized com- < -10 10%
use optical data networks to store data in the long puters are possible but -5 20%

term, but store short-term information in electron are made with more -3 30%
spin states. costly methods. A com- -2 50%
puter from palm-sized

-1 75%
to finger-sized has +2 0 normal
Building Computers Cost, while one down +1 150%

to fingernail-sized has +2 x2
See the sample computers below and the +4 Cost, and one small
+3 x3
Equipment section of this book for a few computers enough to get lost in
+4 x5

that your characters could buy. It’s also possible to your pocket lint has +10
+5 x8
build computers part-by-part, but it’s not very com- Cost. Most computers
+6 x13
mon. Usually only Interface Knights bother to do this size use wireless
+7 x21

this, or someone who’s creating a research computer communication, and still
+8 x34
or starship mainframe. need a monitor if they’re +9 x55
going to be effective.

+10 x89
The basic household computer mentioned Miniaturizing a quantum
+11 x144
above (Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 2, Memory 20) or DNA computer is not
+12 x233
costs §2000 with a nice holographic display. Adding possible yet — Infosoft

+13 x377
Interface Jack access (see page xx) costs another and Armageddon are
+14 x610
§1000 in most regions, though this could increase working on it.
+15 x987

due to legal restrictions.
+16 x1597
As far as “hard drive +17 x2584
To increase any of the computer’s statistics, use space” goes, computers +18 x4181

the following modifiers and the Cost Chart on the in 592 have as much as +19 x6765
right. You can also use this system to simulate a you coul want. If you +20 x10,946
computer that was built many years ago, and is thus want something portable
Page 179
less powerful and cheaper than modern ones — just (the equivalent of a CD),
subtract instead of adding cost. the most common unit is
the Dataring. Datarings hold 10 blocks of memory
+2 Speed adds +1 Cost — enough for 10 programs, or a million smaller
+2 Power adds +1 Cost files such as spreadsheets, movie files, or pictures.

+1 Flow adds +1 Cost They’re about three centimeters across, look like
+5 Memory adds +1 Cost little tubes of plastic bent into a circle, and cost
about §10 each.
There are also different types of computer to
choose from. Most computers are a mix of electronic “Sludge Memory” is also available. It has the
and optical components, but some rare models are advantage that it’s not affected by electromagnetic
based on quantum computing or genetic comput- pulses or phase pulses (both of which can destroy
ing. computer data). It is exceptionally slow (a computer
using it would have a maximum effective Speed
Quantum computers have +4 to Speed and -4 score of 0), but a cubic centimeter of it holds 100
to Power. They are exceptionally good at breaking blocks of memory and costs §40.
encryption. Some IKs prefer quantum computers be-
cause they can overwhelm slower computers. DNA
computers have +4 to Power and -4 to Speed, and
are good at analyzing very complex situations. Some
IKs prefer these for their excellent defensive capa-
bilities. Neither one is really suitable for everyday
use, since they have to be at least one cubic meter in
Sample Computers Decent IK Computer (§69,000)
A good starting computer for an Interface Knight.
Here are a few computers to use in your own This fits easily in a backpack, with plenty of room for
game when you don’t feel like taking the time to other stuff. Comes with a holographic display, basic
create one beforehand. Remember, the standard software, Interface Jack access, and a NanoCloud in-
desktop or laptop computer has Speed 10, Power 10, terface (see page xx). A wireless Lattice connection
Flow 2, and Memory 20, and costs §2,000. is included for free, which works on most industrial-
ized worlds. It has Speed 16, Power 14, Flow 3, and
Pocket Computer (§1,000) Memory 30.
Folds up to fit in a pocket. A laser projector is
used for visual output (the lasers are incapable of Starship Mainframe (§8.3 million)
causing anyone harm, but they can project full-color This computer would be excellent for an ex-
images onto any flat surface). Jacks are included for ploratory or military starship. Note that each of the
A/V input. It even has a tiny printer built in. This thing ship’s smaller computers (such as those used by the
puts supercomputers of the year 2050 to shame. In bridge crew) is a separate device, which can access
game terms, the computer has Speed 8, Power 8, this computer when running important programs.
Flow 2, and Memory 20. The mainframe has Speed 18, Power 18, Flow 6,
and Memory 50. It costs §8,362,000, plus §2,000
Security Computer (§3,000) for each of the terminals that can interface with it
This computer’s specific purpose is to watch (the terminals are standard 10/10/2/20 computers).
dozens of cameras at once and match what it “sees” Compared to the cost of the ship itself, which can
against a standard list of “suspicious activities.” Its easily range into billions of sections, this mainframe
software (a set of image recognition protocols) is is relatively cheap!
what makes it work. It sits in a locked room, and
the only access to it is through the phone line it
uses to call the police and ask for assistance. It has Hacker vs. Cracker
Speed 10, Power 10, Flow 2, and Memory 25. This
doesn’t include the cost of the video cameras. Hackers are those who screw around with
computers. Crackers are those who break into
Corporate Server (§10,000) computers maliciously. The mainstream media,
This computer has only one purpose: it sends and even in GY 592, usually refers to anyone break-
Page 180
recieves information across the Lattice. Occasionally ing into a computer as a hacker. Real Interface
a server has some small amount of “secret” informa- Knights know the difference — though some
tion which is not accessible by the general public, may be deluded as to which one they are.
such as company payroll, but most of the time it’s
just there to hold web pages. Speed 10, Power 10,
Flow 6, and Memory 20.

Insanely Great Computers
Codebuster (§42,000)
Want an even better computer or program
This quantum computer is illegal in most areas,
than the cost chart shows? The chart uses
but can be found on the black market in Armageddon
Fibonacci’s Sequence to find prices. Each mul-
space and most of Genetech. It runs a single “embed-
tiplier is equal to the sum of the two before it.
ded” program: an encription breaker. It is designed
For instance, a computer with Cost +10 costs
to interface with other computers and help them
89 times as much as usual. One with Cost +11
crack codes and passwords. It has Speed 30, Power
costs 144 times as much as usual. Therefore,
6, Flow 1, and Memory 5. The only problem is that
one with Cost +12 costs (89 + 144 = ) 233
this computer is the size of a piece of luggage, and
times as much as usual. You can use this to
weighs about as much. Making this computer run
extend the chart for people with unlimited
other programs requires an Electrical Engineering
budgets. The cost adds up very quickly; a com-
roll with a Target Number of 40. This computer has
puter with +35 Cost is about 15 million times
no display of its own; it must interface with another
more expensive than usual!
computer to be useful.

interactions, and all manner of things useful for their

profession. Someone who has the opportunity to use
Building Programs this program while performing a medical procedure

receives +2 to any roll needed.
We’ll start with some sample programs below, In game terms this is a Full-Featured, Pre-
then go on to list the generic Modules and Features. Generative Database program with a rare audience.

S0, P5, F0, M16, Cost §150
Sample Programs Online Roleplaying Game

This creates an interactive “world” in the com-
Programs are ranked on Speed, Power, Flow, and puter and a character for interacting with it. Games

Memory. To save space, these are abbreviated as the are often the most computationally intensive things
letters S, P, F, M at the bottom of the description. computers can run, since everyone’s always trying to
make their game into the “Next Big Thing.”

Bare-Bones Text Editor In game terms, this is both a Lattice program and
This lets you edit text files. No formatting, no a Specialty program. It is also Full-Featured.
bold or italics, just good old-fashioned plain text. S4, P5, F2, M5, Cost §100

There are probably ten thousand variations on this
program across the galaxy. Pattern Recognition Software
In game terms this is a Text program. This software searches through images, videos,

S1, P1, F0, M1, Cost §50 or sounds to find a match to a sample it’s been given.
Very useful for police databases, to match finger-

Entertainment Center prints or faces to people. This program is only as
This program plays music, videos, recorded good as its database, which can limit it greatly, but it
books, and holographic entertainment. The fidelity typically grants +2 to Investigation rolls.

is incredible. This is a User-Friendly Data Analysis and
This is a User-Friendly Media program. Database program for a rare audience.
S2, P2, F0, M3, Cost §75 S3, P4, F0, M8, Cost §650

Interface 15.4 Starship Scan Analysis
This program takes in the sensor results from
Page 181
This is the most recent version of Intersoft’s oper-
ating system, Interface. This program is necessary to a starship and finds things that the user specifies.
have your computer work at all. It lets you find files, There is a wide range of pre-specified things one can
access storage devices, and run other programs. look for (asteroids, comets, other starships, roads or
This is a Full-Featured, User-Friendly Operating houses on a planet, etc), and a sufficiently skilled
System. People using this OS recieve a +3 bonus operator can define new things to look for (Roll

to their Programming rolls, and +5 to Computer Computer Operation, target number 30). Interpret
Operation. Sensors rolls made with the aid of this program are
S3, P4, F0, M5, Cost §250 at +3. Programmers attempting to use or modify it
recieve +3 on their Programming roll. Valence Main Rulebook: The Lattice
Interface Pro In game terms, this is a Full-Featured Data
Just like Interface, but more expensive and Analysis program with a rare audience.
souped-up for high-end customers. Ironically, some S3, P4, F0, M4, Cost §250
truly high-end customers prefer the base version
because of the staggering amount of memory and Video Broadcast Reciever
processor time this version takes up. This allows your computer to recieve video
This adds Pregenerative and Optimized to broadcasts through the Lattice, and essentially act as
Interface’s list of features. All computer-based rolls a really nice TV. This is the standard way that people
receive +1. in 592 recieve their TV broadcasts.
S1, P6, F0, M14, Cost §1050 In game terms this is both a Lattice program and
a Media program, and is User-Friendly.
Medical Database S3, P3, F1, M3, Cost §75
This program is designed to let doctors look
up ailments, remedies, surgical procedures, drug
and the display part of “streaming” programs. Most
Program Modules of these can be used to alter the media they display.
+1 Speed, +1 Power, +2 Memory
In game terms, all programs are a combination of Target Number: 25
certain generic Modules and extra Features. To build
a program, add together the necessary Modules Operating System
and Features, and take note of the resulting Speed, This is what makes your computer run, and al-
Power, Flow, and Memory statistics. Use the same lows you to run other programs. All computers need
cost table as for computers, but with a base cost of an operating system.
§50 sections. The Target Number listed is for writing +2 Speed, +2 Power, +3 Memory, +1 Cost
that program “from scratch;” see the Coding section Target Number: 30
later on.
Specialty
• Speed and Power start off at +1 All other programs fall into this category. Games,
• Flow and Memory start at +0 calculators, alarm clocks, and pretty much anything
• Cost modifier starts off at +0 else can be considered a Specialty program. The GM
should set the statistics for these program, since they
Choose at least one module for your program. vary so much. Games are usually very high in all cat-
egories, but simple things like clocks and screen sav-
Data Analysis ers are very low. The target number likewise varies,
Data Analysis programs are used to sift through but it should be commensurate with the program’s
vast amounts of data in a search for useful informa- statistics.
tion or important trends. Most scientific programs
fall into this category, as do certain image-analysis Text
routines. Text programs are those which are used to write
+2 Speed, +2 Power, +3 Memory, +1 Cost documents. Anything from a simple no-frills text edi-
Target Number: 25 tor to a full-fledged layout and publishing program
falls into this category.
Database +1 Memory
These programs are little more than a fast way Target Number: 10
to access lots of stored data. They are often used
for medical data (such as genomes or drug interac- Utility
tion listings), astronomical data (such as navigation Utility programs fix things that are wrong with
Page 182
charts), and general population info (such as a cen- your computer, remove viruses, update other soft-
sus). These programs give +2 to any skill check for ware, change your preferences, compress or expand
Knowledge or Intelligence based skills, as long as existing data, and generally do those little things that
there’s time to look through the database. This can keep your computer running well.
include skills like Programming.
+1 Speed, +1 Memory, +1 Cost

+1 Power, +4 Memory, +1 Cost Target Number: 15
Target Number: 15
Lattice Program Features

Lattice programs are those which retrieve data
from other computers that the user has access to. All programs have one or more modules, but
These could be across the room or across the galaxy. not all of them have features. Adding features can
Good examples in the 21st century include web be very helpful to those who use the programs, but
browsers, FTP clients, servers, e-mail programs, and it takes time and money to do so, and makes the
the internet part of a “streaming” media program. program a little more difficult to write.
+1 Speed, +1 Power, +1 Flow, +1 Memory
Target Number: 20 Cheap
Both cheap and inexpensive, this program isn’t
Media really all that good, but it gets the job done. Most
Media programs record, display, and edit media of the time. The programmers cut corners, and the
content. Examples from our time would be video program is bloated and leaks memory like a sieve.
editing software, drawing programs, sound players, But hey, at least it was cheap, right? Any use of this

program gives -2 to Computer Operation rolls made Rare Audience

regarding it. This program’s Memory increases by This program is designed for a small audience
one per hour; the only way to fix that is to reboot the of users. Not every household would have this

computer. program. This only means that it’s a little more ex-
+1 Speed, +1 Power, -2 Cost pensive than usual if bought. It’s not necessarily any
Target Number: -5 harder to write this program, but the market is a little

smaller, so companies have to charge more to make
Full-Featured a profit. +3 Cost, no change to target number.
These programs do everything you would expect

and more. They are larger and more complex, but User-Friendly
have many nice features that both regular users and The programmer (or, more likely, the team) that

programmers appreciate. A word processor is a Text wrote this program spent a lot of time insuring that
program, but a desktop publishing suite is a Full- it’s easy to use, even for novices. Anyone using a
Featured Text program. Programmers attempting to User-Friendly program gets +5 on their Computer

use or modify Full-Featured programs recieve +3 on Operation roll.
their Programming roll. +1 Memory, +1 Cost
+1 Power, +1 Memory, +2 Cost Target Number: No change, but takes 25%

Target Number: +3 longer to write because of the testing that must be
done.
Learning

While not initially any easier to use or more
powerful than other programs, this one uses arti- Running Programs

ficial intelligence to slowly learn the user’s “style”
and adapt to it. After using this program eight to ten Computers can run programs in two different
times the normal user recieves +2 to Programming ways: in active memory, or in “hot storage”. An

and Computer Operations rolls made regarding this active program is always running, doing work, and
program. If the Operating System is Learning, the is ready immediately. A program in “hot storage” is
user recieves +1 to all computer-related rolls. Other kept in memory, not doing anything but ready to run

people who use this program will not recieve these at a moment’s notice.
benefits until it learns their style too.
+1 Power, +2 Memory A program in hot storage only takes up Memory,
Page 183
Target Number: +5 not Speed, Power, or Flow. An active program takes
up all four attributes. The computer’s attributes are
Optimized reduced accordingly. You can’t reduce a computer’s
Someone has spent time making sure that this Power, Flow, or Memory to less than zero — the
program does what it should and nothing more. It program just won’t run. You can reduce its Speed

doesn’t waste any computer time or memory, and as much as you like, and the computer will just run
therefore runs faster and takes up less space. Some more and more slowly, with its effective Speed going
optimizing is done automatically when a program into negative numbers.
is created, so this additional layer of attention is dif-
For instance, let’s say you have an average com- Valence Main Rulebook: The Lattice
ficult and costly.
-1 Speed, -1 Memory, +3 Cost puter, and you’re running Interface 15.4, an online
Target Number: +7 RPG, and a text editor. All in all you’re taking up 8 of
the computer’s Speed, 10 of its Power, 2 of its Flow,
Pre-Generative and 11 blocks of Memory. The computer has 2 Speed
This program takes advantage of artificial intelli- and 9 Memory left. You can’t run any programs that
gence to guess what the user will do next, and gener- take up Power or Flow, because the computer is cur-
ate possible results ahead of time. This speeds up the rently using all it has of those.
program, but makes it take up a lot more memory.
Someone using a computer with a Pre-Generative When calculating things involving this com-
Operating System recieves +1 to all computer-re- puter, such as an Interface Knight’s bonuses from
lated rolls. Speed and Power, use only the unused amounts. As
-1 Speed, +2 Power, +10 Memory far as we’re concerned, this computer has Speed 2
Target Number: +5 and Power 0 right now, and will continue to be that
way until it’s not running as many programs.
the Target Number times twenty minutes. The target
Coding number for successfully modifying a program is 5
less than writing it in the first place.
Since everything on the Lattice must be done A programmer can always have someone else
with a computer program, all Interface Knights are check the code over once he or she is done. The
rather good programmers. To write a computer pro- checker rolls at -3 on the same skill used to create
gram an IK rolls against the appropriate skill: Create the program. If the checker rolls higher, use that re-
Virus, Create Guardian, Create Portal, or (usually) sult instead. Programs can only be checked over by
Programming. The Create Portal skill is useless to two different people.
those who aren’t Interface Knights.
Example: Shota Maltec’Inuueliting is trying to
Writing a program ordinarily takes the Target write a Guardian program to protect her company’s
Number in weeks (assuming a 40-hour work week), mainframe. She has Create Guardian at 16 (modified
and the writer has +10 to the Programming roll, not by her attributes), and rolls a 13. The total roll is a 29.
to mention the benefits of having other people check She calls over a co-worker, Ard Maltec’Inuueliting,
over your code (see below). To do the “quick and to check her work. Ard makes his roll, coming up
dirty” version takes the Target Number in days, and with a total of 23 (modified). He sees nothing wrong
uses an unmodified Programming roll. Programs cre- with the program, so the roll stands at a 29.
ated this way are not very polished, and are not “user
friendly” (if a virus could be said to be user-friendly
at all), but they get the job done.
Breaking In
In many cases an Interface Knight won’t have to
Those without an interface jack use Virus pro-
write the program at all. There are billions of pro-
grams to break into computers, and Guardian pro-
grammers in the galaxy, tens of millions of whom
grams to defend them.
distribute their work for free online. One can often
just find someone else’s code on the Lattice and
When creating a Virus or Guardian, a program-
modify it. Finding and modifying a program takes
mer must give it Speed and Power that add up to half
the number rolled to create it (rounded down). For
instance, a roll of 25 to create a virus could create
Supervirii one with Speed 7 and Power 5. The usual rules for
Page 184
checking someone’s code can be used on a Virus or

The galactic communications network Guardian to insure high Quality.
is quite extensive, and quite well-protected.
While an IK might be able to get into a single Virii and Guardians use Memory equal to the
computer withe ease, they are unlikely to be average of their Speed and Power. Viruses have Flow
able to use the same trick on another one. 1, Guardians have Flow 0.
The reason for this is that Guardian pro- Someone who’s not an Interface Knight basically
grams mutate and share information with each sends the virus at his opponent’s computer, hoping
other, much like retroviruses on modern Earth. that it will break in and allow him or her access to
A Guardian’s rating doesn’t really represent its every part of the computer (or at the very least, slow
resistance to existing virii, it represents how it down) The attacker rolls 1d20 + the Speed + Power
well it can adapt to unexpected new virii. of the virus. The defender rolls 1d20 + the same for
the Guardian program. If the Virus wins, the com-
In short, a supervirus designed to take puter system is an open book to the attacker. That
down every communications system in the Virus will always win against that Guardian. If the
galaxy will find that it needs new tricks for Guardian wins, the system remains defended, and
every system it runs into. It would essentially whomever owns the system gets a piece of informa-
have to be an Independant Thinker on its own, tion that will be useful in tracking down the person
with significant training to raise its Creativity who made the Virus. That Virus cannot attack that
high enough to function in this way. Guardian again.

However, when an Interface Knight is involved,

the cybernetic jack in their head changes things. Interface jacks never, never, never use wireless
Interface Knights don’t need to actually write pro- communication between IKs and their computers.

grams to take over someone’s computer or to defend It’s simply too dangerous.
against a Virus — they can do it all on their own.
Why Get Implanted?

Interface Knights While the ability to wite code mentally is nice,

it’s not a million sections of nice. The true advantage
of a jack becomes apparent when interstellar dis-
Interface Knights deal with computers in a very
tances come into play.

different manner from other programmers. Their in-
terface jack implant and years of experience let them
Because even tachyons take some time to cross
enter a special mode of thought, so ordered and logi-

interstellar distances, there is a noticable lag in inter-
cal that they can literally write computer code with
stellar communications. Nearby planets’ computers
their thoughts alone.
respond in a few miliseconds, but even one sector

away it can add up to minutes, and a cross-galaxy
Interface Knights are hired by almost every com-
communication could take hours. The Lattice and
pany. Where more conventional means of getting in-
its tesseract relays make communication close to

formation fail, IK’s are often able to succeed. While
instantaneous, but it can’t completely compensate
their success rate is not as good as Operatives, they
for a cross-galactic delay.
are more capable when it comes to a pure “hacking

run,” and they are often cheaper to outfit despite the
IKs, on the other hand, can create Portal
interface jack’s cost.
programs to jump from one part of the Lattice to

another. Their jack literally “reads out” their entire
Interface Jacks consciousness into their computer over the course
of ten seconds, effectively turning their mind into

Interface jacks are exceptionally complex and a computer program. The target number to write a
invasive cybernetic implants that interpret sentient particular Portal program is on the next page. These
thought and turn it into computer code. Naturally, numbers vary depending on the amount of interfer-
Page 185
without the right training, the code they produce is ence and physical distance involved, but not on the
pure garbage. amount of security on the target computer. That’s
handled separately
Interface jacks were illegal during the Empire’s
time, primarily due to of a disorder known as Reality Without a Portal, an IK has to do everything

Withdrawal, wherein those with interface jacks are by “remote control”, taking -2 to all rolls for each
unable to remember when they’re in the real world “level” of distance on the Portal Distance table.
instead of virtual reality. This didn’t stop people from
having them, though — it wasn’t illegal to have one, Distance Target #
just to get one implanted. If this sounds strange, con-
sider that the Empire made the laws, and wanted to Intergalactic 35+
have the only operatives with jacks. Many cultures One quadrant to another 30-34
these days have legalized interface jacks, but they re- One planet to another 25-29
main rare. The brain surgery involved is both difficult
and expensive, costing around one million sections. One continent to another 20-24
One computer system to another 10-19
Everyone with an interface jack sees the Lattice
differently. Some see shimmering pathways of silver The time delay now only comes at the beginning
data flowing through the void, others see dormitory and end of the journey: the IK can literally sends her
hallways and rooms full of information, and still mind out to take care of things on the far side of the
other see yellow brick roads and blue trees. It all galaxy. For all intents and purposes, she is present on
depends on the person and how they choose to view a distant planet, her mind spread across hundreds of
things. public or undefended computer systems.
the computer has left after running other programs.
To obtain perfect recording fidelity, the interface Most IKs have nothing but the operating system run-
jack must destroy the data as it reads it in (quantum ning while they encode themselves, so as to have as
physics at work). Because of this “destructive read,” many resources available to them as possible.
IKs are utterly comatose while their mind is in the
Lattice. Later, assuming they survive the trip to wher- Damage dealt in computer combat is social
ever they’re going and back, their jack will write damage (as per a Battle of Conviction, page xx).
their consciousness back into their brains, and they Interface Knights can suffer confusion, compulsions,
will wake up. severe headaches and possibly even strokes due to
corruption in their consciousness subroutines. If an
While in this “hacking coma,” an IK is totally IK suffers his last Convinced level, he is effectively
defenseless against anything in the real world. Most laid open to the attacker, who can choose to either
of them prefer to have a trusted friend nearby during leave them near-helpess or erase them entirely with
this process. a single attack action. When the downed IK pulls
together (a matter of an hour or two), it will be all
he can do to limp back to his mind and regain con-
Computer Combat sciousness.
IKs don’t typically use Virii and Guardians to do Interface Knights cannot “jack out” to remove
their dirty work. Instead, they essentially enter com- themselves from computer combat. Their body is in
puter-based combat. a coma, after all, and their consciousness could be is
light years away. If someone else removes the jack,
When two Interface Knights face off against each they could be stuck in a coma forever.
other, each will have a number of actions deter-
mined by their Creativity and Visualization (use the
table on page xx, replacing Agi with Vis). They deal Breaking In, Redux
“unarmed” damage equal to twice their Speed + Int,
and have an effective “natural” armor rating of their In computer combat, Virii and Guardians receive
Power + MnE. They take Lattice combat actions as a number of actions each round equal to their Speed
shown on the table on the next page. rating (even if it’s more than 10). Virii can only at-
tack, and Guardians can only defend and trigger
Always use the effective Speed and Power of the other programs (usually an alarm or a countervirus).
computer the IK was encoded on before their mis- Viruses have an Attack bonus equal to three times
Page 186
sion began. Remember only to count the Computer’s their Speed.

remaining Speed and Power, using however much
An IK atacking a Guardian uses his or her full
attack roll (1d20 + Cre + Int + Speed + Create Virus),
and so is likely to utterly overwhelm any Guardian
“Destructive Read” sounds bad...

with sheer complexity. Guardians can sacrifice a
later action to take a “double defense,” letting them
Well, in some ways it is. Most IKs don’t
roll 2d20 instead of 1d20, in much the way that
care, and some don’t even know why the
normal combat allows active defenses. Guardians
“hacking coma” happens, but some are genu-
who act before an IK does are likely to trip an alarm,
inely bothered by the idea.
which the IK may have significant trouble shutting
off. Guardians who lose even once are disabled.
There is a valid biological and philosophi-
cal debate as to whether an IK experiences
It is theoretically possible for an inexperienced
brain death every time he or she is written
Interface Knight to be defeated by a Virus, but it
to computer. The computer copy wouldn’t
is rather unlikely. Some Knights keep Guardian
remember, and the revived IK would have no
programs running, to protect them from automated
idea. Every IK could really just be a near-identi-
attacks while they deal with an opposing IK.
cal copy of a copy of the original, who died a
dozen years ago or more. Some religions forbid
Virii cannot be defeated in combat; instead one
interface jacks on this basis.
has to shut down the computer they’re attacking
from (i.e. defeat its Guardian software).

Gone 404: You hide behind existing computer

IK Combat Maneuvers signals to convince your opponent’s attack routines
that you aren’t there any more. You give up a point

With a history of macros, shortcut keys, and sub- of Power in exchange for a +4 on one defense at-
routines, it’s no surprise that Interface Knights have tempt. The point of Power returns at the end of this
a number of standard techniques to use against each combat.

other in combat.
Infinite Loop: You send an instruction to your
Anonymous Tip: You alert Guardian programs opponent that tries to catch her mind in a never-

nearby that your opponent is a dangerous virus. ending loop. An old tactic, but an effective one if it
While he can easily verify that he is not, you both strikes home. This attack is made with a -5 penalty,
lose your next action responding to automated but it deals +4 damage.

identity inquiries. This maneuver only works once
per combat. I/O Reversal: You make an attack by forcing your

opponent’s last sucessful strategy down his throat.
Bit Bucket Blitz: You sacrifice effectiveness in Rather than making your own roll, you use the at-
favor of a shotgun approach, throwing billions of tack roll from the last strike that damaged you, with

pieces of information at your foe at once. This attack a -4 penalty representing your opponent’s familiarity
is made with a +5 to hit, but the ineffective com- with this attack. Many inexperienced IKs overuse
mands deal -4 damage. this maneuver.

Burnout Assault: By overloading some of the Lag: You delay your attack one second in ex-

computers you’re running on, you can make a change for a +2 bonus to hit. If you would normally
devastating attack that you’ll pay for later. Your next be able to take an action in that second, you lose
attack receives +3 to hit and damage, but you lose a that action.

point of both Speed and Power until the end of the
combat. NP-Complete: You trigger a subroutine in your
own consciousness that seems to provide a solution

Copy/Paste: You take one action to create a to an insoluble problem. You trade a point of Speed
poor copy of yourself, which acts as a decoy. Your for a +4 on one defense attempt, as your opponent
opponent’s next attack suffers a -4 penalty. is drawn into watching your code run. The point of
Page 187
Speed returns at the end of this combat.
Defrag: You sit back for a second and recover
some of your missing resources. If you’ve lost any Relabel Nodes: You take an action to switch
Speed or Power in previous maneuvers, recover one which computers hold which parts of your self. You
point (your choice which one). You cannot defend have +2 “armor” for the rest of the combat. This

yourself in this second. can only be done after you are attacked for the first
time.
False Address: You pretend to escape via a Portal
program while secretly launching an attack. Your
opponent defends with the Create Portal skill rather
than Create Guardian. This will only work the first
time you try it in a particular combat.
Lattice Combat Actions

Type of Roll Total Fatigue? Action?
Attack Assault 1d20 + Cre + Int + Speed + Create Virus 0 yes
Defend Passive Vis + MnE+ Power + Create Guardian 0 no
Active Passive Defense + 1d20 0 yes
Retreat via Portal opposed Portal rolls to track down or run away 1 yes
I.T.s do take up quite a bit of Memory; they
need a minimum of 30 blocks, and complain of
Artificial Intelligences being “cramped” with anything less than 40. Their
Intelligence and Visualization cap out at their
Artificial Intelligence is quite common in GY 592. computer’s Speed, and their Mental Endurance and
Many different programs use a “learning algorithm” Knowledge cap out at their computer’s Power. I.T.s
to help them along, which is just a fundamental form grow over the years, and an older one (not that there
of A.I.. Computers will develop a very rudimentary are any over about 500 years old) will require more
“personality,” complete with their own quirks, but Memory.
it’s nothing that interferes with day-to-day work. This
personality can be erased, but most people don’t Creating a backup of an I.T. is somewhat like
bother since it doesn’t get in the way. making a clone of a person. It’s not really the same
thing, but it will act like it. Eventually the two will
Independent Thinkers are something else en- diverge in terms of experience and personality, but it
tirely. They’re computers who have “woken up,” might take a while.
becoming fully sentient. They’re capable of emotion,
love, fear, and even a tiny bit of creativity. I.T.s have I.T.s can modify their own code, but it’s some-
no particular advantages over other races — they what like a performing open-heart surgery on your-
have a high intelligence and visualization, but a self. They must temporarily shut down a part of their
rock-bottom creativity that limits them when deal- mind, pour over the code, rewrite it, and restore it to
ing with non-computational things. GM’s should use good condition with working links to the rest of their
common sense when dealing with an I.T., and don’t mind. Needless to say, it’s a touchy operation, and
let it somehow become all-powerful just because it most I.T.s prefer to have another I.T. do it for them,
can access computers quickly. or even (rarely) a living being that they trust implic-
itly. Reasons for reprogramming include debugging,
It is possible to have an I.T. as a character. The driver installation (to make the I.T. more compatible
main drawback is the obvious one: this character with newer hardware), personality alterations, opti-
won’t be walking around doing things. An I.T. mization, or just wanting to get rid of a bad habit.
character can’t see anything where there isn’t a
camera, and can’t hear anything where there isn’t a
microphone. They can still be quite useful when ac-
cessing computers on the Lattice; however, the very
Page 188
functions that give them true sentience prevent them

from being the ruthlessly efficient coding machines
that most people expect.
All I.T.s are must choose either the Ultramerc

Computer Operator Mentor or the Interface

Knight Class. Their starting attribute bonuses
are +0 Creativity, +10 Intelligence, +0 Lording,
+6 Mental Endurance, and +8 Visualization. They
receive +4 Knowledge in addition to what their class
or mentor gives them. They have no other attributes.
If an I.T. ever needs a Dexterity or Agility roll (for
instance, when controlling a robot body), they use
their Visualization instead. I.T.s cannot use Lording
at all, and cannot raise their Lording attribute.
It takes about 50 years for an I.T. to “grow up”,

from the time it first becomes sentient until it be-
comes an “adult” emotionally. They can be moved
from one computer to another without substantial
impact to their personality.

Reading the Mail Duplication

One of the biggest things that government What’s to stop an Interface Knight from
agencies and corporations do with computers making several duplicates of himself? After all,
is encryption. Encryption means taking your only the initial readout from an Interface Jack is

data and making it so that no one else can read destructive. Further copies of the data could be
it. This is surprisingly easy to do, and can be made with less destructive methods, and then

very difficult to break. you could have two of yourself — one to do the
interesting things, and one to take care of bor-
In Valence, how good the encryption is ing stuff. Heck, you could have seven of you,

depends on how powerful your computer is. If one to take care of your work for every day of
one computer encrypts a message (taking 2-3 the week (if you have enough storage space for
seconds to perform the encryption) it will take seven 50-block programs, and enough com-

a computer with a Speed + Power 10 points puter power to run them on).
higher one day to decrypt it without the key.
With the key it will only take a second. If you’re Except that it won’t really want to do boring

trying to break someone else’s encryption, and stuff. It’s an exact duplicate of you, not just a
your computer doesn’t have a 10-point advan- throwaway copy. If you don’t want to do some-

tage in Speed, it’s going to take a long time. For thing, neither will it. If you think something’s
each point that you’re short, double the time. suicide, so will it. If you “delete” a copy, many
Likewise, a faster computer can cut the time in cultures consider it murder or suicide, and will

half for each additional point of Speed. gladly prosecute you for the crime.
Example: Joe the hacker encodes his e-mail The worst part is that the duplicate can

to his friends with a Speed 10, Power 10 com- never be “merged” with the original, and can
puter. They have the key, and can read it within never go home. Only one copy can go back
a few seconds. John the cracker is trying to to the original body — and all of them know

break the encryption with a Speed 13 , Power that just as well as you do. Even a cloned body
11 computer so he can read Joe’s e-mail. John won’t do; they need the real original.
Page 189
is 6 points away from a 10-point advantage,
which means it will take him 64 days to break Making a duplicate is equally likely to cre-
the encryption on Joe’s e-mail. ate your best friend or your worst enemy.

Basic Equipment
The Energy & Projectile clips provide shots for
Gauss and Sliver weapons, Gyro Guns, and Disk
Throwers, and are not interchangeable between
and Field Gear

weapons. For instance, a Gauss Rifle clip will not
work for a Disk Thrower. The Energy & Antimatter
clips provide for Ultra Cannons and Particle Beam
This chapter contains some equipment, from weapons, and are interchangeable (and are often
the mundane to the astounding, that characters may illegal).
find useful. Weapons, armor, and cybernetic modi-
fications can be found in later chapters. Computers All ammo weighs 1/2 kilogram per clip. If a
are described in an earlier chapter, though it should weapon’s capacity is greater than the clip’s capac-
be noted that many of the items listed here include ity, then the weapon may “charge up” to their full
some sort of computer. capacity by using multiple clips. Weapons such as
gatling lasers, which hold many many shots, are
The basic unit of currency in the galaxy is the almost always linked to a suit or armor, backpack, or
Section (the symbol is § ). It theoretically represents a other larger power source.
tiny percentage of the whole galaxy’s economy (thus
the name “section”), and its value is maintained Back Pack
every year by the galaxy’s biggest cultures and Holds all your junk. Cost 35 §.
corporations. Here’s some of the stuff you might be
interested in buying with it.
Bed Roll
Inflatable air mattress, pillow, and sleeping bag
Advanced Medical Pack are included. Costs 50 §.
This is every field doctor’s favorite. A small
backpack comes complete with retractable robotic
arms that will hold tools, supplies, organs, and body B.S.P.
parts to aid in operations. A built-in dispenser holds Stands for “Blood Stoppage Patch.” When placed
a hundred patches (BSP and RP below). It even has on a wound it instantly stops the bleeding. It has re-
machines capable of performing dialysis, respirator, placed the bandage. For game purposes one patch
and artificial heart functions. When required, tubes stops all of the subject’s bleeding. Costs 15 § each.
simply extend into the patient and perform all nec- The First Aid skill is needed for proper use, see de-
essary functions. Also administers anesthesia. Costs tails on page xx.
Page 190
§100,000. Provides +10 to Medical skill checks.

Calculator
Advanced Medical Pack A small number cruncher, it lets a character
Ammunition compute functions that the ordinary mind has
Valence Main Rulebook: Equipment
Most weapons are quite useless without the trouble grasping. Does it all graphing, trigonometry,
proper ammunition. In Valence, ammo comes in even calculus. Costs 10 §.
three standardized varieties:
Coalition Multipass
Type Shots/clip Cost This serves as a combination ID card, debit card,
low-powered computer, DNA record, and universal
Energy only 30 charges 10 §
license holder. All Coalition citizens above the age
Energy & Projectile 30 shots 20 § of seven standard years cary one with them at all
Energy & Antimatter 30 shots 100 § times. The card literally contains the holder’s entire
identity, but it only accessible by the holder (it veri-
The energy-only clips can provide shots for fies its holder’s identity by voiceprint, fingerprint, and
Lasers, Arc Throwers, Sonic Resonators, Plasma biorhythm, and sometimes with passwords as well).
Guns, Disintegrators, Energy Blades, Photon Blades,
and Entropy Effect weapons, and they are inter- Visitors to Coalition space are typically given
changeable between weapons. temporary cards that burn out after a week of use.

Communicates via infrared with other electronics. into hydrogen and oxygen, skipping the fusion pro-

The first card is free, replacements cost §100. cess. Costs one million sections, and weighs about
100 kilograms.

Eyes-Shut Display
The ESD is a contact lens version of the old Holdfast Platform

heads-up displays. It works best when the wearer’s Originally made by Armageddon Industries for
eyelids are closed. A contact worn elsewhere on the their high-rise workers, this device is about twice the
wearer’s body (included in the price, typically worn size and weight of a manhole cover (it’s quite heavy

at the hip) sends tiny electrical impulses between and bulky; Str 4 minimum to carry it around). The
a computer (not included) and the lenses, though platform is capable of rising into the air while carry-
the wearer’s body. The lenses respond by glowing ing up to half a ton of mass, and remaining airborne

in particular patterns and displaying information. for up to an hour. A lightweight user could conceiv-
Useful for anything from stock quotes to street maps ably rise up to a kilometer into the air. Collpasible

to mission data. Cost is §1000. railings unfold to prevent the user from slipping off.
The disk automatically floats back to the ground
when the hour is up, sometimes quite quickly but
Field Medical Chamber

never fast enough to cause harm. Eight hours of wall
This refrigerator-sized chamber can perform all current (or four hours with a fusion recharger, above)
the functions that the Advanced Medical Pack can are sufficient to recharge the disk. Horizontal move-

perform and more. The chamber lid opens allowing ment is only possible if someone attaches a rope and
the patient to be placed inside. Robotic arms quickly tows it around; the disk only moves vertically on its
kill all pain and place the patient into a state of un- own. Costs §20,000.

consciousness. A respirator, artificial heart, kidneys,
and liver immediately go into effect. The blood
is purified, removing all toxins. Nanomachines Morphic Clothing

analyze the patient’s blood type and replace miss- Aegis-made clothing for Genetech citizens.
ing blood. Powerful energy fields and chemicals Changes color with uploaded fashion, and can

help the body to regenerate. An on-board computer change relatively quickly for moving patterns.
allows a surgeon to operate on the patient with ex- Creases stay easily for changing styles. Camouflage
tremely precise robotic arms. The unit holds up to capabilities give +2 to Stealth rolls. Cost varies
Page 191
three normal sized patients simultaneously (a Caract by size. Shirts and pants are typically about §200
won’t fit, but a single Ogre will). Costs one million each, with socks, hats, and underwear about §40.
sections, weighs half a ton, and adds +20 to medical Morphic clothing can be added to Street armor (page
skill checks. Sturdy wheels make it portable only for xx); if you choose this option, simply add the costs
those with Strength of 7+. together.

First Aid Kit NanoCloud
This contains bandages, disinfectants, painkill- The NanoCloud is an expansion on the personal
ers, and other things that are needed for simple ap- computer, most common in Aegis space. A swarm Valence Main Rulebook: Equipment
plications of first aid. Costs 20 §. of airborne microbots surround the user. They can
communicate with other beings’ NanoClouds by
almost imperceptible flashes of light. They can also
Flashlight sense their user’s voice and respond to it. This allows
A handy tool that allows one to see better in the communication between two people to include their
dark. It has a range of about 10 meters. Costs 25 §. computers, for such things as business transactions
and exchange of personal information. It’s like hav-
Fusion Recharger ing a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) without having
This device identical to the solar recharger listed to carry it around.
later, except that it works anywhere. Simply add
water and it recharges energy weapons. Every ounce Nanoclouds can record voices and track body
of water will replace 5000 charges in a weapon’s movement, using those to trigger computer com-
power pack, in about an hour. With a little work, mands. They can also interface with other prop-
this device can also simply be used to separate water erly prepared computers. Some public facilities in
Aegis space are starting to support interface with
NanoClouds The ‘bots live in a special add-on com- Type of Rope Cost Test
partment next to the computer, and occasionally
withdraw one by one to recharge. Note that the ro- Flex Steel 20 § per m 20 tons
bots are not nanotech; they are actually significantly Hemp 4 § per m half a ton
larger. The name is a marketing ploy. Cost is §1000.
Nylon 6 § per 1 ton
The computer has Speed 6, Power 6, Flow 1, and
Memory 5. For an extra §400 the whole package can
be disguised as an ordinary piece of clothing, such R.P.
as a hat, hairband, or sash. Stands for “Rejuvenation Patch.” The rules gov-
erning rejuv patches are covered in the Healing sec-
Neomorphic Clothing tion (page xx). There are serious penalties for using
too many in a short period of time, but they can stave
Same benefits as Morphic clothing, but lasts
off death and unconsciousness until real medical aid
longer and is easier to repair. Sold primarily in Aegis
arrives. Costs 400 § each.
space. Cost is identical to morphic clothing, or 20%
higher outside Aegis space.
Shop Kit
Portable Stereo Big and bulky, this impressive van-sized tool kit
is the friend of Tech Docs everywhere. It stores all
Straps on to the arm or belt. Includes a dataring
the tools, scanners, and devices necessary to build
player, amplifier, and radio receiver. It also comes
darn near anything — or take most things apart, for
with two speakers that can be strapped anywhere on
that matter. Costs six million sections, and adds +10
the body. Costs vary from 25§ to 75§, depending on
to Engineering skill checks. Weighs a ton and a half;
the sound quality and style factor.
it’s normally built into a vehicle.
Pocket Translator
A small gadget that receives incoming languages
Smart Paper
Touch- and fold-sensitive paper that can change
and translates it into the users native language. The
what’s displayed on its surface. Needs to be re-
user can either broadcast the translation over a
charged for about an hour once per week. Can link
speaker, or can hear the translation in private in an
up to a computer to download information and
earphone. The delay is about two seconds. The voice
news. Move from “page” to “page” in a document
that is heard is the speaker’s voice as if he spoke the
Page 192
just by brushing your hand across it as if flipping the

language perfectly fluently (though some translation
pages in a real book. This stuff, developed by the
problems do occur). It also works in reverse, play-
Valorians during the Budetug empire, costs §10 per
ing the user’s voice over the loudspeaker in the new
sheet. Each sheet lasts about five years before wear-
language. Pocket translators are programmed with
ing out. These have essentially replaced old-style
all the major languages in the Milky Way. Costs

newspapers
250,000 §.
Portable Stove Solar Recharger

This twenty-pound device unfolds to be four
Just like it sounds — a miniature camp stove. It
meters on a side. Its jet-black surface absorbs every
can work for up to an hour, after which it recharges
bit of solar radiation that touches the surface, allow-
(in about four hours) through absorption of ambient
ing people to plug in a few electronic devices or
radiation. Needs neither plug nor fuel. Costs 500 §.
recharge weapon batteries. It will refill one energy
weapon charge every five minutes in sufficient sun-
Rope light. Costs 35,000 §.
A highly useful substance, rope lets you climb
up or down buildings, link people together when
mountain climbing, or tie up the bad guys. It even
Tent
Comes in all shapes and sizes. The cost depends
comes in several varieties. The “Test” is the strength
on how many people are to be able to sleep comfort-
of the rope; it’s how much weight it can hold under
ably in the tent. Most tents are 100 § per two people.
normal gravity.

Large Humanoids count as two people, and Gess

count as six. The tent provides heating and light, and Watchcom
some rudimentary cooling in overly warm weather. Long-range radio communicator built as a

watch. Many styles and colors are available. Its
range is three kilometers, or thirty if the arm-wrap
Tool Kit Pack (basic) antenna is worn. Includes adaptive AI to translate

This set contains miniature welders, socket sets, voice into text or computer commands; works as a
wrenches, soldering irons, and everything a Tech cellular modem. Cost is §100, plus an extra §50 for
Doc needs to do their job. Costs 50 §. the arm-wrap antenna (shown below).

Tool Kit Pack (deluxe) Web Gear

Contains all the necessary tools for making This is a must for all mercenaries and adventur-
major repairs and alterations on all machines and ers. Straps all your weapons and accessories into
electronics. This backpack that can be modified to convenient places. Cost 25 §.

fit beneath the Advanced Medical Pack (above).
Robotic arms aid in repair and construction. Costs
half a million sections, and adds +5 to Engineering “You Are Here” Map

skill checks. Weighs twenty pounds. This computer-controlled map can be rolled up
to be about the size of a flashlight, and comes in a

carrying tube. When the paper is unrolled a dedi-
Trip to Another Planet cated computer built into its edge synchronizes with
Trips to a particular planet depend on distance gobal positioning satellites and determines the user’s

and the degree of luxury involved. Trips to nearby position. If a map of the planet is stored in the com-
planets (within about 500 light years) cost roughly puter, it can display it on the paper, giving the user’s
§1,000. For every additional thousand light years current location and velocity. Incredibly useful for

(up to the length of our galaxy, 100,000 light years) anyone who chronically gets lost, or someone visit-
adds §500. ing a planet they haven’t seen before. The computer
can hold highly detailed maps (showing streets,

This assumes “coach class,” with a shared cabin buildings, and elevation) for up to five different plan-
and cheap food. Space is at a premium on starliners, ets. Can also find routes from the current location to
and mass even more so. Those who insist on bring- another one on the planet, and indicate certain fea-
Page 193
ing more than fifty kilograms of luggage will find tures (such as nearest water supply, nearest inhabited
the fares increased. Business class has a few more area, etc.). The paper is vibration-sensitive, picking
amenities, like Lattice access, and costs 25% more. up the user’s voice commands and touches. A You
Luxury class costs double or even triple, but gives Are Here map costs §200.
you your own cabin.

Weapons Modern Firearms
Weapons are naturally a major portion of com-
bat. While combat in the future is diverse, a gun is
still the weapon of choice for most people. There is a Notes for reading the charts:
great deal of safety inherent in killing someone from § is the galactic symbol for sections — galactic
a distance. This is especially true when dealing with currency.
species who have a great advantage in physical com- A ° next to a weapon type indicates that these
bat, such as Archangels and Caractingessen. are projectile weapons.
A ∑ next to a weapon type indicates that these
Characters who do not meet their weapon’s min- are energy weapons. A weapon can be both projec-
imum strength requirement must tripod-mount it, tile and energy; those which are typically fire highly
which takes valuable time in a firefight! Those with charged particles or antimatter.
a Strength score of double the minimum or more
can use two of those weapons at once (assuming the Payload is the number of shots a weapon caries
weapon itself is small enough — Ultra Cannons, for inside. Its payload can be recharged with various
example, are simply too big, and typically require a clips (see the basic equipment section on page xx for
chest mount). clips). Remember that firing a weapon with a higher
pulse level takes up a correspondingly higher num-
The weapons of 592 are somewhat more power- ber of shots. A pulse of 1 takes up 2 shots, a pulse of
ful than those of 21st-century Earth, and significantly 2 takes up 3 shots, etc.
more efficient, but not always more deadly. For
instance, a 31st-century particle beam cannon can
punch a hole through a steel plate, but a 20th-cen-
tury grenade will kill someone just as effectively.
Weapons Type of Weapon Skill Weight Min. Str.

Arc Throwers Large Pistol Arc Throwers 8 kg 1
Assault Lasers Large Rifle Energy Rifles 25 kg 3
Page 194
Disintegrators Rifle Disinegrators 30 kg 3

Disk Throwers Rifle Rifles 15 kg 2
Entropy Weapons Rifle Energy Rifles 10 kg 2
Gatling Lasers Minigun Gatiling Lasers 80 kg 5
Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons
Gauss Pistols Pistol Pistols 10 kg 1

Gauss Rifles Rifle Rifles 20 kg 3
Grav Disruptors Rifle Rifles 12 kg 2
Gyro Guns Rifle Missle Launchers 28 kg 3
Laser Pistols Pistol Energy Pistols 5 kg 1
Laser Rifles Rifle Energy Rifles 18 kg 2
Particle Beam Cannons Personal Defense System PDS 100 kg 6
Particle Beam Pistols Large Pistol Energy Pistols 14 kg 2
Plasma Guns Rifle Plasma Weapons 57 kg 4
Sliver Guns Large Pistol Pistol 20 kg 2
Sonic Resonators Pistol Pistols 11 kg 2
Ultra Cannons Personal Defense System PDS 120 kg 7

Arc Throwers ∑ Disc Throwers°
Looking like an oddly flattened shotgun, Disk

An Arc Thrower is a specialized weapon de-
signed for use on robots and cyborgs. While their Throwers fire 10 centimeter diameter serrated metal
damage rating is not outstanding compared to their disks. They are very effective projectile weapons, and

cost, they deal EM damage, which shuts down cy- have a tendency to sever limbs when used properly.
bernetic implants very effectively. Living tissues are Their major drawback is that the disks are bulkier
fried by the intense burst of electricity. Ignores Armor than normal ammo. Ten of them take up a 10x10x5

Value. Force Field and Defense Grid work normally. centimeter box. These boxes attach to the weapon
on both sides of the barrel.

Assault Lasers ∑
Disintegrators ∑
Firing beams of light more intense than what one

finds at the surface of a star, Assault Lasers are high- Disintegrators work by displacing the electrons
grade military weapons designed by the Budetug in the target with unstable particles. When these
particles decay, the target becomes so strongly elec-

during the rise of their empire. Because of the inten-
sity of the beam, the weapon must be cooled and trically charged that it literally rips apart into a mil-
insulated, which adds significantly to its weight. lion pieces. While the guns can be very expensive

indeed, there is no way to trace a bullet or puncture
wound back to the weapon itself, making them a

Arc Throwers

Name Range Damage Payload Pulse Cost
Discharge 10 meters 18 EM 10 - 25,000§

Cook 20 meters 19 EM 15 - 30,000§
Toaster 30 meters 20 EM 20 - 50,000§
Page 195
Assault Lasers
Name Range Damage Payload Pulse Level Cost
Sword 70 meters 27 Piercing 60 1 24,500§
Bastard 80 meters 28 Piercing 60 2 26,000§

SOB 90 meters 29 Piercing 80 3 28,500§
Excaliber 100 meters 30 Piercing 100 4 32,000§
Disc Throwers Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

DX-250 50 meters 22 Slashing 10 - 9,000§
VP-560 60 meters 24 Slashing 20 - 14,000§
SL-780 80 meters 26 Slashing 25 - 30,000§
XB-1000 90 meters 28 Slashing 30 - 35,000§
Disintegrators
Razor 15 meters 25 Disint 20 - 100,000§
Blade 20 meters 30 Disint 40 - 380,000§
Scythe 30 meters 37 Disint 80 - 1,100,000 §
favorite of highly-paid assassins. The fact that they
have no recoil is just an added bonus.
Gatling Lasers ∑
A gatling laser is a larger, more powerful version
The Entropy Effect ∑ of an assault laser, with a rotating barrel that allows a
higher rate of fire. Their great weight means that they
The first practical application of chronal technol- are most often carried by Nesti, Ogres, Archangels,
ogy, the Entropy Effect was a fluke discovered by the and Caractingessen, or used when mounted on a
Valorians while attempting to defend themselves tripod. They are the favored weapons of entrenched
against the encroaching Human empire. In this they military units, who use them to mow down attackers
were ultimately unsuccessful. Since then, people with brutal effectiveness. They do, however, chew
have been trying to figure out the basic principles through ammunition at a tremendous rate.
behind the weapon, and in this too, they have been
unsuccessful. Even the weapon’s creator, still alive
and active in research, (she’s a Valorian, after all),
Gauss Pistols°
has had no insight into its workings. The beam’s pri-
mary effect is to increase the entropy of a target, and A cheap, slugthrowing weapon that uses mag-
this wreaks havoc on Force Fields, instantly reducing netism to propel small metal shards to a good range,
them to a single remaining point. Their short range gauss pistols have been around since early in the
and immense cost makes them difficult to use on the Inuuel Empire. They are a standard sidearm for po-
battlefield, but devastating when properly employed. lice and poorer armies.
Living targets hit by the beam will feel somewhat
dizzy, but will suffer no lasting effects.
Entropy Guns
Eternity 25 meters Force Field = 1 20 - 2.6 million §
Gatling Lasers
Page 196
SDF 120 meters 30 Piercing 50 3 35,000§

ASFDN 150 meters 30 Piercing 100 4 40,000§
DGF 200 meters 30 Piercing 200 4 45,000§
DGK 250 meters 30 Piercing 300 4 50,000§
Powerhouse 250 meters 30 Piercing 400 5 55,000§
Gauss Pistols
Excel 100 meters 15 Piercing 10 - 500§
Propell 150 meters 16 Piercing 15 - 700§
Accelerator 200 meters 18 Piercing 20 - 1,000 §
Gauss Rifles
RF-10 350 meters 16 Piercing 15 - 900§
RFA-75 400 meters 17 Piercing 20 1 1,300§
RFC-248 450 meters 18 Piercing 40 2 1,600§
RFG-2578 500 meters 19 Piercing 60 3 2,000§

defense grids or a force field. Armor, however, does

Gauss Rifles° not offer any protection.
Identical to gauss pistols, but with a longer barrel

that allows greater range and bullet velocity. High- Gyro Guns°
end gauss rifles can also be loaded with multiple

shots at once, to strike a single target with three or These weapons fire self-propelled projectiles,
four bullets in quick succession. and are one of the most common armaments of
modern assault units due to their exceptional range,

damage potential, and low price. Gyro guns fire a
Grav Disruptors ∑ large, self-propelled, explosive shell that is essen-
tially a minature rocket. Prototype next-generation

Grav disruptors set up a localized gravitational gyro guns are said to have multi-kilometer ranges,
disturbance within their target, tearing it apart from and may even have minor homing capabilities.
within. A disruptor beam is undetectable to the

unaided eye, and bypasses all conventional armor.
Production on these systems started just one year
ago, and many reliable models are now available,

but they are still quite expensive. Grav disrupters
do no damage whatsoever to targets protected by

Grav Disrupters

Crush 5 meters 20 Blunt 5 - 40,000§
Ripper 10 meters 22 Blunt 7 - 60,000§

Compression 15 meters 23 Blunt 10 - 80,000§
Extra Messy 30 meters 25 Blunt 20 - 130,000§
Page 197
Gyro Guns
Barbarian 500 meters 25 Blunt 15 - 10,000§
Nomad 600 meters 27 Blunt 15 - 15,000§

Brute 800 meters 29 Blunt 30 - 20,000 §
Laser Pistols

Focon I 30 meters 14 Piercing 15 - 500§
Shamrock 40 meters 15 Piercing 15 - 600§
Ganomicish 40 meters 16 Piercing 20 - 650§
Focon II 30 meters 15 Piercing 20 1 700§
Carnamic 70 meters 16 Piercing 20 - 900§
Setzube 60 meters 16 Piercing 30 - 1,100§
Focon III 30 meters 17 Piercing 40 2 1,500§
Thrishtar 40 meters 19 Piercing 20 - 2,000§
Terminator 50 meters 19 Piercing 30 - 3,000§
Optivon 60 meters 18 Piercing 30 2 4,000§
Optivon II 60 meters 20 Piercing 40 3 4,500§
the business end lets through sufficient light for the
Laser Pistols ∑ weapon to function.
Laser pistols are a remnant of past empires. They

are reliable, cost effective, and easily manufactured; Particle Beam Cannons ∑°
consequently they have survived their more primi-
tive projectile brethren. Over the thousands of years A particle beam is a slightly cheaper version of
of galactic history there have been quite a few dif- an ultra cannon. It works on the same principles
ferent types of lasers invented; those listed were the except that it uses a laser, rather than a disintegra-
most successful and easiest to find in modern times. tor, to evacuate the air between gun and target. The
other difference is the use of hundreds of particles of
antimatter sprayed at the target, rather than a single
Laser Rifles ∑ “large” sliver. All in all it is a cheaper alternative to a
weapon capable of punching through heavy armor,
Laser rifles are longer-ranged versions of laser if not quite as effective.
pistols. In a pistol the components are micronized
as much as possible to create a smaller weapon. In a PBCs are illegal across significant portions of the
rifle the barrel is longer to allow for a more intense galaxy, primarily due to their use of antimatter am-
beam. Note that the barrel of a laser rifle is not hol- munition.
low; it is filled with the lasing material and capped
with a mirrored surface at both ends. The end point-
ing towards the character is a perfect mirror, while
Laser Rifles
Squelch 60 meters 20 Piercing 15 - 10,000§
Reflexon 80 meters 24 Piercing 15 - 15,00§
Morgaly 80 meters 21 Piercing 15 2 20,000§
Reflexon II 90 meters 24 Piercing 20 3 25,000§
Particle Beam Cannons

Page 198

Zap 150 meters 35 Disint 30 2 500,000 §
Pow 200 meters 37 Disint 30 2 600,000 §
Blam 250 meters 40 Disint 30 2 750,000 §
Particle Beam Pistols

Mortality 50 meters 32 Piercing 15 2 1.5 million
Evanescence 60 meters 33 Piercing 20 3 1.7 million §
Impermanence 70 meters 35 Piercing 25 4 2 million §
Transience 80 meters 37 Piercing 30 5 2.4 million §
Plasma Guns
Alpha 20 meters 30 Disint 10 2 10,000§
Goliath 20 meters 31 Disint 20 4 20,000§
David 20 meters 31 Disint 35 6 30,000§
Omega 20 meters 31 Disint 45 8 50,000§

Particle Beam Pistols∑° Sliver Guns°
Particle beams pistols combine the latest min- In these antipersonnel weapons, Gauss-style

iaturization technology with the superior firepower magnetic acceleration technology fires a spray of
that comes with a particle beam weapon. Their steel slivers at the target. The power required to fire

range, damage yield, and payload are inferior to this cloud of metal results in significant range reduc-
the full-sized weapon, but the concealability would tions as compared to gauss rifles. Benefits, however,
make up for it if not for the cost. These weapons are include increased damage output and exceptional

only found in the homes of the very rich. area coverage. The sliver gun’s effects on skin tissue
are particularly deadly, and these are a preferred
PBPs are illegal across significant portions of the weapon of most urban assault units. Most of these

galaxy, primarily due to their use of antimatter am- weapons look like oversized sawed-off shotguns.
munition and miniaturization. Even the most gun-
loving society will require expensive licensing.

Sonic Resonators ∑
Plasma Guns ∑ Introducing the latest in Sound Technology,

brought to you for more than listening satisfac-
The flamethrowers of 592, Plasma Guns are very tion. Sit back and relax, knowing you’re safe with

short-ranged weapons with tremendous damage your new Eliminator™ under your seat. No more
yield against unarmored targets. They are doubly ef- hassles on the hoverbus, you just whip out your
fective in enclosed spaces, such as in airlocks, where Sonic Resonator and ignore that armor! That’s right,

they see use against invading Space Troopers. The IGNORE enemy armor! Who cares about a couple of
hydrogen plasma that comes out the end of the gun inches of solid titanium? Vibrate right through it! No
is actually still undergoing fusion while it leaves the more hassles, no more fuss. All the mess stays con-

barrel, and strong magnetic fields funnel it towards tained in the armor, too. So, just ship off the scrap
the enemy. and no ugly guts on the floor! Order yours today. Just
look for the Ballista Weapons Headquarters in the

Lattice and ask for salesperson #3097.
Page 199
Sliver Guns
AFG-346 50 meters 22 Slashing 10 4 9,000§
NU-63 55 meters 23 Slashing 15 4 12,000§

GPM-42 60 meters 24 Slashing 20 4 15,000§
FKD-69 65 meters 25 Slashing 25 5 20,000§
Sonic Resonators Valence Main Rulebook: Weapons

Sonar 30 meters 12 Blunt 15 - 4,000§
Flux 50 meters 15 Blunt 20 - 6,000§
Eliminator 80 meters 18 Blunt 30 - 8,000§
Ultra Cannons
Shark 15 meters 35 Disint 20 - 400,000§
Grizzly 20 meters 40 Disint 20 1 500,000§
Monstrosity 25 meters 42 Disint 40 2 700,000§
Planet Buster 30 meters 45 Disint 200 3 1,000,000§
Ultra Cannons ∑° Other Modern Weapons
The Ultra Cannon is the most devastating
personal weapon available. Its incredible level of Grenades°
damage is achieved by using a combination of
several weapon systems. When the firing sequence You know, small round objects that you throw at
is initiated a disintegrator is fired at the target. This people you don’t like. Just pull the pin and throw the
serves the dual purposes of clearing any offending rest. There are several types. Their range is equal to
atmosphere from the line of fire, and softening up five times the thrower’s Strength in meters.
the target. Second, an electromagnetic “tube” is gen-
erated connecting the target to the weapon’s muzzle,
to prevent foreign objects from intervening. Third, an Type Damage Blast Radius Cost
antimatter charge is electromagnetically accelerated Plasma 36 Blunt 5 meters 50§
down the tube to the target. While the power us-
Explosive 28 Blunt 10 meters 45§
age is extraordinary, the damage output is likewise
exceptional. Against mecha and Enhancement Suits E-mag 12 EM 20 meters 100§
(especially the Armageddon suit) it is one of the few Antimater 40 Disint 7 meters 75§
weapons capable of inflicting damage.
Smoke none 20 meters 40§
Ultra Cannons are illegal across significant Biological special 200 meters 2000§
portions of the galaxy, primarily due to their use of
antimatter ammunition.
Victims of biological grenades must save versus
disease or be reduced to 1/4 of their original stamina
and strength for 2 days. The victim’s body points are
recalculated using the temporary stamina for the
duration of the disease. The effects will be felt only
after twenty minutes. Biological grenades are spe-
cific to a particular species; grenades made to work
on Budetug will not work on Inuueliting.
Page 200
Modern Expandable Bow

This weapon, in its usual form, resembles a small
square metal rod strapped to the forearm. When a
button is pressed the rod expands into a high-ten-
sion compound bow that deposits itself into the

users hand. The bow opens complete with stabilizer,
scope, and rangefinder. Sensors in the bow analyze
the wielder’s strength and alter the properties of the
bow to present optimum damage and range. The
range of the bow is 100 meters plus ten meters for
every point of the wielder’s Strength. Damage is as
per the arrow (see below) plus Strength, and the bow
costs 9,000 §
Arrows and Crossbow Bolts

There are many arrows available to the modern
warrior, most through specialty shops and special
order. The cost listed is per arrow. The first type is

a conventional shaft, whcih can be found at nearly

any sport shop across the galaxy.
Energy Sword

More esoteric shops can coat the arrowhead
in polymers that facilitate piercing an opponent’s This works on the princple that if a normal sword
armor. The E-Mag arrow releases an EM pulse on is surounded by a grid of negative energy, it will be

contact that is designed to disrupt electrical equip- able to weaken molecular bonds, therefore doing
ment and cyborgs. Another type of arrow is the more damage. The sword can be designed in any
Plasma arrow, which is hollow and contains plasma manner, but has the same effect and cost no matter

locked in an electromagnetic shield. The head is its size. Damage rating is 18 Slashing plus the user’s
designed to break open and release the plasma on Strength, and cost is 2,000 §. Energy Knives are
available as well: damage is 12 Slashing, and cost

contact. Smoke arrows work along the same lines;
they release a cloud of smoke with a radius of 10 is 1,000 §
feet. Arrow damage is increased by Strength, like

most ancient weapons. Photon Blade
Photon blades are used primarily by Storm

Type Damage Blast Radius Cost
Troopers. They are famous for being able to cut
Normal 5 Piercing 1 Target 1§
through literally anything. Their damage rating is

A-P 10 Piercing 1 Target 20§ 20 Slashing. They completely ignore normal armor
E-mag 5 EM 2 meters 50§ (Armor Value does not subtract from damage), but
the wielder cannot add Strength. Defense Grids and

Plasma 30 Disint 1 meter 100§
Force Fields are still effective.This is the only weapon
Smoke 2 Piercing 5meters 15§ that may be used by a Storm Trooper to cut through
solid objects. Cost is 15,000 §

Shuriken
Photon Club

These are the famed throwing stars of the ninja
assassins. They come in many varieties, most of This is similar to the photon sword in many ways.
which are particularly hard to find for anyone who It does 18 Slashing damage on a successful hit and
Page 201
isn’t a Ninja or Thief. They add Strength to damage. ignores armor rating. It may not be used by storm-
troopers in the same manner as a photon blade.
The most common star is the armor piercing Lower demand for these weapons makes them less
variety, which is coated with the same polymers that cost-effective. Cost is 20,000 §.
coat the AP arrows. There are photon stars, based

on the same principle that developed photon blades.
They ignore armor, but gain no strength bonus to Paint Sacs
damage. The king of stars is the antimatter star. On
a successful hit the star lodges in its target. The star These are pint sized terrors designed to wreck
can then be activated by voice command. When ac- havoc on armored troops and enemies. They re-
tivated, the outer coating of the star melts away and semble a small rubber ball. When thrown the ball
the electromagnetic shield dissipates, releasing the breaks open, releasing a cloud of paint. The paint
antimatter. A computer in the star controls all func- covers the face plate and sensor openings on armor,
tions so you can’t accidentally activate the star, nor blinding the victim. A hit roll at -6 must be made to
can anyone activate it for you. throw these properly, and there is a 30% chance that
the paint will not completely cover your opponent,
yeilding only half the penalties mentioned below.
Type Damage Blast Radius Cost
Normal 5 Slashing 1 Target 1§ Victims may still fight, but at a penalty of -10
to hit. Even those with radar can’t dodge or parry
A-P 10 Slashing 1 Target 20§
incoming blows. Attempting to wipe the oily, streaky
Photon 15 Slashing 1 Target 50§ paint off will be ineffective. The paint can only be
Antimatter 32 Disint 5 meters 100§ removed by application of a mild acid or solvent
(vinegar or lemon juice will work). They cost 20§
apiece. Ancient Ranged Weapons
The “Standard” range for ancient ranged weap-
ons is twice the wielder’s Strength score, in meters.
Ancient Weapons A Nesti with a Strength of 7 can throw a dagger 14
meters accurately. At up to twice this range the at-
Dozens of kinds of weapons were created in tack takes -5 to hit, and beyond that there is little to
the pre-starflight cultures of the Milky Way, both no chance of hitting, if the weapon will even fly that
on Earth and elsewhere. Listing them all would be far.
somewhat counterproductive; they’re hard to find
and very few people know how to use them any Strength is added to damage for all ancient
more. However, if your character is interested in ranged weapons except for crossbows and blow-
one, modern re-creations can be found, made out of guns.
higher-quality metal.
Thrown weapons use the same statistics as the
Ancient Melee Weapons listed above. Throwing dag-
Ancient Melee Weapons gers and most rocks are small-sized, while harpoons,
javelins, and throwing axes are medium-sized.
Ancient hand-to-hand weapons are sorted by Thrown weapons always have standard range, un-
size. All of them add Strength to their damage. Some less they are particularly aerodynamic (like javelins,
of them grant minor bonuses, such as a +1 or +2 double range) or are not meant for throwing (most
when attempting to trip, disarm, or grapple oppo- melee weapons, half range).
nents.
For thrown melee weapons the thrower must
Small weapons (such as saps, knives, tonfa, and specifically have a skill in throwing the weapon, as
Sa’crontor Poisonfangs) have a Damage Rating of 3 opposed to hand-to-hand use, or the attack takes a
and a minimum Strength of 1. They cost 50§. -5 penalty.
Medium weapons (such as most swords, clubs, Here are a few special cases of ancient ranged
axes, and Inuueliting Armblades) have a Damage weapons:
Rating of 6 and a minimum Strength of 2. They cost
200§.
Page 202
Weapon Range Damage Cost

Large weapons (such as polearms, spears, Blowgun 20 meters 1 Piercing 20§
greataxes, and Archangel Sunspears) have a Damage Bow standard x5 by arrow 600§
Rating of 9 and a minimum Strength of 4. They cost
400§. Crossbow standard x5 by bolt 500§
Sling standard x3 4 Blunt 50§

Huge weapons (such as Ogre Greatclubs and
Nesti Battlecleavers) have a Damage Rating of 12 Blowgun needles cost §1 each, and are most ef-
and a minimum Strength of 5. They cost 700§. fective when poisoned. Arrows and bolts for ancient
crossbows can be bought as per the arrows for the
Tremendous weapons (such as a Caractingessen modern collapsible bow (above). Sling stones can
War Timber, basically a telephone pole) have a pretty much be found lying around on the ground,
Damage Rating of 15 and a minimum Strength of 7. assuming you’re not in a space station. Bolas entan-
They cost 1,000§, and need a lot of leverage to use gle targets on a successful hit, reducing their move-
effectively. They can typically only be wielded by ment in half and giving -3 penalties for all physical
very large species like the Caractingessen. actions. A successful Strength check will burst the
cords, or an Agility check will slip out of them.

there is little advantage to either mounting. The cost

to have the launcher mounted is 10,000§ regardless
Weapon Customizations of the type of weapon. Note that the grenades that

are fired from a launcher are physically different from
The following few pages give examples of the hand-thrown varieties, and are not interchangeable.
many ways to tweak a weapon to your specifica- A grenade launcher adds 2 kilograms to the weight

tions. of a weapon. See page 133 for a list of grenades.

Armor Link
Grip Modification

Armor-mounted weapons yeild several benefits.
One is that the weapon is always considered at the A weapon’s grip may be changed to make the
ready. There is no unholstering or unsheathing to be weapon attach to the forearm. They can also be

done. Another benefit is that it is virtually impossible made so as to become an extension of a limb itself,
to disarm the character. Only attacks made specifi- fitting over a hand or tentacle. There are several rea-
cally to destroy the weapons count. Weapons may son to do this. Valorians find it easier to use weapons

also be attached to the armor’s power supply. They that fit on the ends of their tentacles. Innueliting have
use the listed power, but energy weapons never run delicate hands and foind it more convenient to have
out of payload and thus never have to be reloaded. a weapon strapped to their forearms. This also makes

Any weapon can be mounted in such a manner. it impossible to disarm them.
This modification has no effect on the weight of the

weapon. Cost is 25,000§ in all cases. Weapon Types Cost
Arc Throwers 50§

Assault Lasers 80§
Deringer Modification Dinintegrators 100§

This modification converts a pistol-style weapon Disk Throwers 70§
to be more easily concealed (+4 to Concealment Gatling Lasers 300§
rolls). The weapon can be fit in the palm of the hand
Page 203
Gauss Pistols 40§
without detection by a casual observer. The weapon
is also reconstructed out of materials that are harder Gauss Rifles 65§
to identify as a weapon. In fact, weapons with this Grav Disruptors 180§
modification can be styled to appear to be some-
thing other then a pistol (a book, a pipe, a wrench, Gyro Guns 65§

etc). The weight of deringer-type weapons is halved. Laser Pistols 30§
Laser Rifles 60§

Weapon Cost Modifiers Particle Beam Cannons 450§
Arc Throwers 2,500§ -2 Damage, -10 payload Plasma Guns 500§
Gauss Pistols 500§ -3Damage, -15 payload Sliver Guns 35§
Laser Pistols 750§ -4 Damage, -5 payload Sonic Resonators 75§
Sliver Guns 1,000§ -4 Damage, -8 payload Ultra Cannons 1,000§
Sonic 3,000§ -3 Damage, -8 payload
Resonators
Linked Weapons
A linked wepaon is a multi-barrel weapon that
Grenade Launcher has one case but two or more seperate weapons
inside. For example, a laser rifle might be combined
Any weapon can have a grenade launcher with a plasma gun to make a weapon have more
mounted on it. The launcher may be placed over range and do larger amounts of damage at close
or under the barrel. Other then stylistic differences range. There are disadvantages, however. The first
is that the weapon is probably heavy. It weighs as
much as the combined weight of the two weapons
Sawed-Off Modification
together, and the strength requirement is that of the
heaviest weapon plus five per linked gun. It only Sawed-off weapons shorten the length of a rifle
takes up the space of a single weapon, however. so that it maybe more easily concealed. Most rifle
Only energy weapons maybe modified in this fasion. type weapons can have this done although not all
Any weapon which uses any projectile amunition are able to be modified in such a manner. Typically
can not be used in this manner, including Particle the weapon looses enough length so that it can be
Beams and Ultra Cannons. hidden under a trenchcoat or cloak. Note that you
need special materials and tools to do this! A plain
old saw won’t help you shorten your laser!
# Weap. Damage & Payload Cost
2 -5 damage, payload 1/2 +1,200§ Weapon Type Modification Cost
3 -7 damage, payload 1/3 +1,500§ Assault Lasers -5 Damage, -20 Range 2,200§
4 -8 damage, payload 1/4 +2,000§ Disintegrator -15 Range 10,000§
5 -10 damage, palyload 1/5 +2,500§ Gauss Rifle -5 Damage, -100 Range 1,500§
Laser Rifle -3 Damage, -15 Range 2,000§
Example: The ubiquitous Grog the Ogre gets a
plasma gun linked up with a laser rifle. The plasma Plasma Gun -5 Range 4,500§
gun has a regular damage rating of 32, while the
laser does 22. At long range, the linked weapon will
do 17 Piercing. At short range both weapons will
hit, and it will deal (17+27 = ) 44 points of Disint
damage. Instead of having to drop one weapon and
ready another, Grog can just flip a switch.
Payload Modification
Palyload modification is the art of getting a
weapon to store more ammunition. This can be
Page 204
acomplished in several different ways, all of which

are somewhat bulky and unwieldy.
First, the clip itself can be made larger (often

called a bananna clip). Second, the weapon can be
hooked up to a hip mounted canister of charge or

solid ammunition. Third, for the greatest payload,
the weapon may be hooked up to a backpack.
The table at the bottom of the page shows the ef-

fects, costs, and drawbacks of these modifications.
Payload Type Modification Cost

Banana Clip Adds 20 to payload, No weapon changes necessary 200§ /clip
Hip Pack Adds 100 to payload, Weapon may no longer use ordinary clips 400§
Backpack Adds 200 to payload, Weapon no longer may use ordinary clips 1,000§

Armor
Grid Generator weighs 10 pounds and is capable

of generating a defense grid of up to 35 points. No
character may have more than one defense grid. A

defense grid is linked inextricably to the underlying
It’s a tough world out there. If characters are go-
force fields. A suit of armor may not have a defense
ing to keep themselves from getting wasted, they’re
grid if it does not also have a force field. When the

going to need some sort of protection. Technology
force fields are depleted, the defense grid will fail.
has provided the means for that protection, but
The defense grid will come on line again as soon
nothing’s cheap.
as there is any force field strength. Every point of

Defense Grid uses one point of armor power.
Defense suits are a major business, and many
varieties of armor are available, from ancient style

Power armor is armor that has mechanized mo-
breastplates, to bullet-resistant clothing, to the lat-
tors to reduce the effective weight the user feels.
est in armor technology, the Enhancement Suit.
They are effectively like a second skin, and can even
With such a wide selection, it is important for one

be used to enhance the wearer’s strength. There are
to understand what armor specs mean. Armor has
several advantages to power armor, including the
five major specifications: Armor Value, Force Field
ability to mount Force Fields, Defense Grids, and

Projector, Weight, Defense Grid, and Options.
more options. Power armor has no effective weight
when worn, thanks to its motorized muscles. The
Armor Value is the core of the armor system,
listed weights only apply when the armor is carried

measuring the general toughness of a material. The
or stored (as in a breifcase or crate).
Armor Value number is subtracted from the damage
rating of every incoming attack. Any damage above

Options are the extra little toys in armor that do
the Armor passes to the character within. Armors
various different things. They are what give a suit of
with values below 15 are considered to be made of
armor “personality”. For more information on the
lightweight, damage resistant fabric and plates, and

various options, see the section on armor options.
may not mount a Defense Grid, Field Generator, and
certain options. AV has a maximum value of 30 on

armor other than Enhancement Suits. See the sidebar
on page xx for the rules on “stacking” AV.
Layered Armor
Page 205
Force Field projectors are linked to Defense Grids
(see below). They are effective against most attack
forms, and absorb damage, after Defense Grids and Because damage ratings and armor values
before Armor Value. The generator is composed of a are not really linear, multiple layers of armor
series of capacitors which are discharged in order to do not simply add together. A weapon that can
punch through one layer of titanium power ar-

maintain the fields integrity. When all the capacitors
discharge, the field fails and all remaining damage mor has a reasonable chance to punch through
goes to the Armor Value. A Force Field projector the second layer as well. When a character is
Valence Main Rulebook: Armor

typically weighs 5 pounds, and has a maximum field protected by mutiple layers of armor, use this
strength of 200 points (stronger fields have an unfor- method to find out the total Armor Value.
tunate tendency to spontaneously short out). Force
Fields must draw from the armor’s power supply — Take the highest AR protecting the charac-
every 5 points of forcefield uses one point of power. ter and add 1/2 of the 2nd highest, 1/3 of the 3rd
Damaged Fields regenerate somewhat slowly. If you highest, and so forth down to the 5th highest.
have the usual amount of Power invested in it, the No more than 5 layers will be effective. Always
field will be at full strength in one hour. Lowering the round down in these calculations.
power consumption means a longer wait for a fully
charged force field. Example: An Archangel character (skin is
AV 10) is wearing Warrior power armor (AV 20)
Defense Grids are the state of the art in damage and protected by a Force Shield spell (AV 16).
control. They project an energy dispersion field to The Warrior armor is the strongest, followed by
reduce the effects of attacks before they even strike Force Shield and the character’s own skin. The
the armor. Defense Grid value, if any, reduces dam- total armor value is 20 + 8 + 3 = 31 points.
age in the same way as Armor Value. A Defense
Combat Armor
Standardized Armors
Spartan
Note that standarized armor, even though it may The favorite light armor of most mer-cenary
come with certain options pre-installed, does not companies! Spartan provides re-liable protection,
come with a power system. This must be purchased and comes with a built-in grapple gun. Two basic
separately. explosive arm rockets add that knockout punch to
earn this armor the high marks that it has received
Note also that the blurb next to these armors are from battle personnel across the galaxies (See the
from Ægis Corporation’s PR releases. Beware the Armor Options table later on for the rockets).
hype.
Protex-1
At last! An affordable combat suit! Perfectly
Light Armor suited to hit-and-fade tactics, Protex is effective pro-
tection against lighter armaments and doesn’t hinder
City Warrior the wearer’s movement.
Affordable and discrete protection. Capable of
stopping several bullets before the wearer is harmed, Centurian
this armor will hold up well in most stressful situa- Building on the success of the Spartan, design-
tions. ers added a Field Generator to the Spartan chassis,
resulting in an even more survivable armor. The old
Street features remain, with camouflage paint added to
Protection for the normal citizen. The streets make wilderness operations that much easier (+3 to
aren’t safe anymore, and you should protect your- Stealth rolls in the wilderness)
self. Street armor looks just like normal clothing, and
will save you from some common street weapons. Gladiator
Available in a variety of the latest styles. A very cost effective defense suit, Gladiator is
the strongest light combat armor. Armor thickness
Ninja is increased considerably over other light combat
The best protection available in a light suit. Dark suits, but no Force Field is added. The armor is
for sneaking through the dangerous cities, with face bladed to make the wearer a terror in melee combat
wrap for added protection. And man is it sexy! (Use Knives skill, damage rating 5), and four explo-
Page 206
sive arm missiles handle ranged combat nicely (see

Armor Options table later for the missiles).
Light Armor
Name Armor Value Defense Grid Force Field Weight Cost
City Warrior 5 - - 5 kg 500§
Street 4 - - 4 kg 400§
Ninja 5 - - 3 kg 600§
Combat Armor
Spartan 10 - - 10 kg 1500§
Protex-1 8 - - 7 kg 600§
Centurion 9 - 5 13 kg 2000§
Gladiator 12 - 5 13 kg 3000§

more extras! Includes Enhanced System Readout

Light Power Armor and MOH.
Power armor is somewhat difficult to move in,

and imposes a -1 penalty to Dexterity and Agility Heavy Power Armor
(and to any skills based on these attributes, including

attack rolls). However, they are partially mechanized Heavy power armor has the same drawbacks
and can carry their own weight. They use one point and advantages as light power armor.
of Power for every 20 kilograms.

Rectifier
Squire When it’s time to put things right in your world,
The lightest armor in the heavy “Elite” series, or make things horribly wrong in someone else’s,

Squire doesn’t fool around! Couple formidable ar- Rectifier is what you need. The price includes a mis-
mor with a respectable Field Generator and Defense sile rack, grenade web, and grapple gun (grenades
Grid, and throw in a simple computer and body and missiles not included).

weapon mount (weapon sold separately), and you
end up with the Elite in medium armor. Adamant

Named for the ancient indestructible metal,
Protex-2 Adamant is serious protection for those who don’t
Second in the Protex line, this suit delivers no- want to worry about anything or anyone. Includes an

frills protection in a mechanized frame. Able to with- advanced status monitor, MOH, and sonic filtration.
stand several hits from most common heavy weapon
systems, Protex-2 lives up to its name. Impervious

So heavy that we had to build a new kind of hy-
Destroyer draulic system for it. So tough that Armageddon had

A great combat suit, with the emphasis on the to build new weapons just to scratch it. So good that
combat! Not only is destroyer extremely survivable, we just had to name it what it is: Impervious. Comes
it also mounts a shoulder missile rack configured for with chaff launcher, radar, and MOH.

eight explosive missiles and eight anti-matter war-
heads. Additionally, twin weapon mounts provide
stability for your favorite firearms. If you want to be
Page 207
taken seriously, you want Destroyer!!!
Warrior
The medium armor of the “Elite” series, Warrior
boasts improved protection over Squire, with even

Light Power Armor
Squire 15 - 10 120 kg 6,000§
Protex-2 17 - 15 130 kg 8,500§
Destroyer 18 2 30 140 kg 20,000§
Warrior 20 5 40 190 kg 50,000§
Heavy Power Armor

Rectifier 22 10 50 250 kg 100,000§
Adamant 25 15 60 300 kg 130,000§
Impervious 28 20 70 400 kg 200,000§
is light and dependable. This is used more often for
corporate or governmental defense, since they actu-
Power Cores ally have access to microwave power satellites (and
PCs typically don’t).
These provide the power to run a suit of armor.
Without a power core, the armor cannot fuel its Solar Cells
force field, defense grid, and many of its options. This is a cheap but often effective power source.
You may mount up to three power cores on any suit It does not provide much power, and has the disad-
of combat or power armor. vantage of not giving any power when the sun is not
shining. It is often combined with a battery.
Batteries are a special case. They store the listed
amount of power, which can be drawn off a little
at a time or all at once. Once empty, they may be
Armor Power Cores
recharged by a suit’s other power supplies or by an Type Power Weight Cost
external source. Antimatter 125 85 kg 50,000§
Power cores other than Battery, Microwave, and Battery 150 12 kg 2,000§
Solar must be resupplied once per month, at a cost Major Fission 60 50 kg 60,000§
equal to ten times the power provided. Major Fusion 80 60 kg 75,000§
Microwave 50 20 kg 50,000§
Antimatter
Provides plenty of power, but very heavy. When Minor Fission 45 30 kg 30,000
the core is damaged it will explode 20% of the Minor Fusion 50 40 kg 45,000§
time. This does a level 120 Disint attack to anything
Solar 20 20 kg 2,500§
within fifty meters, with damage dropping off by
half for each 50 meters beyond that. Antimatter fuel
can be very difficult to find on less technologically
advanced planets.
Battery
Dependable and reliable. Can be recharged
indefinitely. Each point of power it provides is gone What is Xenite?
Page 208
until the batery is recharged. It may be combined

with other systems as a backup or for additional Xenite is one of a series of extremely heavy
power, and can quickly be recharged by other stable elements, discovered by humanity in the
sources when the armor is not in use. late 27th century. Xenite does appear naturally,
and is known to have played an important part
Fission in the early history of the Inuueliting. In fact,

Relatively dependable cores, with an unfortunate the Inuuel Pool of Radiance is composed pri-
tendency to release dangerous amounts of radiation marily of Xenite. The atomic number of Xenite
when damaged. is 114.
Xenite has the peculiar property of storing

Fusion and conducting Lording, which makes is why
Probably the best all-around power core. It is
it is used in the manufacture of Enhancement
dependable, has no tendencies toward mass de-
Suits. No other element is known to do this
struction when damaged, and provides a more than
and still be stronger than steel. Certain kinds
reasonable amount of power. Minor Fusion cores are
of carbon and gold can store and conduct
the most popular because of their low weight and
Lording, but none have the same strength.
more reasonable cost.
Currently most stocks of Xenite and Xenite
Microwave Reciever mines are owned by Ægis Corp.
This is good power source on a major industrial-
ized planet. It gets its power from orbital satellites. It

Customized Armor Enhancement Suits

Construction
The Enhancement Suit is the most recent ad-
dition to armor technology. The secret to the suit

Most armor has to be custom-built for the owner. is an unusual metal known as Xenite, found only
Very few species (only Humans and Inuuel) can on certain planets, whose locations and names are
purchase the above armor right off the rack. All other

closely guarded secrets. The metal is partially alive,
species need to have their armor built especially for and it forms a symbiotic link with it’s wearer. It feeds
them. Because of this, most armor is custom built for off of latent brain activity and emotional “vibes”. In

the owner anyway. Even Humans and Inuuel have exchange, it offers superior protection and enhances
their armor custom-tailored to their individual fight- its wearer’s normal abilities. The result is an armor of
ing styles and combat preferences. unmatched power. Xenite armor also provides pow-

er for all on-board systems by drawing directly on
Below is the cost to custom-build your own Lording energy, and this power supply is effectively
armor. Start with one of the existing suits, and add

inexhaustible. It can also drive a number of powerful
on AV, FF, and DG until you have what you want (or effects of which normal armor is incapable.
run out of money). These same costs cannot be used

to improve an existing suit of armor! Armor in 592 is
a sophisticated combination of interrelated systems, Powers of All Enhancement Suits
and simply slapping some steel plates on the outside

will not make it protect more effectively. Increasing When damaged, an Enhancement Suit regener-
AV, DG, or FF requires rebuilding that pat of the ar- ates itself. It is nearly impossible to destroy an one, as
mor entirely, paying the full cost for the new rating. even a single crystal will eventually reform. In such

an extreme case, reformation would take weeks,
Converting a non-powered suit to power armor possibly months. The pieces which are knocked off
costs one thousand sections (1000§) for every kilo- eventually decay and turn into lead.

gram of the suit’s weight. It adds 50 kg to the final
weight of the suit, and uses one point of Power for A Enhancement Suit doubles its wearer’s
Page 209
every 20 kg (counting the mass just added and the Strength.
mass of any added protection below and any acces-
sories). Xenite is capable of drawing on the Lording, but
may not focus it. Thus the suit was designed to allow
Only Power Armor can have AV over 15. AV the wearer to make use of the excess energy. Each
can never go over 30. DG cannot go over 25, and suit provides a certain number of Spell Points, which

FF cannot be raised above 100. Defense Grids and are available to the wearer.
Force Fields can only be mounted on Power Armor.
Due to the symbiotic link, the wearer senses the
suit as if it were a natural part of his own body. Thus, Valence Main Rulebook: Armor
the suit feels and reacts like a second skin.
Customized Armor
Item Power Weight Cost / point A suit bonds with its wearer. Nobody else may
AV None 2 kg per point 200§ use the suit so long as the wearer lives, and in the
DG 1/point 10 kg (total) 1,500§ case of his or her death, the suit must be reset before
taking a new owner. This process takes two days at
FF 1/5 points 5 kg (total) 500§ the proper facilities and is quite costly.
is coupled with powerful offensive capabilities for
Magus a terrifying combat suit. The suit is completely im-
An “entry-level” enhancement suit, Magus is mune to electrical attacks. In fact, lightning damage
the cheapest ES and the least structurally sound. will heal the force field generator on a point-for-
However, it is nonetheless capable of taking a point basis! (Up to its maximum amount, of course.)
direct hit from most rocket systems and not having The wearer is also capable of hurling a lightning bolt
a scratch. Additionally, Magus is particularly good once a round for damage level 30 Disint attack, at a
at pulling in extra Lording for it’s wearer. Includes range of half a kilometer. 100,000§ worth of custom-
35,000§ worth of extras and mounted weaponry, of ization rounds out your suit.
the buyer’s choice.
Whirlwind
Specter There is nothing better for close combat.
A dream come true for ninjas, operatives, and Whirlwind hyper-accelerates the wearer’s reactions,
other stealthy types. The Specter is not only very resulting in a +3 agility and double attacks. In melee,
protective, but it carries a state-of-the-art cloaking it quite literally looks like a whirlwind, leaving a trail
device. When activated, Specter is undetectable by of destruction in its wake. With 130,000§ sections of
most normal means, granting a 20-point bonus to extra equipment integral to the suit, there should be
Stealth rolls. The cloaking device is also capable of little a character can’t handle.
mimicking 50 different forms, 30 of them program-
mable by the user. Carries 50,000§ in buyer-chosen
options. Thrasher
A suit designed for intense fire fights, Thrasher
utilizes advanced systems to link all weapon systems
Doppleganger mounted in it to the user’s nervous system. The result
The amazing shapeshifting suit! Doppleganger is that up to eight armor-mounted weapons may be
has a semi-malleable surface that allows it to firelinked together and fired simultaneously. See
imitate the appearance of all known modern armors. page 106 for firelink rules. A quarter-million sections
Additionally, when it is purchased, the user selects help you start to equip the suit to inflict some serious
a single fully-functional alternate shape which damage!
Doppleganger can take. This shape is limited only
in that it may be no larger than the suit normally is
— motorcycles, large dogs, and servant droids are all Armageddon
The most powerful protection technology ever
Page 210
legitimate choices. When possible the normal func-

tions of the suit will still be accessible. 150,000§ produced! Armageddon Suits are cus-tom made
worth of built-in equipment is included. for discerning buyers. The buyer may select two
of the “powers” from other ES’s (Specter’s cloaker,
Thrasher’s targeting, etc.) that are included in the
Thor Armageddon Suit. Add in half a million sections of
This is a suit that the ancient god of thunder cutting edge options and weapons, and you have the
would be proud to own. Extremely good protection ultimate war machine!
Enhancement Suits
Name Armor Value Defense Grid Force Field Spell Points Weight Cost
Magus 30 25 75 200 30 kg 2,000,000§
Specter 32 27 85 150 40 kg 3,000,000§
Doppleganger 37 29 100 160 100 kg 4,000,000§
Thor 35 29 100 120 70 kg 5,000,000§
Whirlwind 36 28 90 100 43 kg 7,000,000§
Thrasher 38 30 110 110 95 kg 7,000,000§
Armageddon 40 35 175 150 130 kg 20,000,000§

Options

Armor options are devices that are added to
armor to make them more useful under certain cir-

cumstances. This can include any number of things
— environmental modifications, weapons, move-

ment, sensors, etc.
Some modifications use up a certain amount of

power while in use. Items with a Power rating may
only be mounted on powered armor.

Remember that many species must pay more for
armor. Armor options do not cost extra for those spe-

cies or Ultramercs with similar penalties.

Environmental Modifications

Type Effect Weight Power Cost
Air Tanks Each holds 1 hour of air 2 kg - 500§

Auto Clean Keeps the armor clean with sonics 3 kg 1 5000§
Camo Paint Gives +5 bonus to Stealth rolls in the apropriate - - 100§

environment.
Camo Unit Gives +15 to Stealth rolls in all environments 7 kg 5 400,000§
Page 211
EM Shielding This shielding will help to prevent a EM attack. 1 kg per - 4,000§ per
Each point will act as Armor Value against any point point
Blunt EM attack.
Environmental Allows user to survive in space, underwater, or on 1 kg - 1000§
Containment toxic planets

Gills Allows user to breath underwater indefinitely 1 kg 1 4,000§
Heavy Radiation When combined with Environmental Contain- 5 kg 3 250,000§

Shielding ment allows user to survive on high radiation
planets or in nuclear areas.
Solar Shields Allows armor to survive inside of a star! Includes 15 kg 20 1,000,000 §
both Environmental Containment and Heavy Ra-
diation Shielding.
Missiles
Warhead Type Range Damage Blast Radius Cost
Plasma 400 meters 30 Disint 20 meters 5,000§
Explosive 350 meters 25 Blunt 15 meters 2,500§
Antimatter 350 meters 45 Disint 300 meters 10,000§
Smoke 450 meters Smoke 300 meters 500§
Biological 400 meters Disease 250 meters 1,000§ +
Sensors
Type Effect Range Weight Power Cost
Active Sonar Allows user to detect objects in liquids. 5 miles 1.5 kg 2 10,000§
Advanced Status Gives +5 to any medical rolls made to Self 1 kg 1 15,000§
Monitor help the user. Also can administer Blood
Stoppage Patches and Rejuvination Patches
instantly at the user’s request.
Basic Computer Speed 8, Power 8, Flow 1, Memory 20, Self 1 kg 1 500§
includes a few basic programs. Can
interface with other components.
Enhanced System Allows user to switch power between Armor 1 kg 1 20,000§
Readout options
MOH Vision equal to ultramerc cybernetic eyes Varies 1 kg 1 5,000§
Passive Sonar Allows user to detect loud objects in 2 miles 1 kg 1 5,000§
liquids
Radar Tracks up to 100 targets simultaneously 50 miles 2 kg 5 25,000§
Sonic Filtration Filters sound in order to listen to specific 200 m 1 kg 1 2,000§
sounds or conversations
Sonic Amplifier A very sensitive microphone 1 mile 1 kg 2 1,500§
Terrain Imaging Allows accurate mapping of terrain and As per 2 kg 2 35,000§
surroundings when combined with Radar or Radar or
sonar. Allows attacks outside the character’s Sonar
visual range, up to 3x weapon range.
X-Ray Imager Allows user to see through substances less 50 m 1 kg 3 40,000§
dense then lead.
Movement
Page 212
Type Effect Speed Weight Power Cost

Aquatic Propulsion Allows the user to move freely underwater 50 15 kg 12 8,000§
Climbing Unit Allows user to climb any surface via mono- 15 2 kg - 25,000§
molecular hooks
In-line Skates Allows for faster movement in paved areas. 40 2 kg - 1,000§
Jump Boosters Allows user to jump incredible distances, 100 m 5 kg 10 1,500§

but not fly. leap
Jetpack Allows flight. Boosters in backpack. 200 25 kg 15 5,000§
Mini-Jet Flight Allows flight. Small boosters in feet, chest 200 4 kg 16 50,000§
System and back
Skis Skis. 40 3 kg - 3,000§
Personal Enhancement
Type Effect Power Cost
Loudspeaker Extremely loud (up to 150 db) 1 8,000§
Strength Boost Adds to the character’s strength while in armor. 1 per point 5,000§ per point

Weapons
Type Effect Damage Range Weight Power Cost

Bladed Armor Armor is covered in blades or spikes 3 Piercing - 2Kg. - 2,000§
Explosive Arm Small rockets are mounted on the arm. 17 Blunt 100 2Kg. - 700§

Rockets The maximum number per arm is the meters each
user’s Size.
Chaff Allows the user to forfiet an action to - - 4Kg. - 100§

destroy any incoming missile or rocket. each each
Grapple Gun Allows user to grapple to objects or 2 Piercing 100 m 2Kg. 1 500§

people. Test strength is 2 tons
Grenade Web Allows user to mount up to 30 grenades - - 0.5Kg. - 45§
on chest. Magnetic clamps for easy

access.
Mega Rack Allows up to 30 missiles to be mounted. Missile Missile 30Kg. 3 45,000§

Missiles can be of any type
Mine Layer The mine layer holds 5 mines. The 30 Blunt 5 m 35Kg. 1 10,000§
mines can be set to proximity or radius plus

contact. Proximity will hit any target 2,000§
within 2 meters per mine
Missile Rack Allows up to 16 explosive missiles to be by missile Missile 20Kg. 2 30,000§

mounted. Can only hold Explosive or
smoke missiles.

Self A last ditch attempt. Has timer with up 150 Disint 50 m 2Kg. 2 50,000§
Destruct to 2 hrs on it. radius
Weapon Mount Magnetic holster for a weapon. - - 1Kg. 1 200§

Zap Generator This device electrifies the armor. Anyone 15 EM - 6Kg. 10 8,000§
touching the surface takes damage.
Page 213

Weapons, Armor, and the Corner Store
Here’s a question for you: Where did your character get all those nifty weapons? Sure, you can
probably buy a low-grade laser pistol or gauss rifle at a gun shop in the city. Maybe some higher-grade
stuff at a trade show or military-surplus. However, that K-120 Pulverizer™ Gatling Laser — where
exactly does one buy that sort of thing? It’s probably illegal to ship it by mail, it’s not something
that most countries will let someone sell, and it’s quite expensive to boot. Where did it come from?
Weapons’R’Us?
Most characters will get their weapons and armor (and other high-grade equipment) through their
employers. If you work for GT, they can get almost anything for you. Freelance characters will have
to pick it up “on the job” - that is, steal it from other people or buy it from their temporary employers.
Characters who are more of the adventuring variety, with no stable employers, will have to go looting
after they get in a fight, or will have to stay with the lower-end stuff. Either that, or they can start their
own military, and order it directly from Armageddon or Ægis.
Cybernetics Military Cyber vs. Civilian Cyber
Ever since humankind has learned that some All of the cyberware described in the
wounds would not heal he has dreamed of replacing Valence main book is considered to be mili-
missing parts. The simplest would be akin to the peg tary-grade cybernetics. Most people will never
leg. see military-grade cyber available for purchase
on the open market, but they will see civilian-
For most sentient beings, as their knowledge of grade cyberware. What’s the difference?
the universe increased, so did the sophistication of
that species’ cybernetics. With the dawn of biomedi- Military cyberware can reboot. Both types
cal sciences and electrical engineering came the of cyberware will shut down when hit with
possibility of blending a being’s nervous systems an electromagnetic pulse — i.e., when they
with a computer. In the galaxy today this is the most take EM damage. Military cyberware will
common form of cybernetics. come back online in a few minutes. Civilian
cyberware won’t. Civilian cyber will never
In the most technologically advanced places come back online until it is checked out by a
cybernetics are not a necessity. Genetech can graft doctor and some simple surgery is performed.
a fully living limb or organ to a host individual with It’s also about ten times cheaper than military
miraculous results. Even more common than limb cyberware.
grafting is limb regeneration. Using a complex series
of electro-chemical reactions, a modern medical In game terms: anyone with military cyber-
facility can transform one kind of cell into another ware who is hit with EM damage is disabled
kind. Previously dead cells become new, rapidly for a number of minutes equal to the damage
growing ones, and in time the patient grows a new, level. Blunt EM damage ignores all types of
fully functional limb. The process is painless and armor, but can be stopped by a force field,
takes a few hours. More time is spent in recupera- defense grid, or armor with the “EM Shielding”
tion, building up lost muscle strength. accessory.
Cybernetics are no longer a necessity, but are

now a convenience and a powerful tool. Through
cybernetics it is literally possible for a complete
Reconstructions
Page 214
wimp to be transformed into a super-human jug-

gernaut overnight.
The old saying, “When it looks too good to be These skeletal reconstructions are very similar to
true, it probably is,” holds true here. With all the the titanium bone structure which can be found in
Valence Main Rulebook: Cybernetics
advantages that cybernetics presents it also has many Ultramercs. Reconstruction does not make the
its drawbacks. Electromagnetic waves and pulses character any stronger or faster, but it will make him
can cause problems for the unprepared character. or her more durable. Each reconstruction gives the
Cybernetic systems don’t heal the way that bone character +1 to Stamina. They also allow the charac-
and muscle do, and can’t even be fixed by Duelists. ter to ignore effects which indicate that a particular
Surgery is necessary to repair any break or, more part of the body has been “destroyed” (though “use-
frightening to some, any bend. less” results still apply).
The cybernetic modifications on the following If the parts and surgery are available at the same
pages are the most common ones available. There place (a good hospital, for instance), the cost of sur-
are others but these are either rare or not as useful. gery is reduced by 50%. Otherwise the doctors will
In the tables below items marked with an asterisk insist on double-checking the parts. Getting cheap
require some kind of reconstruction before the cybernetics or surgery, or not checking over your
enhancement may be taken. Weapons require that parts, is an extremely bad idea.
the location of the weapon have reconstruction.
Movements and accessories require that the legs and
spine have reconstruction.

unconscious and in need of serious medical atten-

Head tion within the hour, but has not been immediately
Cost: 200,000§ parts, 300,000§ surgery killed.
A head reconstruction involves replacing the

bones in the head (including the jaw) with a com-
posite non-magnetic metal. Any head damage that Hips

kills the character is assumed to have destroyed the Cost: 100,000§ parts, 100,000§ surgery
artificial skull, not the matter inside. Unless special This is used more for medical reasons then en-
precautions or weapons are used by the attacker, hancement. It replaces both hips, and is very popu-

the character’s brain will most likely survive to be lar amongst elderly Armageddon execs.
cloned.

Arm
Ribs and Spine Cost: 100,000§ parts, 100,000§ surgery
Cost: 200,000§ parts, 300,000§ surgery The arms are typically rebuilt for enhancement

Rib reconstruction is used to replace damaged purposes, or in case of particularly malignant can-
ribs or to protect the heart and lungs. The spine is cer.
typically replaced at the same time. If the character

suffers damage to the torso that would instantly
kill him or her, it destroys the ribs or spine instead,

leaving the internal organs intact. The character is
Cybernetic Accessories

Type Effect Parts Cost Surgery Cost
Defense Grid The character may have a defense grid linked to his force 10,000§ 2,000§

Generator field (see below). The max strength of the grid is 25.
Mechanization Adds to Strength. Max Strength is 8 without full 2,000§ 2,500§

reconstruction or titanium bones. With titanium bones or
full reconstruction it may go as high as 15.
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Personal Force The character has a built in force field generator. The 3,000§ 1,750§
Field strength of the field may not exceed 50.
Reflexes* Each level of reflex enhancement adds one action per round 50,000§ 40,000§
to a maximum of four more actions (max of 10 actions).
Subdermal Puts plates beneath the skin. Each time this is bought the 4,000§ 10,000§

Armor character’s Armor Value improves by one. Max level 20.
Cybernetic Movement
Type Effect Max. Speed Parts Cost Surgery Cost Valence Main Rulebook: Cybernetics
Aquatic Allows the user to move freely underwater 50 m 80,000§ 110,000§
Propulsion*
Climbing Unit Allows user to climb any surface via 15 m 250,000§ 400,000§
mono-molecular hooks
Enhanced Speed This may be combined with any - 50,000§ 75,000§
locomotion type. It adds +1/+2/+1 to the each time each time
locomotion type it is applied to it may be
purchased up to five times (+5/+10/+5).
Jump Boosters* Allows user to jump incredible distances, 100 m leap 35,000§ 40,000§
but not fly.
Mini-Jet Flight Allows flight. Small boosters in feet, chest 200 m 500,000§ 600,000§
System* and back.
Leg Wings
Cost: 125,000§ parts, 125,000§ surgery Cost: 230,000§ parts, 200,000§ surgery
Legs are generally rebuilt for the same reason Wings are not usually replaced, but there are
that arms are. They are very important for move- sometimes medical reasons to do so. Reconstructed
ment enhancements, and any leg-based movement wings are also required for anyone (except an
enhacement will require rebuilt legs. It’s no fun to Archangel) who wants to build other cybernetic
shatter your ankles every time your jump boosters enhancements into their wings.
kick in.
Cybernetic Weapons
Weapon Damage Range Effect Parts Cost Surgery Cost
Chainsaw 18 Slashing - A big monofilament chainsaw. 50,000§ 75,000§
Arm* It may be mounted on the
forearm, or may be used in
place of a hand. There is no cost
difference, but if a hand is lost
then take Dex -4 and App -4
Chest Saw* 15 Slashing - A bear hug does damage. 75,000§ 75,000§
Tiny saws in the chest do the
damage. Ick.
Elbow Spike* Str+4 Piercing - Retractable spikes in the elbow. 50,000§ 45,000§
Finger Blades Str+3 Piercing - Blades are concealed in the 12,000§ 20,000§
finger tips. They retract or
emerge at will.
Forearm 10 Piercing 20 m On a hit that does damage the 45,000§ 70,000§
Harpoon* target is entangled and may
be reeled in. Can be used as a
grappling hook.
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Forearm Drill* 15 Piercing - A long drill that is retractable in 35,000§ 50,000§

the forearm.
Full Claws* Str+5 Piercing - Large retractable claws 25,000§ 30,000§
concealed in the forearm.
Heel Spike* Str + 6 Piercing - Similar to the elbow spike. 70,000§ 60,000§
Implanted Weapon Damage Varies The character has had an energy 12,000§ 80,000§
Energy weapon built into his body. + cost of
Weapon Such weapons are usually built weapon
into the arm, but may be built
into the leg, shoulder, or chest.
Implanted Weapon Damage - Some characters have melee 5,000§ 2000§
Melee weapons built into their bodies.
Weapon Considered barbaric by most
societies.
Knee Spike* Str + 5 Piercing - Similar to the elbow spike. 60,000§ 53,000§
Razor Str + 7 Slashing 50 m A large energized blade that 100,000§ 80,000§
Boomerang has the ability to return when
launched. It takes two seconds
to come back.

Cybernetics and “Humanity”

Some games consider cybernetics to be “dehumnizing,” that they somehow remove part of
someone’s essential being. Valence makes no such assumptions. Even if we put aside the fact that most
people in the galaxy have no desire to be Humans, saying that cybernetics remove part of someone’s

humanity is like saying that a prosthetic leg is evil and wrong. It’s not; it’s just a replacement.
However, there must definitely be something wrong in the head with any character who buys the

Chest Saw or Chainsaw Arm cybernetic weapons. A cybernetic forearm drill is understandable if you’re
a carpenter; a giant saw in your chest so you can bear-hug someone to death is just sick.

Cybernetic Sensors and Communication

Weapon Effect Range Parts Cost Surgery Cost

Active Sonar Allows user to detect objects in liquids. 5 miles 15,000§ 100,000§
Advanced Status Gives +5 to medical diagnosis performed on Self 20,000§ 350,000§
Monitor this character

Basic The character has radio, Infrared, and cell 50 Miles 2,500§ 500§
Communicator phone reception/transmission capabilities

Basic Computer Speed 8, Power 8, Flow 1, Memory 20, in- Self 500§ 1000§
cludes a few basic programs. Can interface

with other components.
Computer Link The character can link to a computer an self 250§ 50§
receive data from it. The character does not

need peripheral devices to perceive data. All
data is superimposed into correct sense.
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Cybernetic Ears Identical to Ultramerc Cybernetic Ears (see n/a 55,000§ 8,000§
page xx)
Cybernetic Eyes Vision equal to Ultramerc Cybernetic Eyes Varies 58,000§ 10,000§
(see page 73)
Passive Sonar Allows user to detect objects in liquids 2 miles 7,000§ 7500§

Radar Tracks up to 100 targets simultaneously 50 miles 25,000§ 35,000§
Tachyon The character has tachyon reception and 25 LY 10,000§ 12,000§
Communicator transmission capabilities.
Terrain Imaging Allows accurate mapping of terrain and Radar/ 35,000§ 20,000§
surroundings when combined with radar or Sonar
sonar. Range
X-Ray Imaging Allows user to see through substances less 50 m 40,000§ 12,000§
dense then lead.
GM Advice
Other ways to bring characters together include:
• Draft them all into the military.

• Have one of the wealthier characters hire the
This chapter is here to give novice Game Masters
others to accompany him on a journey.
a few pointers as to how to run a game, and to give
• Have them all survive the same disaster; they’ll
experienced GM’s a bit of an inside look into why
probably want to investigate it.
we did things the way we did.
• Have them all captured by the same people. The
PC’s wake up in a room together, with no idea
If you’re a Player instead of a GM, don’t feel
where they are and who else is there. Of course,
bad about looking through this section. There are
you need a good backstory as to why all these
no “spoilers” here, unless your GM is using some
disparate people were brought together...
of our pre-generated NPCs later on. This section is
• Have them all blackmailed by the same person
separated because most Players won’t need to know
who hires them.
anything about how to run the game, not for secrecy.
• Each of the characters is investigating the same
For secret info that only the GM should know, check
occurrence, and they run into each other.
out the Little Book of Metaplot on our website.
• Tell each of the characters that he already knows
one or two others. Getting them together is just a
matter of a friend calling a friend.
Beginnings There are some additional suggestions in the

“plot seeds” section later on.
No matter how you do it, you need some way to

Getting the Party Together bring the characters together within the first session
(and keeping them that way) or two. Unless, that is, you start off by saying, “you al-
ready know each other.” You could start by informing
Getting your heroes together starts before the first the characters that they’ve worked together before,
game session, during character creation. If someone and when a bad situation comes up they’re used to
wants their character to have a Major Phobia of relying on each other. This method requires the most
Budetug, and someone else wants to play a Budetug, pre-game work in character creation. You may need
one of those ideas will have to go. There’s no way to tell everyone how they originally met — whether
they met through one of the aforementioned ways
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the two could be together in one party. On the other

hand, someone with a hatred of Budetug might be or some other method — or you may just leave the
forced to work with one anyway. Life’s like that. explanation for later and tell them, “what’s important
now is that you’re together, not how you got there.”
When your players create their characters, be-
Valence Main Rulebook: GM Advice
ware of things that make the group less feasible, as Keeping the party together is a relatively simple
well as those that might tear the group apart. If you matter of making them all interested in the same
want to run a war story, you better tell everyone, thing, and finding some way to settle in-game per-
because otherwise you might end up with more sonality conflicts. If there are out-of-game personal-
Merchants and Diplomats than you wanted. If it’s ity conflicts, well, there’s not much we can do to
a more social game, a Ninja will be left out of the help with that.
action. Telling your players what kind of game you’re
running is important to making the group more co-
hesive.
Once you have your (nearly) ideal group of char-

acters, the first session should bring them together.
The old traditional “you meet in a tavern on a cold
windy night” might be cliché, but once you realize
that it is cliché, you can use it that way. It’s a good
way to start off a tongue-in-cheek game.

Culture and corporation hand in hand. GT,

Aegis, and Armageddon all started as just normal
The Storyline companies. Each of them found a “corporate ethic”

that appealed to many people, and now they employ
entire planets. Culture doesn’t have to be based on
The Themes of Valence physical proximity, physical appearance, or heri-

tage. Sometimes, especially for a young culture, it’s
Role-playing games can be played in may ways, enough to find an idea that everyone agrees in. As
from the hack-and-slash style of dungeon crawling the company’s profits increase, so the culture’s popu-

to very social and convoluted court games. It is our lation grows. As the population becomes happier,
aim in Valence to allow you to play in any style that the company runs better. Not everyone realizes that

your Game Master is willing to use. However, there they’re a wheel in the great machine, but it certainly
are a few themes running through what we’ve writ- impacts their lives.
ten that you may notice. We hope that these will

help to shape your games. Culture clash. Every culture in the galaxy is
starkly different from the others. In this day and age,
Out of darkness comes the light, but the bright- no one recruits people into their culture by sitting on

est light casts the darkest shadows. Nothing in the fence or being a sideliner. The smarter cultures
Valence is good or evil forever. There are, in the will intentionally try to make themselves different, so
Valence universe right now, some things which are that they stand out from the crowd and don’t get hit

totally and utterly evil, and others which are com- with a case of mistaken identity.
pletely devoted to helping others and selflessness.

The evil things will not be evil forever, and the good Some of the minor themes you may wish to
ones have not always been that way, and will not investigate are:
always be that way in the future. It’s important to Exploration. Many species and cultures have a

remember that all living beings have the seeds for powerful urge to know what’s over the next horizon,
both great evil and great good inside themselves. to find new worlds and interesting phenomena.
The Budetug Empire was created out of a good The effects of technology. The Valence universe

desire (to be free), eventually became corrupt and is somewhat familiar because the technology there
decrepit, and the Budetug Core Culture (the remnant is used much in the same way as technology on 21st
of that empire) now is one of the forces for good in century Earth. That’s going to change eventually.
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the galaxy. Eventually it will become evil and good Strength in numbers, and the power of team-
again by turn — it may take thousands or millions of work. This is actually a theme in almost all role-play-
years, but that’s the way of all things in the Valence ing games. That’s why there is a “party of adventur-
universe. ers” or a “pack of creatures” or what have you in all
RPGs: people working together can be much more

Freedom is everything. The Budetug rebelled effective than people working separately.
against Inuueliting slavers. The Demons revolted
against their jailors, the Human Empire. The
Archangels fought even the stubborn Budetug to a
Combat Pacing and Drama Valence Main Rulebook: GM Advice
standstill for the right to govern their own planet.
Freedom and independence are important to ev-
eryone (even if no one can truly be independent of Combat has the potential to be the slowest part
others), and the urge for freedom is one of the forces of any RPG. Deciding who to attack, whether to
that drives our galaxy. dodge, who to help out, etc. takes up a lot of time.
We’ve all seen combats which supposedly lasted
Change the world, or someone else will change thirty seconds of game time going for an hour of
it for you. Never be afraid to do something that up- real time or more. Here are some ideas for speeding
sets the status quo, because that’s the only way that things up.
things happen. Change is important, inevitable, and
not always for the better. It’s up to your characters to First, sometimes the winner of a confrontation
see that it does come out for the better as often as will be clear from the outset. If your players are heav-
possible. ily armored and wielding weapons with a pulse rat-
ing, and they run into unarmored and lightly armed
opposition, you know who’s going to win. Likewise,
if the party’s Diplomat and Merchant are ambushed However, you need to know your group well be-
by some guy in an enhancement suit, they have fore dealing with things like this. Some people aren’t
three choices: talk their way out, run, or lose. very comfortable with sensitive issues. For example,
when confronted with a gay romance in the game,
In these situations, you may not even want to roll some people will be sickened, others will think it’s
any dice. unusual, some will cheer, and still others will hardly
blink. It’s the same way with some groups and racial
Of course, your players might not like it when or religious issues.
you don’t even give them a chance, but let’s face it
— if they have no chance to begin with, rolling the As always, tact is the key. If you think your group
dice and losing will just be more frustrating. If they can handle it, more power to you. If nothing else,
come up with an interesting way of getting out of the dealing with sensitive issues will make your game
situation, and you think it will work, let them go for more realistic.
it — but let them know they’re feeling overwhelmed
too. As a final note, we just want to make sure that
you know that Valent Games does not condone real-
If it’s important for the plot for the PC’s to get life prejudice against any group, regardless of their
captured by ninjas, make sure you send enough race, gender, sexual preference, religion, or what-
of the right ninjas, well-equipped. If it’s clear that have-you. It may make for a good story in the game,
they’re going to lose, a lot of players will realize that but outside of the game it’s a sign of ignorance, and
this really just is a part of the plot, nothing they can not very nice either.
do about it, and eventually it will be their turn to
beat on the ninjas.
Using the Metaplot
These techniques are best used sparingly. Valence
is not a diceless system, nor is it meant to be. If your A metaplot is a story told across many separate
PC’s waste or are wasted by everyone they encoun- stories. Valence, while not possessed of a strong
ter, they might feel that some of the more interesting metaplot, does have one. The basic story of the
parts of the game are falling by the wayside. The key Empire, its Fall, the rise of Genetech, and the joining
here is to be flexible. Be ready for your PC’s to come of GT and the Coalition through Project Endeavour is
up with something weird that will wipe out dozens our metaplot. There will be more of it as Andromeda
of ninjas, because that’s what PC’s do. is explored, and there’s also the Archangels’ and
Dark Beings’ prophesied threat on the horizon. There
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If you have combats that don’t involve the char- are two basic approaches to dealing with metaplot.
acters, think about what the outcome will be. If it’s
part of the plot, then just describe the battle the way First, you could ignore it. Set your campaign in a
you think it should be. If the combat could go either world of your own creation. Don’t buy Andromeda
way and your plot would still be intact, then by all when it comes out, don’t worry about the Idunok
means roll the dice and see what comes out. You or the Dark Beings, and just run your own world.
don’t need to roll for every single attack and defense, There’s nothing wrong with this. You could do this
either. One of the best GM’s I had simply rolled once because you don’t like our plot, because you think
each round for each side, added in skill, and told us you can do better, or just for a change of pace.
what happened.
Second, you could have your campaign be at
the very heart of the metaplot. This will require
Dealing with Sensitive Issues either buying the Little Book of Metaplot (a future
supplement), or developing more of the plot on your
There are three issues which many traditional own. This is a truly epic game. Your characters can
RPG’s stay away from: sexuality, religion, and race. and should end up right in the middle of everything,
Rather than trying to avoid these issues in your game, with their choices dictating the fate of millions. This
we have a different suggestion: deal with them head- is what Valence is all about, at least for us: a world
on. They’re some of the most important issues in the where the characters have the opportunity to change
world today, and to avoid them would be to ignore everything.
some really great roleplaying opportunities.

These are extremes, of course. You can swing

back and forth to some extent, or can try to ride Using the Major NPCs
a middle path. The difficult part there is that once

your players realize what’s going on, they’ll prob- Later in this book is a list of non-player charac-
ters, designed to give some of the feel of the Valence
ably want to get right into the thick of things. No
universe and to be a resource to you, the GM. Some
one likes to be left on the sidelines. If you ignore

the metaplot, we suggest you ignore it completely. of them (the Monk, the Father) are real movers and
Don’t have the newspaper feature a brave group of shakers across the galaxy. Others (Windrider, Grey
adventurers who saved the day unless it’s your brave Man) are there as plot elements and to give a bit

group of adventurers! more flavor and possibility. Still others (Chris Schmo)
are there to use as generic people when your group
Certain parts of the metaplot can be altered decides to haul off and attack the security guards.

without too much trouble. For instance, the Threat Here are some suggestions as to how to use these
can be pushed farther away in time, so that there’s characters.

more time to explore Andromeda. You could decide
that you want to have the players investigate Earth in- The movers and shakers may never be encoun-
stead, which is a perfectly viable thing to do. Maybe tered by the characters. However, their every action

Project Endeavour runs into a snag and completes will have important repercussions, so it goes without
sometime after your PC’s explore Earth. Maybe it saying that the characters will feel their effects.
goes off on time anyway, and right in the middle of When the Father visits an enclave of Archangels,

their exploits on Earth your PC’s hear about a need everyone notices — and wonders why. When the
for brave heroes in Andromeda. Moving these events Monk hacks something online, everyone gathers to

around in time is the simplest way to muck with the witness the aftereffects. While the characters should
metaplot. rarely, if ever, interact with these people, they can
serve as the “living legends” whose heights the

Unless you’re going to ignore it entirely, how- characters may aspire to. NPC’s at this level can also
ever, certain parts of the metaplot are almost writ- make good allies and sponsors (or very nasty recur-
ten in stone. The ancient connection between the ring enemies!) for the party as a whole.

Archangels and the Dark Beings of Andromeda is the
best example. Remove this link and you lose a lot of Below that lofty height lies every other NPC.
the feeling of Valence. It’s up to you as to what stays Many of them will have goals that the PC’s could
Page 221
and what doesn’t — after all, it’s your game. help them reach, and all of them have something
they could give the PC’s in return. In essence, they are
The Little Book of Metaplot is a separate book, adventure hooks. If your campaign centers around
which we prefer to spreading out the metaplot across the Demons in any way, Grey Man is an ideal NPC
all of our supplements. Naturally some of the sup- to use because of his relation to the Demons and his

plements (like Andromeda) will be quite important if mercenary nature. NPC’s at this level can also make
you intend to follow the metaplot, but you can also for a good recurring enemy for one member of the
use them without caring about the metaplot at all. party, or, if they stay hidden behind their goons, for
the party as a whole.
One piece of metaplot we should mention here
is the Endeavour Project. In short, it is a plan to cre- Then there are NPC’s designed only as templates.
ate a massive starship that can reach Andromeda. Chris Schmo is literally your average human who
More impressively, it can reach Andromeda in a happens to work as a security guard. Not the best
single jump, thanks to its souped-up tesseract drive in the world, not the worst by far; just your average
and three cybernetically linked pilots. Many planets’ person. If you ever need some stats fast, try looking
resources are being poured into this project from at these templates.
both the Coalition and Genetech, and it figures big
into the Andromeda supplement. In fact, in a way,
this project is why there will be an Andromeda
supplement at all! The ship itself, still incomplete, is
hidden in a darkened nebula and will remain there
until it is ready for its first test runs.
other items should be red herrings — false clues that
Sometimes it’s Nice Out the characters might pick up on, but which will only
get them into trouble. You can stick with just head-
Ever notice that any time someone opens up lines, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you could write
a portal to another dimension in the movies, it’s a a small article. This also lets you keep track of the
dimension of ultimate evil? current date in the game, if that’s important to you.
And it’s always supposedly because evil is inher- Another effective technique is to create your
ently more interesting than good. “Things wouldn’t own secret list of what these events really mean.
be interesting without evil around,” people say. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes negotiation in a
Well, we don’t really buy that one. Pure evil is just game of Valence, usually driven by megacorps and
as boring as pure good. Eternal night is no better or governments. The sidebar below contains a sample
worse than eternal day. “newspaper,” complete with the secret GM’s notes
in parenthesis.
In short, evil is not what makes your campaign
cool and interesting. Nor is good. It’s the conflict
between them that’s important — the tension of dif- Winging It
ferent beliefs, the temptation to change sides, and
the rewards each has to offer. There comes a time in every GM’s career, more
often sooner than later, when the party wants to do
Remember that there can always be tension be- something completely unexpected. Something that
tween two good factions, or two evil ones. Even peo- would totally change the plot of the game, and might
ple with the same basic beliefs don’t necessarily get take it in new and interesting directions. Something
along. Look at all the myriad branches of Christianity
— almost all have the same beliefs and goals, but
there are reasons they’re not wholly united. Despite
The Daily Blab
Tuesday, March 14th, 592
their divisions, though, there’s little doubt that one
church would help support another in times of need.
Front-page news:
Just because people disagree doesn’t mean one is
• Tierkreis Titans win World Cup! (This is
good and the other evil, or even that one is right and
a general interest item — there’s no real
the other wrong.
meaning behind it.)
• Evidence of Pollution Near Local Genetics
Valence is a game in which evil is real. There
Page 222
Firm (Fallout from the group’s last successful

are people out there who are capital-E EVIL, who
mission attacking a GT subsidiary.)
are irredeemable and can only be stopped by being
• Fire Guts Apartment Complex, Police
imprisoned or destroyed. Likewise, there are the in-
Suspect Arson (Foreshadowing for the
corruptible, who will make the world a better place
group’s next adventure: a runaway Titan.)
no matter how hard it is for them. Don’t think, just

because true good and evil exist, that they must be
Inside:
the focus for every game you run.
• Stock reports: Ægis is up, GT is up,
Armageddon is down. Grain shortage.
Weekly News (Always handy for the Merchant in the
group.)
One Game Master technique which has been • A “Have You Seen This Boy?” picture. (The
used to great effect in live-action RPG’s is that of picture is of the aforementioned Titan.)
the “daily” newspaper. The basic idea is that at the • More detail on pollution story; another
beginning of every session, the characters are given company brought in to clean up. (The
a list of events that they know about. other company is also a GT affiliate; the
characters might want to check to see
Some of these can be related to what the PC’s whether this is a clean-up or a cover-up.)
have done in the past — perhaps a police writeup • Local millionaire dies tragically in boating
on their latest exploits, or an article of praise for their accident. (A red herring — it was just an
negotiation efforts. Other items can be foreshadow- accident.)
ing and hints for where the epic is going next. Still

which is in character for all of them, and would any hero points at all during the last game, 1 addi-

make for a good story. What should you do? tional point for any kind of heroism during the game,
2 points for endangering your own life in the defense

Go with it. Wing it. of others, 3 points for a heroic action that saved a
PC or major NPC, 5 points for completing a mission,
There’s nothing much we can say about this, ex- and 20 points for completing a whole epic.

cept that both planning and improvisation are need-
ed to run a good epic. Without either one, it won’t
be as good. If you’re not used to it, try your hand at Character Death

improvisation some time — you might discover you
have a better Creativity score than you thought. Occasionally characters do die, whether by acci-
dent, Player choice, or just plain stupidity (“Hey, let’s

charge the Ogre with the plasma cannon, maybe
he’ll get intimidated!”). Hopefully the last will be

less common. If a Player decides to have his or her
Endings character die a noble death or sacrifice him/herself
for the group, you should probably allow it. It’s often

a sign that the Player can’t think of much to do with
Experience Points and Hero Points the character and needs a fresh one. Don’t feel bad
about bringing that character back as an NPC later

Handing out experience points is one of two big (“Ha ha! You only thought I fell to my death!”).
ways to reward player-characters (the other being
How often characters die is, to some extent, up

cold hard cash). Remember not to over-reward them.
If you give out too many experience points, your to the Game Master. You pick the level of opposition
characters’ skills will skyrocket, making them grand they face, you decide what weapons and armor they

masters overnight. If you hand out too few, they’ll get can find, and you can occasionally fudge dice rolls
annoyed at you for being so stingy. The only time you to keep the PCs alive.
should give out very little XP on purpose is when a

player hasn’t been attending the game. Players should be reminded that, while some
characters in Valence are pretty sturdy, others defi-
For a good balance, we suggest the following nitely are not. A Caractingessen or Ogre can take a
Page 223
awards. These are per person, not per group, though massive number of wounds without falling down,
some of them apply to group goals: 2 points for and anything that doesn’t kill a Duelist outright will
showing up. 2 points for self-sacrifice. Note that probably be healed in a minute or two. Conversely,
this doesn’t have to be physical — if you give up all Inuueliting and Sa’crontor are quite fragile and won’t
your money to a good cause, that’s a sacrifice too. stand up for long if they end up bleeding. Players

2 points for any action that saved someone’s life. 2 should know whether their characters are combative
points for good roleplaying. 4 points for completing types or not, and should know to keep non-combat
a single mission. Partial success does not mean fewer characters out of the fray
points — you learn just as much from failure as from
success, after all. Finally, give everyone at least 20 When a character dies the Player should be al-
points for completing a whole epic. lowed to bring in a new character as soon as it makes
sense. Maybe he or she can flesh out an important
Additionally, have the whole group vote for the NPC who’s been following the party for a while.
player who deserves each of these: Mercenary or government-sponsored groups can be
assigned a special liaison. Independent groups can
1 point to the person who roleplayed the best. go out and recruit someone who just happens to be
1 point to whoever came up with the best idea. the new character. To put the new character at the
1 point to the most daring person (1 point bonus same power level as the old ones you should assign
if they actually succeed). either additional XP or Background points. XP are
more suited to a mercenary or spy-type game, while
You should also give out hero points every game. Background points are more suited to a political
We suggest awarding 1 point for showing up but not game.
doing anything heroic, 1 more point for spending
Using the Attributes
Game Mechanics
Valence has eleven attributes, which may be
more than you’re used to dealing with. This lets us
There are a few ideas and comments we had for split up the broad realm of human talent into a lot
which there was no obvious location. They’ve been of very specific capabilities. Some games just have a
put here. few broad categories, and while it works for them, it
doesn’t work for us.
Hired Goons
If you’re confused as to when to call for a stat
check, or what certain stats are used for, here are
Though it’s not very nice, a lot of cinematic
some examples for you:
games involve the idea of cannon fodder. If you
want to have cannon fodder in your game, here are
Example #1: A Riddle Contest
some rules which will speed up combat when your
Let’s say that your players have gotten their
group of highly trained characters encounters Gang
characters involved in a riddle contest. Let’s also say
of Goons #2587.
that you want to have this based on how well the
characters answer riddles, not how well the players
First, check the species of the goons and find
answer riddles, so this should probably be based on
their Stamina modifier. Multiply by ten. For humans,
stat checks. Speed matters, and of course getting
with a base stamina of +4, this number would come
the right answer matters. Mental speed is covered
out to a 40. This is the total amount of damage which
by Creativity, so the stat checks should be done in
you need to do in order to take out this goon. If your
Creativity order. If you think the riddles call more
weapon has a pulse rating, multiply damage you do
for canonical answers and memorization, call for
by the pulse rating. Don’t worry about wound levels
a Knowledge check. If you think they’re more like
— it’s not worth keeping track of 15 wound levels for
logic puzzles, call for an Intelligence check.
each guy when all you’re really worried about is how
fast the PC’s will mow through them.
Example #2: The Decathlon
This time it’s a sporting event. Obviously a lot of
Example: Joe the PC is up against three unnamed
this will be determined by the characters’ Athletics
Budetug goons who are really only there to slow
skills rather than by statistics: things like Running
him down. The GM decides that they have an armor
and Swimming will come in pretty handy. You would
rating of 10, and the above method means that Joe
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probably want to call for skill checks, and whoever

needs to deal 50 levels of damage to each one in
makes the highest check wins. However, you should
order to take them down. If Joe has an assault laser
probably also call for Stamina checks. After all, a de-
with damage rating 25 and pulse rating 2, he’ll do at
cathlon can be pretty draining, and not everyone has
least 30 points of damage each time he hits one of
the juice to finish. If someone fails the Stamina check
them.
you might want to allow a Mental Endurance check
as well to see if the character’s mind overpowers the
Oh, and assume that unnamed goons don’t
failing body and carries it to victory.
bother to actively dodge. Just use their passive dodge
value. After all, they’re trying to damage the charac-
Example #3: A Costume Party
ter, and dodging would take away from that.
In a traditional Inuuel social event, the charac-
ters are invited to a costume party. The goal is to
Is this realistic? Of course not. No one trains
guess who’s who without peeking under the masks.
their goons that badly in real life. However, this is
If the characters are unfamiliar with the situation,
appropriate for campaigns that want to have the PC’s
Knowledge rolls are probably called for, to see if
be significantly better armed, better armored, and
the characters remember who is who in the first
especially better trained than their opposition. This
place! After that, however, you should rely on the
is also appropriate for any game where the main
character’s Charisma to talk the information out of
villain throws dozens of visored troops at his opposi-
someone without having them realize it. Rolling
tion and says things like “before I kill you...”
Charisma checks for the characters and for an aver-
age person at the party will let you know how well
your group did in this little contest.

tively saying, “Your character has enough skill to

Example #4: Your Senses complete this task. The better you roll, the better it
In playtests many people have asked specifi- will come out, but you have little chance of failure.”

cally about Visualization. The idea here is that your In the case of the bridge, only another Mechanical
character’s senses will let you hear something, see Engineer would really notice how well the bridge is
something, smell something, etc. Your Visualization built. To everyone else, it’s just a bridge.

score lets you know more about what you’re dealing
with and where it is. For instance, a Valorian would
hear a thumping noise. With a good Visualization High- or Low-Power Games

check, the Val would know that it’s a human heart,
located down the hallway and around the corner, By default, Valence characters are quite profi-
cient at what they do. They’re not the galaxy’s best,

and whether the person is excited or not.
but they’re definitely good enough to make a living,
Reminder: the standard target number for any and they have a few advantages to help make things

stat check is a 12. go their way.
If you want a higher-powered game, where the

Setting Target Numbers characters start out as the movers and shakers of the
galaxy, the easiest way is to increase the number
The skill descriptions in Valence are pretty bare, of background points you give the characters. You

primarily to save space. You may be wondering may also want to let them buy more than one Walk
how high the target number should really be for of Life, to indicate years of experience and help fill
certain tasks. For instance, let’s say a character with out their backstory some more. Tripling a character’s

Engineering skill wants to build a short bridge. You, background points will let them start with twice as
not being a civil engineer, have no idea whether many skill points and another major advantage, or

that’s hard or not. What should the target number give them a dozen good contacts, or make them a
be? millionaire, putting them on par with the best in their
field.

In cases like this, you will want to take one of
two routes: the plot route and the graded success On the other hand, a lower-powered game can’t
route. necessarily be created just by starting with fewer
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background points. You’ll have to reduce the number
The plot route works anytime the character’s ac- of skill points as well. Reducing to half the number
tions would either a: severely impact the plot, or b: of background and skill points should create a char-
are totally unimportant. acter who’s just ready to start out

The plot route is to set the difficulty at the level
you desire. Perhaps there are unforeseen circum-
stances that make the bridge harder or easier to build

than usual — soft riverbanks make things harder, a
free supply of building materials makes it easier, etc.
Set the difficulty at whatever makes sense for your
plot, and move on. If the actions are unimportant,
having no real impact in the game then just don’t
bother with a roll! A Professional level of skill means
that the character could do this for a living. If it’s not
too horribly important whether the bridge works, or
if the players really need the bridge in order to get
farther in the campaign, then tell them, “Ok, you
work on making it, and in a little while you’re done.
On to the next part.”
The “graded success” route only works when the

character attempting the skill check has a Professional
level of skill. By using this method, you are effec-
9. The game takes place (or at least starts) at a
Plot Seeds galactic meeting-place. A good example would
be the Coalition Senate space station during the
This section gives dozens of adventure ideas to days of the Human Empire. Some characters can
help spark your creativity. They are arranged into be diplomats, some can be guards, others are
categories of culture and adventure type. secretaries or staff (or spies posing as the same).
10. The PCs make up the majority of a planetary

Getting the Team Together exploration team, either freelance or working for
a particular culture.
1. Your team is composed of mercenaries, all
working for the same company. This can 11. Not expecting to run into anyone else, the
work even if not everyone is a Soldier class; characters all bust into a bad guy’s headquarters
mercenaries still need repairmen and magi, after at the same time. Hilarity ensues.
all. A Diplomat or Merchant could be in charge
of the business end. 12. All the characters should have died in the same
accident, but didn’t. It’s time to find out what’s
2. Many cultures (especially the Coalition) will going on here.
hire local experts on a short-term basis to
handle local problems. Your characters are 13. All of the PCs have found out about what’s
those experts, brought together by the same job happening on Old Earth or the Endeavour Project
without knowing each other beforehand. (or some major piece of your own overarching
plot), and discover each other while searching
3. All the characters have been friends since for a common answer.
childhood or school, and while they’ve taken
different paths since then, those paths cross later 14. All the characters receive an anonymous letter
in life. (written on actual paper) from a mysterious
stranger, who asks them to meet him/her in a bar.
4. The PCs all witnessed the same strange event, The bar then explodes. Whether you want the
and are trying to put the pieces together and PCs in the bar at the time depends on whether
understand what they’ve seen. you want the plot to be directed against them, or
against some relatively innocent 3rd party that
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5. The characters have been contacted by the they can assist.

enigmatic Monk (see page xx) and brought
together for a mission of great importance. 15. Everyone in the group is after the same piece
of famous treasure. This will make for a very
6. All the PCs are being blackmailed by same adversarial game, but once in a while those can
person. This kind of game could easily start with be fun.
“Let’s kill this guy who thinks he can blackmail
us,” so have something ready for when this 16. One of the PCs (or possibly an NPC who’s always
inevitable event occurs. around) is very important to someone. The other
PCs are all hired to either protect this person or
7. The PCs have been working on parts of the same spy her.
project for months or even years, and are only
now meeting each other for the first time. There
will need to be some event that brings them
Generic Plot Seeds
together, even if it’s as simple as a corporate
restructuring. 1. The team is tasked with retaking a planet from
another culture. This is a very broad plot seed,
8. The characters are all members of same black- suitable for a long-running campaign. The means
ops team. This works especially well if there available to the PCs will vary from culture to
are Ultramercs in the party, since GT hires out culture, and the appropriate method will depend
Ultramercs for exactly these kinds of missions. on the planet and its citizens.

2. In a mission similar to the previous one, go convincing them to join up), and other such

take over a planet. This is a good campaign for operations will be common.
propaganda-based characters, and for games

that skip weeks or months between sessions. 3. On a similar note, the team is sent to remove
Combat-oriented characters will need to be in enemies of the Endeavour Project. Again, the
charge of some pretty heavy ordinance to be team may not even know about the project at

useful in this kind of game. game start — just that Mr. So-and-so needs to be
removed.
3. Retrieve/steal the MacGuffin from Location X. A

MacGuffin is simply any important plot object: a 4. There’s been an increase in crime in City
piece of new technology, an important person, a X. Go decrease it. There are two versions of

message, etc. this: the organized crime version (possibly an
Armageddon plot to take over the planet), and
4. Guard the MacGuffin. the disorganized version (which could have

many possible causes).
5. Create a MacGuffin. For example, you could
gather parts for better tesser drive, steal diagrams 5. Aid the Renaissance against GT. Bring them cash

to build fast-maturing I.T.s, or other such and weapons, aid them with your skills, etc..
things. This will quickly become a “Guard the
MacGuffin” game as soon as anyone outside 6. The old Imperial Senate library, which contains

discovers what’s going on. some of the Empire’s most important and secret
records, has been broken into. The Coalition’s

6. Explore a newly-discovered life-bearing planet, safety depends in part on that information not
or perhaps one that isn’t life-bearing but has spreading. Stop the thieves from escaping with
some interesting features nonetheless. the information they find.

7. First Contact with a new minor species. This 7. Ægis seems quite interested in Old Earth, with
kind of game should be relatively rare; adding more shipments to that system than are really

dozens of new species who are just now coming necessary. Terra System is supposed to be a safe
to maturity will really change the feel of the zone with no culture dominating. Find out what
Valence universe. they’re up to.
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8. Bait & Switch: The MacGuffin you have is the 8. The old Imperial Shipyards have been held by
wrong one. Someone’s stolen it from under your bandits and outlaws for too long. It’s time to
nose. Go steal it back. go in there and clean up. Alternatively, for a
different starting point, the Shipyards have been

9. The [insert ruling body] is considering a successfully assaulted by bandits who now need
particular course of action in the next sector to be removed. This kind of mission calls for a
over. Information must be gathered, and your great deal of stealth and negotiation — anyone
team has been chosen for the job. in charge of the Shipyards can bring some pretty Valence Main Rulebook: GM Advice
heavy armaments to bear on anyone they notice
coming in.
Coalition Plot Seeds
9. An increase in immorality and crime on a
1. A strain of vitamin-enriched weeds have gone particular planet implies that GT or Armageddon
berserk, overrunning a city indoors and out. It’s may be moving in on it. Go check out the
not dangerous, per se, but it is very annoying situation and, if necessary, stop them.
and bad for business. Did someone do this on
purpose? 10. Someone is flooding the core worlds with
fake Coalition ID cards — very good ones.
2. The team is sent to work on the Endeavour The higher-ups suspect that someone in the
project, though they may not know what Population Tracking Office has been either
they’re really working for at first. Transporting bribed, blackmailed, or replaced.
starship parts, finding qualified personnel (and
11. A warlord from the Tertiary sectors (between the
Core and the Quadrants) has set her sights on a 13. With the Coalition shutting down so many
planet that is considering joining the Coalition. warlords near the Core, they’ve been moving
Protect them and there’s no way they’ll refuse. outwards into the galaxy at large. Someone
should really go take a mallet to those warlords’
heads. This works particularly well as an
Genetech Plot Seeds Ultramerc plot.
1. Genetech runs on fads. Your characters are
reporters, technical staff, and bodyguards. Go Renaissance Plot Seeds
out to visit other cultures and “mine” their
traditions for new fads Warning: the Renaissance isn’t really very nice.
They’re fighting the “good fight” against GT, an orga-
2. Coalition propaganda is working on Planet X. nization that really needs to be taken down a notch,
Go fix that. but their methods can be quite extreme and the “ter-
rorist” label isn’t completely incorrect.
3. Renaissance activity is increasing on Planet X.
Go fix that. 1. Bomb GT’s _____, where the blank can be filled
in with Ultramerc facility, starship, trade route,
4. The Renaissance’s actions are annoyingly civilians, space station, or an entire planet (using
effective, and the higher-ups know that the a gravatic warhead).
Coalition is behind at least part of it. Turnabout
is fair play: go out and start a Renaissance-type 2. Sabotage or spy on that same _____ from above.
group in the Coalition Good old-fashioned industrial espionage can be
a lot of fun.
5. Work with the Endeavour project (or against it,
depending on what your boss thinks of it) 3. Thanks to some industrial espionage, your
Renaissance cell found out about the Endeavour
6. One of the media outlets on Planet Y has started project. Now what? Do you rethink your view
broadcasting actual news instead of distracting of GT, or try to stand in the project’s way lest GT
blather and propaganda. That will have to stop. corrupt another galaxy?
7. Collect new genes from a newly discovered life- 4. Lie low amongst some GT loyalists. Perhaps
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bearing planet. you’re trapped on a slow starship and need to

wait things out until you get to the planet, but
8. Retrieve a stolen Ultramerc. there are so many opportunities to sow chaos...
Great for a one-shot.
9. Bring in a rogue Ultramerc. The team going on

this mission will absolutely need to have one non-
UM member, since GT doesn’t trust Ultramercs Genetechnologies Sample Fads
enough to show them how to administer loyalty
drugs. For when you can’t think one up on short notice,
here’s a list of 20 Genetech fads. Just roll one up (but
10. Check on a Starshielding or Planetary Shielding be sure never to reuse it!). Remember that each fad
malfunction in System X. Chances are good it will come with a million variations, so feel free to
was caused by sabotage, so it’s just a question of add your own twists.
who’s behind it.
1. Clothing that displays animated sheet music for
11. GT has acquired a new planet in a dangerous, any tunes playing in the vicinity.
war-torn sector. Your team is dispatched to install
planetary shielding for this planet. 2. Shimmering metal clothing that clings to the arms
and legs, mimicking the look of cybernetics.
12. A planet has started realizing how badly GT
manipulates people, and is trying to spread the
word. Go quiet them down.

3. Earrings with tiny laser diodes that display

psychedelic patterns on the ground around 17. Opposite day. An oldie but goodie: anything
wearers. people say today will be the opposite of what

they mean. Some misunderstandings may not be
4. Old-style operator telephones that attach to untangled for several days afterwards.
the head, complete with tiny earphone and

mouthpiece, in a multitude of colors. 18. Portable music boxes that play mood-themed
music for everyone wearing them.
5. Business clothing for everyone, even kids.

19. Hair doused with a chemical that burns very
6. A yo-yo like ball that you can learn to do tricks slowly, at very low temperature, so that everyone

with. has flaming hair without being in pain. Different
additives alter the color and intensity.
7. Clothing that flashes advertisements for your

favorite stores (based on info downloaded from 20. A cat fetish: cat-eye contacts, fake ears and tails,
your credit account). May leave some people quick-grown whiskers, striped body paint, etc.
rather embarrassed.

8. High heels and platform shoes, the taller the Ægis Plot Seeds
better.

1. Your team is assigned to guard a shipment of
9. Hair with special microbotic “implants” that Xenite coming from the Inuuel Empire. Pirates
and buccaneers alike may try to take it from you

make it wave in the breeze even when there’s no
wind. (the difference: buccaneers are sponsored by
another government...)

10. Maglev shoes that allow people to skate across
the ground. 2. Your characters are a long-running, deep-cover
spy group, working in another culture’s common

11. Telecommuting is today’s fad: no one’s actually populace. You’re primarily in place to observe
coming to work, but they might be sending in and report... at least, until something goes
holographic personas of themselves to talk to wrong. One member of the team gets his or her
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other peoples’ e-mail programs. Other cultures cover blown. Do you try to rescue them? Do you
will find interaction with GT difficult today. run for safety? You’re in danger either way....
12. Ancestor worship. Most people won’t really 3. The Ægis Traveler’s Society is looking for
know what they’re doing, nor have any deep competent explorers and adventurers to help

emotional attachment to the process. It just explore the edges of the galaxy. Sign up today!
happens to be “in” today.
4. Your team is tasked with infiltrating another

13. Home security systems. Everyone wants the best culture’s power structure — not just their
one they can possibly get. Even teenagers will be population, but the ruling class. This will be
buying better door lock encryption. a very social game, and combat-oriented
characters will have to hold the aggressive
14. Ogre-style time sense: no one cares if they do tendencies back a lot.
anything on time today. Very relaxed feel. This
will severely annoy anyone who’s not in on the 5. Ægis is training a number of counter-black-ops
fad, as GT citizens miss meetings and deadlines teams for fast response. When an invading black-
for no good reason. ops team attempts industrial espionage, it’s your
job to stop them.
15. Pets. Living, robotic, or virtual, it makes no
difference as long as you can show it around to 6. Ægis spends far too much each year on Xenite
your friends. and antimatter. Go out into the galaxy and seek
independent sources of these.
16. Mood rings.
7. An R&D Independent Thinker (see page xx) 7. Things are getting a bit too complacent on a
breaks loose on the Lattice. particular planet. People aren’t producing as
well as they used to, and it looks really peaceful.
8. Your characters are an R&D team... or perhaps Go rile things up.
their testing crew (read: guinea pigs). Every week
is a new lab accident (or perhaps just a dangerous 8. One or two of the people on the team are
success). This goes well with #5 above, as part of Cage Wrestlers, and everyone else acts as their
the team can play lab security and the rest can bodyguards, promotional staff, accountant, and
play researchers and guinea pigs. so forth. Makes for a rather amusing game.
9. A promising R&D prototype has been stolen by 9. Big Boss just died — fell down a flight of stairs
freelance operatives working for an unknown onto some bullets — and the other families are
culture. Go get it back from them. jockeying for position. Who’s going to be the next
Big Boss? Can they actually keep Armageddon
10. Ægis’ R&D department is so large because they together, or will it splinter into a dozen factions?
recruit from everywhere in the galaxy, and pay
quite well indeed. Your job is to find scientists 10. You’re working hard to keep your planet one of
and researchers, offer them a job, and protect the the few democratic ones in Arm space, and now
until they reach Ægis space. the big guys are breathing down your neck about
going back to the Boss system. Can you keep
them away?
Armageddon Plot Seeds
11. Malfunction at the antimatter generation facility.
1. There are allegations of cheating in a recent Cage Need we say more?
Wrestling match. Someone died. Go investigate.
2. There have been several mining accidents Inuuel Empire Plot Seeds
recently in an asteroid belt in System Z. It could
be sabotage, it could be careless work, or it 1. One of the princes/princesses has suffered
could be two families starting a blood feud. No a horrible fall recently, and is recovering at
matter what, it needs to stop. home. He/she has little memory of the event. Is
someone looking to advance their place in the
3. A promising group of asteroids have been succession?
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discovered, and they’re ripe for mining. The

problem? They’re in someone else’s star system. 2. A letter from the Xenite mines indicates that
Go start an illicit mining operation: tesseract in, some suspicious individuals have been sighted
grab the comets or asteroids, mine them as fast lurking about. Find out who these people are
as you can, and tesser into other system with the and get them to go away.
goods. Characters in this game will probably
have a bunch of goons backing them up. 3. A group of Nesti have decided they want to join
the Empire. While they seem serious, and would
4. Some uppity workers on Planet Y think they have make very good allies, they are... somewhat
the right to insurance and fair pay. Go show uncouth, to put it mildly. Get them to shape up.
them what we think of uppity people.
4. Someone is manufacturing contact lenses, which
5. Your boss has a serious problem with another are illegal in the Empire. They allow people to
one. Assassinate this wiseguy and cover it up. seem as if they have different eye colors, which
breaks the tradition of the Eye-Dying Ceremony
6. Ægis just created a piece of technology that (one can theoretically identify an Inuuel’s family
could revolutionize weapons manufacturing (or by his or her eye color). Many in the court are
so our spy in the place says). We can’t let them calling for this person’s head.
hone in on Armageddon’s turf. Go swipe the
prototype. 5. An expansionist planet claims to have discovered
a weapon that will make the Inuuel Empire
feared and powerful across the stars again. Are

they right, or are they being deceived? If they’re

right, should anyone actually follow through on 6. No one knows how the Caractingessen imploded
this? the star Vociferous Prime thousands of years ago,

wining their final victory over the Budetug. All
6. A group of Danlec who live in a canyon nearby the Caract archmagi who knew the spell were
are concerned that some new technology your there when it took effect, and lost their lives in

planet has imported may be detrimental to the the process. Suddenly the star has reappeared,
Inuuel empire. Having failed to convince people “unfolding” from the warped area of space
to throw it away, they’re going around destroying around it, and millions of Budetug and Caracts

it. from an older time are back. The Budetug must
be worked back into a new society, and the

7. The war games honoring Miklar’halien are Caracts... well, some of them know the master
about to begin. Will your characters participate spell that destroyed a whole star system (or at
or watch? Who will win? All the Silke are quite least hid it away for over two thousand years)!

enthusiastic about his, and will at least be What should be done here?
reading about it in the newspapers. And what’s a
war game without some foul play? 7. Portenthar is finally “cooling down” (radioactively

speaking) and becoming more hospitable. Many
8. Rumors are spreading of a group called the tourists of other species are coming to visit. Your
Al’nav Roshen (see page xx for the original group job is to be a security guard on the first visit, and

of that name). What are these people up to? make sure that no spies sneak through.

Budetug Core Plot Seeds Communals Plot Seeds

1. The Core Consensus has totally flipped out, 1. Rumor has it that a warlord has set her sights
ordering military movements against the Budetug on your planet. The commune needs volunteers
homeworld of Portenthar. Did this happen by for two phases of the operation: scouting the

accident or did someone trigger it? Worse, is warlord’s capabilities before her fleet arrives,
this somehow actually a correct interpretation and defending the planet once it does.
of people’s wishes? How can the Budetug
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homeworlds be saved? 2. Your commune shares its planet with a small
colony of Demons, who have been pretty nice
2. A defecting geneticist from Genetech is coming about sharing the planet with you. Unfortunately,
in on the next starship. Safeguard him until he one of them is about to have children. She laid
can reach Portenthar. 20,000 eggs, and the Demons will need a lot

more space soon. Can you find a good place for
3. While out hunting in a game reserve, one of them and prevent armed conflict between your
the Core Consensus’ programmers disappears. people and theirs?

Did she run away on purpose? After all, the job
is quite stressful. Is this foul play, and if so, by 3. One of your planets’ trading partners hasn’t sent
who? a shipment for a long time, and is not responding
to communications. Find out what happened.
4. One of the immortalist subcultures seems to
have succeeded! Now this is worth investigating, 4. One of the people your commune ostracized for
though they may not want anyone else to find various crimes is back — with some friends and
out about it... some heavy weaponry. Kick him back off the
planet.
5. A runaway stumbles across your group. He’s
clearly been an outcast because of his birth 5. Some of the local elders seem to have problems
“defects” (a different carapace color and determining where the commune’s resources
asymmetrical pincers, one larger than the other). need to be allocated. Do they have a different
He’s young, and it’s hard to say whether he’s agenda? A different viewpoint? Do they know
serious about his parents wanting to kill him, or something you don’t? If so, why are they keeping
whether he’s just exaggerating. What to do? it secret?
5. While prospecting on a newly discovered planet,
6. Genetech is paying a visit, and not for their usual your team comes across a deposit of Xenite. On
reasons (GT often tries to subvert and recruit the up side, you’ll probably be rich soon. On the
communal planets). They suspect that your down side, everyone in the galaxy wants this
planet is harboring Demons. If you don’t turn stuff, and most of them have no problem killing
them over within the week, they’re going to hit you for it.
your planet with a gravatic missile. There’ll be
nothing left but a tiny black hole orbiting your 6. Someone from the Ægis Traveler’s Society has
star. You have to save your home, one way or contacted you in the hopes of getting a ride to
another. the next planet over. Halfway through the trip
(while you’re in deep space waiting for the tesser
7. One of your friends wants to find out who his drive to recharge), you find out his credentials
birth parents were. A good adventure for a highly are bogus. What is this person really up to?
social group of PCs.
7. A Duelist is talking to you with this sob story
about how an “evil archmage” needs to be
Freelancer Plot Seeds stopped before she destroys this Lord’s home in
the Lording Dimension. It’s all a bunch of mystic
These are plot seeds designed for completely crap to you, but it pays well.
mixed groups, where the balance doesn’t lean to-
wards one particular culture. Many of these plots 8. One of your friends is starting a microcorporation,
assume that your characters are the standard band of independent from the big guys. He needs two
starfaring adventurers, complete with starship. things: some startup funds, and some protection
(both legal and physical) from the megacorps.
1. The obvious plot seed: one of the cultures hires The payoff could be pretty nice.
your group to take care of one of the tasks
mentioned above. The Coalition is a very likely 9. You find a little lost Inuuel kid on the streets and
employer, since this is part of their policy. take him in. Once you check him over, his eye
color indicates he’s part of the royal family... but
2. You need cash — after all, maintaining a starship you’re nowhere near the Inuuel empire. Did he
isn’t cheap. So you’re carrying a package full of manage to run away from kidnappers? What are
precious stones to a collector on the outskirts of you in the middle of?
the galaxy. As it turns out, these gems are highly
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radioactive. Did your seller know this? Does 10. A genetic researcher your group has helped
your buyer? Did someone set you up? out in the past has found a way to give Nesti
improved intelligence (at the cost of some of
3. Your starship uses a myriad of microbotic their physical capacity). This could revolutionize
assistants for self-repair purposes. Recently the galaxy! But not everyone likes a revolution,
they’ve been doing things a bit strangely — not and many people want to see this suppressed.
always worse, but not the standard way either.
Close examination shows that they’ve started
developing an Independent Thinker (see page
xx) in their processing core! This could be a
problem, and not just for your ship — there are
moral implications here too. Simply turn it off
and you’ve killed a sentient life form. What to
do?
4. Someone out there hates you. You were just

minding your own business and suddenly there
are assassins and ninjas after you. What did you
do? Who did you piss off? How can you explain
that it’s not your fault?

older forms of technology that can be supported by

the local people instead of relying on trade. Some of
Technology and the inner systems have also fallen by the technologi-

Economics cal wayside because their resources were long ago
taxed. Without an influx of new resources to their
factories and manufacturing plants these systems are

This section is almost part of the GM Advice no longer viable trade entities.
section, but not quite. These are a few things that,
frankly, we weren’t sure where to put. They add a bit

of detail and interest to the world, but not everyone
Tech Levels
needs to know them, and they might never come
For the purpose of simplification we have chosen

into play in your game. Hopefully they’ll give you a
to apply a “tech level” label to all systems in the gal-
little bit of inspiration.
axy, denoting the general level of a system or plan-

ets’ technology. There are two facets to tech levels
Economics (or TLs), in Valence: organic tech and inorganic tech.
Organic tech includes, but is not limited to: non-me-

After the fall of the Great Human Empire two chanical medical technologies, the ability to merge
major factors worked to tear apart the economic cybernetics and living tissue, surgery, and DNA
fabric of the galaxy. The first of these was a disrup- manipulation. Inorganic tech includes, but is not

tion of interplanetary and cross system trade routes limited to: the ability to produce weapons, armor,
by pirates and bandits. Constant attacks from these and computers, advanced infrastructure construc-
groups forced merchants to travel only the safer, tion techniques, the creation of cybernetics, and

escorted routes and neglect the outer colonies. As a nanotechnologies. These levels are always classified
result, many outer colonies became isolated, either by the notation “TL X/Y” where X is organic tech and

participating in trade infrequently or growing com- Y is inorganic tech.
pletely self-reliant and cut off from the rest of the
galaxy. The tech level of a planet denotes its general

level of technology and helps in determining the
A second major disruption of trade arose as price and availability of goods and services there,
new governments began to rise from the anarchistic but it says nothing about resources. Obviously a tes-
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remains of the Empire. Individual rulers and groups seract drive would not be available at a planet that
wanted to use revenues from trade to bolster their doesn’t even have enough resources to make an au-
claims and power. Merchants wanted to continue tomobile! One must keep in mind that the nature of
the free trade policies of the Empire. Eventually most the economic “reversal” on many planets has made
differences came to conclusion as the merchants it possible to find a tesseract-capable starship on a

agreed to pay small fees. Some systems were cut off TL 1/1 planet, though rather unlikely (and it would
completely from trade routes, however, as their gov- probably blow the minds of all of that system’s in-
ernments refused to comply with the merchants on habitants if they found it.)
trade agreements. Others (such as the Communals)
were voluntarily removed from the trade and com- The tech level in the galaxy before the fall of the
munication networks and remain today as self-sus- Empire was roughly 2/4, and for the sake of game
taining entities or belong to small multi-system trade simplicity that is still considered the base tech level
alliances. for most planets.
In the long term such actions have led to a frag- Keep in mind that while the TL of a system may
mented galaxy, split by power and money. Some correspond to a historical period on old Earth, there
systems have enough natural resources to encourage is no way to tell what kind of society these planets
a heavy trading network and maintain a high status will have developed. Just because a world has 1950s
of wealth and thus a good deal of technology. Less technology it doesn’t necessarily have 1950s culture!
fortunate systems, especially ones that were young Also, some rare worlds have strange combinations of
colonies when the Empire fell, have found them- TL, resulting in a 4/1 organic-based culture or a 1/4
selves without either the resources to provide for computerized society.
trade or the infrastructure to exploit those resources.
Many of these outer colonies have resorted to using
Tech Level Five: The TL 5/X category is reserved
Organic Tech Levels for only the most advanced organic worlds. These
worlds are capable of manipulating organic material
Tech Level Zero: The TL 0/X classification is used using the Lording and can change DNA at will. They
to describe cultures which have only a rudimentary have the ability to “construct” symbionts and fuse
knowledge of agriculture and domestication. Their organic and inorganic materials with no noticeable
knowledge is roughly comparable to pre-1800s failure rate. The understanding at TL 5/X worlds of
organic knowledge. They know nothing of germs or the inter dependencies of living systems and beings
virii, and cannot perform surgery. gives them advantages when dealing with group
effects on population and species manipulations.
Tech Level One: TL 1/X worlds are defined by Given sufficient time and resources, a TL 5/X rated
their low organic knowledge. These worlds can group can terraform planets and moons. There are
produce good agricultural goods and domesti- none of these worlds in the Milky Way.
cate animals, and they have rudimentary medical
knowledge. TL 1/X worlds have a basic ability to
manipulate DNA and genes, assuming they have the Inorganic Tech Levels
necessary Lording or inorganic skills.
Tech Level Zero: The TL X/0 classification refers
Tech Level Two: TL 2/X was the average organic to a pre-mechanical society where tool use is limited
TL in the galaxy at the time of the Human Empire. at best.
TL 2/X worlds are still the most common, and this
is the base organic tech level used in the galaxy. Tech Level One: TL X/1 planets fall generally cor-
These worlds are capable of merging computer and respond to the Earth time period before the Industrial
cybernetics technologies with living tissue with the revolution. Most people work with hand tools and
ability to insert matrix-jacks into Interface Knights simple machinery, as more complex tools are not
and increasingly manipulate DNA. TL 2/X worlds widely available. In some of the larger metropolitan
are able to mesh DNA to a limited extent to create areas some machinery is used, and occasionally an
new species or species hybrids, but the failure rate “artifact” of high-technology may still be found.
is high and this science is not yet well understood.
Note: All listed organic prices are considered to be Tech Level Two: TL X/2 systems generally have
“base” TL 2/X prices. enough infrastructure to support machinery, early
computers, and air flight, but they are distinguished
Tech Level Three: TL 3/X worlds have an excel- by their lack of space flight capabilities. A loose cor-
Page 234
lent understanding of life systems and processes. respondence in the history of Earth is the 20th cen-
They are capable, to a limited degree, of manipulat- tury. Some of these systems may be on the verge of
ing global systems like climate and weather. With the developing starships capable of traveling within their
corresponding inorganic TL these systems can create own system, but these ships would be rudimentary
cybernetically enhanced beings like UltraMercs with
at best.
a moderate to high success rate.
Tech Level Three: TL X/3 systems have advanced
Tech Level Four: Worlds with at TL 4/X rating computing capabilities and generally have the abil-
have mastered the combination of inorganic tech- ity to manufacture starships and basic TGD drives.
nology and organic technology to produce seamless Some have orbiting space stations and may have
beings with a high degree of success. They can societies that span multiple planets within a single
produce beings from “scratch” using DNA modules. system. Most TL X/3 systems are in contact with
TL 4/X worlds are most significant in their ability to outside forces on a semi-regular basis, but they do
use the Lording to modify life systems and processes. not have the resources or capabilities to produce the
This enables societies without inorganic tech to still powerful tesseract drives they would need for more
excel in high-compexity organic tech, and extends permanent communication and trade. The entire
the capabilities of worlds with comparable inorganic galaxy fell under this category for most of the Inuuel
TLs. There are few to none of these worlds in the and Budetug Empires.
Milky Way; even Genetech is lucky to have a single
TL-4 technique mastered, let alone the whole Tech Tech Level Four: TL X/4 systems are the current
Level. “average” in the galaxy, comprised of high levels of
computing technology, powerful alloys, and most

importantly the ability to manufacture or procure

tesseract drives. These systems generally have much
higher populations and the resources or services Price Modifiers

needed to maintain galactic communications and Tech Level difference of 1 (i.e. a ± 4
healthy trade. Note: All listed inorganic prices are tesseract drive on TL-1/1 planets, a
considered to be “base” TL X/4 prices. microwave on a TL-3/2 planet):

Tech Level difference of 2 (i.e. a ± 7
Tech Level Five: TL X/5 worlds are the cutting hatchet on a TL-3/3 planet):
edge in inorganic technology. This specification

includes the research conducted at facilities like the Tech Level difference of 3 (i.e. a ± 10
Ægis Research Park. Few systems are considered TL starship on a TL-5/1 planet):

X/5; this rating is typically given only to select areas Tech Level difference of 4 or more: GM’s call
on an otherwise TL X/4 planet.
Importation expense (1-5 systems +1
away):

For the sake of game speed during a campaign
a GM may want to use the base prices listed in the Importation expense (6-10 systems): +2
Equipment section as actual costs. However, for Importation expense (11-20 systems): +3

those who desire more realism, a system has been
devised to determine the price of goods and services Importation expense (21-35 systems): +4
on planets whose TL differs from the usual 2/4. We Importation expense (35+ systems): GM’s call

encourage GMs to take advantage of this system High local resource availability: -3
when time permits to enhance gameplay and add
Med local resource availability: -2

depth to campaigns.
Low local resource availability: -1
Please note that these rules can also be used to
Agricultural goods: (see importation

adjust the prices of goods and services on TL 2/4
expenses, local resource availability)
planets as well.

If the modifier found on the table is -15 (or more),
the product can be found at 1/5x base cost or less.
-10 to -14: 1/4x base cost
Page 235
-6 to -9: 1/3x base cost
-4 or -5: 1/2x base cost
-3: 2/3x base cost
-2: 4/5x base cost
-1: 9/10x base cost Tech Level Abnormalities

0: Base cost
+1: 1/4x base cost + base cost Some pieces of Valence technology are
+2: 1/2x base cost + base cost
really TL-5 inorganic or TL-3 organic created
+3: 2/3x base cost + base cost by total geniuses. Starshielding and Ultramercs
+4 or +5: 2x base cost are both good examples. Very few people actu-
+6 to +9: 3x base cost ally understand how these technologies work,
+10 to +14: 5x base cost and they represent significantly more powerful
+15 or more: 10x base cost or GM discretion science than one can normally find.
Likewise, other pieces of equipment (such

as gauss pistols and laser rifles) represent older
technologies, used simply because they have
become cheap and efficient. There’s no reason
a planet at TL-3 inorganic couldn’t build a laser
rifle on par with one found in 592, though it
might chew through ammunition more quickly
due to inefficiencies.
days she also likes to keep involved on the Lattice,
and keep tabs on groups of heroes who have the
Important NPCs potential to improve the galaxy. She has a certain
amount of cowardice (she calls it prudence) and pre-
These characters are included for the GM who fers not to do things herself, but has no qualms about
wants to have a few pre-made NPCs to throw at their helping out those she feels are just and right.
players. Not all of them are really important; some
are just regular old people or simply interesting While she has worked unseen for most of hu-
rather than important. Two of them, the first two, are man history, she’s been slipping recently. Many
world-shaking, and make excellent patrons, allies, people on the Lattice worship her in a fanboyish
or enemies for groups of experienced PCs. way, considering her to be a sort of oracle and guru.
She does nothing to quash these rumors; after all,
they’re pretty much correct. The Monk is the most
The Monk knowledgeable and (probably) most talented of all
Immortal Human Enigma Interface Knights.
Classes: The Monk has been a Bounty Hunter The Monk is does not follow any specific reli-
and an Operative, and is now an Interface Knight. gion, but she does believe in a higher power.
Culture: The Monk identifies herself as a mem-

ber of the Human Galactic Empire, a culture now The Father
quite defunct.
Immortal Archangel Leader
Attributes: The Monk’s Knowledge is off the
charts, simply due to her age and the amount of Class: Paladin
trivia she’s picked up. Her Charisma is also relatively
high, due to her understanding of the “human condi- Culture: The Father is a member of an older cul-
tion.” Lording and Strength are relatively low, but the ture than most other Archangels can now remember.
Monk is pretty competent all-around. He is not so much a member of any modern culture
as he defines the Archangel homeworld culture.
Major Skills: The Monk has at least a 15 in
all Leadership, Medical, Professional, Street, and Attributes: Lording is the Father’s best attribute,
followed by Stamina and then Charisma. His other
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Miscellaneous skills. She’s been around a long

time. Her Computer skills are all at least 25. She attributes are above average (they have to be if he’s
has enough combat skills to stay alive, but not much survived for so long).
more.
Major Skills: The Father is a grandmaster of all
Appearance: While she has not been seen in Combat and Lording skills. His Complexity skill, in
person for many years, the Monk is a silver-haired particular, is at least 50. Assume that he has all other
blue-eyed human female who otherwise looks about skills at 6 or more.
forty years old.
Appearance: The Father is a tall, strong Archangel
Character Notes: Since her “creation” thirty with a regal bearing about him. He inspires respect
thousand years ago, the Monk has been many things. in all who see him.
She has been a hunter, a wanderer, a businessman,
a spy, an artist, a computer programmer, and yes, a Character Notes: The Father is the oldest of the
monk. Right now she is an Interface Knight. She has Archangels. He is one hundred million years old.
been more influential behind the scenes of human Experience is too mild a word for what this man
history than any other person, alive or dead. She has has.
been an advisor to many different societies, and was
involved in first contact efforts with the Inuueliting. His goals are split into two categories: those for
his species, and those for all others. His first loyalty
Her goals have always included finding out who is to his own species — he will exert himself to his
enhanced her and granted her immortality. These utmost to insure that the Archangel species survives

and thrives. In addition, under no circumstances

will he ever allow his species or any other to com- Noobor Maltek’Inuueliting
mit genocide. There’s a bit of detail on him in the Head of GT’s Genetics Division

Little Book of Metaplot which explains the “official”
reason for this, but you can of course make up your Class: Previously a Bio Doc, now a Diplomat.
own reason.

Culture: Genetechnologies Pop, born and bred.
His second set of goals pertains to the galaxy at
large, and to a lesser extent to the rest of the uni- Attributes: Noobor’s Charisma and Dexterity are

verse. He has directed the Archangels to watch over both good, and his Intelligence is above average. Her
the other species, to insure that law and order prevail Visualization and Mental Endurance are atrocious.

as much as possible through the galaxy.
Major Skills: She is a Grand Master of all
The Father has surrounded himself with other Leadership and Street skills, has all Medical skills at

elder Archangels, the ones who remember what 15 or more, and certain Engineering skills at about
happened so long ago and who he can trust. Some 11. She knows some basic self-defense.
were even involved in casting the ritual which

transformed the Archangels. They are responsible Appearance: About four foot eleven, with sil-
for keeping the true history of the Archangels from ver-blue hair and eyes. The more you piss her off,
the “youth” of their species. No one who was born the more she smiles. She is 621 years old, so she is

since the appearance of the Inuueliting has been told showing some signs of aging, but Genetech immor-
about what happened. However, if there is one thing tality treatment helps.

the Father has learned in his millennia of leading
the Archangels, it is that the younger generations Character Notes: Noobor is one of Genetech’s
should not be discounted. He will always listen to better-known division heads. She took over the posi-

complaints, and consider a response, though he may tion fourteen years ago, and has survived numerous
not choose (or even be able) to do anything about attempts to remove her from it.
them.

Her primary goal as division head is to absorb
The Father doesn’t act from the shadows the the Ultramerc department into her own. She disap-
way the Monk does. He shows up in person to talk proves of its current direction, and most especially of
Page 237
to younger Archangels who need his guidance the Project Endeavour. In more personal notes, she has
most. He directs his species from the front lines, not always hoped that her children would follow in her
the sidelines. His presence rallies, reinforces, and in- footsteps, and is trying to foster interest in biology in
spires every person he talks to. Though many people her great great grandson (currently twenty years old).
have suggested that he make a bid for the Archangels She has little opportunity to practice her medical

to have an Empire of their own, he has no desire to skills, having to spend more time in the boardroom
repeat the past. Their has been enough death with- than in research.
out his causing more.
Chris Schmo Valence Main Rulebook: GM Advice

The Father knows any Lording powers that you
need him to know in the game, including ones that Average Human Security Guard
can level mountains. His body is permeated with
nanotech cybernetics. In short, this guy should not Class: No Class
be attacked in the first place, but if he is, he will
win. Culture: Works in any culture.
Attributes: Chris is an average human.
Major Skills: Chris Schmo has some Professional-

level Combat skills, and assorted skills from
Miscellaneous, Athletics, and Street categories.
Appearance: Five foot nine and looks good in a
uniform. About thirty-five years old.
Grey Man
Sa’crontor Anarchist
Character Notes: Chris the Security Guard has
no better ambitions than to someday become Head Class: Thief
of Security. Chris pretty much took this job because
it pays well. After all, it’s not cheap to pay for your Culture: Technically part of Genetech, though
kids education and to take care of an aging great- he identifies himself more with the Renaissance
grandmother.
Attributes: Grey Man’s Charisma, Creativity, and
Chris is our generic human security guard (Chris Agility are uniformly above average. He concentrat-
can be Christopher or Christine), with everyday cares ed on these at the expense of his Lording, Strength
and concerns, and no ambition above a better job. and Stamina.
Major Skills: Grey Man is a Master of most Street

Windsweeper skills, and is also familiar with many Espionage and
Great Caractingessen Opera Singer Computer skills. His favored weapon is a laser rifle,
and his martial arts skills are exceptional. He knows
Class: Diplomat a few Leadership skills.
Culture: part Ægis, part Caract species culture. Appearance: A thin, grey snakeman with a tattoo
of the anarchy symbol on the back of his cobra-like
Attributes: Windsweeper’s Stamina is excellent, hood.
since she sometimes sings while flying for almost
an hour. Like most Gess her Mental Endurance and Character Notes: Grey Man is a semi-famous
Dexterity are rock-bottom. anarchist philosopher. He is known throughout the
Lattice as co-founder of the Bollux Alliance, a tech-
Major Skills: Windsweeper has a 23 in Singing, nologically oriented wing of the Renaissance. Very
plus various Miscellaneous, Professional, and Street profit-oriented, Grey Man is always looking to make
skills at reasonable levels. She also knows Flame a deal or trade for information or interesting goods.
Generation and Airwalk as Lording powers, among He has a special taste for Lording artifacts.
others, but few that would be useful outside a per-
formance. What is not well-known about him is that he
Page 238
aided the Demons in the Fall, and still knows where

Appearance: Jungle green skin and bright gold many of them are. He wouldn’t want to betray any of
eyes. Her tail fades to a midnight blue. them, but would be willing to give out their location
to people he trusts — for a price.
Character Notes: Windsweeper is a famous op-

era singer from Necrontor. Her story has been made
into a low-quality independent film (much like a
Ecto Gammut
made-for-TV movie), but what she really wants more Valorian Long-term Investor
than anything else is to be immortalized on the big
screen. Class: Merchant
Other than her dreams of movie stardom, she Culture: Ægis now, Valorian homeworlds before
wants to continue making money and to entertain the Fall and the creation of Ægis’ culture.
many people. She is violent, confident, and occa-
sionally acts stuck-up but usually reigns herself in Attributes: Ecto’s most important attribute is
and apologizes. After all, she knows that egotism is Knowledge, but Intelligence and Visualization aren’t
not the mark of a true star. far behind. Like most Valorians, his Lording score is
rock-bottom, and he’s not very physically fit.

Major Skills: Many Professional skills at Master. group stayed at this profession until they got killed,

Some Miscellaneous, Leadership, and Street skills at Chinché was called back to the Nesti homeworld
good levels. No combat skills. by his own elders to advise the next generation of

warriors.
Appearance: Copper-veined grey skin with cop-
per antennae Chinché is wise for a Nesti — that is to say, it has

good battle sense, but little other sense. It believes
Character Notes: A very long-term thinker with in tough love, hard work, and the idea that might
more money than you can shake a stick at, Ecto has makes right (which is so often true in 592).

been around for eight hundred years so far. He owns
shares in all the megacorps, and owns two microcor- These days Chinché is really starting to feel stiff

porations outright. and knows the end is coming. It looks forward to
joining itself with the walls of the local training com-
Ecto lost half of his money in the Fall, and is in plex, and becoming an everlasting part of the Nesti

no hurry to see that happen again. Therefore, he will community.
actively work against anyone who tried to change
the galactic status quo. His morals are strong — he

will not enslave, torture, or kill, nor will he order The Razor
his lackeys to do so — but he has no qualms with Archangel Assassin
financially ruining someone or using scare tactics,

and some of his lackeys may get over-zealous. Class: Assassin

In short, Ecto is an excellent master villain for Culture: Armageddon (specifically, the
characters who are on the road to changing the Organization)
galaxy.

Attributes: The Razor is a more or less typi-
cal Archangel in terms of statistics. Her Stamina,
Chinché Creativity, and Agility are a bit above average.

Nesti Elder
Major Skills: Espionage and Combat skills are
Class: Fury The Razor’s best, with several at Master level, fol-
Page 239
lowed by Street skills and some Miscellaneous ones
Culture: Armageddon to help her fit in.
Attributes: Chinché is in the sunset of its life, but Appearance: A “slim” (for an Archangel), dark
retains the powerful Strength and Mental Endurance blue set of full plate mail, with particularly sharp

of a Nesti warrior. Its Charisma has been increasing wings.
slowly for the past few years, and it is very bright...
but only for a Nesti. Character Notes: The Razor is one of the galaxy’s
better-known assassins — primarily because no one
Major Skills: Chinché still retains much of its old expected an Archangel to be capable of being an
fighting knowledge, though it doesn’t quite have the assassin.
flexibility it used to. Leadership and Lording skills
figure big into its life now, with a few old Street skills It is true that no Archangel can lie, and this ap-
still coming into play. plies to The Razor as well. Most Archangels also have
a strict code of honor, and this definitely does not
Appearance: Five feet of red and gold tendrils in apply. The Razor was captured and twisted by The
a humanoid shape, just like most Nesti. Organization (a major criminal cartel) to implant a
new set of loyalties. Now, instead of fighting to make
Character Notes: Chinché was once a mighty the galaxy more peaceful, she is a hired killer.
warrior seventy years ago. It was the commander
of a group which ripped through Jungsai Sector, If anyone manages to capture her and undo the
generally terrorizing the populace and doing the Organization’s conditioning (both of which would
things that minor warlords do. While most of the
be difficult feats!), the entire Organization might just He is motivated primarily by his honor and his
fall to one person. great feelings of loyalty towards his adopted home-
lands. When not in the courts, he can usually be
found championing various causes amongst the no-
Deu Rao Dai’Inuueliting bility. He has little thought for the “common” people
Inuueliting Courtesan (non-Innueliting in the Empire), but is never rude or
neglectful to anyone.
Class: Paladin
Deu has the capacity to be a great resource for
Culture: Inuueliting Empire characters who meet him. His massive charisma
and influence could move a nation, but his low
Attributes: Deu’s Agility and Dexterity are his Creativity means that he probably won’t come up
highest attributes by far, exceeding most trained with any ideas on his own.
Inuuel warriors. His Stamina doesn’t rise above the
Inuuel average, though, and he’s not very creative.
Hentar
Major Skills: Deu’s Sword and Martial Arts skills Troll Teenager
are at least master level. He has several other combat
skills and many Leadership skills. His Lording skills Class: none yet. Hentar is a Duelist.
are rather minimal for a Paladin.
Culture: Coalition
Appearance: The very image of a proper, courtly,
beautiful Inuueliting courtesan — tall and strong, Attributes: Hentar is slightly below average, as it
with blue-and-purple wings. He is always well- is still growing up.
dressed, even when wearing his armor.
Major Skills: Duelist skills at 10+, with a small
Character Notes: Deu is probably the best- dash of Miscellaneous and Combat skills. Hentar is,
known and most capable warrior on his planet. in general, rather inexperienced.
While he isn’t part of the Inuueliting Empire’s army,
he does fight the occasional courtly duel. Until Deu Appearance: With blue-green skin with tiger-like
arrived on the scene, these duels were fought with yellow streaks and purple eyes, Hentar is a typically
an ancient, honed technique that was totally useless ugly member of the Troll species. It conscientiously
in a real battle. Used to a different world entirely, wears its fiber suit to protect others. It is important to
Page 240
Deu brought his knowledge to New Cygnus and remember that Hentar, like all Trolls, is asexual, and
cleaned house. words like “her” and “him” don’t really apply.
Moreover, he won these matches honorably, Character Notes: In a word: Impressionable.

catching the eye of the queen! He has been ap- Hentar is essentially a teenage runaway, with one
pointed “protector of the realm,” and is occasionally parent alcoholic and the other dead. Hentar needs
called upon to fight duels with outsiders who have parent figures badly, and all the more because of its
a gripe with the Inuuel Empire and wish to resolve tremendous potential as a Duelist.
their disputes in that way.
If the party accepts and helps Hentar, they will
While his Lording skills are stunted compared to have a strong ally. If, on the other hand, the party
most traditional Inuueliting, Deu carries something is gruff and unhelpful, Hentar will probably end
which evens the odds — a sword of pure Xenite! This up working for someone who pretends to be nice
ancient Lording relic, once a massive armblade, has — most likely the group’s enemies!
been sharpened and nicked so much over the centu-
ries that it now resembles a wakizashi. It has just one Hentar is best played as a gullible, earnest young
power — the user may use his Parry score against Troll, believing whatever people say until someone
any incoming Lording attack, whether directed or points out the mistake (or starts laughing). However,
area-effect. Deu has been known to emerge totally unlike many characters, Hentar will actually change
unscathed from a rain of deadly plasma. over the course of a campaign. Hentar will never be
smart, but it will learn from its mistakes.

Iriantuka Miri
Budetug Geneticist Hallan Captain

Class: Bio Doc Classes: Space Jockey, Merchant

Culture: Budetug Core Culture: Ægis
Attributes: Iriantuka has the excellent Knowledge Attributes: Miri’s experience has increased her

and Charisma that mark Bio Docs, but suffers in the Knowledge and Mental Endurance, as well as her
areas of Agility and Lording. Charisma. She’s still not any brighter than most

Halla, and spends most of her time in a chair, so her
Major Skills: Genetic Engineering at Grand physical attributes are not outstanding.
Master level, all other Medical skills at Master.

Various Science, Engineering, and Professional Major Skills: Leadership and Street skills at near
skills. Master level, followed by some Pilot, Military, and
Lording skills.

Appearance: A typical pale grey Budetug, with
shimmering orange eyes. She is often draped with a Appearance: Greyish-brown, wrinkly skin with

white cloth with many slits in it, which is her equiva- green eyes, and bald. Miri wears the uniform of the
lent of a lab coat. Ægis corporate fleet.

Character Notes: Iriantuka is a well-known Character Notes: After many different tours of
Budetug geneticist who has been courted by duty with mercenary companies and megacorps,
Genetech for many years now. She, however, likes Miri has taken employment with Ægis Corp. She’s

to be just where she is now. taken a great deal of care to find employers with
good morals — hard to do when you need to pay off
Iriantuka works for a small biotech company the debt on a Patrol-class starship.

producing symbiotes — small creatures who live
in harmony with a larger “host” and provide some Miri has as many allies as enemies; her fellow
Page 241
benefits. Her greatest goal is to create an intelligent, employees love her good sense of humor, excel-
living creature which can act as a moral guide for lence on the job, and her many stories. Her former
people without one — a sort of “instant rehabilita- employers, however, would rather that she didn’t run
tion” for certain kinds of criminals. So far her at- around with their secrets! And right now she’s got
tempts have all failed, but that’s not unusual for one monster secret...
symbiote research.

Miri knows about Ægis’ Earth Division op-
She has a great respect for Archangels and their erations, as she transports atmospheric probes down

code. She has been able to perform a few post-mor- below Earth’s cloud cover. She knows there are still
tem examinations on Archangel corpses, and be- people alive on Earth. Whether she can bear to keep
lieves she is on the verge of determining the source this secret, or will choose to betray the first hon-
of their inability to lie. est employers she’s found, keeps her up at night.
Characters investigating Earth should run into Miri
early in the game, and they could be a big influence
on her choice.

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Valence Science-Fiction

• Culture. This book doesn’t assume that species and

• Internal consistency. The world of Valence, like

Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction

RPGs are typically played by having one person

• Try to be understanding when bad things happen

Before the players start creating their characters,

Character creation usually takes some time con-

Valence Main Rulebook: Introduction

the authority of age and experience, and still pull a

When Humans met the Inuueliting, there were

a few things that the Inuuel showed us. Some, like

A natural ability for which humans had little

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

The Daishaining’inuueliting worked out a

the aide of a Shain, the Inuueliting began expand-

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Commonly referred to as “Silvers,” the Maltec

Slap Damage: None whatsoever. and planetary infrastructure.

deafness Budetug and their diligent work ethic. However,

long and 10 meters tall at the shoulder, though most

Homeworld: Necrontor There are two main lines of Caractingessen:

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

anything from the other races. So after little more

Valorians form families for life. Their large,

The Valorians have a truly dizzying array of

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Valorians were first discovered by the Inuueliting,

Initially, the Budetug were glad to find another

dwellings, making other races uneasy.

Nesti talents for battle

plant and ‘breed’ a force of Nesti to attack.

Nesti in Game Terms The Archangels appear to be a race of animated

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Archangels can not lie. While this is true, it can

where it came from. They accept the conclusion that

The Inuueliting armada was in for a rude sur-

homeworld. The Archangels, despite their lack

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Towering more than a foot over the average

are also able to see through illusions created with

gloves. Ogre races are not very bright. They also

Trolls are the most common species of ogre.

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

in their quick rise to galactic prominence after first

specialists. Valorians, Sa’crontor, Ogre races, and Archangels

Genetech quickly became one of the sole pro-

Valence Main Rulebook: Species

Succubi are tall, slender, stunningly beautiful

principles and often refuse to compromise them empire or another.

All of the minor species we plan to introduce

its children. Newly created characters from these

same defeat that so many other Empires did in the

Some citizens of the galaxy believe that peace Blanket Statements

everything that its citizens see.

Local Governance: Chief Planetary Officer

Unfortunately, the Coalition could stand to take

Parism is also a combination of religions

ard manner, Parism came to be when leaders

Valence Main Rulebook: Cultures

Ægis is a very egalitarian society, believing that

analyzed carefully for details about other cultures.

Star Empire As you may have guessed, this culture is very

Inuuel Empire Cultural Brief