Sci Fi Gaming Goodness
This is a work in progress, initially inspired by the old-school sandbox science fiction role playing game Stars Without Number, published by Sine Nomine. Some of the material was drawn from Other Dust, also by Sine Nomine. I've recycled it a few times for various projects, and when the new char-gen stuff for Uncharted Worlds is available I'm probably going to try adapting it more fully for that game as well.
Long story short, I'm a furry fan (but not entirely a furvert and definitely not a fursuiter). This was my attempt to bring Teh Furry into something like SWN...with a little help from the Highshine project detailed in OD. I also found a way to get anime-style Catgirls into this, just for laughs.
I apologize for my truly rotten application of Japanese. Denizens of Nakano are not hengeyokai, but that's as close as my limited grasp of the language comes to a proper term for them.
NAKANO
Atmosphere: Breathable
Temperature: Temperate
Biosphere: Human-miscible
Population: Millions
Tech Level: 3
Tags: Altered Humanity, Heavy Industry
Trade Profile
Type: Industrial (-2 Consumer, -1 Tool, +1 Agricultural, +2 Mineral)
Tag: Fractious
History (SWN Compliant version)
Obviously, there used to be a powerful Eugenic Cult on this world. Shortly after The Scream they used a variation on the same nanotech that had been used for the Highshine system back on Old Terra to morph everyone on the world (except, of course, themselves) into two ‘slave’ castes, Servants and Soldiers. These were marked by animal features of varying sorts, providing an immediate distinction between the Human rulers and the anthromorphic slaves, called hengejin. What the Eugenicists failed to take into account was that the cosmetic changes did not also instill a great deal of respect or obedience in their newly altered subjects...and after a few years the Soldier caste destroyed the Enlightened Overmasters in a brief, messy revolt that was aided by considerable sabotage and intrigue on the part of the Servant caste. The newly freed hengejin then proceeded to sanitize their own history, willingly forgetting that they were ever Human and suppressing as much evidence as they could in a desperate, futile attempt to deal with the existential agony of having been thus abused.
(A third category of Changed are the Toy Caste, which were the pleasure-slaves and arm candy of the Enlightened Overmasters. They are often derogatorily called “plushies” because their brightly colored and patterned fur makes them look rather like children’s toys. Even though they can be born to Soldier stock as well, they are considered to be part of the Servants and are generally the butt of considerable resentment and ill-treatment. Most end up as suitable marriage partners for off-worlders, since it is hardly considered any more shameful for them to consort without regard to the usual rules. Ironically, they are also the most likely to bear psionic or arcane talents. Also, in spite of their one crippling weakness, they are quite capable of strategic planning and intrigue...often and easily forgotten by others until too late.)
Needless to say Humans are not well regarded here, even though the world is not officially closed to trade and outside contact. The few that are to be found outside of Clan Trade Zones are either off-worlders or descended from off-worlders. Trade is complicated and awkward, because local custom borders on xenophobia and most off-world factors must first find a way to entice one of the great Clans to support them before they can do business. Oddly, the official way of handling that is by marriage (on paper). This imposes the duty of union upon a disgraced or disfavored member of the Clan who is then expected to milk the relationship for as many advantages as may be gained without violating customs about conjugal relations. That this renders the disfavored one ultimately indispensable is an irony lost on many Clan elders. (The more clever ones are finding ways to turn this to their advantage by loosening restrictions or by announcing that some of their best and brightest are somehow disgraced for a time.) Toys are the most likely candidates for this duty, followed by any who display ‘unnatural’ desires (ie gay or lesbian tendencies), followed by the simply disfavored or rebellious.
To heighten the tension, it is quite possible for Henge and Human to interbreed, and the genetic mix is such that some of the resulting children will appear to be normal Human, some will be Henge, and some will be ‘catgirl/catboy’ types...and Henge of different types can interbreed, with the resulting children taking after one parent or the other, only rarely mixing (but with exotic and striking results when they do). The Clans do not usually treat these mixed offspring kindly, the degree of response varying by type. The usual term for these children is Halfer, which is considered rude even when accurate.
The two most common hengejin found away from Nakano are ex-pat Toys and Halfers.
Curiously enough, it is the more culturally conservative and numerous Clans of Rabbits and Rodents who have reaped the most benefit from the new, more open arrangement with off-worlders. They usually have a wider selection of surplus or disgraced members who may be put to such use, and more success at retaining the loyalty of those so tasked. (Even though their fecundity is at normal human levels, the nature of their social structure means that Rabbits, Rodents, and Ungulates tend to have larger families...although the extended Wolf and Lion clans are not far behind.)
One other complication: there is no single Clan that governs the entire system, and an agreement with one Clan bears little weight with any other. Doing business here invariably involves a little extra Friction.
The core ‘culture’ is pan-Asiatic, with a heavy Japanese influence in names, fashion, and architecture, but large hints from other backgrounds abound. It is no longer clear whether this was the original colony’s culture or whether it was adopted wholesale after the revolt.
Game Stat Notes (SWN)
Following Other Dust, PCs get two additional points to add to their stat bonuses.
Humans get two points to put wherever they want, with the usual limits of one add per stat and no total bonus over +2.
Hengejin get one add by type and one add by general species. This can take a bonus to +3.
If using the Stellar Hero optional rules for solo players, bonuses can rise to +3 for Humans, +4 for Hengejin.
Servants, Toys, and Halfers get +1 CHA. Halfers may put their other +1 anywhere they wish.
Soldiers get +1 WIS.
Species is usually an add to STR or DEX.
Henge are almost always Experts or Warriors. Halfers may be Psychics if raised offworld.
Toys have the minor bonus of Perfect Toy and the minor debility of Pacifist from Darkness Visible in addition to the usual Domestic adjustments. They may be Psychics or Experts.
Game Stat Notes (UW)
To be determined once the official char-gen is out. However, since the default for UW is to treat humanoid aliens as Humans (mechanically speaking), everything should be fine except for that unfortunate inability of Toys to pull a trigger or draw a blade. Probably a permanent -1 to any such Move, with an attendant +1 for any move that would benefit from looking cute and harmless. Just remember that they are perfectly capable of, say, depressurizing a section of hull that contains enemies if they can't see said enemies...or launching a missile at coordinates on a screen...
For games set on Nakano (a City game would be most likely) the Clans would probably count as Factions in their own right...but only on Nakano.
Long story short, I'm a furry fan (but not entirely a furvert and definitely not a fursuiter). This was my attempt to bring Teh Furry into something like SWN...with a little help from the Highshine project detailed in OD. I also found a way to get anime-style Catgirls into this, just for laughs.
I apologize for my truly rotten application of Japanese. Denizens of Nakano are not hengeyokai, but that's as close as my limited grasp of the language comes to a proper term for them.
NAKANO
Atmosphere: Breathable
Temperature: Temperate
Biosphere: Human-miscible
Population: Millions
Tech Level: 3
Tags: Altered Humanity, Heavy Industry
Trade Profile
Type: Industrial (-2 Consumer, -1 Tool, +1 Agricultural, +2 Mineral)
Tag: Fractious
History (SWN Compliant version)
Obviously, there used to be a powerful Eugenic Cult on this world. Shortly after The Scream they used a variation on the same nanotech that had been used for the Highshine system back on Old Terra to morph everyone on the world (except, of course, themselves) into two ‘slave’ castes, Servants and Soldiers. These were marked by animal features of varying sorts, providing an immediate distinction between the Human rulers and the anthromorphic slaves, called hengejin. What the Eugenicists failed to take into account was that the cosmetic changes did not also instill a great deal of respect or obedience in their newly altered subjects...and after a few years the Soldier caste destroyed the Enlightened Overmasters in a brief, messy revolt that was aided by considerable sabotage and intrigue on the part of the Servant caste. The newly freed hengejin then proceeded to sanitize their own history, willingly forgetting that they were ever Human and suppressing as much evidence as they could in a desperate, futile attempt to deal with the existential agony of having been thus abused.
(A third category of Changed are the Toy Caste, which were the pleasure-slaves and arm candy of the Enlightened Overmasters. They are often derogatorily called “plushies” because their brightly colored and patterned fur makes them look rather like children’s toys. Even though they can be born to Soldier stock as well, they are considered to be part of the Servants and are generally the butt of considerable resentment and ill-treatment. Most end up as suitable marriage partners for off-worlders, since it is hardly considered any more shameful for them to consort without regard to the usual rules. Ironically, they are also the most likely to bear psionic or arcane talents. Also, in spite of their one crippling weakness, they are quite capable of strategic planning and intrigue...often and easily forgotten by others until too late.)
Needless to say Humans are not well regarded here, even though the world is not officially closed to trade and outside contact. The few that are to be found outside of Clan Trade Zones are either off-worlders or descended from off-worlders. Trade is complicated and awkward, because local custom borders on xenophobia and most off-world factors must first find a way to entice one of the great Clans to support them before they can do business. Oddly, the official way of handling that is by marriage (on paper). This imposes the duty of union upon a disgraced or disfavored member of the Clan who is then expected to milk the relationship for as many advantages as may be gained without violating customs about conjugal relations. That this renders the disfavored one ultimately indispensable is an irony lost on many Clan elders. (The more clever ones are finding ways to turn this to their advantage by loosening restrictions or by announcing that some of their best and brightest are somehow disgraced for a time.) Toys are the most likely candidates for this duty, followed by any who display ‘unnatural’ desires (ie gay or lesbian tendencies), followed by the simply disfavored or rebellious.
To heighten the tension, it is quite possible for Henge and Human to interbreed, and the genetic mix is such that some of the resulting children will appear to be normal Human, some will be Henge, and some will be ‘catgirl/catboy’ types...and Henge of different types can interbreed, with the resulting children taking after one parent or the other, only rarely mixing (but with exotic and striking results when they do). The Clans do not usually treat these mixed offspring kindly, the degree of response varying by type. The usual term for these children is Halfer, which is considered rude even when accurate.
The two most common hengejin found away from Nakano are ex-pat Toys and Halfers.
Curiously enough, it is the more culturally conservative and numerous Clans of Rabbits and Rodents who have reaped the most benefit from the new, more open arrangement with off-worlders. They usually have a wider selection of surplus or disgraced members who may be put to such use, and more success at retaining the loyalty of those so tasked. (Even though their fecundity is at normal human levels, the nature of their social structure means that Rabbits, Rodents, and Ungulates tend to have larger families...although the extended Wolf and Lion clans are not far behind.)
One other complication: there is no single Clan that governs the entire system, and an agreement with one Clan bears little weight with any other. Doing business here invariably involves a little extra Friction.
The core ‘culture’ is pan-Asiatic, with a heavy Japanese influence in names, fashion, and architecture, but large hints from other backgrounds abound. It is no longer clear whether this was the original colony’s culture or whether it was adopted wholesale after the revolt.
Game Stat Notes (SWN)
Following Other Dust, PCs get two additional points to add to their stat bonuses.
Humans get two points to put wherever they want, with the usual limits of one add per stat and no total bonus over +2.
Hengejin get one add by type and one add by general species. This can take a bonus to +3.
If using the Stellar Hero optional rules for solo players, bonuses can rise to +3 for Humans, +4 for Hengejin.
Servants, Toys, and Halfers get +1 CHA. Halfers may put their other +1 anywhere they wish.
Soldiers get +1 WIS.
Species is usually an add to STR or DEX.
Henge are almost always Experts or Warriors. Halfers may be Psychics if raised offworld.
Toys have the minor bonus of Perfect Toy and the minor debility of Pacifist from Darkness Visible in addition to the usual Domestic adjustments. They may be Psychics or Experts.
Game Stat Notes (UW)
To be determined once the official char-gen is out. However, since the default for UW is to treat humanoid aliens as Humans (mechanically speaking), everything should be fine except for that unfortunate inability of Toys to pull a trigger or draw a blade. Probably a permanent -1 to any such Move, with an attendant +1 for any move that would benefit from looking cute and harmless. Just remember that they are perfectly capable of, say, depressurizing a section of hull that contains enemies if they can't see said enemies...or launching a missile at coordinates on a screen...
For games set on Nakano (a City game would be most likely) the Clans would probably count as Factions in their own right...but only on Nakano.
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