Polaris Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 Greetings, I don't play in the Terran Empire campaign setting precisely, but after buying it yesterday and spending quite a bit of time last night reading it, I have found quite a bit of material that I can use for my own campaign. One of the parts of the book that is of great use is the other imperial powers and galactic species material. I was wondering if anyone would like to share information about any species or empires that they have designed for their games? Polaris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrine Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 Designed? The Association of Worlds. Basically an interstellar treaty association guaranteeing free trade among its members and establishing a StarCorps (star fleet, space marines, diplomatic corps, espionage organization, all rolled into one) to enforce the treaty and defend treaty members from external threats. Stolen whole cloth? The Orions, from the FASATrek universe. Three subraces, one of which is enslaved by the other two and genetically altered to die at middle age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhamin Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 I have actually turned the Psychophants from the old "Pyramid in the Sky" adventure module into a third tier race in my games. (poorly named I know...) They are a race of Psychic Vampires that is largely hated and reviled across most of known space, but their entire race lives in multi-kilometer long city ships with their legions of slaves/food stock. They capture PSIs from other races and repeatedly feed off of them until their minds burn out after a few years, then they are used as slave labor. Psychophants don't have borders to defend and can just activate the Fold Engines if they detect a dangerous force appraoching them. They are the vile cockroaches of galactic society. They don't have alot of friends, most races hate them for preying on psychic members of the species, but if you don't have Psi Powers they don't see you as food and are more than willing to sell technology that can't be legally obtained elsewhere or evern repair damage to your ship that looks suspicously like it may have come from galactic patrol weapons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris Posted August 5, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 To anyone that might be interested, I recently found a supplement that TSR made about 4-5 years ago that is a good help for SH. It is titled Alien Compendium, and is a supplement for their Stardrive RPG. The authors are Richard Baker and Bill Slavicsek. I know that there are numerous alien compendium books out there, but I liked this one for a few reasons: 1. It provides good information about the various species, including the planets they come from, their social organization, their level of intelligence, personality, and easily compatibible stats on each creature. It also provided good information about each of the planets. 2. Each race came with well done color art. 3. It is cheap...:) 4. There are A LOT of different alien races, and various nations/planets to use. Polaris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Originally posted by Jhamin I have actually turned the Psychophants from the old "Pyramid in the Sky" adventure module into a third tier race in my games. (poorly named I know...) I thought at the time, and still do, that the Psychophants were the coolest part of that supplement. I'd love to seem them make an appearance in the new Hero Universe.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James_Kiley Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 Well I've created, in vague terms, at least non-governmental body. The Interstellar Miners Union is broken up into the Asteroid Miners' Guild and the Independent Planetary Miners' Association. The IMU and its affiliates serve as clearinghouses for independent miners across most of the Terran Empire and it has outposts even in neutral and Mon'dabi space. The IMU provides affordable life and health insurance for its members, escrow services as needed, as well as job leads, training services, and communications for its members. The IMU has gained strength within the last century or so. In that time period, personal exoskeleton technology and telepresence and teleoperation technology have improved greatly; integrated starship computing has also become commonplace. Put those things together and the life of an independent asteroid or planet miner is no longer unthinkable. The IMU also provides a mine-claims paperwork-management service; any member miner who provides proof of a legitimate personal claim to a stake can register it through the IMU. The IMU will provide legal (and in at least one case paramilitary) support to a legitimate member that can prove that another individual or organization has moved in on his claim. Membership in the IMU is a one-point Perk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 One of the common foes in my game is the Franchise Army, known as the dynamic wedge... The Dynamic Wedge When a sentient being has nowhere else to turn, when he is exiled from his homeland, on the run from the law, abandoned by his lifemate, or in debt beyond all hope of repayment, he may always find a home in Dynamic Wedge. Millions of Franchise Marines serve systems in time of war, as defenders or invaders, sometimes fighting one another, but always fighting under the dynamic wedge that serves as the Franchise Brigade’s corporate logo. The following is an excerpt from a Dynamic Wedge brochure: “If you are the sort of self motivated individual who is looking for a unique money making opportunity, you may purchase your own franchise! Come to our War College, and learn everything you need to know about recruiting, training and deploying an armed force for glory and profit! And best of all, your troops will benefit from the most sophisticated and robust support staff in the galaxy! From belt buckles to Warrior Meals to city busting warheads, Your soldiers will have access to everything they need to carry out your orders. In addition to home office support, your franchise will benefit from the renown of the Dynamic Wedge Brand, a symbol that is recognized and feared or highly feared by over 60% of Traveled Space…†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 The source of all goodness in my world is the Confederacy... The Confederacy The most successful government in recorded history, the Confederacy celebrates its 520th birthday by Galactic Reckoning (a year is defined as the amount of time it takes a ship to travel a complete galactic rotation in the hyperstream) The Confederacy succeeds by acknowledging the sovereignty of each system. However before joining the Confederacy, a system must ratify a charter which guarantees all citizens suffrage, basic food and shelter, a fair trial if accused of a crime, and a just sentence if convicted. Over 1000 systems enjoy the benefits of Confederate life, and over 100 are engaged in the arduous process of preparing their society for membership. Each system is allowed to make its own laws within the boundaries of its charter. When sovereign worlds and their legal systems clash, a number of agencies exist to deal with the conflict. Confederate Justice League: When a Confederate citizen is accused of a crime, and flees the system in which he is accused, that government may petition the Confederate Justice League to extradite him from wherever he has fled. Field Agents have the authority to pursue a suspect to any Confederate world, but must cooperate with the local authorities and follow their laws and restrictions. Once captured, a suspect may be returned to the world that petitioned for his capture. No laws exist to punish intersystem flight, and the Justice League may not detain a suspect except to return him to his accusers. The Confederate Appellate Court: Any Confederate citizen may appeal a criminal conviction if he can convince the CAC to question the fairness of his trial or the justice of the sentence. The CAC is more likely to overturn a harsh sentence than a questionable verdict. If an appeal overturns the conviction, the system which prosecuted may exile the defendant, denying him entry to that world for the duration of the original sentence. One of the provisions in the Confederate Charter requires all systems to abolish the death penalty; any system trying to skirt or subvert that provision will come under the intense scrutiny of the CAC Consiglieri: Scholars debate endlessly over whether these computers are sentient. The twelve that are known to exist reside in huge towers on Confederate Planets. Consiglieri advise the Confederate Parliament on matters of science and law, and are instrumental in crafting the treaties and policies that keep the Confederacy together. A Consiglieri class computer requires vast resources to recreate, including the ennegrams of tens of thousands of scientists and scholars, and must be allowed to develop for scores of years before it gains a semblance of wisdom. If such a supercomputer started to falter, it could not be repaired, as any change to its code may remove its ability to think freely. The Confederacy has brought a new Consiglieri online every 40 years for its entire history. As the confederacy celebrates its 520th year, it is preparing to test a thirteenth unit. The Court of Consiglieri: When a system is accused of violating its confederate charter, either by unfair trade practices or civil rights violations; it's case is reviewed by the Court of Consiglieri. The CC will take as long as three years to decide the case, and provide a plan of action to return a system to compliance. Upon receiving this plan, the system may choose to accept it or withdraw from the Confederacy. A system that withdraws from the Confederacy loses all trade privileges within the Confederacy, and suffer an almost universal boycott from Confederate systems. Citizens of former Confederate worlds have twenty years from the date of withdrawal to relocate to another Confederate World. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 Another concerned power in my game (fairly obviously lifted from Asimov)... The Encyclopedia Guild The Encyclopedia Guild is the oldest known organization in the Galaxy, having recently issued its 800th five-year update of its Original Book of Knowledge. Operating without a homeworld, the guild is merely a nomadic nation of researchers and writers, editors, and publishers. Every five years they converge in an unknown location to integrate their data. They are accepted in almost every non swarm world, and have pledged themselves to non-violent gathering and distribution of information. Fact Checker Some believe this is the most boring job in the universe. In actuality many Fact Checkers expose themselves to life threatening danger on a daily basis, and more than a few have been killed by desperate people trying to hide the truth from the all seeing eyes of the Encyclopedia. A senior Fact Checker must be able to schmooze both High and Low Society, infiltrate the most secure data repositories, and seduce, bribe, or intimidate anyone who can confirm or deny any part of the assigned story. University This spaceship houses a quarter of a million students, faculty, and staff, and tours the Galaxy, making a full rotation every ten years. It is here where the Encyclopedia Ships converge, and eager Deans and their assistants begin sorting the data and distributing it to multiple departments. University politics would occasionally shame the most ruthless bureaucrat, but are always bloodless. The vast majority of Tenured Professors ignore politics, being engrossed in their particular field of study. Branches Every First World, most Second Worlds, and even a few Third Worlds have an Encyclopedia Branch that serves as Library, Virtual Museum, University, and Embassy. A few sentients who join a branch as an undergraduate are recruited to join the Encyclopedia, becoming Assistant Fact Checkers or Graduate Assistants. Most people become tired of Encyclopedia life after becoming a Master or a Doctor, and retire to another world, but some continue on, striving for the rank of Tenured Professor, Chairperson, or even Sub Assistant Dean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris Posted August 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 Dbsousa, Wow.. I really like those ideas! Thanks! Polaris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted August 9, 2003 Report Share Posted August 9, 2003 I have no entire empires, but I have developed about a dozen new species for the Mon'dabi Embassy campaign I'm designing. Some highlights: Iztlanda: These are a botanoid species who are, essentially, multi-celled versions of diatoms (real-life microscopic one-celled plant organisms with silicate shells). Their world, Cholth, has an unusually high amount of precious and semiprecious minerals. Kintari: These are an insectoid species obsessed with record-keeping. This cultural aspect stems somewhat from their unusual reproductive life-cycle: every 64 years, they all migrate home to their home world, Kelez, to die, and their respective Queens lay eggs in their bodies for the next generation. K'dathkhoni: This carbon-ammonia species (their world, the moon Mashanarzanthurek, has an average temperature of -67 degrees Farenheit) takes pride in its nickname as "the Mad Vikings of the galaxy." Their culture is based on taking anything to its logical extreme, plus one extra step. Thus, any one K'dathkhonas is excellent at his chosen profession and virtually clueless at anything else. Zaleth: A humanoid shape-changing species known for its candor, honesty, and naivete. Its homeworld, P'dhuu, has islands and seas but no continents or oceans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polaris Posted August 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2003 Here is a link to the Galactic Encyclopedia of Starfire. It provides good information about the various empires in the Starfire universe. Hope this is useful to some... http://www.starfiredesign.com/starfire/encyclopedia/index.html Polaris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted August 12, 2003 Report Share Posted August 12, 2003 Originally posted by Polaris Dbsousa, Wow.. I really like those ideas! Thanks! Polaris Thanks! I put our game site back up. The Living Galaxy has a lot of ideas cribbed from various space operas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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