Character Generation

Character generation is a fairly straight forward process. Each step in the process starts with some background to help you understand your choices then takes your through that part. The entire process is made up of the steps outlined below.

Character Generation Overview

1. Select Character Race
2. Generate Attributes
3. Skill Levels
4. Select Background Skills
5. Pre-Occupational Training
6. Select an Occupation
7. Resolve Occupational Terms of Service
8. Determine the Effects of Aging

Related Rules

• Skills: Usage and Improvement
• Psionics
• Languages of the Empire
• Complete List of Skills
• Description of Skills

Select Character Race

There are 6 major races in the game. Each is described briefly here and in greater detail in the settings section.

Choose your character's Race from the following:

• Human - Humans in this part of the Galaxy are all seeded races, that is to say that Humans evolved elsewhere and have been transplanted to a number of local planets. Humans are the single most common lifeform. They run the full range of skin, hair, and eye colors as Human on modern day Earth. Average life span is 100 years.
• Darid - Darids are basically Humans who have been genetically altered to be warriors. They are strong, quick, and highly adaptable. Their skin and hair colors run the same range as Humans, though darker hair tones are more common. Eye colors tend toward brown, green, and gray. They have two special genetically engineered abilities. The first is a psychic ability to camouflage themselves and the second is the ability to see into the near infrared. Average life span is 90 years.
• Sussarian - Sussarians are a reptilian race. They are a native race though there is evidence of genetic manipulation to accelerate their evolution. They are larger and stronger than Humans but not as agile. They are amphibian, equally at home on land or in water. They are predominately gray though some green and brown coloration have been seen. Eye color tends toward dark browns and greens. They are hairless. Average lifespan is 150 years.
• Tyconian - Tyconians are a humanoid race that evolved on a small, arid planet. The lower gravity and thinner atmosphere causes them to be somewhat weaker than Humans and to have slightly larger chests to compensate for the thin air. They are tall and slender with gracefully pointed ears. They are the founders of the Tyconian Empire. Average lifespan is 200 years.
• Neo-Human - Neo-Humans (or Neos) are essentially mutant (or evolved) Humans. They have an enhanced psionic ability and frequently enhanced physical abilities as well. Their psionic power is accessed through thin, hairlike tendrils coming from their scalp. Neos are feared and hated (perhaps envied as well), as a result, they are hunted as if they were some kind of monsters by most people. They tend to be very reclusive and distrustful as a result. Average lifespan is 100 years.
• Kisha - Kisha are essentially winged Humans. It is clear from a close study of their genetics, that, like the Darid, they were created by the Elders from Human stock. Unlike the Darid, the Kisha seem to have no clear purpose. A number of cultures have references to Angels or winged Humans leading to speculation that the Kisha were used by the Elders to interact with and manipulate primitive cultures. They are very attractive and graceful making them popular as entertainers. Average lifespan is 110 years.

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Generate Attributes

There are seven attributes used in the game. Each has a different affect on your character. Humans are consider the base character and their attributes are the norm. Other races are deviations from the Human base. Humans roll 2d6 for all attributes which gives them a range of 2 - 12 with an average of 7. Attributes can be raised with training to a potential of 15.

Non-Human races start with different rolls giving them higher or lower starting values (and associated advantages or disadvantages). Like Humans, any of their attributes may be raised to a maximum of 15.

The seven attributes are:

• Strength - A measure of physical strength. Used directly for contests or feats of strength. Also affects melee damage done and determines your hit points.
• Dexterity - A measure of your coordination. Used directly for contests of speed or balance. Determines combat order.
• Endurance - A measure of your overall health. Used directly for resistance to diseases and toxins. Also affects damage taken and healing rates.
• Intelligence - A measure of your reasoning ability. Used for puzzle solving and finding connections. Affects the total number of skills you can have.
• Education - A rough measure of your education level. Used to recall obscure facts. Affects the total number of skills you can have.
• Social Standing - A direct measure of your class in society. Also an indirect measure of your behavior and style of dress. Ratings of 11 or more indicate nobility.
• Psionics - A measure of your mental strength. Used in the untrained as a resistance to psionic manipulation. Used in the trained to power and define their psychic abilities.

For each of the seven characteristics, roll the dice corresponding to your chosen race.

Race	Str	End	Dex	Int	Edu	Soc	Psi
Human	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6
Darid	2d5+3	2d5+3	2d5+3	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d5
Sussarian	2d4+6	2d4+6	2d5	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d3
Kisha	2d5	7+d6	8+d5	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6
Tyconian	2d5	2d6	2d5	2d6+3	2d6+3	2d6	2d5
Neo-Human*	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6	2d6+3

*For Neo-Human, Roll d20 to see if any other attributes are enhanced.

Roll	Effect	Roll	Effect
1-10	No further enhancements.	15-16	Dex+3
11-12	Str+3	17-18	Int+3
13-14	End+3	19-20	Roll for an additional attribute.1

¹No attribute can be enhanced twice. All four may be enhanced.

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Skills Levels

Skills are initially acquired through three possible methods. First, everyone gets a few Background Skills. Next, each person may opt to go through Advanced Education such as College, Flight School, Medical School, or they may enter a military or merchant academy. Finally, each person will go through at least one, possibly two, occupations.

Each skill improvement earned during character generation increases your skill level by one. Though unlikely to be an issue during character creation, note that no skill may exceed the racial maximum for the governing characteristic. For more details on skills please see the rules on skill usage and improvement.

There are four types of “skill” awards available during character generation. The first is an attribute change. This is applied directly to the specified attribute. The improvement can not raise that attribute above the attribute maximum of 15. The second is a “direct” skill. When a direct skill is awarded, the specified skill is acquired at level 1 or improved by the amount specified. In addition to these, there are two special types of skills: Cascade and Inclusive. Cascade skills are a short hand notation to identify of group of related skills. They are indicated by bold in the rules below. When a cascade skill is selected, the player must immediately choose one skill from within the cascade as the skill to be learned or improved. Inclusive skills are typically weapon skills. Like cascade skills, they include a group of related skills but in this case the inclusive skill covers the use of any of the included skills.

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Select Background Skills

These skills represent abilities learned as a child. Each character starts with 4 background skills plus 1 for every 2 points the rolled value of Edu exceeds 7. So Edu of 9 or 10 would get one bonus skill, 11 or 12, 2 bonus skills, etc. These skills may be chosen by the player or randomly determined.

ATV	Small Watercraft	Grav Vehicle
Archaic Weapons	Large Blade	Handgun
Rifleman	Laser Weapons	Academic
Environ	Inborn	Vice
Small Blade	Brawling	Performance

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Pre-Occupational Training

Each player may opt to have his or her character attend College or an Academy. Only one attempt may be made for admission to either an Academy or College. If the admission attempt is unsuccessful, skip to the next section. Note: all rolls are made with 2d6.

A successful roll earns the listed benefits. A missed roll (failure) earns the listed failure effects, if any.

Graduates from any school may attempt to enter Graduate School. Graduate school may be repeated a second time following the same procedure. A successful completion of Graduate school earn a Master's Degree. A second successful completion earns a Doctorate degree. Characters with Doctorates are automatically admitted to the Scientist profession, if desired. If the character was an academy graduate, they may choose between Scientist or the appropriate military branch.

Honor graduates from any school may attempt to enter Medical School. If successful, the character gains the title of Doctor. The character is automatically accepted as a Doctor. If the character was an academy graduate, the player may choose between the Doctor occupation or the appropriate military branch.

Graduates of the Naval or Military Academy may attempt to enter Flight School (basically fighter training). Success allows the character to enter either the Aviator occupation or to the appropriate military branch. Naval Academy honors graduates have automatic admission to Flight School, if desired.

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Select an Occupation

Choose from the following occupations:

• Soldier - A member of the ground forces or ship's troops. This occupation covers strike forces, traditional army, landing forces, marines, and ship's troops.
• Navy - A member of the space forces. Covers every member of a space ship from pilot to engineer.
• Aviator - A soldier trained to fly small craft (i.e. space or atmospheric fighters) in both space and in the atmosphere.
• Scout - A special branch of the service charged with exploring and charting space and first contact with new cultures.
• Law Enforcer - Police and private investigators.
• Doctor - Medical professional.
• Scientist - Trained researcher or specialist in technical or theoretical fields.
• Merchant - Independent business person or entrepreneur. Specifically one in the business of hauling cargo between worlds via a space ship.
• Rogue - Criminal, possibly part of Organized Crime but may be a freelance.
• Pirate - Space pirates preying on merchant ships or lightly defended outposts.
• Spy - Members of the intelligence organizations. Can be government or corporate sponsored. Trained in stealth and deception.
• Noble - One of noble or near noble birth. Not a profession per se but more a lifestyle.

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Resolve Occupational Terms of Service

Characters that have graduated from an Academy, Flight School, Medical School, Graduate School, or College OTC or NOTC are automatically admitted to the appropriate occupation. All other characters must roll for acceptance to an occupation. The occupations may be tried in any order but only one attempt each may be made. If all of the occupations are attempted and failed, a second attempt may be made to each until you make a successful acceptance roll. Note that there may be DM's on the acceptance roll. Anyone with a Soc of 10+ is automatically accepted as a Noble, if they so choose.

Once accepted, the player should note any Automatic Skills earned for that occupation. Also note that certain occupations gain Automatic Skills based on rank as well (see position and promotion below).

Next the player must roll for survival (note the DM's). A failed survival roll forces an immediate mustering out with half experience for that term and the character only ages 2 years.

Some occupations hold the chance for positions of responsibility. Each term roll for promotion. This represents advancement through the enlisted ranks. Additionally, each term roll for position. Position can only be achieved once per profession and represents advancing from enlisted (or line staff) to officer (or management). Once position is achieved, future promotions advance you through the officer ranks. Always check for position first then promotion. It is possible to achieve position and earn a promotion in the same term.

Every term a roll is made to see if the character had special duty that term. Special duty gains two extra skill awards.

The term is now complete and the character ages 4 years. The character gains skill points as shown for each occupation. These skill awards can be spent on any of the skills listed for the given occupation. Some of the listed skills are attributes. This indicates that the skill awards may be spent to improve the listed attributes. Soc (Social Standing) is a special case and can only be increased to a maximum of 10 (a Soc beyond 10 is Nobility and can only be earned during play or via the Noble profession). Note that certain criminal occupations may incur a decrease to Soc - in that case it may not fall below 1.

If the survival roll was successful, the player must attempt the re-enlist roll. A roll above the value shown indicates the character may continue in that occupation for another term if they choose. A roll of exactly twelve means the character must complete an additional term in that occupation. A missed re-enlistment roll means the character is forced to muster out.

A player may elect to have his or her character change occupations once during character creation. To do so, a character must muster out of his or her current occupation and attempt to be accepted into a new occupation. At no time may the character attempt to re-enter their previous occupation and only one attempt may be made for each other occupation. If all attempts to enter a second occupation fail, the character may not make any additional attempts and must enter the game at this time.

At the completion of each term, the player should allocate all of their skill awards. Remember that cascade skills must be specified. The player may choose from any of the skills listed for their profession. Note that the skills are divided into categories. One category, Advanced Education Table II has a prerequisite of an Edu of 8 or higher.

When a character elects or is forced to muster out, he or she receives one roll on the mustering out tables for each term of service. The rolls may be divided between benefits and cash as desired. Characters with an officer rank of 5 or 6 may add one to their rolls on the benefits table. Characters with Gambling may add one to their rolls on the cash table.

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Retirement and Pensions

Any character completing 5 terms (20 years) in a occupation may retire on their fifth or later term (i.e. muster out). They will receive a pension equal to Cr2000 time the number of terms served. The five terms must be gained continuously within a single occupation.

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Determine the Effects of Aging

Each time one of the critical ages shown below is reached, the character must make saving throws to avoid a reduction is his or her attribute levels. Missing the roll results in the attribute being reduced by the amount shown. This reduction is not only applied to the current value but also to the maximum potential. Eventually, the current value or the maximum potential will reach zero and the character will expire from old age.

Note that the table is for Human lifespans of 100 years. Pro-rate the critical ages based on the non-Human lifespans.

Aging Tables

Age	Str	Dex	End	Int	Term
34	-1 (8+)	-1 (7+)	-1 (8+)	--	4
38	-1 (8+)	-1 (7+)	-1 (8+)	--	5
42	-1 (8+)	-1 (7+)	-1 (8+)	--	6
46	-1 (8+)	-1 (7+)	-1 (8+)	--	7
50	-1 (9+)	-1 (8+)	-1 (9+)	--	8
54	-1 (9+)	-1 (8+)	-1 (9+)	--	9
58	-1 (9+)	-1 (8+)	-1 (9+)	--	10
62	-1 (9+)	-1 (8+)	-1 (9+)	--	11
66+	-2 (9+)	-2 (9+)	-2 (9+)	-1 (9+)	12

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