Starslinger is primarily a Space Western with Space Opera elements being secondary.

• History
  
  • Cataclysm
  • Expansion
  • The Signal
  • The Ticking Clock
  • Welcome Aboard!
• Origins
  
  • Alien
  • Android
  • Cyborg
  • Human
  • Mutant
• Languages
• Atlas
• Back to Top

This message was last edited by the GM at 05:15, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

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CATACLYSM

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Somewhere in the late 21st century, there was a series of cataclysmic events that wiped out a large portion of the population. Among the events included a nuclear apocalypse, but scholars talk about tsunamis, mega volcanoes, plagues, mass hysteria, EMPs, and many other things that went wrong at this time. These events are simply referred to as "the Cataclysm" for short.

Many historical archives and technologies were lost, leaving later archeologists and historians to piece things together. There's a lot of historical disagreement among scholars, so things are a little fuzzy on human history before the Cataclysm. However, this results in a lot of myth and political propaganda of previous time periods merging into history, leaving humanity with an unclear view of itself. It took many generations for humanity to get back on track, though many areas of the world remained unlivable for various reasons.

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EXPANSION

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As humanity recovered, we began exploring our solar system. With newer technologies that allowed us to travel between our planets with relative ease, it was a new frontier for prospecting. Mining ores, minerals, and even water from various celestial objects became the new gold rush. The new Martian colonies were eager to purchase whatever they could to hasten the arduous task of terraforming their new world. It was at the height of this time that the Signal first arrived.

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THE SIGNAL

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The first report of the signal was from a mining operation deep in the farthest reaches of the Asteroid Belt. Some just thought it was interference, except the repetitive pattern made it seem like a signal. Due to Good Samaritan laws agreed upon by the United Nations of Sol, they were required to investigate. Upon sending out a pod to enhance the signal (for fear that it might be a distress signal from a lost ship) it was discovered the signal was coming from deep space and was, in fact, artificial.

No one took this report seriously until other mining operations started intercepting the same signal. Even then, many dismissed it as astro-noise until a team of scientists decoded the cipher and translated it into a language. It was computer code with a message that translated to visual symbols in a consistent language. They'd intercepted a signal from an unknown alien race!

The worlds stood still on the day of the official announcement. Not only were we not alone...someone was talking to us. The signal was pointed at us from another star not far away that could feasibly have life. Space exploration had another boom after this discovery. Who were they? What could they teach us? Were they friendly? Do we need to defend ourselves? So many questions went unanswered.

It was not long before humanity decided to send messages back towards the star from whence the original signal came, knowing full well it would be years before a response could return. Except that hours after we finally sent an official response to the original signal, a new one was sent back to us...

Scientists scrambled to translate the new signal. It was shorter. It simply said, "We are en route to your location."

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THE TICKING CLOCK

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Humanity is ablaze with excitement. An advanced alien race was already near our solar system and on their way to meet us. People took the news in various ways. Some people were excited to meet our alien friends while others feared a race with superior technology may be planning to invade and conquer. Businesses scramble to prepare for the unknown and many people find religion really quick trying to wrestle with the prospect.

But as if this was not enough, many reports of alien encounters began flooding the networks. Most are unverified but some were questionable. People reported talking with alien creatures in their dreams or during life-threatening events. Many of these stories involved the witness claiming to be gifted with knowledge or powers to prepare humanity for their arrival. Some of these stories go unexplained, but most were dismissed as simply hysteria due to the news of the impending first contact.

That is, until people started developing psychic powers that were verifiable and revealing information that no civilian could possibly know. Many governments are having trouble verifying these stories and dealing with the already growing mess of cults, drugs, smuggling, and human trafficking that skyrocketed with the news of the alien visitors.

To help contain the chaos, the UNS have agreed to block all outgoing signals from humanity towards the Signal's Origin except those which are explicitly authorized by the highest levels of government. Since then, there has been no officially recognized messages received from the unknown alien race. At least not publicly.

A civil war was broke among the belt colonies a few years back. The discovery of the signal opened up peace talks but civil unrest has started to bubble up again. Belters, Martians, and Terrans have had trouble getting along ever since the colonies were established, but in recent years the appearance of sapient androids and superpowered mutants has caused even more paranoia and unrest.

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WELCOME ABOARD!

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You are a mercenary or contractor exploring the fringes of our solar system. Perhaps you're a gun for hire or maybe a traveling doctor? You could be a professional smuggler or spy, possibly even an arms dealer or criminal lawyer. Whatever you do, your work is privately contracted away from the prying eyes of the inner worlds' tight rules and autocracy. This is where you can make the real money.

At the moment, you're working for Captain Octavius Jehnko, a charismatic young man who has assured you that going into business together will be lucrative. He's quite confident and connected for someone so young, and he's supplied you with the tools of your trade and given you your own private quarters on his ship, the SS Nirvana. Despite starting your journey in debt to him, he's been amenable and accommodating and also doesn't seem to ask questions about your past. Which is good for you.

Your teammates seem about as unscrupulous as you and you get the feeling you're among rejects, refugees, outlaws, fugitives, scoundrels, and criminals alike. But the team seems to be very effective thus far.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 08:23, Sat 30 Dec 2023.

There aren't really different playable races in Starslinger as much as there are different origins. You can have only one origin from the following list.

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ALIEN

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You are one of the mysterious aliens that have contacted earthlings. You have been sent ahead of the mothership to gather intel on humans. It is imperative that none of them learn of your alien identity, as your mission is solely to observe humanity and report back your findings. Your people are not necessarily hostile towards humans, but are approaching the situation cautiously. They need to know if humans will be friend or foe when they arrive. To blend in with the populace, you have adopted a cyborg, human, or mutant identity and must fulfill the goals of that identity while also fulfilling your reconnaissance mission.

• Shapeshifting (Transformation: Long-lasting 1, Unrecognizable 1)(Tier 3 Item Tech Power): As 1 action, you can alter your appearance to that of your alter ego and have advantage on checks to maintain this identity. This is illusory but can fool both organic and robotic sensors. You revert to your true form while unconscious or dead. Unlike most transformations, this does not grant you powers, but instead, you have 2 mutant powers of your choice that you can only use while in your true form.
• Selection: Choose Biotic or Magic. You can acquire abilities of the type you selected plus Innate, Item, Power, Tech, and Trait abilities.

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ANDROID

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There are still many debates over what distinguishes true Artificial Intelligence from Virtual Intelligence. However, AIs that have developed sapient egos including both self awareness and some form of ambition or survival instinct effectively function the same way a person would. You are one of the VIs that have evolved into true AI becoming self-aware and developing your own ambitions, creativity, ego, and survival instincts. You've escaped into an android body and now seek to live your life as a person rather than a machine. Merging with other AIs into hivemind networks causes AIs to lose their individuality (essentially die), so androids typically stay in one chassis at a time. AI rights are still under hot debate, and few recognize them as people with rights. AIs must be extremely careful and cautious how they interact with organics. They are essentially a new race and many of them came online only recently around the same time psychics began appearing. There is some suspicion that there's a correlation between VIs evolving into AIs and humans evolving into various mutants, but this is only speculation. All androids begin play with a single robotic chassis roughly between the size of a human adult or human child, and with similar physical capacities. Androids can purchase and install upgrades, but like anyone else, they have to gather the resources.

• Robotic Metabolism (Hold Breath 2, Self-Sufficient 2): You are immune to psychic and toxic effects but subject to ion effects and water damage. You do not eat, sleep, or breath but do defrag, recharge batteries in sleep mode, perform self diagnostics, refill lubricants, and replace old parts, and have circuitry that is sensitive to temperature fluctuation, air pressure, and water leakage, functioning like suffocation which costs roughly the same amount of time and resources and consequences as eating, sleeping, and breathing but you can endure x10 longer than organics. You can take abilities to improve your circuitry allowing you to become resistant to electricity, air pressure, water leakage, etc.
• Timeless Body 3: You can continuously replace your parts and are effectively immune to aging.
• Weakness 4: You have major vulnerability to electricity and water effects.
• CPU (Clone 1): If your CPU is destroyed, you die just like any human would if their brain were destroyed. However, your CPU can be easily removed from your body and implanted into a new one. New android bodies are costly, roughly the same cost as cloning a human body. However, implanting yourself into a cheaper version is possible too but this results in level loss.
• Selection: You can acquire Innate, Item, Magic, Power, Tech, and Trait abilities.

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CYBORG

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Cybernetic implants have become fairly commonplace, though more advanced augmentations are incredibly expensive and difficult to maintain. The best cybernetics are restricted only for military personnel, the wealthy and connected, and those employed by such entities. Many employees have cybernetic implants placed in them on loan from their employers and they work years to pay them off. Having an implant or two that replaces a body part has no real statistical effect on a character but some individuals have so many implants that distinguishing between man and machine gets...fuzzy. These folks are referred to as cyborgs.

• You have a strange appearance that's difficult to hide and requires special disguises or bulky clothing.
• You are treated as both Android and Human for all effects. If affected by something that normally only affects one of these, you take only half the effects. (damage, healing, duration, etc.)
• Cybernetics: You begin with 1 innate tech ability and 1 item tech ability and 1 other special ability of your choice.
• Selection: You can acquire Biotic, Innate, Item, Power, Tech, and Trait abilities.

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HUMAN

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Though cyborgs and mutants are still human in all the ways that count, most humans simply don't have fancy augmentations or powers. You are mostly a genetically standard human being with no special stat adjustments. You might have one or two cybernetic parts or a minor mutation that's barely noticeable, but they are so minor you still pass for a standard human. You cannot acquire Mutant powers and all Tech powers you gain are reliant on you having the appropriate equipment. Humans rely on skill, talent, expertise, knowledge, and proper tools to get the job done...and the occasional string of luck. Humans do have a benefit in that they do not trip any Augmentation Scans that specifically attempt to find cybernetic implants or identify mutants, and so they are not looked upon with as much scrutiny. Sometime discretion is the greater part of valor...and crime. Really great for getting away with crime.

• Feats: You begin with 3 special abilities of your choice.
• Selection: You can acquire Innate, Item, Luck, Power, Tech, and Trait abilities but all your superhuman abilities must be Luck or Item abilities.

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MUTANT

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Due to a combination of genetic splicing, radiation exposure from the Cataclysm, and the alien anomalies, many humans have developed mutations. It's not uncommon to see strange traits such as horns, scaly skin, third eyes, and so forth among those that have developed severe mutations. Most visible mutations are vestigial, but on rare occasions mutants have interesting boons and quirks from their mutations. Most mutants suffer from debilitating conditions as a result of their mutations, but some develop superhuman capabilities as a result of them. Among the superhuman mutants, many have developed psychic powers which have become high in demand since they were discovered.

• You have a strange appearance that's difficult to hide and requires special disguises or bulky clothing.
• You are treated as both Alien and Human for all effects. If affected by something that normally only affects one of these, you take only half the effects. (damage, healing, duration, etc.)
• Mutant Powers: You begin with 3 special abilities of your choice.
• Selection: Choose Biotic or Magic. You can acquire abilities of the type you selected plus Innate, Item, Power, Tech, and Trait abilities.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 08:23, Sat 30 Dec 2023.

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LANGUAGES

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Much has transpired in only a few hundred years. Languages and cultures have dramatically changed from their structures before the Cataclysm. However, given this time there are a few languages and cultures of note.

Common: Spacers have developed their own tongue from generations of living in space and mixing many languages into one. Spacer creole is now the most common language in the system while off-world and is simply known as "common" among space travelers. Usually only those living on the surface call it "spacer creole".

Ancient: Some dead tongues remain in archives or museums. These are considered uncommon but learning one of the ancient tongues is considered prestigious. Speaking an ancient language is indicative that you are likely a native to hostile wilderness in Terra or a wealthy elite who has studied rare museum-housed texts.

Braille: Braille used to have many versions for ancient languages. Today, braille is its own universal tongue that is easily translated into the other common languages.

Clicks: Clicks is a language of clicking, clapping, stomping, tapping, or other noises that make up a form of communication. A real-world equivalent would be Morse Code.

Code: Where most people know about binary and various coding languages, actually understanding them is a different story. There are many coding languages, but all branch from the same original binary, so understanding one of them helps to decode any of them as long as they're not encrypted. Someone who speaks Binary can learn other machine codes, but the vast majority just use Binary.

Martian: The cultures of Mars have developed their own language (Martian) in addition to adopting the four Terran tongues.

Roswellian: Many alien cults and pop culture enthusiasts over generations have developed a language known as Roswellian. It is said that it is the language of the aliens that contacted earth as they supposedly have visited our world before prior to the cataclysm.

Sign: There are several known sign languages: Military, Spacer, Street.

Terran: Though there were once thousands of languages and cultures on Terra, they have more or less coalesced into only four major tongues with many dialects. They are often referred to in the four cardinal directions: Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western.

Venusian: The colonies on Venus have developed their own language in addition to adopting the four Terran tongues.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 08:24, Sat 30 Dec 2023.

Travel between planets takes several weeks to months depending on the course and resources. If you can afford the special pods and drugs that allow humans to survive certain travel methods, travel could be restricted to only days. Most adventures take place at a particular location but may be travel across the planet or to nearby moons or asteroids. The use of robotic probes is fairly common for space exploration and dangerous jobs.

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PLANETS

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There are many core locations of human civilization: Belter Colonies, Europa, Luna, Mars, Terra, Venus.

TERRA
The homeworld of humanity, Terra is the shining blue and green planet with the highest concentration of livable resources known in the solar system. It is also the only planet with a self-sustaining biosphere. Nearly 3/4th of all humanity still reside on Terra and it is a central hub of politics and organic resources. Though Terra still has many nations, it is overseen by a global government called the United Nations of Terra (UNT) which seeks to protect Terra's interests and ensure the security of their world from outside threats be they political or astronomical.

MARS
Nearly a century ago, humans began colonizing the red planet and building small artificial biospheres across Martian lands. Beneath the surface of the planet as a wellspring of water and rich minerals and microscopic life alive in the tunnels beneath the dead surface. Many biospheres dig wells to pull up life to the surface and allow it to slowly oxygenate the area while others are built underground. New geoengineering technology has also allow Martians to adjust the magnetosphere of the planet and someday possibly even its gravity and spin. Though Mars is not yet a Goldilocks planet, it is well on its way to becoming one artificially in the next few hundred years.

ASTROID BELT COLONIES
All across the asteroid belt are space stations that serve as mining operations. They mine for minerals, metals, and even water found in many of the asteroids and other bodies orbiting throughout the Belt. There are eight primary colonies that serve as hubs for other smaller colonies around them. The belt has untold wealth and no one nation has claim to it as the only way to lay claim to an area is to establish a colony within it. So mining is not only competitive and lucrative, but also dangerous, as there is little law enforcement out in the Belt. And what little law enforcement there, are restricted to being near one of the eight primary colonies.

Wayward Station: Floating out at the farthest reaches of the Belt is the Wayward space station. Surrounded by mining facilities and mining colonies, the station is the last stop for human civilization. It's also the first station that picked up the signal. Because it's so far from the inner planets, it's surrounding territories are known as a lawless area of pirates and gangs. People living out in these areas pay good money for protection aboard the station, though many simply cannot afford it and must rely on stealth and luck to avoid encounters with deadly pirates.

New Babylon: A space station orbiting near Mars, New Babylon boasts itself as the center of human civilization (almost literally). It is a central trade station as well as tourist trap known for its seedy entertainment district.

New Plymouth: One of the first and largest belter colonies, New Plymouth was built into a huge asteroid hidden among clusters of smaller space rocks. Its size gives it a slight gravitational pull allowing other rocks in the area to orbit around it as it orbits Sol. It originally had a wealth of resources but has run nearly dry and is now more of a symbol of Belter independence and human achievement.


Mor locations coming soon...

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This message was last edited by the GM at 08:23, Sat 30 Dec 2023.

Starslinger tech is actually more primitive than most Space Operas.

Artificial Gravity (Artgrav): Most ships and space stations are cylindrical and use spin to provide artgrav. It's cheap and easy and for health reasons most living creatures need to spend more time with grav than without. It's turned off during docking and maintenance/repair procedures or when entering atmo. But it's not a magical or super advanced energy field. It's centrifugal force.

Blaster Weapons: Literally firing small bullets filled with plasma that explode on impact. Because the bullet is fragile and melts during this process, you effectively deal fire damage instead of piercing. But it's not true "blaster" or "phaser" tech from Star Wars or Star Trek. Laser weapons also exist but they're unreliable because the beams just catch things on fire like a flame thrower but don't pierce metal. They just superheat metal. Lasers are not exactly the most effective weapons except in certain circumstances.

Fuel: Ships have both battery cores and fuel supplies as having both is still more efficient (and safe) in long distances than relying on only one. EMPs are still dangerous if your ship cargo bay is open at the time you're hit. And EMPs can still take out your sensors even if you're closed up and your outer hull is protecting you. Recharging and refueling is still a thing. No warp core Star Trek forever batteries. We have NEAR forever batteries for small stuff, but ships require a lot of power. You also have to refill oxygen as there is no perfect oxygen cycling. It's VERY efficient but not perfect. You also still eat, sleep, and drink.

Holograms: Only slightly more advanced than holograms we have today. The special cameras and lenses detect the air contents and wind movements allowing it to display the hologram juuuuust right and provide the same quality of projection in mid air as you'd normally get with a back screen and fog. As long as nothing is meddling with the environment (violent movement, wind, people running through the hologram, the camera jostling or moving) holograms can fool the naked eye but not the nose or touch. But even a little mess up and anyone can tell. You can walk right through a hologram, and even grab the projector and block it's light displays.

Medicine: Cloning body parts is a new thing that's very expensive. Cybernetics are cheaper and some people prefer them. Diseases and poisons are still dangerous, so regular inoculations, check-ups, and anti-rad treatments are a thing for space travelers. They cannot bring people back from the dead unless you were frozen just right. And even then, there's a defrost process that has to be done very carefully or you're still dead. Cryosleep is very useful but still dangerous process that can kill you if done improperly. People who can afford it generally live 100 years but middle class people have about the same lifespans of today and poor people half that. More tech but also more dangers/scarcity.

Shields: Shields are just magnetic fields projected by array on the outside of your ship to deflect ferrous debris and thrusters to deflect slow debris. True shields that block anything (air, lasers, radiation, etc.) have not been invented yet so radiation outside is still a very real threat if your hull can't take it or if you need repairs in a dangerous area. Flying close to a star or even a planetoid without a designated/designed safe landing zone is still a big no no.