Tag Cloud:
Tag Cloud:
This is an old revision of the document!
Each of the four Factions encompass many worlds, some of which are peopled by vassal species – less powerful or numerous species that are under the protection of one of the main groups. Vassal species can have access to strange powers and abilities based on their alien physiology, but cannot participate in the society of their parent Faction to the same extent, and draw fewer advantages as a result – although exceptional individuals may be able to work hard to attain equivalent status. Vassal species may have racial abilities assigned by the game team, usually determined by the coolness and size or unwieldiness of their physreps. If you would like to play a member of a vassal species, please contact us with your ideas – a brief synopsis of the kind of species you have planned would be great, as well as your intended physrep plans.
The key points regarding Vassal Species –
Urgs are an aggressive race from the planet Urgholme, deep within Ascendancy space. They are one of the earlier races encountered by the Terrans as they expanded outwards after discovering warp drive technology.
Character: Urgs are quarrelsome and enjoy combat, but they are quick to submit to the orders of those that they consider to be an authority figure.
Appearance: Urgs are physrepped by a full-face balaclava “orc” style mask. The colour of the mask can vary, usually between black and olive-green or beige.
Abilities: Urgs are naturally tough, and start with 3 LHV and a Death Count of 250 seconds.
Sollen fit in well within the Ascendancy’s order, being naturally inclined towards finding a position in society, and a low impulse to question authority.
Appearance: Sollen appear very similar to humans, but possess three thin bands of horn-like growths on their foreheads. These horns are ringed with scaly plates that vary in colour from blue to green and red.
Abilities: Sollen are physically quite frail, and start with only 1 LHV. They make up for this with their aptitude with machines and devices – Sollen start with 1 level of the Engineer skill for free.
The Yelk are a race of sentient fungi, occupying the caves of Fornax XII.
Appearance: Yelk are entirely white-fleshed, as befits their fungal nature, although some exposed parts may have become beige or brown due to UV light exposure triggering a protective melanin coating – but their irises will always be white (you can use contact lenses to achieve this effect). Yelk have an array of long, thick hyphae extending down from their “head” structures (this vaguely resembles smooth dreadlocks), rather than anything resembling hair.
Abilities: Yelk do not have internal organs – their specialised tissues are distributed fairly evenly across their entire body. As a result, they do not have locational hits – instead, they have 6 total body hits, and become incapacitated when this total is brought to 0. Each +1LH they would gain normally instead becomes +3 Body Hits. Armour worn by a Yelk functions as normal (i.e., it is locational).
Reskan are hive minds of tiny insects that adopt humanoid forms.
Character: Reskan hives always refer to themselves as “we”. They are highly cooperative with allies and tend to form strong friendships.
Appearance: Reskan are made up of millions of tiny, chitinous insects that resemble Terran beetles or flies. These insects tend to be shades of black and browny-red, but some can be partly iridescent. This can be physrepped with a mask or other head-covering decorated by tiny insects – the exact type of insect used can vary – Reskan hives contain a number of different specialised insects that perform different functions. Some form of thin mesh to obscure the eyes would be ideal to incorporate into the mask or suit. The rest of the body should be covered with clothing, or incorporate the insects on any exposed areas.
Abilities: Reskan hives are extremely difficult to eradicate – when they take damage, a few individual creatures die, but the majority merely disperse into the local area. As a result, they do not have locational hits – instead, they have 10 total body hits, and become incapacitated when this total is brought to 0. Each +1LH they would gain normally instead becomes +3 Body Hits. Reskan cannot wear armour – their bodies are unable to support its weight. When they do take damage, Reskan hives can rapidly reintegrate separated individuals as long as they remain in the area – they regain 1 of their total body hits for every minute they remain in the area where they took damage, as long as they are not in combat or performing other intensive activities. Reskan hives are also immune to the LETHAL call, and call RESIST any time they are hit by it.
Reskan hives are also vulnerable to certain specific attacks – the DISRUPT call causes a massive loss of hive cohesion for a short time – if a Reskan is hit with DISRUPT on their body hits, they suffer a KNOCKOUT effect for 30 seconds (which can be reduced by the Steel Head skill as normal). If a Reskan Hive is incapacitated (on 0 body hits), a DISRUPT call will begin their Death Count (rather than LETHAL). Environmental toxins can rapidly poison a Reskan hive – their many-bodied forms respire from everywhere, so the hive can quickly take on a lethal load of toxin. Reskan are unable to use respirators (but can still take advantage of full-body forms of environmental protection), and environmental toxins progress in a quarter of the time it takes in most species. Reskan are also unable to use most injectors without some kind of specialist delivery mechanism like an environmental suit.
Respected by the Commonality for their plant-like nature, the Boreans are a race of humanoids with photosynthetic microbes embedded in their cells. (They are NOT sexy tree nymphs).
Appearance: All boreans have completely green skin, coloured by the chloroplast-like bodies in their cells. Their blood is thick and dark, and is often visible as veins beneath their skin, particularly around their neck and temples.
Abilities: Although they are no tougher than a human, their physiology allows them to recover rapidly from injury. Boreans regenerate lost locational hits at a rate of 1 every ten minutes. Their thick, sap-like blood also increases their Death Count to 300 seconds.
The Xak’noth are a race of human-size insectoids, covered in chitinous carapaces. They are strong devotees of the Path of Tulak.
Appearance: Xak’noth are giant insects, looking like beetles of cockroaches. They have hard plates of black chitin all over their bodies (this can be physrepped by worbla plates or similar rigid materials sewn into a costume). Their faces also have chitinous plates and mandibles.
Abilities: Their hard carapaces serve as a form of natural armour for the Xak’noth. Xak’noth cannot wear armour, but have the equivalent of heavy armour on all of their body locations (3 locational armour hits). This carapace cannot be repaired as armour, however, and must be healed as if it were body hits by a physician who must also either possess at least one rank in the xenobiology skill or be a Xak’noth.
Xak’noth are also resistant to radiation. Radiation Conditions take twice as long to affect or progress with them.
The Kelki are more reluctant subjects of the Dominion. While they have embraced the quest for individualistic success that is the heart of the Path of Tulak, they have more problems with the aspects of encouraging others to succeed. The Kelki are a highly individualistic and competitive species.
Appearance: Kelki are humanoid in general shape, but possess pointed ears and heavyset, gnarled brows (both achievable with prosthetics). Their skin is mostly human-like in colour, although their faces above the cheekbones are covered with a light coating of brown fur shot through with silver patches. Psionic Kelki have patchy fur that glows in psionically active areas (physrepped by UV-reactive make-up), and some have irises that do the same.
Abilities: Some Kelki are psionically telekinetic, able to use their mental powers to affect the physical world in a far more direct way than Elysian psions. They can spend character points on basic psionics, and also improve their psionic abilities. The extent of their powers is not well-known among the other races of the galaxy, but it is known that they can generate effects similar to the REPEL and KNOCKDOWN calls.