Future Genre Types: The Final Frontier - Humanity has only recently pushed beyond Earth and begun reaching into a galaxy that has been waiting far longer than anyone imagined. New worlds lie open for discovery, and alien civilizations may be encountered as rivals, allies, trading partners, or threats. Technological breakthroughs arrive constantly, and their impact spreads fast—often reshaping daily life within a single generation. As with Earths earliest age of exploration, conflict is never far behind. Expeditions clash over newly claimed planets, stumble into hostile environments and native species, or collide with the expanding borders of other spacefaring powers. FeaturesCommon Roles:Characters are often explorers, scouts, surveyors, or pioneers on the edge of the known.Alien Presence:The importance and frequency of alien races depends on the campaign, though they are traditionally central to Final Frontier settings. Personal Spacecraft:When an encounter grants the character a personal spacecraft, roll {1d6}. On a 6, the vessel is modern and up to current technological standards. Otherwise, it is an outdated clunker—barely spaceworthy—often relying on obsolete, temperamental, or outright dangerous interstellar travel technology.
Character Species: Human-Like - These beings so closely resemble human-kind that only a few characteristic features set them apart, such as pointed ears or an exotic skin color. Typical of aliens from games based on TV shows.
Tech Level: First Stellar Age - Faster-than-Light (FTL) drives drastically reduces travel time between stars, but months, even years are still needed for interstellar travel. Exploration/colonization of the galaxy begins. Fully sentient, self-aware computers and artificially intelligent robots perform tasks formerly only possible by humans.
Home Culture: Developing - This is a culture that is making great strides to improve itself technologically, socially, and morally. Usually it is coming up from Barbarism or making a comeback from Decadence, or Retrogression (see below). A developing Culture is a "civilized" culture. Its governments tavorthose that offer representation of the peoples' interests. Its people are aggressive, have a good self image and a desire to make things better for themselves and their children. These people often place substantial emphasis on the moral concerns of technology development. Gameplay Benefits: {1d6}. On a result of 3-5. select one Lightside trait. On a result of 6, select {1d3} Lightside personality traits from Lightside Traits and one trait from Neutral Traits. Roleplay: A character from a Developing culture could easily be a pioneer, willing to take risks for the good of other people Instead of personal gain. Emphasis is placed on Lightside values. Survival Skills: (additional skills, GMs Discretion).
Social Status: Comfortable - This is the middle class of any Culture, regardless of the Tech Level or average wealth of its citizens. These folk usually live in clean, nicely apportioned homes or apartments, often in better neighborhoods. They eat regularly and occasionally very well. Children are schooled and often go on to higher education. They usually own conservative forms of transport - a modest ground car or other inexpensive vehicle. Luxuries include travel vacations, good food, the ability to hire occasional menial services, nice clothing, and leisure devices. This class includes "impoverished" nobility, upper level office workers, professors and teachers, skilled craftsmen and technicians, highly-skilled laborers, lower govem ment officials, low-ranking military officers, lesser clergy, and shopkeepers. Folk from this Social Status are considered to represent the mainstream of their Culture's beliefs and attitudes.
Social Status: Nobility: Commoner - Commoner/Not of a Noble Line
Birth Legitimacy: Legitimate - Legitimate Birth
Family Members: Two Parents - Two Parents
Siblings & Birth Order: 6 - second of 7
Home World: Colony World - Colony World
Home World Types: Volcanic world. - Volcanic world. Active volcanism everywhere.
Place of Birth: Foreign Land - The character is born far from their familys homeland, culture, or species place of origin. See below for where in the foreign land.
Unusual Events at Birth: None - Nothing unusual. Normal Birth
Parents/Family Details: Head of household has one occupation.
Parent 1
Appearances: Petite - The character is notably small, lightly built, and delicate.
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - Low Income Jobs
Low Income Occupations: Technician: Electrical
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC has a Rival. The Rival has not been heard from in a while
Rivals: Who?: Sibling (older).
Rivals: Why?: Their parents were rivals.
Rivals: What?: Deadly: This is a potentially fatal hatred. Severely Injuring the character in any way is the rival's goal. He plots and plans the character's downfall as a part of his own path to success. Given the chance, the rival will kill the character.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC has a Rival. The Rival has not been heard from in a while
Rivals: Who?: A professional rival, with the same occupation.
Rivals: Why?: Their parents were rivals.
Rivals: What?: Fierce: Rival hates the character bitterly. This is an unhealable grudge. This rivalry often clouds judgement and could lead to no-holds-barred conflict. The rival maximizes all opportunities to thwart the character, hoping to cause injury in so doing.
Parent 2
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - High Income Jobs
High Income Occupations: Merchant
Merchants: Importer: A general importer of trade goods, including spices, raw materials orsubassemblies for manufacturing, crafts, grain, curios, and wild beasts.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: Accomplishing a future event.
Significant Adulthood Events: Job Loss - The Character loses their job due long term recovery from an accident.
Sibling 1
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - Low Income Jobs
Low Income Occupations: Spacer: the crewman on a spacecraft.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC's relationship with his family involves one of the following. Is unfaithful to spouse.
Sibling 2
Appearances: Casual Demeanor - The character appears perpetually relaxed, rarely hurried or visibly stressed.
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - Blue Collar & Moderate Income Jobs
Blue Collar & Moderate Income Occupations: Instructor: An Occupation.
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - High Income Jobs
High Income Occupations: Interpreter: speaks several important languages fluently. Is probably attached to a government office or a large corporation. Speaks {1d4} languages
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC is noted for an outstanding aspect of his personality. Noted for an exotic personality trait.
Exotic Personality Traits: Categories: Sexual Disorder - Sexual Disorder
Exotic Personality Traits: Sexual Disorders: Fetishism & Fixations. Sexually attracted to or excited by a relative. See Other Relations.
Other Family Relations: Great Aunt/Uncle - Great Aunt/Uncle.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC's relationship with his family involves one of the following. NPC is particularly loving towards family.
Sibling 3
Occupations Selection: A hobby practiced as an occupation.
Hobbies: Type of Hobby: Gameplaying: Puzzles
Hobbies: Degree of Interest: Sporadic and Variable. Interest runs in spurts, intense at times, totally ignored at others. Character will easily spend 1% of his total income on this hobby.
Hobbies Hobby Proficiency: Consuming Passion:
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC has many enemies. The rivals seeks out the character.
Rivals: Who?: A professional rival, with the same occupation.
Rivals: Why?: Multiple Reasons
Rivals: Why?: They seek the same goal.
Rivals: What?: Obsessive: The rival's entire life focuses on the character and his ultimate destruction. No risk to self or others is too great in the rival's quest to utterly destroy the character. In this competition, there can be only one survivor.
Rivals: Why?: An insult was percieved by one or the other.
Rivals: What?: Jealous: Rival dislikes the character, and takes secret pleasure in embarassing, thwarting or beating him. Physical injury is usually not intended, but if it happens, it happens. Rival may be appear to be a friend or ally.
Rivals: What?: Jealous: Rival dislikes the character, and takes secret pleasure in embarassing, thwarting or beating him. Physical injury is usually not intended, but if it happens, it happens. Rival may be appear to be a friend or ally.
Rivals: Who?: A former friend.
Rivals: Why?: Their distant ancestor's were rivals.
Rivals: What?: Jealous: Rival dislikes the character, and takes secret pleasure in embarassing, thwarting or beating him. Physical injury is usually not intended, but if it happens, it happens. Rival may be appear to be a friend or ally.
Rivals: Who?: A professional rival, with the same occupation.
Rivals: Why?: They love the same person.
Rivals: What?: Friendly: Rival and character can still be friends. Rival enjoys competing against the character. Rival may even remain a good friend.
Rivals: Who?: A former lover/best friend/love interest/crush.
Rivals: Why?: An insult was percieved by one or the other.
Rivals: What?: Jealous: Rival dislikes the character, and takes secret pleasure in embarassing, thwarting or beating him. Physical injury is usually not intended, but if it happens, it happens. Rival may be appear to be a friend or ally.
Rivals: Who?: Sibling (older).
Rivals: Why?: They are sporting event rivals.
Rivals: What?: Intense: Rival hates the character, and goes out of his way to foil him. Secretly hopes for the chance to injure the character in some way (physically, emotionally, financially, socially, etc.)
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC was horribly wounded once.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Lost Teeth - The character loses {1d4} teeth, affecting appearance, speech, or eating.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Severed Left Foot - The character permanently loses their left foot. Movement speed is reduced to half unless an artificial limb is attached. Roll {d100} to determine the percentage of speed regained with the prosthetic.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Right Eye Lost - The characters right eye is destroyed. Depth perception is lost; reduce combat and visual perception skills (GM discretion).
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC is noted for or hesitant to speak of something that occured in his past. NPC is persecuted or villainized for the occurance of an event.
Significant Adulthood Events: Something Wonderful - A genuinely positive and life-changing event occurs.
Something Wonderful: Slavery is outlawed in the land. All slaves are freed.
Sibling 4
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - Low Income Jobs
Low Income Occupations: Health Care Worker: a clerical worker, orderly or nurse.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC was originally from a different culture.
Tech Level: Technologic Age - Nuclear power is used to create both electricity and deadly weapons. Orbital spacecraft visit nearby satellites and "unmanned" probes explore other planets in the solar system. Industrial lasers, small computers, and organ transplants are commonplace.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: A relationship with someone.
Others: A robot.
Artificial Persons: Primary Function: Computer.
Artificial Persons: Intelligence Level: Flexible. Can make logic decisions based on information outside its original programming.
Artificial Persons: Body Type: Bestiold. Designed to mimic the shape of an animal, often one whose function it also duplicates, such as a robot dog, horse, bird, etc.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC untimely dies. If sibling, it occurs during childhood. If parent or guardian, it occurs in early adulthood
Death Situations: Victim poisoned intentionally.
Death Situations: Special Circumstances: No special circumstances surround this death
Sibling 5
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - High Income Jobs
High Income Occupations: Architect: the designer of impressive buildings, both public and private.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC has a Rival. The Rival seeks out the character.
Rivals: Who?: A friend (rivalry other than "friendly" is kept secret).
Rivals: Why?: They love the same person.
Rivals: What?: Fierce: Rival hates the character bitterly. This is an unhealable grudge. This rivalry often clouds judgement and could lead to no-holds-barred conflict. The rival maximizes all opportunities to thwart the character, hoping to cause injury in so doing.
Sibling 6
Occupations Selection: An unusual skill is practiced as an occupation.
Unusual Skills: Professional Gambling - Experienced in games of chance, odds calculation, and reading opponents.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC was horribly wounded once.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Liver Damage - Severe liver injury leaves the character highly vulnerable to toxins. Constitution or resistance checks against poison are effectively halved. Alcohol is treated as a poison.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Throat Injury - Damage to the throat affects speech. Roll {1d10} to determine severity, with 10 indicating total loss of the ability to speak.
Serious Wounds/Injury: Severed Left Foot - The character permanently loses their left foot. Movement speed is reduced to half unless an artificial limb is attached. Roll {d100} to determine the percentage of speed regained with the prosthetic.
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC was originally of a different Social Status.
Social Status: Comfortable - This is the middle class of any Culture, regardless of the Tech Level or average wealth of its citizens. These folk usually live in clean, nicely apportioned homes or apartments, often in better neighborhoods. They eat regularly and occasionally very well. Children are schooled and often go on to higher education. They usually own conservative forms of transport - a modest ground car or other inexpensive vehicle. Luxuries include travel vacations, good food, the ability to hire occasional menial services, nice clothing, and leisure devices. This class includes "impoverished" nobility, upper level office workers, professors and teachers, skilled craftsmen and technicians, highly-skilled laborers, lower govem ment officials, low-ranking military officers, lesser clergy, and shopkeepers. Folk from this Social Status are considered to represent the mainstream of their Culture's beliefs and attitudes.
Social Status: Nobility: Commoner - Commoner/Not of a Noble Line
Noteworthy Items of Parents/NPCs: NPC is a military veteran.
Military Duties: Branch of Service: Mercenaries - Field Technician. Onsite repairman.
Military Skills: Combat Skills: Martial Arts. This is expert hand-to-hand combat.
Military Skills: Special Survival Skills: Find food (plant & animal).
Military Skills: Special Survival Skills: Making own shelter (against cold & damp).
Military Skills: Vehicle Skills: Trick driving. Special stunts & survival tactics,
Military Rank: Private FC/Seaman/Spaceman
Military Experience: If the character is not a commissioned officer, he attends Officer Candidate School. If he is a commissioned officer, he is promoted one rank. Character is then reassigned to a combat unit within his general branch of service (Army, Navy, Mercenaries).
Significant Childhood Events:
A change or upheaval occurs in the characters family. Character changes locale. The move is across the galaxy.
Significant Childhood Events: Family has the a certain attitudes towards the character. Character is loved by parents or guardians.
Significant Childhood Events: Character runs away from home ... and never returns.
Significant Childhood Events: A change or upheaval occurs in the characters family. Character changes Culture Level. This event brought the Character into his current Culture. The character's previous Culture is below.
Home Culture: Developing - This is a culture that is making great strides to improve itself technologically, socially, and morally. Usually it is coming up from Barbarism or making a comeback from Decadence, or Retrogression (see below). A developing Culture is a "civilized" culture. Its governments tavorthose that offer representation of the peoples' interests. Its people are aggressive, have a good self image and a desire to make things better for themselves and their children. These people often place substantial emphasis on the moral concerns of technology development. Gameplay Benefits: {1d6}. On a result of 3-5. select one Lightside trait. On a result of 6, select {1d3} Lightside personality traits from Lightside Traits and one trait from Neutral Traits. Roleplay: A character from a Developing culture could easily be a pioneer, willing to take risks for the good of other people Instead of personal gain. Emphasis is placed on Lightside values. Survival Skills: (additional skills, GMs Discretion).
Significant Adolescence Events: Gifted Spacecraft - The family gifts the character a personal spacecraft, no larger than a small yacht.
Spacecraft: Ship Type: Large freighter. Designed to haul large quantities of goods.
Spacecraft: Space Capabilities: Short range interstellar. Travel to nearby stars only.
Spacecraft: Armament: Heavily-armed. This Is a battle ship, well protected and capable of massive amounts of offensive destruction.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Multiple - Mutiple Features.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Multiple - Mutiple Features.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Multiple - Mutiple Features.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Multiple - Mutiple Features.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Non-Standard Interstellar Drive - The ships jump or FTL drive is unusual. It consumes less fuel, travels farther per jump, or ignores certain navigational hazardsbut may draw attention or require special maintenance.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Dark Reputation - The ship has a grim and sordid past. Rumors persist that it is cursed or haunted, and strange events occasionally reinforce that belief. Some ports refuse service to this ship (25%)
Spacecraft: Special Features: Enhanced Defensive Systems - Defensive systems (shields, countermeasures, armor, point-defense) are one step better than standard for ships of this class.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Junker Construction - The ship is assembled from salvage. At least 1d6 different vessels contributed to her construction, each with its own legacy problems.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Alien Manufacture - The ship was built for a non-human species. Seating is awkward, controls are poorly labeled or unreadable, and ergonomics are all wrong. The Ship has occasional misfires or misunderstood alerts
Spacecraft: Special Features: Multiple - Mutiple Features.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Expanded Cargo Hold - The ship has a larger-than-normal cargo capacity, concealed compartments, or modular storage bays.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Ancient Relic - The ship predates modern star travel. Its origins are unclear, its technology poorly understoodand possibly priceless.
Spacecraft: Special Features: None - None.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Multiple - Multiple Liabilities
Spacecraft: Liabilities: None - None.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Clunky star drive - The FTL/jump drive is unreliable. Each time it is engaged, there is only a 75% chance it functions correctly. Sometimes failure happens at the worst possible time.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Unfinished Interior - The interior lacks proper finishing-exposed bulkheads, raw metal floors, dangling cables, and jury-rigged lighting.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Unfinished Interior - The interior lacks proper finishing-exposed bulkheads, raw metal floors, dangling cables, and jury-rigged lighting.
Spacecraft: Special Features: Expanded Cargo Hold - The ship has a larger-than-normal cargo capacity, concealed compartments, or modular storage bays.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Alien Manufacture - The ship was built for a non-human species. Seating is awkward, controls are poorly labeled or unreadable, and ergonomics are all wrong. The Ship has occasional misfires or misunderstood alerts
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Dark Reputation - The ship has a grim and sordid past. Rumors persist that it is cursed or haunted, and strange events occasionally reinforce that belief. Some ports refuse service to this ship (25%)
Spacecraft: Special Features: Single-Operator Vessel - The ship requires no crew beyond the owner/operator. Automation, drones, or AI handle all secondary functions.
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Alien Manufacture - The ship was built for a non-human species. Seating is awkward, controls are poorly labeled or unreadable, and ergonomics are all wrong. The Ship has occasional misfires or misunderstood alerts
Spacecraft: Liabilities: Clunky star drive - The FTL/jump drive is unreliable. Each time it is engaged, there is only a 75% chance it functions correctly. Sometimes failure happens at the worst possible time.
Education : Typical Education. See Occupation for area of study.
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - Blue Collar & Moderate Income Jobs
Blue Collar & Moderate Income Occupations: Instructor: An Occupation.
Occupations Selection: Occupation Group - High Income Jobs
High Income Occupations: Research Scientist: Electronics/Computers
Significant Adulthood Events: Cursed by an Alien Priestess - A crude joke angers an old alien priestess, who places a curse on the character. Until lifted, apply penalties to skill and attribute checks
Significant Adulthood Events: Wanderlust Merchant Spacer - For {1d6} years, the character signs on as a common spacer aboard a merchant freighter. Gain spacer-related skills (GM discretion).
Otherworld Events: Other Worlds: Earthlike world. Much water, large land masses.
Otherworld Events: Reasons for Being Here: Business trip. The characters job brings him here for an important meeting.
Otherworld Events: Events: While alone, the character stumbles onto the ruins of an ancient, lost alien civilization. The ruins themselves are a blank in the character's mind. He doesn't remember what happened there, only that afterwards, he was somehow changed ... Although initially unchanged, the character seems somehow "alien." Any physical or appearance changes take {1d6} years to manifest themselves. The character's outward appearance takes on features of the alien race, though he still is recognizable as a member of his former race.
Aliens: Amphibian - Equally at home in water and air. These beings can breathe in both environments and often dwell in coastal, aquatic, or swamp regions.
Significant Adulthood Events: Unusual Weapon Training - The character learns to competently use an exotic or alien weapon unfamiliar to their culture.
Gifts & Legacies: Weapons: A laser pistol (any form of "blaster" pistol).
Personality Traits: Lightside: Enthusiastic - Excited, can't wait to act.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Punctual - Always on time.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Friendly - Warm and comforting.
Personality Traits: Neutral: Humorous - Humorous: appreciates humor and likes to Joke,
Personality Traits: Lightside: Virtuous - Chaste, pure, of excellent morals.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Loving - Affectionately concerned for others.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Energetic - Does things quickly, with verve.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Benign - Gentle, inoffensive.
Personality Traits: Lightside: Truthful - Always tells the truth.
Personality Traits: Neutral: Grim - Grim: unsmiling. humorless, stern of purpose.
Personality Traits: Darkside: Violent - Seeks physical conflict
Personality Traits: Neutral: Immaculate - Immaculate: clean and orderly.