Warlord Wednesday: The Scepter of Doom

Let's re-enter the lost world with another installment of my issue by issue examination of DC Comic's Warlord, the earlier installments of which can be found here...

"The Scepter of Doom"

Warlord #122 (October 1987)

Written by Michael Fleisher; Pencils by Art Thibert, Inks by Pablo Marcos

Synopsis: While the Shamballans rebuild their city, Jennifer Morgan and Kara (aka Power Girl) are battling the demon Azmyrkon and his scepter of power. The demon has united two of the three pieces and our heroes are having a tough time coping with his onslaught. He even creates a rogue wave that threatens to wash over a coastal settlement, but Kara generates a wave of her own to turn it back.

Morgan is preparing to host dignitaries from all over Skartaris, trying to repair the mistrust sown by Desaad. He’s most looking forward to the return of Tara, his queen. In Kiro, that queen is preparing to come home with their friend, Machiste, who still can’t forgive what happened between Morgan and Mariah.

Redmond has escaped the Valley of the Snowmen. He takes the antidote he stole from them and finds he does de-Sasquatchify. He continues on his dogged and ridiculous quest to bring Morgan to justice. He winds up in a town, where his attempt to pay for a meal with U.S. currency and his reverting to manbeast form leads him to take a girl hostage to get out of town ahead of angry villagers.

Azmyrkon goes after the next part of his power rod in a desert. Kara finds the last piece with her X-ray vision, and then borrows into the earth to get it while Jennifer distracts the demon with her magic.

The demon’s too strong though, and they can’t hold him off for long. Azmyrkon manages to get the jewel for his rod from them and gets pretty cocky:

The ladies are still in the fight, but things are going badly. Jennifer makes one last, desperate play: She drains all her magic into Kara to fortify her strength enough so she can wrest the rod from the demon’s hands. Then she blasts him with his own weapon:

Back in Shamballah, the dignitaries have begun to arrive. Tara arrives and greets Morgan warmly. Machiste on the other hand:

Things to Notice:

• You've got to give it to Redmond, he's persistent.
• Desaad has disappeared back to Apokolips. 

Where it Comes From:
This issue is largely a wrap for the dangling business from the New Gods arc. It does give Powergirl and Jennifer something more to do.

Sword & Backpack

Over at the Sword & Backpack blog, Gabe Soria has been working on a neat (and free) rules-lite (he says "minimalist") old school inspired rpg that seems to be aimed at younger audiences. Soria says his goals were to make:  "A) the first RPG designed to be played out of a grid-paper Moleskine, and B) the only RPG inspired by Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies and Factory Records."

It's got a bit of an Adventure Time feel, I think, but it also sort of evokes the original 1966 animated Hobbit to me for some reason.

Check out (and download) the free basic rules here and go here to find out how to assemble it. Then peruse the rest of Gabe's posts for further broadsheet expansions and things like sountrack "mixtape" playlists.

It's Not Easy Being Green (Ssraad)

GREEN SSRAAD
No. Appearing: 2-12
AC: 5
HD: 5
Saving Throw: 12
Attack Bonus: +7/+6/+6
Damage: 1d4 tongue slap (+poison, see below) or 1d8 bite; or by weapon 
Movement: 30’
Morale: 12

The green ssraad control the ancient habitats in orbit around Sirius A. Intensely xenophobic, the only non-ssraad they allow in the system are their slaves (and future meals). From Sirius, they stage raids on other systems and engage in a protracted war with the blue ssraad.

The green are the smallest ssraad species (2.13 m), but also the most intelligent. They believe themselves to be the closest in form to the zurr, whom they worship as their semi-divine progenitors. Of all the ssraad, the green most closely resemble anthropomorphic toads. Their plump bodies and thin limbs make them appear much less threatening than the reds or blues. Appearances can be deceiving.

The green ssraad generate a paralytic biochemical that they can deliver via their sticky, extensible tongues. Anyone hit on exposed skin by their tongue must make a Physical Effects saving throw (Toxicity 10 Interval 1 hour Virulence 2) or be paralyzed. Three failed saves means a victim's breathing has also been paralyzed and he or she begins to suffocate without respiratory support. Other ssraad aren’t paralyzed, but instead become docile and submissive. The green can also deliver a cocktail containing hormones and plasmids which trigger parthenogenesis in any ssraad species. The genetic material in the plasmids causes all offspring produced to be born as green ssraad. Greens refer to ssraad undergoing forced parthenogenesis as slrnn meh (“breeders”) and they automatically lose status in ssraad society. Greens cover their skin with an ointment made from human endocrine elements and other ingredients to insulate themselves against such assaults by rivals.

Sights in the Strange Stars

Few galactic sporting events offer the sheer spectacle of the giant robot combats of Gogmagog. The robots are of unique design (but all humanoid) and tower anywhere from around 10 meters to over 80 in the world’s low gravity. Mostly they stand waiting for some signal—or maybe just the right moment. They may not move for years or even decades. Then abruptly, they sally forth to engage one of their fellows in hand to hand combat.

That’s when the motley bot breaker gangs go into action. They race to the location of the latest match on their dilapidated walkers, their howdah shantytowns rattling with the jarring motion and their frantic preparations. They have to work fast to salvage what they can from the defeated giant before the swarms of von Neumann machines skitter and crawl from their underground lairs to repair the fallen gladiator—and dissemble the bot-breakers’ tools and transport for raw materials. What the bot breakers can get away with they can sell to fringe scientists and inventors trying to duplicate exotic alloys or wealthy collectors looking for an alien objet trouvé.

A more transcendent vista can perhaps be found around Altair, the home system of the winged deva. Ten moon-sized artificial worlds are strewn like jewels around the oblate star, their diamondoid coatings glinting and iridescent in its light.  These are said to be huge brains, or perhaps the separate components of one even larger mind. Some appear damaged,  the result of some ancient war. The deva flit between between them, working to repair the spheres and restore the mind.  They let few visitors enter the spheres themselves, though that may be with good reason. Rumors abound that the damaged psyches of the spheres produce dangerous qlippothic demons from deranged code.

Warlord Wednesday: A Look Back

Since last Warlord Wednesday completed my review of the Warlord annuals, I thought it was fitting to take a moment and look back at where we've been:

"Gateway to Doom" in Annual #1 (1982) found Shakira and Morgan trying to help a well meaning minstrel win the heart of a stuck-up princess.

Annual #2 ("The Prophecy," 1983) was sort of a prologue to the New Atlantis Saga, introducing Krystovar the Healer and New Atlantis, itself.

"Full Circle" in Annual #3 (1894) tied the New Atlantis stuff to the mythology of Warlord, by explaining the link between the beast-making device of the New Atlanteans and that of the aliens of the Blood Moon. It also gave us the chance to see that Deimos came from a long line of villains.

Annual #4's "Sins of the Father...Fate of the Son" (1985) has the Evil One rearing his ugly head and the Hellfure sword makes a reappearance. This also marks the end of the "Tinder is secretly Morgan's son" storyline. Not because it's resolved, but because Tinder is soon dropped from the series. This issue also has a map of Skartaris.

Annual #5 (1986) saw Morgan return to Earth for an encounter with technologically advanced Mayan-descendants and the CIA--primarily he dogged Redmond--in"The Uxmal Encounter."

Another Review

If you're still sitting on the fence about picking up Weird Adventures (and I'm sure there's still somebody), check out a new review over at the excellent blog Daddy Rolled a 1.

Stay a while and look through Martin's other interesting posts, as well.

Blue Monday

Continuing my exploration of the inimical ssraad:

BLUE SSRAAD
No. Appearing: 2-12
AC: 4
HD: 8
Saving Throw: 11
Attack Bonus: +8/+8/+8
Damage: 2d6/2d6 claws, 1d12 bite
Movement: 30’
Morale: 12

The blue ssraad make their lair in stolen asteroid habitats huddled close to the cinder of Sirius B. From this base, they launch raids across the Expanse and wage a grinding war against the green ssraad holding Sirius A.

The hulking blue (3 m tall) are the most massive of the ssraad species and are more intelligent and organized than the red. Still, they have no hierarchy beyond the tribal level, where the strongest rule, and what technology they possess is stolen.  They force captives to remodel their starships for the ssraad’s large frames before they kill them. They can employ weapons, but they prefer to use the bone spur claws that grow from dorsal surface of their hands, and their massive jaws.

Ssraad reproduce asexually. Dominance challenges between ssraad can lead to slashes along the back of the loser by the victor’s bone spurs that (combined with chemicals introduced into the loser’s bloodstream from the victor’s saliva) stimulate grow of eggs beneath osteodermic plates on the loser’s back. These eventually bud off into larva, to which the adults pay little attention. The victor sometimes passes genetic material to the loser’s eggs through his saliva in a manner similar to bacterial conjugation.

Red in Tooth and Claw

The decimated systems and damaged worlds of the Zuran Expanse are stalked by several hostile sophont species. Among the most feared are the ssraad [ʂra:d], who claim the whole region as their own by reason of their supposed descent from the enigmatic zurr for whom the Expanse is named. Others have theorized that the ssraad are more likely a creation of the zurr—and perhaps their undoing. No biologic evidence of the zurr exists to prove or disprove either theory.

The three species of ssraad are differentiated by color and some morphological features, but all are bipeds with broad, wide-mouthed heads and bumpy skins, reminiscent of toads. The species exist in a state of mutual hostility. The two dominant species (the blue and the green) employ the reds in their warfare against other and other sophonts.

reconstruction of red ssraad image from visual cortex of victim

RED SSRAAD
No. Appearing: 1-4
AC: 5
HD: 6
Saving Throw: 13
Attack Bonus: +6/+6/+6
Damage: 1d4/1d4 claws, 1d10 bite
Movement: 30’
Morale: 10
Red ssraad at nearly 2.5 m tall and have dull red skin. Though sophont, red ssraad act more like ravening animals than sapient beings. Often only their sadism gives them away. They do not build or create, but are capable of utilizing technology when necessary. Red ssraad are used as shock troops and terror weapons by the greens. They are phenomenal hardy and regenerate 2 hit points a round.

Red ssraad reproduce in an unsual way.  They parthenogenetically produce eggs that must incubate with a living host. Ssraad use their hollow tongues to inject eggs (40% chance) into a host on a bite that does damage. Once inside, the egg gestates for 3 weeks. After that, the host falls ill for approximately 24 hours with nausea and abdominal pain before the ssraad larva eats its way out of their body, killing them.

Blesh

The blesh are members of the Alliance in the Orion Spur. Unique among the Alliance species (and rare in the known galaxy), the blesh are gestalt beings, a blending of human and nonhuman.

Appearance and Biology: Physically, the blesh are six-limbed bipeds, with some vaguely insectoid features. They appear to made of crystal, with translucent bodies within which their organs (like strangely-shaped decanters) can be glimpsed.  They are likely either the bioroid creations or descendants of a long dead species. Blesh do not reproduce sexually, but are instead grow like fruit from specialized cybernetic “trees” on their homeworld.

History: Until their “Great Awakening,” the bioroids were a post-sapient species; they had long ago broken the strange-loop of self to live edenic lives in the tranquil gardens of the totally controlled biosphere of their homeworld. All their needs were provided by the techno-organic trees they tended. Sometime in the dark age following the Great Collapse, a slower-than-light ark, launched from Old Earth long ago, crashed on their world. The trees dutifully downloaded the refugee human minds from the ark and (reading the ark's purpose) began distributing the minds to their charges/gardeners. The blending of the human minds and the minds and bodies of the bioroids formed the merged entities who call themselves blesh.

Psychology: There were 1803 human minds recovered from the ark. Every blesh is one of these minds blended with a bioroid post-sapient to form a new consciousness. They name themselves by combining the name of the human mind, a number designation related to the tree they grew from, and a monosyllabic prefix. Blesh are a peaceful species with respect for other sophonts. They have not historically been explorers, but they believe their culture to be enriched by learning about other species, and they are interested in galactic stability. Perhaps from the human elements in their minds, they have a great curiosity about ancient human artifacts. Though the blesh have the memories of the human part of their composite mind, these memories belong to someone long dead and have for them a dream-like quality; they feel like visions of the past rather than events actually experienced.

Stats: Blesh have a minimum Intelligence and Constitution of 9. Due to their synthetic biology, they have a +1 to saves against most poisons and diseases. Their integument provides AC 7 against weapons Tech level 3 or less. Their bodies heal slowly, however, without the aid of their engineered trees (+1 to all roles for length of time required for healing).

Warlord Wednesday: the Gods Make War (part 2)

Let's re-enter the lost world with another installment of my issue by issue examination of DC Comic's Warlord, the earlier installments of which can be found here. This is part 2 of my review of the last Warlord Annual:

"When the Gods Make War"

Warlord Annual #6 (1987)

Written by Michael Fleisher; Art by Pablo Marcos

Synopsis: When last we checked in on Skartaris, the Apokolipsian invasion forces were attacking all the city-states.  Lonar wants to use his mother box to call in reinforcements from New Genesis. He gets taken out, but Morgan manages to grab the mother box and escape.
In Kiro, Y’Smalla (disguised as Tara) makes her move to assassinated Machiste. She might have succeeded, had the real Tara not come to the rescue:

The two identical women fight a pitch battle. Y’Smalla, fearing she’s out-matched, escapes out a window.

Tara and Machiste join the battle outside and spot Desaad watching the proceedings with glee. They decide to drop in on him. A cowering, defeated Desaad delivers an ironic line:

The Apokolips army is forced to withdraw from Kiro, but Shamballah is still under siege. Morgan manages to get a message sent via the mother box before the Apokolipsians find him. His pistol jams and things look grim, but then the cavalry arrives in the form of a contingent of new gods. Living up to his nom de guerre, the Warlord takes command: He sends the new gods out to liberate the other Skartarian city-states while he takes one of the new Darkseidium Apokolips rifles and goes after Mantis, the leader of the Apokolipsian forces in Skartaris. Lonar worries about Morgan facing Mantis alone, but Morgan says he can handle it.

So we get a lot of snippets of fights among new gods: Lightray takes down Kanto in Bakwele. Orion puts a beat down on Kalibak in Kallistan. Forager disgraces Baron Vundabar in Kaambuka. Everywhere they go, they tell the people they come at the Warlord’s bidding, rehabilitating the image tarnished by Desaad’s shenanigans.

All the while, Morgan is maybe regretting taking on Mantis alone. His gun doesn’t work against him. All he can do is evade—which in the end, turns out to be enough. Mantis drains his power trying to hit him and is forced to return to his power pod.

Skartaris is freed. All the new gods boom tube back to their respective worlds. Lonar warns Morgan before he goes that Skartaris still has the ore Darkseid wants—and the lord of Apokolips doesn’t take defeat gracefully.

Things to Notice:

• Lonar's predictions about a return of Darkseid prove false. He doesn't show up again in the series.

Bonus Pin-up:
From Gil Kane:

The Gnomes of Dzrrn

The gnomes are a member species of the Alliance. They hail from ancient subterranean habitats on Dzrrn, a large asteroid. They've colonized more asteroids in their own system and in others.

Appearance and Biology: Gnomes are small (1.-1.3 m) humanoids with loose, wrinkled skin and large ears. Most gnomes encountered will likely be male, but there is little sexual dimorphism. Gnome clans are seldom made up of more than 100 individuals, though they tend to have close ties with nearby clans. Only few individuals in a clan are capable of breeding at a time, though a female may breed with multiple males. Mating produces an organism the gnomes call a”mother”--essentially an external womb. The mother generates gnome embryos from the genetic material donated from its maternal gnome and all the males she mated with. The female coordinates the mother’s care, but all members of clan take part.

Gnomes have castes, as well. Most males (and a few females) are “workers” responsible for the care and maintenance of the habitat. The somewhat taller “managers” are disproportionately female, but still numerically mostly male. They have primary responsibility for the rearing of children, the protection of the clan, negotiation with outsiders, and strategic planning.

Psychology: Gnomes are gregarious and inquisitive, but deliberate in their thought process. They seldom act rashly. They observe less need for personal space than most humanoids, and in fact, are prone to depression if forced into situations where they can have little physical contact with others for extended perionds. Many gnomes suffer from a fear of open spaces, and may experience a panic reaction.

Stats: Gnomes have a Constitution of 9.

The Maze

The so-called Apotheosis Maze is an ancient structure of great power. It sits on an all but lifeless world on the seldom-traveled fringe of civilized space, yet still it draws visitors willing to accept it’s wordless challenge: Find the path through and perhaps attain godhood.

The maze covers nearly 20,000 m2. From a distance, it appears to be made of marble. Closer inspection reveals the material has an iridescent, oil-slick sheen when the light hits it right. Scanning reveals it to be much more than simple stone: There are patterns in its structure at the picometer (and possibly smaller) level: circuits repeating. The maze has a psionic presence, too--like faint, whispering voices in an adjacent room.

It’s said that no known weapon can damage the maze’s structure. It is uncertain whether anyone has ever actually tried. The guardians of the maze move quickly to stop any visitor who attempts violence against them or the maze. They wield quantum weapons, that are powerless cubes outside of their hands.

The guardians are tall, robed humanoids with enlarged craniums and skin as black as starless space. There are always three, though perhaps not always the same three. Their primary task seems to be to decide who may walk the maze from the supplicants present. They never allow more than five in, but the number varies; they often select fewer. Those they choose must divest themselves of weapons, equipment, and uplinks, and don simple robes before entering the maze.

Despite the fact that the maze is open to the sky, no one has ever been observed traversing it. It would appear that the maze's interior exists elsewhere. The vast majority of those who enter the maze never emerge. In fact, there is no recorded instance of anyone emerging--but many stories exist. All the stories suggest sophont beings who walk the maze transcend in some way--perhaps even to godhood. The hyehoon faithful believe their Mother Creator, Anat Morao, walked the maze before ascending into heaven where she continues to watch over her children. Some versions of Instrumentality doctrine mention attempts to walk the maze, either praising or condemning them. A conspiracy meme during the Radiant Polity held that the first psi mutant (an immortal being of immense power, supposedly) was born of a pregnant mother who had walked the maze.

The legends keep people trying. Some attempt to hedge their bets by finding a map of the maze. Such maps surface from time to time--and people have killed to get them--but as far as is known, they've all turned out to be fakes. A rumor current among spacers is that there’s a mendicant on a backwater world called Oriax, who carries the map (perhaps unknowingly) in his brain, but few have been able to locate the planet much less any miraculous vagrant.

Ready for a Mall-Crawl?

This has been a good week for free stuff. Today, let me direct your attention to an offering from Justin, the chronicler of A Field Guide to Doomsday. Justin has served up The Ruins of Woebrook. It's either a stinging critique of 21st Century American consumerism disguised as an adventure module or an excuse for mall-inspired encounters with creative, punningly named mutant monsters: You decide!

The Cinnaman gives it two stick-sweet thumbs up/

A Strange Stars Appendix N

The Strange Stars setting I’ve been working is on is a combination of several different things I like in science fiction. I would call it: far future transhuman(ish) space opera. Far future sort of explains itself; it only has weird connections to the world of today.  It’s space opera, because its an adventure setting set in space (though more of the picaresque Jack Vance or Harry Harrison variety, than the “planet-wrecking" of Edmond Hamilton).
Unlike traditional, space opera whose basic form was laid out decades ago, I do want to take into account the effects of technology on human society--and humanity itself. This isn’t a new idea either really; there’s plenty of fiction in this vein and a few rpgs--though most of the rpgs seem to go for a smaller scope or harder science than space opera. I want Dune plus the stuff in Transhuman Space. The “ish” is because this sort of stuff is always going to take a bit of a backseat to the space opera.
I want both of these wrapped in the now even stranger visions of the future from the late 60s to the early 80s, shown on the covers of science fiction paperbacks, and in the Terran Trade Authority books. I want it to be populated by people like might show up in the pages of Heavy Metal in the works of Moebius, Caza, and Druillet, and in the disco-era stylings of the 70s sci-fi comics of Starlin, Cockrum, and Chaykin.

So here are some specific inspirations, broken up into where their influence is felt:

Human & Alien Cultures:
Wayne Barlowe. Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials.
David Brin. Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin’s Uplift Universe.
CJ Cherryh.Chanur’s Venture. (particularly the appendix on species of the Compact)
Frank Herbert. Dune.
Willis McNelly. The Dune Encyclopedia.
Jack Vance. “The Moon Moth” and other short stories, Planet of Adventure

David Zindell. Neverness.

Technology & Societies:

Tony Daniel. Metaplanetary.

Greg Egan. Diaspora.

David L. Pulver, et al. GURPS Transhuman Space and its supplements.

Hannu Rajaniemi. The Quantum Thief, The Fractal Prince.

Karl Schroeder. Permanence.

John C. Wright. The Golden Age Trilogy: The Golden Age, Phoenix Exultant, and The Golden Transcendence.

Visual Inspirations:

Howard Chaykin. The adventures of characters Cody Starbuck (appearing in various places), Ironwolf (Weird Worlds #8-10), and Monark Starstalker (Marvel Premiere #32).

Jim Starlin. His Warlock stories (Strange Tales #178-181, and the various graphic novels and series related to the Dreadstar saga.

Steven Cowley (writer). Terran Trade Authority books.

Heavy Metal (magazine). particularly the works of Philippe Druillet (Lone Sloane 66, Salammbô), Moebius, Caza, and Enki Bilal (Exterminator 17).

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 1970s, particularly the designs of Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell, and a bit of Giffen's "Five Years Later" run beginning in 1989.

Star Wars, particularly Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Warlord Wednesday: When the Gods Make War

Let's re-enter the lost world with another installment of my issue by issue examination of DC Comic's Warlord, the earlier installments of which can be found here...

"When the Gods Make War"

Warlord Annual #6 (1987)

Written by Michael Fleisher; Art by Pablo Marcos

Synopsis: It turns out the aliens Morgan tangled with in issue #121 were mining a previously unknown element that can increase the killing power of Apokolips’s forces. Desaad has named it “Darkseidium” to suck up to his master. Darkseid has gathered the forces of Apokolips for a a full scale invasion of Skartaris to acquire the element.

The New God Lightray has been held captive by Desaad. A couple of careless guards allow him the opportunity to escape after accidentally filling him in on the invasion plans. Lightray flies back to New Genesis and shares what he has learned with the other New Gods. Highfather, their leader,dispatches Lonar to Skartaris to join forces with the Warlord. When Lonar swoops do on his space horse, Morgan is wary at first but the New God convinces him they’re on the same side.

In Kiro, Tara has located Y’Smalla, the woman who's been masquerading as her, but before she can get revenge Desaad shows up. He tells Y’Smalla about the impending invasion and gives her orders to assassinate Machiste.

In Shamballah, Morgan and Lonar are marshaling the troops for the assault. They don’t have to wait long.

All across Skartaris, the gods wage war against humanity!

To be continued...

Things to Notice:

• This is the last Warlord Annual of this series and the last one period, to date.
• This issue features pinups by Gil Kane and Dan Jurgens. 

Where it Comes From:
The guest stars and villians in this annual spring from the mind of Jack Kirby, a cosmology that is often referred to as the "Fourth World." The concept made it's debut in Jimmy Olsen in 1970 and blossomed into four interrelating titles. Essentially, it told the story of the conflict between the new gods from New Genesis and their foes on the world of Apokolips. Kirby's titles only lasted until 1973. In 1977, an attempt was made to revive the series, but it died almost as soon as it was begun due to the "DC Implosion." By the time of this annual, however, the characters and their conflict had been integrated into the wider DC Universe--as had Warlord with the events of recent issues.

Of Space Ages & Sorcery

The gestalt mind of Hereticwerks, aided and abetted by the equally outré intellects of Needles and Porky, have unleashed upon the unsuspecting blogosphere Space-Age Sorcery. It's 27 pages of enough weird science fantasy spells (and a few evocative tables) to fill a campaign, easy. It's so dense with cool not even light escapes its surface. I'm probably exaggerating a bit, there--but this is a unabashed plug not an unbiased review.

Anyway, check it out for yourself here and see if I'm wrong.

Oh, and for those of you that have been following my Strange Stars posts, here's a doc with some of the more esoteric terminology I've been using.

The Pleasure Domes of Erato

During the time of the Archaic Oikumene, the most famous of the so-called “pleasure worlds” was Erato. Called the “New Venus” (the original Venus having been a much less hospitable planet around Old Sol), it was home to a collection of resorts and parks catering to every imaginable sensual pleasure. The domes were themed by passion or interest and provided a variety of different environments from lush gardens to freefall. The bioroid staff, in a myriad of forms, catered to every taste.

Then came the Great Collapse. For a few generations, the last visitors to Erato and the humanoid administrators lived an end-of-the-world party in high decadence: then the bioroids took over. They developed a society of their own, closed off their world to the rest of space.

Sometime near the end of the Radiant Polity era, Erato was re-contacted, and reemerged as a purveyor of pleasure. As before, it offer a variety of experiences in a discrete setting--but this this time under the control of the bioroids themselves. They’re an eclectic bunch: androids, gynoids, and a number of combinations thereof, with a myriad of modifications to primary and secondary sexual characteristics, sexual performance, and biochemistry. The facilities are less expansive than in days past (as many are given over to expanded living areas, storage, and manufacturing for the bioroids), but current visitors don’t seem disappointed.

Ever seeking to expand their market share, the Eratoans have began to generate members of their race with new uses. Bioroids with idiopathic poison biochemistry or weaponized genitalia command a high price on the black market as assassins.

Engineers

No. Appearing:1-4

AC: 4

Hit Dice: 1

Saving Throw: Warrior 1

Attack Bonus: +0

Damage: by weapon, or 1d4

Movement: 20’

Skill Bonus: +4

Morale: 7

The Engineers [mnadnzat; mnaat sing.] are a cybernetic species and citizens of the Vokun Empire, responsible for much of the Empire’s technology. Though they are essential to the Empire’s function, the vokun keep them under close control due to their fear of artificial intelligence.

Appearance and Biology: Engineers vaguely resemble isopods of ancient Earth, but with more human faces. The average 1.2 m tall and have eight limbs, but typically ambulate bipedally. Either of their upper pairs of limbs may be used as manipulators, though the first pair is shorter and more dexterous. Though they have an internal skeleton, they also possess thick plates of carapace that extend the length of their bodies. This carapace has an iridescent sheen as it has a coating of metalofullerene. The integument of Engineers comes in several different colors that may denoted their caste.

Engineers as a species have integrated with their technology. All adult Engineers have metaganglia providing conscious control of many aspects of their bodies' functioning and linking them to their spimes and noosphere. If an Engineer’s body is badly damaged, they can download their minds into another from a remote backup.

Other than having a sense of their species as a whole, Engineers do not recognize kinship, nor do they form pair bonds. Mating is a casual affair with no real associated emotion. Young are born in communal nurseries and are pre-sapient. They crawl around Engineer ships, directed by signals from adults, just another tool. Those that survive the second instar are “uplifted” to full sophont status by infection with the appropriate nanites.

Psychology: Engineers are somewhat literal-minded and pedantic, though they're fairly gregarious when their is a topic of conversation that interests them. They are adverse physical confrontation and danger, often to the point of cowardice from the perspective of other species. When they feel endangered they attempt to roll themselves up as much as possible. They make poor fighters, but their aptitude for technology makes them excellent technicians and (of course) engineers.

Strange Stars

After over ten posts, I've finally decided (maybe) on a unifying title for the science fiction setting posts I've been doing: Strange Stars. Why that? I don't know. It sounded better than anything else I came up with. There is a real thing called a strange star--though I don't know that that has anything to do with the setting.

So anyway, now those posts will be found under that label.

More to come.

Ibglibdishpan

Appearance and Biology: Ibglibdishpan are spindly humanoids with yellow skins. Their skulls are large, hairless, and somewhat ovoid, but this appearance is accentuated by a shield-shaped “mask” of osteoderm covering their face above the jaw. They do not have external ears or noses. Ibglibdishpan exhibit very little sexual dimorphism [in fact, discussion of gender is considered rude by them.]

History: The ibglibdishpan are citizens of the Vokun Empire. Their natural cognitive traits have been enhanced by a vokun eugenics program and genetic modification to make them “humanoid computers” capable of computational tasks beyond most unenhanced humanoid brains.

Psychology: Ibglibdishpan tend to be restrained in their emotional responses compared to other humanoids. They also tend to lack empathy, and are sometimes at a loss as to my other humanoids don’t take the obvious, logical action. They are often considered pedantic and overly precise. They tend to avoid violence and make poor warriors. Due to their neuronal structure they are prone to the development of obsessions and compulsions, or perseverations of certain behaviors.

Stats: Intelligence of at least 14. Charisma and Strength no higher than 10.

Mental Breakdown: There is a 25% chance with any intelligence related skill check or other intelligence related task, that the peculiar mental structure of the ibglibdishpan may lead to some sort of failure. A save vs. Mental Effects must be made. On a failed roll, consult the following table:

1 catatonic state, repeating the last statement made for d100 minutes

2 screams for d100 seconds, then returns to previous activity as if nothing happened.

3 develop a phobia which lasts for 2d12 weeks.

4 Develop a reaction akin to Stendhal Syndrome for d4/2 hours.

5 seizure for 1d4 min. -1 to all rolls until a period of rest.

6 Lose 1-2 points of intelligence for 1d20 days. At that the end of that period, a second Mental Effects save must be made. Failure means the loss is permanent.