Bomoth Bebop

Bomoth (sing. boma) are a species of renowned throughout the known galaxy as musicians. Though there home moon (Woon) is in the Coreward Reach, they can be encountered on tour in the various hegemonies and even the Zuran Expanse. They are best known for the improvisational, syncopated musical genre known as Bomoth jook.

Appearance and Biology: Bomoth appear something like blue giant caterpillars, 1.5 to 2.5 m long. They are invertebrates, possessing a hydrostatic skeleton. There faces are oddly human-like, though they have four eyes, each inferior to the human eye, but roughly comparable in the aggregate. Their auditory sensors are arranged around their head in a corona-like fashion, and have different receptors for different frequency ranges, lending overall superior sound discrimination to humans. Their bellows-like lungs enable fine breath control, aiding their playing of some musical instruments. Their vocal apparatus is such that they are incredible mimics. The number of their limbs depend on the individual's length, but the first 2 to 3 segments end in muscular tendrils capable of fine manipulation. The other limbs are similarly equipped, but less dexterous in most individuals. It's unclear how many sexes there are among them; bomoth are circumspect on that question with other species. Some individuals grow twin rows of dorsal spines, but the size of these vary with age and likely other factors.

A popular theory (likely suggested by their resemblance to caterpillars) is that bomoth are a larval form of some other organism. Visitors to the underground mushroom forests of their home moon occasionally report sightings of butterfly-winged creatures resembling human females flitting through the twilight. These sighting are dismissed as the result of exposure to psychoactive fungi spores in the atmosphere.

Artist rendition of one of the so-called "Angels of Woon"

Psychology: Bomoth tend to be relaxed, almost to the point of imperturbability. This is often attributed to their habitual use of a fungus-derived, mild intoxicant chreech, but it's likely a species trait. Bomoth are often philosophical and given to obscure musings, but this never gets in the way of praticalities, like payment for performances or seeking pleasure. Jook musicians are known for a distinctive slang, all but impenetrable to the uninitiated. 

No. Appearing:1-4

AC: 8

Hit Dice: 1

Saving Throw: Warrior 1

Attack Bonus: +0

Damage: by weapon, or 1-2 punch

Movement: 20’

Skill Bonus: +3

Morale: 7

Bomoth Revisited

In the midst of reading a few FATE games (Starblazer Adventures and Bulldogs! and informed by the SA supplement Mindjammer), I figured converting some of the species I've already created was a good way to try the system out. So here is a Starblazer Adventures version of Bomoth.

Suggested Aspects:
Caterpillar-like form
Invoke: to get into places a humanoid might not be able to go.
Compel: when trying to blend in to a crowd.
Cool, Man
Invoke: to be unfazed in a stressful situation.
Compel: to feel a real sense of danger when it might be imminent.
Hep
Invoke: to find the party or score the drug.
Compel: to fool Johnny Law or pass as a solid citizen.
Live for the Music
Invoke: to play a gig.
Compel: to focus on something else.

Special Abilities:
Extra Set of Hands [-1]: Additional limbs allow a supplementary action without the -1 penalty
Vocal Mimicry [-1]: Bomoth can flawlessly recreate voices or sounds.

Two Species, Two Systems

For comparison, here are two of my Strange Stars setting sophont species in both Black Star and Star Scoundrels terms. Both are pretty simple! For Black Star, species just provides innate traits as listed. In Star Scoundrels the species is a Trademark which is sort of described by the words in parentheses after it. Those words might also suggest Edges that could be selected.

Follow the links with the names to get more background on the species.

HWURU

In Black Star:

Traits: Claws, Tough.

In Star Scoundrels:

Hwuru (Strong, Climb, Forest Survival, Claws, Intimidate)

BOMOTH

In Black Star:

Traits: Extra Limbs, Acute Hearing.

In Star Scoundrels:

Bomoth (Enhanced Hearing, Extra Manipulators, Music, Slang, Philosophical, Unflappable)

Stop for Refueling

I'm too tired to write a full post today, so that means you guys get a chance to catch up on any Strange Stars posts you might miss because I have updated the archive.

Check it out if you're curious as to who the Wizards of Rune are, what the bomoth might be smoking, why even the ssraad might fear the xann hunters, or just how do all these species communicate, anyway?

It's all there.

Fate SF Strange Stars A-D

As a sort of lead up to the release of Strange Stars Fate (soon now!), it's author, John Till has been doing some Strange Stars related posts on his blog. Even if Fate isn't your system of choice, there is some good and gameable stuff, here!

A: Attendants--a moravec clade who provide topnotch service to the wealthiest clients.
B: Bomoth on Boreas!
C: Clades and how you use them.
D: Adding the Deaders from Last Parsec to Strange Stars.

More Savage Strange Stars

Mike aka Wrathofzombie has been on a tear. If you're a Savage Worlds fan, his progression toward likely mental breakdown is your gain. Check out these Strange Stars adaptations:

Engineers Cybernetic crustacean builders of Vokun technology.
Bomoth Caterpillar-like musicians.
Smaragdines Green-skinned psionicists.