 September 22, 2011 - 1:53pm | I'm a big fan of the Yazirian Clans article SFMan #8 In my "A Bounty On Death" adventure, which is purposely designed for starting characters, I created a background document for each player to choose a background for their character. The backgrounds I've written are slanted toward the early part of the timeline just after the founding of the UPF, the SW1 and just before the Volturnus adventures. With a little modification these can work for a latter period. Choose one benefit based on a place of origin: Mixed Race Colonies Mixed race colonies (Triad, Gran Quivera, and Pale) cause exposure to other languages; and a character could know the language of one of the other core four races. Choose one (A) character can fluently speak or understand one of the languages of the other races* or (B) character has a deep understanding of one other race's culture and gains +15% to reactions when dealing with that race and can make a PER roll for +10% to wage when being hired by a member of that race. *Note the vrusk vocal apparatus can only form words in their and the other races are unable to pronounce the vrusk langauge so if this situation applies then all that is gained is understanding of the language. Legacy of the Sathar War Due to how the populations of Truane's Star and Dixon's Star suffered from the depradations of the sathar they have an intense hatred of the worms. Characters gain +5% in melee attacks agains the sathar and their creatures. Yazirian Heritage A yazirian character may come from a very traditional family and is steeped in his heritage. Choose one (A) a level of skill with the Zamira, the yazirian honor weapon (and owns one) or (B) roll on the yazirian clans table in SFman #8. Note a yazirian can come from any colony in the Frontier and still be a member of a clan located on a particular planet; he will just represent a yazirian that immigrated to the non yazirian planet. Religious Yazirian Yazirian society is dominated by the Family of One religion which is headquartered on Hentz in the Araks system. There is some resentment by yazirians from other colonies over the heavy handedness of this religions organization. Choose one (A) two levels of theology and a +10% bonus when dealing with Family of One clergy or (B) keeps a domesticated miniature wyvole pet (see "Opiate of the Osakar" article SFman #15) as a statement of defiance against the Family of One. Dralasite Culture, Inner Reach Dralasites from Inner Reach follow a custom of painting their bodies in washable dyes to show their mood for the day. The rival planet of Outer Reach is a mecca for pirates and crime. All dralasites from Inner Reach begin with a collection of dyes and a brush or two. Choose one: (A) two levels of artist skills with paints and dyes (may attempt to produce art for sale in between adventures as per the rules in "Artisan PSA" SFman #9) or (B) +5% melee bonus when fighting pirates or organized crime and -5% penalty to reactions from pirates. Dralasite Culture, Fromeltar The Fromeltar system is the location of the most prestigious dralasite academies. Choose one (A) character fluently underestands vrusk, (B) two levels of philosophy and +10% to dealing with scholars, or (C) deep understanding of vrusk culture +15% to reactions from vrusk and makes a PER check for a +10% bonus to wage when being hired by a vrusk. Legacy of the Free World Rebellion The Free World Rebellion on Kdi'kit in Madderly's Star involved a human population evicting the vrusk population. Atrocities did occur. Some vrusk distrust humanity because of this event -5% reaction to humans but +15% to comprehension score when observing humans. A vrusk with this background is a refugee from this event and now hails from some other colony. Humans from this colony tend to be prejudicial against most aliens and very patriotic about their colony. The colony has a strong agricultural economy as well as exporting mercenaries. Choose one: (A) two levels of Horticulture, Botanical, or Animal Handling skill or (B) starts with an extra military skein suit from prior paramilitary training but must have at least one military skill though any PSA is permitted. Vrusk Business Experience; Resource Development Vrusk from planets with a resource development economy like Zik-kit have an intimate understanding of the resource exploitation and development business with a high likelihood of having done an internship in the business while still young. Choose one (A) two levels of geology skill or (B) able to operate mining equipment and machinery as a level 1 technician would. In addition to the following this character can make a LOG check while reviewing mining business records to spot inconsistencies or problems. Vrusk Business Experience; Agri-Business Vrusk from colonies that have a agriculture based economy like Ken Zah'Kit have an intimate understanding of the agriculture business with a high liklihood of having done an internship in the business while still young. Choose one (A) two levels of Horticulture, Bontany, or Animal Handling skill or (B) able to operate farming equipment and machinery as a level 1 technician would. In addition to the following this character can make a LOG check while reviewing farming business records to spot inconsistencies or problems. Vrusk Business Experience; Industry Vrusk from colonies that have a industrial based economy like Terledrom or Zik-kit have an intimate understanding of industrial businesses with a high liklihood of having done an internship in these businesses while still young. Choose one (A) two levels of industrial engineering (not star ship engineering) skill or (B) able to operate industrial equipment and machinery as a level 1 technician would. In addition to the following this character can make a LOG check while reviewing industrial business records to spot inconsistencies or problems. Vrusk Business Experience; R&D Vrusk from colonies that have a R&D based economy like Kwadl Kit have an intimate understanding of the R&D business with a high liklihood of having done an internship in the business while still young. Choose one (A) two levels of Science skill (physics, chemistry or etc) or (B) owns a referee approved prototype piece of equipment with a small bonus over the standard model (has a degree of miniaturization that either reduces weight, increases range, or reduces energy consumption). In addition to the following this character can make a LOG check while reviewing R&D business records to spot inconsistencies or problems. Human Ag Colony Background Ag colonies like Rupert's Hole, Kdi-kit, Lossend, and New Pale have a strong tradition of hard work. Characters from these colonies may choose a +5% modification to either STR or STA. Military Boarding School Usually for a human, some families send their young children away to military boarding school while still young. Character gains +5% to LDR and graduated top of the class or +5% to PER and graduated with the highest ammount of demerits in his class. Human Gymnastics Background Parents enrolled the character in dance school or they took dance and or gymnastics as an extra cirricular activity while growing up. Choose one: (A) two levels of artisan skill (as dance; see "Artisan PSA" article in SFman #9) or (B) +5% to DEX. Spacer Background Some characters spent their lives in ships and space stations. Choose one: (A) able to operate small craft like launches and workpods as a 0 level pilot and gain +10% bonus when the requisit skill is acquired, (B) gains two levels of astronomy (not astrogation), or (C) +10% bonus to RS checks during 0g combat to retain control. Streetwise Background For human characters in particular,when a person has grown up on the wrong side of town in a major city like Port Loren, Gran Quivera or Port Royal, Clarion; they can benefit from these experiences. Choose one: (A) +5% to INT or (B) +5% to RS. Computer Geek Background For human characters in particular, when a person grows up plugged into computers or robots they can benefit from these experiences. Choose one: (A) able to perform one subskill of computers or robotics as if one level higher (ie its a +10% to that subskill but must possess either computers or robotics skill), (B) ability to write a bonus computer program (ie. they can write two programs at level one), or (C) +5% to LOG. Feed back? other back ground proposals? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 22, 2011 - 2:43pm | The original Zamira article had an option for a yazirian to roll a die and see what his starting skill level was in the zamira. I hesitate to make zamira skill a flat level 2 for the Traditional Yazirian Background like all the free skill level bonuses in the backgrounds that have them. My thinking was that this is a weapons skill. However, a random roll to see if the skill level is 1, 2 or 3 like in the original article would work for me with 3 level having the lowest probability and 1 level having the highest probability. The skill iteself is limited to one single weapon and that weapon is not going to unbalance the game IMO. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 22, 2011 - 7:30pm | Feedback? Hang on this is gonna take a minute. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 September 22, 2011 - 8:57pm | It's a good start. I would categorize them (general fits any race and racial fits a specific race) and include a die roll for those who like to randomize. Also perhaps this format works better; Background Name Paragraph description. Al la carte, party going to the smarty. Choose one of the following:
Outdoorsman Growing up on a farm helped hone your instinctive skills in observing nature. When the ag ships failed engines exploding sending the ship into the atmosphere your colony was forced to find food beyond its walled farms. Select one of the following:
Comments; Some yazirians might prefer the yazirian throwing disc over the zamira. EDIT: I orginally listed "personality" as the last choice from above. However, re-reading Star Frontiersman #7 I wanted to post the following; The STAR FRONTIERS rules do
not include a specific stat for "willpower". This
optional rule allows a refreree to decide what
better represents the willpower of an NPC. The
choice of LOG is based more on reason and
logic, meaning the character's willpower is
based on rational thought. The choice of LDR
draws on the link between natural leadership
and force of will. The choice is up to the
referee, though the choice should be consistent
throughout the campaign. |
September 22, 2011 - 9:01pm | Oh.. it's important to decide what rule-set to use. Skilled Frontier will give your more choices for players. For instance; there isn't a Horticulture, Botanical, or Animal Handling skill in Alpha Dawn. But you know this, I'm just giving feedback. |
September 23, 2011 - 3:26am | Oh.. it's important to decide what rule-set to use. Skilled Frontier will give your more choices for players. For instance; there isn't a Horticulture, Botanical, or Animal Handling skill in Alpha Dawn. But you know this, I'm just giving feedback. You also know that I'm a big fan of the "Skilled Frontier" article too as it is the most flexible. Honestly you can allow things like botany or art skill even in AD rules. Character uses in PSA exp costs for the technician PSA when trying to advance these skills. It just becomes an extra thing that differentiates the character. These skills will translate well to Zebs and SF2000 rules and will fit with Skilled Frontier as well. All that would be needed is an explanation at the beginning to guide the referee. Something that subtly says, "A Skilled Frontier" in SFman #9 is the jedion357 approved rules system to use.  Like the outdoors man background. in crafting these I tried to avoid giving any of the standard adventure skills represented in the original AD skill set and make these things extras that differentiate the character. so equipment, ability bonuses or skill that would normally be ingnored were the menu or a bonus to a subskill. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 23, 2011 - 7:40am | Understood. Did you notice that if you choose 2, you have a built in flaw? :-) I'm glad someone is working on backgrounds, this is something I was hoping to tackle for Star Frontiers. In frontier space we call them "origins" and have 50 in the player book. Each race in the AI setting will have their own origins table. Players will have a choice which table to roll on. |
September 23, 2011 - 8:03am | I don't see what you mean about a built in flaw? Also, while im a fan of the edge flaw optional rules I felt I should stay away from those since they're optional. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 24, 2011 - 5:13pm | Smallbody Colony Growing up on a small system body (such as a moon or asteroid, and some space stations or permenate population ships) helped acclimate you to Zero-G conditions and enclosed habitations more readily. However an unfamiliarity with terrestrial environments and 'starless' skies gains the fear of open terestrial spaces: must make a logic/leadership check to leave crowded and/or close quarter urban areas and structures when not in space or on small bodies, and not in an environmentally sealed suit with bio-readings and fail-safes. Checks are made at; -5% during 'daylight' conditions, -5% within the light-pollution area of a terrestrial city, -10% if local 'wildlife' is actively audible (i.e. chirping crickets and scuffleing roaches, hooting owls and singing locusts, wild-cat and wild-dog calls, or mooing cattle and chattering ally-rats), all these penalties stack and must be made hourly for as long as conditions persist. Select one of the following:
If you choose two (or double any one choice) from above, or choose one of the following, your character additionally suffers a -5% to Dex, RS, Str, and Sta related skills and checks in greater than 0.9G Environments.
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