The rules for creating characters results in PCs who are at the start of their careers – students fresh out of school ready to dive into the world at large known as the Frontier. But what if instead of signing up with the Pale Planetary Research Division immediately after graduation, your PC wanted to pursue advanced studies? Or, your PC was a happily employed desk jockey until a mid-life crisis prompted him to shed it all in search of adventure onboard a long-distance reconnaissance ship?

Presented here are optional rules to allow a PC to start at an older age, and with potentially more of the skills and wisdom that life experiences bring.

First, determine the starting age for your PC according to the table below.

Table 1-1: Starting Age

Race                Starting Age

Human            15 + 1d5

Dralasite          20 + 1d10

Vrusk              13 + 1d5

Yazirian           14 + 1d5

For every year that passes after the Starting Age, a PC gains Experience Points, but loses points from his physical Ability Scores. Throughout his Prime Years, for each additional year, a PC gains 4 XP, but loses1 point from each of his physical Ability Scores (STR, STA, RS, DEX). During his Mature Years, the PC gains 5 XP, loses 2 points from each of his Physical Ability Scores, and gains 1 point in LOG and INT for each year that passes. During his Middle Aged Years, each year results in 7 XP gained, increases of 1 point in LOG and INT, and 3 points lost from the physical Ability Scores. Beyond the Middle Aged Years, the gains are 8 XP and 2 points in LOG and INT, but 4 points lost from the physical Ability Scores.

The XP gained from aging can be used just as normal Experience Points – purchasing skills, improving known skills, or raising Ability Scores, even the ones that were lost as a result of aging!

Human                                     16-25               26-40               41-65

Dralasite                                  21-35               36-55               56-80

Vrusk                                      14-30               31-50               51-70

Yazirian                                   15-33               34-47               48-60

Age Category              Gains and losses for each year

Prime Years               +4 XP, -1 to physical Attribute Scores (STR, STA, RS, DEX)

Mature Years             +5 XP, +1 LOG, +1 INT, -2 to physical Attribute Scores

Middle Aged Years    +7XP, +1 LOG, +1 INT,  -3 to physical Attribute Scores

> Middle Aged           +8 XP, +2 LOG, +2 INT, -4 to physical Attribute Scores