STARPORT SCUM

STORYTELLERS GUIDE
WELCOME
In many ways Starport Scum is a tool box:
Reach into the bag, grab something and stick it in your game.

The Storytellers Guide to the game provides you with new options to tell more detailed, rich
or unpredictable stories.

Some of these new tools may seem more at home in a roleplaying game than in..well..whatever
Starport Scum is.
But that just underlines the point of the game doesn’t it?

We’ve tried to strike a good balance between solo-friendly, group-friendly and GM-friendly
options.

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING

Just for good measure, absolutely everything in here is optional.

Use the pieces you like, ignore the ones you don’t.

While nothing should conflict, combining a whole bunch of rules is likely to result in a very
unwieldy game that is difficult to run.
Likewise, don’t feel obligated to use a given rule in every gaming session.
You may wish to just use a particular option for a certain encounter or adventure. Be flexible.

A NOTE ON WORDS
The terms “job”, “mission” and “scene” are used interchangeably to mean “the gaming session
we just played”.

I AM MAD AND I MUST SCREAM

If you have questions or suggestions, want to praise my genius or declare that I have ruined
gaming, please do not hesitate to assail my inbox at [email protected]

I try to respond to everything as quickly as I can.

THANK YOU’S
A thank you to everyone who said nice things.

A special thank you to Mathew Sparkes. Mad? Genius? How would you even tell?

Much respect to the guys behind the Mythic GM Emulator, which formed inspiration for “The
Information System”. If you like that, go buy their product on rpgnow, it’s excellent.

A thank you to David Platt. You’ll recognize many of these ideas from late-night talks.
 THE CAMPAIGN LOG

This is not a rule but a recommendation for running a longer campaign.

Keep a journal, notepad or file on your computer for each campaign.

Separate it into a few different sections or columns:

*People met.
*Enemies.
*Locations visited.
*Jobs carried out.
*Factions and groups.
*Leads.

Most of the columns are fairly self-explanatory.

The Leads column is used for anything that seems remotely interesting, but which doesn’t
have an immediate pay off.
This also serves as our “rationalization” bucket. Meet a person that seems out of place? Put
him in the Leads column, maybe later there’ll be a reason.

Whenever you play a session, take a moment to scribble down a note in the respective
columns.
As you play, you will find this campaign log will grow quite naturally.

If you are ever stuck for ideas, take a look at what you have.
You may be surprised to find an obvious answer is right there. This is one of the powerful
benefits of a campaign relying on random factors: We’re conditioned to find patterns in chaos
and it can generate some surprisingly good gaming.
 THE INFORMATION SYSTEM
WHAT IS IT?
The information system is a simple mechanic that allows you to ask questions about a given
situation and receive an answer.

It can be used by the players to help flesh out an encounter, but it can also be used to drive
storytelling.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To use the Information System, phrase an inquiry about the current encounter, scene or
scenario as a question that can be answered as a Yes or No.

The typical use is to establish details about a scene or encounter that may not be clear.

Examples of simple questions include:

“Is the site guarded?”
“Can I see a potential get-away vehicle behind the bar?”
“Is the dig site visible from the hill?”

There is no need to ask questions about things that are obvious: A highly valuable corporate
building will of course be guarded, but questions could help establish whether the guards are
particularly heavily armed, for example.

To keep the game moving when playing as a group, try to limit the group to 2-4 questions at
the beginning of the encounter and no more than 1 additional question during the encounter
or scene.

RESOLUTION QUESTIONS
While Starport Scum includes detailed rules for resolution of many types of actions,
sometimes the Information System may be a better fit.

This can be particularly valuable for outcomes that are not really dependent on the skill of a
particular character.

Examples might include:

“Will we reach the ship wreck before the other team does?”
“Can we start the engines before the law men get here?”
“Did my character ever learn a few words of Rh’lyrian while in the service?”

STORYTELLING QUESTIONS
The third type of question is a storytelling question.

This is essentially used when a player wants to see if something interesting happens.
It can also be thought as a “Wouldn’t it be cool if..” tool.

Possibilities introduced through storytelling questions should be plausible and connected to

the campaign. They should not introduce completely unexpected factors, characters or
enemies.
Examples might include:
“Are the guards from the Blue Dragon mercenary company?”
“Is the enemy boss actually Doctor Shadow?”
“Does that Speech Chip we’ve been carting around happen to fit this discarded droid on the
enemy ship?”

Typically, no more than one such question should per permitted in a scene, though the group
may agree to permit an additional question if the idea is really cool.

THE QUESTION TABLE

To resolve the question, regardless of type, roll 2D10 of different colours and consult the table
below.

1 Strong no 1 And
2 No 2 -
3 No 3 -
4 No 4 -
5 No if unlikely 5 Discovery
6 Yes if likely 6 -
7 Yes 7 -
8 Yes 8 -
9 Yes 9 -
10 Strong yes 10 But

The results:
A Yes or No is simple: What you asked was either confirmed or denied.
If additional interpretation is needed you could use a follow up question but generally just go
with the most plausible or likely explanation.

A “strong” answer is more decisive or significant.

There’s not just some guards, they’re there in strength. We didn’t just beat the rivals to the dig
site, we got there a full day early.

“Yes/No if likely” means that the question is answered as a Yes/No, if that would be the most
likely, plausible or realistic answer.
If you have no idea which is more likely or both options seem equally plausible, treat as a
weak or moderate yes/no.

On the second die, only three results can occur. Any other roll (marked with a dash on the
table) is ignored.

“And” implies that the answer has additional factors to it, usually reinforcing or strengthening
the answer.
The site is guarded AND the guards look like they are packing some serious hardware.
Our rivals get to the dig site fir st AND they set up an ambush.
“Discovery” means that in addition to the answer, a new twist takes place.
This should be related to the question where possible, but it could be used to set up a plot
twist to be revealed later.
The site is guarded and there’s a strange man in a business suit inspecting them.
Our rivals get to the dig site first and we notice their vehicle is clearly of alien manufacturer.
This is a good way for a creative player to inject an idea.

“But” is used to add a condition or limitation to the answer.

The site is guarded but it looks like they left the harbour unguarded.
Our rivals get to the dig site first but we find a position where we can observe them.

SUITED FOR?
This mechanic is ideal for solo players to help build up interesting scenes and encounters.

Group-games can use it to help alleviate the need for a Game Master, especially when
combined with many of the random tables in the main game.

In a Game Mastered adventure, the GM will typically answer all such questions but groups that
enjoy a more co-operative type of storytelling may let players ask questions using this system.
 CONNECTIONS
CONNECTIONS
A mission or job may be connected to something else in your campaign.
This is a way to set up a web of inter-related gaming sessions. As all chance-based tools, it
must of course be used with some interpretation and creative thinking.

To use the Connections rule, keep a notepad and write down characters you meet, places you
visit and jobs you do. Use the guidelines in the Campaign Log table.
Feel free to only write down those that seem significant.

THE CONNECTION ROLL

When taking a job, you will make a Connection Roll.
You may opt to pass on the roll if the job is already connected in your campaign. Likewise, it
can be nice to have a complete stand-alone side mission once in a while.

To make the roll, use a plain D6. A roll of 5-6 indicates that a connection exists.
On another roll, the mission is a stand-alone and you can proceed as normal.

The connection could be that the mission takes place in the same location, involves the same
people, your rival is a past enemy or you are being hired by someone you worked for in the
past.

Some connections will just add context, while others will suggest entire new story arcs.

If you have a campaign log, look over it and see if anything stands out to you.
Maybe you’re being rehired by the same people again, maybe an old enemy has resurfaced, go
with what seems like the most obvious (or most interesting) option.

If all else fails, roll below for the nature of the connection.

D6 Connection
1-2 Person
3 Place
4 Jobs done
5 Faction or group
6 Personal connection for random group member

When the type of connection has been established, simply roll or pick at random from your
lists so far.
A creative player may like to scribble down a few options in advance, to give the characters
some backstory.

If in doubt, a second D6 roll can be used to determine if the connection is positive or negative.
Rolls of 4+ indicate a positive connection while rolls of 1-3 indicate a negative one.

If you roll a connection that you lack completely, for example a reference to a person when you
are starting a campaign as an amnesiac cyborg loner, make something up, ignore the
connection or pick another category.
Example:
We take a new Salvage job and the D6 roll for a connection is a 5, with a follow-up roll of a 2,
indicating a Person.

We have a few people we’ve met in the campaign, so we roll at random, finding the old
childhood friend of one of our characters.

We were going to pass on the job, sounding like a high-risk, low-pay scrap-job but the
corporate rep casually mentioned that their intel suggested Llindran Serk was listed on the
crew manifest.
What is he doing out here? If he’s in trouble, we can’t just leave him behind!

We took the job.

SUITED FOR?
The Connection mechanic can be used in any mechanic, although it acts to some extent as
Game Master replacement.

As such, it is ideally suited to more story-heavy solo and cooperative campaigns.

A Game Master could use it to throw in a few unexpected moments as well, of course.

If you are not interested in the backstory of your campaign or prefer to focus on just the
tabletop action, this may not be a useful option to you, as the function is almost entirely story-
related.
 REVELATIONS
REVELATIONS
The Revelation mechanic is another way to tie a mission into future stories, but differs from
the Connection mechanic in that it will tend to set up new story-hooks (rather than bringing
back old ones) and can be used during the mission.

When a Revelation takes place, it means you realize that there’s more to the mission than
expected.
This can add background flavour or it can set up a brand new mission.

WHEN TO TRIGGER THE MECHANIC

Revelations can be set up in two ways:

The most common is after a job or mission ends.

Alternatively, keep a look out for “The Moment”. This may be when your hero finally is face to
face with the enemy leader, when you reach the ships bridge, finding something unusual or
anything else you choose.

THE REVELATION ROLL

Roll a D6. A score of 6 indicates a Revelation has taken place.

On any other score, simply move on.

THE NATURE OF THE REVELATION

Roll 1D10below to find the exact nature of the revelation.

Of course, you may already have an excellent idea in mind or you may look at your campaign
log for inspiration. No need to use the table if you don’t want to.

1 A person you know is connected to the job

2 You find evidence of a faction or group being involved
3 Someone else is behind the enemy
4 The job was a set up
5 One of your characters remembers something from their past
6 You find evidence of a conspiracy
7 You find evidence of contraband or other criminal activity
8 You find a strange message, letter or transmission
9 You find evidence of government involvement
10 A mysterious person was here
Example:
When we reach the control room of the starship we’re trying to take over, the GM rolls for a
revelation, scoring a 6.

Rolling again, we get a 6: Evidence of a conspiracy.

The GM tells us that as we search the control room for the nav-codes, we find that the ships
autopilot has been set to redirect the ship to a government “black facility” on the frontier after
the crew entered cryo.

CONNECTIONS AND REVELATIONS

If a mission had a Connection (using that mechanic) don’t roll for a Revelation as well.

Likewise, missions that are vital to an ongoing storyline may not benefit from adding
additional information to them.
If the players are finally tracking down their nemesis in its lair, it may be better to let them
savour that moment without distraction.

SUITED FOR?
As with the Connection mechanic, this is to some extent a Game Master replacement
mechanic, well suited for solo and cooperative players.

A Game Master could still use the mechanic to throw up some surprises and a player may even
request the roll, if it seems there should be something interesting going on.
 SOCIAL COMBAT

THE SOCIAL COMBAT SYSTEM

We already have a consistent system for shooting and for punching people, so why not extend
it to cutting remarks and fierce debates?

This system does just that: Adapts the rules for conventional combat to be usable in a social
setting.

What exactly does “social combat” entail then?

If we think of what melee or ranged combat represent, it’s essentially a character imposing
their will on another, either through swordplay or gunfire.
If the opponents defences fail to keep them safe, they must submit by either taking cover or
going Down.

A social attack functions in the same way: You are using arguments and force of personality to
get someone to back down, reconsider or to win a debate in the public eye.

TIMING IN SOCIAL ENCOUNTERS

Social attacks typically do not take place in a combat environment.
If timing is important, you can make a “social initiative roll”.

Roll a D6 for each side, add a +1 if a character on that side has a trait related to quick thinking
or rapier wit.
If one side is hesitant, cautious or in a position of lower authority, they are at -1.

In many cases, a social encounter may consist only of two characters and your scene will
dictate who “attacks” first.
If they fail to win, their target will then “counter-attack”.

THE ATTACK
On the table top, a character could move normally and deliver a social attack, provided no
combat is taking place at the moment.
The characters must be able to hear each other clearly, typically this means being within 4”
unless they are connected through technological means.

The base dice pool is determined as it would be for conventional combat:

CLASS BASE DICE MAXIMUM DICE

Goon or 2D 2D
Bruiser
Ace 2D 3D
Hero 3D 5D

Bruisers do not receive any particular advantage over Goons. They were hired to break things,
not talk them out.
Add bonus dice as appropriate:

Per applicable trait +1D6

Situational advantage, friendly disposition or similar +1D6
Request is reasonable or minor +1D6

Roll the dice pool, count the number of 5’s and 6’s as usual.

DEFENDING
Some characters will be less susceptible to being pushed around: They will receive Defence
Dice.
Tally up the number of dice below and roll that number of D6.
Every 5-6 will negate one of the attackers succesful dice.

Each trait related to willpower, being stubborn or intractable 1

In position of authority over attacker 1
Situational advantage 1
Rival 1
General negative disposition towards attacker 1

CONSEQUENCES
If any attack dice are not negated by defences, the attack will affect the target as described
below.

FUMBLE Rebuttal The target won’t budge and may make a social
attack of their own with 1D.
FAILURE Failure to make a point Failure.
1 I don’t know.. The target is Dazed.
2+ When you say it like that.. Back Down.

FAILURE
If the initial attack dice fail to get any results, the subject will generally be quite negative
towards the attacker.
Non player characters will typically refuse to aid or negotiate with the failed attacker and if
pressed, may become hostile.

DAZED
A Dazed character is temporarily taken aback and will perform their next action at a -1 die
penalty.
They are also at a -1 penalty to their defences, making them susceptible to a follow-up from
another character.

Any physical threat will snap them out of the status instantly.
BACK DOWN
The character backs down, bows out, agrees to go along or loses face in the eyes of onlookers.

Whatever the situation is, they have been shown up and everyone present knows it.

This typically negates the characters ability to make social attacks of their own and will often
end the social conflict.
It is not mind control or hypnosis however. An opponent defeated on the field of debate may
still work against you but they will have to find another avenue.

Heroes are made of sterner stuff and become Shaken and Dazed instead.
Shaken wears off after the adventure or gaming session ends.
If a hero is Shaken a second time in the same encounter, they will Back Down.

SUITED FOR?
These rules are well suited for more roleplay oriented campaigns, where a confrontation of
wits and words can be as dramatic as a gun battle.

Players should be heavily encouraged to roleplay to the hilt when using these mechanics.
A social attack is not a polite suggestion, its a burst of personality!
 FATE DICE

THE FATE DIE

In roleplaying games the concept of “fate points” is fairly common.
These are bonus points players may earn for various activities and can be used to gain
bonuses on actions, increasing the characters chances of success and heroics.

This section explains how to add such a mechanic to a more high-octane campaign.

HOW TO EARN
Fate Dice can be earned through any number of activities that elevate the game and the
campaign.
This can be heroic, inspiring (or amusing) actions taken in character, closing major story-
chapters or even helping make the game be as fun as possible for the participants.

Some groups/Game Masters may prefer to use them sparingly for specific events, while others
may be quite liberal with their issue.

The list below can be viewed as a list of suggestions.

Heroic, epic or impressive action

Character sacrifices something important
Major out-of-game contribution to the campaign (drawing maps, buying food etc.)
Defeat a major villain
Group achieves a major goal
Completing a job against heavy odds
Character achieves a personal goal
Great roleplaying that enhances the campaign

Performing one of the above ideas awards 1 Fate die. Typically, a player should not be able to
earn more than 2 per game at the most.
Particularly epic and high-powered campaigns may allow 3.

Fate dice are saved up and accumulated until used.

Heroism levels:
If using Fate Dice, select a Heroism level below:

Level Starting dice Max per session Automatic dice per session
Mundane 0 +2 0
Heroic 1 +3 0
Epic 3 +3 +1
HOW TO USE
Once given to a player, Fate dice are completely at the players discretion.

Any dice roll made for the player can have any number of available Fate dice added to it.
When rolling the dice, make sure to use a distinct colour of die so the Fate dice can be told
apart.

Fate dice function as regular dice, granting “successes” on a 5 or 6, but have two important
differences:

*They are only used up if they roll a 5-6.

*They can take a character above their normal dice cap for an action.

For example, an Ace with a trait, and 2 Fate dice would roll 5 dice total, even though their dice
cap is 3.

Any Fate dice that roll a 5-6 are used up and removed from the accumulated pool.
Any that do not are retained.

MULTIPLE CHARACTERS
Fate dice are awarded to the player, not a specific character.

Once earned, the player may in turn use his dice on any character they happen to control in a
given encounter.

SUITED FOR?
Fate dice are well suited for a more cinematic style of game, where we expect heroes to pull off
near-impossible odds on a regular basis.
The system generally relies on a Game Master though a group game could use a simple
majority vote to award dice.

Solo players would need to devise some system to adjudicate or could just award dice for
particularly good luck.
 THE STORY DIE
PLAYER DRIVEN STORY
In some campaigns, a Game Master will be directing the action very rigidly.
Each detail is planned out and a change happens if it fits the overarching story.

However, if you prefer a lighter and more improvisational approach, you may opt to share
some of the narrative authority. Story dice serve to help us do that.

HOW TO USE
When rolling for initiative, a roll of a 6 allows that player the option of rolling a Story die.

Even if the rule is used, the player does not have to take the Story die.

If the option is seized, it takes place BEFORE any figures are activated with the initiative roll.

The player may attempt to add a small twist to the story or situation.
This can relate to the ongoing story, the situation on the gaming table or a character but must
be SMALL and be BELIEVABLE.

As an example, the guards outside the warehouse aren’t going to all leave but they might have
left a back door unlocked on accident.
There won’t be a Fusion Rifle lying around in a back alley but finding a lead pipe to use as a
weapon is pretty reasonable.
The villain won’t decide to let everyone go, but if they aren’t being fired upon, they might stop
for a round to gloat.

Roll a D6 and consult below:

1 Bad luck!
2-3 No luck this time
4-6 The story twist is applied.

Bad luck means something changes to make life slightly harder for the characters.
If nothing springs to mind, apply a 1 die penalty to the characters next action.

WHAT THEY ARE NOT

Story twists should not allow the characters to completely bypass a situation or grant them a
near-certain victory.
In the example of guards around a warehouse, the characters must still get to the unlocked
door to take advantage of it, for example.

Likewise, bad luck results should not doom the characters.

We might place an additional guard figure near the warehouse entrance or there may be a
door.. that an enemy gun turret is covering. Be creative!

SUITED FOR?
Any arrangement of players and Game Master can use this mechanic. Solo gamers may view it
as a “random event” mechanic to some extent.
 COMPELS
A COMPELLING CASE
What is a character trait? To a large extent its the nucleus of the character: If we had to reduce
them down to one or two “key factors”, the traits are what we’d be left with.

However, what is a strength in one situation may be a liability in another.

A strong-willed man may resist torture but he may also be too stubborn to listen to advice and
the master thief may be tempted to steal that which is just out of reach.

A compel is a mechanical way of tempting a character into trouble.

INITIATING A COMPEL
During any situation, the Game Master or another player (depending on group preferences)
may offer a Compel to another player after they declare an intended action.

A Compel must follow these four conditions:

*It must be linked to a character trait. Hence, it will not work on Goons or Bruisers (but see
below)
*It must suggest an action to take (or to refrain from taking).
*The suggestion must be inconvenient or causing difficulty for the character.
*It must be a reaction to a stated action.

Examples of compels might include”:

“You feel compelled to let them go, since you are a LIFE SAVER.”
“Waiting for backup is a waste of time since you are CONFIDENT.”

RESISTING
The player may opt to resist the Compel.
Roll 1D6. On a 1, the character falls prey to their nature and must obey the Compel.
On any other score, they shake it off and may proceed as originally intended.

GOING WITH THE FLOW

If the player decides to follow the Compel, they will receive a bonus die.
This can be used on any subsequent roll, in addition to any dice normally granted and can be
used to exceed dice caps.

If the campaign uses the Fate Dice mechanic, simply issue a Fate Die instead for simplicity.

GOONS DOING GOON THINGS

Goons and Bruisers don’t have traits, hence they cannot be compelled in the above fashion.
However, that does not mean they are without flaw or risk, quite to the contrary.

If a player wishes to take an action with a Goon or Bruiser that would require individual
initiative and is outside the scope of the orders or instructions given, the GM or a player may
Compel them to stick to the orders given.

This could even be initiated against GM’controlled characters, for example compelling a
security guard to stick to his route, even though he heard a weird sound.
SUITED FOR?
This works well for groups that are heavily into roleplaying and enjoy getting each other in
trouble a bit.
It can be a lot of fun in a cooperative campaign though a Game Master that takes the time to
memorize the character sheets can get a lot of mileage as well.

The mechanic is not suitable to solo gamers.

 DANGER AND DOOM
ITS DANGEROUS TO GO ALONE
Adventuring is dangerous business and characters can get hurt in all manner of ways.

The table below can be used to determine if a character is hurt from an accident, trap or other
dangerous situation.

AVOIDANCE
If a character falls in a trap, they may be offered an Avoidance roll.
The character receives 1D6 for every suitable trait (such as ones referring to a danger sense,
quick reflexes or similar).

Rolling any 5-6’s will prevent a Danger die from being rolled.
A Doom die can be downgraded to Danger by rolling a 5-6 and prevented by rolling two or
more.

DANGER AND DOOM

Depending on the severity of the threat, a Danger or Doom die may be rolled and applied to
the character.

Roll Danger Doom

1 Okay Okay
2 Okay Pin
3 Okay Wound
4 Pin Wound
5 Wound Down
6 Down Down

All results apply as normal.

Note that Non-Hero characters can suffer Wounds through this table.
These function as normal: The character is pinned down and if wounded again, they go Down.

If a Non-Hero figure is Wounded, roll a D6 whenever they are pinned. A 5-6 causes them to go
Down as the stress and injuries catch up to them.

Examples:
The adventurers are exploring an old abandoned military base when they set off a mine left
behind by their rivals.

The players agree to make a Doom roll for the 2 goons that are taking point and roll 2D6,
scoring a 3 and a 6.
One of the goons tumbles over, incapacitated by the blast while the other is wounded by the
shrapnel.

SUITED FOR?
This rule will fit pretty much any game and campaign style.
Players who like exploring decrepit, trap-filled alien ruins will be particularly enthused.
 FACTIONS

A BUSY WORLD
The universe is a big place and there are many entities big enough to be movers and shakers
on a planetary, system, sector or even galactic scale.

We call these groups Factions and they can add an additional layer of detail to a campaign, for
ambitious players.

WHAT IS A FACTION?
Using Factions in a campaign requires a little bit of definition.

Not every club, group, gang and knitting club is a Faction, neither do you need to write up stats
for The Empire That Rules Everything or the inter-galactic tax and revenue service.

To be a Faction a group must follow the rules below:

*It must be a power group beyond the scale of the player characters.
*It must have an active interest in the world, relevant to the player characters.
*It must be possible for actions in the game world to influence the Faction.

This lets us narrow down what sort of organizations won’t make good Factions.
A rival gang in the slums likely won’t fit, because they exist on a scale the characters can
directly interact with.
The inter-galactic library service probably doesn’t have any active interests that the characters
would ever interact with.
The entire galactic empire is far too big for actions of the player characters to realistically
influence them.

WHAT MAKES A FACTION FUN IN PLAY?

The game world largely exists as a backdrop to the player characters, hence, the Factions you
add to a campaign should be ones that are relevant to the actions of the characters.

This typically means Factions will act as employers, allies, opposition, obstacles or
complications.

If you are setting up a story-heavy campaign, it may be interesting to have one or two Factions
with their own agenda that isn’t directly related to the players.
This can help generate story ideas and make the world seem more alive down the road.

If so, ensure that they have active plans they pursue. They’ll do you no good if they are simply
sitting in the background with the players never realising they exist.
SCALE
Generally speaking, we have four layers of “scale” in the world of Starport Scum.
Breaking these down a little bit can help establish what role they each fill in a game world.

At the bottom we have the Individual scale, where we deal with single characters.

Above that, we have Groups, comprised of individuals.

A typical group is the player characters, their main rivals, the gang that rules the “Hells
Chamber Pot” quarter of the colony etc.

Taking a step up, we find the Factions. A Faction is generally beyond the influence of a single
character and in turn aren’t concerned with individual people, but they can affect (and be
affected by) Groups all the time.
A Faction might hire a Group to perform a job or a Group may carry out missions to assist a
Faction they agree with (or belong to).

At the top of the mountain, we have the Pillars.

These are institutions so big that they define every-day life across the universe, the Imperial
Army, the governmental institutions, the trade cartels and so forth.
Factions influence the Pillars and are in turn influenced by them, but the Pillars are generally
beyond the reach of any single Group.

BUILDING FACTIONS
Factions are represented with Traits similar to a character.

The size and power of a Faction will determine the number of traits it has.

Status Dice pool Number of traits

Minor, trivial or insignificant 2 0
Modest 2 1
Expansive 3 2
Major power player 3 3
Defining in its field 4 4+

As with a character, Traits are keywords that define the capabilities and strengths of the
Faction.
It is highly recommended that one of the traits is always a defining slogan or keyword.

Factions are large entities, potentially consisting of hundreds or even thousands of people and
massive resources. Some may even span solar systems.
As such, traits must be rather open-ended so they can apply to a number of situations.
This means that a toolkit isn’t included and we suggest that you do not try to limit Faction
traits to a single rules function.
Example:
We are building a cult of fanatics that will attempt to bring out the nuclear apocalypse.
We decide they are Expansive, they will be a major threat to everyone else if they are not
stopped.

This gives them a base of 3 dice and 2 traits.

The first will be their slogan “Victory through Purity”. They are fanatical zealots after all.
This sounds like a good defensive trait.
For a second trait, we give them “Infiltration tactics”. They strike from behind and from within,
not in outright confrontations.

FACTION ACTIONS
Before, during or after each gaming session, Factions may attempt their own actions.

In a particularly epic campaign, the players may be in control of a Faction and may declare
desired actions, otherwise, these are carried out by the Game Master typically.
If the players are going to be heavily involved with a particular Faction, the Game Master may
opt to let the players control that Faction, retaining a veto if they want to do something that
would go against character.

Generally, Factions can perform one action per session that has an influence on the world, as
seen by the player characters.
We can assume that, for example, a corporation is undertaking thousands of deals and
negotiations any given day but if they are trying to squeeze out competition on the colony the
players are hanging around, that makes it relevant.

THE FACTION ROLL

Factions roll their base dice pool plus one die for each relevant trait.
They do not have dice caps.

If a trait was required to be able to attempt an action, it cannot also grant bonus dice.

Typically, a single die scoring a 5-6 will succeed. For particularly big operations, require 2 (or
more) successful dice but a partial success will carry over to the next attempt.

Headline actions:
The Faction influences the setting in some obvious and public manner, for example by
establishing a new trade route, founding a colony or inventing a new consumer gadget.

If the Faction has a relevant trait, the action succeeds with no dice roll.
Without it, make a Faction roll.

Risk actions:
Any number of other actions the group can think of can be attempted.

Make a Faction roll requiring 1-3 successes to accomplish the action as appropriate.
Specialized actions will require a trait or background even justifying them.
Group actions:
The Faction takes actions to interfere with, oppose, aid or support a Group of characters,
typically in the context of a gaming session.

Support can be very open-ended and should be scaled appropriately to the gaming table.
A wealthy Faction could probably hire an entire mercenary battalion but that doesn’t make for
a very interesting game.
Sending another 2-3 goons to help out the player group, allowing them to enter a facility
through a secure path or giving them some extra supplies makes for much better gaming.

This requires a relevant trait or a Faction roll to accomplish.

Attack actions:
The Faction attacks another Faction directly whether through sabotage, infiltration, economic
actions or outright warfare.

The Faction must have a way to attack, either through a trait or through established activities
in the campaign.
Make a Faction roll.
The target Faction may roll to defend, receiving a single die for every relevant trait.
Every 5-6 cancels one attack success.

SUCCESSES NOT CANCELLED EFFECT

1 If attacking again next turn, add +1 die.
2 Target is -1 die to all actions until Rebuilt.
3 Target unable to take any action next turn.
4 Target drops one level of Status
5+ Target dispanded, destroyed or otherwise
shattered.

All effects are cumulative.

Low-key actions:
Low-key actions are typically story-oriented in nature: Building a new office building, hiring
some guards, making a trade deal.
These actions do not require dice rolling.

Note that some low-key actions may enable future actions to be taken without a relevant trait.
For example, establishing a close business relationship with another Faction would permit
attacks to be made through infiltration, without having an infiltration-focused trait.
Build or rebuild:
A Faction wishing to build itself up (or rebuild to remove a dice penalty) can take this action.

Make a Faction roll.

If the faction is rebuilding from damage, 2 successes are needed to remove a 1 die penalty.

If the Faction is looking to increase its status, tally up how many additional dice and traits it
would get at the next level of the status table.
For each additional die or trait, 3 successes must be accumulated.
They can be saved up from turn to turn.

Any dice penalties taken while building will remove 2 dice from the build-up, rather than
penalize existing dice.

PLAYER INFLUENCE
Players may undertake missions in support of, or acting against, a particular Faction.
In some cases, this may even be without their knowledge, if the Game Master is particularly
devious or clever.

In general, a successful job to the benefit of a Faction will grant one additional die on an
appropriate roll.
Exceptional successes may grant 2 bonus dice.
The roll must generally be taken in the same gaming session as the mission or at the start of
the following session.

Player actions that greatly inhibit a Faction may, at the Game Masters discretion prevent it
from taking an action, impose a die penalty (if it does not already have one) or reduce its
defensive dice in conjunction with a Faction attack.

SUITED FOR?
Factions are suited to both solo, cooperative and Game Mastered games, though they require
extensive prep-work to be useful.

As such, they will work best in a campaign that is specifically geared towards that level of play.
This typically involves the Player Characters being a bit higher in the hierachy of the setting
than what is typical.