Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Shee Empire

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Shee Empire

The previous post mentioned another crystalline species - the shee, so it is a good idea to actually describe it. The Shee Empire is an active player on the galactic scene and should provide different opportunities for adventures. For example, the PCs may wish to stop the shee from playing gods for low-tech aliens, steal some of their psi-tech, or maybe even gain their trust by attaining "divine traits". As a racial template, the shee are not very expensive, but still have many exotic advantages and disadvantages. They are not as protected from the environment as the l'rimra, but are armed with vicious talons and stingers - useful when you are stranded on a hostile world with no equipment. Also, the shee are not humanoid, and this fact may appeal to some players.

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: L'rimran Technocracy

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: L'rimran Technocracy

We have established the principles of our setting, and now it's time to create a faction. I decided to start with one of the major alien powers - the L'rimran Technocracy. While the faction is very advanced technologically and has a powerful military presence, it rarely ever threatens the other factions. Less technologically advanced species should fear attracting the attention of the Technocracy with their military actions within the l'rimran space, but can do so freely in other regions. This should provide interesting interactions, both combat- and diplomacy-wise.
As a racial template, the l'rimra have many exotic advantages and disadvantages, but their point cost is low.

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: First Steps

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: First Steps

Two of my favorite tabletop RPG genres are high-magic fantasy and soft sci-fi. I dislike using most of the published settings for my own games, so I have no choice but to create ones myself. And I like persistent settings to play many games in, so if I create one, I should make it enjoyable for myself to GM and, hopefully, for the players to play in too. While I have a setting for TL 4 fantasy ready, I do not have one for a high TL sci-fi game. In this post I will try to explain how I start creating one.

Monster: Behir

Monster: Behir

Behir is a serpentine draconic monster that is very intolerance of actual dragons. Dwelling in warm hills, this beast is intelligent, but not very bright. It is tough, strong, and possesses an electric breath attack that takes recharge.

Sorcery: Metal Spells VI

Sorcery: Metal Spells VI

Last metal spells. And not only that - these are the last unconverted vanilla Magic spells, including the ones from Pyramid, at least at the time I'm writing this post. The whol system conversion sure took me a while. Smelt Ore transmutes ore into an ingot of metal. Stone to Metal transmutes stone to metal. Transmute Metal converts one type of a metal into another. Walk Through Metal is a useful prison escape tool.

Sorcery: Metal Spells V

Sorcery: Metal Spells V

Three more metal spells. Rust makes an item more fragile, Restore Metal reverses the effects. Sharpen Blade is a limited version of Penetrating Weapon.

Sorcery: Metal Spells IV

Sorcery: Metal Spells IV

Not done yet! Metal to Stone and Purify Metal are transmutative spells. Move Metal is a limited version of Apportation. Rain of Shards is yet another area attack.