The Architects of the Future [Starfinder] (Inactive)

Game Master leinathan

Hey all, I'm back!

I'm here to offer a homebrew play-by-post adventure. It will go for at least a few months, and if things are going smoothly with a dedicated playerbase, then it has the potential to continue on for longer. I am looking to start making gameplay posts in approximately a month.

It will be set in a homebrew world based on the work of Eclipse Phase (The Babel Virus), Altered Carbon (the cortical stack) and the Diamond Age (nanofabrication technology). I am looking for between two and twelve players who are willing to make decisions and guide the plot.

I'd also like some guidance as to what the 'main quest' is depending on the interests of the group. Read the below.

The World of Nordic Frog Beach:

Humans have lost their home planet (11 billion dead in a machine apocalypse) and moved through a mysterious alien wormhole to a new planet. This planet is temperate, mountainous, and 95% oceanic. Its landmasses are made of sharp mountains, swampy deltas, and forests of rubbery ferns. There are a handful of small human settlements, with populations between one and five thousand. There is one city, called New Alexandria. It is a diamond-towered paradise of scientific learning and infinite wealth. It lies between two rivers next to high coastal cliffs and a deep bay with docks. It has been two hundred years since Nordic Frog Beach was settled by an old Earth scavenger named Scrud. She built the first settlement, a mountaintop monastery called Scrud’s Retreat.

Nordic Frog Beach is a wellspring of kind, compassionate, intelligent, well-adjusted humans with lofty goals for the universe. It also contains a wormhole to a myriad of other worlds. The map to these worlds is not widely available, and navigating them is extremely difficult, so mainly humans stay on Nordic Frog Beach.

If you're curious, I've created a WorldAnvil to write more about this world. You can find it here.

There is another, if you have the time to read. It is about 240 years in this world’s past, and details the discoveries of the party of legendary explorers who founded this world. You can find it here.

The Maeglin and the Portals:

12 billion years ago, a race of psychic conquerors called the Maeglin spread all across the universe to dozens of different worlds. They made it as far as Triton in the Sol System, which connected their network of wormhole-connected planets to humans. Although navigating the portals is very difficult, it has a science to it. Each five-word password that opens a portal is unique, and describes the destination world in detail. For instance, the password that leads to S.E.E.L. is “construct warm sentients hub world”. Construct indicates the condition of the crust. Warm relates to the atmosphere. Sentients relates to the level of native life. Hub refers to the world’s most defining characteristic. World differentiates it from comet, satellite, asteroid, star, or singularity.

The Maeglin were ruthless and egocentric. They died out billions of years ago, driven extinct by their rivals, the Dark Ones. One of them was returned to life by Lux, the Electric Knight. This Maeglin, a biosphere scientist named Nel-Tesk, escaped Nordic Frog Beach into the Gate network. He now serves as a persistent villain as he tries to return his people to life and to their prior positions as the rulers of the Gate network.

The Babel Virus:

The Babel Virus was discovered on Earth by a scavenger named Scrud. While searching for loot, Scrud came upon an alien probe that infected all those who used it with a virus that spread through speech and turned people on one another. It did so by taking away peoples' ability to understand one another and replacing it with the ability to understand only people who have the Babel Virus. Babel Initiates cannot intelliglbly speak except with those who have the Babel Virus. Those without the Babel Virus that hear a Babel Initiate speak will receive a piercing headache, like there's something trying to get in to their head that doesn't belong there. Those of weak willpower will gain the Babel Virus, though strong-willed people sometimes can hold it off for minutes at a time. When Babel spreads unannounced through groups of people, it causes widespread chaos.

The Babel Virus also happens to grant magical powers. Those who have the Babel Virus are suddenly able to do incredible things that no human could possibly do. Therefore, having Babel Initiates around can be extremely valuable. Despite that, Babel Initiates tend to stick together in their own small communities. Sometimes the Babel and Non-Babel communities exchange things, either for trade or for mutual defense. They are still able to communicate symbolically and with action, the two groups just keep their distance.

Genre: This game will be a mixture of hard-sci-fi biopunk and sci-fantasy superheroics. Part of my inspiration is Fantastic Four, part of it is Blade Runner 2049, and part of it is Guardians of the Galaxy. I plan for things to be dark and realistic, but for the players to be superpowered and not bound by the same rules as others.

Gameplay: The game will be roleplay, investigation, solving scientific mysteries, exploring new places, and guiding the future growth of civilization. There will be collecting clues and information (by going on adventures), analyzing the information (by making skill checks during downtime), coming to conclusions about that information and using it in some way. There will be occasional combat against those foes that threaten all of mankind. Violence against other sentient creatures is strongly discouraged. Killing is strongly discouraged even against foes that employ violence against you.

Build Instructions
Species: Humans are the predominant playable species. They are able to alter their genome with advanced science, which allows for the creation of human-adjacent species with specialized adaptations. Humans are able to mimic the statistics and appearance of lashunta, undines, elves, orcs, and sylphs. Those fantasy species are not present in this world, merely their function and look is able to be replicated with science.

Humans with a subspecies are humanoids with the human subtype, but they also gain any additional subtypes from their subspecies, and are counted as a member of both types for the purpose of abilities.

Humans have also created artificial life. Androids and SROs may be played. Androids and SROs face a complicated legal and social position. Nordic Frog Beach is administrated by Ischyro, an artificial intelligence. As such, artificial creatures are considered to be trustworthy and safe. However, Earth was also destroyed by Myrmidon, an A.I. developed by the U.S. Navy. Therefore, humans have complex feelings regarding artificial life. Some people believe that artificial life is just as alive as biological life, that it deserves the full rights of personhood. Some people believe that artificial life is superior and that artificial creatures should be treated superiorly to biological ones.

There is contact with the Formians, a peaceful, scientific race of spiderlike aliens from a cold, icy wasteland. The Formians are known as the Anansi to the humans, who restored the Anansi to life using cortical stack technology and brilliant neuroscience. The formians had been driven extinct by the Dark Ones, shadowy and ancient aliens who roam Dark Space. However, human scientists were able to model Formian brains from their remains and brought the species back. The Formians have since re-settled on their home world and begun exploring once again.

Classes: The biohacker, envoy, mechanic, operative, and soldier classes are available to anyone. The mystic, technomancer, vanguard, and witchwarper are available to characters who are infected with the Babel Virus. Feats that give spellcasting can only be taken by a character with the Babel Virus.

Level: Characters will be starting at 6th level.

Equipment: Because of nano fabrication and the abundance of free renewable energy, characters in this world are comparatively extremely wealthy. Characters may have any human-made item they want (regardless of cost or relative level), as long as that item does not provide a numerical bonus. In addition, only mundane items are available for purchase. Magic items are not available for purchase. In addition, characters begin the game with 3,000 credits. More specific rules on item availability are found below.
Consider how much it is possible for a character to actually be carrying. All items of equipment should be included in your character's description.
Weapons: Characters may begin with any melee weapon up to item level 9, flame weapon up to level 4, projectile weapon up to level 6, frag grenades, and web grenades.
Armor: powered armor up to level 9. Or, the reinforced EVA suit, estex suit, second skin, stationwear, or D-Suit of any level.
Augmentations: Characters may begin with any cybernetics level 5 or below or biotech level 3 or below.
Other Equipment: All characters begin play with a tier 3 computer, either external or implanted. Characters may begin play with any medicinal or vehicle, and any technological item level 7 of below. All characters begin play with a small apartment.

Characters who wish to gain additional equipment must make scientific discoveries or inventions by embarking on adventures or accomplishing high DC skill checks during downtime. After the design for new equipment has been discovered, it can be nanofabricated at will.

Alignment: Strict limits based on alignment do not exist in this game. You may select an alignment if it helps you define or explain your character, but you also do not have to. If you choose not to, you must describe a motivation.
Archetypes: Several archetypes are common in this world, including assassin, commando, instructor, mediator, and medic.
Themes: Fantasy themes (such as Dragonblood and Solar Disciple) are unavailable, although paranormal ones (such as Sensate or Dream Prophet) are.

Post Rate: I expect one or two well-written and well-thought posts that involve a decision to be made each week. Roleplay at speeds of up to one post per day is encouraged but not required except in the case of important conversations.

I also have a Discord partially dedicated to this world. If people would like to communicate at live speeds with each other, they can join in order to discuss their decisions or characters with each other.

Getting In: If you finish a character, I will want to talk with you about how they will fit into the world, what plot threads. After we have worked out what we’re going to do, then… we’ll just do it!

Looks cool! The Maeglin especially remind me of the gateway builders from the Expanse. Not sure exactly what I'll make, but the potential for higher level powered armor intrigues me.

Consider me interested as well. I love Space Opera games, especially with a chance at a long term run, and this sounds like cool Sci-Fi fun. Haven't played Starfinder yet, but due to it's similarity to Pathfinder, I'm familiar enough (I think) that I can fake my way through it. :D

No idea what I'd play either, but I'll start looking.

I have a couple of questions around magic adjacent things:
1) telepathy and psychic-related spell like abilities from species or archetypes. How available are those? Would a Phrenic adept require the Bable virus?

2)Your post doesn't metion solarians are they also Babel virus related?

This sounds really cool, though.

@Simeon

Yeah, a lot of these newer sci-fi ideas (like the idea that there is an ancient alien species that left things behind for us newer species to find) are inter-related. The Expanse is a major inspiration.

@Sha'ir

The post above spells out which races, archetypes, and classes commonly exist. Solarions do not exist in this world. I would be willing to allow a phrenic adept, but it would require the Babel virus. I believe the only telepathic race that's available is human (lashunta), which does not require the Babel virus. Those telepathic powers (along with a pair of weird antenna) are achieved through the power of gene science.

Otherwise, the only available species are humans, formians, SROs, and androids.

I stand corrected! Formians are capable of limited telepathy. Human (lashunta) biology is based on research into the formians.

I created William's Report, a document left behind about worlds near Nordic Frog Beach. I am working on a second. These two documents provide the main glimpses into the things to be discovered through the portal.

Journeys into the portal to make discoveries are one of the main pillars of this story.

I’ve been sorta tempted to make a formian. Something about being an ant-person who’s fascinated by this weird human thing called “individuality” interests me greatly.

Rad.

The Formians are peaceful to the point that they didn't know what a gun was the first time they were shown one. Doing lethal violence to others makes little sense to them (although they still possess natural weapons). They are scientific and curious, and focused on the welfare of the hive.

Formians might adventure to make discoveries and bring them back to Homeworld, or they might adventure to neutralize threats to their species. Some Formians act as diplomatic attaches to humans as well.

The Formians have a xenobiology center on Nordic Frog Beach, and they also have a scientific research station on a nearby world. They homeworld is two portals away from Nordic Frog Beach.

I created a second document with adventure hooks: The Record of Ifera's Journeys.

I also wrote a players' guide for reference.

I am very intrigued by all this. I don't have a character concept yet, but I'll get to reading the materials over the next few days and put something together.

Revision: all available armor is level 9 and below. I neglected to see that there's, like, a level 17 D-Suit.

Really looking forward to seeing some character concepts! I recommend you start with:

1. species
2. grand, lofty ambitions
3. a field of scientific study
4. a class

Here's my character concept: Lashunta-modded human who wants to help build a society where all sentient lifeforms can at the very least coexist peacefully, ideally integrate with each other and cooperate. They study everything to do with the physiology, psychology, culture and society of non-human species. A smaller field of study would be the Babel virus itself.

For class, I'd like either a witchwarper or an empath connection mystic, with a dip in envoy. Not sure how the Babel virus would work for a character that is very much focused on diplomacy and communication though.

Verbal speech with someone who doesn't have the Babel virus would be impossible. Limited telepathy also wouldn't work. You would have to use sign language or spread the Babel virus to communicate with people.

Welcome back! Very excited for this, and am working on a concept now. I'm definitely looking at a Scientist / Explorer-type, trying to pin down if they'll be more interested in continuing Ifera's work, researching extra-terrestrial genetics, or working on curing the Babel virus. Or some combination thereof.

Apologies for the billion following questions in my excitement.

The Babel Virus also happens to grant magical powers. Those who have the Babel Virus are suddenly able to do incredible things that no human could possibly do. Therefore, having Babel Initiates around can be extremely valuable. Despite that, Babel Initiates tend to stick together in their own small communities. Sometimes the Babel and Non-Babel communities exchange things, either for trade or for mutual defense. They are still able to communicate symbolically and with action, the two groups just keep their distance.

1. How much fear is there around those who have it / spellcasters in general? New Alexandria / Nordic Frog Beach sound, as places of science / intelligence / compassion, that they would be accepting of those with the Babel virus, but at the same time, lofty goals for the universe and striving for scientific advancement are things that could be At Risk by the virus. Are there stipulations around those who have it?

While searching for loot, Scrud came upon an alien probe that infected all those who used it with a virus that spread through speech and turned people on one another. It did so by taking away peoples' ability to understand one another and replacing it with the ability to understand only people who have the Babel Virus. Babel Initiates cannot intelliglbly speak except with those who have the Babel Virus. Those without the Babel Virus that hear a Babel Initiate speak will receive a piercing headache, like there's something trying to get in to their head that doesn't belong there. Those of weak willpower will gain the Babel Virus, though strong-willed people sometimes can hold it off for minutes at a time. When Babel spreads unannounced through groups of people, it causes widespread chaos.

We call this a virus because of how it spreads, but it also sounds like something that Has No Downsides if it were to infect the entire population. Sort of a multipart question related.

2. Is there a potential downside that we just don't know about? I guess what I'm asking is how much research have we actually done into the Babel virus? And is research being done on it with the interest of "curing" it or more about learning how it works?
3. If it is a virus that does want to spread, do those who are infected feel any kind of compulsion to try and affect others? And this relates to my question above about how those who are infected are perceived by others.
4. And related (again), would there be cults/sects/organizations of those infected who do want to affect everyone else?

Verbal speech with someone who doesn't have the Babel virus would be impossible. Limited telepathy also wouldn't work. You would have to use sign language or spread the Babel virus to communicate with people.

5. The Babel virus has been around for some 240+ years, since we discovered it before Nordic Frog Beach was founded, right? In that time has there been a standard sign language established?

6. Not unrelated, does the Babel virus affect reading/writing, or is it just auditory?

[EDIT]Readings say "A person infected with Babel can thus understand any language, whether it was written or spoken, and whether or not it was created by creatures of the same species." - so creating a sign language may actually have been somewhat easy, since those with Babel can still understand others, just not the inverse?[/EDIT]

There is contact with the Formians, a peaceful, scientific race of spiderlike aliens from a cold, icy wasteland. The Formians are known as the Anansi to the humans, who restored the Anansi to life using cortical stack technology and brilliant neuroscience. The formians had been driven extinct by the Dark Ones, shadowy and ancient aliens who roam Dark Space. However, human scientists were able to model Formian brains from their remains and brought the species back. The Formians have since re-settled on their home world and begun exploring once again.

7. Do we know how long ago the Formians went extinct?

10. Lashunta, undines, selves, orcs, and sylphs don't actually exist as things, formians were extinct before we met them, and presumably most Maeglin (with the exception of Nel-Tesk and anything he has created so far) have died out. Are there actually any sentient alien species that we're in contact with in any way? It sounds like there is vermin/animal life, but perhaps not of an intelligence?

11. I saw in the reading material that Esmerelda Gonzalez is 95. With medical advances and etc, what's human life expectancy now? I believe in Starfinder it's ~120 years, but wasn't sure if it's different in this world.

Whoo! I have a lot to think about! Let's see if I can resolve all these now...

1. On Earth, when the Babel virus was first released, it caused widespread violence and chaos. Now that it's better-understood, there is... a healthy caution about it. Some superstitious or especially fearful people may fear the magic itself as well. In general, people try not to think about it.

2. There may be a potential downside. The Babel virus is a self-replicating system that is capable of altering physical reality, and is an organism outside of humanity designed for an unknown purpose.

Lots of research has been done into the virus' structure and effects, but its origins haven't been found.

3. People have a reason of convenience to spread the virus: They can't talk to anyone that doesn't have it. Sometimes, when the virus wants to spread, people who have it receive a message that it spreading is necessary.

4. The main cults of Babel are the X-Jedi and the Scruddites. Both groups want the virus to spread, but slowly and to the right people. Any group that may want to spread the virus to everyone is as of yet unknown.

5. Yes, there is a standardized sign language that's taught in schools. Babel initiates may be able to use it to talk to citizens who have several languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish are higher priorities for most).

6. Babel initiates can understand all that is spoken and written, but can neither speak nor write intelligibly.

7. & 8. The formians were driven extinct approximately 315 years ago, and were brought back approximately 200 years ago.

9. No. No Amphid remains have been found (and also, like Earth, very little of the seafloor has been explored). Formian remains were found in vacuum, which meant they were preserved. Finding aliens preserved underwater is much more difficult.

10. There is a planet called Haaloct that was discovered by Scrud 240 years ago. No one has visited it since, but it apparently had a species of space goblins that lived there. The goblins tried to eat the exploratory party, but after they were defeated, Scrud posed as their god to intimidate them.

Otherwise, no. Only extinct sentient species have been discovered.

11. A body can live to over a hundred years easily. However, humans have access to what is essentially immortality technology. When a human dies, they can be brought back in a new body. This can be done unlimited times, as long as the person's brainscan can be recovered.

Thanks for the questions and the answers, now I have a clearer picture of my character concept. Bullet points because it's late and brain is tired.

- is studying the Babel virus and is a proponent of its controlled spreading
- I really like the idea of the witchwarper, but an empath mystic with some oracular psychic powers mixed in also appeals to me
- ideals/goals same as mentioned before

Esmeralda Gonzalez was my first pick for an ally - is there a version of the tarot in this universe?

I like both Kitten and Yoricks' initial concepts! Looking forward to seeing more description and a statblock.

I also think it's fun to have a character who's pro-Babel and a character who's cure-Babel in the same party.

In terms of adventuring, I think a railroad-y adventure to introduce (probably some sort of scientific survey that gets COMPLICATED by DANGER), an adventure to establish a base and/or a staff, and then letting you guys just choose where to go appeals to me, so you don't have to have everything figured out right away.

I also want to give y'all the opportunity to figure out why you're a party / how you know one another on your own.

There is tarot, yeah. This universe is the real-life universe plus 321 years plus an apocalypse.

I'm wondering - is there anything more you guys need from me to make characters, or should I just give you time?

Also, I'm going through some MOVING stuff right now, so certainly don't feel RUSHED.

I'm wondering - is there anything more you guys need from me to make characters, or should I just give you time?

I'm good! Just trying to flesh out the build itself. I'm not a huge fan of the Biohacker class as a thing, but skipping it entirely also feels wrong for my character, so I'm trying to find a blend between Envoy / Biohacker / Operative that I'm happy with.

Of my above ideas, I'm probably looking more at "explore / map the universe, find some xenos" and less about Curing the Babel virus.

[EDIT]

Actually, I'm somewhat new to Starfinder, so I am a bit confused by the equipment outline above.

Weapons: Characters may begin with any melee weapon up to item level 9, flame weapon up to level 4, projectile weapon up to level 6, frag grenades, and web grenades.

Does that mean shock or cryo weapons are no-go? Where violence is semi-frowned upon I was thinking a flamethrower is maybe not my best option.

Also are frag/web grenades level 1?

Also are weapon modifications allowed? do those come out of the 3k starting funds?

Armor: powered armor up to level 9. Or, the reinforced EVA suit, estex suit, second skin, stationwear, or D-Suit of any level.

Confirming that "any level" means "up to character level +2".

Other Equipment: All characters begin play with a tier 3 computer, either external or implanted.

Those appear to be huge, are they miniaturized?

Also are there... not actually vehicle creation rules anywhere?

@Weapons: Cryo weapons are definitely a no-go, as are laser, plasma, and disintegrator weapons. I would allow shock weapons up to level 6.

@Grenades: Mk 3 frag grenades, Mk 2 web grenades, or smoke grenades.

@Weapon Modifications: I would allow any weapon accessory, if that's what you mean. I'd pick only one accessory per weapon. Fusions all look magical, and magic items are not available for purchase.

@Armor: Looks like D-Suit II, Estex Suit III, Stationwear (any), Second Skin, or Reinforced EVA Suit (any) are the true limitations.

@Computers: Yeah, characters can carry either a handheld or implanted-in-the-brain computer for free.

I found this list of vehicles, from which you can take any one vehicle of level 6 or below. If you want!

- - - -

I know these creation rules are super-specific. I hope dealing with them isn't too annoying!

Ok, I've puzzled out an introductory adventure that fits all of your character concepts and goals.

As of Post #1, your characters will be in the following situation:

You are a graduate student at the New Alexandria University for Natural Sciences. For whatever reason, you emigrated to New Alexandria, humanity's known capital city. You have studied at the university for several years. You are working on your thesis project, or your character's first contribution to the known body of science.

Each character is independently in one of the colonies on Tandoori.

Tandoori is a harsh, dangerous desert planet. Human colonies are generally in climate-controlled underground caverns. Tandoori's atmosphere can bake unprotected humans during the day, so trade and travel only occurs at night, when it is still as hot as the hottest Arabian desert.

Tandoori has several species of deadly scavenger and one species of dangerous apex predator.

The Nasir, vulture-like humanoid meat-eaters take to the skies, day or night. Their skin resists all but the very hottest of temperatures, and their claws can pick and pull human flesh apart with ease. The Jue, a ten-foot long worm with stone skin and a mouth that can grind through steel haunts the land. They make their homes in the bottom of the largest dunes, and surface when they sense anything smaller than them traversing the sands above.

Tandoori's human settlements are defined by scarcity. Water is the most valuable resource. Everyone pays close attention to their water conservation techniques if they want to survive. Your characters (especially if you are formian) are uncomfortable and not-at-home on Tandoori, but you are here because there is work to be done that is important to you.

You may or may not know one another ahead of time. One way or the other, you get to know each other when disaster strikes the settlement that you live in. Grisly murders with no apparent cause. With the Protectors off on another errand, it falls to your characters to investigate the cause of the deaths.

- - - - -

I am setting a hopeful goalpost for Saturday, September 19th for character-concept submissions. That weekend, I would like to start making gameplay posts. If at least two characters are ready to begin, we will begin on that day. Those who wish to join in addition but who are not ready can wait for another convenient time to introduce characters.

I want the following questions firmly answered, in addition to a complete statblock:

1. Where was your character born or made?
2. What is their relationship to their place of creation?
3. What is your character studying and why?
4. What sleeve is your character wearing and why?
5. What are your character's moral boundaries? What would their alignment be?
6. Where did your character get their training? What gave them the abilities that they have?

In addition,

7. I'd like a brief description of the character's closest friends and family.
8. I'd like a physical description of the character, including all their equipment
9. I'd like you to tell me if they have a special relationship with any of their things.

I'll work on the build and the extended background next week.

I created a campaign page for this, and I put some reference-able information in the campaign info tab.

I created a few new pages, in an attempt to add additional context to the world. You may read them if you choose (they're a few thousand words total).

New Bayrut for the small-picture, "what does my immediate environment look like" view. It provides a description of the people and the architecture of the small settlement you will start in.

The Portal Network for the big-picture, "what is the shape of the entire world" view. It describes the way that the wormhole technology works, and what areas have been explored by humans or Anansi.

A page on The Humans, including some recent history and important technological information regarding life cycles.

A page about The Anansi, to better explain their distinction from "generic spider people" and also from "classic Starfinder formians". To play an Anansi, use a formian's stats.

Many links that I have created lead nowhere (so far), so don't be disappointed.

Next on my list is the Synthetics race page, but it's late and it's getting closer to bedtime for me. I am also working on a Fungoid race and their inclusion in the world as I develop things.

Would you be willing to allow a Shobhad as a heavily modified human?

Probably yes, but I'd want to know what the purpose of the modifications was.

This is Kittenmancer's character, crunch is done (please feel free to review) and I'm working on the background.
I have the broad strokes, but in order to answer the questions I need more info on Mars, as I would like the character to originate there. What is Mars's current situation in terms of population, economy, habitability, any notable features, the relationship with other human-inhabited worlds? Do they have any notable academic institutions?

Bullet points!

Mars:
- Was the largest human settlement at the time of the apocalypse on Earth
- Was heavily dependent on slave-driven resource mines in the Belt.
- Went through a civil war in the early Frog Years, much of its infrastructure was destroyed in the war.
- Many people immigrated to the Gate Network at that point. Some stubbornly stayed.
- Is still ruled by a capitalist consortium. They have rebuilt (mostly). It has a population of several million, with millions more in the Belt or throughout the outer planets (like on Ganymede or Europa).
- Academies there are mostly practical. The most-common thing to be trained in is computer science or mechanical engineering.
- It's been partially-terraformed. Some scrubby plants exist, and the atmosphere is a few percentile thicker. The work is ongoing, and Martians still generally live in domes.

- There isn't much of a relationship with New Alexandria. The two can't communicate except through Triton, and messages take hours to reach Mars -> Triton and then have to be hand-ferried to Nordic Frog Beach before they can be transmitted to New Alexandrian authorities. Some immigration occurs, but that is individually funded.
- Occasionally Mars will try to send spies through to New Alexandria to see if they're vulnerable. Of course, because of Ischyro (an A.I. who protects the humans) they never are.

- - - -

Build notes:

- Can you note how many ranks are in each skill for me please?
- I see your character is carrying three different pistols. Where is she carrying them?
- I see she's got ten grenades too. Does she wear a grenade-studded bandoleer?
- Just in general, why is she carrying so many weapons?
- She's got two computers. Is there any specific reason for that?
- For languages, I think you can just say Babel, Sign Language, since trying to speak verbally with anyone that doesn't have Babel won't work.
- Under Reality Glimmer, I see you've chosen comprehend languages. Because of the Babel virus, Atrix is already able to understand all spoken and written communication, so you might want to choose a different spell.
- Base attack bonus still exists in Starfinder, right? Can you notate that somewhere on your sheet (it should be +4, yeah?)
- Can you have the abilities that are improvisations marked improvisations (universal expression), so that I don't have to guess? What is her second improvisation?
- Similarly, can her expertise talent (universal diplomat) be marked as such?
- What skill did you select with skill expertise?
- What skills did you select with the lashunta student ability?

Thanks for the answers on Mars, it matches quite well the picture I had in my head about the place and fits with what I had in mind for Atrix's background.

I fixed up the crunch to answer your questions and trimmed down the weapons and grenades (I did go a little overboard with shopping, oops). Also being relatively new to Starfinder I was trying to find some options that thematically fit my character so I was experimenting with various weapons. The current selection is geared towards non-lethal and self-defense - the needler pistol is only used to deliver injections.

I have the background in my head, but this week has been pretty busy/rough for me, so I don't think I'll have the space to write it down until next week, hope that's alright.

A Babel-infected diplomat from Mars is a great start to a party of super-sci-fi heroes :)

Any updates from anyone?

I'm still working on my backstory, but hope to have a draft done tomorrow / Wednesday.

I am going to regretfully withdraw from this. While the world is very exciting and I would have welcomed getting more experience with Starfinder, putting this character together feels like a slog and more work than I have the energy for at the moment.

Best of luck to you all, and good to see you back Leinathan!

You'll have a character from me today :)

Since i am thinking about this even when i only read the bits of lore once and followed this thread, i should say Hello!

I admit it's overwhelming and i will not read everything you linked in detail.

So i will come back in a few days and if i still think i have the time and will find joy in playing here i will have a character or at least a rough idea.

It's possible that I'm learning a lesson here about max complexity in a homebrew setting ;)

But I'm happy to see some people still thinking about characters.

FluffSeeker here again, introducing Korrpi Rifinn. I've worked on the crunch, but at the moment what you can see is focused on the fluff and some of the early decisions on Race, Theme and Class - and a reason for being at the University. But I haven't progressed beyond 1st level yet (and I'm still working on the fluff).

As I'm finding my way in StarFinder, I'm keeping the character core - so we'll see how it fits in with your home-brew setting :)

So you plan to let us level up a few times?
Because the Instructor Archetyp you allowed only alters a class starting at level 9!

If i know the level range you plan to let us experience i can pick if i want an archetype and if yes which one. So far starting at level 6 and using the Instructor Archetype i have to wait three(3) whole levels before i really can apply my choice i made for my character. Before level 9 there is nothing from Instructor, literally.

I need that input before i can settle for an idea.

I have like roughly five potential characters fighting to be written down...

Edit to add my rough ideas before the deadline:

All of them vanilla human. ;)

• Biohacker Wisdom based with Medic Archetype - a Doctor on an adventure
• Mediator Archetype and most likely Envoy with the goal to understand Babel as lifegoal!
• Operative Assasin because something is going on and there is a place for stealthy murderer for the 'greater good'
• Soldier veteran of some kind being an Instructor
• Mechanic dreaming of building something to explore everything including what's out there besides the gates or rebuild a gate?

All of those concepts look like they'll work really well :)

I think I'll want to start a second party and move forward a generation if the party manages to reach approximately 13th level. However, that's a long-term commitment, so it really depends on the party.

You can be a soldier (instructor) even if it doesn't change any of your abilities :)

You have post.

I will explore my ideas and post with my alias once i have a prototype of character. Hardest part is done i have a name.

Tigerkralle here.
So i think i have a background.

As for languages i think i pick Old Common because why not and if there is a language for the Anansi and whatever else is used by a majority on her home planet.

I am confused about the equipment.

So we get 3000 Credits at the start and for starting gear we just pick anything without looking at the price only a reasonable amount of things and the item level?

If that's right then i would pick up to four weapons, one armour and i think about augmentations.

Vehicle is possible depends how i spend my skill points.

@Thalita Booker - Use Earth languages. Languages most commonly spoken are English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Arabic.

You don't seem confused about equipment. You got it right! However, you must include all items of equipment in your character's physical description. If you have too many items to have a smooth description, you've got too many items.

It looks like we have two partially-completed characters, as the deadline nears. Do y'all have any interest in adding some polish to those characters to get them finished up, or should I drop this concept for now for PBP?

Been a hellish week, but I am still interested & have my character partially completed! Crunch is done, I just want to flesh out the backstory some more.

A secret agent geneticist is really cool :)

Quick thing, though: The campaign doesn't take place on Mars. It takes place on an alien oceanic planet reachable by wormhole!

So Rae could have just traveled to Triton (Neptune's largest moon) instead of Mars in order to use the wormhole. That's the only change I see needed.

I wrote a short description of the five inhabited worlds and other worlds. It's 1500 words, and provides a good overview of everything I expect PCs to see.