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How common is knowledge about the existence of the Grays in the Pact Worlds? Like, would a hypothetical PC Gray be greeted with a question like "What are you? I've never seen a species like you before," or "Holy crap, you're one of them Grays! Done any creepy experiments lately?! Can you tell us what your people are REALLY doing?!"It's my expectation that in Starfinder, "what are you?" is a rather gauche question—(which admittedly wouldn't stop species from asking it!)
I think there have got to be plenty of places still where the only people who know about grays are fringe conspiracy theorists, so only those folks'd be particularly taken aback at a party of PCs that included one.
In places where grays are better known, a PC gray that's wandering about in the open would probably be assumed to be less sinister by the mere fact that they're not trying to hide (or abduct everyone in sight), and probably outside the gray "inner circle".
Speaking of conspiracies, I can't wait to see what people think of The Threefold Conspiracy...
[REDACTED]
It's my expectation that in Starfinder, "what are you?" is a rather gauche question—(which admittedly wouldn't stop species from asking it!)
I think there have got to be plenty of places still where the only people who know about grays are fringe conspiracy theorists, so only those folks'd be particularly taken aback at a party of PCs that included one.
In places where grays are better known, a PC gray that's wandering about in the open would probably be assumed to be less sinister by the mere fact that they're not trying to hide (or abduct everyone in sight), and probably outside the gray "inner circle".
Speaking of conspiracies, I can't wait to see what people think of The Threefold Conspiracy...
HOLY FLIP, SO HYPE!
Starfinder Lead Designer
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Now that I've recieved my PDF copy of Near Space, what are your favorite parts of the book?
There's lots of fun flavor and mechanics throughout, but I'm going to cop out and say the illustrations!
A few favorites:
page 11: Two skittermanders "helping" a vesk with sensitive equipment.
page 36: The Pahtra high despot.
pages 120–123: The new vesk ships.
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Have you been able to stay safe in these troubled times?
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You never know you need details like these until - gasp! - you need them. It is surprising to me how things like the number and names of moons of Castrovel aren't really necessary to know, until suddenly it has actual bearing on the story. Because they are illustrated somewhere back in PF.
Akiton first, since it's most important for me right now. I know it's a fictional Mars analogue, but I have tried to avoid making assumptions about it just yet.
- Does Akiton have any moons? How many, are they all visible to the naked eye?
- Does the planet have a tilt/seasons?
- What direction does the sun/planet revolve, and does atmospheric activity move from east to west, or vice versa?
- Can we get any sense of scale for distance and movement between cities/sites on Akiton? In SFS #1-02, we head to a small corporate town outside Maro, but it doesn't specify where - only approximately how long it takes by vehicle/transport.
Moons question repeat for:
- Aballon
- Castrovel
- Verces
- Triaxus
- Eox
Can we assume the following have no moons/satellites?
- Apostae
- Aucturn
This thread is wonderfully helpful. Also, fantastic work from all of you on the Starfinder team - keep it up! Love it!
You never know you need details like these until - gasp! - you need them.
Tsk. Right? Every time...
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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How do vesk feel about naming their offspring after famous military heroes? Is that considered a way to honor them, or disrespectful for thinking their kid could measure up to such legends?
Also, is "Emperor" a gender-neutral title in the Veskarium?
I bet there's mixed feelings on it: some in the former camp, and some who want their offspring's name to become honored in its own right!
Also, yes!
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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You never know you need details like these until - gasp! - you need them. It is surprising to me how things like the number and names of moons of Castrovel aren't really necessary to know, until suddenly it has actual bearing on the story. Because they are illustrated somewhere back in PF.
Akiton first, since it's most important for me right now. I know it's a fictional Mars analogue, but I have tried to avoid making assumptions about it just yet.
- Does Akiton have any moons? How many, are they all visible to the naked eye?
- Does the planet have a tilt/seasons?
- What direction does the sun/planet revolve, and does atmospheric activity move from east to west, or vice versa?
- Can we get any sense of scale for distance and movement between cities/sites on Akiton? In SFS #1-02, we head to a small corporate town outside Maro, but it doesn't specify where - only approximately how long it takes by vehicle/transport.Moons question repeat for:
- Aballon
- Castrovel
- Verces
- Triaxus
- Eox
Can we assume the following have no moons/satellites?
- Apostae
- AucturnThis thread is wonderfully helpful. Also, fantastic work from all of you on the Starfinder team - keep it up! Love it!
I'd assume that if we haven't mentioned a moon by now, it doesn't exist. (Though the Starfinder galaxy is certainly Weird, so who knows what's hiding out there?)
As for rotational/atmospheric direction and exact distances, we generally avoid trying to canonize such information—mostly to avoid trapping ourselves in inconvenient realities.
Hopefully I haven't disproven your compliment!
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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Joe, what's the deal with the Pina Colada Song!?
Thank you for phrasing that in the form of a question.
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Have you been able to stay safe in these troubled times?Safe, yes—and busy to boot! Which is fortunate.
Hopefully you have too?
Roll20 has been a lifesaver!
Have you been able to game?
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You never know you need details like these until - gasp! - you need them. It is surprising to me how things like the number and names of moons of Castrovel aren't really necessary to know, until suddenly it has actual bearing on the story. Because they are illustrated somewhere back in PF.
Akiton first, since it's most important for me right now. I know it's a fictional Mars analogue, but I have tried to avoid making assumptions about it just yet.
- Does Akiton have any moons? How many, are they all visible to the naked eye?
- Does the planet have a tilt/seasons?
- What direction does the sun/planet revolve, and does atmospheric activity move from east to west, or vice versa?
- Can we get any sense of scale for distance and movement between cities/sites on Akiton? In SFS #1-02, we head to a small corporate town outside Maro, but it doesn't specify where - only approximately how long it takes by vehicle/transport.Moons question repeat for:
- Aballon
- Castrovel
- Verces
- Triaxus
- Eox
Can we assume the following have no moons/satellites?
- Apostae
- AucturnThis thread is wonderfully helpful. Also, fantastic work from all of you on the Starfinder team - keep it up! Love it!
I'd assume that if we haven't mentioned a moon by now, it doesn't exist. (Though the Starfinder galaxy is certainly Weird, so who knows what's hiding out there?)
As for rotational/atmospheric direction and exact distances, we generally avoid trying to canonize such information—mostly to avoid trapping ourselves in inconvenient realities.
Hopefully I haven't disproven your compliment!
Compliment(s) still being valid, this is not quite the helpful insight I was hoping for, which means I will have to do some Mars research, and compare it against what we know, to determine a decent guess. Mars has moons (and if you have seen The Expanse, you know it can even be a point of great storytelling), and Barsoom being analogous, I think we have a baseline to determine it from some precedent. Verces, Eox, and Triaxus are an entirely different variety of monster.
For my own needs, the radioactive wind coming off Daza (and which direction/location it would most likely affect) if any (and there should be some) is a factor, as is seasonal effects on glacial polar regions. Of course, storytelling will take precedence in some circumstances, but I'll try to see what our own Mars and our fave fiction can offer up first.
I had hoped to not have to conjure retired adventuring veterans, but I am feeling the need to call in Sutter on this one!
Contributor
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Have you been able to stay safe in these troubled times?Safe, yes—and busy to boot! Which is fortunate.
Hopefully you have too?
Roll20 has been a lifesaver!
Have you been able to game?
This brings up an excellent followup question.
Joe - are there any SFS games you would like to play? My lodge and our neighboring lodge are running anywhere from 2-5 SFS games a week on Roll20 lately. A fellow local VO and I are mixing custom soundtracks, setting up dynamic lighting and fog of war...doing lots of neat things.
Would you and yours like to play some day (or night) at one of our tables? :)
If I can tempt you with this, please feel free to drop me a line!
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I asked James Jacobs this question, but he suggested that since it's Starfinder-based and he doesn't really work on Starfinder stuff and lore, I'd pose it to you:
How does Pharasma regard borais or varculaks, undead by classification, but "alive enough" to still be healed by positive energy, and generally not "spawned" intentionally the way necrovites, vampires and ghouls are? Would she grant powers to a PC of either species if they worshiped her, or would she encourage them to seek euthanasia at their earliest convenience to minimize the time spent in an undead state?
Who is Joe Pasini? ...serious, who is he?
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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How does Pharasma regard borais or varculaks, undead by classification, but "alive enough" to still be healed by positive energy, and generally not "spawned" intentionally the way necrovites, vampires and ghouls are? Would she grant powers to a PC of either species if they worshiped her, or would she encourage them to seek euthanasia at their earliest convenience to minimize the time spent in an undead state?
Ha! It probably varies by individual, but I've always thought that Pharasma, since she knows everybody's ultimate fate, is probably pretty chill when it comes to the odd starry-eyed adventurer trying to make their way through the galaxy. How upset would you be with someone who's "cheating" death—but you know they're ultimately ending up in a trash compactor?
That said, there's a (nonplayable) creature coming up in Alien Archive 4 that undoubtedly grinds her gears...
Is the reason that Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were omitted from the "Inspirational Media" on pages Starfinder Core Rulebook the obvious "Yellow Peril" in the original stories?
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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Is the reason that Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were omitted from the "Inspirational Media" on pages Starfinder Core Rulebook the obvious "Yellow Peril" in the original stories?
No idea! I wasn't privy to the paring-down process when we all flooded James Sutter's inbox with inspirations—must've been a monumental task trimming them down to just two pages.
Is the reason that Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were omitted from the "Inspirational Media" on pages Starfinder Core Rulebook the obvious "Yellow Peril" in the original stories?No idea! I wasn't privy to the paring-down process when we all flooded James Sutter's inbox with inspirations—must've been a monumental task trimming them down to just two pages.
You have to admit, it would not have been a bad reason. :(
Do you know of any stories with the "spirit" of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" without the Racism or the rather extreme Sexism?
Is there a particularly clever cryptic crossword clue that's stuck with you?
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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Do you know of any stories with the "spirit" of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" without the Racism or the rather extreme Sexism?
I'm woefully ignorant, but I am polling the Starfinder developer and editor brain trust—watch this space for their answers!
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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Is there a particularly clever cryptic crossword clue that's stuck with you?
Hmm, none that have reached cross-stitch or tattoo level, but I do love this one from my friend Jason Keeley:
Frog station spins daily LP (4, 3)and here're three 3-letter ones I wrote:
Eternity is end of new beginnings (3)
Strange—sordid, even (3)
Foremost component of gear! (3)
(Link explaining cryptic crosswords for the uninitiated. If you love language and logic, you may love these!)
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Starfinder Lead Designer
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Do you know of any stories with the "spirit" of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" without the Racism or the rather extreme Sexism?I'm woefully ignorant, but I am polling the Starfinder developer and editor brain trust—watch this space for their answers!
We got:
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe, by Alex WhiteMothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond (anthology; tone varies wildly)
Kage Baker's Company series
To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie Willis
And the movie Jupiter Ascending (which I need to rewatch!).
Do you know of any stories with the "spirit" of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" without the Racism or the rather extreme Sexism?I'm woefully ignorant, but I am polling the Starfinder developer and editor brain trust—watch this space for their answers!We got:
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe, by Alex White
Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond (anthology; tone varies wildly)
Kage Baker's Company series
To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie WillisAnd the movie Jupiter Ascending (which I need to rewatch!).
Thank You.
I will look for these!
Do you know of any stories with the "spirit" of "Flash Gordon" or "Buck Rogers" without the Racism or the rather extreme Sexism?I'm woefully ignorant, but I am polling the Starfinder developer and editor brain trust—watch this space for their answers!We got:
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe, by Alex White
Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism and Beyond (anthology; tone varies wildly)
Kage Baker's Company series
To Say Nothing of the Dog, by Connie WillisAnd the movie Jupiter Ascending (which I need to rewatch!).
Thank You.
I will look for these!
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe, by Alex White is very much what I was looking for!