Final Frontier

Background

The first STL colony ship was sent off from Earth in the year 2200, and more eventually followed. These ships eventually launched their own slowboat colonization missions, a diaspora spreading throughout the stars, for centuries. Eventually, something happened. A new age, the Nova Age, an age where the galaxy was now open to the human race, at great tragedy and cost.

Incident PROMETHEUS

What everyone knows about the Nova age is this: A slowboat colony found some alien artifact, hooked it up to scientific equipment, and pumped some juice into it. The colony was never found, wiped itself off of the map. But it had granted us one dying gift.

But that wasn't the cause. In the Solar System, someone had uploaded a strange viral code to the Jupiter Project, a massive superconducting ring built around the orbit of Jupiter when it was attempting a test-fire, an attempt to create some sort of FTL wormhole.

No, that wasn't it. The Utopians had created some sort of transcendental AI, something that could send information back to itself. That AI, Primoris, was the catalyst.

Or maybe all of them were. Maybe none of them were. Maybe some brilliantly insane man, some relic of an age long past a thousand years ago, built a free energy machine. The chaos of the Nova Age prevented clear records from being made. What is known is that sometime around 3132 AD, someone created Novas, and then everything was different.

The Nova Age

Somewhere in those basic genes which were shared through every expression of biological humanity, something dangerous and powerful lurked, which was unleashed by Incident Prometheus. The fire of the gods was unchained, allowed to blaze with full fury. And in its fury, it consumed worlds. Police states collapsed. Democracies became dictatorships. Post-scarcity worlds found themselves embroiled by war. Failing colonies found the strength from Quantum-fueled intellects, worlds were freed or enslaved. Eventually, the chaos died down, and one Nova, Dr. Soguk Birlesme, invented the Spatial Compression Motor. The SCM was the first FTL system, and created a chance of uniting humanity.

This early FTL drive was weak, short-ranged, and slow by modern standards, but it was more than enough for Earth to spread its ideology and its influence throughout the nascent Hegemony of Human Worlds. In general, the potential benefits of FTL travel and connection to the rich core of human space made its assimilation of other worlds an easy sell. When all other means failed, humanity's tendencies to war appeared again. Often, facing only token military forces, the Hegemony's nova-led armies, strengthened by hypertech, would generally find conquest easy enough. Seize industrial centers, turn the automated factories to produce pacification bots, and lead the world to unity.

Psions and Precursors

Eventually, someone on Santa Chico, a world opposing the Hegemony discovered artifacts, built by an ancient race long either extinct or transcended from mortal concerns, calling themselves the Doyen. They had fought a war in the galaxy's infancy, against quantum-fueled demigods, a war which shattered worlds and left stars dead husks. The technology that they provided was a gift, the gift of psi. A weapon to use against the Nova age.

Santa Chico's most gifted baseline and nova scientists built their Noetic Chambers, calibrated them to human DNA (at the cost of many volunteer lives), and the Psions were born. With their technology, and with the tesser system, they united worlds attacked by the Hegemony and started the first true interstellar war.

One must remember at the time nobody knew how to fight an interstellar war. The gifts of hypertech were in their infancy, most starships still had radiators because entropy dumping technology was just a theory, and the battlefield could change almost literally year by year. Warships which were top of the line became obsolete second-string patrol craft a decade later. Nobody knew when technology would stabilize-if it would stabilize. It was a singularity event, as chaotic and profitable as the industrial revolution, that event way back in ancient history that happened around when the Greeks were inventing democracy and some guys invented the Internet.

The Hegemony Today

Core Systems

The original three Hegemony systems were Alpha Centauri, Earth, and Epsilon Eridani. These three core systems eventually assimilated several of the other close-by Core colonies, the ones which had been settled for centuries via slowboats and had become prosperous industrial centers in their own right. With populations in the billions and extensive infrastructure, they became the seat of human government... well, for most of the human race, anyways.

Governance

The Hegemony is a republic, with decisions made by the actions of senators who represent single worlds.

Other Human Factions

• Accelerators: The Accelerator faction believes in the creation of a singularity-level intellect to attempt to ensure human dominance over all potential alien lifeforms. As "strong", or unlimited, self-improving technologies are heavily restricted or prohibited by the Hegemony, the Accelerators and their supporters have seceded from the Hegemony and have a small polity of their own bordering the Hegemony, with perhaps 10% of the resources. However, the Accelerators have made up for it by extensive posthuman subsidization policies, and their population has an incredibly high level of Novas, Psions, and Daredevils, which allow it to be a credible threat. Outside of the occasional border skirmish, though, total war does not occur.

• Union of Free Stars: The Union were the original discoverers of the Psion Chambers, although the technology (much as the Hegemony's ability to mass produce Novas) has spread throughout the human worlds. They are still opposed to the Hegemony, and are in a state of cold war. The Union has expanded nearly as rapidly as the Hegemony has, and they are almost entirely evenly matched, although the Union prefers biotech (due to its greater numbers of psions) to the Hegemony's hardtech.

• Space Pirates: If space commerce is ubiquitious and starships are cheap enough that a handful of people can buy one, and guns are also cheap, you end up with space pirates. They exist, they have their own hidden warrens and maybe a planet or two which count as pirate ports, and they are an eternal annoyance to corporations as they go around holding their personnel and vessels hostage.

Character Generation

In Final Frontier, Character Generation has an additional two steps, listed below.

• 1. Choose Genetic Template
• 2. Transhuman (assign attributes/abilities, backgrounds, BP)
• 3. Choose Nova Type (Artificial, Natural, Forced) or alternate Inspired template (Psion/Daredevil)
• 4. Inspired (assign transformation points). Novas gain 50 NP rather than 45.

New and Modified Abilities

Dexterity

• Microgravity Ops: The Microgravity Ops ability determines the character's ability to function in zero gravity situations. By default, all of a character's actions are at +3 difficulty in zero gravity. Each dot of Microgravity Ops reduces this penalty by 1, to a minimum of 0. Microgravity Ops also replaces Athletics for dodging and movement in zero-G, and is used to pilot MMUs.
• Pilot(Aircraft): The Pilot ability is replaced by two related abilities. Pilot (Aircraft) is used for aircraft, UCAVs, centimeter-long micro-intelligencers, remote-piloted anti-tank penetrators, and other similar systems.
• Pilot(Mecha): Pilot(Mecha) is used for giant humanoid robots, from the strike frames of the Hegemony to Chromatic Avatars to Coalition or Ka Luon Battlesuits.

Intelligence

• Academics (Xenology): Alien forms of government and culture are studied under this field.
• Engineering (Hypertech): Used to engineer any super-science developments.
• Engineering (Starships): Used to build, fix, and maintain starships.
• Science (Hypertech): Hypertech is a catch-all for super-scientific advances such as FTL, psionically active bioapps, Prometheus chambers, Novatech, and so on.
• Science (Precursor): Used to understand and figure out precursor technologies, like the alien bioapps of the Original Doyen.
• Science (Xenobiology): used for understanding alien physiologies.

Wits

• Helmsman: The Helmsman ability is used to control larger warships, whether to evade fire or attempt difficult maneuvers.

Nova Types

Mature genetic engineering and nanotech means that Novas exist in several different fashions. Nevertheless, engineering has never managed to improve upon the natural Nova, the original results of the Prometheus Incident centuries ago.

Artificial

Artificial Novas are mass produced designs, built for rapid expansion of their core competencies but with issues building past them. These Novas are vat-grown, super-soldiers, super-scientists, bioroids built for a limited purpose. However, their limitations are still drastic. Artificial Novas are built with a "package" of preset powers and Mega-Attributes, with a handful left over for customization. Attempting to fully lock down eruptions has not been entirely successful, without creating precise clones. In general, this package is 40 NP of the default 50 NP and should always be ~80% of the total rounded up. Finally, all artificial Novas are considered 2nd Generation and gain the advantages and disadvantages of that state for free, and all artificial Novas are built using Bioroid genetic templates.

Artificial Novas are intended to further develop along the lines they were built under, and reduce the cost multiplier for any quantum powers which are directly related to their intended role. An artificial Nova reduces the cost multiplier for any power related to his role (as listed below) by 1, and halve the cost of acquiring them new (round costs up). So for example, a Espionage-type would pay (current rating x 1) XP to raise his Psychic Shield, or a mere 2 XP to buy Psychic Shield 1. On the other hand, their development is stunted, and it costs 1.5 times as much to raise any out-of-design power. So for example, the same Espionage-type would pay (current rating x 7.5), rounded up, XP if she wishes to purchase Quantum Bolt.

PC-grade artificial Novas are extremely rare. Most artificial Novas actually are built with ~20 NP, of which 16 NP is used for powers and M-Atts and the remaining 4 NP are used for customization. They are mass produced foot soldiers or technicians, rather than powerful world-shaking gods.

Natural

Natural Novas are the most chaotic but the most versatile. Natural Novas have no particular special rules. Natural Novas can be first or 2nd generation as desired.

Forced

Forced Novas are transhumans who have their DNA altered to make them amenable for eruption, and are then put into controlled dangerous situations until they do, in fact, erupt. Forced Novas tend to always have some level of Taint and a handful of fixed powers (typically 10 NP or so worth) because eruption induction scenarios are mass-produced, and even with fully mature biotech the secrets of Nova eruption are not entirely out of the bag. Forced Novas are "1.5th generation" Novas.

Forced Novas have a starting Taint of 3 at chargen and gain aberrations at the rate of 1/point of taint rather than the sliding scale. More importantly, they gain 2 XP for body modifications per point of Taint, and are not taken out of play at Taint 10+ (they just keep trucking along getting aberrations). Forced Novas are always implanted with Aberrancy Control Nets for free (look for the enhancements listing below in Technology) and cannot be 2nd Gen Novas for obvious reasons. Forced Novas do not gain permanent Taint normally-instead, they gain a point of permanent Taint whenever they gain a new quantum power or Mega-Attribute (note: this means a new power or mega-attribute, not a new dot), but their noetic template is self-repairing, and they lose 1 point of permanent Taint every month, as well as possessing the Taint Resistant merit for free.

Genetic Templates

Most humans today possess a non-baseline genetic template, one of a dozen upgrades to humanity in the ages before hypertech became common. These templates cost nothing, and are not strictly balanced. Sadly, life isn't entirely fair, and the bonuses from genetic templates are miniscule compared to the benefits of becoming a Nova.

Fixer

Fixers are the closest genetically to humans, although they are extremely long lived, disease resistant, and generally healthier overall.

• Fixers have no real advantages or disadvantages, but they gain 21 instead of 15 BP.

Paragons

Paragon is a catch-all term for any genetic upgrade which significantly improves on a human without significantly altering their normal traits. Paragons tend to have additional attribute points and a handful of merits, but not much more. In general, paragon

• Paragons prioritize their attributes as 9/7/5 rather than 7/5/3. Paragons may never have any attribute below 2, and may not have an attribute in their primary category rated below 3. A Paragon can raise any attribute to a maximum of 6 normally.
• Paragons gain an additional five bonus points to be spent on physical, mental, or social merits. These merits must be inherent to the character rather than socialized.
• Paragons gain an additional +1 WP (they start at 4 rather than 3).

Exhumans

Drastic upgrades which greatly alter the human body (additional limbs, armored carapaces, crab pincers) in utero are considered to be "exhumans". These body types are drastic alterations on the human norm and sometimes may no longer be humanoid anymore, let alone human.

• Exhumans prioritize their attributes as 8/6/4 rather than 7/5/3. Exhumans have a maximum attribute limit of 7 in any category.
• Exhumans gain an additional 30 XP worth of free body modifications to be spent as desired.
• Exhumans may purchase further body modifications at a 1 BP: 4 XP ratio of bonus point : body modification.

Cases

The most drastic change are cases, people who have abandoned conventional bodies for removable brain-cases that can be plugged into hardtech as desired.

• Cases have no physical attributes or appearance score, and distribute 15 attribute dots among Perception, Intelligence, Wits, Charisma, and Manipulation.
• Cases gain an appearance score and physical attributes from their shell, which is chosen later. If the Case is a Nova with sufficient Attunement, he may purchase physical Mega-Attributes which alter and improve the shell. A Case may purchase physical Mega-Attributes up to (Quantum + 1). The power of the Case's mega-attributes is limited by his shell's attributes though-a case with Mega-Strength 5 and a shell of Strength 1 only has Strength 1 Mega-Strength 1 in the shell.
• Cases are heavily shielded and have 7B/7L soak and 6 Health Levels: -0 x 5/Breached. Cases may only be attacked with the destruction of their shell.
• Case Novas may purchase body modifications but they apply to the case itself, not the shell.

Bioroids

Bioroids are purpose-built artificial humans who are vat-grown and fast-aged, given training via neural induction, and sent out to fight wars or work jobs or whatever. Generally they were intended as toys, meat robots, but with the relatively recent development of artificial Novas, they have been given a new lease on life.

• Bioroids start off with a primary attribute category, in which they gain 2, rather than 1, free dot, and have a maximum attribute rating of 8 in that attribute category. They may only have a maximum attribute rating of 4 in their secondary and tertiary categories. All bioroids gain the Devotion merit for free.
• Bioroids prioritize their primary, secondary, and tertiary attributes as 12/5/3.
• Bioroids gain an additional benefit according to their role.
  • Combat bioroids gain an additional two -0 Health Levels and the 3 point High Pain Tolerance merit.
  • Worker bioroids gain +1 to Stamina and Intelligence, which increases both current and maximum scores.
  • Entertainer bioroids gain the Sexy merit and two purchases of the Pheromones body modification, as well as +1 to Appearance (this does not increase its maximum).
  • Espionage bioroids gain the Iron Willed merit for free.
• Bioroids must spend 25 of their 30 starting ability dots in caste abilities. These abilities have a maximum of 5 without spending bonus points (and a normal maximum of 6). All other abilities have a maximum of 1 without spending bonus points, and a normal maximum of 3.
  • Combat bioroids have the Caste Abilities of: Brawl, Melee, Might, Athletics, Firearms, Heavy Weapons, Microgravity Ops, Stealth, Drive, Pilot, Endurance, Resistance, Awareness, Gunnery, Tactics, Helmsman, Command.
  • Worker bioroids have the Caste Abilities of: Might, Athletics, Microgravity Ops, Endurance, Resistance, Drive, Awareness, Academics (any), Biz, Computers, Engineering (any), Science (any), Helmsman.
  • Entertainer bioroids have these Caste Abilities: Athletics, Drive, Endurance, Etiquette, Style, Arts (any), Perform (any), Rapport, Academics (psychology or other similar fields).
  • Espionage bioroids have these Caste Abilities: Melee, Athletics, Legerdemain, Firearms, Drive, Etiquette, Subterfuge, Style, Intrusion, Computers, Investigation, Rapport.

Technology

The OpNet

OPNet stands for "Omni-Planetary Network", and is a FTL communications circuit, running through the Hegemony at large, providing near-real-time interstellar information transfer to the worlds of the Hegemony. It is the greatest accomplishment of the Nova age, possibly beyond FTL. Connecting a sphere hundreds of light years across and expanding by the decade, the OpNet is a critical part of the infrastructure of a Hegemony world. It allows someone on Earth to talk to someone a hundred light years away in real time, and connects electronic commerce throughout the Hegemony in the same way FTL starships connect normal commerce.

The Accelerators have similar technology, while the UFS tend to rely on telepathic resonance networking, as fits their biotechnology bent.

FTL

There are currently three types of FTL travel: "tunneling", "point to point", or "portal" based FTL systems. The first were the earliest invented systems, based upon hyperspace physics and distance compression. The SCM was the earliest example, but the modern Linear Displacement System works via a similar method. Such systems have minimal recovery times and are most easily constructed, but require actual travel, making ships with this drive variant vulnerable to being preyed on

Point to point systems are based off of either the Union's tesser and Psionic teleporters, or Nova abilities such as Warp or Teleport. They tend to be more expensive and often either scale up or down poorly. The Union's early jumpships were over a kilometer long and dedicated most of their mass to the tesser system, while nova teleportation and warping is only useful for transferring small amounts of men and materiel over short-ish distances. However, they are generally uninterceptible and tessers or warpers have very few distance restrictions, unlike tunneling systems.

Portal based systems, "farcasters", are sustained warp gates rather than temporary ones. Extremely useful and capable of high-traffic, they are quite obviously fixed in place and cannot be used for expansion, although a farcaster-based train network has been established around the core worlds of the Hegemony, allowing cheap planetary immigration and emigration. These gates are also expensive and difficult to build, requiring the effort of hundreds of Inspired engineers to finish, but easy to maintain, safe, and low-impact.

Warfare

Even when war changes, it stays the same. A thousand year interlude of major peace was interrupted by the development of new ways to prosecute war, by the FTL drive and the hypertech of the Nova age. Exotic materials and weapons are common on the battlefield, the industry of dozens and dozens of planets being put into the construction of new war machines and designs.

The Infantryman

The infantryman still wears his battledress, except now his uniform is nearly as smart as he is and even the lowliest of grunts is a squad leader, leading a squad of semi-intelligent machines to do his bidding. Hegemony and Union battledress is generally similar-a form-fitting sleeve of armor, power, and shielding, providing protection which would have been unbelievable just a century ago.