New PC Race and Culture: Malusians

Rhakadian (Culture)

Aliens from the planet Malus, they support the Vrildarian League in exchange for access to Uruta's natural resources

The technologically advanced Rhakadian civilization rose to dominance over the other nations of the planet Malus two thousand years ago. The Rhakadians are a disciplined martial society that values strength, leadership, and superiority. They constantly submit themselves to contests of physical fitness and mental aptitude. The losers of such contests are reduced in rank and status while the winners are rewarded with accolades and social ascension.

Five hundred years ago, the Rhakadians had exhausted their supplies of torium found on the Malusian surface. They had reached the extent energy generation capability, yet still wanted more. They built a space fleet to explore and conquer the cosmos. Sources of torium were found on several moons and asteroids, enough to fuel expansion for thousands of years. However, the Malusians came into competition with the Phanosians. The two interplanetary rivals have been in alternating states of cold and hot war ever since.

Ruler: The Rhakadian Empire is a military dictatorship ruled by the High General Darand and administered by the Red Circle, the highest ranking generals each controlling a different aspect of Rhakadian life. Rhakadian military uniforms are black with red trim. Soldiers wear body armor or fatigues and carry plasma rifles while officers are identified by their uniform tunic and beam pistol side-arm. It is the Rhakadian tradition for all members of the military, male and female, to maintain a cleanly shaven head at all times.

Race(s): Malusian.

Appearance: Rhakadians are tall, almost half again as tall as an average Cydorian, and thin. Their skin is pale white. Both sexes remove all body hair with depilatory creams. Small short antennae are implanted in the skull. Away from the ouhdic field, these antennae allow the Rhakadians to control their technology by thought alone. These control signals are disrupted within the ouhdic field.

Dress: Rhakadians wear goggles and long thick rubbery black robes over muscle-assisting exoskeletons when visiting the brighter heavier-gravity world of Uruta.

Language(s): Rhakadians speak their native language of the same name.

Professions: Most Rhakadians on Uruta are soldiers, merchants, politicians, and scientists.

Religions: Rhakadians worship no gods but often speak or High General Darand with a sense of reverence often associated with cult leaders.

Favored Weapons: Rhakadian soldiers are armed with plasma pistols and rifles.

Favored Armor: All Rhakadian visitors on Uruta must wear a strength-enhancing exo-skeleton to support their weight in the world’s heavier gravity.

Cultural Skills: Rhakadians value science and technology along with a strong commanding presence. Command +20%; choose one of the following: Science (any) +20%, Technical Skill (any) +20%.

Items: Rhakadians often carry a small round hand-held electronic computer pad.

Common Male Names: Darand, Ahan

Common Female Names:  Karash, Darpash

Malusian (Race)

Malusians are a human race from the planet Malus, descendants of the original ancient Sdara Vatra who colonized the world. Malus is a cold dark world with less water, air, and gravity than Uruta. Over tens of thousands of years, Malusians have adapted to live there. As a result, they find it difficult to operate on Uruta without mechanical assistance.

Appearance

Physically, Malusians resemble extraordinarily tall, thin, willowy Urutan humans. The gravity of Malus is only one-third that of Uruta, which promotes such growth. They have long thin legs and arms, thin torsos, and slightly elongated heads. Their noses and ears are larger to accommodate the thinner Malusian atmosphere and their eyes are larger than an Urutan human, allowing them to see in the comparatively dim light of a Malusian day. Male Malusians apply depilatory creams to remove all the hair from their body; females likewise save for a long top-knot from the top of their otherwise bald heads. They have pale skin which damages easily in direct sunlight.

Behavior

Malusians are typically grim, laconic, and severe. They find Urutans to be annoying and weak and chafe under the limitations imposed upon them by the Vrildarian League. They make no secret of their contempt for humanity in general. Malusians would like nothing better than to conquer Uruta for its vast natural resources.

Malusian Player Characters

Malusians are not normally allowed as a choice for player characters. Ordinarily, they would be used as shadowy villains, political schemers, power brokers, and conspiratorial manipulators, antagonistic foils to the heroic player characters. However, as with any society, there are counter-cultural elements within Rhakadian society. Not all Malusians are evil, corrupt, or manipulative. Though Rhakadian mind-control techniques are better at eliminating them, some Malusians develop into sympathetic individuals with a strong moral compass. 

Another impediment to Malusian player characters is that all Malusians present within the Oudh of Uruta must have the permission of Emperor Victor, thus limiting the total number of Malusians on Uruta at any given time to a mere handful. Most Malusians on Uruta are diplomats, merchants, or overseers. Diplomats spend their time in the Vrildar and the other city-states, negotiating arrangements with the Vrildarian leadership and arranging logistics with the bureaucracy. Merchants serve a similar duty, only substituting Urutan business interests. Overseers are assigned to ensure the success of Rhakadian operations in the field. They manage Rhakadian mining operations and ore smelting facilities. They arrange shipping and transport. They also ensure the productivity of the thousands of Urutan slaves purchased from the Vrildarian government. 

Malusian player characters might be sympathetic to the Demetrian cause. They could be working to disrupt the Rhakadian agenda from within the Rhakadian diplomatic and mercantile forces on Uruta. Or perhaps a the Malusian has rebelled out-right, abandoning behind his Rhakadian brethren to join the resistance. They might also have simply suffered an existential crisis, questioning their role within the rigid Rhakadian society and choosing to abandon it for a life of adventure, self-expression, or personal growth. Such a Malusian would be classified as insane by Rhakadian standards and a warrant would be issued for their arrest. The punishment for such rebellion is psychic re-conditioning.

Another alternative is to simply tell a Malusian-focused story. The players are loyal subjects of the Rhakadian League, working to advance the Rhakadian agenda of total dominance over all the worlds of the known universe. The player characters would plot and scheme to one day obtain a Gate Key to allow unrestricted access to Uruta. With such a key, the Rhakadians could invade and conquer this world!

Appropriate professions for a Malusian player character include: Assassin, Bureaucrat, Clerk, Computer Tech, Merchant, Physician, Psi-Mage, Scholar, Scientist, Soldier, or Spy.

Characteristic          Roll                          Average

STR                          2D6+3                      10            (+6 from Exoskeleton)

CON                         2D6+2                      9

SIZ                           2D6+6                      13

INT                          2D6+11                    18

POW                        2D6+11                    18

DEX                         2D6+9                      16            (-6 in Exoskeleton)

APP                          2D6                          7

Move: 10                Hit Points: 11          Damage Bonus: None (+1D4 in Exoskeleton)

Redistribute up to 3 points between your characteristics. No characteristic may be higher than 27.

 

Powers

Night Vision: Malusians eyes are adapted to the low light of their home world. Treat as the Night Vision superpower (BRP page 165).

Reduced Daylight Vision: Treat as the Reduced Sense major mutation (BRP page 109) when exposed to full daylight without protective goggles. This drawback is nullified when wearing protective goggles.

Structural Weakness: Treat as the Structural Weakness major mutation (BRP page 110) when deprived of their high gravity exoskeleton.

Strength Enhancement: The Malusian powered exoskeleton provides the Malusian with +6 bonus to STR.

Dexterity Reduction: The Malusian powered exoskeleton afflicts the Malusian with -6 modifier to DEX.

Armor: The Malusian powered exoskeleton provides the Malusian with 4 AP of armor.