Xenos

Xeno is the racist ingame term for a non-average lifeform. The assumption of the genre is human as the rules are written to simulate TV shows with a budget that restricts how many actors in makeup there can be.

Examples of Xenos made during play. They were taken from forum posts on the game.

• Scorpianoid horse sized scorpian
• Memmish (see illustration of the Mystic)
• 4 Armed Hunter/Predator
• Lost member of the Ur (similar to Asgaardians in Stargate)
• Skrull (as seen in Captain Marvel movie)
• Ur-Bot (Droids. Ur-bots are droids from Star Wars). Not technically racism, but substrate chauvanism.
• Otori (Rocket Racoon)
• Craver
• Ursine Sapien (Bear)

If a player chooses the Xeno starting ability at creation, take the time to discuss their people and flesh out what sorts of things to expect their xeno abilities to do. Some guidelines are as follows:

0 STRESS: These are either constant abilities or adaptations that don’t affect the game significantly.

• examples - Breathing water. Seeing in the UV spectrum. Having a prehensile tail, multiple eyes, or four arms that work independantly. A heightened sense of smell.

1 STRESS: These are abilities that aren’t constant, and require exertion or concentration to pull off. Good candidates are using 0 stress xeno abilities outside of their normal parameters, or pushing them to their limits.

• examples - A desert xeno pushing their heat immunity to dive into an engine fire without taking damage. An underwater xeno using sonar to try and sense guards down a metal corridor. An animalistic xeno running faster than their prey, or leaping through the branches of a jungle planet.

2 STRESS: These abilities tend to be things that humans couldn’t even attempt. If this only enables you to take an action and a roll is still required, take +1d or +1 effect to it (player’s choice).

• examples - Ripping chains apart through sheer strength. Breathing fire or generating a sleep venom under your claws. A deep-sea xeno using their incredible lung capacity to temporarily ignore the knock-out gas being pumped into the room.

Optional Rule: Any significant weakness that can take you out of a scene or cause great trouble for you (level 2 or 3 harm equivalent) will also generate a gambit for your crew when it comes up in game. This is a good way to simulate certain extreme allergies, issues with atmosphere, and severe social problems or prejudices. Heat sickness. Calcium deprivation that causes you to hunt your crew. Not going offship or into key areas of a planet without a disguise.