Evaluación de posiciones

Species

Characteristics

Once you have selected your character’s species, record the information below on your character sheet. This table details the bonuses and features for each of the HARP SF species. An explanation of the items included on the table can also be found below.

species stat modifiers: These species modifiers are added to the character’s natural stat bonuses and should be recorded in the proper column on the stats section of the character sheet.

Endurance: Endurance is the amount of damage (or “concussion hits”) a character can endure. This bonus is added to the

character’s Endurance skill when figuring the character’s total Concussion Hits. See Chapter 6 for the full description of this skill.

Power Points: Power Point Development is used to calculate the number of Power Points available to a caster in settings where magic is real. These Power Points are what the caster would use to cast any spells that they know. This bonus adds directly to the skill and helps determine the character’s total number of Power Points.

This characteristic is included for completeness.

Psi Energy Points: Psi Energy Development is used to calculate the number of Psi Energy Points available to a character in settings where psionics are permitted. These Psi Energy Points are used in the activation of any Disciplines that the character knows. This bonus adds directly to the skill and helps determine the character’s total number of Psi Energy Points. See chapter 6 for the full description of this skill and chapter 12 for full details on psionics.

Resistance Bonuses: Some species are naturally able to shrug off the effects of wounds and fatigue, weariness of the mind, psionics and magic more easily than others. These species bonuses are added to the proper Resistance skill (see Chapter 6) whenever a Resistance Roll is made.

Stamina: This species bonus helps resist the effects of poisons, diseases, and other physical ailments. This bonus is added to the Resistance: Stamina skill.

Will: This species bonus helps resist mental effects such as those caused by psionic abilities and some spells. This bonus is added to the Resistance: Will skill.

Magic: This species bonus helps resist effects that are magical in nature (outside of spells that affect the mind, as above). This bonus is added to the Resistance: Magic skill. It is included for completeness.

Species

Descriptions

All species descriptions include the following information:

Appearance: This describes the overall appearance of a typical member of the species.

Biology: This provides a summary of key biological facts and environmental preferences relating to the species.

Demeanor: This notes the general outlook and psychology of the majority of the species. Not all individuals will conform to this stereotype – and indeed those who do not are the most likely to become player-characters!

Technology: Specific notes on any particular technology favored, required, or avoided by the species.

Lifespan: The average lifespan for members of the species.

Culture: Although a character may hail from any culture, each species also lists one or more default cultures. These listed cultures represent only the most common backgrounds of the species. One or more of the species’ principal languages are also listed.

Special Abilities: This section details any special abilities members of the species possess. Also, unless otherwise noted in this section of the species details, all species require a full eight hours of rest each night.

Species Limitations: This section details any special

weaknesses that the species may have. Only races with more than three special abilities may have these limitations.

DP Cost: Some species are more powerful than average races, because they have more than three special abilities but lack any Species Limitations. For such races, players must spend Development Points in order for their characters to belong to the chosen species.

Cerans

Appearance: The Cerans are large and very muscular reptilian bipeds. An average individual is well over two meters tall; many reach two and half meters in height. A Ceran has a very thick hide, which varies in color from light browns and greys to a rare pure white. Their legs end in outsized flat feet (without toes). They have two arms, each of which terminates in a large hand with three fingers and one thumb. The neck flares out in a large collar from the bottom of their skull reaching to their shouldertips at the sides and equally far forward and back. A Ceran has two big forward-facing eyes, which flank a central oval membrane that allows them to sense heat. Two curved vestigial horns emerge from the skull above the eyes. Below the thermal membrane is a sharp protruding beak incorporating three nostrils for breathing and the sense of smell. The third straight vestigial horn grows out of the beak. Cerans have no obvious external ears – instead they have two small ear pits, one on either side of the head covered by thinner hide, which focus sound into their internal ears.

Biology: Cerans are a warm-blooded omnivorous species whose evolutionary ancestors survived a mass extinction several million

years ago caused by an asteroid impact. They have two sexes and give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Cerans take thirty years to mature to full adulthood, and their birthrate is low. Single conceptions are normal, twins are rare, triplets unheard of. Ranoc is the Ceran homeworld, orbiting its G3 sun at an average distance of 0.9 astronomical units. Although it has a normal oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, the quantity of greenhouse gases is lower than average rendering Ranoc susceptible to prolonged glaciations and making it a cold world even today. Cerans evolved full intelligence and developed civilization after the ending of Ranoc’s most recent Ice Age, only fifteen thousand years ago.

Demeanor: Cerans are a proud species with a strong sense of territory, not only of physical space, but also of social and intellectual space. Individuals are frequently brash and confrontational, and will aggressively establish and maintain their rights. Much of this conflict is resolved by verbal disputation, but all their societies have developed elaborate formal dueling rituals to minimize mass physical violence. Cerans are fiercely protective of their young (and indeed the young of any sentient species) and the family is the cornerstone of all communities.

Technology: Ceran technology is most advanced in information technology, cybertech, space travel, and practical astronomy (especially orbital tracking of comets and asteroids). Many receive cyber augmentation. Ceran governments and corporations have become interested in planetary engineering, initially to construct asteroidal habitats. Recent emphasis has focused on techniques that might end the cycle of Ice Ages and transform Ranoc into a less marginal world.

Lifespan: An average Ceran lifespan is 150 years.

Culture: Ceran societies favor Cosmopolitan or Frontier cultures, but Aristocratic and Belter cultures are not uncommon. Ceranor is the major language.

Special Abilities:

Cold Resistance (minor): The cold climate of their homeworld has given the Cerans a significant tolerance to natural cold. In game terms, this is equivalent to lowering the temperatures at which Stamina RRs must be made by 20 degrees Celsius (i.e. to –16 degrees Celsius and –38 degrees Celsius).

heat vision (minor): Cerans are able to detect the presence of creatures and objects, which have temperatures at least a degree higher or lower than the surroundings. Range is limited to up to 10m.

Tough Hide (Minor): Cerans receive a +20 bonus to DB from their tough hide.

Species Limitations: None DP Cost: None

Gorsiva

Appearance: At first glance, Gorsivans appear to be one-meter tall slender humanoids. A closer inspection reveals their avian nature: anisodactyl feet and downy feathers in gorgeous red, green and golden hues covering most of their body, hollow bone

structure and a prominent beak on the front of their heads. Above the beak are two forward-facing eyes. At the same level as the eyes are two small external ears positioned on the opposite sides of the head. The Gorsivan sense of taste is located on a tongue inside their beak but they do not breathe through their beak.

Instead Gorsivans breathe and smell through a set of slits located at the juncture of their neck and chest. Due to a flexible bone and cartilage structure, a Gorsivan can rotate its head around 360 degrees, allowing the Gorsivan to look behind (or up and down when flying) without turning the rest of its body around.

Gorsivan arms are long (usually 75cm) and end in six-fingered hands with the two outermost digits functioning as opposable thumbs. Running along the underside of each arm are inflatable membranes. By inhaling deeply, a Gorsivan can expand these flaps to form large thin wings, giving the species the ability of flight and their nickname (the “Gliders”).

Biology: Gorsivans are a warm-blooded oxygen-breathing species. By preference, Gorsivans are nectivores, drinking the nutritious nectars of the giant blossom trees of their homeworld.

In practice, Gorsivans are pragmatic omnivores. Gorsivans have two sexes and reproduce by laying eggs. Gorsivans reach maturity in twenty years, but can glide effectively by the age of five. Their

homeworld of Siva is a 0.8g world orbiting a G4 sun at 1.2 astronomical units.

Demeanor: Gorsivans are naturally curious beings. Having mastered their own planetary environment, Gorsivans have the confidence exhibited by members of any enduring advanced civilization. For some individuals, this can tend towards smugness, even a touch of arrogance among their leaders;

however overconfidence is a more common fault. Like all winged species, their favored pastime is to glide effortlessly on rising updrafts.

Technology: Gorsivan expertise has concentrated on genetic engineering and biotechnology. They have altered the blossom trees so that homes, shops, and offices are grown directly in the tree structures, creating natural settlements in the forests. Instead of mining, they employ genetically engineered plants to extract desired minerals and store them in their leaves. Their technology is a sleek fusion of manufactured and naturally produced materials in harmony with the biosphere. Gorsivans do not build robots or augment themselves using cybertechnology.

Lifespan: Gorsivans live an average of 120 years with suitable medical care.

Culture: Gorsivan societies are mostly Cosmopolitan, Scientific or Frontier cultures. The principal language is Gorresh.

Special Abilities:

Flight: Gorsivans can glide in environments where the gravity is 1g or less and the winds are favorable. Their Base Flight Rate (BFR) is twice their Base Movement Rate on the ground.

Gorsivans can also fly or hover (albeit clumsily, and at half their BFR) in contrary winds or in the absence of a breeze. They may use pace multipliers if the gravity is 0.8g or less. Flight is tiring, so Gorsivans may only stay aloft a maximum number of hours equal to their total Constitution bonus. For each encumbrance level above Light, their BFR is reduced by half, and so is the amount of time they may stay aloft (i.e. Medium encumbrance

= ½ normal BFR and time aloft. Heavy encumbrance = ¼ BFR and time aloft). For each increase of 0.25g above the Gorsivan’s normal gravity (i.e. 1.05g, 1.3g, 1.55g) increase the effective encumbrance level by one step. For each decrease of 0.25g below the Gorsivan’s normal gravity (0.55g, 0.3g, 0.05g) decrease the effective encumbrance level by one step (to a minimum of No encumbrance). Gorsivans gain a bonus of +50 to the Flying/Gliding skill. Inflating the wing membranes takes five rounds.

Low Pressure Tolerance: Gorsivans can fly at extremely high altitudes thanks to an evolutionary adaptation that allows them to survive in low atmospheric pressure environments. A Gorsivan receives a +50 bonus to all Stamina RRs and CRRs against low pressure effects.

Telescopic Eyes: Gorsivans can enhance a feature in their field of vision, magnifying it several times at the expense of everything else in the field of view. The process takes a round to focus in on the target and grants a +20 bonus to Perception maneuvers involving the target. This also allows Gorsivans to perform Sniping attempts at 4 Range Increments from a

target. While focused, the Gorsivan suffers a –20 modifier to Perception maneuvers relating to other features or targets.

Species Limitations: None DP Cost: None

Human

Appearance: Humans are a bipedal species, with males

averaging 185 cm in height and females 170 cm. Body shape, size, skin and hair color varies widely.

Biology: Humans are omnivorous, diurnal oxygen-breathers, descended from cursorial hunters. They are mammalian, giving birth to live young who must be nurtured for almost two decades before reaching adulthood. Earth, humanity’s homeworld, is a 1g world with an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere and a range of climate zones.

Demeanor: Humans are curious by nature and generally well-intentioned in their dealings with others. With an expansionist streak, Humans tend to boldly go where other species would tread cautiously. Humans easily form communities of like-minded individuals, but have a history of rivalries between such communities (tribes, nations, worlds, etc.) leading to conflict, even war.

Technology: Humanity is willing to experiment with any form of technology. Humans are particularly well-versed in computer technologies, gravity control, and medical sciences.

Lifespan: With reasonable medical care, average human lifespans routinely exceed 100 years.

Culture: Humans can come from any culture, but Cosmopolitan, Frontier, Corporate, and Belter are the most common origins.

Anglic (an expanded English) is the principal human language, but many other languages flourish on Earth and in the extrasolar colonies.

Special Abilities:

Bonus Skill Ranks: Humans excel in learning skills at a young age. Their astute nature merits a one-time bonus of 5 ranks, which may be spent on skills found in any of the character’s Favored Categories (See Chapter 3 Professions for details on Favored Categories).

Profession Adaptability: Being extremely adaptable, all Humans receive a 5 point discount on the number of Development Points necessary for a change of Profession, requiring only 15 points instead of the normal 20.

OR

Skill Flexibility: Being extremely adaptable, Humans can select any one skill from a non-favored category as a specialist interest. Ranks in the chosen skill may be purchased at 2 Development Points rather than the normal 4 Development Points for skills within a non-favored category.

Skill Specialization: With minds capable of unwavering focus, Humans may select one skill during character generation to receive a +10 bonus.

Species Limitations: None.

DP Cost: None