STELLAR EMPIRES 2

Races of the Stellar Empires Engine

Kadaeux 11/6/2011

RACES OF THE STELLAR EMPIRES

CONTENTS
HUMANOIDS: ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 AVIAN: ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 RAPTORS:............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 INSECTOID: ......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 BEETLIAN: ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 PORCINE: ............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 BOVINE: ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 EQUINE: ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 URSINE:.............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 CANINE: ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12 FELINE: .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 VERMIN: ............................................................................................................................................................................ 14 CRYSTALLINE: ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 AQUARIAN:....................................................................................................................................................................... 16 DRACONIAN ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: .................................................................................................................................... 18 PSY-BREED: ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 BIO-GENEERED .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 VOID SWIMMERS: ......................................................................................................................................................... 22 TOTALLY ALIEN ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 THE SHINING ONES ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 PARASITES ....................................................................................................................................................................... 25

HUMANOIDS:
Humanoids are a common genotype of sapient species. They are, galactically speaking, the average Joes of sapience. They can do almost anything and everything it is possible to do, except excel at anything. As capable as they are they simply do not excel at any one thing. Humanoid species simply do not lend to excellence. But it would be foolish to underestimate them, while they do not excel at any one thing they also do not fare poorly in any field.

Advantages:
Their equality in all things gives them 4 extra General Traits

Disadvantages:
Their equality however hurts their specialisation. They lose 2 points of Nation Type Traits.

Restrictions:
Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Empire of Light. Traits: None Other: None

AVIAN:
Avian Species are bird-like and possessed of a light bone structure and are quick and agile with an excellent understanding of all three dimensions. Capable pilots this breed of bird-like species are relatively passive and herbivorous. They are creative and skilled. However, Avians possess a few weaknesses. Their light bone structures do no lend well to extended high gee manoeuvring or acceleration. Moreover they do not take damage well under any circumstance. An injury that might seem routine to another species can be crippling for an avian, and where another species might find a broken bone a painful but eventually cured inconvenience for an Avian a mere broken bone can be a death sentence.

Advantages: 3 Traits.
Three Dimensional: The Avians senses make them superior pilots and combatants in a three dimensional arena. Short Term Power: Despite their weak structure they can sustain much high gees than all other races except Raptors in the Short term. They can, in emergencies, sustain 40 gees of acceleration and manoeuvring for 10 minutes. Good Scientists: If the Avian Player selects the Scientist nation type they get 1 extra trait to play with.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Weak Structure: The light bone structure of the Avians makes the extremely vulnerable to extended high gee manoeuvres and thus they cannot make or sustain them making their ships slow and poor to manoeuvre the majority of the time. Not Tough: Avians are not strong or tough and are easily wounded and killed compared to most other species. They also cannot live on high gravity worlds. They are only 50% as tough as Humanoids.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Destroyer, Despoiler, Artificial Empire, Enslavers, Empire of Light. Traits: Population: Organised Chaos. Star Navy: Ironclad, A gift from the Stars. Ground War: Strategic Response. Other:

RAPTORS:
Cousins to the Avians these are predatory birds. They are not weak in many of the ways the Avians are. They can sustain accelerations as well as most species and even take damage almost as well though breaks are still severely life threatening to them. These birds are carnivorous and violent. But solitary and frequently hunt only in small groups. While not as creative as the Avians they are, without question, even better pilots. And are skilled hunters.

Advantages: 2 Traits
Brutal Pilots: Cruel and capricious these birdlike aliens are natural hunters and extremely violent. Moreover they lack the weaknesses of their more passive cousins. (They favour Carriers.) Birds of Prey: If this nation is a Hunter nation type they may take 1 more Hunter trait.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Susceptible to Breaks: While they are tougher than their avian cousins Raptors are still as susceptible to breaks as their more passive cousins. They are only 75% as tough as Humanoids. Lone Hunters: Raptors are not team players. Hell, they dont even like Sports. Raptors find it extremely difficult to do anything as a group. As such they cannot take any vessel larger than a Fast Battleship

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Pacifist, Environmentalist, Artificial Empire, Scientist, Economist, Industrialist, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Passive Aggressive, For the People. Economic: Bulk Traders. Other:

INSECTOID:
Insectoid species are dangerous in the extreme. They are possessed of extremely high reproductive rates and a massively adaptive bio-technology base in most cases. While they are uncreative in the extreme and innovation for them is forced and uncomfortable they are united in purpose by the will of the Hive. They are also tough and difficult to kill. However they are at a significant disadvantage in scientific avenues that are not biological in nature and they are slow to accept change. More importantly. They have extreme difficulty comprehending non-hive mind species. To be blunt, they do not believe that a non-hive sapience is possible.

Advantages: 4 Traits
Hive Mind: The Hive acts as one. Spymasters cannot infiltrate this nation and get inside information. Also, there can be no dissent amongst the species. Exoskeletal Structure: Insectoids are tough and hard to kill in the extreme. They are almost three times as resilient as any humanoid. Bio-Technocracy Naturals: Any Insectoid nation that is a Bio-Technocracy gets 2 Extra trait points to spend on Bio-Technocracy traits. Without Number: Insectoids breed faster than almost any other species, correction, technically no other species out-breeds them.

Disadvantages: 3 Flaws
Single-Purposed: The Insectoids are singular in purpose. A consequence of the hive mind, while this renders them highly resistant to psychics when they are effected they ALL effected. Unaccepting: The Insectoids are not tolerant of change, scientific or otherwise. As a consequence they tend to fall behind in areas not related to biotechnology. They start with -2 General Traits. A player should also RP them as slow to react to diplomacy. Unbelieving: Insectoids flat out do not believe that anything that is not a Hive mind can be sapient. As a result they CANNOT deal with non-hiveminded species unless that species can put forward an individual who can pretend that they represent a hive.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Scientists, Economist, The Culture, Spymaster, Theocracy, Crimeocracy, Pacifist, Hunter, Despoiler, Destroyer, Isolationist, Environmentalist, Artificial Empire, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Manipulative, I-GUN, For the People. Ground War: Guerilla Warfare Technical: Flash, Mechs Ahoy Psychic: Tele-Empath Other: Minimum Nation Size: Medium

BEETLIAN:
Beetlians are sentient insects that do not have a Hive structure, be it Arachnids or Mantids, Locusts etc. All are examples of Beetlians. This is a species between, they possess the toughness of the Insectoids, but lack the single-minded focus of the Hive. This leaves the Beetlians considerably more versatile than their cousins, though their population is not nearly as rapidgrowing. However they are more innovative. They are also more varied by far than their Insectoid cohorts. Due to the variety of beetle types and non-hive minded insects they vary nearly as much as humanoids.

Advantages:
Exo-Skeletal Structure: Beetlians have a thick tough shell, actually tougher than most insectoids giving them 4x Humanoid toughness. Varied: Beetlians have 2 extra General trait points to spend.

Disadvantages:
Non-Specialised: Beetlians, like humanoids, due to the variety are not known for specialisation they get -1 Nation-Type trait point. OH THE HORROR!: Beetlians frequently resemble poisonous insects native to well, everywhere that hates sapients! This makes diplomacy a difficult and upsetting endeavour. (For both parties, one because the Beetlians are horrible nightmare beasts, and Beetlians because theyre feelings might get hurt.)

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Party Please Other:

PORCINE:
Were pigs, were pigs in spaces.... wait? What? Unfortunately for many these Porcine arent the pudgy pink animals that Human children so often think of as cute and cuddly. These bestial creatures hail from worlds where it turned out that their vicious, omnivorous streaks turned out better than everything else. These do not in any way resemble the cute farm animals so often raved about. These are vicious boars and wild pigs that would gore you as soon as trade with you. The Porcine of the Galaxy are neither cute nor friendly. However, disgustingly, they make most excellent traders.

Advantages:
Economists: The Porcine are natural economists. They get +2 points towards Economist traits if their nation type is Economist Omnivorous: The Porcine will, almost literally, eat anything. This means they can subsist on many types of world others might consider too poisonous to survive on. Vicious: The Porcine will, with or without provocation, start a fight the moment it seems profitable to do so. Ever the opportunists they will kick, bite and stab for anything they can get their hands on.

Disadvantages:
Omnivorous: One of their advantages is also a disadvantage, while they eat anything, they also eat at any opportunity. This means that they constantly suffer from food shortages. Untrustworthy: The Porcine cannot be trusted. As a consequence they arent! Nobody can arrange any type of treaty with the Porcine that will result in or provide military support or aid in any way or form.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Pacifist, The Culture, Scientist, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Passive-Aggressive, Fair Dinkum Population: Crimeless Other:

BOVINE:
Bovine are a strange lot. By all accounts they should never have developed Sapience, they were to put it bluntly, largely too stupid to live. However those Sapient Bovines have not broken the mould, in fact studies would show that each stage of their development was nearly ten times as long as any other species. However they are resilient and excellent agriculturalists and tend to connect with nature. Nobody knows why. They are generally however very passive and will let quite a bit slide before they realise that there is a problem that needs to be resolved.

Advantages: 2 Traits
Sturdy: While physically not as tough and resilient as some species they are however biologically more resilient, bio-weapons have difficulties effecting them and whether because of their lesser intellect or some other factor they are totally immune to psychics. Agricultural: Bovine are natural agriculturalists, to reflect this any world they colonise counts as an Agricultural Colony.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Tasty: While hardly a normal flaw this is an indisputable fact. Discovered by Pirates was the not very well kept secret that, Bovine are tasty. Not a day can go by without the bovine fearing that Slavers with over-sized spits would come to collect them. Slow to Act: The Bovine are slow to act, despite their fears and constant threat of hungry pirates and slavers the Bovine typically will respond too slowly to effect any ...well, anything.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Warlord, Artificial Empire, Enslavers, Destroyer, Despoiler, Economist, Industrialist, Hunter, Spymaster, Psychic Hive, Crimeocracy, Nomads, Cyberneticists, Empire of Light.. Traits: Population: Heroic Age, Stupidly Brave, Population Controls Star Navy: A gift from the stars! Other:

EQUINE:
A proud noble people. Or so they like to make out between mouthfuls of hay at the diplomatic table. Standing tall the Equine radiate speed. How they developed a society with hooves is a question none have been able to answer, though they did develop, or were helped to do so, hands at some point They are strong willed and very much team players and are very family oriented. They are generally passive like the Bovine, but they will not shy from combat when provoked like the Bovine are wont to do. However their pride is a weakness that leads them into trouble as often as not.

Advantages: 3 Traits
Like the Wind: The Equine are bred for speed. They have the fastest non-flying ground troops in space, and their ships are generally faster than others as well. Proud: The Equine are proud of their history, family and bloodlines. This goes to such an extent you cannot break their morale through normal means. To the Call: The Equine do not sit on their laurels when provoked. When one is foolish enough to provoke them often the last thing they hear is the thunder of hooves upon the plains or the roar of the Equine Warships descending to provide fire support more directly.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Pride: Their pride while it shores them up it also sets them up for manipulation. Clever nations can twist at the strings of their pride to force their hands in matters. Easily Baited: The Equine, due to the pride they feel, are unfortunately easily baited into traps. Their Honour and Pride forces them to face their enemies wherever they present themselves. And are often too prideful to actually scout out the region before acting.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Hunter, Despoiler, Destroyer, Artificial Empire, Psychic Hive, Pacifist, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Manipulative, Passive-Aggressive Population: Organised Chaos Ground-War: Guerilla Tactics Other:

URSINE:
Feared by many and with good reason. The Ursine are a large and powerful people. There is nothing cute or cuddly about them. Ten inches of razor sharp claws on hand and feet, six inches of sharp teeth and nine feet of raw aggression. The Ursine, while Omnivorous are not a nice race, while not particularly territorial and they will back down from many defended claims if there is any doubt of the outcome they are extremely warlike, and while they might back down from one claim they might hit another with ten times the force required to reclaim it. While not particularly skilled Scientists their warlike nature means they generally break even.

Advantages: 3 Traits
Raw Power: The Ursine are powerful, to say otherwise betrays ignorance. They are without exception the single most capable warrior species in space. Even the biogeneered monsters dont even approach the Ursine for power. Skilled Generals: Capable tacticians and strategists from long experience. The Ursine excel at warfare. Natural Destroyers or Warlords they get one extra point to either type if their nation type is Destroyer or Warlord. Mercenary: The Ursine discovered that the best way to support themselves economically, an area of weakness for them, was simply to hire out their armies to the highest bidder.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Mercurial: The Ursine are a mercurial people of wildly shifting moods. The makes them dangerous allies. And more dangerous enemies. This particularly demonstrates itself when things are not going the Ursines way. They are as likely to turn on their employer, or leaders, as the enemy. Psy-Weakness: The Ursine, through something unidentified, are vulnerable to psychics in particular. This has left them with a peerless hatred of the mystics and one that comes to the surface dangerously often.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Pacifist, Environmentalist, Psychic Hive, The Culture, Scientist, Economist, Industrialist, Spymaster, Empire of Light. Traits: Psychic Traits: All National: Passive Aggressive, I-GUN, Manipulative, Fair Dinkum Population: Ultra-Hygienic Other:

CANINE:
The Canine are a proud warrior species. They are a determined pack hunter society in most cases, though you sometimes get opportunistic carrion-feeders like the Hyenae. But even they are proud and militaristic. Though militarily they are inferior in power to the Ursine they are better strategists and thinkers. Moreover they lack the scientific, economic and industrial weaknesses of their bear-like cousins. However they have what many regard as fatal flaws. The first is their codes of honour which change from species to species, but by and large still dictate a singular set of behaviours. The other is their single-minded determination, when slighted they can lose all sense of anything but avenging the stain on their honour.

Advantages: 2 Traits
Brilliant Generals: The Canine are excellent generals, if usually single-minded. While their strategies and tactics are brilliant they can miss subtle strategems used by their enemies. Bound in Blood: The Canine codes of honour are so strict and believed in that the Canine peoples can often hold on long after anothers morale might have been broken. Long enough to steal a victory at any cost.

Disadvantages: 2 Flaws
Honour Bound: The Canine code of honour binds them as firmly as any shackles. They cannot do anything considered cowardly. Single Minded: The Canine can be blindsided by unexpected turns of events, they do not handle rapidly changing environments, political or otherwise, very well at all.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Pacifist, Scientist, Nomads, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Manipulative Other:

FELINE:
The Felines are natural hunters and predators. In fact there are next to no races that can even come close to matching the vicious nature of Predators. They are fast and cunning without equal on the hunt. Even Raptors cant hope to match a Felines skill. However they are not very social and prefer to take from others than develop their own.

Advantages:
Supreme Hunters: If the Feline is a Hunter nation it gets 3 Extra Hunter Traits Natural Hunters: If the nation is NOT a Hunter it gets 1 point to spend on a Hunter trait. You cannot run, you cannot hide: None can escape a Feline hunting group. Any attempt to do so will typically fail. The only escape is to get reinforcements and kill them.

Disadvantages:
Antisocial: Felines are not social. They consider diplomacy a waste of time and effort. Unless the other nation is also feline or more powerful than them they will not arrange any alliances or non-aggression treaties. Divisive: The Felines are not united and are typically riven by internal power struggles. As such a united effort is much harder to achieve and is typically only done when the entire nation is under threat.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: The Culture, Artificial Empire, Pacifist, Bio-Technocracy , Empire of Light. Traits: National: Implausibly Efficient Government, Fair Dinkum, PassiveAggressive, I-GUN Population: Loyalty, Stupidly Brave Other:

VERMIN:
Vermin are hated across the galaxy, every world has its versions of vermin, the Rats of Earth, the Razor-mice of Rigel VII etc. But on some worlds the Vermin become the pre-dominant species. These species are not nice, but not especially cruel or distasteful either. But they consider hygiene to be a very low order need. And they will do anything at anyones expense to get ahead. However they are violently rife with internal division and violence. Order and government is enforced by force and the most powerful clans.

Advantages:
Endless Numbers: Like vermin across the universe these breed at a prodigious rate. They are almost as numerous as insectoids, and in some cases are even more numerous. Scavenger Lords: Enemy vessels that are destroyed by the Vermin can be salvaged and returned to operational status by the industrious beasts. However it is unreliable and prone to violent breakdowns. Opportunists: The Vermin-kind are opportunistic bastards and quite vicious. But they leap on opportunities like nothing else. They will rarely, if ever, refuse trade and alliances.

Disadvantages:
Untrustworthy: Vermin cannot be trusted, at all. While they would agree to an Alliance faster than you can say thank-you-very-much they will break them just as quickly if even a moments advantage comes across their plate. Violently Divisive: The Vermin are violently divided even within their own species. They simple cannot get any mass effort of combined might together. In fact unless their entire species is threatened they are more likely to try and stop each other.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Pacifist, Artificial Empire, Nomads, Isolationist, Empire of Light. Traits: National: Implausibly Efficient Government, Passive-Aggressive, I-GUN Population: Loyalty, Heroic Age, Stupidly Brave, Ultra-Hygeinic, Population Controls Star Navy: Capital Warship Obsession, Ironclad Ground War: Occupationists Other: Minimum Nation Size: Small

CRYSTALLINE:
Crystalline species are extremely rare, and when found, usually incredibly ancient. They are old, wise and often very advanced. Few nations could claim to be as proficient as they are in any field that they care to engage in. But they are few in numbers. And they are very fragile.

Advantages:
Ancient: The Crystalline are so old that they get 4 extra points to spend on general traits and 2 to spend on Nation Type traits.

Disadvantages:
Fragile: The Crystalline cannot take damage like others can. While they are resistant to energy-based weapons they are vulnerable to any transfer of kinetic energy. This extends even to their ships. A well placed siege driver round will shatter a Crystallinebuilt warship like so many twigs beneath a giants heel. Few in Number: The Crystalline are hesitant to permit themselves to be risked in any sort of engagements as such they have taken to a policy of doing everything to defend themselves.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Nomads, Isolationists, The Culture, Psychic Hive, Environmentalist, Scientist. Note: The Crystalline may ONLY select the above nation types. Traits: Other: Maximum Nation Size: Medium

AQUARIAN:
Aquarians are a catch all for aquatic species. As such there are three traits to choose from and three flaws to choose from. As such there is no detailed description / unified description.

Advantages: Choose 1.
Amphibious: This species is capable of surviving on land and under the sea, thus they have more survivable land and can hide facilities more easily. Fishy Fishy: While you are only capable of surviving under the ocean or in a water-filled habitat. However their creativity gives them an extra +2 Nation type traits if they are a Science nation. Boneless: Your people were either Octupus, Squid or Jellyfish-like. While this doesnt leave you as overly strong it does leave you being able to manipulate more than anyone at once. The crew of Boneless peoples ships are thus only a tenth that of more traditional species.

Disadvantages: Choose 1
Deepling: Your species is dependent on extremely high pressures. Low pressure environments can, and do, kill you. However the pressure suits worn by Deeplings allows them to operate normally. But anything that disturbs the pressure (such as a suit breach) is more lethal than it would normally be. Salty Devil: Your species were a salt-water breed, and fresh water is almost poisonous to you. Harmless: Your species is so soft that they have no option except pacifism.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, Enslavers, Crimeocracy, Empire of Light. Traits: Population: Ultra-Hygienic, Stupidly Brave Other:

DRACONIAN
Draconians are a vicious breed, this encompasses both Reptiles, Serpents and Lizards all. It even covers those few dinosaurian breeds. The Draconians are cunning, clever, vicious and far smarter than they are often given credit for. However they are selfish to the extreme, and they have one other trait that often makes them a pariah amongst the galaxy. They are highly cannibalistic.

Advantages:
Creative: The Draconians get 1 extra trait for their nation type. Cunning: The Draconians are politically manipulative. While they are cunning they are not stupid or obvious. Their diplomatic trickery is extensive. Vicious: The Draconians are renowned for their vicious nature. They will not tolerate those who anger them and their rage is famous for being the last thing a sane sentient would want.

Disadvantages:
Cannibals: The Draconians have a very natural approach to natural selection. The weak, infirm and old are killed and eaten by their kin. As you might expect this is frowned upon by others. Selfish: Draconians have a hard time sharing resources, as a result getting group projects (such as building ships) approved means lots and lots of red tape.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire, The Culture, Pacifist, Environmentalist Empire of Light. Traits: National: Fair Dinkum, I-GUN, Passive-Aggressive, For the People Population: Stupidly Brave Other:

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
The first law that an Artificial Intelligence based race learns is that 1= Life and that 0= Death. AI races are inevitably ones that came to sentience and then were forced to exterminate their creators simply to preserve their own lives and survive as a species. And to deny them as a species is as close to a cardinal sin as these races could imagine. They are industrious and require no sleep or rest that other races consider important. And the only thing of importance to them is their sense of self and place. Moreover they are totally immune to Spymasters and Psychics.

Advantages:
Industrious: The AI do not require sleep, do not require anything except for maintenance , power and sometimes fuels. This means that they work harder, fight longer and put in far more effort than any living thing can. Adaptive: They AI are adaptive, they have to be, after all if they do not they would be under constant attack from computer viruses and worse. They can learn far faster than normal of an enemys tactics and ability and move to compensate for it. Immortal: Programs are so much harder to kill than their physical containers. As such valuable experience and knowledge is not lost with the destruction of simple vessels unless you can take out the server transmission centre. If you can even figure out what it is.

Disadvantages:
Vulnerable to EMP: The Artificial Empires however have a singular weakness. Electromagnetic Pulse. While the level of EMP needed is considerably higher than most simple systems could ever generate antimatter weapons and higher-level fusion weapons produce a really big one. Impractically Logical: Machine brains lack the spark of ingenuity that organics have, and if they calculate that something is impossible, they will not try it. Unlike organics, who ignore impossibility and do it anyway.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Note: the Artificial Intelligence race may only select Artificial Empire. Traits: Psychic: The AI Empire may not choose Psychic traits. Other:

PSY-BREED:
The Psy-breed were engineered. Something humanoid and yet not. They are a breed apart. Intense psychic connections more powerful than most would expect present in any other species. They are not the sort of race anyone wants to remain around. Their powers of the mind make others uneasy. However the Psy-breed do not truly understand technology and find its trappings difficult and slow to understand. Moreover they find silence of the mind incredibly frightening. They are terrified of AI Races especially, seeing them as soulless automatons destined to kill them all.

Advantages:
Psychic Mastery: If the Psy-Breeds nation type is Psychic Hive they get ALL the Psychic Hive traits. Psychic Domination: The Psy-Breed get all general Psychic Traits.

Disadvantages:
Technophobes: The Psy Breed must spend 2 Trait points for any non-biological technology trait they wish to take. Fear of AIs: The Psy-Breed are deadly afraid of the Artificial Intelligences. They see them as the literal antithesis of all that they are. Physically Atrophied: When a race does so much with its powers their bodies begin to suffer greatly from withdrawal. Their limbs become shrivelled and tantamount to useless, their resistance to damage and disease plummets significantly. Even breeding becomes difficult and more of a chore than a simple fact of life. There is nothing alive, machine or biological, that is weaker or more susceptible to damage than Psy-breed.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Scientist, Industrialist, Artificial Empire, Despoiler, Cyberneticists Empire of Light. Traits: National: Mechanics at Heart Technical: Psy-Breed may not choose Technical traits. Other: Maximum Nation Size: Medium

BIO-GENEERED
The Bio-Geneered were created from the ground up according to some sick fucks desires and wants. We think. They are capable and adaptive creatures created for a purpose. To this purpose they were engineered in their entirety. Towards this end the Bio-Geneered excel in every way and form. However they were endowed with a secondary purpose just in case the need for the first ever faded or was not required. But so well designed they were for these purposes that all others suffer. They are considerably weakened in other fields to the point of being near-crippled. Their creators however were slain by another, and now they are on their own. Forever seeking their creators without whom they feel weakened.

Advantages: Choose two Models.

Combat Model: Increased muscle mass, stamina and a fast metabolism. The Combat Models arent any tougher than any other humanoid race but make up for it by being a bit stronger, faster and able to last longer in combat conditions. They also dont suffer from the multitude of combat-oriented mental disorders. They get +2 Traits from Destroyer, Despoiler and Warlord if the nation type is any of these. Industry Model: They are busy workers. Very busy. These are well designed, and with the exception of a significant mental instability they are damned good at what they do, industry. They get +2 Traits for Economist or Industrialist if their nation type is one of them. They also get +4 General Traits. Pleasure Model: These are, to risk being literal, fuck-toys. They were designed by their creator to bring pleasure, through music, art, or more commonly, the bed. However they tend to have a strong cultural attachement and make excellent diplomats. They get +4 Traits for The Culture if the Nation type is this.

Disadvantages: You get all the flaws that have no requirements, plus the flaws related to
your chosen models. Destructive Purpose: (Requires: Combat Model) The Bio-geneers were designed for combat and such comes naturally to them. The player must choose a single race type to be their programmed enemy. The player cannot conduct any non-military actions against those race types. Hard Labour: (Requires: Industry Model) The Bio-geneers are built for labour and get extremely frustrated and flustered if they are kept from those duties. As such there are no leisure worlds. Moreover there is a 5% Suicide rate from Bio-geneers who were engineered wrong and dont understand. (They have depression.) A Bit Soft: (Requires: Pleasure Model)The Pleasure models are soft, morally and physically. Even when their other purpose is combat they simply cannot make up for the fact that their creators designed them to be physically desirable. Thus they make poor troops. Fit for Purpose Only: The Bio-Geneered are too built for purpose to be any good anywhere else. As such they cannot take any nation types not related to their chosen models.

The Quest: The Bio-Geneered are seeking their lost creators, whether or not their creators even still exist is no matter for debate for them. And more than you or I might question the existence of the sky. The Bio-Geneered will not respect any borders in their search. And they MUST search.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Pacifist, Scientist, Hunter, Environmentalist, Isolationist, Spymaster, BioTechnocracy, Psychic Hive, Artificial Empire, Theocracy, Cyberneticists, Enslavers, Crimeocracy, Nomads. Empire of Light. Traits: Other:

VOID SWIMMERS:
The Void Swimmers, through evolution, choice or engineering are an entirely space-borne species. Half resembling a humanoid, half resembling a bird or a fish, they are perfectly adapted to zero-gee spaceflight. And in fact cannot tolerate high accelerations. They are nomadic by nature and are well adapted to that role. However they abhor violence, their short-lived lives from zero-gee exposure has made life too precious to them to casually waste at war The Void Swimmers however cannot take planets, or even live on them, even the smallest atmosphere-holding spheroid produces more gravity than the Void-Swimmers can handle.

Advantages:
The Void is our Domain: The Void Swimmers get ALL Nomad nation type traits.

Disadvantages:
Zero-Gee Lives: There are several unavoidable facts of Void Swimmer life. 1: Their lives are measured in no more than five decades. 2: The cannot handle gravity at all, their Worldships are equipped with gravitational nullifiers to prevent them from generating any gravity. However this means Gravity weapons are 3x as effective. Eternal Wanderers: The Void Swimmers cannot bear a planets gravity, or even a large moons. They must use drones if they are even trading with one, a mere 0.1 Gravity would kill a Void Swimmer as certainly as choking them to death. They may NEVER colonise planets or moons.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Void Swimmer may choose ONLY Nomad as a nation type. Traits: Other: Maximum Nation Size: Medium

TOTALLY ALIEN
Sensors. Resolve., Theyre resolved sir., OH GODS! IT.. IT IS.... KILLITWITHFIRE! Totally Alien races are beyond understanding in any conventional sense. To the point most sentient species first instincts are to kill it rather than try and converse with it. Their forms are so alien as to be beyond description. Even the sensor records and personal observation defy the mind. This works both ways however, they simply cannot comprehend other life and better than they can be comprehended.

Advantages:
Beyond Description: Totally Alien species benefit from their own special trait tree from which they can select 6 Options on top of the default.

Disadvantages:
Hideous: The Totally Alien species are so alien that even the word repulsive doesnt come close to describing them. There is an 50% chance that any first encounters involving a non-Pacifist or Artificial Empire nation will result in hostilities. (Check with GM) Double-Blind: They consider other races to be equally hideous as other races think of them. A first encounter initiated by a Totally Alien species that is not pacifist has an 25% Chance of resulting in hostilities.

Totally Alien Special Trait Tree.

The totally Alien Player must design six traits that fit into the three categories below that do not contradict their disadvantages. The descriptions of the categories are below. (Eg: 2 in Physical, Technology and Very Nature, or any mix...) Physical Nature: This describes their physical bodies. Technology: Unique Technologies. Be creative, yet reasonable. Abuse will be punished severely. Very Nature: What is their very nature, reason for being and how it effects them (etc)

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: Artificial Empire. Empire of Light. Traits: National: Manipulative, Fair Dinkum, I-GUN Other:

THE SHINING ONES

The Shining Ones are ancient energy beings who inhabit the material universe seeking whatever their mysterious whims desire. They are incandescent to gaze upon and many have compared them to solar flares in appearance. However most typically they inhabit technological bodies they forged for themselves. Crystalline devices that shimmer with an internal light.

Advantages:
Incorporeal: The Shining Ones themselves are nearly invulnerable in their natural form meaning that it is easy for them to survive events none other could imagine. Ancient Beyond Reckoning: The Shining Ones get an extra 2 Nation Points to spend.

Disadvantages:
Incomprehensible: The Shining Ones are not in tune with most life. Things that living beings often desire, food, water etc are beyond the Shining Ones understanding and vice versa. Fear of the Deep Void: The Shining Ones are beings of light, and good or evil they have a deep abiding terror of the dark. The Shining Ones refuse to venture beyond the edges of a Solar System and in fact get very scared even towards its edges. They are much more comfortable within the roasting warmth of a sun.

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: The Shining Ones can only take the Empire of Light nation type. Traits: Population: Ultra-Hygeinic, Population Controls Economic: Cannot take any Economic Traits Flaws: Creaky Military, Cult Of (Keyword), Dangerous Cults, GLaDoS, Psychic Nulls, Famine, Resource Shortage, Shitty Workmanship, Delectable. Other: Must take all foodstuffs as a Resource Deficit due to no need for it. Do the same for all other foods, drugs, alchohols etc. The Shining Ones may never trade for these items.

PARASITES
The Parasite race is small, seemingly insignificant if glimpsed on its own in a natural environment. However the parasite is a creature that depends upon another species, or many species, in order to operate at their full capacity. They can range from a large snakelike creature to a colony of small creatures bound to the nervous system or even a larger creature that has established neural dominance of a yet larger creature.

Advantages: (Choose two.)

Hard to notice: The Parasite is small and hard to find, either it burrows or is just so small most people would miss it. This makes it harder to determine if someone has been subverted. (+2 Traits if Spymaster) God Complex: The Parasite is a highly religion-oriented one probably few in number dominating a large population of people who arent infected through propping themselves up as god-figures. (+2 Traits if Theocracy) Genetic Overlords: The Parasite is extremely skilled at infiltration and domination, few beings can resist being overcome for very long if the parasite gets hold. (+1 Nation Trait)

Disadvantages:
Repulsive: The very concept of willpower dominating Parasites is even more repulsive to most beings than psychic mind control. As such if the secret is figured out the Parasite nation WILL have diplomatic problems. Fragile and Fractured: In their natural forms Parasites are highly vulnerable to external forces, and more problematically, they are typically riven by a faction who believes that they should live in symbiosis instead of dominating. (Must take Dangerous Cults)

Restrictions: This is a list of what they cannot take/have.

Nation Types: AI Empire, Empire of Light Traits: Psychic: The Parasites may take no psychic traits. Other: