Rise of The Empire: Mini Six Campaign Setting

Woooo! Putting together a local Star Wars game. So to keep things simple and straight-forward, I am using AntiPaladin Games FREE Mini-Six RPG System. Its based on the old West-End Games D6 RPG, but is more streamlined and easy to use. You can download the game for free here, and the character sheet here.

The game setting will be an Outer Rim campaign set in the Rise of the Empire era, shortly after the fall of the Republic. The region will begin in the Tammuz Sector, near Hutt Space. So smugglers, pirates and assorted scum and drifters are common. 

Character Creation Guidelines
Characters may purchase the Sorcerer perk. Not all spells are available in the game universe, this will be further detailed in my next post.

Skill List

Might: Athletics, Brawling, Lift, Lightsaber, Melee, Stamina, Swimming

Agility: BFG, Dodge, Drive, Pilot, Pistol, Rifle, Stealth, Throwing

Wit: Computers/Androids, Cultures, Demolitions, Gunnery, Languages, History, Magic, Medicine, Navigation, Repair, Science, Search, Security, Star Systems, Tracking

Charm: Command, Courage, Diplomacy, Gambling, Seduce, Streetwise

Racial Perks
Humans and Near-Humans are the base racial type.

Two humans, two droids and two Tammuz-an.

Cyborg (2): A significant portion of a cyborgs body has been replaced with artificial components. They require half the sustenance others need and can override electronic pain receptors. They suffer 1D less wound penalties than others when injured to Wounded or worse. However the TN of all healing rolls is increased by +5. Certain esoteric perks can be explained as additional implants, such as X-Ray Vision, Energy Blast, and Flight (see page 5 of the Mini-Six Rulebook).

Droid (4): Droids are the robotic servitors and soldiers of the Galaxy. They don’t eat, breathe, or sleep. They can have your memory wiped, and they don’t heal but can be repaired. As long as a droid characters memory core survives they may be rebuilt if destroyed. Certain esoteric perks can be explained as additional droid components, such as X-Ray Vision, Energy Blast, and Flight (see page 5 of the Mini-Six Rulebook). Droids cannot take the Sorcerer Perk, or use Force imbues items.

Duros (1): The Duros are a humanoid species native to the planet Duro who are among the galaxy's first space faring civilizations. Duros have smooth blue-green skin, red eyes, lipless mouths, long thin noseless faces and green blood. They can raise their Agility and Wits to 4D, but may only raise their Might to 2D. Duros gain a +2 to the Drive and Pilot skills.

Jawa (1): Jawa are a short species of scavengers who wear robes and like to tinker with gadgets others consider to be garbage. Jawas can raise their Agility and Wits to 4D, but their Might scores are limited to 2D. All Jawa must take the Small Complication. Also, Jawa characters receive +2 to the Pick Locks and Repair skills. 

Ret (2): The Ret are sapient reptilians, indigenous to Gelefil. They had heavy-lidded eyes and scales which changed colors with their emotions. They were also long-lived with the average lifespan of hundreds of years. Rets scaly skin grants a +1 Armor Value. They also have claw-tipped fingers which grant them +1 damage on unarmed attacks.

Tammuz-an (2): The Tammuz-an people are a tall, gaunt humanoid species native to the planet of the same name. They were divided into two races: the purple-skinned Tammuz-an of the Kingdom of Julpa, and the blue-skinned inhabitants of the Outer Territories. Tammuz-an can see in the dark, gain a +1 on Dodge. Their maximum Agility is 5D but their maximum Charm is only 3D.

Twi'lek (+2):  Twi'leks are an omnivorous humanoid species originating from the planet Ryloth. Their distinctive features included colorful skin, which varied in pigment from individual to individual, and a pair of shapely prehensile tentacles that grow from the base of their skulls. 

Twi'leks are a charismatic and sociable species, whose maximum Charm is 5D, but whose maximim Brawn  is 3D. All members of this species can see in the dark and have a +2 to  Diplomacy, Seduce and Streetwise.

Ugnaught (1): The Ugnaughts are porcine humanoids with slightly upturned noses from the planet Gentes. Compared to baseline humans, their height is considered short or dwarfed. Ugnaughts are industrious and loyal workers and also have a rich oral tradition. They are quite hardy, able to withstand long periods of discomfort, and live to around two hundred years of age. Ugnaughts can see in the dark, and receive +2 to repair or any other craft skill. An Ugnaughts maximum Might is 5D but their maximum Agility is 3D.

Wookiee (1): The Wookiees, whose name for themselves translated to the People of the Trees, were a species of tall, hairy humanoids that were inhabitants of the planet Kashyyyk. Wookiees have an intuitive understanding of spatial relationships that gives them a +2 bonus on Navigation, Search and Tracking. Their eyes also provide them with natural light amplification and filtering reducing all penalties for darkness by half. Wookies have a maximum Might of 5D but their maximum Wit is 3D and their maximum Agility is 3D+1.

General Perks

All of the General Perks on pages 4 and 5 of the Mini-Six Rulebook are available, plus the following:

Aristocrat (1): Your name has some weight on occasion. When attempting to gain access to a noble’s residence, avoiding arrest, or any other occasion where status is a factor you can try and draw on your family. Once per session you can double the result of any one Charm based roll when attempting to exploit your name.

Wealthy (1): Old money, industrialist, or benefactor of ill-gotten gains, however you did it, you have money. Far more than most. Each month the character receives a stipend of $80 (10 times the average income).

Complications

Vlix Oncard, Ret Enforcer

The complications listed on page 5 are fine. Plus the following options:

Bestial: You are a primitive being who is either from a animal-like alien species or a human from a Dark Planet. Wherever you are from your sight, sound and smell is more like that of an animal than a sentient creature. This must be roleplayed. You earn bonus CP any time this complicates your life. 

Cursed: You bear an unnatural mark visible only to mediums and otherworldly entities. It is a sign that you have a dark fate awaiting you. Once per session the GM can rule any single roll to resist or prevent a metaphysical eff ect automatically fails. When the GM takes advantage of this, you earn 1 bonus CP.

Hunted: All rebels are sought by the Empire, but some are more sought after than others. This is most often found among Jedi and other Force Users. The Empire has a standing bounty of 10,000 credits for information leading to the capture of any Jedi. Some Jedi have additional bounties attached to them. Hunted characters receive an additional CP when this becomes an active issue in the adventure.

Jedi Knight: This complication is only available to characters with the Sorcerer Perk. You can’t harm anyone with your magic. Ever. Earn 1 bonus CP every session. 

Large Debt: You owe someone a lot. Maybe one of your deals went bad, maybe you borrowed

to buy that ship you always wanted. No matter how it came about you are in debt. Most of your spare money is going to go to pay this off and whoever you owe will likely call on you from time to time to perform extra favors for them as a “friendly” form of interest. Gain 1 CP for any adventure where your debtor gets involved in your business.

Not Pretty Cunning: The character is uncouth and or unattractive. Choose one Charm skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Charm skill rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.
No Book Learning: The character didn’t benefit from a Republic education. Choose one Wit skill that the character can use without penalty. Increase the difficulty of all other Wit skill rolls by +5. Earn one bonus CP each session.

Sith: This complication is only available to characters with the Sorcerer Perk. The character has allied himself with the Dark Side of The Force. This tends to impress all the wrong people. You earn bonus CP any time this complicates your life. 

Small: This is a Racial Complication. Player Characters gain this only if it goes with the race, or is a Small Near Human. Small characters receive a -5 penalty on all Might skill checks, Might based damage rolls, Block, and Parry. Th is penalty doesn’t apply to Stamina, healing, and resisting damage. Th is penalty doesnt apply when fighting a Small or Tiny creature. Earn 1 bonus CP each session.

Total Pacifist: This complication is frequently hard programmed into civilian androids to keep

them from turning on their masters.

Pangea: Music To Game By

Following are a few bands and songs that I think are excellent for setting the mood for a Pangea Campaign.


Future World Music - Voyage to Atlantis
Pretty much anything by Future World Music is excellent for fantasy RPG music and particularly for a campaign set in Pangea. Moody, melodramatic and full of that energating "pop" that brings the majesty of grand vistas to the hearts eye! I highly reccommend.

Audiomachine - Young Blood
This song and the majority of Paul Dinletirs Epica album is superb for gaming. This is a grittier and more "aggressive" sort of music, with a strong feel of light vs dark. Excellent for grim struggles and moments of hard choices in a game.

City Of The Fallen - Elohim
City of the Fallen is a production music company based in Washington DC. They produce music for movies and video games, and so all of their compositions are moody and excellent for action scenes. Though not as good for travelling music and longer sequences, these songs are excellent for fight scenes.

Savage Babes: Lana

Here we have the lovely Lana, played by Barbara Bach in the 1981 movie Caveman. The movie is a goofy romp through a prehistoric land chock full of prehistoric stop-motion dinosaurs and giant bugs. Oh, and Ringo Starr is in it too.

Pangea: Language and Class

The people of Pangea are as varied as the land itself. Customs, languages and the roles of individual lives are widely different as you traverse the world. Player characters all come from somewhere, and their origins and journey grants them differing understanding of their place in the world. So below are some notes on the languages customs and the role of the classes in Pangea.

Languages

Dakkati and Adamu hunters sometimes share territories.

"Language is to the mind more than light is to the eye." -William Gibson
Adamu (Common): This is the "common tongue" of Urantia. It is a language made up of bits and pieces of other tongues, as so it can be at least vaguely understood by man-kin races with 20% accuracy, even if they dont have the language as determined by intelligence.
Aquan (Water): The fluid language of water spirits, aquan is a very difficult language to learn.
Auran (Air): A language of long breaths and and sighs. Auran is the language of air elementals, and is a difficult language to learn.
Awani: The Awani language is mostly gestures and grunts, and can be confused with ape noises.
Celestial: The language of the Heavens and those who dwell there. Celestial is often used in Divine Magic of the Good variety and when turning undead. Evil outsiders are incapable of understanding Celestial.
Dakkati: The Dakkati language is simple, but full of symbolism and usually punctuated with whistles and body language. The Dakkato language lends itself well to song.
Draconic: The language of the Dragon Kingdoms and Old Lemuria. Much of the language of Arcane Magic used Draconic.
Giant: This ancient language, and the runes it uses shares a great deal with Northern Adamu and the Dakkati tongue.
Ignam (Fire): The language of fire elementals, Ignam is full of hissing and crackling. Those with knowledge in this tongue can attempt to summon elementals by speaking to an open flame with a 20% chance of success.
Infernal: The language of the hellish Lower Planes, Infernal is favored by evil spellcasters. Infernal involves a great deal of moaning and screaming, sounding more like the noises of those under torture or severely ill.
Kobold: Kobold is similar to Draconic, but far simpler. The overall effect sounds much like the yapping of small dogs.
Ruhin: The language of the Ruhin is full of whistles and hoots, and involves a great deal of hand gestures. Ruhin is thought to be excellent for telling jokes.
Sylvan (Plant): The language of plant spirits and fey. Sylvan is a meandering language that takes its time. There are no abbreviations in Sylvan.
Terran (Earth): This rough language sounds much like the clashing of stones, punctuated with deep rumbles. Only those with considerable phlegm, and deep chests may afftempt this language. Speaking to virgin stone with Terran has a 20% chance of summoning an earth elemental.
Troglodyte: Troglodyte language is very complicated, and has some commonality with both Draconic and Infernal. Hisses and growls as well as body language (using a tail) is a major part of this language.


Classes

Left to right: Fighter, Magic User,  Sorcerer, Cleric, Barbarian,  Scout.

Most of the classes in the Blood and Treasure Players Handbook are appropriate for use in Pangea. However, some notes about the classes are in order. As follows:

Cleric: True clerics are relatively new in Pangea, being either from The Church of Heaven or The Church of Night. These two types of cleric are on the "Good" or "Evil" variety, with no specialty priests as-of yet. The Church of Heaven is centered at Meru, The Holy City. but its clerics are spreading far and wide across Urantia, looking for converts.

Druid: Druids are the strongest adherants to the "old religion" of Pangea, that of reverence of the forces of creation and a host of elemental, fey, and other spirits of forest, rover, stone and sky. The Druids maintain sacred places, observatories and a wide number of sacred groves across the land. In communities under their leadership, Druids are the keepers of agricultural lore and advise the people as to how to hunt, when to plant and harvest and all of the other variables of rural life. Druids, Bards and Rangers are the only magic-users trusted by tribal peoples.

Fighter: The fighter class is the most widespread in Pangea, as fighting men and women are always in demand. From village warriors to the armies of petty lords and mercenaries, the fighters life is rarely dull.

Barbarian: Barbarians are the ultimate warrior to the wild tribes, embodying the savagery of the wild with many useful skills.

Duelist: The Duelist class is rare in Pangea. Those that do exist are usually from the city-state of Trigas, where fighting on the deck of ships favors agile use of weapons. Some wise fool traditions among the tribal peoples of Pangea, as well as fighting thieves amongst the thieves guilds sometimes give rise to Duelists.

Paladin: Paladins are relatively new in Pangea, with most of them coming from Meru. All Paladins are adherents to The Church of Heaven, and are opposed body and soul against The Church of Night.

Ranger: Rangers are well respected in Pangea, and along with the Druid and Bard are often the spiritual leaders of tribal communities.

Magic-User: Magic of the arcane sort is widely and rightfully feared in Pangea. Magic Users are the product of study and so are most often born of cities. Such mages must study ancient tomes written in inhuman languages and consult spirits for their lore. Most Magic Users are trained in Artelmis, Trigas or Nochs, but apprenticeships are also not unknown in more remote places.

Sorcerer: While magic users are feared, sorcerers are despised. Seen as the product of unnatural unions between demons and men, sorcerers are often suspected of being evil. Most sorcerers learn to hide their power, either pretending that their magic does not exist, or passing themselves off as holy men.

Thief/Scout: In the cities, thieves guilds rule the shadows, giving thief players ample opportunities for training and opportunity. Scouts are also widely in use in armies on the move and among tribal peoples as hunters and skilled trackers.

Assassin: Assassins are specialized killers for hire, and thus are creatures of the city. Those who sneak about to do their killing in the wilds are despised regardless of their skill. Most assassins are trained in Thieves Guilds amongst the city-states, but the most notorious Assassins come from the city-state of Nochs. The Awani adore the Assassin class, who see them as magicians of the best sort for their skill in poison and the quick kill.

Bard: The Bard is the most widely respected type of arcane spellcaster in Urantia, and is particularly loved among tribal peoples. Bardic training involves such a wide range of knowledge that experienced bards are seen as the equal to the greatest sages.

Monk: The training and discipline that gives rise to the Monks wondrous abilities hales from the distant lands of Mu. Monks are seen as priests by the majority, and are widely respected for their skills and prowess.