Atomic Age: Spacebulk Tramp Freighter

“The sky is the limit only for those who aren't afraid to fly!” -Bob Bello
Value: 16,000
Fuel: 50
Size: G
Crew: 8-12
Cargo: 50
Hull: 500
Pilot: +10
Speed: 1,000
Standard Outfits: Grappling Cable, Laser Cannon, Tow Cable

Tramp Freighters are surplus supply ships of the Voltamen War repurposed for civilian use. These vessels were built to last and so are ideal for trade, exploration and salvage purposes. Like most vessels of their era, the Spacebulk Tramp Freighter is laid out muck like a skyscraper with each deck stacked in a manner to use the ships thrust to simulate gravity. With the invention of artificial gravity generators, such designs are no longer necessary, marking these vessels as being of an earlier age. Still, Tramp Freighters are some of the most often seen, smaller Starships in the space lanes.


Roboticon Service Mech

Condition: 200
Protection: 7
Hit: 4 (+6)
Attacks: 2 Claws or 1 built-in plasma torch
Damage: 2d6 claw / 2d6 claw or 1d12 plasma torch
Speed: 60', Fly 120' (in light gravity)
Stage: Advanced
Size: 20'
Defenses: E:10/R:15
Found In: Industrial zones
Level: 12
Software: I in Mechanics Skill
Salvage: 45%
Value: 5,900xm

These robots are produced by the Roboticon Interplanetary Corporation, and were standard issue during the latter days of the war. Now they are found primarily on colony worlds and in Tramp Freighters. As well as being powerful robot laborers, these robots can carry one or two pilots (who gain a +10 to pilot), and can carry 3 tons of cargo. They allow for some mobility in space, and supply life support for one week of continual use.


This article and the Atomic Age setting is using the Space Ryft RPG rules. It is an "old-School" style rpg that is fairly rules light and rather deadly. 

Brain-Lords of Cymradia

Stamina: 40
Protection: 2
Hit: 9 (+1)
Attacks: 1 Laser Pistol
Damage: 2d6
Speed: 60'
Stage: Advanced
Size: 4’ tall
Defenses: E:7/M:10/R:8/S:8/T:7
Level: 4
"If you find our methods ruthless, it is because our needs are desperate!" 
The planet Cymradia is ruled by the Cymradian Brain-Lords. They are highly intelligent and technologically advanced humanoids standing around 4 feet tall, with massive heads. However, they are a dying race, looking for new bodies. They initiated Project: Survival in which they have been abducting and tested various humanoid species from throughout the galaxy, in search of the most durable and compatible bodies to serve as hosts to their minds. They have succeeded in both transferring their heads onto larger humanoid bodies, and transplanting their brains into humanoid skulls.
In addition to their advanced biological technology, the Brain Lords possessed ships capable of nearly instant intergalactic travel, tractor beams, teleportation devices, powerful ray guns, and equipment capable of monitoring all of their subjects vitals from interstellar distances.
Brain Lords never fail a Medicine or Science test, always succeeding in any attempt to understand and use even unfamiliar technology or treat unknown medical subjects. This mastery has allowed them to create marvels of science and genetics including (but not limited to) Synthopoids. Furthermore all Brain Lords are powerful psychics, able to hear the thoughts of others when the Brain Lord concentrates on them. The target needs to make a defense test for mind or risk being probed. This power also allows the Brain Lord to speak any language.

Uses in Atomic Age
Brain Lords make for excellent foes. However they need not by merely cackling villains. These villains make excellent merchants, arms dealers and purchasers of rare materials. The Brain Lords interest in test subjects and strange life-forms make them excellent benefactors and business contacts for clever (and morally suspect) adventurers.
In the Atomic Age setting, the Brain Lords are a minor nuisance. During the war with the Voltamen the Brain Lords acted as arms dealers, and even now are known primarily through criminal organizations. Politically, the Brain Lords have absolutely no interest in joining the United Planets, preferring to remain an outlaw species.


Synthopoids

Stamina: 110
Protection: 8
Hit: 6 (+4)
Attacks: 2 Punch's or 1 weapon
Damage: 1d6+3 or weapon
Speed: 120'
Stage: Primitive
Size: 7’ tall
Defenses: E: 12/M:4/R: 9/S: 12/T: 12
Level: 10

The Brain Lords have built "Synthopoids" which are powerful creatures, standing about 7 feet tall, designed to perform physical labor. They are slaves to the telepathic signals of their creators having no real will of their own. The Brain Lords supply Synthopoids with whatever technological devices that they need to succeed in their efforts. Such devices typically include anti-gravity belts (treat as a jetpack but much smaller), invisibility drugs, and other marvels. Synthopoid skin is so tough that they have no need of clothing or footwear, and can even function in space without a suit as long as they have a supply of air.
The Brain Lords use Synthopoids as laborers, soldiers and all-around servants. Synthopoids have little sense of self, fearlessly obeying their masters without any real thought of self preservation.

Cymradia (Planet)

Cymradia is a planet covered with forests and swamps, and surrounded by purple mists in its atmosphere. It is home of Cymrad City, a massive technological marvel built by the Brain-Lords of Cymradia. They call it the "pearl of the cosmos." The planet is also home to tribes of the intelligent Arborotes, primitive humanoids with purple fur and prhensile tails, who live in the forests.
The forests and rivers of Cymradia are inhabited by many unusual species including pyro-spores (fiery worms) and large dinosaur like creatures, including the lizard-birds in the air and huge alligator and octopus-like creatures in the water. There are also huge insect-like creatures, including Spidrons, butterfly/moth-like creatures and giant dragonfly-like creatures.
Cymrad City is not known for its warmth or hospitality, but wealthy or otherwise useful visitors can find it a useful stop. The Brian Lords technology make it an appealing stop for those interested in advanced or black market technology. Also, the ecosystem of Cymradia is very appealing to botanists and big game hunters.

This article and the Atomic Age setting is using the Space Ryft RPG rules. It is an "old-School" style rpg that is fairly rules light and rather deadly. The Brain Lords, Synthopoids and the Planet of Cymradia first appeared in  Planet Comics #43 (July, 1946) and were featured in a story ark that continued for eleven more issues. 

Alien Race: Blyntzyns

The Blyntzyns are a race of diminutive would-be conquerors that ran afoul of the Voltamen shortly after Earth, though they avoided being conquered only through luck and the Voltamens preoccupation with the rebellion on Earth. Now they are valued members of The United Planets, finding the cutthroat world of business and especially industry more to their liking than direct warfare.

The Blyntzyn homeworld is mineral and energy rich, allowing the Blyntzyns to construct a potent fleet of ships and robots. Due to earlier disasters in their home system, the Blyntzyn System is very poor in plant and animal life, making biomass of any kind highly valued.

Blyntzyns are very small by human standards, standing roughly two feet in height. They have a "goblin-like appearance, including huge pointed ears and horns. Though small and not very strong, they are brilliant technologists, and are highly resistant to toxins due to their highly (even overly) industrialized homeworld. 

Robotics is very important to the Blyntzyns, as they build a wide arrangement of highly advanced robots to run their industry, fight their wars, and explore the universe for them. In the United Planets, Blyntzyn-built robots are a regular sight in dangerous industrial zones, and are employed in the United Planets Navy as shock troops, pilots and robotic weapons platforms. 

Representative Names: Shlep and Blep.

First Appearance:  Amazing Adventures (July, 1951)

Blyntzyns are veritable wizards at building robots, gaining a +10 bonus at Robotics skill rolls. They also have the following characteristics:

+1 Intellect

-1 Strength

+1 Toxins

-1 Endurance

Space Ryft Campaign!

Woooo! Looks like I am starting up a sci-Fi campaign with my local group. The system we are using for this campaign is Space Ryft by the clever and innovative Wizardawn. Its a fairly "rules light" system with just enough crunch for some min-maxing (which is near and dear to all true table-top RPG aficionados). It reminds me somewhat of the old Buck Rogers XXVC Role-Playing Game, as skills are very important, and the deadliness of the weapons.
The basic setting of Space Ryft is in the 45th century. Earth has been devastated by an unspecified tragedy resulting in the Post-Apocalyptic Broken Urth RPG. Venus has been terraformed into a New Earth, and Mankind has discovered Ryfts in spacetime that allow vessels to traverse interstellar distances very quickly. This has opened up vast reaches of the universe to exploration, colonization and trade with a number of alien species.
Because Wizardawn has left the setting at that, for Gamemasters and Players to make their own settings, I feel the need to create my/our own setting. Fleshing it out to have the pulpy feel that I so often crave in science fiction. And so I present the Atomic Age Campaign Setting:

The setting is in the year 4444 AD, and mankind has recently emerged from a long and bloody war with an alien race known as the Voltamen (which are basically Space Nazis). This race had conquered Earth in the 33rd century, but was eventually repelled and eventually driven back. This war was costly, and a number of alien races were mankind's allies during this conflict. Now a Galactic Cold War is on with the Voltamen, with the United Planets enjoying a booming economy, and energized with a can-do attitude much like the idealized world view of 1950's America. Exploration and colonization are crucial to the United Planets efforts, and so there is a great need for brave adventurers.

The look of The Atomic Age setting incorporates real-world science and Retro Futurism. Space Age Googie architecture with upswept roofs, curvaceous, geometric shapes, and bold use of glass, steel and neon. Small and energy efficient are not the way of the Atomic Age, as people want BIG, BOLD and imposing. Pretty much everything uses atomic power (using xormite/phlebotinum as the key fissionable element).

Along with the look of the setting, there will also be a fair amount of Cold War propaganda and paranoia. The Voltamen are still out there, and the presence of spies is confirmed. So space-going G-Men, fear of Doomsday Weapons, and Propaganda are all part of the backdrop. Culture has a "golly-gee" feel to it in many ways. Kids are fairly innocent, and most people are optimistic and small-town/neighborhood ethics are widespread, particularly on space stations, colonies and deep space ships.

So stay tuned! More to come.